# Holding the saddlehorn



## LynnF (Jun 1, 2011)

You are supposed to use your legs and seat for balance and not hold on to anything but your reins. That being said if you feel off balance it is better to grab the horn that accidentally use the horse's mouth to balance.


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## Lady Mustang (Feb 26, 2013)

LynnF said:


> You are supposed to use your legs and seat for balance and not hold on to anything but your reins. That being said if you feel off balance it is better to grab the horn that accidentally use the horse's mouth to balance.


 if ya dont mind me askin waddya mean by "the horse's mouth to balance" ?


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## Darrin (Jul 11, 2011)

It's possible to catch yourself by bracing against the horses mouth with your reins. Not exaclty something the horse appreciates and it will hurt them. Therefore it's better to grab the horn.

As a new rider, don't be afraid to grab that horn. You'll learn with lessons how to move with your horse and as you do you'll find yourself grabbing for the horn less and less.


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## Lady Mustang (Feb 26, 2013)

Darrin said:


> It's possible to catch yourself by bracing against the horses mouth with your reins. Not exaclty something the horse appreciates and it will hurt them. Therefore it's better to grab the horn.
> 
> As a new rider, don't be afraid to grab that horn. You'll learn with lessons how to move with your horse and as you do you'll find yourself grabbing for the horn less and less.


 in my last lesson i started to try to post lol! i havent got it quite right yet


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

You'll get better at it. Don't worry about "pulling leather." (grabbing the saddle horn or the pommel) I don't know anyone who hasn't at some time. 

Hope you're having fun


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Balancing with your reins is basically pulling on the reins in order to stay balanced on the horse, or if you start to fall, using the reins to prop yourself up. It's very uncomfortable to painful for the horse.

Over time you will get a sense of balance and not hold on to anything for balance.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Lady Mustang (Feb 26, 2013)

boots said:


> You'll get better at it. Don't worry about "pulling leather." (grabbing the saddle horn or the pommel) I don't know anyone who hasn't at some time.
> 
> Hope you're having fun


 its alot of fun! especially wen i got to gallop up hill! i wish i cud go bak this wknd but my instructor has a show to do in indiana


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## Lady Mustang (Feb 26, 2013)

DancingArabian said:


> Balancing with your reins is basically pulling on the reins in order to stay balanced on the horse, or if you start to fall, using the reins to prop yourself up. It's very uncomfortable to painful for the horse.
> 
> Over time you will get a sense of balance and not hold on to anything for balance.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 ok well what if the saddle starts to slip like it did my first lesson? my instructor had to keep paddy gator still while i fixed the saddle


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## Wanstrom Horses (Dec 23, 2012)

I always have my lesson kids ride bareback for a couple weeks, even if I'm just lunging the horse around. Riding bareback will really help you get your legs underneath you and your body aligned with the horse, and that will help your balance in all gaits.


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## Lady Mustang (Feb 26, 2013)

Wanstrom Horses said:


> I always have my lesson kids ride bareback for a couple weeks, even if I'm just lunging the horse around. Riding bareback will really help you get your legs underneath you and your body aligned with the horse, and that will help your balance in all gaits.


i use to ride bareback on one of my mini horses cuz of how short i am (and my minis r abit bigger than other mini horse and yet they r registerred as minis) but now hades is founderred like my other 2 (which all three were founderred before i got them i just couldn't tell with hades cuz hes not as bad as my other 2). last time i rode him i spooked him abit by rushing things and he ran me into a fence.


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Your supposed to hold nothing but the reins, and you shouldn't be tugging on his mouth. If you need to hold the saddle horn for balance, I'm sure your balancing off the reins too. If you cannot trot without holding the onto the horn your instructor should have you on the lunge line with no reins at the very least. NOT galloping up hills.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## GamingGrrl (Jan 16, 2013)

Slipping saddles? Galloping up hills? Please find a new instructor.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Lady Mustang (Feb 26, 2013)

SlideStop said:


> Your supposed to hold nothing but the reins, and you shouldn't be tugging on his mouth. If you need to hold the saddle horn for balance, I'm sure your balancing off the reins too. If you cannot trot without holding the onto the horn your instructor should have you on the lunge line with no reins at the very least. NOT galloping up hills.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 excuse me? i do not balance off the reins! i would never harm paddy gator! my instructor is one of the best in my opinion because we actually let the horses enjoy themselves instead of dictate them like they do at other trail rides! i should know after having lily around. i at least spend my time learning what i can from the horses as well. i would not be the spiritual, open minded, RESPONSIBLE, caring person i am today if i had never been around my babies. ive learned how to comunicate with them, know each's personality, give them the respect they deserve for horses are far more superior than any human being and that includes me too!


