HORSEMANSHIP and Horse Husbandry
 Horsemanship,
along with horse husbandry, is the art of maintaining control over a horse
while riding it (sometimes referred to as equitation), or while driving it
from a cart or buggy. Horsemanship also means knowledge of the care of horses
and the use of horse equipment, which is called tack. To earn a Horse Husbandry
badge from Hunter's Pony Farm, click
HERE.
 The
items of equipment needed for proper horsemanship are called tack and include
the halter, bridle, saddle, and brushes, blankets and more. Tack is put on
the horse from the left, or near side; the right side of the horse is called
the off side. Additional items of tack are combs, hoof care supplies,
lead ropes, and other items. You can earn a badge for Knowledge of Tack and
Equipment from Hunter's Pony Farm by
clicking HERE.
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Halter
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The halter is used with a lead rope to control the horse from the ground.
It consists of straps around the head of the horse and a ring under the chin
to which the lead or tying line may be snapped. It is a good practice not
to leave the halter on the horse when it is in it's stall or pasture because
the halter can get caught on something and hang the horse up. Horses have
been know to be seriously injured and even killed in these circumstances.
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Bridle
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The bridle comprises the bit, the headstall, and the reins. The bit is a
metal bar that fits into the horse's mouth. The skilled rider exerts control
over the horse by means of pressure on the bit. The headstall, to which the
bit is attached, is an arrangement of leather straps secured about the horse's
nose, jaw, and head. The reins are leather lines attached to the bit on each
side of the horse's mouth; they run along each side of the neck to the rider's
hands. You can learn more about the bridle and earn a badge for Knowledge
of Parts of the English Bridle from Hunter's Pony Farm by
clicking HERE.
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Saddle
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The saddle is a leather seat that fits over the horse's back, with flaps
extending down the sides of the animal. It is held in place by a cinch, or
girth, that goes around the belly of the horse and fastens under each flap.
The part of the saddle the rider sits in is called the seat, the front of
the saddle is the pommel and the back is the cantle. On each side of the
saddle are straps which hold stirrups that support the rider's
feet. You can earn a badge for Knowledge of the Parts of the English Saddle
by clicking HERE.
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There are many types of saddles for a variety of purposes. The
two most common general types are the Western, or stock saddle, and English
saddle. The English saddle is fairly light and flat while the western saddle
is heavier with a high cantle and pommel, a horn in the front on top of the
pommel which is used to wrap the lariat around when working cattle. You can
earn a badge for Knowledge of the Parts of the Western Saddle by
clicking HERE.
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Basic Equitation
 The
fundamental skills of riding include mounting and dismounting, riding
in one or more of the various styles, or "seats," and using the appropriate
signals for controlling and directing the horse's movements.
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Mounting
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Mounting a horse involves several steps done in one flowing movement. The
rider stands beside the left shoulder of the horse. He or she faces the horse's
hindquarters or the saddle while holding the reins in the left hand, which
rests on the horse's neck in front of the saddle. With the right hand the
near stirrup is twisted toward the rider, the left foot is placed in it,
the right hand is placed on the back of the saddle, and the rider rises from
the ground, transferring his or her weight to the left foot and both hands.
The right hand is then removed from the back of the saddle, the right leg
is swung up and across the horse's back, and the rider settles lightly
into the saddle.
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Dismounting
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To dismount, the rider again holds both reins in the left hand in front of
the saddle. Taking the right foot out of the stirrup, the rider shifts weight
to the left foot, then swings the right foot backwards and over the horse's
back, leaning against the horse's left side to transfer weight to both hands.
Pausing to remove the left foot from the stirrup, the rider slides to the
ground.
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Seat and Hands
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The most important thing when riding is the maintaining of the rider's
balance with that of the horse. This is done by the rider sitting directly
above the horse's center of balance, which is different depending on the
kind of riding being done. A rider must be relaxed and calm in the saddle,
because any tension or fear can be felt by the horse which can cause
it to become nervous.
