Laota Spring Farm

06/21/2019

Congratulations great job guys in Asheville

05/11/2019

Thank you Rafa and John for making the Mason Dixon show a success.

11/19/2018

Great time at the Ocala classic . Thanks everyone for a successful show . .

09/23/2018

We are leaving the grand nationals fur home . Want to say thank you to Jose , John and Misael for all your hard with at the show . Thank you everyone .
Congratulations to Virginia Froster and Hanna Stack on amazing rides . Great job everyone

07/28/2018

Noah’s new owner .best friends . They will have many happy times together have fun

07/28/2018

Good day a the Virginia presidential show . Congratulations great job everyone’s

07/24/2018

Cassanova Beautiful 18 year old gelding trail horse for sale 4000 call Jose . 484 363-1729

07/23/2018

Amercian gold

06/20/2018

Thank you Jose ? John and Omar for a successful show .

08/31/2017

Laota Spring Farm updated their phone number.

Laota Spring Farm updated their phone number.

06/19/2017

Asheville live is over . We had a great time and would like to piedmont PFHA for putting on a great show . Thank you to all those who worked behind the scenes your hard work we appreciate . Thank you to my team . You all did an outstanding job . Thank you for everything you do for this farm . You are all greatly appreciated for all your time and effort and having a great and successful show . Lastly to our clients we appreciate your trust and being part of our family. For allowing us to work with your magnificent horses. Congratulations on jobs well done .

05/14/2017

Coming home from the Mason Dixon Spectacular at the Dream Parkin New Jersey .,Thank you my great team Jose, Omar and John. You guys are amazing . And congratulation to all our client you all were amazing . For a job well done

09/30/2016

What a great moment. Reserve Grand national Fino mare championship

09/18/2016

We are on our way home from nationals. Thank you to all our friends who supported us. Special thanks to our trainers Javier and Jose. What and amazing job. Thank to my wonderful horses what and amazing jobs they . I love them all.

08/15/2016

Laota Spring farm at Extravaganza in Ocala this week. Our youngsters looked great Great job everyone.

06/20/2016

We are on our way home from Asheville. I wanted to say thank you to everyone for helping us have a successful show. Thank you Benny , and Javier I could not ask for better trainers. Thanks to Johnathan , Omar and Derrick we could not do it with out you. Thank you Ricky you are the best Ferrier . Thank you to our client who trust and believe in us.,To our wonderful horses for giving us your best. I am blessed and grateful that our paths have come together. Love you all Bea

05/31/2016

Beliago winning championship at Spectrum in Miami

04/16/2016

Javier and Beliago winning class and champioship

04/16/2016

Ocala show Capricho with B Benny and Omar after winning pleasure geldings championship. We are doing very well with the other horses. More updates an pics to follow.

11/21/2015

We had a great time today riding our Pasos in the Reading pa Christmas Parade.

11/05/2015

WordPress.com: Create a free website or blog

Menu

Patrick King Horsemanship
Classical Principles for Modern Riders… Contact us at [email protected] | (724)858-8536

The Ideal Ratio of Aids
A topic that comes up frequently at clinics and during lessons is the rider’s aids. How to ask for this movement or where to put the hands for this maneuver… it seems many riders get very stuck on how much to use which aid, where and when. Without getting into specifics about each particular thing we could ask of our horse (because that could be nearly infinite) I’ll give you my thoughts on what I call the “ideal ratio of aids.”

The ideal ratio of aids, as far as I can tell, works at 80, 18, and 2. 80% seat, 18% lower legs, and 2% hands/reins. Let’s break these down a bit…

PK Ideal Ratio of aids 2 (1)

80% Seat

When we talk about the rider’s seat, for right now, we’re referring to everything “from the knees, north.” In other words, everything from your knees to the top of your head. A turn of your head, a drop of your shoulder, momentarily holding your breath – all of these things have an effect on your seat, so we’ll include them as the “seat” in this discussion.

