Horses can be a bit intimidating, especially if you’re new to horse riding. Despite being gentle and graceful creatures, these animals can seem quite tall and overbearing at first.
Horse riding should be a fun activity for people of all ages. All you need is patience and courage to learn how to work with your horse so that the experience can be enjoyable for both of you.
Your first ride might be a bit scary, but you need to be careful not to spook your horse. Keeping your balance is also essential so that you aren’t veering too much to the left or right. Throughout this article, we’ll provide you with the best horse riding tips that, when followed, will ensure the well-being of both you and your horse!
Choosing the Best Horse For You
If you’re looking to start horse riding as a hobby, or looking to start riding professionally, then it’s important to choose a horse that will help you succeed.
Horses and riders have different temperaments. The key is to find a horse that matches your character. These animals come in varyingheights and breeds, each suitable for a different kind of rider. Finding the correct breed when beginning may require a bit of trial and error, but you’ll get there eventually.
An amateur horse rider needs a calm, patient, and friendly horse to start out with. Horses such as the American Quarter Horse and draft horse cross breeds are excellent choices for beginner riders because of their easy, calm nature.
Other things to consider when choosing your horse:
- Rider and horse’s weight
- Overall horse riding experience
- Level of training they’ve gone through
When choosing a horse, pick one that’s the ideal height for you. The ideal height makes it easy to climb onto the horse without any assistance. Once you’re on the horse, your feet should be in line with the horse’s elbow.
Typically, horses can carry about 15% – 20% of their body weight. To find out which horse can carry you, measure your weight and then make the calculations accordingly.
Must-Have Horse Riding Gear
Now that you’ve decided to begin riding, you’re now on the quest to find the appropriate horse riding equipment for your first horseback ride. There are many choices of riding equipment you can purchase to look like an elite rider.
If you’re looking for gear on a budget, then you’ll definitely need a hat in your size, a good pair of boots with a small heel to grip the saddle, and maybe knee pads just in case your first ride is a bit bumpy!
Once you’ve decided to go into horse riding fully, you can add riding gloves, riding pants, and body protectors to the list so that you’re comfortable even as you take training lessons.
Riding Hats
A riding hat must be your exact size to be protective; otherwise, it will keep sliding off your head. There are many hat types you can choose from, but the only thing that should matter to a beginner is safety. Horse riding is an outdoor activity and, if you’re prone to getting sunburnt, then wearing ahelmet visor is also recommended.
Riding Boots
There are two types of riding boots: long boots that reach your knee and jodhpur boots that reach the ankles. We recommend using long boots if you’re a beginner. Since they’re long, these riding boots will act as a barrier between your leg and horse, that way they’re not rubbing inside your calf.
Shorter jodhpur boots are very comfortable as your ankle has more of a give. You’ll also need to pair your riding ankle boots with half chaps or gaiters to prevent constant rubbing as you ride.
Riding Pants
The equestrian discipline is quite structured, starting from how riders dress to how they ride. There are two types of riding trousers to go with the boots you choose. Jodhpurs reach the ankle, and they pair well with jodhpur boots, giving you full coverage.
Breeches stretch until they’re midcalf, and these pair well with long boots. Most traditional training schools require breaches because they look more formal. Both pants are made with elastic material for a tight fit while still giving you the flexibility you need to move as you ride your horse.
Riding pants come reinforced with a protective knee patch that takes the brunt of the rubbing that you’ll experience when riding.
Body Protectors
Body protectors are getting comfier by the day while still maintaining the safety standards to protect riders. These devices shouldn’t be restricted to competitions. According to a report by Ohio State University, most horse riding accidents happen at home.
Saddles
If you’re serious about horse riding, then choosing the best saddle seat for you should be your highest priority. Saddles aren’t one-size-fits-all, and each horse needs a saddle customized just for them.
The saddle you choose should also be related to your riding style. Saddle types include western, specialty, hunt-jump, dressage, miscellaneous, and gaited saddles.
Western saddles, for example, are an excellent choice for dropping, cutting, and freelance rides. The hunt-jump saddle is best for polo competitions, balance seat, and forward seat. These saddles tend to be heavier and more secure, which are perfect for a beginner rider.
There are two broad riding styles: western and English riding styles. For experienced riders, if you’re more into the structure, then the English riding style is the best choice for you. Western saddles are best suited for freelance riders.
Buying a saddle also depends on your purse strings. You will need to choose between leather and synthetic saddles, or if you’re purchasing a saddle on a budget, go for a used one!
