Top 10 Ways To Prevent Progress in Horseback Riding

Annahi performing a dressage demonstration

When it comes to horses, why bother to learn new skills and work for progress? Isn't horseback riding a recreational pursuit, something that is meant to be tremendously enjoyable? What is wrong with going to the barn to play around, socialize with friends, and have a good time with a horse?

Well, nothing at all. Enjoyment, relaxation, pleasure, exercise... these are definitely major perks of spending time with horses at the barn. However, horse riding is also a serious commitment - especially because of your equine partner, who deserves your best in terms of riding skill and development.

Yet, it is so easy to stay with the status quo and do the same things day in and day out. If you want to limit your learning opportunities, give these following ideas a try!

10. Never Leave Home.

Stay in your own barn and do the same things over and over! Avoid learning from others or exposing you and your horse to new situations! Get into a riding rut and stay there! Yes, I'm being sarcastic. If you have access to a trailer, there are so many things you could do with your horse that not only will give you a nice change, but might also help you expand your skills and learn something new. Maybe you like to show. Maybe you want to go to a fund raiser ride-a-thon. Maybe you'd rather go for a long gallop on gorgeous trails with friends.

9. Be Closed-Minded.

There are so many "ways to Rome" in horseback riding. It seems like everyone has an opinion about everything! No wonder - when every horse has a unique personality and physical trait, and every rider comes from their own perspective - it's perfectly reasonable that we come at the same problem from so many different angles. Every riding discipline has its strengths and contributions to riding theory and practice. Keep and open mind and take the variables into consideration in order to really understand what others are doing. Then, decide if you think it will work for you or your horse.

8. Stay In Your Comfort Zone.

Y'know what they say - if you always do what comes easy, you'll rarely get beyond your present abilities. This is definitely true when it comes to horseback riding. Personal development often goes hand-in-hand with discomfort. Push your own limits to reach new heights. It's not just a cliché - it's literally true.

7. Compare Yourself and Your Horse to Others.

Well, we always compare ourselves and others to a certain degree. But one of the key lessons we all learn after some time with horses is that judgments usually get you nowhere - whether you think they're better or you are. If it's about the ego, you will always have something to worry about. So instead of competing against others, compete against yourself. Take your horse and your own strengths and weaknesses into consideration, and through diligent goal-setting, work toward personal bests.

6. Come to the Barn in a Bad Mood.

Your horse will pick up on it immediately! Unfortunately, you can't really cover up your attitude when it comes to horses. They feel you, whether on the ground or on their back, and some do respond accordingly. On the other hand, one huge benefit of riding is that you can leave your gripes at the barn door and just be in the present when you're around your horse. There is often no better way to improve your day than spending some of it with your four legged friend!

5. Ride Sporadically.

Just like any other endeavor, there is no replacement to practice. If you ride every now and then, you can be guaranteed that any learning will take longer than if you could commit to two or three times a week. Now I know most of us cannot commit to more than one ride a week and that is fine, so long as you understand that everything will take longer. The body needs repetition in order to make new synaptic connections. The more time in between each practice, the longer it will take for the body to make adaptations.

4. Keep Doing the Same Thing and Expect Different Results.

Another cliché, but oh so true in horse riding. We often find ourselves getting frustrated as we have every intention of progressing to the next level, only to find that in order to do that, we need to make even more changes to ourselves. The problem is that you can't expect the horse to respond to the same thing in a different way. And the change begins with you.

3. Make It All About Yourself.

If you ride because you want to show everyone your great riding technique and amazing talents, I have news for you. Riding horses can be a very humbling experience, especially the first time that the horse decides to do something unexpected.

2. Don't Take Lessons.

This one is a no-brainer. If you want to try new things, learn new skills and feels, chances are that someone with more experience can help you find that path. If the person is also a good teacher, you might just be surprised how quickly your riding techniques can develop.

1. Don't Listen to Your Horse.

Horses communicate with humans all the time. We only need to become sensitive and informed enough to know the horse's body language. You can tell if a horse is happy in his work by his body outline and way of going. During a ride, you can make decisions based on your horse's feedback. Rather than just pounding away at your predetermined goal, you can take into consideration what he is "saying" and address those concerns before moving on.

