anonymous asked:


Have you ever imagined yourself walking boldly into a paddock to catch “your horse”?

You slip the halter on smoothly, close the snap, and then your well-trained animal walks calmly beside you, through the gate, and waits patiently as you close it.

From there, you groom your horse effortlessly, saddle and bridle it without fuss and then, you are ready to ride. Your Riding Instructor is in the ring, ready to teach.

You either head for a block, or ramp, and your horse waits patiently for you to climb aboard. As you feel the morning sun on your face, you breathe a contented sigh.

LIFE is GOOD!!!

Here is your chance to make that imagined scene really happen for YOU, no matter how inexperienced or worried you are; no matter what your age. I have seen this happen many times in my 30 years as a Horseback Riding Instructor and it CAN happen for you.

My question to you is: ………………..Are You Ready To?

The only way to put horses into your life with safety and fun is to find a riding instructor that you can connect with. Here are a few questions to ask a riding instructor or yourself as you begin the process:

1. What does the farm look like? Is the barn neat and are fences in good repair?

2. Is there an enclosed riding area?

3. What is the farm’s safety record? As you watch a few lessons, are the horses well-behaved?

4. Are the Horses healthy?

5. Are you able to spend pre-lesson time with a horse or does someone else do all the grooming and saddling for you?

6. Is the riding instructor available to work with you during the lessons or is it an assistant?

7. Do all the riders wear helmets? If not, really think about that- you only have one head and it won’t last long if you fall on it!

8. Is the instructor patient and compassionate with the riders? What tone does the coach use during the lessons?

9. Is there an awareness of each rider’s learning style and fear level?

10. How does the riding instructor handle challenges or problems in the ring?

11. Are there opportunities to become involved with horses other than riding?

12. Are you able to watch and work with more advanced riders?

13. Are you financially and physically able to commit to one lesson per week? The more we repeat a process, the faster we learn it.

14. Are you able to do any type of physical fitness work between lessons to gain endurance?

15. Do students look like they are having fun?

Wouldn’t YOU like to learn how to be happy with horses? START RIGHT Now by printing these questions and then looking for your Horseback Riding Instructor!

Margarethe De Clermont asked:


Nothing diminishes anxiety faster than action. ~Walter Anderson

If you have lost your riding confidence for some reason or another, if thinking of riding, jumping, competing, loading your horse fills you with dread, think about Mr Anderson’s words.

You need to do something about it.

And not just try to do something about it. “Try” is a word that should be used with great care. If you’re like most people, when you “try” to do something, that means you are giving less than your full effort to it. If you’re going to do something, just do it.

When you try to do shoulder-in, or attempt a jump, or try to load, it gets very confusing for your horse. Are we going to jump over this thing…or not? Does she want me to do shoulder-in… or not? Is she seriously expecting me to get onto this trailer?

That’s not to say that you shouldn’t proceed with caution or take the time to plan and prepare properly. This isn’t about throwing all caution to the winds; it’s about the intensity of energy you put forth when you decide to take action. Make up your mind. Merely trying is pointless. You either do, or you do not.

Regretfully, just because you put your full effort into something doesn’t always mean that you will be successful. Do not allow this to put you off. Do not regard mistakes as failures, embrace them as learning opportunities. Sometimes you may need to do something dozens of times before you’ll get the result you want. To succeed, you need to give everything you have got, every time. If you can’t, take a break.

“Trying” is for those people who doubt their ability to do something. It means they would like a successful outcome but sincerely doubt they’ll get one. When you start something with such a negative focus, it’s no surprise it doesn’t work out very well. Instead, make it your mission to simply do it – and do your best – whatever you are planning to do. If the outcome is less than you hoped for, do it again. Or do it differently. Don’t waste time “trying” to do anything. It’s a complete waste of your horse’s attention span and energy.

Talking about taking action…most of us are great learners. We love to read, watch, listen to, and absorb new ideas like a sponge. We love exploring new techniques and ideas to better our riding, improve our relationship with our horse, master new riding skills, and so on. However, when we spend all of our time searching for that “latest, greatest” book or instructor or talented horse, nothing gets done. What we forget is that the most helpful material out there is only as valuable as our ability to put it into practice.

