Lunge, chair seat, horse share: every riding term explained simply — your cheat sheet before the other guides assume you know them.
"Why does everyone in the lesson nod along when the instructor talks about 'half-halts' or 'giving to the horse,' and you understand nothing?" – honest answer: like every sport, riding has its own language, and it's simply assumed in every lesson, every guide, and every barn conversation. This glossary explains the key terms before you trip over them – read it once before you dive into the intro guide, and everything will click from your first lesson.
Start with the gear, then everything else falls into place.
The riding helmet (Reithelm) is your most important purchase – as non-negotiable as a bike helmet, only with higher stakes. Check for a valid standard label (ASTM F1163, EN 1384:2023, or PAS 015) and above all the fit: firm, wobble-free, no pressure points. The saddle (Sattel) isn't just a cushion – it distributes your weight across the horse's back and gives you lateral support through its thigh blocks; even the block design measurably changes how you sit and how the horse moves. The bridle (Trense) is the horse's entire headgear: it holds the bit (Gebiss) – the metal piece in the mouth through which you give subtle signals – and the reins (Zügel), your direct line between hand and horse's mouth, held like a phone receiver, not a climbing rope. The stirrups (Steigbügel) are the foot supports on either side of the saddle; a continuous heel on your shoe stops your foot from slipping through and getting caught in a fall.
For yourself, little is needed at first: stretchy riding trousers (Reithose) without thick inner seams and gloves for a better rein grip. Anyone heading onto trails or jumping adds a rigid back protector (Rückenprotektor) – proven to reduce rib fractures in falls. Be cautious with the air vest (Air-Vest, safety vest): the inflatable alternative sounds like extra protection but shows no proven benefit in studies. Saddle, bridle, and often a loaner helmet come from the riding school at first – you don't need to own any of it yourself.
The basic seat (Grundsitz) is your foundational position in the saddle, from which every later aid is built. Picture an imaginary vertical line (Senkrechte): ear, shoulder, hip, and heel stack up as if on a plumb line. Your pelvis (Becken) is the control center here – neutral means both seat bones (Sitzbeinhöcker) – the bony points in your seat that carry your weight, a bit like a two-legged stool instead of a four-legged one – point straight down, neither arched into a hollow back nor tipped backward. The heel (Absatz) is the lowest point of your leg – not because you push it down, but because a relaxed ankle absorbs movement like a spring.
If the pelvis tips back and the legs drift forward, you land in the chair seat (Stuhlsitz) – the single most common seat fault, usually caused by stirrups that are too short or a stiff pelvis. In trot you have two options: in rising trot (Leichttraben) you lightly stand and sit again in rhythm – more comfortable for beginners and long distances. In sitting trot (Aussitzen) your pelvis stays in the saddle and absorbs the movement, which requires more suppleness. Speaking of which: suppleness (Losgelassenheit) and rhythm (Takt) are the first two levels of the classical training scale (Ausbildungsskala) – rhythm meaning the even, regular beat of each gait, suppleness the relaxed, swinging muscle work without tension, a bit like a well-practiced dance couple moving together instead of pulling against each other.
A horse has three basic gaits (Gangarten), each with its own beat. Walk (Schritt) is the four-beat gait – unhurried, each hoof lands separately. Trot (Trab) is a two-beat gait where diagonal pairs of legs move together – this is the gait where you practice rising or sitting trot. Canter (Galopp) is a three-beat gait with a brief moment of suspension where all four hooves are off the ground at once – the fastest and most dynamic of the three.
Before any riding happens, there's ground work (Bodenarbeit): leading (Führen, walking the horse beside you on a lead rope), grooming (Putzen, brushing the coat before riding), and saddling (Satteln) – all of this builds trust and is part of your safety, not just preparation. To mount, you use a mounting block (Aufstiegsblock) – a small platform that lifts you up without hauling yourself up on the saddle and straining the horse's back.
Your most important learning tool at first is the lunge (Longe): a long line the instructor uses to lead the horse in a circle while you – without having to steer at all – focus purely on your seat and balance. Plan on 5–10 lunge lessons before riding independently. If you're training at a riding school, a school horse (Schulpferd) carries you at first – an especially calm, experienced animal that forgives beginner mistakes. Later, once you want to ride more regularly without buying your own horse, a horse share (Reitbeteiligung) is the usual next step: you ride someone else's horse at fixed times, usually contributing to feed and stable costs, a bit like a car-sharing model, but with a mane.
The blind spot (toter Winkel) is the area directly behind the horse that it can barely see itself – a surprised kick there is dangerous because the horse simply doesn't see you coming. Always approach from the front-side with a calm voice, never unannounced from behind.
Whenever a new term confuses you, just ask yourself: what does this actually do to my seat or my balance? Almost every term in this glossary circles back to the same reflex: "Follow the movement, don't fight it." Whether it's pelvis, suppleness, or rising trot, it's all about going with the horse instead of clamping on. Keep that sentence in mind and most other terms will fall into place on their own.
### What is the lunge in riding? The lunge is a long line the instructor uses to lead and control the horse from the ground in a circle. You sit in the saddle but don't have to steer the horse yourself, so you can focus entirely on your seat and balance. Lunge lessons are considered the safest and fastest route to an independent seat – expect around 5–10 lessons.
### What does rising trot mean, and how is it different from sitting trot? In rising trot you lightly stand and sit again in rhythm with the trot – it spares the horse's back and is more comfortable for beginners. In sitting trot your pelvis stays continuously in the saddle and absorbs every movement, which needs more suppleness and timing. Beginners almost always start with rising trot.
### What is the chair seat, and why is it the most common riding fault? In the chair seat, your pelvis tips backward and your legs drift forward, often triggered by stirrups that are too short or a stiff pelvis. It ruins the vertical line of ear, shoulder, hip, and heel and makes your seat less stable. It's usually corrected through proper stirrup length and a more mobile pelvis.
### What is a horse share, and is it worth it for beginners? In a horse share, you ride someone else's horse at fixed times each week, usually contributing to feed and stable costs. For more advanced riders, it's the typical step before owning a horse. As a complete beginner, riding school lessons on school horses make more sense until your seat is secure.
### Why is the blind spot behind the horse dangerous? In the blind spot directly behind the horse, it can barely see you – so a kick in that area catches both of you completely off guard. Horses tend to kick there out of fright rather than aggression. Always approach visibly from the front-side with a calm voice, never unannounced from behind.
Reiten: Getting Started Overview