Horseback Trail Riding – Take Lessons Before You Go

The decision is made; you want to take horse riding lessons. What a great choice of exercise and pleasure! However, just making the decision to learn to ride is not enough. You need to decide what sort of horse riding lessons you would like best. Your primary decision at this point is whether you think you would prefer to ride Western or English. If you choose English, you may have to choose between jumping or dressage seat or both if you event.

Perhaps your location will help you determine which type of horse riding lessons you will take. Most people look in their community for an instructor so your choices may be limited. Regardless of your choice in riding styles, look for an instructor with a good reputation. Ask your friends for suggestions and, once you have located an instructor, ask for references. Also, spend some time visiting the stable where you plan to take your horse riding lessons. Observe the horses to see if they are well cared for and if the stables appear clean and in good order. If you are satisfied with the facilities, make an appointment and get ready for a life changing experience.

Before the big day of your first horse riding lesson, you need to purchase a riding helmet and appropriate riding attire. As a beginner, it is best to keep your purchases modest and not opt for show quality clothes and boots. Depending on the style of riding you have chosen, you will need a pair of jeans and western boots for Western riding or a pair of jodhpur boots and jodhpur breeches. Any comfortable shirt appropriate to the season will do.

Try to arrive early for your first lesson. It is common to sign some paperwork, including a release of liability, prior to your lesson. When a farm decides to offer horse riding lessons, they are much more vulnerable to law suits if accidents occur. Most farms have insurance to cover their exposure but, you, the rider, must help in making this a safe experience for everyone. Be honest about any prior riding experience. If you have only ridden once and it was twenty years ago, do not tell the instructor that you are experienced. The instructor must choose the horse that matches your level of experience and inflated reports of your ability can lead to your being mounted on a horse that is not suitable for beginners.

There is much more to horse riding lessons than simply mounting and riding. All students should learn to groom their horse. Before placing the saddle and bridle on your horse, you should complete two very important steps. First, inspect the tack for any signs of loose stitching or cracked leather. Be sure to point out any problems to your instructor. Secondly, you should always groom your horse. Dirt and debris should be removed by thoroughly currying and brushing his coat. Inspect the hooves as you clean them out. This process removes any stones and muck that could lead to injury. There is an old adage, "no hoof, no horse" and it is just as true today. Before you can take your horse riding lesson, you must have a sound and healthy horse. Likewise, after you complete your lesson, you should again clean the feet and groom the coat to remove any sweat or dirt which may have accumulated during your ride. Be sure to clean and oil your tack as needed to keep it supple and in good condition.

Horse riding lessons are a great way to spend your recreational time. You will make many friends at the stable and develop a life long sport. At minimum, be sure to continue your lessons until you have gained the basics of riding at the three gaits, that is walk, trot and canter both in the ring or manege and outside, if you plan to ride in uncontrolled environments. Horse riding lessons are great for all ages so be sure to consider making it a family sport.

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Horseback Riding For Beginners – Learn to Ride a Horse

Horseback riding for beginners can seem a bit of a challenge at first, here are a few tips to help you get started.

1. Horseback riding for beginners is great fun, but it can be dangerous if you do not have a good instructor so make sure your instructor is qualified. In the USA this means they should be certified by the American Riding Instructors Association and in the United Kingdom by the British Horse Society or the Association of British Riding Schools.

2. It is important that you are able to control your emotions at all times when you’re riding a horse, you need to be calm and relaxed, your horse will be able to sense how you feel and if you are lacking in confidence the horse will lack confidence in you as a rider. Don’t forget the horse doesn’t know that you don’t know, so if necessary just act as though you know what you’re doing.

3. Notwithstanding what I said above try and be gentle when you are dealing with your horse, the firm hand inside the velvet glove is the best approach.

4. Decide which style of horse riding you wish to learn, i.e. English or Western style. Obviously this depends on what is available at your local riding school, but if you have a choice you will probably find Western-style with its more supportive saddle easier to get started with. However some instructors preferred the English saddle because they believe it encourages pupils to develop a better balance on the horse.

5. Think about the clothes you’re going to wear when horseback riding for beginners, when you first start you are better off just using some old casual clothes, provided the pants have long legs i.e. a pair of jeans or something similar. Do not ride a horse while wearing shorts; you will rub the inside of your legs raw! You will get dirty riding a horse and until you are sure that this is something you really want to do long-term don’t waste your money on expensive horse riding clothes. One exception you might want to consider is buying a decent pair of riding boots and of course it is essential that you have a safety helmet, but all good riding schools will provide these.

