Beginner Riders
From HelpWiki
Instructor Required
Horses are a lot of fun but they're also big, unpredictable animals and dangerous to be around if you don't have the experience or knowledge necessary to handle situations or problems which may arise. For this reason if you like horses and want to learn how to ride then you should seek the help of a riding instructor or an adult/guardian who has more knowledge and experience than yourself.
How Do I Know If I'm A Beginner?
A beginner is someone with little or no horse knowledge with the exception of book learning. You may have read all about horses and know the different breeds or parts of the horse but this doesn't make up for actual experience. Here are things every beginner needs to know. If you don't know how to do one or more of the things outlined below then yes, you are a beginner.
Ground Basics
When you were a baby you learned to crawl before you learned to walk. Experience with horses works the same way. Before you learn to ride you must learn how to handle the horse on the ground. Many people overlook the importance of being able to control their horse from the ground, especially beginners who have little or no prior experience.
Leading A Horse
Until you are an experienced horse person you should always lead a horse with a halter and lead rope. As you become more experienced you can learn to lead a horse by just a halter, and then without a halter or lead rope. Make sure you are always aware of how close the horse is to you. Keep your toes parallel to the horse's body to reduce the chance of it stepping on your feet.
Putting On A Halter
The halter, also called a head collar in some European countries, is a piece of tack made out of nylon or rope. The horse's nose is placed through the opening at the front and then the halter is buckled or tied behind the horse's ears and over it's cheek. When a halter has been put on properly it forms a letter H across the side of the horse's head.
Putting On A Lead Rope
Generally there are three types of lead ropes. A snap lead rope, a break away lead rope and an attached in lead rope.
A snap lead rope uses a metal clasp with a button at the end. In order to open the clasp you have to push down the button, hook the clasp to a ring underneath the horse's chin, and then release the button.
A break away lead rope uses a swinging snap with a pull down mechanism beneath it. In order to open the snap you have to pull down on a piece of metal at the base of it. When it's open you put it around the ring on the halter beneath the horse's chin. To close it you have to pull down on the metal at the base, rotate the span, then release the metal at the base. With a break way lead rope if your horse rears or runs off suddenly the lead rope will break free from the horse's halter as long as you hold on to it.
An attached lead rope is typically found on rope halters. The rope has been securely tied to a knot at the base of the horse's chin so there is no need to open and close a metal snap to attach the lead rope.
A Horse's Blind Spots
When your horse is standing whether it's in a stall, cross tiles or out in the field it's important to remember it has two blind spots. One is directly in front of them and the other is directly behind them. For this reason you shouldn't stand directly in front of or behind a horse.
You shouldn't walk behind a horse unless you absolutely have to because some horses kick. If for some reason you have to walk behind a horse you should place one hand on the top of their butt, stand as close to their back legs as you can and then walk around them with your body as close to their butt and back legs as possible. Your hand lets the horse know where you are as you walk around behind them. By standing close to your horse's back legs you'll reduce the force of any kick they might give you.
Walking A Horse
Once your horse has a halter and a lead rope attached you're ready to learn how to lead your horse. NEVER WRAP A LEAD ROPE AROUND YOUR HAND! This is the number one way to get hurt if your horse spooks or rears. Your lead rope should be gathered up so that it doesn't drag on the ground and then held firmly in your hand.
You should have enough distance between yourself and your horse that your feet aren't in danger of being stepped on. Additionally you need to face forward so that your shoulder is slightly in front of your horse's shoulder. Typically you don't walk on your horse's left side. As you walk your horse should follow you with little to no pulling on the reins (minus the stubborn or green pony). It's important to keep some distance between your shoulder and your horse's shoulder at all times. This prevents the horse from stepping on your feet, a dangling lead rope, or knocking you over.
As you walk your horse's shoulder should stay at or slightly behind the position of your shoulder. If your horse is moving too quickly or too slowly you can place one hand on the lead rope close to the bottom of your horse's chin. This will give you better control of their head and help you steer them or encourage them to speed up or slow down.
When you stop your horse should stop at the same position as when you were walking. If your horse keeps walking once you stop you can move one hand up to the rope below it's chin and apply pressure to the lead rope by pulling it backwards towards their chest.
Tying A Horse
There are several ways to tie a horse but as a beginner you really only need to know two of them. Because tying a horse is dangerous and can cause injury to the horse or yourself you should never tie your horse in cross ties that aren't break away. Additionally you should never tie your horse in a knot that won't release quickly and easily. If your horses gets into trouble you must be able to release it quickly.
