Riding Concepts

 

The Walk

The walk is a 4-beat flat footed gait

 

The Trot or Jog

The Trot or Jog is a very regular 2-beat diagonal gait…1-2..1-2

 

The Canter or Lope

The canter or lope is a 3-beat gait that begins with one hind leg, then the diagonal pair, and ends with the leading foreleg.  It has a alternating rolling and floating feeling to it.  The energy rolls from rear to front, then during a moment of suspension the horse gathers himself up underneath himself to get organized for the next set of leg movements.

 

Forward Energy

The mental and physical willingness, and in fact, eagerness, to move forward.

 

Rhythm

The sequenced placement of a horse’s feet in a gait.

 

Balance

The ability to keep the center of gravity over the base to maintain equilibrium.

 

Smoothness

Besides energy, rhythm, and balance, one other goal for comfortable riding is smoothness.  Goal to make all movements and changes in transitions smooth that you barely feel it in the riders body.

 

Harmony

This describes a good working relationship between horse and rider, one with smooth flow of energy and an open line of communication.  To achieve harmony, you may need to assess your own state of mind and admit when changes in attitude might have to take place in order to have a productive ride.

 

Connection

The relationship between the driving aids, the restraining aids, and the response from the horse.

 

Contact

The tightness of the reins related to the level of communication and flow of energy from rider to horse and back to rider.

 

Pressure

Horses generally resist heavy steady pressure and respond favorably to light, intermittent pressure.  That means if you are trying to get a horse to respond in his jaw and poll to your hands on the reins and you pull steadily and with great force, the horse will probably try to push into and out of that pressure.  You must use a light squeeze-and-relaease action of the reins, the horse will tend to move in response that action.  Sames applies to your seat, legs and overall use of your body.

 

Flexion and Bending

Characteristic of a supple and collected horse, there two types of flexion:

1.    Vertical or longitudinal, often mistakenly associated with “headset.”  In reality, it is an engagement of the entire body:  abdomen, hindquarters, back, neck, and head.

2.  Lateral side-to-side arcing of the spine characteristic of turning or circular work; often called bending.

 

Impulsion

The energy and thrust forward from the horse’s hindquarters characterized by a forward reaching rather than a backward pushing motion.

 

Collection

A gathering together; a state of organized movement; a degree of equilibrium in which the horse’s energized response to the aids is characterized by elevated head and neck, rounded back, dropped croup, engaged hindquarters, and flexed abdominals.  The horse remains on the bit, is light and mobile, and is ready to respond to the requests of the trainer.

 

Aids

Signals from the rider to the horse.  The natural aids are the mind, voice, the seat (weight), upper body, legs, and hands.   Artificial aids are extensions or reinforcements of the natural aids and include whips and spurs.