Training Topic: Leg Yields And Side Passes
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214 – March/April, 2026
By Taylor Fabus
While to the casual observer leg yields and side passes may appear similar, their intent, energy, and execution differ–and those differences matter. But successfully completing either movement begins long before a pattern calls for it. Proper training, body control, and clear communication are essential to producing lateral movement that is both correct and credit-earning.
Traditionally, side passes were seen only in Trail classes, while leg yields were more commonly associated with dressage or higher-level hunt seat equitation. Today, however, both maneuvers are increasingly appearing across multiple disciplines, including horsemanship and equitation. This shift places greater emphasis on a rider’s ability to execute subtle aids while maintaining balance, rhythm, and connection. Though they share lateral movement as a common thread, leg yields and side passes serve different purposes–one emphasizing forward intent, the other prioritizing precision and control.
Understanding how these maneuvers differ, how they are introduced, and how expectations evolve as a horse progresses in its training can help exhibitors execute them with clarity and confidence, setting themselves apart among the competition.
AQHA judge Christa Baldwin of Stanton, Michigan, believes lateral maneuvers are not just pattern elements, but the foundation of all effective riding. “Leg yields, side passes, and haunches-in are the most important maneuvers a trainer can teach a horse, and an instructor can teach a rider,” Baldwin says. “Without knowing these aids, everything else we do with a horse is fruitless–whether it’s Trail, Pleasure, Western Riding, or maneuvering patterns. A horse has to be able to move off our legs and stay in frame from our legs, and an exhibitor has to be able to apply the correct cues to make that happen.”
The Leg Yield: Forward First
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214 – March/April, 2026