Horses that are tied should not be left alone for long periods of time. If you intend to tie your horse you should check on it frequently to make sure it's okay.
Cross Ties
Cross ties are break way lead ropes that have been tied to either side of a stall, grooming stall, or barn aisle. They allow you to minimize your horse's movement as you brush them and tack them up. Cross ties hook to the left and right sides of your horse's halter, not underneath their chin like a lead rope does. If your horse spooks or rears the lead ropes will break off of their halter and reduces the chance of injury to your horse from falling or getting caught in the ropes.
Slip Knot
A slip knot (aka quick release knot) is a knot that allows you to easily untie your horse but if the horse pulls against it the knot gets tighter. A slip knot is made with a lead rope attached to your horse's halter. It doesn't restrict your horse's movement as much as cross ties do but it will prevent your horse from moving outside of where you've tied it. Slip knots, if not done correctly, can easily come undone by the horse pulling on it or biting at it.
Grooming A Horse
Before you ride a horse you should groom it. Grooming serves several purposes. The first is that it increases circulation of blood under the skin and helps the horse maintain a healthy, fungus free coat. Another reason to groom your horse is to make sure there are no cuts, scrapes or injuries that need treatment or make your horse unfit for riding. Finally you should also groom your horse to create an understanding, or bond, between you and the animal and help it recognize you. This will make communication during riding easier for the both of you.
Stand at the side of the horse with your toes pointed parallel to the horse's body and this will prevent them from being stepped on. Then use one of four different types of brushes to groom the horse.
Curry Comb
A curry comb is a rubber brush with blunt ridges in a circle pattern. It's used on all parts of the body in a quick, circular strokes to remove caked on dirt and mud. It can be used with more pressure on the horse's body and less pressure on the horse's face and legs.
Hard Brush
A hard brush is a brush with a wooden or plastic handle with hard bristles. It's used on the horse's body only in strokes that go with the lay of the horse's coat. It can be used with mild to hard pressure depending on the sensitivity of the horse's skin.
Medium Brush
A medium brush is a brush with a wooden or plastic handle with medium hard bristles. It can be used on all parts of the horse's body in strokes that go with the lay of the horse's coat. It can be used with moderate pressure on all areas except the face and legs.
Hard Brush
A soft brush is a brush with a wooden or plastic handle with soft bristles. It can be used on the horse's face and legs in strokes that go with the lay of the horse's coat. It can be used with moderate to hard pressure.
Picking A Horse's Feet
Every time you ride a horse you must pick it's feet first, even if the horse isn't wearing shoes. By picking the horse's feet you remove dirt, rocks and other debris that may cause it to go lame otherwise. Think of a time when you've had a rock in your shoe but no way to get it out. If you walk around with it in your shoe all day your foot gets sore. The same this is true of horses. Picking their prevents tenderness, lets you evaluate their feet for problems and encourages good health.
To pick a horse's foot you use a tool called a hoof pick. The hoof pick is placed at the corner of the horse's foot, with the point facing away from you, and then is pressed in and the dirt and rocks are lifted out. When a horse's foot is clean you should be able to clearly see your horse's frog, a triangle shaped piece in the middle of their foot, with space all the way around it.
Opening & Closing Gates
The rule of thumb in any barn is: If the gate is closed leave it closed, if the gate is open leave it open.
If you have a horse that you're leading on the ground and you need to get it through a closed gate you should first stop the horse several feet back from the gate, approach the gate to open it, then lead the horse through. When the horse is all the way through make your horse turn around so it's facing the open gate and stop, then you close and latch the gate. As soon as you're done turn your horse back in the direction you had originally intended.
Brushing A Mane & Tail
Brushing your horse's mane and tail keeps them free of tangles and burrs and also helps them look better. Remember to keep your toes pointed parallel to the horse's body and this will prevent them from being stepped on.
To brush your horse's mane first find any sort of human hair brush or comb. There is no special brush required for horses although a heavy duty brush or comb will last longer. Stand on your horse's right side and pull it's mane towards you if it's on the other side of it's neck. Then, using one hand reach up and hold a section of your horse's mane near their neck. With your other hand run the brush through the hair. Continue brushing your horse's mane in sections, one handful at a time, until you've brushed it's hole mane. By the time your are done you should be able to run your brush through the horse's mane at any point along it's neck and it shouldn't get tangled or caught.
