Horseback Riding 101: Let's Ride
Posted: Wednesday, August 04, 2010
by Dianne Lehmann
Artisan Jewelry from SyZyGy
I've been hanging out with, caring for, and riding horses for well over a year now. We've ridden in a few horse shows and brought home a few blue ribbons. But that doesn't really qualify me in anyway to write about the care and grooming of horses, let alone how to ride them. And believe me when I say that I know this well. But I can share with you some of the things I've learned along the way things I wish people had told me much earlier on. I am passionate about horses in general and just want to share a little bit of this.
Before you Ride: I would like to say that not only is the health, fitness and endurance of your horse important, your own personal health is also. If you are feeling ill or really tired, you probably shouldn't ride. Also, it is a good idea to stretch and be limber and warmed up before getting on your horse. A good vigorous grooming of you horse can aid in this. Then too, should you fall (it happens to all of us sooner or later as I well know), the more fit you are, the more likely you are to survive the fall with only minor injuries. Only once have I heard of someone unintentionally coming off of her horse and landing, unhurt, on her feet. So be sure to keep fit and well conditioned for riding.
The Aids: Most well trained horses need very little urging to get moving. Many are trained to respond both to words and the use of the physical aids. There are two kinds of aids. One set is referred to as the "natural" aids: leg, hand, seat, and voice. The other set is the "artificial" aids: bit, spur, whip, and crop (also called bat or stick). As a beginning rider, I have only made use of the natural aids and of course the bit (although bitless bridles are available). Note: an extremely well trained horse can be more difficult to ride because they respond to the slightest change in your natural aids, changes that you are probably not even aware of making. A good thing to remember is to pay close attention to what you are doing at all times you are in the saddle and the response that your horse makes. I learned how to move my horse from a free walk to a faster working walk in just this way. Your first task in learning to be a good rider is to learn to ride without interfering: keep a steady contact with the bit, sit in a balanced and relaxed position, keep a quiet and steady leg unless you are asking for something and do not lean too far forward or back.
The Nose Points the Way: If only someone had told me that the very first time I got up on a horse. Seems like it should be obvious, but my thought was that the horse went where I asked him to. I mean, that's what everyone said; that a horse needs directions from the rider and that left to themselves they would just stand in one place and eat whatever was handy (a horse's number one favorite activity is eating). I would be valiantly trying to keep my horse on a straight track along the telephone poles that form the boundary of the little arena that I ride in, when all of a sudden he would step to the right, right over the pole, and out of the arena. I had no idea why, after all, I was asking him with the reins to move to the left, or so I thought. What I eventually found out is that if your horse's nose is pointing right, there is no way on earth you will get him to go left; he will follow his nose before following you. They are just made that way. Also, you have to use your reins properly, constantly monitor your horse, and anticipate, anticipate, anticipate.
I know now that when we are circling left in the dressage arena, my horse will attempt to exit at "A" (points in the arena are lettered and in the tests, certain maneuvers are to be accomplished at these points "A" is the entrance and exit to the arena). Sometimes, we'd be halfway back to the stables before I could get him to stop (I'm sure he is always thinking about the post-ride grooming and the hay I will give him). By anticipating this behavior, I can keep a little more pressure on the inside (left, in this case) rein as we make the turn onto the short side and keep him in the arena. And remember, whenever you pull on the rein on one side, you have to give a little on the other side, that is if you move one hand back toward your waist the other hand should move away from your body.
If all else fails and you can't get your horse to stop, you can try the "one rein ho." Pull back with one hand all the way to your hip. This really turns your horse's head (he can turn his head all the way back to your foot without a problem so don't worry about the extreme curve) and he has no option at that point but to pay attention to you and what you want (which, in my case, is usually that he doesn't trot off with me).
Sighting through the Ears: Another thing I didn't learn in the very beginning is that you should sight through your horse's ears. Don't look at your hands or his neck. Don't look at the ground beside you. If you are looking ahead between your horse's ears, it is easy to keep an eye on his nose. And where the nose goes, so he goes.
I should say though, that when you do wish to turn or make a loose or tight circle, if you turn your head and look where you want to go, this movement is transmitted through your shoulders and body right down into your seat on the saddle. Your horse can feel this very subtle change in your weight and it will let him know that you are about to ask him with the reins and your legs to make a turn.
