Trying your hand at holding the reins in Visual Studio .NET

Generator QR Code 2d barcode in Visual Studio .NET Trying your hand at holding the reins

Western riders have two different ways of holding the reins These styles originated in different parts of the country, and riders usually prefer one style over another I explain both styles to you, but the one you use will most likely depend on what your riding instructor prefers: California: Because I grew up in Southern California, I learned to ride Western using the California style of holding the reins This style is common in many parts of the Western United States California requires that you hold the reins in the left hand The reins come up through the bottom of your hand, with one rein going up between your pinky and your ring finger and the other rein pressed against your palm Your thumb should be on the top of the reins facing upward (see Figure 13-2) Traditional: Riders in many parts of the country hold the reins traditional style, which means they use either their right or left hand You hold one rein between the thumb and the index finger and the other between the index finger and the middle finger The thumbnail faces upward and the thumb points toward the horse s neck The reins exit your hand between your pinky and palm (see Figure 13-3)

Figure 13-3: In traditional style, hold the reins between fingers with your thumb pointed toward the horse s neck

In both styles, you hold the reins about 2 inches above the horse s withers (see 2 for a diagram of the horse) Your hand should be in front of the saddle horn What about your other hand In Western riding, you usually have the option of putting the unused hand on the same-side thigh or letting it hang alongside your leg, completely relaxed

Your stirrups are long when riding Western, which is good if you plan to be in the saddle a long time Longer stirrups are easier on the knees When your horse is walking, you should have the balls of your feet in the stirrup and your heels should be down Your toes should be pointed forward so your foot is parallel to the horse s body If your stirrups are set at the correct length (your riding instructor can help you with this), you should have a slight bend in your knees, and your legs should go alongside the cinch (Refer to back Figure 13-1 to see how to position your legs)

As the horse walks, you feel his motion beneath you Tune in to this motion and feel its rhythm See whether you can sense how the horse s left shoulder and then his right shoulder move Feel in sync with the rhythm as you let your body relax while still holding your position Let the horse s movement gently rock your hips If you get in tempo with your horse, you should start to feel at one with the big creature beneath you

In hunt seat, the walk is the gait you use primarily to warm up to the faster gaits Horses whom people choose for hunt seat riding often have big strides, making their walks feel bigger For this reason, the walk is a good gait for beginners to focus on Mastering this gait helps you develop balance and rhythm with the horse You should have a slightly forward seat, your hands should be 2 to 3 inches apart, and your calves should rest just behind the girth Figure 13-4 depicts the proper alignment for riding the walk in hunt seat; you can also check out the following sections to figure out how to position yourself correctly s 2 and 8, respectively, can show you figures of the parts of a horse and saddles