Leg cues to make your horse move?

Question

When urging your horse to move, you don't kick him but you squeeze his sides... right? Any other tips on legs cues would be appreciated! Thanks

Answer 1

I think kicking or squeezing is too narrow. It depends on the horse, the rider, and the gait or movement being asked of the horse.

The Horse: Some horses are very responsive and move forward quickly at the slightest squeeze, vocal command, or even an involuntary foot movement. Other horses are simply not. I know this well because the two horses I have owned have been opposites. My first horse did not understand the concept of responding to leg pressure. I often had to give him kicks to receive what I wanted, and often carried a crop with him. My new horse was completely different. He moves off my leg with the slightest pressure and I had to train myself not to accidentally cluck to him out of habit, or else I was suddenly being pulled across the ring at top speed.

The Rider: Many new riders have not yet toned specific muscles that they use when squeezing their horse with their legs, and get no response when they do. With time these muscles get stronger and using them becomes second nature. Until then though, newer riders often have to kick to get their command through to the horse. This is also the case with children who ride.

The gait being asked for: I think that a lot of people find that their horse will walk with just a squeeze even if they are generally unresponsive. These same horses may need more, or less of a command going into faster gaits. It is important for a rider to know what command their horse responds to for each gait, or movement they ask for, and then the rider needs to stick with it. For example one horse may need to be kicked into a canter, and kicked a few other times for them to keep it.

Note: when i say kick, I don't mean that its okay to continuously thump away at your horses sides, but a short, swift thrust to one side to ask for something will not hurt your horse.

I hope that helps!

Answer 2

On canter dont you do right leg back and squeeze or something?

xx

Answer 3

Use the least amount of pressure that will produce a response....most beginning riders go right to kicking, without first going through the process of determining the sensitivity of the horse being ridden.  Much of it also depends on the training of each individual horse.  For example, many horses are trained to respond to shifts of the riders weight, and no leg pressure may be required to effect lateral movements or even forward movement.  Always start by determining how much is enough on each horse you ride.  Some will need a kick start, and others will take off running if you kick.

The key is to remove the pressure when the response occurs....in other words, if the horse is moving as you've asked him to, release the pressure and don't repeat it unless the response isn't sustained.  It's easy to get into the habit of overcueing if you don't stay alert to the responses you get.

Answer 4

There are 3 different ways to make a horse move.

Leg- Yes you squeeze the horse to go forward. Then if you try every way to get it to move you may kick if nothing is working

Vocal- Clucking or kissing noises also can move the horse

Crop- I highly dont reccomend this tool because it gets the horse focased more on it than anything else.

Hope this is more than what you wanted :)

Answer 5

alright, sooo all horses respond in different ways. Yes you squeeze his sides, if he does not listen, you get stronger with your aids, a stronger squueze, if he still doesnt listen, then i would give like kick. But dont continue beating on your horse with your heels, eventually he will stop listening to you. Dont keep squeezing your horse, if he slows down, kick him slightly or tap him with a whip/crop. Some horses are so stubborn sometimes that you do need to resort to really strong kicks or a stronger tap with the crop. When you use a crop, i would grap the reins in one hand, and tap your horse behid your leg. Some horses tend to buck at that one though so i would try to tap themon the shoulders first. When you canter, put your leg back (whichever lead you are going for), and slightly kick your horse, squeezing sometimes confuses them. always make sure your horse is working off your leg, meaning he is moving forward and bending around your leg, paying attention to you, listening. Always regulate your hand and leg aids, thats what riding is about.

Answer 6

yes tight squese and if he isnt moving or going fast enough squeese tighter if he still isnt doing what u want give him a light tap no a kick just a tap

Answer 7

On my mare, WHERE you squeeze makes a HUGE difference.  Forward more toward the girth moves the forehand around, further back moves the hindquarters around , and in between moves her whole body (if only using one leg).  Squeezing her may make her extend her gait or if done with vocal commands will make her back or stop.  Guess to sum it up, depends on how your horse is trained.

Answer 8

I agree with the others, squeezing is a better alternative to kicking with your heels.

but when it comes to using the crop, try just moving it back behind your leg as if you were going to hit her, but instead bring it back up to the reins(don't do this really fast, but not too slow either). the sight of an object approaching her head like that will trigger the natural response to move faster.

Answer 9

Actually, you can kick. When I originally took riding lessons, I was taught to squeeze the horse and kind of thrust forward with my body. That does work, but later a natural horsemanship trainer named Eric Bravo taught me to get the horse to move by kicking. Do what you like best and what your horse responds to best but I like the kicking better. Simply put it translates into lighter riding and its easier on me.

I am not talking about kicking a horse hard, just tapping his sides with the feet. To move out forward I kick with both feet simultaneously. All of my horses respond to this rather well.

To turn, use the fact that horses respond to pressure. If I want to turn left I press against the horse with my right leg. He moves left to yield to the pressure. To turn right, press with the right leg. One of my horses that is really responsive will turn on shifts of body weight only so I pretty much think left and lean slightly and he turns left.

Hope that helps.

David

http://gentlenaturalhorseman.blogspot.co...

Answer 10

definately squeezing.  If he doesn't move squeeze a bit harder and make some noises with ur mouth. Like clicking kind of noises.

If that still doesn't work a light tap of a crop might help (please don't HIT the horse, just a tap).

Answer 11

well as soon as you get on get the horse to listen to you by squeezing.  if they don't listen tap them with your feet.  some horses are sensitive behind their leg while others behind the girth.  find where your horse responds the best.   after you tap them with your feet you can try to slap them with the excess reins which will get them awake.  for the canter.  sit deep, bend them toward the inside, put your outside leg behind the girth and squeeze.

don't forget to use your voice.