Shoulder Control: The Key to Body Control

As I taught a lesson one evening, I found myself in yet another conversation with a client discussing how they had never heard someone talk about the horse’s shoulders in their previous English riding lessons. I couldn’t help but wonder why shoulder control doesn’t get more attention in English riding. Western riders rely on it for everything from tight horsemanship patterns to cutting cows, but for many English riders, it’s a concept that’s often overlooked.

But the truth is: learning to steer from the shoulders, not just the mouth, can elevate your riding. Think more accurate turns, better balance, and a horse that feels more like a partner than a puzzle to solve. It’s a game-changer for every discipline, and it might just be the secret to a more connected ride.

It’s not just a practical skill—it’s the missing piece in the accuracy and connection of your rides.

Why Shoulders Matter (Hint: It’s Not Just for Western Riders)

Picture this: you’re riding a cutting horse trying to keep a cow in the middle of the pen. There’s no time for clunky movements or oversteering. That horse needs to pick up through their shoulders, stay balanced, and turn with precision to get in front of the cow and get it turned. Western riders know this instinctively—shoulder control is the foundation of steering.

Now, think about English riding. Whether you’re navigating a tricky showjumping course or perfecting your flatwork, having your horse lift and balance through their shoulders makes a world of difference. Steering from the shoulders engages the horse’s entire front end, creating smooth, efficient movement instead of relying on the head and neck to drag the body along.

When your horse moves with their shoulders aligned and balanced, turns become more fluid, transitions more seamless, and everything just feels… better. It’s not just a practical skill—it’s the missing piece in the accuracy and connection of your rides.

Steering from the Shoulders, Not the Mouth

Let’s talk about what happens when you steer from the mouth instead of the shoulders. Say you’re riding a horse that loves to drift toward the inside of the arena. Your instinct might be to pull on the outside rein to correct them, but the horse keeps leaning inward. Why? Because pulling on the mouth only redirects the head and neck—it doesn’t address the shoulders, which are still bulging outside and pulling the horse off course.

This is where steering from the shoulders comes in. I often explain it to my students as opening and closing doors. When you create contact with one rein, you’re “closing the door” on that side, preventing the shoulder from drifting in that direction. When you soften the rein, you “open the door,” inviting the shoulder to follow your guidance. It’s a simple concept, but it shifts the focus from just steering the head to leading the entire body.

Practice Makes Perfect: Shoulder Control Exercises

Transitioning to shoulder-focused steering can feel tricky at first, especially if you’re used to relying on the reins. Here are three exercises to help you build this skill:

1. Lateral Flexion & Yielding

Start with lateral movements, asking your horse to step their shoulders to the side while keeping their neck soft. This teaches them to move their shoulders independently of their head.

2. Serpentines & Small Circles

Practice serpentines or small circles, using your inside leg and outside rein like doors to guide the shoulders. Focus on leading with the shoulders rather than pulling the head into the turn.

3. Shoulder-In & Leg Yields

Classical dressage movements like shoulder-ins and leg yields are excellent for developing shoulder control and balance. Notice how much more engaged and connected your horse feels when their shoulders are aligned.

Why This Matters for Showjumpers

For showjumpers, shoulder control is a must-have skill. Imagine you’re approaching a fence from a tight turn. If your horse is dropping a shoulder, they’ll approach crooked, likely leading to an unbalanced jump or knocked rails. But a horse that lifts through the shoulders and stays balanced can adjust their stride, push off evenly at the base of the fence, and land ready for the next move.

Beyond jumping, shoulder control makes every aspect of your ride feel smoother. A horse that’s balanced and engaged through the shoulders is lighter in your hands, more responsive to your aids, and easier to maneuver.

A Lesson from Western Riders

Interestingly, western disciplines have mastered shoulder control so well that even riders from other disciplines are taking notice. A friend of mine who trains cutting horses once told me about dressage riders bringing their horses to practice on the mechanical cow (known as “the flag”). The cutting horses all have great shoulder control because the instinct of trying to catch up to the cow teaches them to pick up their shoulders simply because they want to be faster at turning. It’s proof that this skill isn’t just for western riders- it’s universal. 

The Takeaway

Shoulder control might not be the flashiest skill in riding, but it’s one of the most transformative. By focusing on guiding the shoulders instead of just steering the head, you’re engaging your horse’s entire body, creating smoother, more connected movements in every stride.

So, the next time your horse feels heavy in your hands or drifts off course, take a step back and ask yourself: are you steering the head, or leading the shoulders? Because the secret to a balanced, responsive ride might just start at the shoulders. You’ll be amazed at how much of a difference it makes—whether you’re spinning, jumping, or perfecting your reining spins. And once you feel the results, you’ll wonder how you ever rode without it.