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## Shropshirerosie (Jan 24, 2012)

LadyMustang, slidestop didn't accuse you of balancing on the reins because she thinks you want to hurt the horse. She just pointed out the honest obvious truth that if you are needing to hold the horn for balance (and there isn't a beginner in the world that hasn't needed to), then it is likely that you are indeed unintentionally balancing on the reins.

In other words, you have the reins in your hand, you get off-balance, you accidentally pull on the reins as your body weight goes back.

As I have said before, there are a ton of good horse men and women on this forum, and an awful lot of instructors too. When more than one person says that an instructor who has you galloping up a hill in your first or second lesson is not the best instructor for you, you should think about what they say.

I am sure that your instructor is a nice person, quite possibly a good rider, probably a horse lover. But I am doubting that he or she is a qualified riding instructor. Would you go to a school full of teachers that liked books but had never trained as a teacher? Would you like your computer to be mended by someone who is really really good at computer games but doesn't actually know how computer language is written? It's the same with horse riding.

Riding a horse is like any other sport. If you want to be good at it you must master the basics first. By all means enjoy free trail rides with this person, but think about looking elsewhere for some lessons.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Lady Mustang, don't take any offense to what has been said. Everyone here truly has your best interest and the horse's best interest in mind.

It's great that you seem to be having fun while you're riding but it really sounds like your instructor is doing things backward and skipping over some of the pretty important basics. From an instructor/trainer point of view; if you can't even trot around without grabbing the horn to keep your balance, then you have absolutely _no_ business riding on trails where the horses need to gallop up hills...which, IMHO, is a very bad habit to get into for both rider and horse, but that's a whole other thread and debate.

While there is nothing wrong with grabbing the horn when you truly feel off balance, it is really easy to get into the habit of grabbing it all the time for everything. When you're a beginner and you are really off balance, grabbing the horn can help keep you from falling off, but it also has a cost. Grabbing the horn and hanging on tends to make a person stiffen up...which causes their balance to _suffer_ because their body stops being fluid with the motion of the horse...which results in a floppy sack of potatoes in the saddle.

If you're just wanting to ride for fun and doing it for free, then it's to be expected that the person riding with you won't actually be teaching you the things you need to know, but if you're _paying_ to be taught how to _properly_ ride a horse, then the instructor needs to be _teaching_ you how to properly ride, not taking you out on trails that are above your ability.


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Lady Mustang said:


> excuse me? i do not balance off the reins! i would never harm paddy gator! my instructor is one of the best in my opinion because we actually let the horses enjoy themselves instead of dictate them like they do at other trail rides! i should know after having lily around. i at least spend my time learning what i can from the horses as well. i would not be the spiritual, open minded, RESPONSIBLE, caring person i am today if i had never been around my babies. ive learned how to comunicate with them, know each's personality, give them the respect they deserve for horses are far more superior than any human being and that includes me too!


Whoa. Down, girl. No one was attacking you. ALL new riders balance off the reins. It's inevitable because try don't know how to balance off their seat. We're not saying you're doing it on purpose.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Lady Mustang (Feb 26, 2013)

Shropshirerosie said:


> LadyMustang, slidestop didn't accuse you of balancing on the reins because she thinks you want to hurt the horse. She just pointed out the honest obvious truth that if you are needing to hold the horn for balance (and there isn't a beginner in the world that hasn't needed to), then it is likely that you are indeed unintentionally balancing on the reins.
> 
> In other words, you have the reins in your hand, you get off-balance, you accidentally pull on the reins as your body weight goes back.
> 
> ...


 she does it differently with me because shes known me since i was a baby! i help her around the farm and in return she teaches me what i ask to be taught! i know all the basics i just want to learn to go faster without falling off and learn to show jump like ive dreamt of doin *takes deep breath as tears rim my eyes* with lily! that dream never came true but im still not giving up! i know im sick all the time and really weak, but i wanna get stronger and be the person ive always wanted to be! *sobs* i just wanna be happy for once. im tired of cryin every time i think of lily. the riding ms marylin is helping me with (just the normal walkin trail riding part) is to help my emotions. she doesnt make ya gallop. she only does it if you really want to and ya ask before goin out on the trail


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## Cincydiesel (Jan 14, 2013)

Riding bareback will make a huge difference in your riding balance. I ride bare with a rope hackmore for about 15-20 minutes per week. When I first learned to ride, I too had to hold onto the horn when riding faster than a gallop. I can now safely and comfortably ride bare back at a full run. Keep in mind though riding bare for long periods of time is not comfortable or safe for the horse.


