- 1). Tack your horse with English or Western tack. You should be wearing a helmet.
- 2). Mount your horse.
- 3). Sit with your shoulders back, head up and looking forward.
- 4). Keep 60 percent of your weight in the stirrups and 40 percent in the seat.
- 5). Allow the horse to walk to get forward movement.
- 6). Apply slight pressure with both your legs to keep the horse moving forward.
- 7). Use your leg that's opposite the leg you want your horse to lead with (to get your horse to lead with its right leg, use your left leg, and vice versa). Maintain pressure with that leg while moving it back 6 inches and removing your other leg from the horse so it is no longer touching the horse. This will help it pick up the proper lead (leading with the correct leg).
- 8). Cluck or kiss to the horse to get it to go forward.
- 9). Continue the pressure with the outside leg and clucking until the horse canters.
- 10
Maintain slight pressure with the outside leg while cantering to keep the horse moving forward and on the proper lead. - 11
Remember to breathe. Holding your breath creates tension in your body that the horse picks up on. - 12
Relax and get in the flow of the horse's movements.
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