If we take even the most moderately helpful ideas and put them into action, we immediately reap the rewards. Rather than having a vague wisp of knowledge rattling around in our minds, we now have a solid addition to our riding progress. With each new book or video we buy, we can increase the value we receive from it by taking time to work with the techniques or ideas before moving on to something else.

Do yourself a favour: take action now. Don’t wait until tomorrow. Don’t fool yourself into believing that you have all the time in the world. Don’t waste time trying. Don’t waste time reading yet another book or watching yet another video.

Don’t let another day go by without taking positive action. If you begin by taking even small but determined steps forward, you will gain confidence. Your horse will gain confidence. Your understanding of each other will deepen. Before long, you’ll both grow to love the feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction you get from moving forward.

Action reduces anxiety. If you want to regain your riding confidence, be active.

So don’t just sit there Go clean the tack.

Lydia K Kelly asked:


While people are becoming more aware of the need for head safety, somehow the equestrian world has missed the boat. Cyclists are wearing helmets, worrying about the potential impact should they fall or be hit by a car. And yet, riders on living, thinking animals seem to forget the risks.

Horseback riding has one of the highest accident rates for minor injuries. When entering the Emergency room with a broken collar bone or other injury, most doctors and nurses just sigh when you tell them you ride horses. It is an every-day kind of occurrence.

Lots of people think of riding motorcycles as being highly dangerous, but in fact, riding horses ranks at about the same level! Imagine, on a motorcycle, you are traveling very quickly with nothing much between you and the ground. On a horse, you are traveling very quickly with nothing much between you and the ground. The only difference is that motorcycles are controlled by the driver. Horses have a mind of their own.

It is easy to forget how quickly things can go wrong. If your horse is a quiet animal who rarely startles, you might not think that anything could happen. But all it takes is a sudden noise, or something that catches his eye and he could be off and running, leaving you in the dirt. Even the quietest horse in the world has the potential to spook.

When training a performance horse the risk is even greater. The more fit the horse is, the more likely he is to have the athleticism to unseat his rider. Besides being fit, he is also more alert and has a higher chance of pulling something stupid in response to good spirits, or even having a temper tantrum over a movement he does not want to do.

World class dressage riders have been known to lose control of their horses, and dressage is the sport where control is of the essence. Jumper riders get ditched by their horses when they refuse a jump. An overexcited gaming horse can slip and fall in the middle of a pattern, and even a champion pleasure horse can stumble, catching his rider unaware.

And yet, thousands of adult riders refuse to wear helmets. They are hot, they are uncomfortable, and they don’t look cool. You name it, and the excuse is used. So many riders feel that they would never fall off, or that their horse would never pull anything stupid on them. And yet, as a rider becomes more experienced, the risk of injury during a fall tends to go up. This is because it generally takes something a lot bigger to get them off, and the potential for landing badly increases with the explosiveness of the situation.

All it takes is once, and you could suffer from a serious concussion, or worse. It is a fact that riders die every year from head impacts that would have caused little more than a serious headache if they had been wearing a helmet.

Additionally, as adults, we need to set a good example to young riders. How many kids feel that it is perfectly safe to hop on a horse without anything on their head? How many others can’t wait until they are 18 and no longer need to wear a helmet in the ring? If adults were more responsible about wearing helmets, perhaps the young riders would feel more comfortable about protecting their heads.

You only get one head. It is worth protecting.

Roger Bourdon asked:


Imagine yourself flying. Well, not so much as flying, but being borne aloft, zooming in a straight line up and down hills, though woods, across fields, and back. The wind slaps your face and pulls your hair, the sun beats down, and all you can hear, bedsides the sound of yourself laughing and shouting with joy, is the sound of hooves pounding down on firm soil.

This is the joy of horseback riding. If you’ve never done it, it will be like nothing you’ve ever tried before. The speed, the freedom, the sense of adventure, few activities in the world can rival horseback riding for pure excitement.

To many people, this is a hobby that many have shunned, thinking it was the privilege of the rich, or the landed gentry, or those with a ‘Huntin and Fishin’ lifestyle.

