THE KNOWLEDGE TOOLBOX
How to ask your horse to…
Walk:
Squeeze the horse gently with your legs and once the horse starts walking, they should be relaxed.
As the horse walks, you should feel side-to-side sway. While walking, the horse’s head will
nod forwards and backwards. Keep your arms relaxed, so your hands can move with the nodding
and maintain some tightness on the horse.
The walk is a "four-step gait," which means the horse moves each leg in turn
and places all four legs on the ground individually.
Trot:
The same principles of walking apply to the trot where you squeeze the horse with your legs,
but with greater strength this time. A gentle kick with the heels may also be required.
Unlike the walk, the horse doesn’t nod, so you an keep your hands in the same position
without restricting its movement.
There are two forms of the trot: rising and sitting. The rising trot has the same rhythm
as the horse’s legs. You sit as one pair of legs hit the ground and you rise when the other
pair hit the ground — like a rhythmic standing and sitting exercise. For the sitting
trot, you obviously sit, but you must keep your legs and back relaxed as a tense body may
send a message to the horse to trot faster. The sitting trot is considered more difficult
to learn of the two.
The trot is a "two step gait," which means the horse moves its legs in pairs.
Actually, horses moves their legs in diagonal pairs — left front and right back together,
while right front and left back move together.
Turn:
To turn a horse, you must use the reins and legs. To turn a horse to the left, gently pull
back on the left rein and ask the horse to bend its neck to the left. Use your legs at
the same time to encourage the horse forwards. Do the same if you want to turn right, but
on the opposite side.
Halt:
To halt a horse, you must a combination of legs, hand and the seat. When the horse is walking,
stiffen your lower back and squeeze your legs, while stiffening the hands and gently pulling
back the reins towards the body. As soon as the horse has halted, relax.
Instructions
received from Equine
World UK
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