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## Lady Mustang (Feb 26, 2013)

DraftyAiresMum said:


> Whoa. Down, girl. No one was attacking you. ALL new riders balance off the reins. It's inevitable because try don't know how to balance off their seat. We're not saying you're doing it on purpose.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


 ive just lost it with slidestop! as i told her i feel like shes shooting me down! we been emailing each other and i ended up having a breakdown cuz i told her about lily


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Lady Mustang said:


> excuse me? i do not balance off the reins! i would never harm paddy gator! my instructor is one of the best in my opinion because we actually let the horses enjoy themselves instead of dictate them like they do at other trail rides! i should know after having lily around. i at least spend my time learning what i can from the horses as well. i would not be the spiritual, open minded, RESPONSIBLE, caring person i am today if i had never been around my babies. ive learned how to comunicate with them, know each's personality, give them the respect they deserve for horses are far more superior than any human being and that includes me too!


Your excused. 

Every beginner balances on the reins at some point. I'm sure I did, but my instructor took the steps to FIX the problem. We weren't allowed to canter until we could ride a whole lesson without stirrups. 

No one actually intentionally hurts there horse, but it happens. If you catch your horses in the mouth every once in a while its fine. I do it, usually if the horse unexpectedly trips or they spook. Using your reins for balance will make it uncomfortable for your horse. Right now you can't use you body for balance so your going to use your reins or saddle horn. 

Not "dictating" a horse is dangerous. They can't just be galloping up and down hills all day. That leads to dangerous behavior. I'm sure if Patty Gator had it her way she wouldn't want you "dictating" her out of her paddock, slapping a saddle on and galloping her up a hill. I don't dictate, I ask my horses. And they ALL enjoy their jobs. One mare loves reining the other is a fantastic trail horse. Plus I run a barn with 20 lesson horses. I know them all like the back of my hand too.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## SlideStop (Dec 28, 2011)

Lady Mustang said:


> ive just lost it with slidestop! as i told her i feel like shes shooting me down! we been emailing each other and i ended up having a breakdown cuz i told her about lily


I haven't been shooting you down, I'm trying you to tell you the God honest truth about many dangerous horse related issues you have been having. 

You told me about Lily, I never asked.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ligoleth (Sep 9, 2011)

I wouldn't suggest holding the horn. Mane is better. Holding the horn will ricochet you off the horse, and I've almost had that happen once. Not fun.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

Lady Mustang said:


> ok well what if the saddle starts to slip like it did my first lesson? my instructor had to keep paddy gator still while i fixed the saddle


You should be checking the tightness of the girth before you get on. It should not be sliding around like that.


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## ligoleth (Sep 9, 2011)

I could be wrong, but saddle fit might also be causing it. Doesn't matter how tight the girth is, the saddle will slip if its too large for the horse's back. 

But that's a bigger conundrum
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

^^Yep, too wide, too narrow, bars too flat or too angled. It will all cause a saddle to slip around regardless of cinch tightness.


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## GamingGrrl (Jan 16, 2013)

All around OP this is a very dangerous situation, and if you really have dreams of being a show jumper you should find an experienced and certified coach to help you. You should not be galloping at all, and it seems like you have a lot to learn about horse behavior and their mentalities.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## jamesqf (Oct 5, 2009)

Deschutes said:


> I wouldn't suggest holding the horn. Mane is better. Holding the horn will ricochet you off the horse, and I've almost had that happen once. Not fun.


Yeah, that's what my instructor always tells me - grab a handful of mane. Of course I can't grab the horn, because my saddle doesn't have one.


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## ligoleth (Sep 9, 2011)

: p when I first started riding English, I would claw around for ANYTHING that I could get my hands under. Sometimes I still do when I terribly lose balance... Like when a horse trips.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

I don't know if your just telling us rare exciting spots of your riding, or if the lady you ride with is letting you run amuck on her horses. But, regardless I hope you hang around here and read the experience of others.

I'm all for having fun horseback, but you need to get some skills under your belt first.


