To be an excellent rider, you must combine an academic and athletic approach to the sport.  It is one thing to know the distance between two fences, but it is quite another to feel whether the horse is covering that distance in even strides.

The most beautiful rounds are the ones in which the horse seems to naturally meet each take-off spot, with the strides between the fences appearing to be even.  To accomplish this, you must feel whether your horse is covering the ground in normal 12-foot strides, or is covering the ground in shorter or longer strides than the norm.  The ability to feel the length of the horse’s stride comes with practice, although some people pick up this concept easily, while others struggle all their lives to attain a “feel for the horse.”   (This ability is related to the ability to see the proper take-off spot—that is, to know what adjustment must be made on the approach to the fence to place the horse’s front feet at the correct place for take-off.)

For each horse that you ride, you need to find the pace and frame that results in a 12-foot stride on course, for this is the standard upon which all courses are constructed.  A short-strided horse will need greater pace and/or a longer frame to meet the norm, while a long-strided horse will need less pace and/or a shorter frame.  You can determine the adjustment you’ll need by negotiating a line of fences set 60 feet apart, which should be ridden in four strides for a horse. (Pony strides vary according to the size of the pony.)

Approach the fences at the pace that you believe puts the horse on a 12-foot stride, then see how the distance works out between the fences.  Of course, you’ll need a decent take-off spot to the first fence to be able to gauge the length of the horse’s stride between the fences, for if you’re too deep to the first fence, you’ll have to hustle down the line to make up for the impulsion lost at the beginning of the line.  If you concentrate on feeling the length of the horse’s stride and knowing where you are in the line—that is, knowing if you’re going between the fences in the correct four, even strides, or are adding, deleting, or travelling down the line in strides of varying lengths—then you’ll soon know what a 12-foot strides feels like on that particular horse.  Knowing this, try to replicate the feel of an even 12-foot stride every time during the beginning circle on course.

From the beginning of the course until the end, the horse’s strides should look even, with the rider making only small adjustments to compensate for any changes in the lengths of the lines (for instance in equitation or jumper courses, where the lines are sometimes set on shorter or longer distances than the 12-foot norm) or for changes in the terrain that affect the horse’s length of stride (for example, sloping terrain that makes it harder for the horse to travel uphill or easier for the horse to travel downhill, deep footing that makes it harder to make the distances, or slippery footing that throws a “wild card” into the mix!)

As with everything you do on a horse, once you get a feel for what is correct, make an effort to memorize that feel.  It is the ability to replicate your feel of a particular horse that will enable you to have round after round of beautiful trips on that horse.

A horse usually “jigs” at the walk when it does not fully accept the rider’s leg. You need to do a lot of relaxing work at the walk, such as riding on trails or in a field, making sure that you don’t take your legs off the horse’s sides for even a moment. If you will concentrate on keeping a light, but steady, feel with your legs, then your horse will learn to expect the constancy of the legs and will even crave it, much like a child craves the comfort of its “security blanket.”

When you are working in the ring, try to keep your horse moving from one bending movement to the next, rather than just going around and around the arena. When working on a bend, you have more control of the horse’s hind legs, particularly the inside hind leg, which is controlled by your inside leg—that is, your leg that is toward the inside of the bend. Movements such as circles, serpentines, half-turns, etc. will slow the horse down a little and tend to make it stay in the four-beat rhythm of the walk, rather than break to the two-beat trot. In addition, using suppling movements, such as the shoulder-in, will help slow your horse and make its footfalls more precise. To learn of additional lateral movements that can be useful in solving this problem, view the sample chapter of my book, The Complete Guide to Hunter Seat Training, Showing, and Judging, at http://annamullin.com/lateral-exercises-at-the-walk-and-trot.

