Galloping - seldom done at school

[powerticker]

Question! I wonder what kind of leg aids you give to a horse for galloping. This to me is just for my own good to know. At school in the ring, we never get to gallop and the coach says equestrian is about control, style and form and not about speed which would be more relevant in horse racing. I have never seen any rider being taught galloping at school so what gives?

Do you go into canter and use your whip and legs to tell him to go all out when you are OUTSIDE THE RING?

Today I also learnt to canter and jump a course but I find that when it comes to show jumping, it's 70% flat work based and the most important part is to steer right, keep impulsion and direction and stay in balance. I guess at this stage (beginner jumper), we can't learn to collect the horse before the jump but I wonder how long it takes for beginners to go for a competition. I know there are various ungraded course to be ridden but I wonder if it is a good idea for a beginner to gain some experience by competing in ungraded show.

[Lovecat]

Before now on lesson horses, when working on getting them off your leg, my YO has told me to 'let them go' and 'gallop them up the long side' of the school... but I have to say I don't ever think it's been a gallop, just a very fast canter and that's all she seems to mean.

So far as I know it's just loads of extra leg... but I would normally only ever gallop when out on a hack and then only uphill to give me a chance to get them back again!

[whoa]

Er, well you could do what happened to me - get a very sensitive pony plus a rider (me!) that's too nervous so leans forward when she starts going fast, end up almost hanging off her neck and then fall off! I dont recommend it:D

[Harry Hobbes]

powerticker,

...the coach says equestrian is about control, style and form and not about speed which would be more relevant in horse racing. I have never seen any rider being taught galloping at school so what gives?


Your coach is merely defining propriety within the context of a particular discipline of equestrain sports; probably without reference to areas outside of his/her specialty.

"Control, style and form and...speed" as attributes are not mutually exclusive; except within the context of some specific disciplines.

"Control, style and form and...speed" are important in many other equestrian disciplines (and not just racing); just look at some of the western disciplines for apposite examples, where success requires the fastest speed.

Best regards,
Harry

[Njal]

In the school its mostly about control. Though the classic dressage move of the gallop and the sliding stop is the most thrilling I've ever seen. But I have no idea how its done.

Mostly there's hardly enough room to really gallop outside! And the problem is stopping instead of going over the fence at the other side. I rode a 17hh gelding once who never gave me the sense he would stop unless asked; and also that he didn't like to be asked.

I never thought about leg aids for gallop, I guess outside most horses will go gallop & its just usual leg on to keep them going.

Njal

[Yann]

I'm not aware there are any specific aids for the gallop, in most peoples riding experience, including mine, it's offered by the horse rather than specifically asked for. It is possible to turn a canter into a gallop just by putting leg on (or throwing away the contact in our case:D).

I always pictured galloping would be something different and scary, but so long as you're comfortable in the forward seat it's not difficult and rather thrilling:)

Most horses really seem to enjoy a good blast, but you have to watch out for the ones that shut down or fire up and stop listening to you.

[LynneAC]

ITA, the only times that I've galloped is when I've been riding over fields etc when the horse has 'given' the gallop rather than responding to specific aids. I've never seen the gallop being taught in the school, probably because there's not enough room to get going and keep it PLUS it's not part of the dressage test (is it?). We HAVE discussed the gait of the gallop (footfalls etc) but that's as far as it got!

I love the feeling of the gallop as long as you're on a horse you know and that you're confident of pulling up at the other end!

[fiesty_filly]

You can have a controlled gallop, it is actually something that I practise in almost every flat session of my training. To get a true controlled gallop you want to start with a controlled canter then urge them on with leg and seat while giving slightly with the rein. A gallop is a good thing to practise regularily as it teaches the horses that galloping does not only mean going faster but also extending their stride and stretching out. I'm currently training a large warmblood who is head strong and at times lazy, so to start him up I do an extremely good warmup (crutial before doing any galloping) then practise doing a canter to a hand gallop to an extended gallop and back again. It is really good for his mind as it teaches him to listen to me and know tht just because we are moving along at a very quick pace I am still in control.

[jUmPingIsLifE]

in the ring we learn whats called a hand gallop, which is a controlled gallop. we start cantering and we go into our two point and give leg and we gallop down the long side then we collect on the short side. its really great practice, and it really doesn't get very fast expecailly in the ring as many arn't even big enough, unless you have a runaway horse that seems to think so.

[White-Blazes]

Ours don't seem to gallop in a school as it's not big enough. But we do when out on hacks, we often have a gallop - just give them the reins when in canter and off we go;)

[Njal]

Very interesting Fiesty_filly & Jumpingis life, must try that, I have seen galloping in schools, but the schools were rectangular more than ours is maybe.

The part about it being good for their mind make lots of sense.

Njal