To put the horse on the aids is like baking a cake, the right ingredients are necessary for the cake to rise.

The phrase "accepting the bit" is more accurate than the often heard expression "on the bit". By accepting the bit we want the horse to accept the rider's aids (legs, seat and hands). The horse should be quiet, supple and obedient, a pleasure to ride.

For the horse to accept the rider's aids, we must insure that the rider is applying aids that the horse can understand. This requires the rider to have a balanced independent seat which will allow the horse's back to move. The rider's legs need to be used effectively without tension in his/her back. The rider's hands should be quiet, independent and steady, allowing the horse to take a soft but confident contact on the reins.

• mentally and physically relaxed
• going forward from the rider's aids
• going straight on a straight line or bending correctly on a circle
• in a rhythm and therefore in balance
• in a natural outline, flexing at the poll with no resistance in his mouth

The horse will have a soft expression in his eyes. His ears will be neither pricked nor flat back, but somewhere in the middle, waiting for the rider's next command.

The importance of a balanced, independent seat can not be over emphasized. If the rider can not keep his own balance, it is impossible for him to keep the horse in balance. This independent sense of balance can be achieved by taking lunge lessons from a competent and qualified instructor. Working without stirrups will be of great benefit in deepening the seat and improving the rider's balance.

The horse's daily work should be divided into three periods, warm up, work, and cool down.

In the warm up allow the horse to work in a longer outline in walk, rising trot and even canter. The horse is always to be ridden in good form, calm, forward and straight. Ride on twenty meter circles, figures of eight and going large around the arena.

The following basic exercises can be used in the work phase to put the horse between and keep him between the aids. On a twenty meter circle use transitions from one pace to another (walk to trot) and transitions within a pace (shortening and lengthening) to improve the horse's balance and keep his attention. Keep adding energy into the horse's work and re-balancing him by half-halts. Increasing and decreasing the circle, and leg yielding will help supple the horse laterally. Three to five loop serpentines will help put the horse evenly in both hands. The work phase will be interrupted frequently by periods of rest.

In the cool down period again allow the horse to work in a longer but always a good outline, thinking forward, straight, in rhythm and in balance.

It is also important to recognize the compatibility of the horse and rider. When selecting a horse one must keep in mind it's suitability regarding size, temperament, experience and level of training. It is very difficult for a novice rider to sit a horse with a big moving trot. Choose a horse to suit the rider's level of experience, physical conformation and ability.

Much has been written and more has been talked about putting the horse "on the bit" or "accepting the bit" or "between the aids", however by keeping the above points in mind and keeping things simple, both the horse and rider will stay on the right track.