Glossary of Equestrian Terms

Active Walk: Walk forwards with pace and meaning.

Aids: The use of the legs, hands, body weight, seat voice and reins by the rider to ask the horse to do something.

Alignment of the Rider in the saddle: Imagine a plumb line running down the side of the rider’s body connecting: • Ear • Shoulder • Hip • Heel.

There should also be a straight line along the arm: • From the point of the rider’s elbow • Along the forearm to the hand • From the hand along the reins • From the reins to the horse’s mouth and bit.

The thumbs should be on top of the reins The rider should be sat in the lowest point of the saddle with equal weight on the sitting bones.

The inner thigh should be flat against the saddle The knees are bent (about 45 degrees) with he lower leg in contact with the side of the horse. The feet should rest lightly in the stirrups on the ball of the foot with the heel lower than the ball of the foot. The toes should be pointing forward. The upper arms are resting by the sides with the elbows in towards the waist.

Artificial Aids: To be used to backup Natural Aids e.g. whips, spurs and Martingales.

Balance: When the weight of the horse and the rider are distributed in such a way to allow them to work with maximum ease and efficiency together.

Canter: This is a three-beat gait and the “Leading leg’ of a Canter is determined by the order in which the legs/footfall occurs. EG. • Left hind leg first

• Followed by the diagonal pair of the right hind leg and left foreleg • Finally, the Right foreleg strikes the ground. • The horse would be on the “Right lead” As the Right foreleg is the last limb to strike the ground the horse would be said to be “on the right lead”

Changing the Rein: Ride across the school and turn the opposite way to which you have been going.

Contact: The connection the rider has through the reins and bit to the horse’s mouth. Contact should be light and positive.

Diagonal: Term used during rising trot, when the rider rises as the horses outside front leg goes forward and sits as it comes back. It can also be a change of rein across the ‘diagonal’ of the riding school e.g. K, X, M or F, X, H.

Direct Transition: To make a direct change of pace, e.g. halt to trot, trot to canter

Flying Change: A change of the leading leg in canter. Usually used when changing the rein in canter.

Forehand: The area of the horse’s head, neck, shoulders and withers. Being on the forehand describes a horse who is not using his hind quarters and hocks to carry his weight, instead he uses the rider’s hands to balance himself putting all his weight on the forehand.

Gallop: The fastest pace of the horse, where all the feet come off the ground together in each stride.

Gait: A term used to describe paces, e.g. walk, trot, canter, and gallop.

Half a Horses Distance: The distance between you and the horse in front. You should be able to see the top of the tail of the pony in front of you.

Halt: To stop.

Horses Distance: The distance you are riding away from the horse in front. You should be able to see the bottom of the tail of the horse in front of you.

Impulsion: The energy from you which you pass to the horse through your leg and seat aids, to ask the horse to do what you want him to.

Inside: Refers to the inside of the school. E.G. Inside hand or leg would be the one nearest the middle of the school.

Lead File: The rider at the front of the ride.

Leading Leg: The inside leg that should lead while in canter. (see Canter )

Left Rein: Refers to when you are riding around the school anti clockwise.

Leg Yield: A movement where the horse travels forward and sidewards across the ménage at the same time.

Long and Short Sides: A term used to describe the sides of a rectangular arena, ménage or school.

Long Rein: When the rider allows the horse to take the rein through his fingers allowing him to relax.

Loose Rein: When the rider allows the rein to slide through fingers until there is no contact with the horse’s mouth.

Ménage: Enclosed school area.

Nearside: The left-hand side of the horse, the side you mount and dismount.

Offside: The right-hand side of the horse.

Outside: Refers to the outside side of the school. The outside hand is the hand closest to the outside of the school.

Placement of the foot in the Stirrup: The ball of the foot should rest lightly in the stirrup, the heel should be slightly lower than the ball of the foot

Quarters: The horse’s bottom

Rear File: The rider at the rear of the ride.

Rhythm: The regularity and evenness of the hoof beats. The horse must maintain his rhythm at all times.

Right Rein: Refers to the direction right, riding clockwise around the school.

Rising Trot: A term used whilst trotting when the rider rises and sits to the rhythm of the horse.

Serpentine: Either three or four loops across the school in a snake like shape.

Shallow Loops:. The shallow loop is when a series of changes of bend are ridden along one side of the ménage. It helps improve a horse’s suppleness due to the changes of bend.

Sitting Trot: A term used in trot when the rider sits to the rhythm of the horse.

Speed: The miles per hour at which the horse is travelling.

Tempo: The speed of the rhythm.

Trot: A two beat pace where the legs move in diagonal pairs

Turn on the Forehand: A movement in which the horse’s hind legs pivot around his outside foreleg. The hind legs make a large circle, the inside leg, a tiny one and the shoulders remain controlled.

Turn on Haunches: A movement in which the horse’s front legs pivot around his outside hind leg. The front legs make a large circle, the inside leg, a tiny one and the quarters remain controlled.

Twenty Metre Circle: A circle approximately half the size of the school which touches all four points of the track.

Walk: A four beat pace

Working Trot: A term used in trot when the horse is trotting actively and using its hindquarters.

Points of the Horse This is the name given to the anatomical landmarks on the horse.