Hand Gallop...?!?!?!?

Question

Alright well I have trouble with getting my horse to hand gallop and I may just be giving him the wrong aids or i may just not completly understand the whole concept of the hand gallop but whenever i ask my horse to hand gallop he just extends his stride...what do i do?

*And for all of you who dont know wat a hand gallop is its what is called for in some hunter classic shows and its just a slow gallop kind of in between canter and full gallop =]]

Answer 1

it seems to me like you have it.. you may want to push him a little more, but go into a two-point and youre done.

Answer 2

Hand Gallop is a lengthen in the canter stride.

So when you ask your horse to go more foward you have gotten a hand gallop. Now just get your bum out of the saddle, smile and enjoy it,

cuz you already got it.

Or am i missing something?

Answer 3

The hand gallop is an extended canter further extended just far enough to go from a three to four beat gait, and controlled enough not to become a full gallop.

Answer 4

dont worry ill edit my answer in a min. :]

is he a green horse? when you lunge him can you get him to hand gallop?

edit your question and ill edit mine lol

EDIT: I would go to a very good trainer and just ask for assistance. Do you know if your horse is just a 3 gait horse? That might be the issue

Answer 5

Well, i usually just go into half seat, open my chest, add LOTS of leg and cluck cluck cluck without much rein contact.. then when i know i got it i'll add steady leg pressure, take enough rein to have control/look right for a hunter and fix my body position.. though this probably wouldn't work in a show ring..

Also, not many people ACTUALLY get into a gallop as far as i know, many just go into a full half seat (not just 2 point) and extend the canter.. but i could be wrong.