To brush your horse's use the same human brush or comb that you use on the mane. Stand to one side of the horse's butt. Reach out and pull the tail towards you so that it's no longer hanging straight behind them. Starting at the top of the tail brush downwards in small sections until the brush can go through the tail without getting tangled or caught.
Tacking & Untacking A Horse
Before you can ride your horse you have to groom your horse then put it's tack on. When you're done riding you'll take it back off. First you need to tie your horse in a slip knot or cross ties, or you can confine your horse to a stall but that's not recommended for beginners. Assemble all the tack you'll need and have it close by. When you stand beside your horse and make sure your toes are parallel to it's body so you won't be stepped on.
Now start with a saddle pad. Place the saddle pad on your horse's neck and pull it towards down it's butt. When you feel the saddle pad dip a little bit you'll know it's in the right place. For the most part the front part of your saddle pad should rest on the very end of your horse's mane with most of it covering the middle of your horse's back.
Next get your saddle. Make sure your stirrups are up so they won't bang the horse as you put the saddle on. When your stirrups are secure swing the saddle up and over the horse's back. The pommel, or front of your saddle, should be facing towards your horse's ears.
Check that your saddle is in the right position. The front flap of your saddle should line up with the crease behind your horse's front leg.
Now get your girth. Depending on the type of saddle you're using you may cinch up your girth differently.
In an English saddle you want to find the side of the girth that is stretchy with elastic. Walk around to the horse's left side. Put this side of the girth on the first hole on your first and last billet straps. An easy way to remember this is eLastic goes on the Left. Next walk around to the horse's right side. Reach under the horse's belly and grab the girth. Put the girth through on the highest hole you can on the horse's first and last billet straps. Now walk back around to the horse's left side and pull the elastic end of the girth up and put it in the highest holes you can.
In a Western saddle you use a western cinch and your girth is typically already attached on one side. Walk around to your horse's left side, reach under your horse's belly and grab the girth. Pull the girth up and put it through the rings at the top and bottom of where the girth is attached. Then make a tie knot (pull left, around, behind right, down the center) at the top ring on the girth.
Once your horse has it's saddle and girth on it's time to put on their bridle. In order to do this you'll need to remove your horse's halter. To prevent your horse from running away you can put your reins over it's head first and then hold your reins together with one hand at the base of it's neck while you put the bridle on with the other hand.
Before you can put the bridle on you have to get the horse to accept it's bit. Use your fingers to make the letter L. Place your thumb at one end of the bit and your pointer finger at the other end. Put the bit underneath your horse's mouth and push straight up and into the horse's mouth. Try not to feed the horse your fingers! Your horse should open it's mouth and take the bit and as it does you need to pull up on the bridle and put the horse's ears through the top. With the bit in the horse's mouth you should only see about two wrinkles in the corners of it's mouth. If you see more (or none) your bridle is too tight (or loose) and you'll need to take it off and adjust it.
When the bridle is on the horse's head buckle the chin strips and cheek straps. You should be able to get two fingers under the chin strap and four fingers under the cheek strap. If you can get more (or less) then your bridle is too tight (or loose). Now bring your reins over your horse's head and hold them like you would a lead rope. You're almost ready to ride!
To untack your horse you would reverse this process. Start by putting the reins over your horse's head, removing the bridle, putting the halter back on then re-tying your horse. When your horse is tied again remove the girth, saddle and finally saddle pad. You should groom your horse when you're done riding.
Tighten Girth
Right before you ride a horse you need to always check your girth. Many horses will puff out their chest so when they relax their girth is loose under their belly. When this happens and you try to get in the saddle it will slide off the horse's back towards it's belly. A good rule of thumb is to try putting two fingers under your girth and pulling it towards your body. The girth should not come away from the horse's side. If it does your girth is too loose.
With an English saddle, starting with the non-elastic side pull the girth up as high as it will go. Return to the elastic side and pull up the girth as high as it will go. If your girth is all the way up on both sides and it's still too loose then you'll need to get a smaller girth.
With a Western saddle, undo the tie knot and pull on the leather between your girth and rings to shorten it. Shorten it as much as possible and then re-tie the tie knot. If your girth is still too loose you'll need to find a smaller one.
Shorten or Lengthen Stirrups
Now it's time to prepare your stirrups so you can get on the horse. Your stirrup length will differ depending on the type of sport you're learning and the type of saddle you're using.
In dressage your stirrup should hang slightly just above the bottom of your foot when you put let your leg hang down beside it.
