Controlling the gait: transitions, speed and riding out

Control means getting the transition exactly where you decided, speeding up or slowing down without changing gait, and keeping a suitable speed — in the arena as on a bridleway.

In the exam programme

Change gait through simple transitions at an exact point: halt ⇔ walk; walk ⇔ trot; canter ⇒ trot.Specific part
Speed up and slow down in all three gaits.Specific part
Keep a suitable speed in each gait.Specific part
Ride out, over varied ground.Specific part

Transitions at an exact point

A transition is a change from one gait to another. At Galop 3 you must ride, at a chosen marker — a cone, a letter, a post — the transitions from halt to walk and walk to halt, walk to trot and trot to walk, and canter to trot. The transition is right when it happens as your upper body passes the marker, not before, not after.

Spot itChoose your marker in advance and look at it.
PrepareTwo or three strides before, check that the horse is straight, attentive and in a regular gait. Grow taller for a transition to a slower gait; get your legs ready for a faster one.
AskJust before the marker — the horse takes a moment to answer — give a clear aid: your legs, and your voice if needed, to go up a gait; your upper body tall and your fingers closed to come down.
YieldAs soon as the new gait comes, yield, then keep it going.

Tip

Every horse has its own reaction time. Note where yours really responds, then ask a stride earlier or later the next time.

Speeding up and slowing down within the gait

To…	You…	Watch out
Speed up	use both legs in time with the gait, let your hands go forward so as not to hold the horse back, and follow more with your pelvis.	The horse must lengthen its strides without breaking into the next gait up.
Slow down	grow taller, follow less, close your fingers, then yield as soon as it slows; at rising trot, rise less high and more slowly.	Keep your legs in contact, or it will drop back to the gait below.

A suitable speed

There is no one right speed, only a suitable one: enough energy for the horse to stay active and attentive, not so much that it rushes. It depends on the exercise — calmer on a tight curve, steady on the approach to a fence — on the ground, on the other horses and on your horse’s temperament. The sign that it is right: the rhythm stays regular and you can turn or stop whenever you decide.

Riding out over varied ground

Outside, the horse is more alert, and its herd instinct pushes it to follow the others: controlling the gait becomes your first safety measure.

Going uphill

In balance on the stirrups, upper body forward, hands forward along the neck.

Going downhill, at the walk

Upright over the feet, legs underneath, the horse straight down the slope.

Fig. 3.19Going up and down a slope

In a group, keep at least a horse’s length from the one in front, stay in the place your instructor gave you and only change gait when you are told to.
Uphill, go into balance on your stirrups, upper body forward, hands forward to leave the neck free.
Downhill, at walk, stay upright over your feet and keep the horse straight down the slope.
On slippery or stony ground, or in water, come back to walk and let the horse look where it is putting its feet.
On the road, you are a road user like any other: ride in single file and walk to pass pedestrians and vehicles. You will see the full rules at Galop 4.

Safety

Don’t let your horse graze on a hack: it pulls the reins out of your hands, unbalances you and may swallow a harmful plant. Always keep hold of the reins, in at least one hand.

A word from the instructor

On a hack, you see a lovely view. Your horse sees a plastic bag, a cow and a lawnmower, all plotting together. So keep an eye on what it is looking at, too.

Ekidemy

The Galops^®, from the first step to Galop 7