Many people assume that in order to ride a horse, all they have to do is hop onto the saddle, slap the reins a little, and give the horse a good kick in the side. However, this is just a small part of what goes into becoming a good horseback rider. There are many factors involved in riding a horse properly. Riders must have a good seat on the horse and proper use of the reins. They must also know how to cue the horse with their legs. While this isn’t difficult to learn, it does take practice. As with almost everything, the more you work with your horse, the more accomplished you’ll become as a rider.
You need to always approach your horse in a calm, confident manner. Horses can sense when a rider is nervous or scared. Your attitude can greatly affect your horse’s attitude. Keeping that in mind, you still need to always use caution around horses if for no other reason than their large size. While it is highly unlikely that they would ever harm you intentionally, unexpected circumstances can cause a horse to panic, and an unprepared rider can become injured. Always be sure you have an escape route ready, if necessary.
Before you ride, you should have spent some time grooming your horse. As you groom, saddle, and bridle your horse, talk to him in a calm, soothing manner. This is just as important in preparing your horse for riding. When you have him bridled and saddled correctly, it is time to mount him. You will mount from the left side of the horse. Once you have settled into the saddle, take a moment to concentrate on how you are seated. It is important to always keep the center of your gravity over the constantly changing center of the horse’s gravity.
You want to make sure that you are not sitting stiffly in the seat, but, instead, pull your spine and lower back in slightly. You should have good posture, and your legs should be relaxed so they can move easily. You should be able to maintain balance on your horse without clamping down hard with your legs or grasping the horn of the saddle. Your knees should lie flat against the saddle, and your toes should be positioned pointing slightly upwards in the stirrup, with the heels down. You don’t want too much of your boot or shoe in the stirrup. Basically, the balls of your feet should rest on the stirrup. If you were to be thrown or knocked out of the saddle, your feet need to be able to kick themselves out of the stirrup, so you can land free of the horse.
Hold the reins down and over the front of the saddle. Don’t pull the reins tight, but instead allow your horse room to move. If you have the reins pulled too tightly, this will confuse the horse into thinking you want him to stop.
You can signal the horse to move in several ways. You can give a gentle kick into his side while making a clucking sound with your tongue. Many horses are trained to respond and move forward when gentle pressure is applied with the rider’s legs. If your horse doesn’t recognize this command, it is a good idea to teach him this prompt. Because your leg movements can confuse a horse, be sure and keep your legs relatively still. You want to make sure your horse recognizes the movements as signals. When you squeeze tightly and firmly, that should signal your horse to move out. Pressure from your right leg should signal your horse to move to his left, and pressure from your left leg should signal your horse to move towards his right.
A majority of trail horses are trained to neck rein. This means that the rider can hold both reins in one hand. If the rider wants his horse to move to the right, he simply moves the reins to the right, so that the left rein lies across the left side of the horse’s neck. He does the opposite to move to the left. If the horse hasn’t learned to neck rein, you will need to hold the reins in both hands. If you want your horse to move to the left, gently but firmly pull on the left rein so that horse’s head follows the movement of the left rein. Do the opposite to instruct your horse to move to the right.
When you want your horse to stop moving and stand still, simply pull firmly back towards you, and say, “Whoa or ho”. If your horse doesn’t respond quickly to this command, you may need to work on teaching your horse to respond to your specific command. You can continuously walk and then halt your horse until he has become accustomed to what you want him to do.
As you become more comfortable on your horse, you may want to encourage him into a trot or slow canter. Now more than ever, you need to concentrate on maintaining balance, while at the same time give the horse his cues. When you are turning your horse, keep your balance and slightly shift your weight to the inside of the turn. If you are moving into a canter or gallop, move the center of your gravity forward in the saddle.
Because your horse can be thrown off balance when you go up or down a hill, you need to adjust the way you sit in the saddle. When you are going downhill, you need to lean back in the seat, and you need to lean forward when you are going uphill.
Pay attention to your horse as you ride. If he sees anything unfamiliar and scary, he might become spooked. Talk to him in a soothing voice, but always be ready for any unpredictable movement. Learning to ride a horse properly can bring many hours of enjoyment to you and your horse. Take the time to pay attention to how you are sitting in the saddle, the movement of your legs, and the position of the reins. Above all, remain aware of your horse’s moods and be ready to react at a moment’s notice.
