Galloping!!!

I have been riding for about three years now and I havn't galloped yet. I am just curious to how you ask for the gallop. I'm not going to try it until I am ready, but i'm just curious.

Thanks in advance!

i go into two point and squeeze and cluck. I do it in a large open feild that is hole free and just have her go straight and then slow down before the turn.

There are two ways, depending on how your horse has been trained and how accurately it responds. You can ask for a gallop from walk or trot. Give even preasure at the leg and give hand. So, squeeze and loosen up on the bit. The ammount you do these two things is the difference between trot and gallop in essence. The more squeeze, the more speed you are asking for. I was taught that you don't ever need heel to horse, but that is a highly debated issue. If you are asking from the trot, sit, don't trot and ask for speed. Leaning slightly forward and giving hand.
Personally, I prefer the gallop, or lope, (slower version) over a trot. Its smoother and easier to ask for turns, although there is a longer response time. If you have a large arena or fenced area and your horse can keep a good circle you can learn there fairly easily. I learned in a back field, on a barn sour horse (bad way). Galloping is one of those things that is nice to have tucked in a back pocket for when you need it, and its really fun.

Be sure that when you get around to it that you have control of your horse and don't let it take the bit away from you. Try it out in a large ring first so that the horse can only go so far. Do not try to jump the horse while going that fast, you are just asking for problems.

That is incorrect. A canter is the english version of the lope - which are 3-beat gaits and is what you are talking about cueing here.

A true gallop is a 4-beat gait. It looks similar to a fast canter but the left hind leg lands before the left front leg, creating the 4th beat. In a canter/lope the left hind and left front would land at the same time. (or vise-versa for the other lead)

I've never ridden a true gallop other than on a bolt and tend to avoid it because it is a more dangerous gait due to the speed involved. It can be cued for at first out of a canter by asking for more speed and moving your legs behind the girth when squeezing. Many horses won't go into a true gallop under saddle and will just stay in a canter because that is the way they are trained. Ex-race horses are good for it thought!

Lol @ reading Galloping Cat while passing by.

Cat took the words right out of my mouth. A lot of horses are just going to lengthen the stride of their canter, even if you give them a large area to "gallop" in. Even in eventing (the lower levels, mind you) most people never get a true gallop on course, and you have over a mile-long course even at Beginner Novice. Of course the upper level rides need a true gallop to make the necessary time.

Really? Most horses you know won't take a gallop under saddle? I've never ridden a horse that won't gallop under saddle... But then I think I have an electric butt. I ride mounted games and I NEED to be able to gallop, and also have control at the end of it. I will gallop my horse nearly once every ride. I beleive that it lets them stretch out and have some fun, they all enjoy it, it makes for a less lazy horse, and in short bursts helps with conditioning. We have a hill on our regular trail loop called 'gallop hill' boy do we have some fun up there!

Plus, I find galloping with friends (i.e. Racing, lol) Also helps my horse develop his instinct to stay in front. Which is a great help for games and sporting. BUT I am always in control of my horse, and once he has run I will pull him back behind the other horse to make sure I am in control and he will still listen. We then go for a long loose rein walk/trot to let him blow it off.

Good luck when you first try, it really is exhilarating!

I've only ever ridden a true gallop twice. The first time I was with a bunch of my stupid friends (I love them, really) who I worked with at a summer camp. It was the weekend and we took some horses out on a trail we really were not supposed to be on (I didn't know it at the time but they did, naughties). We were totally breaking our contracts by galloping on trail (we were not even supposed to canter on trail. We could have all been fired if anyone saw us, lol) and I would not have gone if I knew what sort of ride they were going on. BUT it turned out to be one of the coolest memories of my teenage years. I rode a big Draft cross named Mike and he really took good care of me even though I was terrified. I didn't really have to ask him very hard to gallop because by the time I realized what my friends were doing they were already halfway up the hill at full speed. I just went into two point and let him run. Galloping is a surprisingly smooth gait. It was the greatest rush of my life. BUT I DO NOT suggust you try it like we did. It was dangerous. One of my friends fell and miracilously did not break any bones. But she had back problems the rest of the summer. If you are going to do it, do it in a controled environment with someone on the ground in case you fall.

The second time I galloped it was completely by accident. My horse spooked, took off for home at 35 miles per hour (no joke) and I fell and broke my arm.

Fun but can be very dangerous if you don't know what you are doing.

Jubilee

I love the gallop, it's by far my favorite gait!
When I take my mare out, we always gallop at full tilt quite a bit... I love the feeling of her just opening up and giving it her all when I ask her to...

To get my girl in the gallop, I shorten my reins considerably (she likes to buck), throw my hand (holding the reins) forwards up towards her ears and back (urging her on), lean over the saddle horn, and scream in a grizzly-like voice "Hike, hike!"... My girl knows that the words 'Hike, hike" means 'run as fast as you can!' and every time I say those words, she's ready to take off.