Novice Horse Riding - The Use Of The Auxiliary Aids

When first beginning to ride a horse, the beginner must study the correct employment and execution of the auxiliary aids. These aids are the whip, spurs and voice and are applied to both convey the rider's intent to the horse as well as back up the primary aids of the legs and reins.

The Whip

The main aim of a whip is to make a horse more conscious of the rider's intent but it is also used in such training as flatwork to increase the employment of the hind quarters. The whip is held in the hand so as to allow an effortless application without upsetting the positioning of the hands or the use of the reins. The whip should sit naturally over the rider's thigh and point to the rear of the horse.

The application of the whip is advantageous on green (young) horses to help promote the forward driving of the weight and legs. It is also used to help reinforce a movement in older horses that are not applying the proper response to the leg aids.

Sound judgment and skill are called for to correctly apply a whip. The whip must be used with a short, sharp tap at the precise moment so that the horse is capable of learning the lesson that the whip is conveying. The misapplication of a whip will either make the horse be insensitive to the commands or to become agitated and frightened.

The Spurs

The primary use of a spur is to aid the rider in the use of the leg aids in a more refined and practised fashion, another secondary application is to reinforce a leg aid if the horse is not making the desirable response. It's vital for correct application that the wearer of the spurs is capable of applying his legs in a disciplined manner independent of the seat.

The universal rule with spurs is that the shorter the legs of the rider and consequently closer to the horse, the shorter the neck of the spurs should be. The application of spurs, as with all aids must be kept short and to the point. The misuse of the spur will only assist to cause the horse to be either dull to their use or fizzy and nervous.

The Voice

When educating the young horse the voice is an vital asset but is applied sparingly with older horses. In some fields such as Dressage, the use of verbal cues to a horse is not allowed.

Whist applying a verbal cue the most significant element in communicating with a horse is the tone. Horses are extremely smart animals and will easily sense and react to the posture and actions of the rider. Speaking in a composed and naturally calm manner will have a comforting effect on a horse where as short, abrupt commands will stimulate the horse to become more aware and respond faster.

Whist instructing a horse on a new activity or attempting to settle it down after being frightened, it is most beneficial to use a quiet and comforting voice. If you wish your horse to become more respondent and center on what you are doing, or to reinforce a instruction it is more beneficial to use your voice in a more shorter and sharper manner. A horse has extremely good hearing and will respond to the tone and inflection in your voice and given this raising your voice or shouting is not only unneeded but may often have a damaging effect. Keep in mind that the main aim of a voice command is to afford a horse confidence.

Learning the correct way to ride a horse from the outset will afford both the horse and rider a far more enjoyable experience.For more horse riding tips and all your saddlery requirements visit KW Saddlery