09/08/2026
What is so great about “The Gate”?
The Gate obstacle can be either seamlessly easy or your absolute least favorite obstacle on the course!
For those of us who ride the bridleways, half the gates we encounter are dropped, swing back at you with alarming speed, feature dodgy latches, or have farm animals trying to push through alongside you. You either ride up thinking "this is easy," or you feel that familiar sinking feeling of dread as your horse anticipates years of haphazard gates where the primary goal was sheer survival.
Just like anything in training, it’s easy until you lose that beginner’s mindset. And just when you think you’ve mastered a physical gate standing in your arena, you have to navigate the Rope Gate in speed tests, or the Reverse Gate in the higher levels—all while holding your reins strictly in your left hand and the gate in your right!
The optimal technique also varies for every horse-and-rider combination. Some riders hold the latch, while others slide their hand along the top rail; some pull towards, others push away. It all depends on your horse's height, your arm length, and your collective coordination.
In training, I like to perfect this movement using an exercise I call “The Invisible Gate”—a concept structured much like de la Guérinière’s classic square.
A well-ridden gate is simply a sequence of clear, balanced steps:
The Approach: Approach straight at a walk or canter (depending on your level). If you are at Walk-Trot, make a balanced transition to walk early to allow your horse to settle.
The Halt: Turn smoothly to arrive parallel to the gate in a square halt. Take a moment here to breathe and prepare before reaching for the latch. Depending on height, your horse may need a step back to clear the post safely.
The Yield: Ask your horse to step the forehand toward the gate as you push it open, keeping your hand resting lightly on the wood as you move. Think of it as "dancing" with the gate—never prancing!
The Turn & Close: Step the quarters around to align your horse to close the gate, side-pass smoothly to finish in a square halt, and take another deep breath.
The Exit: Turn the forehand away and transition straight into your trot or canter.
If you’d like to learn how to break this entire sequence down using just four markers, if you’d like to buy the PDF training page https://buy.stripe.com/8x25kEcZL2DC5IUaKQfbq0z
www.Balancedriding.co.uk
Or find me on Substack https://open.substack.com/pub/balancedriding
THE INVISIBLE GATE
-equitation