In jumping, pleasure, equitation, hunt seat, cross country, and endurance your stirrup your stirrup should hang slightly below your ankle bone when you let your leg hang down beside it.
In western your stirrup should hang slightly above the bottom of your foot when you let your leg hang down beside it.
To actually shorten your stirrup you need to lift your saddle flap and move the stirrup to a higher/lower hole. To test how long your stirrup is put your fingers at the top of your stirrup leather then extend the stirrup towards your armpit. If the stirrup hits your armpit it will hang right below your ankle bone. If your stirrup hits just above your armpit it will hang slightly below your ankle bone.
Book Learning
Terminology
Mare
A mare is a female horse that may or may not be able to produce offspring.
Stallion
A stallion is a male horse that can still produce offspring.
Gelding
A gelding is a male horse that cannot produce offspring.
Dam
A dam is the mother of a foal.
Sire
A sire is the father of a foal.
Foal
A foal is a male or female horse under 1 year of age and has not yet been weaned from it's dam.
Weanling
A weanling is a male or female horse ages 1-3 that has been weaned from it's dam.
Square
This is when all four of the horse's feet form a perfect rectangle because they are equally spaced in both the front and back end.
Hands
This is a unit of measurement used to describe how tall a horse is. One hand is exactly four inches. Horses are placed on flat ground, made square, and then measured from the bottom of their front hoof to the top of their wither to determine how many hands tall they are.
Green Horse or Pony
A green horse/pony is one that has not yet been fully trained.
Saddle Broken
A horse that has been trained to accept a saddle on it's back.
Bridle Broken
A horse that has been trained to accept a bridle with a bit in it's mouth.
Parts of the Horse
You need to know all major parts of the horse including the legs, fetlocks, hocks, hooves, head, chin, cheek, mouth, teeth, ears, eyes, nose, poll, withers, chest and rump.
Types of Horse
Hotblood
These are medium/light boned horses that are bred for speed, endurance, stamina and agility. They Arabian is typically considered to be the founding hotblooded horse. Hotblooded horses also include horses that were bred to race such as the Thoroughbred.
Warmblood
These are medium/light boned horses that are bred for a wide variety of sports, pleasure and competition events.
Light Draft
Light drafts are warmblood horses that have been crossed with heavy drafts or other light draft breeds. These horses are typically used for sports, competition, pleasure and as carriage horses.
Heavy Draft
These are large boned horses that are bred for work such as hauling heavy carts and plowing fields. They are also used as carriage horses and sometimes as pleasure or dressage horses. Their large size makes it hard for them to compete in jumping or high agility events.
Pony/Cob
These are horses that have been bred down to sizes of 14.2 - 9 hands. They are typically most suitable for riding by children or small teens. They are used for sports, competition, games, pleasure, cart and carriage events.
Miniature
These are tiny horses bred down to sizes of 8 hands or smaller. They are used for show, riding, driving and carriage events. These are not suitable for riding by anyone other than children.
Tack
Saddle
A saddle is a piece of leather that you sit on when you're on a horse's back. There are several different types of saddles.
Western saddles are larger, heavier, shaped like a box, have a saddle horn in front and feel like sitting on a couch. They are used for western competitions such as barrels, roping and cutting. In a western saddle you tend to lean back more and the rider is situated almost exactly over the center of the horse's back.
English saddles are smaller, lighter, and contoured to fit the rounded shape of a horse's back. English saddle require more balance to sit in than a western saddle. With the exception of the dressage or multi-purpose saddle, they tend to have a seat which isn't as deep as a western saddle. In comparison an English saddle is more like sitting on a barrel than a box. The rider's position is more forward in the saddle so they sit directly over the horse's shoulder giving the horse better movement through their back.
Bridle
A bridle holds a bit which goes into the horse's mouth and puts pressure on the horse's face and inside of it's mouth to help you steer, turn, bend and stop the horse.
Saddle Pad
A saddle pad goes under the horse's saddle and helps prevent the saddle from rubbing or chaffing their back. Sometimes special saddle pads can be used to correct saddles that don't fit properly, to relieve pressure on the horse's back or provide extra padding where it's needed.
Reins
These are straps of leather that attach to the horse's bit. By pulling or lifting on these the rider puts pressure on the bit which puts pressure on the horse's mouth and head.
Martingale
A martingale is a piece of leather that attaches from the girth to the chin strap on the horse's bridle. It prevents the horse from putting it's head up too high in the air.