Finally, half-halts can be beneficial, as long as you keep your legs on all the time, rather than taking them off if the horse breaks gait from the walk to the trot. To learn how to do the half-halt properly, read “How to Perform at Half-halt” in the Horse Articles section of this site.  You can go directly there by clicking on http://annamullin.com/how-to-perform-a-half-halt.

For those of you who don’t already know, there is a wonderful online resource at  http://www.equestriancoach.com/ , created by well-respected horseman, Bernie Traurig.  The site provides video instruction by Traurig and many other fine riders, including John French, Rodrigo Pessoa, Denny Emerson, Will Simpson, Peter Pletcher, Zazou Hoffman, and Missy Clark, to name a few.   The monthly fee is $29.99 or you can get 12 months for the price of 10 by paying an annual fee of $299.99.  Videos can be purchased separately for $8.99 each.  This site is an extraordinary opportunity for riders and coaches to get important training and showing information from “the best of the best,” and I hope that many of you will seize this opportunity.

To show Bernie Traurig’s achievements in a worldwide perspective, I’m including his biographical information below:

Bernie is one of the few riders in the world to successfully compete on an international level in three disciplines—Show Jumping, Dressage, and Eventing.   As a Junior, Bernie won both the American Horse Shows Association Medal Finals and The American Society for The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Maclay Finals. He was a member of the United States Three Day Event team for three years and was second in the trials for the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Bernie has ridden many National Working Hunter Champions. Some of the more famous include “Gozzi,” “Royal Blue,” “Riot Free,” and “Circuit Breaker,” In the Dressage Sport, he was the winner of 15 Grand Prix’s and Grand Prix Special classes. He was short listed for the 1986 World Championship trials and the 1988 Olympic Games.  He is the winner of 48 Show Jumping Grand Prix’s. Bernie represented the United States Equestrian Show Jumping Team several times, including the 1982 World Championships in Dublin, Ireland.  He competed in six World Cup Finals, finishing fifth in Del Mar, California, in 1992 as the highest placing American rider, and eighth in Dortmund Germany in 1990. He was the winner of the US League qualifying for the World Cup Finals three times.

It is wise to teach your horse to land on a certain lead after each fence that is last in a line of fences and over any other fence that immediately precedes a turn. By landing on the correct lead, the rider avoids the flying change of lead altogether, which makes the round smoother, gives the rider more time to think about the upcoming fence, and avoids any penalties that might be incurred by a poor lead change.

It is best to teach the horse to land on a desired lead by working over a single fence placed in the middle of an imagined figure-eight pattern. The fence should be in an open area so that the horse can jump the fence and circle to either the left or right without running into anything.

First, you can work only one side of the pattern–for example, jump the fence on a circle to the right several times, giving the horse the aids to land on the right lead:

• right indirect rein
• left leg in behind-the-girth position

These are the same aids as those used for the right lead canter depart. There are two additional aids that you can also use to help the horse understand what lead you want:

• the rider’s eyes looking slightly toward the direction of the desired lead
• both of the rider’s hands shifted slightly toward the direction of the desired lead, so that the outside hand acts as a mild neck rein and the inside hand acts as a mild leading rein.

Once the horse responds correctly to the aids by landing on the right lead a few times, give the animal a break as a reward and let what it has learned “sink in.” Then, try jumping the same fence and asking the horse to land on the left lead.

• left indirect rein
• right leg in behind-the-girth position

Also, remember to:

• look slightly toward the left
• shift both of your hands slightly toward the left

When the horse has got the hang of it, you can work a figure-eight pattern over the fence, first landing on the right lead, then landing on the left lead, etc. Be sure to apply your aids subtly, for you’ll be penalized if the judge sees you slinging your upper body around in the air or yanking on your horse’s mouth to get the lead. The aids should be subtle, with most of the work being done by your lower leg, rather than your upper body or hands.