Your seat is the initiator for your horse – or at least it should be. The conversation you have with your horse happens primarily through your seat. It will signal things to your horse like a change of direction, a new movement, a change in energy or impulsion, a complete pause or halt, a shift of weight, the lengthening or shortening of a stride, reaching of a step, and so much more.

By making a change in your seat, you’re signaling or requesting a change in your horse (whether we like it or not, which is why it’s so important as a rider to develop a solid and independent seat). The seat initiates a change in the horse – and if the horse doesn’t make the desired change, the leg supports (when we’re talking about a movement, engagements, transitions, etc) or the hand supports (when we’re talking about stepping a foot, slowing a foot, etc).

18% Lower Leg

When the seat initiates a movement or postural change, the horse either understands and responds appropriately, or he doesn’t understand or doesn’t recognize the request. If he doesn’t understand or simply doesn’t recognize that we made the request, the leg will support the message that we originally sent first through the seat.

It’s fairly common to see riders using their legs to ask something of their horse without first making the request with their seat. This is a big mistake, in most cases, when we are aiming to reach a high/refined level of communication and control with our horse. In the most basic sense, we are saying to our horse, “if you make this change when I use my seat, I won’t have to use my leg.” And the horse helps to “train you” to use your leg less and less by becoming more responsive and sensitive to the communication through the seat,. Naturally, if the horse responds to the change in the seat, there’s no reason to add the leg. (Additionally, if the horse doesn’t respond or understand the leg, we’d follow through with our whip, quirt, mecate, rein, etc to support the leg).

Whether we want the horse to change direction, make an upward change in gait, move his shoulders or haunches or ribcage to one direction or another, we ask first through the seat and then support our request with the leg.

And then we come to the hand….

2% Hand

Now, sometimes when you want a change in your horse, the leg is not a good support to the seat. A downward change in gait, for example… If you were to make a change in your seat to go from trot to walk, and then added leg to support the seat when the horse didn’t make the necessary change, you’re more likely to increase his gait or speed instead of bringing him down to the walk.

In this particular instance, the hand would be a better support to the seat. But, just as with the leg, we need to be sure that we only use the hand after first using the seat to initiate the change.

The hand can also come in to support the leg after the leg has been used to support the seat. Let’s say you’re asking your horse make a turn… the seat gives the suggestion to turn. The leg comes in to support the seat and help the horse understand that you’re asking for the turn. When/if the horse doesn’t understand or respond appropriately, only then does the hand come into assist the rest of the aids.

Just as we see riders often using too much leg without first using the seat, we also see riders using too much hand without first requesting through the seat or leg. This, also, is a big mistake when we are aiming for refined and high levels of communication with our horses. We want our conversation with the horse to sound something like “if you make this change when I talk through my seat, I won’t have to use my leg. And if you make the change when I use my leg, I won’t have to use my hands.” So the horse can learn to “train us” to use our hands less and less by becoming more responsive to the seat and leg aids.

The horse can also be supported in carrying himself in the proper frame by an understanding of the hands. When the horse is properly educated in lightness, the length of the reins becomes a reference for the length of the horse’s frame and balance – again, as support to the rider’s seat.

(To be sure, I am not suggesting that we “hold” the horse in a frame or balance. That would surely be using a lot more than 2% hands in the ratio of aids. We are talking about the horse truly understanding lightness and contact through the bridle/reins, supported in the frame by the seat.)

So when we’re talking about the when and where and how of using our aids, let’s always try to keep in mind this ideal ratio of aids as a way to attain a high level of communication and refinement. 80% seat, 18% lower leg, 2% hand. Initiate everything first with the seat and support as needed with the leg and/or hand. And if you make a mistake – don’t worry too much about it. Nothing is perfect. This ideal ratio is the goal, but not always the reality. Sometimes, in order to save the rider and help the horse, there will be occasions that we’ll be using more hands or legs than the ideal. Does that make it wrong? Absolutely not, as long as we keep that ideal ratio as a goal in the forefront of our mind.

