Body language


In riding there are primary aids and secondary aids.

Always start with the primary aid, which is the seat and then use the secondary aids: legs, reins, whip.

From the ground there are primary and secondary aids as well. From the ground the primary aid is body language, which is: how I look at the horse, how I approach it, how I touch the horse.

Everything else is secondary aids: the whip, the halter, the leadrope, my voice.

When I work with the horse on the ground, I always show my intentions with my posture, even if the horse is just learning to read my body language.

Always give the horse a chance to react to the lightest aid. Do this with every aid, for example the leg, the whip... always start with the smallest aid, even if you know the horse won't react to it.


We use the body language of horses, so it's easy for them to understand, and they quickly learn to listen to humans. To make your horse listen to you, you need the trust and the respect of the horse.

If there is too little trust, then the horse might be afraid of you, if there is too little respect, then the horse might start to become pushy.

This sensitive balance needs to be maintained by being consistent, it's never a finished state.

First use body language and then the tools, this will make your horse react on your slightest aid.






Each horse is different, some of them learn faster and some of them require more time to understand things.

/Jana/

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