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Proper use of the hands is also very important in good horsemanship. Because
any heavy-handedness may injure and ruin the sensitivity of the horse's mouth,
light but steady hands on the reins are to be strived for.
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The usual seat for pleasure riding is the forward seat, used on the English
saddle. In the forward seat, the rider stays on the horse's back by a maintenance
of balance, rather than by gripping the horse with the knees and clinging
to the reins. He or she sits erect in the middle of the saddle with shoulders
back and with the small of the back arched slightly forward.
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The hands are held low in front of the saddle so that the reins and the rider's
arms form straight lines from bit to elbow. One rein is held in each hand,
and the horse is made to change direction by a light pulling of the rein
on the side toward which the rider wishes it to turn. This procedure is called
direct reining.
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The stirrup supports the foot at the ball, with the heel pressed slightly
down, the knees bent, and the lower leg vertical. A properly adjusted stirrup
reaches the ankle bone when the leg hangs freely from the saddle. For pleasure
riding on a Western saddle, the rider sits back against the higher cantle,
extended legs slightly forward and away from the horse's sides. The stirrup
is placed at the ball of the foot with the heel pressed down. The stirrups
are put at a longer adjustment than for the forward seat on the English saddle,
so that the rider's legs and body are almost in a straight line. Both reins
are held in one hand, and the horse is directed by neck reining; that is,
by applying the pressure of the rein against the horse's neck on the opposite
side of that toward which it is to turn.
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Aids
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A skilled rider controls a horse by means of various signals, collectively
called aids, or in the American West, cues. The natural aids are signals
transmitted to the horse by the rider's legs, hands, and voice and by the
shifting of the body weight in the saddle. Natural aids are often supplemented
by spurs and whips, which are used to reinforce learning, not to punish the
horse.
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To make a horse move forward, the rider squeezes his or her legs against
the sides of the mount. Increasing pressure as well as voice commands are
used to quicken the horse's pace. The horse is slowed, stopped, and made
to back up by backward pressure on the reins.
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Gaits
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Most horses have three natural gaits, or series of foot movements: the walk,
the trot (or jog), and the canter (or lope). An extended or faster canter
is called a gallop. Each gait requires the rider to assume a slightly different
posture. At a walk, the rider remains erect in the saddle. In the trot, if
riding an English saddle, the rider leans forward slightly and "posts," that
is, moves up and down with the horse's gait; on a Western saddle the rider
presses his or her buttocks against the cantle and "sits" the trot. Both
riding styles call for the rider to sit to the canter; but at the gallop,
an extended canter, the English-style rider assumes the forward seat, a two-point
position with the upper body inclined further forward and buttocks raised
out of the saddle.
 Many
types of advanced equitation are used when jumping, racing, working cow ponies,
or showing gaited or so-called high schooled horses.
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Jumping
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As a horse jumps, its center of gravity shifts forward to a point in front
of the saddle. To remain in balance, the rider inclines his or her body into
the two-point position. A saddle with padded knee rolls for support and a
slightly elevated cantle facilitates this position. The rider learns to jump
by first trotting, then cantering low fences. The rider's upper body must
not slip backwards, legs must remain at the girth with heels still depressed,
and hands must not interfere with the horse's mouth. Practice develops the
ability to regulate the horse's striding in order to reach a takeoff point
neither too close nor too far from the fence. In fox hunting , the rider
must have the ability to handle the horse over fences and brush in the field.
We have an extensive article
on selecting a hunter/jumper pony.
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Racing
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The racing seat of a jockey is an exaggeration of the forward seat. As a
racehorse gathers speed and gallops in a straight line, its center of balance
moves forward. A jockey therefore crouches forward along the neck of the
horse with legs held high by very short stirrups. The crouching posture affords
the added advantages of giving free play to the horse's hindlegs, which supply
the main impetus of its stride, and of creating less wind resistance than
would an upright posture.
