Rider Position: Head and Eyes
Hunters/Equitation
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1m 37s
Riders should hold their heads so they are looking ahead at eye level and the brim of their helmets are parallel to the ground. They want to keep their balance in the center of the horse and turn their heads slightly in the direction they are going, using their eyes to look at the next fence.
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Rider Position: Leg
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Rider Position: Stirrup-Iron Placement
Holly describes where the rider’s foot should be in the stirrup iron: She likes the inside branch of the iron to be cocked slightly back so the foot rests on the stirrup diagonally and closer to the outside branch. This helps with the flexibility of the ankle, allowing it to work like a spring.
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Rider Aids: Leg and Spur to Go Forward
To ask a horse to go forward, the rider squeezes with her leg. If she doesn’t get the desired effect, she turns her toe out to use the spur, what Holly describes as “telling” the horse to move forward. If a rider uses the leg and spur together, it will make the horse numb to the aid.
