Leg aids, really CONFUSED!!!!!!!!!!

[friedegund]

This is probaly one of the stupiest posts to date on this board, but here goes.

Leg. What leg and when? I am 4 lessons into riding, and last night rode with a friend, who was in pony club and showed as a child, but like me has not ridden in 20 years. We started discussing leg. In my Manual of Horsemanship it says to turn, steer with inside rein with a take and give (when in ring) and direct hind quarters with outside leg,slightly behind girth.

So, when riding in field, if I want to turn left a pull left rein slightly and squeezeharder with right leg??? This makes no sense to me, as I thought horses move away from leg pressure, so shouldn't I squeeze harder with left leg????

What is correct?????

[shirley]

To turn left,
Left hand squeeze with your two middle fingers
Left leg push release, push release, push release as much pressure as is needed to make horse respond. This one is on the girth
Right leg, placed slightly back from the girth to stop horse putting its hind quarters over
Right hand put very slightly forward to allow right side of neck to go round.
Your shoulders kept square with horses shoulders
You look where you want to go

So look where you want to, this gives the horse some idea that something may be happening.
As you squeeze your left hand, put pressure on with your left leg, move right leg and give a little with your right hand, you move shoulders and rest of body slightly to the left as the horse goes around to the left. All seems alot at once but it is like driving a manual car - eventually you get used to pedals, changing gear and indicating all at seemingly the same time.
Obviously to turn right just reverse the above.
The push release, push release with your lower leg is better than continually pressure or the horse will lean into it. Try it on the ground by push release etc on the girth with the horse, and then push continously and see the difference.
Good luck and keep practising - it will get better with practise until eventually you will ever wonder why you could never do it. I also sit at home and pretend I am doing a maneouvre on horseback and adjust my weight, legs, hands etc to help me identify the muscle groups that have to be engaged to get what I want. Daft and perhaps stupid it may sound, but seems to work for me.

[friedegund]

Thank you Shirley!!!!

I find that the responses I receive here are so clear and articulate, and really explain in detail what to do, instead of just the "legs on" answer that my manual of Horsemanship gives!!!!

I can't wait until my lesson on Saturday!

:)

[shirley]

I sometimes read what the books say and think ????????? what the heck does that mean in laymans english. But I have now taken to asking my instructor if I do not know as I am fed up of trying not to look so thick, only to be thinking I may be doing it wrong etc. I was a little unsure of what open hand closed hand meant the other week, so asked my instructor - actually means closing fingers around the rein or opening them - why couldn't they say that????? But never mind I am certain I will get the jargon one day. But my boy is very forgiving, but when I do get my instructions to him in a clear way I am so surprised that I even wow myself!!!! Let alone the fact he does it almost immediately!!!! But then we all live and learn and learning with my boy is great fun - as I said better when I get it right so he understands. So here is to clearer aids and better teamwork.