by How Sports & Fitness Editor

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Step1
Adjust your stirrups. When you're sitting in the saddle with your legs hanging, the tread from the stirrup should smack your ankle bone. If it doesn't, correct it.

Step2
Grip the saddle with your thighs and keep your legs still. Don't grip the horse with the length of your leg. Nudging her with your heels is how she knows to go forward. If you're gripping the saddle right, you should be able to post in trot without stirrups. In the beginning, this may result in your legs aching, especially after you dismount. It gets easier and less painful with practice.

Step3
Keep your back straight in the saddle with your shoulders back and your chest raised. Maintain your posture but adjust your seat in the saddle and see how your horse responds. When your seat is centered closer to the pommel of the saddle, your horse wants to move faster. Squeeze the horse's girth with your heels to encourage him more. Center your seat further back on the saddle to slow him down. Keep your heels away from his girth so he doesn't get confused.

Step 4
Apply pressure to the horse's girth with the calf of your leg on the side you want your horse to turn. This technique takes an almost telepathic communion between you and your horse, so don't get discouraged if it doesn't seem to make much difference in the beginning. Just keep practicing and trying until it does.