The hobbled keep the horse in gait. I know pacers need then for racing. Don't think trotters need them. I'm more familiar with thoroughbreds as I own them.
Hi, I used to ride horses when I was younger, mostly QH, Saddlebreds, and retired TB. I just want to pop in and give some tips. No, I am not trying to be a dick. I promise you, if you listen to me, you are gonna get better results. Disregard this whole thing if you already know; I am just going by what I see in the video. 1) Don't wear sneakers when riding a horse. Find a boot with a heel, save up the money, bite the bullet, and buy them (I am not talking Timberlands or stuff you'd wear to a construction site; those heels are usually too short.) Cowboy boots have heels on them like that for a reason: it helps keep their feet in the stirrups. If your feet keep popping out, it is gonna be a bitch controlling the horse at full gallop: you get more control from the boots since "stop" and "go" and "turn" is communicated in your legs and feet. (If you get on RU-vid and watch the equestrian shit at the Olympics, yeah, the outfits look stupid as hell. but the boots always have heels on them. Always. Same thing with Thoroughbred jockeys.) 2) Heels down, toes up. The bottom of the stirrup should be on the balls of your feet. Knees should be bent and turned inward. It is okay if they slip a few times, that happens until you get the hang of it. Try to move with the horse, not against it, when it is at a walk. Swing those hips, baby!! Swing 'em! One, two, three, four-that is what he should be when he is walking or galloping. It is more staccato at the gait you have, but the same principle applies. At a regular trot it is "a-one-two, a-one-two, a-one-two." At canter, the rhythm is more like "jug-o-rum, jug-o-rum, jug-o-rum." 3) Wear the goddamn helmet, and don't wear loose jeans. Even a skateboard helmet is better than nothing. No, you don't have to wear the stupid thing covered in velvet you see at the Olympics, but there is a reason why people wear them when racing: the Quarter Horse, the Standardbred's cousin, can go up to 55 miles an hour on a sprint. It EXPLODES with speed. You fall off that, well, it is like falling off a roller coaster. You WILL crack your head open like an overripe melon. Standardbreds get to about 35, but they will pack a punch. Wear the helmet, don't die. Don't wear the helmet, it ain't like I didn't warn you. As for the jeans, regular fit is best. Props to those who did that. Loose ones will just irritate you and the horse and get caught on shit. 4) Lean forward in the saddle when running, not back, and shorten the stirrups a little. You lean back too far, you pull on the horse's mouth. Keep your hands DOWN so they are closer to the front of your crotch. You want them steady and you want your elbows to stay in. NEVER keep 'em out with floppy elbows-you WILL get hurt sooner or later since the horse feels everything your arms do in his mouth. 5) IF THE RIDER CAN'T HANDLE THE HORSE AT A CANTER, DO NOT LET HIM GET HIS FAT ASS ON THE HORSE. Don't say I didn't warn you-if fatass can't handle the horse at a canter, he ain't gonna be able to do shit if the horse gets spooked and gallops. YOU DO NOT WANT THIS. YOU WILL SEE YOUR FRIEND GET TRAMPLED. Horses are PREY animals and the stupidest shit scares them. I have seen one get terrified of a hedge. He got scared of a plant. Daffodils must haunt that horse's nightmares. And BTW, SHHHH!!! SHHH! Horses have very sensitive hearing and sense of smell. If you were on a Thoroughbred, it would have keeled over and died, but not before going bonkers and trying to attack someone with its hooves. Y'all are lucky the Standard is more sensible...but its patience won't last forever. SHH! SHH! Less talking when the flag gets waved to start the race. It is fine to cheer, but there ain't no barrier between the crowd and the track here. Sit down, bruh!! Wait until he has crossed the finish line!! 6) Stop slapping the horse's ass. Google "riding crop." Buy one; they are usually available from the same place you get saddles and it should be about as long as the rider's arm. Get on RU-vid to learn how to use it. They don't cost much but Thoroughbred racers , QH racers, and everybody BUT cowboys use them when the horse is being lazy. DO NOT OVERUSE. Horses DO buck. I have been on one when that happened-purple bruises on my ass and a black eye. It is not fun when a 1600 lb animal smells a bear on a horse trail, sees the bear, and loses his shit. I couldn't sit for weeks. 7) Try the Standardbred at a gallop, once you and your friends get there and if they haven't already. It does more than just pace and trot. They can fly when they jump; they are also used for jump competitions. (It is fun- you get to go "Wheeee!") And do not forget: Coca-Cola. Every horse I have ever ridden craves this shit. Obviously you can't give them too much at a time because of the caffeine, and it should only be a special treat, so it doesn't make them sick, but they love the bubbles and the taste. To hell with running for the roses-the reward should be "all the Coca Cola your horse can stand."