Do you have any tips to prevent progress? Let us know in the comments below!

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New! Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Read more about some of these topics:

13 Reasons Why You Should Be A Barn Brat: Taking back the true meaning of the expression!

5 Ways To "Relax" While Riding A Horse: Not exactly the lying-on-the-beach kind of relaxation!

6 Reasons To Thank My Horses: How horses contribute to our lives.

7 Ways To Listen To Your Horse: The information can inform everything from general health care, to training and conditioning programs, to your horse’s mental well-being.

4 Mutual Grooming Strategies For Your Life: I think of all the different ways we could follow suit and metaphorically partake in mutual grooming through our own paths in life.

5 Steps to Effective Short Reins

Don't be intolerant of the short rein! Just as with any other movement and technique that is taught to horses, short reins can be very beneficial to the horse when applied correctly.

It's not that you should never ride in long reins - but many disciplines require shorter reins.

Simply put, the bit allows us to communicate effectively with our horses, keeping us safe on the back of the horse and permitting communication between two otherwise unlikely partners.

Reasons for A Short Rein Length

You might want a shorter rein length for several reasons:

Control

Let's face it - not every horse is so well trained that you can get away with very little direction from the mouth. In fact, we might even say that maybe only 5% of all horses are trained to that level. So yes, for the average rider and horse, we need the reins to indicate direction to the horse. We also need reins to slow or stop the energy, and we can even use the reins to redirect the energy to the hind end.

Horse's balance and well-being

The reins play a significant part in how the horse travels over ground, under the weight of the rider. Although the other aids also help the horse with balance, speed control and use of the body, the reins act as the final reinforcement.

If the horse travels long-term in a stretched out, disengaged body outline that is unhealthy for his muscles, joints and tendons, then his overall health will be affected. The reins do play an integral part in encouraging a strong body, controlled balance (that doesn't fall forward or "upside down") and regulation of the energy.

Different rein lengths affect the body of the horse differently. Sometimes, when you think you are being kind by letting the reins out, the horse has to change his balance in order to compensate for the longer body and the heavier weight on the forehand.

Connection/Timeliness

Riding a horse is all about asking and answering questions. There is constant communication going back and forth between the horse and rider primarily through the rider's aids (which include the seat, legs, hands, torso, etc.).

Rein length might affect the clarity of this communication and determines how clearly and quickly you can communicate with your horse.

5 Steps to Developing Comfort With A Short Rein Length

1. Shorten the Reins in Increments

Instead of just tightening and pulling on the reins (and effectively squishing the neck into a shorter length), shorten the whole body of the horse first. Use a series of half-halts to bring the hind end underneath, round the horse's overall body outline, and take up the rein as the horse's body gets rounder. This may take several half-halts. It might also take an entire warm-up with several exercises aimed at "bringing the horse's hind end under" so that the front end can come up and allow the shorter reins.

2. Recognize How Short is Short Enough

The length of the reins really depends on the horse's training level, strength and conformation. It isn't easy for the younger horse to maintain a body outline that allows for a very short rein; one horse's "short" may be longer than another's.

3. Achieve A Light Contact

In all disciplines, one of the goals of riding is to achieve lightness. A soft rein contact can only happen when the horse is truly straight and balanced. At this point, the reliance on the rein diminishes and you might discover that the pressure on the reins reduces not because you have lengthened the reins but because the horse is better able to control his balance and level of collection.

Creating space without letting the reins out is one method of developing lightness in contact.

4. Less is More

When it really comes down to it and once you have your others aids in place, you can use the reins only for intermittent, subtle use. But be forewarned: it will take time, infinite patience and practice, and determination for you to get to this level and for your horse to respond at this level. Don't be discouraged if you find yourself grappling with the physical coordination it takes to get to this point.

Your communication will occur more through your body than through your hands, and your horse will become more "in tune" with your subtle weight shifts and seat aids.

5. Better Understanding

At this point, both you and the horse have progressed through to a higher level of training and know better what to expect in your work. Thanks to this better understanding, the horse requires less guidance, especially from the front end.

So there you have it! Of course, I know this is purely my take on a sometimes controversial and complicated subject.

What are your thoughts? Have you been able to achieve a light but short rein contact? Is there anything you'd like to add in the comment section?

