UNDERSTANDING THE AIDS

Stephen simplifies what each aid mean. “Your horse should go forwards from your inside leg and accept the contact on the outside rein, which controls the outside shoulder,” he says. “Your outside leg controls the quarters, and the inside rein looks after the flexion and gives the horse his direction.” Your horse needs to understand that he’ll be controlled by the outside aids and activated and suppled by the inside, to the point where you feel it’s possible to release the inside rein and your horse will still hold his own bend.