Also, by sighting through his ears, you have a clue to where he is placing his attention. Ideally, at least one of his ears should be turned back toward you now and then. This shows that his attention is on you and he is waiting for your next request. If your horse's attention seems to be wandering to the raven in the tree or that piece of paper blowing in the wind, speak his name quietly, watch for his ear(s) to swivel back to you and then proceed knowing that he is paying attention to you. You can also slightly tighten and then loosen your grip on one or both sides of the reins to get his attention back to you.
None of this is really cut and dried and not all horses are alike; even if they've been trained by the same person because they all have their own personalities. Time, attention, and patience will work best to make you and your horse into a great team.
Walking On: So you are sitting quietly and comfortably in the saddle, your horse is standing still and awaiting your request, how do you get him moving? There are a number of ways to get him moving: (1) you can say "walk on" "giddy up" (get thee up) or whatever the horse has been trained to respond to; (2) you can give him a couple of quick taps with your feet and a squeeze with your legs; (3) you can shift your weight forward by arching your back slightly; (4) you can cluck; and (5) you can shake the reins (though this mostly only works for Western-trained horses; dressage horses are trained with reins laying quietly along side their necks). Or you can use any combination of the above. But for English-style dressage horses most commonly you would say "walk on" and shift your weight forward with a little tap of your heels.For the most part, the less you use your voice the better off you are. It is considered more desirable to use the other aids in preference to your voice. And horses that respond easily to words like "walk on," "trot" and "canter" may do those things when you do not want him to simply because he heard an observer say them. And horses have excellent hearing. Just the other day, I was riding with my horse's owner and I wanted my horse to halt. He was not responding and so I said "ho" quite loudly and her horse stopped immediately.
So You've got him Moving, How do you get Him to Stop: As with anything having to do with horses, there are a number of ways to do this. And believe me when I say that knowing how to make a horse halt is way more important than knowing how to get him moving. Luckily, where I ride, there isn't much of any where he can run off with me except maybe back to the stables where the only thing injured would be my pride. On a trail ride it would be a different matter. So learn early on, and well, how to make your horse stop moving forward.
In Western movies, you'll see a rider rein in his horse, usually from a full canter or gallop by hauling back fairly hard on the reins (this is great if you want your horse to rear up, personally, I don't). If your horse has been doing what you asked him to, this isn't really necessary. It's just more dramatic that way. A "ho" or "halt" is really a fairly subtle thing, unless of course your horse is in a panic (I have had the "pleasure" of that experience and fallen off; not something I want to repeat). My horse just likes to play with me from time to time and test my resolve and so I've learned some strategies for dealing with a horse that won't stop. But generally all it takes is a shift of your weight toward the back of the saddle by tilting your hips back, or think of it as rounding your back, and a gentle backward tug on the reins. Some horses will respond with a halt if you alternately squeeze first your right hand and left hand on the reins repeatedly. But this will only work if you have the reins fairly short and are keeping good contact with your horse. If you prefer to say "ho," say it with either a flat tone or downward tone. Never say it as if it were a question. Your horse will just ignore that. Generally, when you want movement or more power from your horse, use an upward tone with your voice and when you want to slow, stop, or calm your horse, use a downward tone.
If your horse just won't halt when you've asked him to, do not give up until he does stop. Keep asking and pull harder and harder on the reins (remember not to squeeze with your legs because that is the signal to move faster). But first remember that your horse generally won't respond the split second you ask him to do something. Horses sort of have this time delay thing going on. It might take two or three seconds for him to process what you've requested and comply. If you've had to abandon a halt, turn your horse either right or left. Don't continue straight the way you were going or he will learn that he can ignore your halt request. By turning him, you ask for compliance with your request and reassert your position as temporary boss in the partnership. And oddly enough, he will respect you more for it if you do. Horses like to know who is in command, they are happiest when the pecking order is clear (as in a herd) and precise. Also, if you let him know in advance that you are about to request a halt, he will be ready for it. Actually, you can signal that a change is coming at any time with a slight inward turn of your hands to bring your little fingers closer together. It very slightly increases the contact of the reins on his neck and lets him know to pay attention.
Turning: While sitting on a walking horse, try to keep relaxed and let your body move with him. Let your arms move slightly forward and back with his neck and head to keep the contact of the bit and reins light and constant. Your hands should remain quiet just above his withers. There should be a slight bend in your knees. Your heel, hip, and shoulder should make a straight line. Sit up tall and proud to be in this beautiful cooperation with your horse.