As many of you know, I’ve recently been caring for an elderly friend, who was “at death’s door” about two weeks ago, but who has made a miraculous recovery. I was thinking about the various aspects of her care, and it brought to mind how the success of any endeavor—whether it involves a human or a horse—has to do with vigilance. It is the constant attention to all aspects that can make a critical difference:

Planning–You need to know what your goal is and consistently work toward it. This involves a broad plan that is broken down into logical steps. If circumstances cause the plan to change, you have to quickly orient yourself to the new situation.

Care–This encompasses proper nutrition, everyday attention to cleanliness, the correct approach to wound care, etc.  Whether it be horse or human you are working with, it is important to be as well-informed as possible. This involves getting advice from experts and doing some research on your own. Where the issue of care is involved, you must be very observant, monitoring even the smallest changes that indicate progress or a relapse.

Finances–Every decision must be made with a realistic view of the available financing. You always want to be thinking ahead to what things may cost and how you can have the needed amount of money available when the time comes.

Compassion–As the saying goes, “No one cares what you know until they know that you care.” You can have the most beautiful barn, the finest tack, and the most expensive horses in the world, but you won’t get far in this sport unless you can communicate your compassion to the horse. Once the horse knows from your quiet guidance that it can trust you, it will willingly give you all that it has to offer in performance.

Having noted these things, let me say that the life or death of my friend was in God’s hands, not mine; but I can honestly say that I did all that I could to help her, and now a woman who was on a respirator with a feeding tube down her throat two weeks ago is riding a stationary bike in physical therapy. Whether caring for a horse or a human, vigilance can make all the difference in success or failure.

The three most important considerations when leasing a horse are:

1) finding a horse with a good temperament
2) choosing an animal whose capabilities are compatible with your immediate goals
3) having a veterinarian check the horse thoroughly for soundness problems

I put temperament at the top of the list because a horse with a good attitude makes for safe and fun riding. The capabilities of the horse may not be up to your goals in years to come, but in a lease situation, it is fine if the animal is only suitable for your immediate goals. You can always lease another horse if your abilities surpass the current one. Soundness is also crucial, for a lame horse will waste your time and money.

The specific lease arrangements vary according to the worth of the horse. For example, if you are leasing a fairly old horse, then the owner my only require that you pay for insurance for the animal and absorb all of the fees attached to the upkeep of the horse, such as board, shoeing, and vet bills. If the horse is younger than ten years old or is a horse with a winning record, you’ll probably have to pay a lease fee as well, especially if you’ll be showing in recognized horse shows or events. A typical lease fee for the span of a year is 1/3 the value of the horse; but in cases of exceptionally successful horses—such as those that have performed well in hunter seat equitation finals—the lease fee can be thousands of dollars per day.

If you’ll be showing in classes sanctioned by the United States Equestrian Federation, you’ll need to register the lease with the USEF. The following information appears on the USEF website regarding lease registration:

“The lease registration fee of $60 must be submitted to the USEF office with a copy of the lease agreement signed by lessee and lessor. USEF does not accept agent signatures for the purposes of registering a lease. If a written lease agreement is not available, the USEF Lease Registration form must be completed, signed by lessee and lessor, and submitted with the lease registration fee. The lease agreement or registration form must indicate a start date and end date of the lease period. For competition purposes, the lease registration is effective the date that the proper fee and form (with required signatures) are received in the USEF office. Once the lease is registered with USEF, the horse/pony must be entered under the ownership of the lessee. We do not get involved in the terms of the lease. USEF must have written confirmation by both parties if a lease is extended or if the lease is terminated prior to the expiration date. Lessor or lessee must renew the USEF Annual Recording by November 30th. If the lease is extended beyond the previously submitted end date, written notification must be received in the USEF office within 30 days of its original expiration. If the notification is not received within 30 days, the lease must be registered again as stated above (with signed agreement and fee). (GR1108)”

Note: The reference to GR1108 is the current number of the rule that covers leases in the USEF Rule Book. However, the rule numbers change often, for as new rules are added, the number of every rule that follows in that section is affected.