Crop
A crop is a flexible stick that can be used to encourage a stubborn horse or correct a horse that's not behaving properly. Crops should only be used directly behind the rider's legs or on the side of a horse's butt. A crop used anywhere else on the horse is often cause for dismissal from show rings and if used in excess can be considered abusive.
Breast Plate
A breast plate hooks to the horse's girth and saddle. It prevents the saddle from sliding too far backwards when as the horse moves.
Riding Gear
Pants
Riding pants are specially designed so that there is no in-seam. An in-seam is the stitching that runs along the inside of your legs. All normal pants and jeans have an in-seam. Riding pants are designed with no in-seam which prevents the inside of your leg from rubbing as you grip the horse in the saddle. All riding pants come with extra padding in the knee area and some of them come with extra padding in the seat as well -- known as full seat pants.
Boots
You should wear a narrow toed boot with a 1-2 inch heel when you ride. This prevents your foot from slipping through your stirrup and getting stuck. Riding boots are typically higher in the ankle area as well. Having a higher ankle gives your foot and ankle more support as you ride.
Helmet
Helmets are required in all competitive sports with the exception of some western events. As a new rider a helmet is absolutely necessary. A bike helmet will not work for horse back riding. Riding helmets are specially designed for impacts you may suffer at the front and back of the head while a bike helmet is designed for impacts to the front of the head. In more than one occasion a helmet may very well save you from a life threatening injury to the head.
Riding Abilities
Mount
Before mounting always check to make sure your saddle is in the correct position, your girth is tight. Approach the horse from their left side. Put your reins over your horse's head but don't let go of them. Pull your stirrups down check to see if they are the correct length. The bottom of the stirrup should hit right at your armpit. Now lift your foot and put your left foot into the stirrup (you may stand on a mounting block if needed). Slowly swing your right leg up and over the horse's back all the while keeping your hands on the reins. Lower yourself softly into the saddle -- don't plop, wiggle or slam your bottom down. Put your right foot into the stirrup then adjust your hands on the reins so they are the proper length. Now you're ready to ride.
Dismount
Relax your reins on your horse's neck, but keep a hold of them. Drop both feet out of your stirrups. Lie forward on your belly and swing your right leg over the side of the horse. You should now be lying on your belly with both feet hanging on the left side of the horse. Slowly lower yourself down until your feet touch the ground. Bring your reins over your horse's head then put your stirrups back up. Now you're ready to take the horse back to the barn.
Emergency Dismount
While mounted, if your horse suddenly looses control, becomes unpredictable or you need to get off quickly you use an emergency dismount to do so as safely as possible. This maneuver should be performed in life threatening/dangerous situations or at the request of your instructor or parent/guardian. Emergency dismounts are not to be taken lightly. They may save your life in some situation or can cause harm and even death to the rider. Use this technique at your own risk.
Drop both stirrups. Now drop the reins (if you have them) and try to prevent them from going over the horse's head if you can. Lean forward and wrap both arms around your horse's neck. Now think of the horse like a barrel. You're going to tip sideways and fall. Relax all of your muscles and tuck your body and roll as you fall to the side of the horse. Keep your hands protecting your head, neck and face as much as possible. Roll away from the direction the horse is moving to reduce the risk of being stepped on.
Picking Up & Dropping Stirrups
It's important to know how to pick up and drop your stirrups once you're in the saddle. You should be able to do it without looking down and without using your hand to help you.
Picking Up
Sometimes when you're riding you loose your balance. When this happens it's easy to loose one or both of your stirrups. Riding without stirrups is much harder as stirrups help you stay balanced and centered over your horse's back. Practice mounting your horse and putting your feet in the stirrups. Make sure you face forward, don't look down, and don't use your hand to help you get your stirrups back. Lift your leg from the knee and move your foot forward until you hear or feel your shoe has touched the stirrup iron. Slid the front of your shoe into the stirrup iron. When your foot is properly in the stirrup you should feel the press of the stirrup on the ball of your foot. If you push your foot too far through the stirrup it can get caught. If you're having a hard time getting your foot in the stirrup it may mean you're not wearing riding boots or your stirrup could be too small. Make sure you wear the right kind of shoes or get larger stirrup irons.