Get access to more tips and articles by joining us on Facebook!

Share this:
Facebook10K+Twitter55

CONNECT WITH US ONLINE


NEW WESTERN DRESSAGE SADDLE!


Designed by Patrick King and Chyczeswki Saddlery

50 Cool Schools and Clinics!


Patrick King Horsemanship has been featured in Horse & Rider magazine’s course guide for equine educational opportunities!



Graduate, WDAA Train the Trainers


or txt PKHORSEMANSHIP to 22828

PA Goes Western… Dressage


View Full Site

Blog at WordPress.com.

Create a free website or easily build a blog on WordPress.com. Hundreds of free, customizable, mobile-ready designs and themes. Free hosting and support.

10/10/2015

I've always just loved this old poem, and I've realized it's pertinence for this topic as well ...

Twas battered and scarred, and the auctioneer
thought it scarcely worth his while
To waste much time on the old violin,
But held it up with a smile.
"What am I bidden, good folks," he cried,
"Who'll start the bidding for me?
A dollar, a dollar, then, two! Only two?
Two dollars, and who'll make it three?
Three dollars, once; three dollars, twice;
Going for three . . ."
But no,
From the room, far back, a grey-haired man
Came forward and picked up the bow;
Then, wiping the dust from the old violin,
And tightening the loose strings,
He played a melody pure and sweet
As a caroling angel sings.
The music ceased, and the auctioneer,
With a voice that was quiet and low, said:
"What am I bid for the old violin?"
And he held it up with the bow.
"A thousand dollars, and who'll make it two?
"Two thousand! And who'll make it three?
"Three thousand, once; three thousand, twice;
And going and gone."said he.
The people cheered, but some of them cried,
"We do not quite understand, what changed its worth?"
Swift came the reply:
"The Touch Of The Master's Hand."
And many a man with life out of tune,
And battered and scarred with sin,
Is auctioned cheap to the thoughtless crowd,
Much like the old violin.
A 'mess of potage,' a glass of wine;
A game - and he travels on.
He is 'going' once, and 'going' twice,
He's 'going' and almost 'gone'.
But the Master comes and the foolish crowd
Never can quite understand
The worth of a soul and the change that's wrought
By the touch of the Master's Hand.
by Myra B. Welch (1877-1959)

10/05/2015

Mobile uploads

On our way home from national. Thank you to my great team Benny. Javier, Misael ,Johnathan, Ricky. ToDr Colon and Allie for keeping our horse happy and relaxed. Without your help , dedication and passion for this great horse we could not have accomplished what we did.,thank you for keeping my passion alive. God bless you all and our wonderful Paso Fino horses.

10/04/2015

On our way home from national. Thank you to my great team Benny. Javier, Misael ,Johnathan, Ricky. ToDr Colon and Allie for keeping our horse happy and relaxed. Without your help , dedication and passion for this great horse we could not have accomplished what we did.,thank you for keeping my passion alive. God bless you all and our wonderful Paso Fino horses.

10/01/2015

Mobile uploads

At Kentucky horse park grand national. Our clients and our farm really happy. Our trainer Benny Orlando Cotto and Javier Suarez have done and amazing job. It Thursday .

10/01/2015

At Kentucky horse park grand national. Our clients and our farm really happy. Our trainer Benny Orlando Cotto and Javier Suarez have done and amazing job. It Thursday .

09/23/2015

To everyone getting ready to leave for the Grand National Show . Everyone drive safe. We will see you there. May everyone have a great show and God Bless.

08/29/2015

Mobile uploads

Maggie and portals baby. She is three weeks old.

08/29/2015

Maggie and portals baby. She is three weeks old.

06/22/2015

Photos from Laota Spring Farm's post

06/22/2015

On our way home from Asheville after a successful show . Thanks again to our greats team could not have done it with out you . Javier , Benny , Jonathan Misael Ricky. Luisito and Marco great job once again. Thanks for keeping our clients happy

06/19/2015

Great job Javier and Benny on Chubasco and American gold