Nothing could be further from the truth, and these days with the pressures of the modern world, hose back riding can be that escape route to sanity that so many of us aspire to obtain.

But, if one isn’t from the landed gentry, how do you go about getting into this, without spending a fortune. Apart from finding a local horse riding school, you could always start with a good book.

Now, many books have been written on the subject of horse back riding, but so many of them have gone into such depth, that the beginner or the aspiring rider very soon gets bogged down in the detail.

Although there is no substitute to proper instruction by an expert, if your son or daughter is nagging you into having riding lessons, or, more worryingly on the pocket, is asking you to BUY a horse, then this little book will be ideal for them and you.

In fact, anybody who is contemplating starting up this most exhilarating of hobbies will be able to pick up a lot of useful snippets here.

The book starts out by explaining the connection between man and this magnificent beast, from the days when the horse was the main means of transport, agriculture and so forth; it outlines how great advantages in technology and culture were spread and made possible by men (and women) sitting atop these handsome beasts.

It then goes on to describe what can only be described as ‘Horse Culture’, sizes, colors and markings, the difference between Walks, Trots, Canters and Gallops – and most importantly – how to ‘Think’ like a horse, to earn that bond which can go far and deep between man and horse.

Then, for those of you that are considering purchasing a horse, it gives a good overview of things you should consider – not least the financial issues.

After all that, when you have a good understanding of what makes a horses ‘tick’ so to speak, it goes on to describe different ways of riding, as well as basic instructions on saddling, grooming, and riding a horse.

By the time the budding equestrian has finished the book, they will be better prepared to take the next steps in progressing one of the most exhilarating and companionable hobby around.

Paul Gray asked:


There are some things that just come natural to some. Some people are almost born knowing how to stay on a skateboard. Me personally, I fall flat just about every time that the board moves. That’s something that just wasn’t born in there.

One thing that was born into my system was how to ride a horse. It seemed I knew how to ride a horse from birth but didn’t start riding alone till I was three. That was mainly in part to my beloved quarter horse Harlan who knew that I was a beginner. So, would you like for me to give you some tips on how to ride a horse?

When learning how to ride a horse one of the best things I can tell you is to always keep your cool. If you lose control of yourself, I have no doubt that you will lose control of the horse. You know how people say that a dog can sense if you’re scared? Well so can a horse. Some will bank on that fear as an easy way out of work. Even if you think that the horse is some big animal and you have no idea how you’ll ever stay on you can not think that around the horse. You need to stay calm and relaxed. If you get a little scared take a few deep breaths so that you can slow your heartbeat and relax yourself. Odds are, if you think you’re in control, so will the horse.

Now that you have calmed your nerves and told yourself that you are boss, let’s talk about how to ride a horse. There are two styles of riding you can think about when you learn how to ride a horse, English and western. If you haven’t ridden much I suggest a western saddle mainly because of the fact that is holds you in place better and has a horn for you to hang onto if you feel the need. An English saddle is lighter in weight, has thinner stirrups and no horn to hang onto. Some people swear by them for a beginner to build up balance and all but I just feel safer in a western saddle. I figure that if a cowboy thinks that they’re the best to hold you in I’ll have to agree with them. You can work on balance once you learn how to ride a horse a little better.

With the saddle in place, you can hop on and go for a ride. When you first learn how to ride a horse you can’t just hop on, dig in your heels and think that the horse will just mosey off. To make a horse go forward you generally will just have to squeeze a bit with your thighs. Might need to move your butt forward towards the horn a little to let them know you’re serious but being a beginner you should already be on a well broke horse. A green horse and a green rider are never a good combination when you first learn how to ride a horse. Green by the way means that you’re just learning. Don’t go out looking for a horse that will blend in with the grass. But once you’re up in the saddle and walking, you can guide your horse in one of two ways. If you know that your horse neck reins, you simply lay the reins across the left side of the neck to go to the right and across the right side of the neck to go left. If you were told that the horse plow reins, take one rein in each hand and pull on the side that you want to go. If you want to go right, gently tug on the right rein and vise versa with the left.

These are a few simple things for those who are just learning how to ride a horse. For those with experience in horseback riding you might have your own ideas but these are the basics that I teach my kids. And so far I feel that they know how to ride a horse quite well for their ages and practice safety procedures without risk or injury.

