- Know your horse’s ideal BPM (beats per minute) for each of the three gaits.
- The average horse has a BPM as follows:
- Walk 90 – 106 BPM
- Trot 138 – 160 BPM
- Canter 96 – 108 BPM
- Pick music that matches your horse’s BPM within a 4-6 BPM range. For example, if your horse has a canter of 104 BPM, choose music that is between 100 BPM and 108 BPM.
- Choose music that has a very clear downbeat (the downbeat is the beat that you would tap your toe to.)
- If you CAN’T tap your toe or clap your hands easily to the beat of the music… it’s not great riding music!
- Choose music that will help you achieve your horse’s ideal tempo. For example: If your horse is a bit on the lazy side, choose an upbeat and energetic piece of music that will help YOU continue to strive for more energy. If your horse is more on hot or nervous side, choose music that will feel calmer and steadier that will help you with rhythm and relaxation.
