Artificial aids are designed to enhance the natural aids. The basic artificial aids – the stick and spurs – are a good complement to your regular aids of the legs, hands, seat, and voice.

Properly used, artificial aids are there to make a correction to a non-response of an aid. If, for example, the proper usage of the leg aid is applied and the horse is not responding in the appropriate or expected manner, then the artificial aid can be used as a reminder of the first aid. It is important that the artificial aids never be used as a primary aid, but only as a useful reminder that the primary aid is there for a reason.

The only way that any of the artificial aids work well is if all the natural aids are used consistently. It’s important that you always ask the horse the same way and expect the same response. If riders are doing everything the same way every time, the horse’s response should become consistent. The artificial aids are there for when that response is diminished as a way of reminding that there is an appropriate response to it.

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