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

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By following simple, useful exercises, you will be able to develop a better understanding about many topics including:

- the rider’s aids

- the use of the seat

- the half-halt

- accurate turns and circles

- transitions

- horse ownership and horse care

- goal setting for the rider

- rein lameness

… and much more!

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Riding Straight Through the Turn

Do you have trouble with your turns? Does your horse flatten out in the corners, falling in rather than going deep into the turn?

Maybe your horse "pops" a shoulder to the inside or outside?

On a circle, do you find yourself drifting out at times, falling in to the middle of the circle at other times or even doing both from stride to stride?

If so, then it is important to focus on straightening your horse through the turns.

Go straight in a turn

Although it sounds like an oxymoron, travelling straight through a turn is essential in maintaining the balance of the horse. Moving straight allows the hind end to step underneath the horse and bear the weight correctly, rather than falling heavily to the front legs.

A straight-moving horse negotiates a turn effortlessly. He can keep his round outline and move boldly into the next strides simply because his able to use his body in an efficient way.

There are many ways to work on straightening, including stepping out and other techniques. In this article, we will focus on one aid to help keep the shoulders stay centered so that the horse's stride can reach forward and through the body rather than fall to the inside or outside.

Keep in mind that this is just one small aspect of the whole aiding process - but a missing rein aid could be just the part that is permitting the lack of straightness.

Keeping the shoulders in the body

1. Lower your hand to wither height.

2. Keep the contact short enough so the horse feels your aid, but not so short that it interferes with the horse's movement.

3. Steady the rein momentarily as the horse begins to fall to the inside or outside. Use a direct rein pressure (rather than indirect). DO NOT PULL BACKWARD!

4. Release the rein aid as soon as the horse's shoulder is stepping forward and through the body.

The trick is to redirect the energy

The idea is to take the same energy that the horse is going to use to step sideways, and redirect it forward and straight. You can think of it as a "bounce" - as in, bounce the shoulder away from the rein toward the center of the body.

As always, the key is in the release of the rein. Remember that this is a correction. As with all corrections, you only use it during the moment that it is needed, and no longer.

If the rein is held too long, the corresponding hind leg may be blocked from reaching underneath the body, and the effect will be directly counterproductive to what you are trying to achieve. So you have to feel for the moment, apply the aid, and then release it as soon as possible in order to allow the free movement forward.

You can use this rein aid on the inside rein or the outside rein, depending on what is happening with the movement. You could even use them consecutively. If the horse is falling in, use the inside shoulder block, and before the horse falls through the outside shoulder (a common reaction), apply the outside shoulder block.

Theoretically, the outside rein should be the rein that provides stability for the horse anyway, so it should be active through the correction.

So there we have it! In real time, this aid takes less than a second and should be used in conjunction with the usual seat and leg aids. As with most corrections, be sure to encourage impulsion at the end of the correction, since without energy forward, there is no point to anything!

Your horse will let you know that you are on the right track if he seems to move freer, swings through the body better (releases tension), rounds and/or gives you a hearty snort!

What other tips do you have for straightening the horse?

Buy the book for many more riding tips!

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From the first book in the Horse Listening Collection: Horse Listening, The Book

"There are many reasons why we enjoy riding horses. Maybe one of the most appealing facets of riding is the sense of freedom: freedom from our own limitations, freedom from gravity, freedom to (literally) roam the Earth. Time stands still while we have the privilege of feeling movement from the back of our four-legged friend.

Riding gives us the place to just be.

Of course, there are other purposes too. Some of us revel in the challenge of learning the skills required to becoming a good team member of this unlikely duo. Riding is like no other sport or recreational pursuit simply because of the equine partner that must not only carry us, but also do so effortlessly and gracefully. As we develop our specific skill sets, we also grow as human beings in character, emotional maturity and mental acuity.

But there is one other motivation that drives some of us to persevere in the never-ending learning process that is horseback riding: improving the horse. As your own skills develop, you begin to realize that not only can you meet your own needs through riding, but also that you can even become an instrument of benefit for the horse."

And so begins the book that reflects the most important learning I have had in all of my riding years: that I want to be the best rider I can be for the sake of my horses.

