Dressage horse on curb © Benkert

Sway

Starting point of the sway is to keep the horse closed. The horse walks a certain number of steps back and forth in the sway without coming to a halt. In order to move the horse from holding to backwards, the rider uses his back and thighs to push the horse forward, while at the same time both hands give a steady rein. As soon as the horse steps back, the reins give way slightly without losing contact with the horse's mouth. This acceptance and yielding of the reins is repeated according to the required number of backward steps. Both reins should be equally strong and simultaneously act on the horse. The thighs are placed behind the girth and keep the horse straight. To break the horse in at a walk from the backward direction, the legs are used in a forward-driving manner. The forward movement is permitted by a yielding bridle. In order to bring the horse from the crotch backwards again, the rider tightens the cross and applies a sustained pulling aid. After this last backward direction, the horse is ridden, trotted or cantered from it in walk.

The horse should always step back diagonally in two strokes in reverse, bending its hips. The horse should therefore take up more weight and not avoid the load by having wide hind legs. The neck should be the highest point. The horse should not be in a hurry to move backwards, nor should he pull his hooves through the sand. The forward steps should be in the correct four-beat rhythm of the walk.
To break in or trot the horse from the sway, the legs should be placed in the girth, pushing forward. The forward movement is permitted by a yielding bridle.
To canter the horse out of the sway, the rider shifts his weight to the corresponding side where the horse should start. The outer leg for the respective canter remains behind the girth, while the inner leg on the girth triggers the first canter jump. The rider's hand allows the horse to move forward with a yielding bridle.
The sway is required from the S class upwards.