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## Lady Mustang (Feb 26, 2013)

boots said:


> I don't know if your just telling us rare exciting spots of your riding, or if the lady you ride with is letting you run amuck on her horses. But, regardless I hope you hang around here and read the experience of others.
> 
> I'm all for having fun horseback, but you need to get some skills under your belt first.


idk if i can rly the stress anymore.... my dr specificly told me to stay away from all stress cuz of my stomach.. ya see i have extreme abnormal horonal embalance disorder. wen ms marylin told me bout this site i thought i wud finally fit in somewhere. once again im wrong
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

I did the same thing, every time I would go to a trot or lope I would grab the horn. 
What you should start doin (and this is what I did) is to gradually let go of the horn. So if you're trotting across the arena, to start hold the saddle horn. But every time you do go across again, make a point in the arena where you will let go of the horn and get your own balance. Now I am loping and I am only holding onto the reins. 
Same with going uphill. When ever I go uphill, sometimes I grab the horn - but only if I think it's really steep. Sometimes I'll grab his mane instead though, that way the saddle isn't making to too difficult for him to get up the hill.


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## bsms (Dec 31, 2010)

Lady Mustang said:


> idk if i can rly the stress anymore.... my dr specificly told me to stay away from all stress cuz of my stomach.. ya see i have extreme abnormal horonal embalance disorder. wen ms marylin told me bout this site i thought i wud finally fit in somewhere. once again im wrong
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Riding horses can be a lot of fun. it can also be very dangerous. Statistically, it is more dangerous than riding motorcycles.

If you are not emotionally strong enough to hear, "what you are doing is dangerous", then you probably ought to stop riding. I've only come off a horse once, and I still have back pain 4 years later.

Horses are big, strong animals that don't always think clearly. They are very graceful, except for when they are not - I've watched my horses slip and fall without any rider, just while running around like idiots in their corral. If you think anonymous Internet posters are tough on you, consider having 1000 lbs of horse land on your knee...:shock:

You don't have to stop riding, but you ought to learn to walk before trot, trot before canter, and canter before gallop. I strongly recommend trotting, and learning to balance at a trot while going around turns.


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Deschutes said:


> When I first started riding English, I would claw around for ANYTHING that I could get my hands under. Sometimes I still do when I terribly lose balance... Like when a horse trips.


Grab straps. I've never owned one, but I sure could have used one when I was a noob! Heck, even now when things get hairy, I sometimes wish I had one. Nothing stopping me from buying one, I just haven't. Silly Speedy! :wink:

OP, I don't know if you're deliberately trying to rile us up by recounting all your dangerous antics, but I wonder where your parents are in all of this. I have a hard time believing they're just blithely allowing someone to endanger your life by letting you gallop around on a horse when you can't even sit a trot without grabbing for something to balance yourself. You're going to get hurt. Not IF, but when. The fact that you have no real clue how to ride and aren't getting the proper instruction only means when you_ do_ get hurt it's going to be very, very bad. _Experienced_ riders know how to mitigate injuries, but you do not.

All the other blather just tells me you have no real clue how horses act and relate to the world around them. You're living in a fantasy land, and it's going to get you badly hurt or dead.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

I just added a grab strap to Bens saddle.

Being he is just starting, and I was struggling to cope that huge trot, I figured a grab strap would be good, works a treat.


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## Shoebox (Apr 18, 2012)

Lady Mustang said:


> she does it differently with me because shes known me since i was a baby! i help her around the farm and in return she teaches me what i ask to be taught! i know all the basics i just want to learn to go faster without falling off!


I'm sorry, but I'm going to disagree with this. If you are still holding the saddle horn and having balance trouble at the trot you do not know the basics and have no business galloping up hills. Everyone has said basically what I was going to, so I won't go on- I'm not sure it'd do any good anyways. It looks like you're going to disregard everything we say because we're 'being mean' to you. Which is not the case, in fact there are many experienced riders and trainers on here. It would do good to take their advice. If you don't want to, then you shouldn't be asking questions that you aren't going to like the answers to. If your instructor is so fantastic she can teach you, can't she?


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

OP, I'm honestly having trouble believing a lot of what you're saying.

It sounds to me like you have a friend with horses who is letting you ride them and giving you pointers along the way in exchange for helping her muck stalls and feed. No shame in that. That's how I got back into horses and how I ended up with my first horse. But, you need to call a spade a spade and sit down to take a good long look at what this person is "teaching" you and if/how it will benefit you, help you, and above all, keep you safe.

Letting a beginner rider gallop up hills is NOT safe, nor is it teaching you anything but how to flop around in the saddle while your horse does whatever it wants. 

