The Lingo Decoded Part 1

Mandy & tiny Treasure

One of the main catalysts for starting this blog happened 5 years ago when the mom of one of Mandy’s lesson mates came up to me & said, “There needs to be a place where moms can go to learn about this stuff so we don’t get eye rolls from our kids every time we say the wrong thing.”

Well, we all know the eye rolls are inevitable but here’s a list to help minimize the annoying little habit. As always, I will start with the very basic basics & we’ll move on in future posts.

The Saddle

The Very Basics. 

• Girth or cinch– (Not shown) The strap that goes around the horse’s belly to keep the saddle in place. Your trainer will most likely double check it for you.
• Pommel or horn (The horn is on a Western saddle, the pommel is on an English saddle). The front of the saddle.
• Cantle-The back of the saddle
• Skirt- The part of the saddle that covers where the stirrups (not shown) attach to the saddle.
• Seat- Where your bum goes, to be very blunt.
• Stirrup Leather-  (not shown) The strap that attaches under the saddle skirt & holds the…
• Stirrup Irons- (not shown) The metal piece at the base of the leathers where you put your foot into. Also just called the irons or stirrups.
• Crupper- A strap that attaches under the saddle & goes under the pony’s tail to keep the saddle from slipping forward. You may or may not see this, not all ponies need one.
• Breastplate or Breastcollar– A strap that goes around the horse’s chest & neck & attaches to the girth to prevent the saddle from sliding back. Again, this is not needed on every horse or pony.

The Bridle:

The basics are listed below. I threw in a few more in the image for extra credit!

• The Bit- The piece that goes in the horse’s mouth.
• Reins- Attach to the bit & go to the rider’s hands
• Throatlatch– The part of the bridle that goes around the horse’s throat area. You want 2 finger spaces.
  • This is also one of the only 2 pieces that you will unbuckle when it’s time to untack.
• Cavesson or noseband– The part of the bridle that goes around the horse’s nose. For most horses, one snug finger space between the cavesson & the horse’s jaw is fine.
  • This is the 2nd piece you will undo before taking the bridle off

Riding Terms: A brief glossary

• Walk- Duh, I know! Did you know though, that the walk has 4 beats?
• Trot- A 2 beat gait, also called a jog in western riding
• Canter- A 3 beat gait, called a lope in western riding. (The canter & trot are a bit faster than the jog & lope)
  • If you hear the trainer say that the horse is “4 beating” that means that the horse is actually trotting behind & needs…
• More Leg– Aka a bit of a kick in the belly.
  • Note- Many school horses have mastered the art of ignoring your child’s efforts & you will see a lot of kicking with little or no results. This is not a bad thing! If you watch the very best riders most are very still which makes every small movement they make meaningful to the horse. Beginners are making mistakes all the time- can you imagine if old “Sparky” reacted to your child’s every movement?
• Posting- Standing up & sitting down to the horse’s trot rhythm. (Beginner’s are sometimes called “Up Downers” for the amount of time trainers spend calling out, “Up, Down” teaching the posting trot.) This is where a group lesson is great- your child will learn a lot watching more advanced riders!
• Diagonal- Riders are taught to rise out of the tack (or “stand up” in the irons) when the outside front leg goes forward. *As a horse turns, his outside front leg is on a slightly wider track. Rising on the outside diagonal accommodates the longer stride.
  • “Rise & fall with the wall” is a great rule to remember.
• 3 Point or Sitting the Trot- When you stop posting & sit in the saddle. The rider’s 2 legs & seat make up the 3 points.
• 2 Point or Balance Position- Getting your seat up & out of the saddle with only the rider’s 2 legs having contact with the saddle. One of my favorite exercises for leg strength, balance & correct positioning!
• Tracking left/right- The direction you are going around the arena. If your child is turning left through the corners, he/she is tracking left & vice versa.
• Crop or Bat- A whip. When used properly, the crop is an effective tool to teach the horse or pony to respond to less leg from the rider. It should be used behind the rider’s leg in combination with the leg.
• Equitation- Via Google search: “The art & practice of horsemanship & horse riding.”
  • While Equitation looks really nice, it has an incredibly important function in being an effective & safe rider. Here are a few basic examples.
    • Heels Down– Keeping your heels down lowers your center of gravity & keeps your leg tight on the horse’s belly. It also helps keep you in the tack in case of emergency! Good heels are a lot like a seat belt.
    • Put the ball of your foot on the stirrup- Super important! This enables you to really get your heel down & helps keep the foot from sliding through the stirrup.
    • Elbows bent & at your side–  If your arms are straight & your horse stumbles, you will get yanked forward from your torso & just may find yourself getting pulled over the horse’s head. Also you cannot help but bump the horse’s mouth at the walk & canter when their head rises & falls naturally with the gait. A bent, relaxed elbow helps make a kind, softer hand.
    • Eyes up- “If you look at the ground, you will end up on the ground.” Our heads weigh a lot in proportion to our bodies so it’s important to keep your eyes & head up. A lowered chin will drag your weight forward.
    • Stirrup length- The proper stirrup length will help a rider keep their heels down, stay light in the saddle & get up out of the tack in a balanced way when needed.
• Horsemanship- In a nutshell, horsemanship is putting the horse’s needs, care & consideration before yourself. It is how you care for & look after your horse. It is also unfortunately, becoming quite rare. Soapbox alert- Every barn should teach this!

Phew! It sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? In fact riding is a sport where the more you learn, the more there is still to learn. That’s something I love about it & every trainer & horse has something more to teach us. I also love that it is a sport that teaches us to think about our team mate’s feelings & welfare; a great lesson in selflessness for us all & especially important for kids to learn.