YOUR Next Step:
One issue many riders have is their horses
do not respond to their leg aids. Here is a
progression of steps the rider can use to
“turn up the volume” with her leg aids and
communicate without shouting!
If the rider does not get a reaction when a leg aid is lightly
applied behind the girth, the first step is for her to move
her leg slightly further back on his barrel and reapply the
leg aid. To do this properly, the rider should move her leg
back from the hip and only slightly bend her knee to bring
her lower leg further back. Her heel stays down. he rider
applying a leg aid further back from the girth always will
give more indication to the horse to move his body. In taking
this next step, avoid the common error of bending the
knee to lift the lower leg higher on the horse’s barrel. This
brings the heel up high on the horse’s side. This is not an
effective leg aid.
If the horse still doesn’t respond, keeping her heel down the
rider should use a “vibrating” leg pressure. Keeping her heel
down, she should apply a rapid on-and-off pressure with
the side of her lower leg behind the girth. A vibrating leg
pressure is not the same as poking the horse with the heels!
Poking and kicking will only irritate the horse and eventually
make him duller to the leg aids. A vibrating pressure should
liven up him up without a lot of excess squeezing.
The horse still doesn’t respond? Use an abrupt, quick action
with the leg behind the girth. Again it is done with the
lower leg flat against his barrel (not delivered with the heel)
giving a quick, more assertive bump behind the girth to
get a reaction from the horse. When he responds go back
to giving him the lightest of aids by asking him with a light
squeeze with the leg.
Remember a golden rule of aids communication… no
matter what level of communication you must use to get a
response from your horse, always come back to the lightest
aid possible.
The aids are our way of communicating with our horses.
Remember the old commercial that had the tag line;
“when you want someone to listen, whisper”? We want to
speak softly and lightly to our equine partners to keep their
attention. Only when we don’t get a response, might it be
necessary to use more volume to get their attention. Once
we do, we go back to soft, light communication to make
sure they don’t tune us out. Make it your goal to use your
aids to whisper, not shout, to your equine partner!
EE
ClassicTarlaining
Limited spaces are available for
riding students as well.
Training for 3rd Level and above.
Full board is included with
training package.
www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com 65
Until then, follow your dreams…
For more informaon about Lynn Palm,
her clinics in Florida and other parts of
the U.S., DVDs and more,
visit www.lynnpalm.com or call 800.503.2824.
Rene Gasser
of Gala of the Royal Horses, is accepng a
limited number of horses for training in
Dressage in Ocala, Florida.
Rene will bring out the
best in your horse!
www.galaoftheroyalhorses.com
321-402-1472
/www.EliteEquestrianMagazine.com
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