What are "aids?" In a nutshell, they are your key to success as a rider. The aids are the way by which you communicate with your horse and control him. A good way to understand aids is to think of them as a language that lets you talk to your horse through touch.

There are two kids of aids—natural aids, and artificial aids. Natural aids include your hands, seat, legs, and voice. Artificial aids are things that help out with natural aids, such as crops and spurs.

Okay, so let's get back to comparing aids to a language. Just like language, aids have a volume. When you use them softly, it is like a whisper. When you use them aggressively, it's more like a shout.

A simple rule of thumb is to start out with the quietest aids possible. If your horse doesn't "hear" you, you can ratchet up the volume a bit. And put yourself in his shoes for a second. Wouldn't you rather have someone ask you to do something nicely before they shout at you? Well, so would your horse!

Aids can be categorized as "active," "passive," and "preventing." An active aid is one in which you ask your horse to do something, such as switch gaits. A passive aid is when you are ready to ask, but are not quite asking, for example, having your leg against your horse's side without squeezing. A preventing aid is when you ask your horse not to do something, for example a small squeeze of the reins that tells your horse not to go any faster.

Following you'll find a list of simple leg, rein, and seat aids.

Leg Aids

Basically, there are three different leg aids.

            • Both legs used in short squeezes or nudges—this aid tells the horse to move forward or increase its speed.

            • One leg in normal position near the girth—this tells the horse to move forward and bend in that direction. For example, a left leg will signal a left turn, while a right leg will signal a right turn. This aid is also often used to remind a horse not to cut corners.

            • One leg about four inches behind the girth—this aid asks the horse to move his hindquarters sideways. It can also be used as a preventing aid, which tells the horse not to swing his hind legs sideways.

Rein Aids

When using rein aids, be sure to squeeze and then relax your fingers and hands. Avoid long, hard pulls, and don't pull your hands backwards.

            • Both hands squeeze and relax, straight back—this asks your horse to slow down or stop, but can also be used as a preventing aid that asks your horse not to move forward.

            • One hand moves slightly out to one side—This asks the horse to turn in a wide turn without slowing down. It is often called the "leading rein" because it "leads" the horse into a turn.

            • One hand squeezes and relaxes, straight back—This is called a "direct rein," and what it does is ask the horse to turn in that direction, in a tighter turn.

            • On hand presses inward against the horse's neck—Also called a "neck rein," this is a preventing aid that asks the pony to stop going sideways.

Seat Aids

When you use seat aids, you use your weight to communicate to your horse.

            • Sitting up tall and deep—this tells your horse to pay attention, and is a good aid to use before you ask your horse to stop or slow down.

            • Turning your body slightly one way or the other, while maintaining a deep seat—this "swiveling" action tells your horse to turn in the direction that you turn in. Your horse will feel your seat bones turning through his back.

            • Looking where you want to go—tells your horse to go straight or to turn, depending upon where you are looking. Believe it or not, your horse can feel your head turn when you turn your eyes.

Remember, use the right aids or your horse won't know what you want! It's also important to develop a good, independent seat so you don't start giving your horse aids by mistake.