A “change of rein” is a change in the direction of travel in an arena. For instance, if you are travelling clockwise in the arena, you must make a change of rein to end up travelling counterclockwise. A “change of diagonal” is a rider’s change from posting on one diagonal—that is, rising at the trot when the horse’s outside foreleg swings forward and sitting when the outside forefoot hits the ground—to posting on the opposite diagonal when travelling the other direction.  Regarding the change of diagonal for hunter-seat equitation riders, if you go to http://www.newrider.com/Library/Riding_Tips/changerein.html, you’ll find some numbered diagrams that will help you understand the following explanation:

Fig.1—Across the Long Diagonal-–If you are already posting the trot and the change of rein calls for a posting trot with a lengthening of stride, you don’t change the diagonal in the center of the ring (which would be X in a dressage arena), but should wait until you reach the end of the line and change diagonals just before you bend the horse in the new direction (Note: The rider of the black horse would change diagonals at M, while the rider of the brown horse, travelling the other direction, would change diagonals at K).  If, however, the test does not call for a lengthening of stride, but simply asks you to change rein across the diagonal, then you can change your diagonal at X or can wait until the end of the line and change your diagonal just before you bend the horse.  Changing the diagonal at X is considered the more elementary of the two choices, allowing the rider to change diagonals, then change the bend; whereas changing at the end of the line combines getting a new diagonal and changing the bend at the same time.

Fig. 3—A Half-Turn and a Half-Turn in Reverse—The top diagram shows a half turn, which is a half-circle, then a return to the track on a diagonal line.  In this case, the rider stays on the same diagonal throughout the half-circle and the diagonal line, then changes diagonals as he bends the horse back onto the track on the long side of the arena.  In the bottom diagram, the horse is performing a half turn in reverse, in which it leaves the track on a diagonal line, then performs a half-circle to return to the track.  In this case, the rider stays on the original diagonal until the end of the diagonal line, then changes diagonals as he changes the bend to commence the half-circle.

Fig. 6—Serpentine—These are three good examples of serpentines, except that they are all based on an odd number of loops, which would make you end up travelling the same direction that you started.  In order to change rein through a serpentine, you must have an even number of loops—2,4, etc.  The rider’s change of diagonal occurs as his shoulder crosses the centerline of the ring—about where the black horse is shown in the second of the three diagrams.

Fig. 9—Change of rein through a circle—The change of rein through a circle involves making a two-loop serpentine in the middle of a circle.  In this case, the rider changes diagonals as he changes the bend from the first loop of the serpentine to the second loop.

Figs. 12 & 13—Although the turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches, and leg yield are sometimes used in equitation classes, the change of diagonals does not apply.  The turn on the forehand and turn on the haunches are performed at the walk, and the leg yield back to the track is performed at the sitting trot.

Generally, the types of things that people can exchange for the opportunity to ride are grooming, mucking stalls, and feeding. If you are well-organized and good in mathematics, you might even be able to do some bookkeeping; and babysitting is sometimes attractive to the professional horseperson who has children. Anything that you can do for the professional that is not immoral, unethical, or dangerous is a possibility for a trade-out.

This type of arrangement, however, usually involves trading your work for the opportunity to have lessons, rather than for the opportunity to compete a horse. A professional can give you a group lesson once a week on a school horse without loss of money; but once you’re in the realm of showing, the situation is more difficult. There are shipping costs and stabling fees; so it doesn’t make sense for the professional to let you use one of his or her horses for showing unless the horse’s costs are being covered by a paying client who is competing in other classes at the same show.

Working students often complain that they are so tired by the time they get to ride that they really don’t get much out of the lesson. Although this route is a way to get “free” lessons from a professional, it’s a hard way to go. I think it would only be a good trade-out if you were receiving instruction from a highly-competent professional, so that you could take knowledge with you as part of your compensation, rather than leaving with only memories of time spent on a horse.