Horsemanship: Clearer Aids Start With a Prepared Rider

Horsemanship is the knowledge, practical skill and judgement needed to care for, handle and ride horses safely and considerately. It is broader than a good-looking riding position: it includes recognising the horse’s needs, communicating clearly and knowing when to change—or stop—a task.

That breadth is reflected in the British Horse Society’s complete-horsemanship pathway, which brings together care, lungeing, riding and coaching, with safety and welfare at its centre.

For riders training between lessons, the useful question is: can you control your own movement well enough to make your intended signals distinct? Off-horse work can help prepare that physical skill. It cannot replace learning to read a horse or practising timing with a qualified instructor.

What good horsemanship asks of the rider

Observe before correcting

Notice what happens, rather than immediately assigning a motive. “The horse slowed when I lost my balance” is a more useful starting point than “the horse is lazy.” Ask your instructor to help distinguish a rider error from confusion, discomfort or another problem.

The International Society for Equitation Science’s training principles emphasise recognising pain, avoiding assumptions that horses think like humans, matching horses and people appropriately, and avoiding methods that cause pain, distress or injury. A fitness drill is not the answer to suspected horse pain; stop the task and seek veterinary advice.

Make aids clear—and allow a response

Aids are the rider’s signals, including those given through the seat, legs and reins. Being effective is not simply a matter of applying more force.

ISES recommends distinguishable cues, avoiding simultaneous signals for different responses, and removing tactile pressure at the onset of the correct response. It also advises against relentless signalling with legs or reins. These are training principles about clarity and reinforcement. Work with your instructor on releasing an aid while maintaining rein contact appropriate to the task.

A useful lesson question is: “Did I deliberately apply that aid, and could I soften it when the horse responded?”

Develop control without becoming rigid

Balance does not mean holding every joint still. You need to follow the horse’s movement while controlling unnecessary shifts of your own body.

A rider-biomechanics review by Clayton, MacKechnie-Guire and Hobbs describes how rider symmetry, posture and balance affect the horse–rider interaction, and supports targeted off-horse work after identifying physical limitations. It also explains that saddle fit can alter rider position. A recurring fault should therefore be investigated, not automatically labelled a strength problem.

Three off-horse drills to support those skills

Try these twice a week as a short starting routine. Use a clear, non-slip space, a stable chair without wheels and a wall for support. Choose a chair that lets you sit with your feet flat and knees bent at right angles. Begin with comfortable ranges; stop if an exercise causes pain or dizziness. If you have an injury or significant balance difficulty, get individual guidance before progressing.

The movements below follow NHS strength guidance and balance guidance. The riding checkpoints are things to discuss with your instructor, not guaranteed outcomes.

1. Slow sit-to-stand: control the lowering phase

Setup: Sit near the edge of the chair, feet hip-width apart and flat on the floor.

Action: Lean slightly forward, stand slowly using your legs, then lower yourself back onto the chair without dropping. Keep looking forward. Start with five repetitions; use your hands for assistance if needed.

Checkpoint: Does one foot do noticeably more work? Can you sit down quietly on every repetition?

Riding task to review: In posting trot, ask your instructor to watch whether you control the return to the saddle rather than landing heavily. The chair drill practises controlled lowering, not trot timing.

2. Supported one-leg stand: notice side-to-side differences

Setup: Face a wall with your fingertips touching it.

Action: Lift one foot, keep your hips level and leave a slight bend in the supporting knee. Hold for five to ten seconds, lower gently and repeat three times per side. Use more support or a shorter hold if needed to stay steady.

Checkpoint: Compare how much fingertip support each side needs for a duration you can manage on both sides. Do not force a longer hold on the less steady side.

Riding task to review: Ask whether you consistently shift to one side during transitions or turns. Standing balance and saddle balance are different tasks; this drill gives you an off-horse observation to bring to the lesson.

3. Supported sideways leg lift: separate leg movement from trunk movement

Setup: Stand behind the chair, hands resting on its back. Use enough support to stay steady.

Action: Raise one leg a small distance sideways, keeping your trunk upright and pelvis facing forward. Lower slowly. Do five repetitions per side.

Checkpoint: Stop the lift before your waist bends, your pelvis turns or your standing hip shifts markedly sideways.

Riding task to review: Can you reposition a leg for an aid without an unnecessary upper-body lean? This exercise practises moving the leg while controlling the pelvis; it does not reproduce a mounted leg aid.

Bring one observation back to your lesson

Record one simple result: support needed in the one-leg stand, smooth chair repetitions, or whether a leg lift causes a lean. Progress gradually only when the movement stays controlled—add a few repetitions or reduce support, not both at once.

Then ask your instructor to assess one corresponding mounted task on a suitable horse. Practise position changes under their supervision rather than testing unfamiliar balance challenges alone.