Word for "starting a horse"

Question

Is there a word or phrase that means "to start a horse" or "make a horse start moving"? Something like "he [started] his horse".

I thought of "urged her horse on" but that sounds like the horse is already moving. "Brought his horse to a canter" sounds okay but I want something that doesn't specify the speed, just shows that the horse has started moving.

I feel like there's a single word that means what I'm trying to say, but I can't find it.

Ahmed · Accepted Answer

It all depends on how you start the horse. If you use the metal, spiky device worn just beneath your heel, you can try spur, as suggested by Hot Licks in a comment; this verb is used traditionally and widely across the world. Spur, as a verb means:

1. Urge (a horse) forward by digging one's spurs into its sides.
He spurred his horse.

Additionally, The Guardian says:

You make a horse move by shouting "Giddyup!". You make a pack of dogs move by shouting "Mush!".

Hence, this is another way post the verb "spur."

Conversely, its antonym may be the phrase hold your horses used chiefly in horse driving meaning to "stay on" or "wait a minute".

Word for "starting a horse"

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