This book is geared toward the rider:

- the rider's motivations

- the essential skills for the rider

- some specific strategies

- solutions to common problems

- and the results: the great horsey moments we get to experience

Along the way, you will find chapters that discuss everything from the seat to the leg aids to the reins, discussions on half-halts, imbalance, halts, straightness and more!

Special in this book are the "In The Ring" sections that give specific suggestions based on the preceding chapters. Take these to the barn to try with your own horse!

Available as an eBook or paperback.

Breaking the Cycle: It Might Not Be What You DID Do…

... but rather what you didn't do.

Steps — Photo credit: NBanaszak Photography

Time and again, we find ourselves having the same problem with our horses. We have worked repeatedly on a particular skill only to be faced with the identical issue once more. We try to resolve the situation using tools we already know but to no avail; the same result is obtained, and it isn't the one we are looking for.

We blame ourselves.

We blame the horse.

We try harder.

We get emotional. Surely, the horse would do what you want if he wanted to please... right?

Why is he not responding?

And then, we do it all over again. We use the same aids, go through the same exercises, approach the problem from the same angle(s).

Need a Change-Up?

To modify the situation, we need to alter our perspective. The unfortunate part is that often, the change that is needed is not easily accessible or acquired. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we simply cannot adjust ourselves in the manner required by the horse, simply due to inexperience or lack of skill.

But that does not alter the fact that the horse needs something we might not be able to give him.

The Essential Instructor

There are so many possible ways to approach a riding problem. Unless we have the opportunity to ride many horses under good instruction for many years, we may not be aware of the approach that is needed for the particular situation our horse is facing. Finding an accurate solution may in fact be impossible for us to reach on your own, especially if the problem is something we have not experienced to date.

Enter the essential instructor: there simply is no other way.

What our horse might need is a completely new perspective. Perhaps we have to learn something new that we would never be able to dream about without the help of an informed instructor.

Practice and Time

Don't kid yourself - new riding skills take time to develop. The necessary change-up may require numerous repetitions until we become proficient and effective enough to be able to change our horse's performance. We need to be content knowing that we are on the right path and that walking the path may take longer than we originally anticipated.

Changing the Rules... Again

Finally, we need to recognize that in changing our own responses to the problem, we are also expecting the horse to change his behavior. Not only will we need to master the new skill, but we also must de-program our horse's responses that WE blueprinted into him, and replace them with new ones. Although we usually find horses to be extraordinarily forgiving and patient, it will nevertheless take time to explain the new rules clearly enough to make changes in his responses.

Listen to Horses

We will know our goals are being achieved by being sensitive to our horse's reactions. If we uncover more tension, insecurity, lamenesses, tail swishing and/or pinned ears, we know we are not quite on the path we are seeking. In contrast, if our horse gives us snorts, bolder, more confident forward strides, strength and roundness and/or soft expressive eyes and ears, we know we are on the right track.

So the next time you get stuck in a rut and don't know what to do, think of what you didn't do, and give that a try!

Perfecting Perfection in Riding: A Lifelong Quest

Let's just face the facts - there is no such thing as perfection in riding!

One step at a time — Photo credit: N. Banaszak

It is simple and true: one merely keeps developing, and once a particular technique or skill has been mastered, the next (absolutely necessary) step must be reached for. It is inevitable - for the lifelong rider, there is no other way.

Often, the fact that perfection can never be attained is the reason we keep coming back for more. We discover growth in so many areas thanks to the interactions we have with the horse. If we can listen carefully enough, we will achieve goals that also transfer into other areas of our lives, making riding relevant not only to our physical development, but also to so much more.

We all have our flaws.

Some people are perpetual "hand riders". They ride more on the reins than with their seat and leg aids.

Many people forever lean to one side, working against tightness or rigidity in their cores. Others have to struggle with a tight lower back and pelvis, always trying to release more than their bodies are willing to permit.

A few of us rush our horses and put them on the forehand, while others ride slow and flat so their horses are unable to use their hind ends and swing in their backs.

Finally, some of us eventually realize that we have several issues that must be overcome (!) before we can reach our potentials as riders.

After a few years in the saddle, you will be able to identify your main weaknesses and strengths, and you will know what you need to work on for a very long time.

The same can be said about our horses.

