Outside Rein - please help!

[Patricia Hodges]

Which is the outside rein when out hacking? Aids for canter at the school are: outside leg on but what about outside of the school? I have few lessons - I've been riding for a year and mainly take horses out either in a group but mainly by myself. None of the people i've asked has given me a satisfactory answer. What I tend to do is just give canter aids i.e. leg slightly back on both legs and hope for the best - usually it works but that's because I think the horses know when they've arrived at an area where they are always asked to canter rather than because my aids are effective. Also, do I re-balance the horse in trot and canter on both reins and control speed on both reins at the same time when outside of a school. At school, of course speed is controlled on outside rein. I'm so confused! I feel I would be more effective when out hacking if someone could explain to me exactly what the aids are when outside of a school situation.

[Heather]

Good point Patricia,but the aids for canter will only be effectuive if the horse has been schooled to answer them on a straight line as well as on a circle/bend. When I am hacking out, I will always ask my horses for different canter leads, so that they do not become one sided. You can try giving your horse the correct aid for canter on either leg, but it is fairly doubtful that the average riding school horse will respond. If you want to have a go though, remember to flex the horse slightly to whichever leading leg you want him to strike off on, for instance if you want to aske him to lead with the left leg, flex him slightly to the left, when the left rein becomes the inside rein, and the right the outside, Bring your right leg, now the outside leg, slightly back, and close your inside leg (the left in thic case) at the girth. If you want him to lead on the right rein, flex him, (that is ask him to bend slightly to the right, not by pulling back on the rein, but by squeezing the rein with your fingers as if squeezing water out of a sponge, so that he just turns his head and neck enough to see his inside eye)to the right, and your outside rein ( the left on this rein) should lie along his neck in support. Outside leg, (left) behind the girth, inside leg(right) at the girth. Hope this helps!

Heather

[Patricia Hodges]

Thanks a lot Heather, for the very helpful advice. Do you remember me? I went on one of your courses last year. I think it was the beginning of the beginning!

[Heather]

HI Patricia,

I wondered if you were one and the same! Glad to have been of further assistance, and do not hesitate to contact me if you need further advice.

All the best, Heather