Saddle Pads
Saddle pads lie beneath the saddle and are essentially a protective layer to clean your saddle. These pads are easier to clean than having to clean an entire saddle. Saddle pads also make your horse feel more comfortable.
Getting Acquainted with Your Horse
Horses have different personalities, so you’ll need to bond before you ride them. The first challenge is communicating with the horse until they understand your direction.
Directing your horse requires firm communication. For beginner riders, we recommend that you pick a trained horse so that it’s easier to get acquainted.
Don’t come empty-handed. Carry treats, such as sugar cubes, because, like children, horses will listen to you more if you reward their good behavior. The next thing to try is to bring these treats during informal meetings. Walk the horse a bit and talk to them in order for them to get used to your presence.
Prepare Your Horse
Before horse riding, catch up with your horse. Start by placing your saddle of choice on your horse. You should always approach your horse from the left and make sure not to spook them.
If you’re using a saddle pad, place it at the highest part of your horse and then place the saddle on top of it. Tie the stirrups securely so that the harness stays in place as you ride.
Next is the bridle. Attach it securely to the horse and carefully place it over your horse. Insert the bridle bit into your horse’s mouth, pull, and hold it before cinching it on the horse’s ear. The last stage involves straightening the latch strap around its head.
Before going for a ride, make sure to walk your horse a bit to help them get used to you.
Horse Riding Basics
The first thing you need to realize before beginning your horse riding session is that you’ll finish being exhausted both mentally and physically.
Your leg muscles will protest sometimes, and your back will hurt as you start because you’re used to slouching. You might even hurt yourself a bit. Remember that this isn’t forever and you’ll soon be so good at riding that these things won’t phase you anymore.
The best way to get over the awkward learning phase is to maintain good posture at all times. When you maintain good posture, your horse will remain calm and you’ll remain balanced. Most people who fall off their horses do so because they’re unbalanced. Avoid hunching over or letting go of the reins because that’s the only way you can control your horse.
Walking Your Horse
To walk your horse, start by gently tugging on the reins in your hands and then squeezing your legs. If your trainer taught you to use voice commands, then do so.
To control your horse to the left, lightly tug the left rein and vice versa for the right side. Being gentle with the reins is important because horses can get moody. But, keep in mind that since the rein goes into a horse’s mouth, tugging the rein too hard will injure their mouth.
Mounting Your Horse
Mounting a horse can be a bit intimidating, especially for beginners. You might freak out the first few times, but you need to remember that horses scare easily, and they can sense your energy. When you’re calm, then your horse is calm.
Now that you’ve had your mini freak-out, ask your trainer to hold the horse’s head so that you can get on. If you’re too short to get on the horse on your own, try a mounting block. As usual, always approach the horse from the left and mount. Now hold your horse’s reins with confidence.
The next step is to get comfortable, so adjust yourself and ensure you’re correctly balanced on the horse. To find out whether you’re balanced, check whether the left side of your horse from where you’re seated is symmetrical to the right.
Horse riding is all about posture, so keep your shoulders straight and redistribute your weight such that you’re heavy on your seat bones. Your legs should be correctly placed in the stirrup. Imagine yourself hugging your horse with your feet and keeping your feet facing inwards.
Dismounting Your Horse
The best way to dismount your horse is to first make the horse gently stop and then free your legs from the stirrups.
Next, release the reins, gently hold the horse’s neck with both hands, and move your right leg downwards towards the left leg. Follow up with the next foot and release yourself to the ground. Horses can be a bit tall, so bend your legs during the final jump to prevent you from pulling a muscle!
Common Mistakes Novice Riders Make
Letting Go of the Rein
When suspended in the air, our instincts tell us to flail our limbs to try and find balance. This won’t work on a horse. Remember that you put on the reins to control the horse, so letting go of the reins means relinquishing control.
The best way to fix this is to be light on the reins and keep your hands on your knees. There are two reining styles:neck reining anddirect reining. Neck reining is suitable for both English and Western riders. It’s a one-handed maneuver that helps a rider multitask and makes it even easier to switch hands when you get tired.
On the other hand, we use both hands for direct reining. Each hand holds the reins, and you gently pull the rein on the side you want your horse to move towards.
Tightening the Legs While Riding
Gripping your horse too tightly tells the horse that you’re nervous. Not to mention, clenching for too long will exhaust you and give you terrible muscle pain. The trick is to realize that you trust your horse, and your horse trusts your judgment. Let yourself be calm and balance yourself properly.
Wearing Your Stirrups
If you notice that you’ve moved your feet too much in the stirrup, slowly adjust your legs so that the balls of your fit rest on the stirrup, then properly balance your legs.
