Horseback Riding Terminology
The Aids are the way the rider communicates to their horse what they would like them to do. Their are natural aids and artificial aids. Natural aids are the riders hand, back, seat, legs, voice and weight distribution. The artificial aids are the whip and spurs.
- Above The Bit
A horse is above the bit when its head is carried too high and is not in an outline or working through with its back or hindquarters.
- Against The Hand
This term is used when the horse leans on the riders hand because it is not sufficiently working through from behind.
A horse is in balance when it is able to maintain its center of gravity with its weight distributed in such a way that it can carry itself and the rider with ease whilst remaining on the bit, this can only be achieved when the horse lowers its croup and engages its hindquarters well underneath it allowing for a light forehand and freedom of movement.
This is the natural curve that a horse will make while jumping. During the bascule the horse will raise up through its wither, with the wither being the highest point and will tuck its forelegs up in front while stretching out through its back and with its neck lowered when in mid suspension, to form a curve or arc when in mid air over the jump.
- Behind The Bit
A horse is said to be behind the bit when its poll over bends and the horses chin and nose comes behind the vertical.
- Broke Early
This is the term used when a horses gait becomes interrupted with another, for example if the horse breaks from canter to trot without being asked.
This is when the horse has great energy and impulsion and can maintain rhythm, balance and tempo effortlessly and with elegance.
Canter is a three time gait in which the horse has a moment of suspension between each stride. The canter itself can be either right lead or left lead. Types of canter include working canter, collected canter, medium canter, counter canter and extended canter.
This is a school movement in which a continuous curve is maintained, The most common size circles ridden are the 10, 15 and 20 m circle.
During collection the horses gait will be shortened and raised whilst maintaining freedom of movement and engagement of the hindquarters and lightness of the forehand. Collection can occur in Walk, trot and canter and the horses gait should free, elastic and forward.
The contact is the light feel along the rein that the rider has that runs from the bit in the horses mouth to the riders hand. The contact allows communication through the rein to occur. The contact should never be dropped but should remain light at all times.
- Counter Canter
During counter canter the horse is in one canter lead and travels in the opposite direction. An example would be if your horse was in left lead canter and was asked to circle to the right whilst remaining in left lead canter then the circle to the right would be in counter canter. During counter canter the horse should remain bent a little into the direction of the true canter in this case to the left and remain in rhythm and balance.
- More About Counter Canter
The diagonal can refer to a school movement for example riding from the marker H to the marker B would be called a short diagonal.
The diagonal can also refer to the rider sitting and rising in time with the horses correct pair of legs in rising trot.
- Direct Rein
This refers to a rein aid that when used will apply pressure directly along the rein to the bit.
This is a conformation fault where the horse turns its lower leg in an circular outward direction instead of a forward one.
A horse that has become disunited has broken the gait that it was in and caused the footfalls to become incorrect.
Dressage is a method of training horses. Dressage training is used to maximise a horse's natural athletic ability and potential to be able to perform various movements effortlessly under a skilled rider's minimal aids whilst working on the bit and remaining relaxed.
- Extended Gait
An extended gait is one where the horse fully stretches its frame to take longer strides while remaining fully engaged behind with a well rounded back, on the bit and light on its forehand. The horses legs will be seen to stretch out in front with great power and elegance to the greatest degree possible. Horses can extend their walk, trot and canter.
- Falling In Or Out
When the horse falls in or out it has collapsed through its shoulder into that direction. For example if a horse falls out whilst on a turn it has tried to make the turn too large, the rider will need to check their aids are correct and be ready with more outside leg and rein.
- Figure Of Eight
A figure of eight is a school movement that requires the horse to perform circles on both reins, a half circle is ridden on one rein followed by a change direction when it reaches the top of the half circle, then ride a full circle in the opposite direction and when you reach the middle again change the rein to rejoin the original half circle.
This is the term given to describe in what sequence the horse puts its legs in during different gaits. For example left lead canter the footfalls would be as follows: off hind followed be near hind and off fore followed by the near fore.
- Free Walk
The free walk is used to allow the horse to stretch down through its neck and back after being ridden. If the horse has been properly worked it will be be only too happy to do this and will stretch long and low whilst maintaining a purposeful walk with active steps.
- Grinding Teeth
Horses that grind their teeth often do so out of anxiety, anger or pain. Check that your horses teeth are well maintained and that the bit fits correctly. If the horse is anxious then ensure that your horse is understanding the basic principles and they will then become confident with what you are trying to do.
- Half Circle
The half circle is a dressage movement in which a continuous curve is maintained in the shape of a semi circle on a pre determined size. An excellent exercise is to ride a 10m half circle in one corner of the school and then have it return to the track to change the rein. For example ride a half circle at H that returns to the track at K.
- Half Halt
This is a form of collection and preparation aid that asks the horse to bring its hindquarters more underneath it and lighten the forehand, maintain rhythm and balance in preparation for a movement to come.
- Half Pass
The half halt is a lateral movement where the horse is bent to the inside and moves across in a forwards and sideways movement with the forehand slightly in front of the hindquarters.
This is when the horses outline has failed to remain round due to the horse not working correctly through its body and accepting the riders aids. The horses head will be high and the back will appear to be slightly dipped in the middle.
This is the controlled energy that is generated through the hindquarters and allows for engagement of the hindquarters to occur, the horse will maintain rhythm, suppleness and balance.
- Indirect Rein
An indirect rein aid is where the inside rein applies direct pressure onto the bit combined with the rein being brought in an inwards direction toward the horses neck.
- Inside Track
This is a path that runs approximately 2 feet in from the outside track. The inner track is often used when passing another horse going in the opposite direction, on the left rein horse and riders always pass each other left hand to left hand.
- Irregular Footfalls
This is often when the horse loses its balance and falls onto its forehand instead of engaging from behind.
This is when the horse breaks out of the walk gait into trot. Horses often start jogging out of inpatients to go forwards jogging should not be encouraged and the horse should be asked to return to walk.