Some horses are severely one-sided. Some horses have a behavior they revert to as soon as something causes tension: rearing, bucking, head shaking, ducking in or out, balking/quitting, etc.

From an outside perspective, it seems obvious that everyone has something to work on at any one point in their development, and horses are not an exception.

So how does the concept of "perfection" fit into our many inadequacies?

We will never really find the perfect horse, nor will we ever be a perfect rider. However, it would be irresponsible of me to give you the impression that riders don't try to find perfection.

Of course we try for perfect.

We learn new skills, develop our weaknesses, practice over and again. Just when things seem to become insurmountable, and the same problems reappear repeatedly, we learn that it is essential for us to put the pieces together and invest the extra effort it takes to get over the hump.

We begin to revel in the moments of glory when they occur, and then continue doggedly when they disappear. We string together a series of great steps to make one movement shine.

Then we develop performance movement to movement. Here's how.

Six steps to perfection:

1. Take lessons.

2. Identify your "normal" (unconscious?) habits that might be interfering with the horse's movement, and work tirelessly on developing your physical skill.

3. Set goals and change them when needed.

4. Become an active rider and gently but firmly expect the horse to respond to your requests.

5. Watch better riders and analyze their reasons for success. Then try to duplicate.

6. Take more lessons.

Once that's all done, repeat!

Because perfection for you and your horse at that moment is what it's all about!

What do you do to attain perfection in your riding?

Horse Using His Hind End – Pictures

Horses often have trouble working forward from their hind end. When they do move with impulsion, you can see their effort by the length of stride they show in the hind legs, demonstrating how "forward" the horse is moving. In pictures, we are looking for the upside-down "V" that their legs show. The two hind legs make one V while the front legs make another V. Ideally, if the hind end is active and strong, both V's should show the same distance between them.

Cyrus-Stretchy-left2 — Upside-down "V"s match

Below, find a few more examples. If you have an image you would like to share, upload it to a photo site, and then link to site in the comments below. Try to find photos that show equal distance between hind legs and front legs. Remember that at Horse Listening, all types of riding and disciplines are welcomed.

Gold Show — Muddy day but trucking along from the hind end!

Roya-Trot-rt2 — It's even more important to use the hind end going downhill.

Nevaar-trot — All horses can learn to use their hind ends!

Ready for something completely different? If you liked what you read here, you might be interested in the new Horse Listening Practice Sessions.

This is NOT a program where you watch other people's riding lessons. Start working with your horse from Day 1.

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If you like this article, read more here:

When We Want To Actually Ride From The Hind End, But Get Stuck On-The-Forehand

Lighten Your Horse’s Forehand – From The Hind End

Use the “Canter-Trot” to Truly Engage the Hind End

How to Ride the Stumble Out of Your Horse

The Power Of Straightness – And A Checklist

Archives – Lessons/Training

Lessons and Training

Look through these articles for tips and recommendations on common horse riding problems. Let us know in the comments sections if you tried something and how it worked out!

How to Ride the Stumble Out of Your Horse: Do you have a horse that seems to regularly trip or stumble, either in the front or hind end?

How to 'Flow" From the Trot to Walk: Although we rely on our hands too much and initiate all movements from the horse’s mouth, there are many alternate aids we can go to.

Why You Don't Need to Panic When Your Horse 'Falls Apart': Even if you are not thinking “panic”, your body might be communicating it by either being completely passive or too reactive after the horse is off balance.

When Good Riding Instruction Becomes Great: How much can an instructor really do to help a rider improve?

5 Steps to Effective Short Reins: Just as with any other movement and technique that is taught to horses, short reins can be very beneficial to the horse when applied correctly.

Find the Space Between the Give and Take in Horse Riding: As with so many other things in life, we need to find the happy medium.

16 Ways to Not Become Bored During Your Ride: Here is a list of just a few ideas to keep ring riding fresh and interesting for both you and your horse.

Why Rising Trot Is Not Rising At All: How to rise in the trot so that you move in tandem with the horse.

'Go and No': The Connection Between Forward and Half-Halt in Horse Riding: How to develop the two seemingly opposite aids.

Can You Recognize the Sewing-Machine Trot? It is easy to get fooled into thinking that the sewing-machine trot is a good trot.