Dropping
In an emergency situation you might need to drop your stirrups to do an emergency dismount. If your foot is caught in the stirrup you can be dragged behind your horse. This is another reason we practice keeping our heels down -- this will help our foot come out of the stirrup if we fall. To practice dropping your stirrups mount your horse and put both feet in. Now, without looking down, move your foot backwards while pressing your heel down. Your foot should easily come out of the stirrup. If your foot feels stuck in your stirrup then you aren't wearing the correct shoes for riding or your stirrup is too small. Make sure you have riding boots on or find a larger stirrup for the shoes you're wearing.
Heels Down
In riding we keep our heels down for a number of reasons. The first reason is safety! Since horses are large, unpredictable animals it's important that we make our safety a priority. Keeping your heels down will increase the chances that your foot will come out of the stirrup in case of a fall.
Another reason we keep our heels down is to help lower our center of gravity. Think of trying to balance a straw on your finger. The shorter and wider the straw the easier it is to balance. Pushing your heels down helps you keep your pelvis, stomach and butt closer to the saddle.
Finally, we also keep our heels down for balance. If your horse stops suddenly, spooks or stumbles having your heel down can prevent you from tumbling over their neck. Our natural instinct is to follow the forward movements of the horse and pushing our heels down acts as a counter-balance to those tendencies.
Practice putting your heels down on your horse. It takes some practice so don't get discouraged! There's a special tendon, called your Achilles heel, that you have to strengthen to get your heels to go down. The more you push your heels down the more you stretch this tendon and make it easier for your to put your heels down the next time you try.
Helpful Tips
- If you can't seem to get your heels down think about putting your toes up! When you lift your toes your heel naturally goes down.
- You can practice your heels without a horse! Find a flight of stairs at home and stand on the first step closest to the ground. Let your heels hang off the edge of the step and push your heels down. This is also a great exercise for your balance too.
- Think about stretching your calf muscle. If your calf muscle is too tense it makes putting your heels down even harder. A good way to stretch your calf muscle is to think about having a weight attached to your ankle and imagine it's trying to drag you down.
Posture
Posture, or the proper way to sit in the saddle, is a key element in certain types of horse shows and contributes to your overall balance in the saddle.
The proper way to sit in the saddle is to imagine a straight line runs from the center of your head down to your hip. Your hands should be slightly in front of the pommel of your saddle. Your chin should be level, not tucked towards your chest or lifted towards the sky. Your shoulders should be back and level. Many people drop one shoulder lower than the other and this can make you tilt sideways. Have a slight curve in your back as you lift your chest and push it out -- this also helps you put your shoulders back. Your elbows should be soft and give with the movement of the horse's head. Your reins should be the same length and parallel to each other. Your fingers need to be closed but not in a death grip. Imagine that you're holding an egg in your hand, if you squeeze too hard you'll break it but if you don't hold tight enough the egg will fall and break too.
How you use your leg and the position of your leg varies between the different types of riding, but your heel should always be down.
Holding The Reins
Your fingers need to be closed but not in a death grip. Imagine that you're holding an egg in your hand, if you squeeze too hard you'll break it but if you don't hold tight enough the egg will fall and break too. Both sides of the rein should be the same length. Always put pressure evenly on both reins when you're pulling back with both hands to stop your horse.
Emergency Stop Using Reins
While mounted, if your horse suddenly looses control, becomes unpredictable or you need to get off quickly you use an emergency stop with your reins to do so as safely as possible. This maneuver should be performed in life threatening/dangerous situations or at the request of your instructor or parent/guardian. Emergency stops are not to be taken lightly. They may save your life in some situation or can cause harm and even death to the rider. Use this technique at your own risk.
Plant one hand against the side of your horse's neck. Grab some mane with that hand but don't let go of the rein. Make sure you prepare yourself for a sharp turn and push your heels down. With your hand that's not on the neck pull the rein sharply towards your knee. This will force your horse's head around and make it do a sudden sharp turn into a tight circle. Your horse can't keep going and turn this sharply at the same time so it will slow down and should eventually come to a stop.
If your horse doesn't respond or come to a complete stop relax your pull on the rein bending it in a circle and then pull your rein again in a pulsing pull, relax, pull, relax motion.
Halt
Walking
Squeezing The Leg
Balance
Steering The Horse
Circles
Figure Eight
Serpentine
Trot
Posting
Sitting
Diagonals
Disclaimer
Horses are unpredictable animals and horseback riding is inherently dangerous. It can cause severe injury and death. Always wear a helmet when mounted or trying any of the described exercises. This information is to be used as a guide and has not been written by certified industry professionals. Use these techniques and information at your own risk.
