# Leg Aids and Using the Reins



## LadyDarcy (16 July 2016)

Hello again everybody!

So I'm wondering a bit about leg aids and correct use of the reins.

I'm getting a little confused.  Please correct me if I'm wrong...at the moment this is what I've got:

Half halt-outside rein, little bit of pressure to slow the horse and/or 'collect' the horse?

Inside rein on turning to get the horse to bend and become supple?

Leg, more of an inwards curve rather than a squeeze up and back, and more subtle than a new rider would expect? to get the horse to move on?

outside leg back to get horse to turn towards the inside? not constantly on

inside leg back to get the hind quarters out??? not constantly on.


So now, I'm cantering a circle, I want the horse to slow down and bend more, am I putting pressure on each rein one at a time?  What do I do?  I also want the horse to get more onto the circle so inside leg pressure?  but i also want to keep him in canter so giving an extra kick with the outside, still slightly back for canter aid?

How does one 'kick' the horse whilst in rising trot without losing the stirrups?  is the kick on the up or the down?

Sorry for the weird array of questions, but it's driving me potty!

Thanks as always!


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## tallyho! (16 July 2016)

Canter a circle... to slow down, you need to be using your seat contact not rein or else the horse will resist. 

Where are you your weight aids? You need to be positioning yourself in the saddle so you can apply some direction - think of from each leg/stirrup. Keep the horse in canter by allowing it with your hands, extra "kick" shouldn't be needed. 

The trot should be never be a kick. It should be an ask from the the hip/seat, and a stand/sit rather than a grip kick which is probably why you lose stirrups.

tRy Sylvia Loch's books.


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## pennandh (17 July 2016)

Regarding rising trot - you will note that as you go into the 'down' beat, your leg naturally comes in a little towards the horse's side. Pull it in a touch further than it goes on its own, and you get a very tidy squeeze that should be quite sufficient to encourage forwards momentum without excessive foot motion that leads to lost stirrups.

Seat aids in rising trot really amount to slightly altering the rhythm and height of your rise - on a responsive horse, speeding the rise up a little will encourage a faster tempo; whilst rising a little higher will encourage lengthening of the stride (it all works the same vice versa, too). However, this does require a certain degree of riding muscle tone; so don't be disheartened if it seems physically difficult at first.


In terms of steadying the canter, sit down into the saddle and draw your upper body up and fractionally backwards; keep your hands a soft, containing influence, with a gentle feel on the inside rein (just finger pressure, and it may help to raise your inside hand by about a centimetre) to ask for inside bend.
Inside leg on the girth, outside leg behind the girth, squeeze very gently with both - the inside leg is supporting the horse around the corner, and the outside leg is keeping the canter and keeping him from drifting out with his outside hip.


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## LadyDarcy (17 July 2016)

tallyho! said:



			Canter a circle... to slow down, you need to be using your seat contact not rein or else the horse will resist. 

Where are you your weight aids? You need to be positioning yourself in the saddle so you can apply some direction - think of from each leg/stirrup. Keep the horse in canter by allowing it with your hands, extra "kick" shouldn't be needed. 

The trot should be never be a kick. It should be an ask from the the hip/seat, and a stand/sit rather than a grip kick which is probably why you lose stirrups.

tRy Sylvia Loch's books.
		
Click to expand...


Hi tallyho, 
thanks for taking the time to reply to me.

This is the first time I'm hearing about weight aids, and I've been riding pretty much once a week since the beginning  of the year.
Is weight aids another term for 'using your seat'?  

The most recent private lesson I had we were taught how to halt the horse using the seat, by sitting very deep and heavy.  So I guess there are other things we can do in addition to help control the horse.

With the canter, I think I tend to pull a little due to still being quite new to cantering, so the horse often thinks I want it to slow  (just my interpretation) so he will often slow and trot, so I do find I'm having to repeat the canter aid to keep him going, but this is when I start to lose balance, and also what resulted in my first fall lol

How do I ask for trot using my seat, that would be wonderful if I could figure that out!

Will certainly look for the recommended reading, thanks!


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## LadyDarcy (17 July 2016)

Hi Pennandh, 

Thanks for also taking the time to reply, I appreciate it!



pennandh said:



			Regarding rising trot - you will note that as you go into the 'down' beat, your leg naturally comes in a little towards the horse's side. Pull it in a touch further than it goes on its own, and you get a very tidy squeeze that should be quite sufficient to encourage forwards momentum without excessive foot motion that leads to lost stirrups.
		
Click to expand...

Will try this in my next lesson, thanks.



pennandh said:



			Seat aids in rising trot really amount to slightly altering the rhythm and height of your rise - on a responsive horse, speeding the rise up a little will encourage a faster tempo; whilst rising a little higher will encourage lengthening of the stride (it all works the same vice versa, too). However, this does require a certain degree of riding muscle tone; so don't be disheartened if it seems physically difficult at first.
		
Click to expand...

Will try this also!




pennandh said:



			In terms of steadying the canter, sit down into the saddle and draw your upper body up and fractionally backwards; keep your hands a soft, containing influence, with a gentle feel on the inside rein (just finger pressure, and it may help to raise your inside hand by about a centimetre) to ask for inside bend.
Inside leg on the girth, outside leg behind the girth, squeeze very gently with both - the inside leg is supporting the horse around the corner, and the outside leg is keeping the canter and keeping him from drifting out with his outside hip.
		
Click to expand...

Would I keep my legs on?  Or every few strides?


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## pennandh (17 July 2016)

LadyDarcy said:



			Would I keep my legs on?  Or every few strides?
		
Click to expand...

Keep your legs in constant light contact with the horse's sides, and you can occasionally squeeze a little more firmly if you need more impulsion or he seems inclined to break to trot.


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## Shay (18 July 2016)

Yes OP - weight aids are sometimes called seat aids at the beginning - although actually they are more than that.  They also get called body aids sometimes.   

You've been riding riding school horses for just over six months so I'm not surprised this is the first time you've met the concept of a weight or seat aid.  Its great they are teaching you to ask for halt with your seat rather than your reins and that is a good beginning.  On a responsive horses (and in fairness few RS horses are for entirely understandable reasons) then the majority of your aids come from body and weight with legs and rein only to ask for a refinement of those aids.  For example your description of the half halt - which is correct so far as it goes - should in completeness actually be a body aid saying "wait.." for a beat.  A pulling up toward the core combined with a deeper central seat for a fraction - I'm not a teacher.  I'm sure others could explain that refinement better than I.  Sylvia Loch certainly can!

In response to your specific questions - you have the answer to squeezing in riding trot.  As you sit think "Squeeze" - not only because it encourages a lazy horse forward but also it helps keep your legs in contact as otherwise with beginners they have a tendency to flap about.  For your canter circle - try looking very slightly to the center and keep your inside shoulder slightly back.  You outside leg (at this stage) is your "accelerator" so aim for that to be slightly back and on - but not so far back it then tips you forward.  If your weight comes forward the horse will stop cantering. (Or buck you off...)


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