Why A Release Is Not A Let Go in Horseback Riding: Many people interpret the term 'Release' literally - but that's not what really means.

Here's How (and Why) You Should Ride With Bent Elbows: How to avoid an on-again, off-again contact with the horse’s mouth.

Use the "Canter-Trot" to Truly Engage the Hind End: Many riders think that kicking the horse along and making the legs move faster is the ticket to engagement – but there is nothing further than the truth!

How to Halt Without Pulling on the Reins: There is a way to get your horse to stop without pulling on the reins.

What to Do When Your Horse is Being Naughty: Though we’d love to have that perfectly compliant horse all the time, the reality is that even the sweetest horse finds something to say once in a while.

Why You Should Ride the Left Side of Your Horse Going Right: In order to help straighten the horse (and elongate the muscles on the right, and help the horse bear more weight on the left hind leg), we need to work on the left side going right.

Stop Kicking the Horse! Kicking your horse only stuns, disturbs, imbalances, and hurts. Once you have better balance in your seat and a more consistent contact with the bit, aim toward using your legs with more purpose.

Why Would You Bother to "Scoop" Your Seat Bones? Learning to use your seat effectively should take a lifetime to develop, so we will begin with just one basic aspect: how to move the seat bones.

How to Ride Your Excited Horse in 5 Easy Steps: Let’s face it – horses aren’t always calm and accommodating. There are times when they can be… shall we say… a little over-exuberant!

The #1 Rider Problem of the Year - The Leg Aid: You probably know from experience – kicking the horse along often does not get the response you really want.

Riding Straight Through the Turn: Although it sounds like an oxymoron, travelling straight through a turn is essential in maintaining the balance of the horse.

Stepping Out of Rein Lameness: Often, problems caused by riding can be fixed with riding. It is just a matter of knowing what to do in order to counteract the problems.

Drawing A Circle (In Sand): Regardless of where you position the circle in the arena, it should be evenly spaced and round.

Rarely Considered, Often Neglected: Lunging to Develop the Riding Seat:

Interpreting the Half-Halt: This topic is a tricky one but here is a shot at it.

Do A "Forward" Back-Up! Tricks to developing an easy and rhythmical back-up.

Top 10 Ways to Reward Your Horse: A happy horse is a willing partner, and many horses will give everything they have if they feel your acknowledgement and generosity of spirit.

Demystifying "Contact" in Horseback Riding: Does “contact” have other-wordly connotations? Here is why effective contact is within reach of the average rider.

From a Whisper to a Scream: How Loud Should Our Aids Really Be? Should we be “loud” in our aids, or should we be working as softly as we can in hopes that our horse can respond to lighter and more refined aids?

Do You Make This Timing Mistake When Riding Your Horse? Have you ever given your horse an aid and got nothing in return? There could be one other variable that you might not have considered...

Secrets to a Great Turn (a.k.a. Shift Out to Turn In): Can you tell if your horse uses his hind end before taking the first step in the new direction, or does he feel stiff and awkward, almost like he’s leaving his legs behind the movement?

Don't Mistake the Halt For a Stop! Don't do it! Don't mistake the halt for a stop. They are two entirely different maneuvers.

How the "Not Canter" Can Drastically Improve Your Transitions: Every time you ask (with the correct aids), the horse resists. The situation becomes ugly – you have a hard enough time just sitting the bounciness, never mind getting the transition. What to do? This article remains one of our most popular posts of all-time.

The #1 Problem of the Year: The Outside Rein! The outside rein is the most underused and poorly understood of all the aids, and here’s why.

6 Ways to Unleash the Power of Your Riding Seat: As you become more subtle in the aiding process, you will begin to discover just how powerful the seat can be in guiding the horse without disturbing and interfering in his movement.

To Lesson or Not To Lesson? That shouldn't even be a question!

The 99% "Lucky Rule": The 99% Lucky rule is very simple – when you’re around horses, and particularly in dangerous situations, you are lucky 99% of the time. That is a good rule – unless it happens to be the 1% of the time that you might be ‘un’-lucky! Then, it’s no fun at all.

Speaking "Horse" (a.k.a. "Pushing the Envelope"): Horses send messages out as much as humans do. Once you know how to listen to your horse, a whole world of communication can open up for you.