Bad Posture
Horse riding requires the rider to look regal, which translates to sitting up straight at all times. This can be challenging, especially if you’re a seasoned couch potato.
Sometimes riders bend their knees so much that they look like they’re slouching forward. The best way to sort this out is to adopt sitting straight as your go-to sitting position until you get used to the tension.
Horse Riding Tips for Experienced Riders
Looking to improve your riding skills? Here are some tips to become a pro!
Control Your Horse
You’ve just gotten used to mounting and dismounting a horse, reining it, and riding a horse for short distances. How else can you improve your skills? Continue developing your balance and hand-eye coordination.
Intermediate lessons also include advancing stopping and steering skills. Intermediate classes also incorporate techniques such as the half-halt to stop a horse gradually.
Improve Your Gait
When beginning, you learn simple skills like how to control your horse’s gait. The next thing is to learn how to manipulate walks and trots canters by mixing them up to create a simple sequence.
Perfect Your Steering Aids
You can perfect your steering aids by learning how to control your reins in different situations. Your trainer may ask you to move in a circle or manipulate simple obstacles so that you’re comfortable with controlling the reins. You may even begin training on simpler styles such as basic dressage.
Endurance Training
Horse riding is quite a demanding sport and, if you’re pursuing it professionally, you may need some endurance training. Cardio exercises will help you build endurance, keep you fit, and keep your heart rate stable.
If you’re an experienced rider, you should work on learning more difficult skills with your horse and polishing up older tricks. Always check and correct your form and balance, and watch past videos of your riding if you can. It’s all about improving yourself!
General Horse Riding Safety Tips
Horses Dislike Surprises
Horses get easily startled, so you have to let them know you’re in their space before approaching them. Make some noise with your feet, enough for them to hear you, then go and pet them. Horses can jump, kick and trample on you when they panic.
This also translates to when you’re checking your horse for injuries. For example, if you’re studying the legs, ensure that the horse knows you’re in their circle and gently do your maintenance check.
Wear Protective Gear
When riding a horse, ensure that you have the necessary protective gear you need. If you’re a beginner, you know the risk of falling or hurting yourself while mounting and dismounting a horse, so have all the equipment necessary to help you as you start.
Wear the proper footwear, look for a helmet that fits, gloves, and knee pads so that you’re fully prepared.
Be Confident
Both you and your horse are feeding off of each other’s energy. If you’re tense, your horse will become tense too, which may eventually cause aggression. To prevent this, bond even before races so that you’re confident in each other.
Keep Jewelry Away from Horses
Anything that dangles is already a terrible idea where horses are concerned. If you must wear jewelry, wear stud earrings so that horses aren’t pulling you by the ear. Rings and bracelets can get caught on the reins or a horse’s mane.
Mounting and Dismounting a Horse
When mounting and dismounting a horse, have control of the reins to ensure that the horse has stopped and is waiting for further instruction. You can then move these reins forward to lead your horse to the stables.
Horses are temperamental and heavier than you. Don’t tempt them to hurt you by pulling them around.
Benefits of Horse Riding
Silent Therapy Sessions
Interacting with horses has been known to reduce anxiety and help people suffering from mental disorders such as depression. Since horses can’t talk back, imagine how much you can tell them.
Reduce Stress
Because you’re riding in a field, nature takes care of you and can help you clear your mind. Being in wide open spaces can also help people think clearly and make difficult decisions that they couldn’t solve before.
Physical and Mental Exercise
When horse riding, you have to coordinate your hands and feet, all while trying to remain upright. That’s enough exercise! Keeping yourself upright and balancing yourself on the horse is a form ofisometric exercise.
While horse riding, you’re not only physically exerting yourself, but you have to be on constant alert so that the horse doesn’t veer off in another direction. This is a form of mental exercise.
Burn Calories
You’re not only exercising, but you’re burning calories as you ride your horse. Its been suggested that you can burn up to 300 – 600 calories per hour when riding.
Conclusion
Throughout this article, we have compiled comprehensive knowledge of horse riding, including the types of horse riding styles. We have also covered tips on how beginners can get into horse riding and gone over the benefits of horse riding.
While quite exhilarating, horse riding can be a daunting task because it requires firm and clear communication between the horse and the rider. Competitions can be quite intense depending on the horse riding style you choose, and no one wants to lose. Picking the best horse for riding is also a necessity, especially if you’re going into professional horse racing.
For beginners, no one was born knowing how to ride a horse. We all have to start somewhere. That being said, the only way to be good at horse riding is by gradually improving your technique through practice!