Everything You Need To Know About Horses

Ways To Improve Your Riding

1. HAVE REGULAR INSTRUCTION

Think you know it all when it comes to riding? Think again. Even top competitive riders have regular instruction to help iron out faults and bad habits. In between lessons, read as many instructional books as you can, or visit horse forums for riding hints. If you’ve got a schooling problem, you’ll find heaps of advice online.

2. WORK ON YOUR BALANCE

Regular instruction will help fine tune your balance but you can help it even more by doing regular exercises in the saddle. By far the best is to have an experienced instructor lunge you without reins or stirrups. You’ll ache after the first few lessons but your balance will improve out of sight !. If you can’t have lunge lessons, do lots of bareback riding or riding without stirrups.

3. IMAGINE ………..

Your body is divided into three sections:

From the waist up

From the waist to the knees

From the knees down

Try to absorb as much of the horse’s movement as possible with your middle section, from the waist to the knees while keeping the upper and lower body as still as possible.

4. LIGHTEN UP !

A horse’s mouth is very sensitive so you should always be aware of this and handle with care. Pretend the reins are made of cotton which will snap if you pull too hard. Keep your finger’s soft and your wrists flexible, follow the horse’s natural head movement forwards and backwards with your hands. Avoid jerking the reins at all costs.

5. GIDDY-UP

To increase pace, don’t automatically kick with your heels. Squeeze gently with both legs while pushing forwards with your seat. If the horse doesn’t respond, reinforce your aids by tapping lightly with a crop just behind your leg. If you’re consistent, the horse will soon learn the proper aids.

6. AND WOAH …..

When you want to decrease pace, don’t just haul on the reins. Tighten your fingers and apply gentle pressure to the horse’s mouth, while at the same time restricting movement with your seat and upper body (pretending you’re a sack of spuds !) Your horse will feel the resistance and want to slow down. Experienced riders can decrease pace by using their bodies only, with very little rein contact.

7. TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND …..

CHILL OUT !. Horses can sense when you’re feeling on edge and will often play up. If you’re feeling angry or upset, it’s probably best to postpone getting in the saddle until you’re a bit calmer. But for those times you’re feeling nervous (say, just before a show) take a slow, deep breath and hold for three or four seconds before exhaling slowly. Repeat until you’re feeling a little less stressed.

8. RELAX !

Riding is hard work, sit up straight, heels down, elbos in, blah blah blah.

Sometimes riders focus so hard on maintaining the right position, they tense up and the whole thing comes undone. Try to relax as much as possible, it’s hard and requires combination of advice already outlined here.. regular instruction, balance practice, attitude etc.

But hang in there and you’ll find one day it all comes naturally !