🐴 Riding Tip of the Week: The 20-Meter Circle

A 20-meter circle is one of the first figures riders learn, and it’s valuable for western, English, and dressage riders alike. It’s a perfect circle, 20 meters (about 66 feet) across, and it teaches balance, accuracy, and rhythm.

A standard dressage arena measures 20 meters by 60 meters. Riders usually ride 20-meter circles at the ends of the arena—at A or C—or in the middle at B and E. You can practice 20-meter circles in the TES dressage arena or the jump arena, though it’s easier to learn the correct size in the dressage arena.

To ride an accurate, balanced circle, the rider uses natural aids together:

• Inside leg at the girth keeps the horse moving forward and bent around the leg.

• Outside leg slightly behind the girth prevents the hindquarters from swinging out.

• Inside rein asks for a small amount of flexion to the inside.

• Outside rein controls the size of the circle and supports the outside shoulder.

• Seat and eyes: Make a plan. Look ahead to where you’ll be about five seconds from now. As you turn your head and shoulders slightly toward the inside, your weight shifts gently onto your inside hip. The horse naturally steps under that weight, helping it bend and balance through the turn.

Riding circles in both directions improves bend, suppleness, and even development on each side of the horse. It also adds variety to your rides—proof that simple exercises, done thoughtfully, make better riders and happier horses.