Also, your attitude toward horses and their behavior frankly scares me. Horses are not big dogs. They are 1000lbs prey animals who look to you for leadership. If you don't provide that leadership, they will take it upon themselves to be the leader, which includes bossing you around. Horses are very physical creatures (just watch a herd for a day and pay attention to their interactions and body language). If they boss you around, you can bet they're going to treat you just like they would another horse, no matter that you weigh a tenth what they do. They will get physical with you and you will get hurt. Period. End of story...and possibly end of you.

I have a feeling that this is going to fall on deaf ears, though.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## ligoleth (Sep 9, 2011)

Where were those straps when I had my first English show!? 

Ask for a canter, horse did as such... Lost balance, and clung for dear life on the cantle. : p
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Speed Racer (Oct 21, 2009)

Deschutes said:


> Where were those straps when I had my first English show!?


Your trainer probably didn't want you knowing about such things. they've been around just about forever.


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## amberly (Dec 16, 2012)

Just speaking of losing balance - my sister can't ride a horse real good. Every time she rode Golley, she would fall off. trotting, fall. Loping - never got there. She was good with horses, just didn't have good balance.


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## ligoleth (Sep 9, 2011)

I dunno! She's pretty darn old! 

Had a stroke a few years back, and still runs her barn and foes lessons. That lady is my hero. : p

Anyway, back to the task at hand...I've been riding since I've been eleven? I rode a green horse up a rode in a bareback pad with stirrups. I gave her an inch, and she took a mile. Right under some trees, past a house and to a nearby fenceline to some horses. (Thank god...) I was pretty green at the time myself. It ended up with me going on a trail ride, her jumping a log, me slipping in front of her chest clinging for dear life. I probably got a nice concussion as I don't remember if I got up straight away or passed out a bit. Certainly was plenty sore. 

Guess the point I'm trying to make is: OP, if you don't know what you are doing, especially in the open like that, are extremely green, and just don't have the balance to keep yourself safe, you could end up seriously hurt. I was lucky enough not to have been trampled when I fell, and that very well could have happened. I could have also been dragged for quite a while if my foot got caught.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## CowboyBob (Feb 11, 2013)

Lady Mustang said:


> i recently started taking riding lessons in exchange for helping my instructor take care of her horses. ive only had 2 lessons so far and anytime i go faster than a walk i immediately grab the saddle horn. my instructor told me that thats not what its for lol! but she also says its ok until i get more confidence in myself for riding! so my question is besides the stirrups (which my instructor has to make very short so my feet will reach and fit in) and bridal, am i suppose to hold on to anything else when my horse paddy gator (the horse she assigned to me for lessons) trots or gallops (only galloped once when my instructor told me to let my horse go when we were ridin up hill)?


So when I first read your post the first thing that jumped out at me is "only galloped once when my instructor told me to let my horse go when we were ridin up hill" others have told you this is a bad idea from the stand point of your having trouble riding at a trot you should not be loping or galloping even troting after only 2 lessons. that's the first thing, the other in my opinion loping or galloping up a hill is not the way to go up hill. It doesn't sound to me like you are getting lessons. I would really encourage you to find someone that will teach you how to ride from the beginning. You will learn all kinds or "bad habits" learning they way you are that could get you hart someday. Learn the right way the first time its a lot easier. your friend is not doing you and favors "teaching" you to ride this way.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

> Letting a beginner rider gallop up hills is NOT safe,
> 
> 
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Safer than galloping down hills I would say, gotta look for silver linings
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## DraftyAiresMum (Jun 1, 2011)

Golden Horse said:


> Safer than galloping down hills I would say, gotta look for silver linings
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


Lol. Very true.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Copperhead (Jun 27, 2012)

Have your instructor lung you on the horse so you don't have to pay attention to anything else but balance. I was on a lungeline for 6 months, one hour a day without reins and in an english saddle. When my instructor was confident I could balance by myself without a horn or the reins, she set me loose. We did walk/trot/canter and I had nothing to hold onto. I learned where my balance on the horse was and learned a lot of seat/leg aids. You'd be surprised just how much you'll learn when those reins are taken away and the responsibility of direction and speed are gone.


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## Palomine (Oct 30, 2010)

Hope this is troll, as can't imagine any person letting someone do such ignorant things when just starting out.


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## Corporal (Jul 29, 2010)

It takes time to learn your balance. Bad habits start early, and the worst is to balance your weight on the horse's mouth. THEREFORE, when I taught (1985-1994) I encouraged my student's to hold the horn to learn their balance. After awhile you will stop pulling yourself towards the pommel and start to relax. You cannot physically continue to do so, unless you are as strong as a professional body builder! It's a great handhold.
Another great handhold is the cantle.


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