| beginner, you will have likely learned that to use your | | | | pressure. A leg applied behind the girth will signal that |
| hands, you need to pull on the reins, and to use your | | | | you want him to move his hindquarters away from the |
| leg, you kick or squeeze the horse. While this is fine for | | | | pressure. |
| beginners, as you advance in your skills, you will find | | | | Of course, you also need to use your hands to help |
| that you need to use more subtle aids to get the | | | | your horse understand your aids. By maintaining a |
| results you need. | | | | contact on the bit, you will be able to keep your horse |
| To understand how a horse reacts to the aids, you | | | | supple and attentive to your aids. A well trained horse |
| need to realize that a horse’s reactions are all | | | | will not only accept the contact, but will also seek that |
| based on a reaction to pressure. When a horse feels | | | | contact. |
| pressure, he will seek to release the pressure, usually | | | | Many rein aids are given, not by pulling on the reins, but |
| by moving away from it. When training a horse, a | | | | by maintaining the contact. For example, to ask a |
| horse learns which types of actions result in the | | | | horse to halt, a rider maintains contact, restricting the |
| pressure going away. | | | | movement of the hand so that it no longer moves with |
| When you use your leg, the horse moves away from | | | | the horse. The horse, feeling this restriction, will stop |
| the pressure that you apply. If you sit on your horse | | | | moving forward into the contact, thus coming to a halt. |
| and squeeze with one leg while maintaining a loose | | | | It is almost like setting up a wall in front of your horse, |
| contact with your reins and other leg, your horse will | | | | stopping his motion without pulling him back. |
| seek to escape that pressure by moving sideways | | | | If you maintain your leg into the hand, your horse will |
| and forward. This is because he has been trained to | | | | not only come to a halt, but will remain engaged, using |
| move away from your legs by moving forward. The | | | | his hindquarters as he comes to the halt, rather than |
| uneven pressure will encourage him to move | | | | stopping by falling onto the forehand, with his hind legs |
| sideways in addition to forwards. | | | | strung out behind. |
| To properly use your leg, you need to maintain leg | | | | Because a well trained horse will seek contact, it is |
| contact on your horse at all times. This will keep the | | | | possible to turn a horse with nothing more than a slight |
| communication line open so that he will be able to | | | | release of the outside contact and pressure from the |
| respond quickly to your aids. A maintained contact also | | | | inside leg to tell the horse to turn. Correct application of |
| keeps your horse steady so that he will respond | | | | the rein and leg aids can ask the horse to perform any |
| accurately to your aids. | | | | number of movements, all based on his desire to |
| If you squeeze with both legs, your horse will move | | | | release excess pressure, and maintain contact. |
| forward. This is a conditioned training that he has | | | | It is a joy to watch a well trained horse and |
| received from when he was started under saddle. If | | | | experienced rider work together. With nothing more |
| you squeeze only one leg, your horse will move away | | | | than the slightest aids, the horse and rider can perform |
| from that contact by bending his body. | | | | in such unison that a casual observer would not |
| A leg applied at the girth will signal to your horse that | | | | recognize that the aids are there at all. |
| you want him to move his front end away from the | | | | |