Posted by PH Cody on October 10, 2002 at 08:52:58:
In Reply to: Riding Styles posted by Pyewacket on October 09, 2002 at 22:01:08:
:Can someone explain the different riding styles and which ones are best for kids to start with?
:Thanks,
:Sue
Hi Sue- Well, that's a big question, as there are MANY riding styles. Your most basic two would be English and Western at their simplest forms. In English, besides the english saddle, you use what's called a "direct rein" method of communicating to the horse. Basically, you put pressure on the bit by gently pulling with one hand or both. To turn right, you put pressure on the right side of the bit, left on the left and to stop, you use both hands. That's the most basic explanation, though honestly there's a lot more to it, LOL! In Western, you normally use a method called "neck reining" which is really a misnomer that many people misunderstand. In neck reining, you usually have a type of curb bit, which primarily acts on the roof of the horses mouth, not the sides. And your main basis for turning is actually leg pressure, not rein pressure. To turn left, you would use your right leg to "push" the horse's shoulder around by putting pressure on the horses side, slightly forward from "normal" leg position. You also will slightly lift the right rein and move it towards, but not over, the horses neck. Many people misunderstand this concept, and they try to actually turn the horses head with the reins but pulling the horses head with the rein - crossing the neck. This is actually called a "bearing rein" and gives you the opposite affect of what you want as it pulls the horses mouth in the opposite direction. No, as to the best for kids...that's a debatable subject but I'll tell you how I teach them... I use a western saddle, try for a child's saddle as the stirrups will be shorter and they won't be as apt to slip and slide in the seat. This gives them something to hold if they are insecure, and also tends to make them feel more "held onto" than an english saddle does. On the horse, I use an egg-butt snaffle bit for several reasons - its mild to help counter act when the child over cues or over reacts to a situation. It's also the best bit for direct reining - which is what I teach a child first because its simple and there's very little room for misunderstanding. I tell them its like riding a bike, to turn right, you have to come back with your right hand, and push your left hand forward (allowing the horse to turn his head). Also like a bike, you keep your hands down. I tell them to pull towards their knees. This keeps their hands down, keeping them better balanced and making the horse a lot happier! Once they get the concept of direct reining down, we start working on leg pressure, and once they have that concept, they can learn neck reining correctly. This method works better because it builds from one logical step to the next, and it doesn't injure my horse's mouth in the process! Hope that was helpful :) PH Cody