When you want to turn your horse, think of turning your shoulders in the direction you want to go. This will move the outside hand slightly forward and the inside hand slightly back. This automatically moves the reins in such a way that he will know what you want. It is a really cool feeling, a kind of perfect flow, to have turned your shoulders and have the horse follow and as his body turns. Then your shoulders come back into alignment with his shoulders and the rest of your body. If you have a swivel chair, sit in it with your feet on the floor, turn your upper body either right or left and then swivel your hips until you've lined yourself up again. This is what I mean.
A very advanced dressage rider will actually use the reins very little in directing her horse. And while turning your upper body does move the reins, it also shifts your weight in the saddle slightly and your horse will notice this and respond. You can also get your horse to "bend" around your legs. Basically you move the foot on the inside of the turn a little forward of the girth and apply a little pressure while moving the leg on the outside of the turn a little back of the girth and keeping it passive (or quiet). This is one reason it is important when you want you horse to walk straight that you be certain your legs are applying equal pressure on each side of him.
One thing to remember for sure is that if you are mainly using your reins to turn your horse, if you shorten one side (the side you are turning to) then you have to give or lengthen the other side. If you hold both sides of the reins taut while trying to turn him, you will just confuse him and most likely he will stop moving because it will feel like a request to halt to him.
So What about Trotting: Wow, now there's a piece of fun if ever the was one. But the first time we did it was a bit scary. I tensed up. My feet came out of the stirrups. I went forward over the pommel and thought I was going to come off but I stayed on. It's been a hoot ever since that.
There are a couple ways to ask for a trot from your horse. Some horses are good at moving directly from standing still to trotting, but generally you will want to have your horse in a walk before moving to a trot until you have become more experienced. It is easy to lose your seat if you are not prepared for sudden forward movement. As I've said earlier, many horses will respond to voice commands and a quiet "trot" on an upward note (but not as a question) is all that is needed to get him bouncing along in that signature two-beat gait. But you can also ask for a trot with most well-trained horses by moving your feet slightly back of the girth and squeezing harder with your calves in a more sustained manner than you would when asking for a walk. To maintain the trot keep a constant pressure with your calves. To increase the trot, apply more pressure with your calves. Do not grip with your knees. This will actually tell most horses to slow down. Letting your upper leg relax and your knees knock against your horses body with each stride will help to encourage him to continue moving forward.
You can either "sit" a trot or "rise" with the trot, but by far I've found rising to be more comfortable. Some horses have a really smooth and collected trot that is easy to sit, others do not. You'll just have to decide for yourself. Except, of course, if you are riding a test in a show and the test asks for either a rising or sitting trot in particular.
When sitting a trot, just relax back in the saddle as if you were sitting in your favorite easy chair. Loosen up as much as you can and meld with the rhythm of your horse. Rising in the trot, or posting, can be a little tricky.
Posting isn't so much about standing up in the stirrups and sitting down again as it is about moving your hips forward toward the pommel of the saddle and a bit up. Your horse's trot will actually help to impel your hips forward. It's the coming back down into the saddle that I found problematic at first and was the source of much post-riding discomfort. If you rise too far, you have a long way to come down and you will generally come down too hard with a little extra bounce that will throw you off the rhythm for the next rise. This is why keeping the stirrups as long as you can is so important. Shorter stirrups will let you stand higher in them than short ones will, bringing you down harder. Also, try to keep only the balls of your feet in the stirrups with your heels slightly lower than your toes. This actually works as a sort of shock absorber arrangement.
On the straight away, it doesn't matter when you rise and fall. But when turning or making circles in a trot, it is easier on your horse if you rise on the proper diagonal. In a trot, a horse moves the opposite front and back legs at the same time and then moves the other opposite set: right front and left rear, then left front and right rear. These are the two diagonals. A quick (and I mean quick) glance at your horses shoulders will tell you what to do. An easy way to remember it is this: "Rise and fall with the leg on the wall." Which means when circling left the right leg is "on the wall," so you would rise when the right leg moves forward. Also, if you do a lot of straight line trotting, it's a good idea to switch diagonals occasionally to give your horse a break. Just sit for one extra beat before rising again. Sounds easy but it takes a little practice and if you have to sit for three beats don't sweat it.
To transition from a trot to a walk, you can verbally ask for the walk or you can ask for a halt with your body and reins (you will have to sit the trot to as for the walk). But before he stops completely, let up on the halt request and keep him moving forward in a walk. This is called a half-halt and is helpful in letting your horse know that you are about to ask for a change.
Cantering: Just to let you know how much I still have to learn, I must admit that I have not yet cantered with my horse (except for very briefly on the day my horse panicked and I fell). I have been assured, however, that it is a load of fun even more so than trotting. Only time will tell. And when I finally have done so, I will edit this section of this article.
