New to riding and love it

[MazM]

Hi, I started riding lessons 5 weeks ago. I have one 30 min private lesson a week and love it 😁🐎 I have started doing the rising trot and seem to have got the rhythm of that. Any tips on my leg aids to make the horse trot? I can't seem to get him to move faster. My instructor tells me to squeeze and I squeeze my legs as hard as I can and still nothing. Thanks

 

[Skib]

I think squeeze is the wrong word. I learned to ride as an adult and the language used by riding teachers is often misleading.

When a horse moves its hind legs its body (the barrel) has to swing from side to side to make way for the hind legs to step forward. It is the same with any four legged animal.
If you squeeze your legs on the sides of the horse that stops the swinging and acts as a brake.
Each time you sit in the trot just touch your legs or heels lightly and briefly against the horse. That little touch should signal him to go forward.

Another thing I notice is you say you squeeze your legs as hard as you can. That is another problem for us new riders who want to please the teacher and do well. We do our utmost and over-do things. Riding a horse one needs to give the smallest possible touches - be very gentle.

 

[Mule]

To get a horse to go on I will give a small leg aid first, like a squeeze and if it ignores that then I increase the leg pressure. So you normally don't start with strong pressure but increase it if necessary.

I know that when we're learning instructors want to teach us to use our leg aids so they will often give us a horse that isn't very responsive to leg aids. If you're finding it difficult I would ask your instructor what you should do. He or she might advise you to do something different than what I said because they know you and the horse.

I started back riding about 5 years ago after almost 20 years off and I love it too

 

[TPO]

I harp on about these books a lot but I think that they are really useful for all levels.

Susan McBane has a series of books named "100 ways". In response to your question I think 100 Ways to Improve Your Riding might help answer this, and future, questions. In my opinion she writes really well in a way that resonates no matter if you are learning to ride or more advanced.

You can buy the books from 1p second hand on Amazon

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=susan+mcbane+100+ways&ref=nb_sb_noss

 

[MazM]

Thank you all for your replies. I have loved horses from a young age(I would wish for one every birthday 😁) but for some reason, I was terrified of them. I plucked up the courage and started lessons with my 6 year old daughter and we both loved it.