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What Does it Mean for a Horse to be “On the Bit”?

Collection may not be necessary for every horse. 

This is another example of the many terms in riding that are misunderstood.    

Collection is often confused with having a horse on the bit, and even “on the bit” can be mistaken as holding the reins while kicking the horse forward. 

On the aids is a better term, as a bit is not even necessary for achieving this true meaning of a horse moving easily and responsively from the cues of the rider. 

These terms are also not only applicable to riding dressage, but for every horse and rider, as good movement is not just for fancy footwork! 

A well-moving horse will simply feel better, physically and emotionally.    

To learn what “on the aids” (or on the bit) really means, hit play below to learn from anatomy and movement expert, Wendy Murdoch. 

After the video, click here to learn more about the online course, ABCs to On the Aids

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Daily exercises for an immovable seat, steady hands, and a happier horse

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Comments

12 Responses

  1. Bending–what are the aids for bending? Is my inside shoulder back? Where are my seat bones? Where does my leg go? I’m thoroughly confused.

    Reply

    1. Hi Eileen, as a member of the Balanced Riding Course there are some great resources there for you to learn more about bending!

      -Julia, HorseClass Community Manager

      Reply

  2. I love Wendy and you too Callie. I have heard this information often but again explained this way makes it clearer. I KNOW this would be such a good course. Sigh, I am on another webinar, excellent of course and there is such a thing as time which seems to be in shorter supply than money! Thank you so much for this. I enjoy just being “with” you two.

    Reply

  3. On the forehand? 🤔I should love to hear your explanations… Thank you for another great video 😊

    Reply

    1. Hi Tracey, we cover it much more thoroughly in the ABCs to On the Aids program, you can click here to learn more about that program!

      -Julia, HorseClass Community Manager

      Reply

  6. Hey Callie and Wendy
    Great video.
    Callie knows I’m just getting to being a rider and into the saddle, so the insight I had while learning from this video is that I’d luv to see a drawing of what it looks like – Wendy’s image was really clear for me about flow- when I’m not in flow, not on the aids.
    Another color perhaps illustrating where the energy or flo is out or off against the on the aids flow lines. So that I might know ahead of becoming a rider where and what feel for in Horse and my bodies…. Does that make sense?
    Since I am not at your place to see the horses with dots and colored wraps, a simple drawing could help me visualize more. The drawing Wendy made really works for me to see what is happening and what to feel for. So maybe include a line of color(s) of what it might generally look like when I’m not on the aids.

    Thanx! Oh, and I really groked how a horses energy moves from hands/reins to back, hip leg foot and ground. That is really enlightening for me. The ground connection is my most skilled area with Horse, and I immediately see from this video how to work better and in more of a meridian flow in my horse massage and Reiki work. Fantastico! Thank you again🐴❤️🙏

    Reply

  8. I understood the drawings, but I would like to see a short video of: 1. a horse and rider not on the aids, 2. a horse and rider on the aids and finally 3. a horse and rider in collection. Thaks

    Reply

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