Did you know that 90% of falls and horse related injuries result from an inexperienced rider? Don’t let this happen to you. Take a few minutes to learn the essential horseback riding and horsetraining methods practiced by experts for generations which are guaranteed to improve your horse riding skills.

Clinton Lyons asked:


There are a few things that some people wish to do before they die.  For some they want to climb Mount Everest, some want to see the ancient pyramids, and some just want to learn to ride a horse.  Fortunately for me I was able to learn to ride a horse at a very young age and it’s something I have enjoyed my whole entire life.  If you wish to learn to ride a horse I’ll give you just a couple of things that you should learn to do right at the start.

One of the first things that you should do when you learn to ride a horse is to learn how to lead one.  That’s probably not what you had in mind but still, it’s kind of important.  You shouldn’t be standing at the end of the lead rope trying to pull your horse along and you also shouldn’t be standing at their shoulder letting them lead you along.  There’s no control in either of those methods.  The best way to lead a horse is to stand with your shoulder pretty close to their throatlatch and about a foot over to the side of them.  That way you have enough room between the two of you for comfort.  With one hand right below the lead snap and the other holding the rest of the lead line, you will step forward with the horse hopefully following.  If it doesn’t then you just simply push gently in the direction you want to go with the hand that has the snap.  That will give you the most control over the horse.

Now that you know how to lead a horse your horseback riding lessons will flow smoother.  When you learn to ride a horse you have to be in control and if you can lead one with control on the ground you have a better chance of being able to learn to ride a horse.  Riding a horse works best when you know that you’re in control.  If you think that you can’t ride a horse, you will never be able to learn proper horseback riding.  They will know that you’re scared and take total advantage of you.  That’s all there is to it.  If you get scared just take some deep breaths and tell yourself that you’re the boss.  Any time my mare and I have a “discussion” and she thinks that she’s the boss I calmly let her know that I’m the boss and that I’m always going to win.  And I always do.  You can’t get rough and be mean but you have to be firm.  If you start beating and thumping on a horse, odds are it’s gonna scared and then you might get scared.  Not a good thing.

You can learn to ride a horse by taking lessons but unless you are with a trainer that has a goal of teaching you something in particular, you might be able to get the same effects by watching a few videos or reading some horse training books.  And a lot of those books you can purchase online for a reasonable cost.  No sense making horse ownership any more expensive than it needs to be.  If you learn to ride a horse, you are learning a skill that has been around for hundreds of years and obviously is still important to this day because people still do it.  Mainly some will learn to ride a horse for pleasure, relaxation or just time by themselves.  What’s you’re reason?

Benjamin Wise asked:


You can have a formal riding lesson with an instructor, or you can simply have a lesson in riding. For me every time I get on a horse I learn something new. It does not matter if I am in an indoor arena or out in the open country along a winding trail. Sometimes the horse is the greatest teacher of all.

Horse riding can be enjoyed by everyone and the age span is huge. My last employer said that he first learnt to ride at age 30. Now since I started around 7 years, I figured 30 to be old. My mother has been learning to ride for about 3 years now and she is in her early 50’s.

My father had a horse on our property, we had 6 acres and for some reason he got a horse. I should mention that my father does not like horses. I was probably 3 or 4 years old and it would be fun to ride whilst someone kept me balanced and lead the horse. I never grew attached to the horse and for good reason since he always ran away with me when I was left to steer on my own.

If I had started with actual riding lessons at an earlier age, I would have had better control and knowledge. Lessons help you develop a good seat which gives you excellent balance. When your horse panics you are then able to focus your attention on getting him under control. Without the lessons you may simply be hanging on for dear life praying for the horse to calm down and stop.

Horse riding lessons not only help you learn to ride correctly, but you also learn a good deal about your horse. You will learn to pick up on his moods and subtleties and your instructor will be able to instruct and help you work with your horse.

A horse’s life should not be about all work and no play. Even top competition horses get to simply blow off steam. Treat yourself, treat your horse and take him for a hack or trail ride. When you have paid a lot of money for your horse and or you are riding competitively you owe it to yourself to have horse riding lessons.

