Mastering timing: How to apply aids effectively at the walk

Timing your aids correctly at the walk allows you to influence individual hoof movements, leading to precise and effortless communication with your horse. 

When you understand when to apply an aid, you can:

• Create a move active and engaged walk
• Guide the horse's movement with precision
• Improve responsiveness in turns and lateral movements

The key rule to remember: you can only influence a hoof that is off the ground!

If you haven't yet, read Timing and feel: The key to effective horse training to understand the why behind good timing. Now, let's dive into the how.

Footfalls at the walk

The horse walk is a four-beat gait with the following sequence:

Left hind - Left front - Right hind - Right front

As the horse moves, their barrel swings from side to side. This swing helps the rider feel the movement of the hind feet - without needing to look down.

(For insights on rider position to assist with this topic, check out Mastering rider position: Improve balance, control, and communication with your horse.)

How to get in time with the hind feet

Since the rider's lower body (below the belt line) influences the horse's hindquarters, the rider's legs must be in sync with the horse's hind legs.

Exercise: feeling the hind feet

• Allow your legs to drape naturally around the horse's barrel.
• Feel the natural side-to-side swing of your legs as the horse walks.
• As your inside leg swings into the horse's barrel, say 'Now' out loud. This marks the moment the inside hind foot is lifting off the ground.
• Repeat for the outside leg, saying 'Now' each time it swings into the horse's barrel.
• Continue this exercise, ensuring your legs stay relaxed.

Saying now helps train your body to recognise the right moment to apply an aid - without physically asking the horse for anything.

"When the rider’s leg naturally moves on to the horse’s barrel, this is the moment the hind leg on the same side is just stepping off the ground - and the perfect moment to influence it."

How to get in time with the front feet

Your upper body (above the belt line) influences the front feet of the horse, making timing with the front hooves an important element for effortless turns and lateral movements.

Exercise: Feeling the front feet

• At the walk, glance at the inside shoulder and observe its movement.
• Notice when the shoulder moves backward and then forward.
• Say 'Now' each time the inside shoulder reaches it furthest point back and begins to swing forward. 
• Repeat for the outside shoulder, saying 'Now' as it begins to move forward.
• Once confident, time your rein aids to this rhythm, opening the inside rein as the inside front foot lift off the ground. The horse will now be able to take a bigger/opening step in the direction of your rein aid.

The moment the inside shoulder is at the furthest point back and just starting to come forwards is the moment the inside front hoof is coming off the ground (and the perfect moment to influence this foot).

Putting it all together: Walking a square pattern

A great exercise to practice timing involves walking on a square pattern around four markers. This exercise will help to:

• refine turning on haunches
• refine turning on forehand
• create a more active walk

Influencing the front feet: 1/4 turn on the haunches

• As you approach a marker, glance at the inside shoulder.
• Open the inside rein just as the inside front hoof lifts off the ground.
• Use the outside rein to support the outside shoulder (squeeze this rein if the horse bulges through the outside shoulder).
• The horse should execute a 1/4 turn on the haunches rather than a standard turn.

 

Common issues:

The horse bulges through the outside shoulder:

• This is corrected by using the outside rein more to control the amount of bend in the neck and support the outside shoulder around the turn.

The horse does a standard turn - following the same track with all four feet:

• Here, the rider needs to check their timing is correct when asking the inside foot to step around ‘more’ to the new track.
• It can help to lightly squeeze the outside rein in time with the outside hoof coming off the ground. This tells the horse to ‘wait’ and step across with the outside hoof - instead of charging forward.

Please note: the focus here is getting in time with the horse’s feet. As the rider becomes more confident with good timing they can refine this by preparing the horse more prior to the turn.

Influencing the hind feet: 1/4 turn on the forehand

• Slow the horse as you near a marker.
• Move your inside leg behind the girth.
• Apply your leg aid just as the inside hind foot lifts off the ground 
• Remember - This is when your leg naturally swings into the barrel of the horse!
• The horse should step more under with its inside hind foot while keeping the front hooves moving on a much smaller circle.

Creating a more active walk

To refresh the walk in between turns, the rider will apply the forward aid with their lower leg in time with each hind leg coming off the ground.

• Left lower leg touches the horse's side as the left hind lifts.
• Right lower leg touches the horse's side as the right hind lifts.

This creates a left-right-left-right rhythm instead of squeezing with both legs at the same time.

Final thoughts

Mastering timing at the walk lays the foundation for more advanced movements and better communication with your horse.

Are you ready to learn how to get in time at the trot?

Check out Mastering timing: How to apply aids effectively at the trot.

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