Lateral Movement - Movements With Sideways Motion

Movements With Sideways Motion

The side pass (also called the full pass or full travers), leg yield, and half-pass all ask the horse to move sideways.

The leg-yield and half-pass are seen in dressage, and require the horse to have forward movement, resulting in the horse moving in a diagonal line. The main difference between the two movements is the direction of bend: with the horse bent in the direction of travel in the half-pass, and kept straight in the leg-yield. Therefore, the half-pass is much more difficult, requiring greater engagement and collection from the horse. It is important to note that the half-pass is a variation on the three-track movement, haunches-in, although it is a two-track movement itself.

In the side pass, the horse moves sideways without stepping forward, and must be executed from a halt. It originated in the cavalry, to help correct the spacing of two horses that were side-by-side in a line. Today it is seen used in the western disciplines, or by police horses. Additionally, it is seen in the lower-level dressage tests in Austria.

These movements teach the horse to properly move sideways away from leg pressure.