Good Boy: Horses are like anyone else, they like to be told when they have done something good or correctly. This doesn't mean you have to say "good boy/girl" at each and every request for a change and compliance. But it certainly is nice now and then to say a sincere "good boy/girl" and maybe add in a nice little neck rub. If I happen to forget, my horse let's me know when a "good boy" is in order. He will bend his neck around and look at me with the one eye as if to say, "Haven't I been good? Don't I deserve a reward?" I always have to laugh at the both of us and give him a hearty neck rub and those happy words he just loves to hear me utter.
Getting off of Your Horse: Halt your horse and make certain that he understands and is standing quite still. Often simply removing your feet from both stirrups will tell your horse that you are finished and about to dismount. The safest way to get off of your horse is by first taking both feet out of the stirrups. Last thing you want is to have taken your right foot out, swung it over the saddle with the left still in the stirrup and your horse panics or just becomes a little frightened and takes off. So ignore all those cowboys in all those Western movies and take both feet out of the stirrups, lean forward, swing your right leg up and over the saddle and drop to the ground. While doing this, be sure to keep a grip on the reins with your left hand. You can hang on to the saddle with both hands and ease yourself to the ground if you like, but be aware that it pulls uncomfortably on the horse.
Once I've dismounted and am finished for the day, I loosen the girth a notch or two, but not so much that the saddle will slip on the walk back to the stables. It lets my horse know that we are truly finished and it's much more comfortable for him. A sweet and tasty treat at this point is always appreciated by him as well.
Final Grooming: Just as the pre-riding grooming is important, so is the post-riding. Horses sweat to cool themselves and if you've worked your horse hard he can be quite wet when you finish. If the weather is cool, you should never let a hot horse stand wet for any amount of time. Always dry him and sometimes a blanket to let him cool off slowly is advised. If it is a hot day, a cooling rinse with water from a hose might be appreciated. It also gets rid of sweat that will dry and get crusty on his coat. I am constantly amazed that any horse will let me slap a saddle on his back, put a bridle on his face, a bit in his mouth, and ride him, so I look at a good post-ride grooming as payment for the honor. I also feel that it helps to erase the physical memory of the saddle and bridle. My horse has yet to complain of the extra grooming.
I sincerely hope that this article and the preceding three have helped you to better understand your horse and what is involved in riding him. If you have any recommendations for improvement to this and the previous articles, please be sure to let me know. Also, my thanks to you for making your way through these fairly long articles.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)You know Dianne, I don't ride - I've only done it a few times in my life - but I absolutely love horses, and am looking forward to learning to ride properly. But as I was reading your article, I was think you know that somebody is in for the long haul when they love the minutae of what they're doing, and you do.It's a real pleasure to read about your love affair with horses and riding, and inspiring!Hi Jennifer.Wow! You made it through that whole long thing. I wanted to make it shorter really, but every time I edited it, it just got longer. :) Too much to say.I love everything about horses ... well, maybe not their poop so much ... and it's not just about the riding. I love just hanging out with them and grooming them and ...Diablo bit me on Monday ... really hard. The back of my left arm just above the elbow is a swollen, purple mess, but the skin wasn't broken. It wasn't on purpose. Duke was trying to butt in and Diablo took exception, snapped at Duke and got me instead. Diablo was so upset at biting me that it made me very sad for him. But my only thought was that I hoped that my arm would be okay so I could go again on Thursday and groom and spend time with all of them. I know someone who was bitten and then wanted to never have another thing to do with horses. Bernd told me Monday night that I must really love these guys to put up with so much pain for them (there have been other very painful injuries). I don't know what the connection is between me and horses, but it sure is a strong one.I know you don't probably have a lot of spare time, but if you can, you might consider just spending some time with horses even if you don't ride. Learning to just stand and be still with "my" herd has taught me a lot about stability and calmness. It's taught me about all the subtle ways in which the herd communicates and has deepened my perceptions in all sorts of other areas.Oh goodness, I should stop now or I might never.Thanks so much for reading and your lovely comments.Hugs,Dianne
Nice Article Dianne, I would like to get a horse someday but I think the kids will come first.Hi James.Thanks.I'd like a horse of my own some day, but at this point in my life, that doesn't seem likely. I'm grateful to be able to borrow my friend's horses. I'm past having kids and never had any when I could, so there would be no conflict there. Bernd might get a little jealous though. Right now I only spend two days a week with the horses. But if I had my own ... who knows? :)Thanks for making it through this very long article.Dianne
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