1. What is a free walk?

It’s a relaxed gait.

2. What should a free walk look like?

The frame should be lengthened, and your pony should lower his head and neck in just such a way it seems like he’s grazing. His poll should be lower than the withers.

He should open up his throatlatch angle so that his nose is pointing rather forward. He should appear to be stretching at the bit.

His strides should get longer so that he begins to cover more track.

3. How is transition at commencement of a free walk done?

A good free walk depends on correct preparation. You prepare for a free walk in just how you prepare for a ‘stretchy’ circle on the trot.

While still in a medium walk, you execute a connecting half halt over about 3 or 4 seconds on your short side.

You give a connecting half halt by creating energy: you close both your calves like you are asking for a lengthening. But in reality your horse shouldn’t lengthen.

Make a fist of your outer hand to capture and contain, then recycle energy to the horse’s hind legs.

Maintain closed legs and outer hand for 3 or 4 seconds, and while in this position, squeeze or vibrate on the inside rein and release it to stop your pony from arching his neck outwards.

Ensure your legs are relaxed while going into the diagonal and open your fingers to allow your horse to get rid of the reins from your hands.

4. How to transition back to a medium walk?

You do so with the connecting half halt that you used for your free walk preparation.

Press gently with the calves even as the reins reman long.

While shortening the reins, maintain a closed fist of the new outer hand; squeeze with your new inner hand and release it.

5. What do you do with a lazy horse?

‘Breathe’ with your legs if the pony isn’t showing much energy,

You do this by:

– Raising your legs off his sides

– Moving them back an in. or so and replacing them lightly.

You achieve two things by breathing your legs. Your horse is probably numb to the feel of your legs if you’ve been indulging in excessive gripping. Removing your legs and replacing them lightly enables him to get back his sensitivity. When you move your legs back, you place them nearer your horse’s ‘engine’; this is a reminder to him that he should more actively use his rear legs.

6. What do you do with a horse that appears to want to jig?

If he is showing an inclination to jig, execute 1 or 2 transitions to the halt.

Give your horse some praise after each halt.

He will be able to soon be able to predict a stop or a slow down.

That’s the time you use ‘stopping aids’ in a little way to remind him that he should stick to a flat-footed four-beat walk while you go across the diagonal.

If your pony has a predisposition to jig as you raise the reins after a diagonal, come to a halt first and pick your reins up on the halt. This way, you’ll train your horse to keep slow on occasions you are doing a transition.

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