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Cow Pony
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By contrast, the cowhand's mount when pursuing cattle often follows an abruptly
swerving, zigzag course. The horse's center of balance therefore lies slightly
toward the back of its body, since it must remain poised to turn and stop
quickly. Consequently, the cowhand sits relatively far back on the mount
with legs extended, as in Western pleasure riding. This seat keeps the cowhand
in balance with the horse during rapid changes of direction and enables the
rider to brace against sudden stops.
Our Western Department has
more information!
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Showing
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In riding gaited horses, an English saddle without knee rolls must be used.
The gaited horse must be collected, or gathered, which means that through
the raising of the mount's head and the flexing of the neck and jaw, the
horse's hindquarters are brought under it so that it is more balanced, a
state that enables the horse to change gaits with ease. The rider's legs
and body are more or less straight up and down, and long stirrups are used
to maintain balance. In a gaited or pleasure class in horse shows , the rider
is expected to show the horse at different gaits in both directions around
a fenced circular ring. At a trot the rider must post on the proper diagonal,
sitting down on the saddle when the horse's inside front leg hits the ground
and rising out of the saddle when the outside front leg is down. The horse
must take the proper lead in a canter by presenting the inside front leg
first. Most horses have naturally correct leads and alternate them with each
change of direction. Others must be made to do so by use of leg and hand
aids.
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Saddle Seat
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This style is used almost exclusively when riding the American saddle horse
and the Tennessee walking horse. Appropriate tack includes a flat English
saddle and a bridle containing both a snaffle (jointed) bit and a curb bit
(one allowing for more leverage on the horse's jaws), or a curb only-that
is, a chain or strap attached to the upper part of the bit, allowing for
more control. The rider's legs are held as in Western pleasure riding. Saddle
horses move at collected, or gathered, gaits, so the rider's hands are carried
at almost shoulder height to help the horse carry its head and neck. The
saddleseat rider posts to the trot, but sits to all other gaits, including
the slow gait and rack, artificial as opposed to natural gaits, which five-gaited
horses perform. Saddle
seat books are available in our Book Store!
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Sidesaddle
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Women who ride sidesaddle sit on a kind of the English saddle. A large hooklike
pommel supports the rider's right leg draped over against the horse's left
side; the left leg is held in a conventional stirrup. Because a woman riding
aside cannot influence the horse with her right leg, she carries a crop or
whip in the right hand. Women still show in sidesaddle classes today, especially
in park classes for breeds such as Morgan, Welsh, American Saddlebred
and National Show Horses.
You can see a picture of
a side saddle in our horse art prints department!
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Dressage
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 Dressage (Fr., "training")
refers to training a horse to be thoroughly supple, balanced, and responsive.
The dressage seat
is similar to the English-style balanced seat, although with slightly longer
stirrups. Basic dressage work includes collection and extension (shortening
and lengthening the horse's stride) at the walk, trot, and canter, and such
lateral movements as the two-track, in which the horse moves forward and
to one side simultaneously. Dressage can be used as training for other
disciplines, for competition, as in horse shows, or for exhibition. The Spanish
Riding School of Vienna, founded about 1572, is the world's most celebrated
center of exhibition dressage; among the haute école (highest-schooling)
movements are the piaffe, or trot in place, and the so-called airs above
the ground, including the levade, controlled rearing, and the capriole, in
which the horse simultaneously leaps and kicks out its hind legs. Visit
"My Dressage Journal" and the HPF
"Featured Breed - Lipizzan" for more
information. You can also try for the Merit
Badge for Knowledge of Dressage! Also,
Dressage art prints!
