Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Riding down hills

From: Angela

Hi Jessica, I really enjoy the newsletter. My question is to do will my horse wanting to rush down hill when out on a ride. Is it due to him not being balanced under saddle? What can I do to steady him? He is an Arab so is forward going horse anyway. Thanks Angela.

Hi Angela! There can be several different reasons for a horse wanting to rush down a hill. The most common and most basic reason, though, is usually BALANCE. It's harder for a horse to balance going down a hill, and twice as hard if the horse is carrying a rider. Some horses go faster and faster until they're running; others try to rebalance themselves by tossing their heads straight up in the air or even bucking.

First, be sure that your saddle fits well and is positioned correctly; if it shifts forward onto his shoulders while he's going down a hill, even a well-balanced horse may start moving faster and faster in an attempt to get away from the pain.

Second, be sure that you know how to ride correctly on hills! When going down a hill, never angle your horse across the face of the hill. Go straight down. The horse can't balance over his hindquarters, as he needs to do, if they are off to the side instead of directly behind and under him. If a horse's hindquarters aren't aligned straight with the rest of its body, going down a hill can cause the horse to fall over -- not a very good thing for the horse or for the rider.

Whether you're going up or down a hill, your position is basically the same: balanced over your feet, weight in your heels, knees bent, hip angle closed slightly so that you are leaning very slightly forward. Keep your head and eyes UP, looking in front of you, not down at the horse's neck. Let the horse have enough rein to help him balance; he needs some freedom with his head and neck. If you shorten the reins too much and hold too hard, you'll just make it very hard for the horse to go downhill at all, because you'll be restricting his movement and pulling him off balance. Don't try to lean backward going down a hill. This won't help your horse; in fact it will get in the horse's way, because you'll be putting extra weight onto your seat and his hindquarters at precisely the moment when he needs to have his "engine" free to work effectively.

Begin by finding the smallest, lowest, shortest hills in your area, so that you can practice. A short slope that only requires five or ten steps will be best. Practice staying in balance and holding your position; practice allowing your horse to use his hindquarters; practice keeping as even and slow a pace as possible. When your horse can keep his balance and stay calm going down a short, gentle slope, you can start practicing in the same way on a longer slope, then on steeper slopes.

One of the most basic things a riding horse must learn is that the rider's leg means "step forward with the hind legs, take larger, longer steps please". Many riders have trouble on hills because they don't dare use their legs -- they are afraid that their horses will interpret any leg pressure as "go fast, horse!". If that's true of you and your horse, stay on flat terrain for as long as it takes to teach him to step BIGGER, not FASTER, when you ask. This will help both of you on hills.

If you feel that you need to lean back or stand straight in your stirrups going down a hill, because your own balance is precarious, practice riding in a balanced two-point (half-seat) position, first on flat terrain and then up and down gentle slopes. If you become fearful on a downhill slope and push hard against your stirrups, locking your ankles, knees, and hips and forcing your seat far out of the saddle, you'll become a stiff, dead weight that will be hard for your horse to carry in balance. So if you are worried about falling forward, try this instead: on a downhill slope, stay in your half-seat, keep your head up and look where you are going, but allow your legs to move a tiny bit forward, so that your heels are no longer precisely under your hipbones. In this position, if you looked down (but don't look down on the hill, do it only when you're practicing the position on the flat!) you would SEE your toes. This should make you feel much more secure, without hurting your horse's balance in any way.

Good luck!

Jessica

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