Galop 1In the saddle
Contents
- 01WelcomeOverview
- 02Respecting the horseKnowledge
- 03Club, licence and FFEKnowledge
- 04SafetyKnowledge
- 05Understanding the horseKnowledge
- 06Approaching your ponyCaring for the horse
- 07Headcollar and knotCaring for the horse
- 08Brushing your ponyCaring for the horse
- 09Leading in handOn foot
- 10Parts of the horseKnowledge
- 11Basic coat coloursKnowledge
- 12The three gaitsKnowledge
- 13Mounting and dismountingIn the saddle
- 14The reins and the aidsIn the saddle
- 15Walk, rising trot, canterIn the saddle
- 16Saddle, bridle, tack roomCaring for the horse
- 17VocabularyKnowledge
- 18Revision and examRevision
The reins and the aids: moving off, halting, steering
To make yourself understood by your pony, you have the aids. Your hands are among them: through well-held reins, they pass on clear requests without ever hurting his mouth.
In the exam programme
- Take up and adjust the reins, hold them correctly, and be able to lengthen them, let them go and take them up again.Specific part
- Define the natural and artificial aids.Common module B
- Ride simple, well-spaced transitions between halt, walk and trot.Specific part
- Steer at the walk.Specific part
The aids are the means a rider has of communicating with the horse: passing on requests and feeling his answers. They come in two families.
Your body
The natural aids
The legs, to go forward and speed up; the hands, which act through the reins to slow down, halt and steer; the weight of your body, which goes with the movement or holds it back; the voice, to calm, encourage or praise.
Equipment
The artificial aids
The whip, the lunge whip — the long whip used for work from the ground — and spurs, kept for experienced riders. They back up a request from the natural aids, but never replace them.
Holding the reins
The left hand, from the front
The corridor of the reins
To turn right
- The rein comes in from below, between the ring and little fingers
- It comes out between thumb and index finger
- The thumb presses down on it
- The spare end falls along the neck
- Take the buckleWith your left hand, take hold of the buckle that joins the two reins.
- Lay them flatWith your right hand, take both reins near the neck and check that they are not twisted.
- Separate themBring your left hand forward next to your right and take the left rein: each hand holds one rein, at the same length.
- Close your handsEach rein comes into the hand from below, usually between the ring finger and the little finger, and comes out between the thumb and the index finger. The thumb rests on top and presses it against the index finger: now it cannot slip. The rest of the reins, the bight, hangs down beside the neck.
Carry your hands in front of you, at the same height, a little above the withers, thumbs on top, wrists supple and in line with your forearms. The reins are adjusted — you have a contact — when they are just taut: you feel the mouth without pulling on it.
- Shorten
- Bring your hands closer to the pony’s mouth. For the right rein, the left hand pinches it for a moment while the right hand slides forward; then do the reverse on the left.
- Lengthen
- Open your fingers slightly to let the reins slide, then close them again.
- Let go
- Give the full length of the reins: you hold only the buckle, or lay them on the neck if the instructor asks you to.
- Take up again
- Start from the buckle and go through the steps above again, without looking at your hands.
Moving off, slowing down, halting
A transition is a change from one gait to another, or from halt into a gait. At Galop 1, they are simple — from halt to walk, from walk to trot, and back again — and well spaced, each one carefully prepared.
| To… | What I do… | As soon as he answers… |
|---|---|---|
| Walk on, or go up to trot | I squeeze him with my calves in little touches, from back to front, and move my hands forward a little to let him go | I relax my legs, which stay resting against him |
| Slow down, come back to walk, halt | I adjust my reins, sit tall and gradually close my fingers, legs relaxed | I open my fingers; only the thumb and index finger stay closed, to keep hold of the reins |
Remember
An aid acts, then gives as soon as the pony has answered: that release is his reward, and it is how he learns. Measuring your aids will be one of the topics of Galop 2.
Steering at walk
- Look where you want to go, well before you get there.
- Turn your shoulders that way: the pony feels your body turn.
- Move both hands towards the side you are turning to. The hand on that side moves out, a little forward: this is the opening rein. The other goes with it, without crossing over the neck. The two reins form a corridor in which the neck stays straight.
- Keep your legs working: a pony who slows down turns badly.
- Bring your hands back to their place as soon as you are on your new line.
Common mistake
Pulling the rein backwards to turn: the pony slows down, bends his neck and often carries straight on. The hand moves out to the side. The aids for turning will be covered in detail in Galop 3.