Ten Truths of Equestrianism – Reblog from @SnarkyRider

This post resonates so clearly with Horse Listening, that we'd like to reblog it here too. Thanks to Snarky Rider for pointing me to the article. Enjoy!

If you like what you see, go check out the website. P.S. The picture is mine!

Guest Post: Ten Truths of Equestrianism

Today’s guest post comes from our good buddy Quill!

———–

Ten Truths of Equestrianism: Are You Really Fit For Horse Ownership?

1. Upon seeing your first horse, you will acquire a hopeless and obsessive love for them. Be prepared to loose any and all shelf space as horse books, models, and movies fill every square inch of available storage space you have left. You will need every one of these to learn about the vast horse world and the complicated process that is horse-care. Horses are not like dogs and it takes far more than tossing them some food and filling their “water bowl” up to keep them happy and healthy.

2. Finding your perfect horse is going to be a long and difficult process. It will be like trying to decide if a man is the one you want to marry and spend the rest of your life with after only one date. In some cases only by looking at pictures and videos sent to you through email. Do not be in a hurry to find your new partner. Do not fall for flashy colors or fancy breeds. A well broke, older bay Quarter Horse is going to be better for you as a first horse than a big, young, and flashy Warmblood.

3. You will no longer have any money. Between vets, boarding/property maintenance, farriers, food, equipment, medicines, ect, you will be spending a lot of money. Horses are an expensive luxury. If you plan on breeding or rescuing, those prices will shoot even higher. As my instructor once said “If you have a ton of extra money, you’re doing it wrong.”

4. When you begin riding and handling a horse, you are placing your life and trust in the hands of a thousand pound, generally untrustworthy animal. With a well-trained horse and proper handling and riding skills, the danger you face can be kept to a minimum and you can enjoy a safe riding experience. But horses are still prey animals, and when they are scared the last thing they will be thinking about is where your toes are. This is a fact you accept when you begin handling horses.

5. The horse is doing the same with you. They are placing their trust in you to care for them and not to hurt them. They are allowing you on their back – a place that would be a death sentence in the wild. Do not take advantage of that, do not betray that trust and abuse your horse, whether it be by not giving them care or causing them harm. This is how many good horses are ruined and end up on a plate in France.

6. You will never be truly clean again. There will always been that last bit of barn dirt beneath your nails. The smell of hay and sweaty horses will forever linger around you. Your barn clothes will always have horse hairs weaved into the threads.

7. You will fall off. A lot. Falling is part of riding and it’s never a good thing. With the proper riding skills and safety measures, you can minimize your chances of having a fall. However, you will fall eventually and it will not be the only time. Don’t try to keep track of how many times you have fallen, you will eventually loose count.

8. You can’t be afraid to discipline. While you should never abuse your horse by beating it for discipline, giving it a firm smack on the shoulder and either growling or giving a firm ‘No!’ when it bites at you is not going to be considered abuse. Do not punch your horse in the face, do not kick their legs, do not yank violently on their mouths.

9. You must learn to speak ‘horse’. You must learn to read their body language from their ears to their tail to understand what they are trying to tell you and what they are feeling. They can’t understand you, nor can they answer you if you ask “What’s wrong?”. When a horse pins his ears, he’s telling you he’s angry. When he keeps his head low, and acts mopy, he may be feeling ill. You have to understand all of these cues to safely work with your horse and catch when there might be a problem and a vet should be called.

10. After spending years forming an unbreakable bond with your four-legged partner, your soul will be mercilessly crushed when it come time to say that last good-bye. Do not sell your old horse or dump him at an auction so you don’t have to deal with it. Do not say ‘Do it while I’m away.’ Be by his side. He has been your friend, your teammate and your greatest teacher. No matter how painful it is for you, do not send him on his final journey alone.

New! Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

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Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips! Horse Listening – The Book: Stepping Forward to Effective Riding

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Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Buy the book for many more riding tips!

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Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

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Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

We all have our flaws.

The same can be said about our horses.

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Finally! The Ultimate Rider-Centered Program!

Horse Listening – Book 2: Forward and Round to Training Success

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Look through these articles for tips and recommendations on common horse riding problems. Let us know in the comments sections if you tried something and how it worked out!

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