6. When you first start riding it is essential that your riding school provide you with an experienced horse so at least one of you knows what is going on. Normally as you become more experienced you will ride several different horses so you can see how they are all a little bit different, just like people.

7. Obviously you can only learn to ride by actually getting on a horse and been taught by a qualified instructor, but you can save a lot of time by watching a few videos or reading books on how to ride a horse. These books and videos are available at your local bookstore or perhaps even more conveniently you can find them online.

Horseback riding for beginners is great fun and with the appropriate training you will soon be able to enjoy all the pleasure it offers.

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To learn all about horseback riding for beginners visit www.horsebackridingtime.com/

 Advice and Information to Assist Your Horse Riding Experience

Every year horse owners experience serious injuries or even tragic deaths while riding their cherished equine companions. One of the more significant causes of rider injury is a rider being tossed from a rearing horse… or worse, caught underneath a horse that reared so fiercely that it flipped over on top of the rider. While sometimes injury is extremely difficult to avoid due to the spontaneous and powerful nature of many rears, all too often the problem is actually made worse by inexperienced riders panicking and inadvertently increasing the chance of injury.

When an inexperienced rider is rudely jolted by a rearing horse he often panics and tightens his body. This is a natural reaction… when we perceive an impending and unavoidable blow, our body unconsciously stiffens and braces for the impact. When atop a rearing horse, a surprised rider will often recoil a bit and stiffen towards the hindquarters of the horse, which is a critical error because the rider drastically throws off what little balance he has, almost assuring that he will be tossed.

The second critical error inexperienced riders make is using the reins as a form of security. They feel their body being thrown backwards so they grip the reins for dear life and try to use them to "pull" themselves forward and back into the saddle. Again… this is a natural knee-jerk reaction, but it’s also a critical error.

When you yank the reins of a rearing horse you drastically increase the likelihood of the horse losing control entirely and flipping over or falling down… with a good chance of you being caught underneath. Keep in mind that when a horse rears, he is already off balance. When you yank the reins backwards sharply, you’ll only make it that much more difficult for the horse to resume his balance. In addition you’ll very likely harm his mouth and cause him immense pain, and the shock of the pain could very well make the horse "freak out" even more!

So we now know that the two natural reactions people often make while on a rearing horse will only serve to increase the chances of injury for both the horse and rider. If we are supposed to ignore natural bodily reflexes what should we do instead?

First, when you sense your horse’s front hooves leaving the ground make sure that you lean forwards, not backwards. This will increase both your balance as well as your horse’s, thereby lessening the chance of the horse actually falling over. You don’t want a horse that weighs around 1000 pounds landing on you.

Second, thrust your hands forward so that there is absolutely no direct rein pressure against the horse’s mouth. Do not pull back on the reins no matter how much your instincts shout to do so – I guarantee you’ll gain no security or balance from doing so. Let him have his mouth and only apply direct rein pressure after he has all four hooves back on the ground.

Finally, if you feel like you are losing control then it’s generally better to take the cautious way out and dismount rather than try and ride the rearing out. Consider wrapping your arms around the horse’s neck as you lean forward, then slide off his side as he rears. The moment you hit the ground you want to back up so that the horse doesn’t step on your feet when his front hooves land again. It’s best if you can keep hold of the reins as you perform this maneuver, but if you have to let them go entirely and get out of "Dodge" then do so. Your bodily safety is the most important consideration.

Hopefully you will never be surprised by a rearing horse, but it doesn’t hurt to practice quick dismounts in your spare time such that if you are ever faced with the situation you’ll better know how to handle it. In addition depending on your breed of horse you might consider jumping him a bit. While a jump has nowhere near the potency of a strong rear, it can teach your body how to respond when a horse’s front hooves leave the ground.

Copyright Jeffrey Rolo, 2007. All Rights Reserved.

By: Jeffrey Rolo

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com The above article covers two critical riding errors atop a rearing horse, but if you would like to learn more tips about controlling rearing horses be sure to check out our series How To Stop A Horse From Rearing over at the AlphaHorse community.

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Your Beginning Training

Regardless of their age, new riding students feel more comfortable having an idea of how the first lesson will begin and what might be expected. This article gets students acquainted with the concepts of the first riding lesson. Read "Preparing for Your First Lesson" first to understand the items required for riding.

When their first riding lesson is nearly at hand, students often wonder what type of horse they will get and what they will be expected to accomplish. It’s understandable that some students have anxiety as they wonder what to expect.

Most students worry particularly about their intended mount; so, keep in mind that at respected riding schools, school horses are often characterized into groups based on their appropriateness for riding levels. Beginner riders will often be assigned the aged, semi-retired, easygoing, forgiving lesson horse whose only vice may be his pokiness. Knowing that a beginner will have little control over her hands or feet and may flop around in the saddle, the ride school will provide a safe horse for her level.