A fit healthy horse when scared can be formidable beast; they have far more power and endurance than a horse that is ridden infrequently. Taking lessons with your horse will help create your bond of mutual respect and understanding. Your horse will know and respond to your cues.

When you are out in the open and the confines of the arena are a fading memory, your skill learned from your lessons really pays off. The bond you formed with the lessons has established trust with your horse. He is calmed and reassured by your voice, he knows you are confident in the saddle and out for a pleasure ride.

Horse riding is a fun sport, even in competition there is intense thrill and excitement. Always ensure your safety as well as your horse’s and invest in some riding lessons to develop and strengthen your bond with your horse and your skill in horsemanship.

Benjamin Wise asked:


The factors to take into consideration when deciding where to ride your horse are: where you keep your horse and your level of experience with horses. Other aspects such as whether you want to have a pleasure ride or to train your horse will also factor into the location of where to ride your horse.

Growing up in the country I had access to a vast area of dirt roads that lead to open areas for hacking and trail riding. Both the roads and the country posed their challenges, but I was never short of a place to ride. I did however have to face my fears and leave the safety of our property if I wanted to ride.

If you are learning to ride or if you have a new horse, the best place to ride your horse is in an arena. An arena offers a place of less distraction than a road or the trails; your horse is less likely to get a fright and panic. If your horse does panic there is usually help close at hand.

Riding in an arena should not be considered boring; it is a place to learn trust and confidence for both the horse and rider. Any horse no matter the breed or intended discipline to which he is being trained can benefit from being ridden in an arena.

When both horse and rider have a level of communication where the rider feels confident and in control then they can venture to ride outside of the arena. With the use of the word control I mean that in the event of “fight or flight” you will be able to react immediately with good riding skills and to regain your horse’s composure before he panicked.

The advantage of a big stable yard is being able to ask other riders where they ride. Not only will you learn specific trails, but also the hazards along those trails, such as a barking dog that never fails to respond to a horse passing its property.

A horse box is a wonderful means of transportation and certainly opens up the world for places to ride your horse. If you do not own a horsebox and can not afford to purchase one, you can always ask the help of other riders. Some riders will share their horse box just to have a companion on the trail; others will lend or rent you a horse box.

With a horse box you can travel to parks where there are specific trails or bridle paths for horses. You can travel to competitions where, if you entered the competition, you can ride your horse in the competition arenas. You could also take your horse to the competition and choose to ride him around there, in order to expose him to the environment.

When deciding to own a horse for riding, always take the time to explore and investigate places to ride before you find a place to stable your horse. That way you when you have to choose between the lunge ring or the arena, you are not bored and upset because it is the setting you chose. If it is however the only option you had at the time, start saving for that horse box.

Elizabeth Clinton asked:


Since the dawn of time, mankind has had an interesting relationship with animals. In some ways, the history of modern man is intimately linked to our interaction with animals. Dog’s, for instance, have long been considered man’s best friend. Any dog owner will gladly confirm this for you. Cat’s, too, have been living in close quarters with man for literally thousands of years.

In modern times, there has been a lot of research and experimentation regarding the use of horses in various forms of therapy. Back in the early 1900’s, Dame Agnes Hunt used horses in the rehabilitation of her patients at the first orthopedic hospital in England. A few years later, therapeutic riding was introduced to soldiers injured on the battlefield during World War I.

In the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, an amazing feat was accomplished. Dame Liz Hartel, a former Danish dressage rider, decided to compete in spite of being severely paralyzed by Polio. She became an inspiration to millions of people, when she won the Silver medal that year. Over time, doctors and therapists realized that exposure to animals was having a rehabilitative effect on their patients.

A number of organizations were established to reflect the interests of this new form of therapy. In the early 1960’s, the first therapeutic riding program in Canada was established by Dr. Elmer Butt. More recently, The Federation of Riding for the Disabled International was created. This organization serves to coordinate efforts between therapeutic riding centers all around the world, and have they been instrumental in helping this form of therapy gain the recognition it deserves.

