Halt is one of the easiest gaits.  Halting when you are at a complete stop.  Before you halt, you should always slow down to a walk.  It is not a good idea to go directly from a trot or faster to a halt.  When you halt, you should say, "Whoa!" and release the pressure from the reins.  Be sure not to squeeze your legs because they will think you want them to walk.

Walk is the slowest gait.  Different horses walk at different speeds because a walk is not really based on speed, but on the way the horse moves its feet.  When a horse is at a walk, their feet leave the ground at different times.  When you want your horse to walk, squeeze your legs and say walk.

Trotting is very bouncy because the horse has opposite feet off the ground at the same time.  When the left-front leg is up, the right-back is also up, and vica versa.  When you want a horse to trot, you do the same thing as when you want it to walk but you say, "trot" instead of, "walk."

Cantering is a much smoother gait.  At a canter, one leg leads the others, depending on the direction you are heading.  When you want a horse to canter, you not only need to tell them to canter, but also what leg to lead.

The gallop is the fastest gait.  The gallop has a four-time beat because each foot hits the ground at a different time, but unlike the walk where they hit the ground at separate times while the others are on the ground, the gallop has the other three  feet in the air.

When you ride western, you usually will hold the reins in one hand.  Your other hand rests on your leg, never on the horn of the saddle.  Also, trotting is called jogging.  Many people prefer a jog because it is much smoother.  Also, the cantering is called loping and is a little slower also.

The only time you can grab the horn is to steady yourself if you begin to fall.  Western also helps you if you are in any type of competition that you have to hold on to anything while you are riding.  When you are learning to ride western, it is a good idea to wear a helmet but you can wear a broad rimmed hat.

When you ride english style you hold onto the reins with two hands.  You should wear gloves when you ride english to keep the reins from slipping through your fingers.  How you sit in the saddle also changes what your horse does.

If you sit deep in the saddle, your horse will slow down and they will speed up if you rise off the saddle.  If you are in a competition where you have to carry anything, you should shorten your reins.

Home Page

Tack

Health