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Training
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The training or breaking
of a young horse to saddle or harness consists in gradually accustoming
the animal to wearing various pieces of tack and then to carrying or pulling
a weight. The forcible breaking of older horses, in which a horse that has
had no previous training is bridled, saddled, and ridden, is regarded as
primitive and unsatisfactory training. Advanced training, as with advanced
equitation, takes many forms. The training of racehorses and cow ponies is
a highly specialized art, best accomplished by professional trainers. The
horseman or horsewoman who rides for pleasure, however, should have the knowledge
necessary to exercise a choice in training a horse to
jump, hunt, behave in
a show-ring, or learn the basic dressage maneuvers. Because these accomplishments
are based on the natural movements of the horse, patience, skill, and repetition
are the prime teaching factors. For Training Articles visit our
Training Department.
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Driving
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 In
recent years interest in pleasure driving has undergone a revival. Horses
or ponies are driven singly or in pairs to carts, buggies, or one of many
varieties of carriages. Teams of four are put to large road coaches. Most
horses adapt well to driving. Get books
about driving here!
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Training
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Horses are introduced to the harness, which comprises the bridle, long reins,
saddle or back pad, and, around the horse's neck or chest, a neck or breast
collar to which are attached long straps, called traces, that draw the vehicle.
The breeching, which fits around the horse's rump, is an aid in training
the horse in stopping and backing. The next step involves putting the horse
between the shafts of a training cart. The trainer then walks behind the
vehicle, controlling the horse by means of ropes (called long lines). When
the horse becomes accustomed to pulling the weight of the vehicle, the trainer
gets into the cart and drives the horse from the seat. Proper gaits include
the walk, collected trot, and a faster, or park, trot. Horses that are to
be driven with others are judged to see whether they work better on the left
or right side or, in the case of four-in-hand teams, as the "leader" or the
"wheel" horses.
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Driver
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The driver, colloquially called the "whip," sits erect, traditionally wearing
an apron, as protection against road dust, and some form of headgear. The
driver mounts the vehicle from the right side. The reins are held in the
left hand, the right hand being kept free to carry the whip and to help
manipulate the reins during turns. The horse is urged forward with voice
commands and signals with the reins or a touch of the whip. To see some photos
of horses being driven, visit our
miniature horse page.
Care and Grooming
 One of the most important
adjuncts of horsemanship is the proper care of the mount, which includes
its grooming, feeding, medical care, and shoeing. Grooming is a process designed
to clean the horse and stimulate its skin. The first step in grooming is
to rub, or curry, the horse's body with a rubber comb called a currycomb;
the currycomb should be moved in small circles with emphasis on the direction
of growth of the hair. The currying process loosens the hair and stimulates
the flow of blood through the horse's skin. The horse's body, including its
mane and tail, is then curried with a stiff brush, called a dandy brush,
which removes loose hair and mud and smooths the horse's coat. Finally, the
body and face of the horse are stroked with a soft brush that polishes the
coat. Grooming also includes the cleaning of the mount's feet before and
after each ride and the periodic removal of excess hair from its tail and
mane. Click HERE to try for the Horse
Husbandry Badge.
After being ridden, the horse should be rubbed down with a handful of hay
or sponged with cool water; it should then be curried, covered with a blanket,
and walked until it is dry. If the mount is excessively hot and wet after
being ridden, however, the rider should remove its saddle and bridle, cover
it with a blanket, allow it to drink a small amount of water, and walk it
until it dries off.
The proper feeding
of a horse depends on its breed and on the type of work it performs. In general,
a saddle horse that weighs about 1200 lbs and that gets six hours of rigorous
exercise daily should be fed three times a day; its meals should consist
of 2 or 3 dry qt of grain or sweet feed mixed with small amounts of corn.
Any medical care given to a horse by its owner should be limited to treatment
for minor ailments; more serious illnesses should be treated by a veterinarian.
A horse should be treated for intestinal worms several times a year.
Proper shoeing is a really
important, although often neglected, aspect of horse care. The horse owner
should choose a farrier with great care. The type of shoe used depends on
such factors as the breed of horse, the type of work it does, and the way
it habitually handles its feet.
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