The correctly ridden corner with its lateral bend forms the foundation for all bending work, i.e. all turns and lateral movements. The bend in the lateral movements is the same as in the corner. That’s why it is so important to create the best possible bend in the corner so that the lateral movement that follows on the long side or on the diagonal has the highest possible chance of success.
Since the corner doesn’t last very long it is extremely helpful to extend it by riding a volte in it. This gives the horse and the rider more time to fully develop the lateral bend. Once the horse is bending correctly in the corner or in the volte, you can take this bend with you into the lateral movement that follows.
Should the bend deteriorate during a lateral movement, you can interrupt it any time by riding a volte, in order to restore the bend. That’s better than continuing with the movement while the quality of the gait, the balance, the bend, the suppleness, the straightness, etc. deteriorates.
If you combine the fact that the corner is the “mother of all lateral movements” with the 3 phases of bending in motio:
1. bending and turning,
2. sidestepping and bending against the direction of travel,
3. sidestepping and bending in the direction of travel),
Then you arrive at the traditional training sequence that is followed by the Spanish Riding School and others: corner > volte > shoulder-in > haunches-in > half pass.