Horseback riding is currently being used in many types of therapy. It is being used to help children suffering from physical disabilities, as in the case of Dame Liz Hartel. It is also gaining mainstream acceptance as a form of therapy for children with emotional or psychological disabilities. Children are naturally drawn to these majestic and beautiful animals, and many develop meaningful bonds that can last a lifetime.

In the case of children with Autism, riding can provide them with the sensory stimulation they need. The motion of the horse is highly rhythmic, and provides something for the child to focus on. As the child progresses with the horse, they are often introduced to group riding sessions. This allows for socialization and bonding in a peer setting, further supporting the child’s progress as a healthy, functioning individual.

Tina Williamson asked:


Buying your first or new horse can be a very exciting but nervous time. Will I find what I’m after? Will it be the right horse for me? What is the real reason it’s for sale? Does it have any health problems? HELP…… I don’t want to be ripped off!

RELAX………..here are a few handy hints that can reduce the stress in choosing your new equine partner.

Whether you are looking at buying your first horse or your 3rdor 4th there are a few safe guards you can take to help ensure it is an exciting time in both your lives.

So you have decided to buy a horse, congratulations! Now that you have taken this first step there are a few things you need to decide.

What are your plans with your new horse? Do you just want to go trail riding? Do you want to compete? If so, in what equestrian sport? Western, Dressage, Jumping, Polo, Pony Club, Eventing, Rodeo, Show riding, breed classes???

Do you have a breed preference? What height horse is best suited to you? What sex animal do you prefer? Will it be run with other horses? Are you experienced enough for a young horse? How much are you willing to spend?

Sometimes it can be difficult to pin point exactly what type of horse is best suited to you and your equestrian pursuits. It is advisable to seek out the opinion of a more experienced horse person, someone you trust and has lots of horse knowledge.

Unless you are buying for a particular breed or show ring activity, the coat color is of no importance! I have seen lots of people make mistakes having brought a horse because of their coat color.

I personally have never been a big fan of grays (sorry to all the gray lovers out there), but I will tell you that some of my best horses have infact been gray!

There are quite a few different horse buying guides and sources around. Check out the internet, local paper and local saddlery shop. Don’t forget to ask your friends and horse acquaintances. These people will normally know who is for sale, why they are for sale and what the horse is like.

So you have found a horse that sounds great on paper and have contacted the owner to organize a viewing time. See if you can have a knowledgeable horse person go with you.

Try to arrive a little earlier than the agreed time. This way you will see if the horse has been worked before you get there and hopefully allows you to see the horse being caught and tacked up.

Get the owner to show you the horse being ridden first, and then get your friend to have a try and see what they think. If the horse doesn’t seem to be suitable at this point or it scares you half to death, then don’t get on!!! If you don’t feel comfortable now then you won’t when you get it home.

Ask lots of questions. Even if you think they are silly. You won’t know unless you ask. View any registration papers and competition results.

Have a good look at the horse, pick up all four feet, look in their mouth, under their tail, in their eyes and note anything that looks abnormal. If you don’t know what you are looking at get your friend to look.

If after you have put it through its paces and you think it maybe the right horse for you then I suggest two things, it maybe an idea to put a deposit down (if the owner agrees) and get a vet check done.

A vet will view the horse and conduct a few tests to see if it is healthy and sound. Remember to get an independent vet, one that hasn’t seen the horse before.

It may also be wise to have another viewing of the horse on a different day. Even if you arrived unannounced, at least this gives you an idea of what the horse is like naturally.

Talk to people who may have seen the horse before, they should be able to tell you anything that they have noticed.

See the horse loaded on to a trailer, lead the horse around yourself, try putting the bridle on, any think else you may have to do on a regular bases.

Once you have done all this and you still think the horse is suitable then it maybe necessary to negotiate the price. This is entirely up to you.

But remember that a lot of owners won’t budge on the price, especially if they know it’s a good horse (Although I have picked up a couple of great horses for half price their value, having been in the right place at the right time).

Remember to have all the registration forms transferred over to your name (or at least signed over) before you take the horse home. Also get a receipt saying you have paid for the horse in full before you leave the property.

Congratulations!!! You are now the proud owner of your new horse. May it be a long and satisfying journey together.

Happy Horsing

Tina Williamson B App Sci (Equine)