To practice on your own, without a horse is excellent to find the movements in your own body. Practice until it feels natural to turn inwards and outwards and simultaneously increasing or decreasing the circle.
We practiced walking forwards and backwards on the circle on our railway tracks, where the feet never crossed each other. However, now when we start increasing and decreasing the circle our feet will cross. It is easy to trip so it is very good to practice on your own, without a horse. When increasing the circle you turn your body slightly outwards. This means your inside (inner leg and shoulder, the one farthest away from the horse) is moving outwards towards where the horse would have been, and your outside (outer leg and shoulder, the one closest to the horse) is turning inwards, away from where the horse would have been, if your original position was parallel to the horse.
Imagine you have a big eye in your chest and always point that eye in the direction you want to go. Now start spiraling outwards. Make sure to actually increase the circle instead of just turning outwards and then walking backwards into the circle centre. Find a pace where you can walk normal, without tripping on yourself. If you start tripping it is very likely you turn to much outwards, and then you can try to turn a bit less.
Imagine you have a big eye in your chest and always point that eye in the direction you want to go.
When decreasing the circle turn your big eye in your chest inwards. Then your outer side will move slightly inwards and you inner side will move slightly outwards. Start walking in a normal pace and make sure to decrease the circle and not just turning inwards and walk backwards out of the circle to actually increase the circle.
Remember
- Turn your body outwards and walk outwards in a spiral to increase the circle.
- Turn your body inwards and walk inwards in a spiral to reduce the circle.
- Imagine you have a big eye in your chest that constantly looks in the direction you want to go.