When you arrive, the school will likely ask to check your helmet to ensure that it is ASTM/SEI certified for horseback riding. If it is not or it is not a horseback riding helmet, you will need to borrow one from the ride school.

As you move about the premises, be courteous to fellow horseman. That means, no running or sudden movements near horses being handled or ridden. Leave your dog at home as barking can upset some horses. Turn your cell phone to vibrate or off. Understand that some horses are sensitive to flash photography, so before taking any pictures, ask the instructor. For parents bringing other children, there is to be no running around the horses at any time. Also note that some horses spook at strollers, so alert the barn if you intend to bring one.

Most likely, the instructor will accompany the student into the barn to get the mount. Younger children need to be reminded that they must act like a guest in someone’s house and don’t touch anything unless they ask first and to use their indoor voices. There is to be no running or yelling in a barn. Following are some guidelines to remember on your first visit to the barn:

Entering the Stall

Do not enter the stall if the horse has his tail to you. You are to enter the stall only when the horse is facing you. Do not enter the stall until the instructor tells you to do so.

Leading Your Horse from the Stall

Most facilities have the beginner horse tacked and ready to go prior to the lesson. So, you should be able to lead the horse from his stall. Before leading the horse into the aisle of the barn, call "heads up" so you don’t come crashing into someone else going down the aisle.

For small children leading horses, some facilities will ask that you keep the reins over the horse’s neck. This is because small children may let go of the horse, and if they do, there’s less of a chance the horse will step on the reins.

For older children and beginner adults, you may be allowed to take the reins over the horse’s head and lead him with the reins held in both handsright hand under the chin and rest of the reins going to the left hand at your left side. Check with the facility as to how they prefer the horses led.

Leading Your Horse to the Arena

Hold your horse directly under his chin in your right hand. By holding further back on the reins, the horse can turn and bite you. (Not that he would, but for safety’s sake, we’ll hold him the safest way.) Hold your arm straight out to him so that both you and he have your own separate paths, and he won’t accidentally step on you.

Entering the Arena

When you enter the arena, you typically lead your horse into the center of the arena and turn and face him toward the in-gate. Horses should face the in-gate so they aren’t surprised by other horses coming in and can see them approaching or other things going on around the arena entrance.

Mounting

Don’t get on the horse until your instructor tells you to and helps you. The first thing you and your instructor must do is check the equipment to ensure it is on correctly and safe for you and the horse. The instructor will check the saddle pad to make sure it is protecting the horse’s back. She will also check the girth to make sure it is tight enough that the saddle doesn’t slip when you mount. She will also check the girth again when you are mounted, especially if you’re using a very thick saddle pad. The instructor will check the bridle to make sure all the leather parts are in the right spot and secured.

Your instructor may give you a leg up or have you mount from a mounting block. Either way, you will be mounting the horse on his left side. You will take the reins in your left hand, grab a lock of main in the hand. Using your right hand to hold the left stirrup, place your left foot into the left stirrup. Then take hold of the cantle (the back of the saddle) with your right hand and swing your right leg over to the right side without hitting his hindquarters with your foot. Try not to come flopping down on his back and sit softly and quietly. (It’s hard to do your first few times, but try!)

Your instructor will then adjust your stirrups.

The Lesson

For your first lesson, your horse may be placed on a longe (pronounced "lunge") line. The line is handled by your instructor and keeps your horse on a circle around her so she can control where he goes and talk to you.

Your instructor will go over the basics of the proper seat:

Sittinglike you’re standing next to the horse with bent knees, not like you’re sitting in a chair all the way back on your butt. Sit on your seat bones.
Straight backby lifting from the base of your sternum and allowing your shoulders to stay back. Not roaching the base of your back and not forcing your back to arch unnaturally.

Leg beneath younot pushed out in front. Your heel should fall nearly under the bend in your knee. Your calf is slightly behind the girth and in contact with the horse’s side.
Heelflexed down, allowing your weight to drop down into your heel. The stirrup iron should be on the ball of your foot.

Handsholding the reins. Hold your hands like fists with thumbs facing up. The reins will run either: through the bottom of your fist, out the top under your thumb or in through the ring and pinkie fingers and out through the top under your thumb. Hands should be over the horse’s withers (his shoulder) and angled to the angle of the shoulder (in between thumbs up and angled slightly toward each other.) Hands are held slightly apart from each other and are to make a straight line through the reins to the bit in the horse’s mouth.

Headup and eyes looking ahead.

In your first lesson, you will be taught how to make the horse walk. You will also be taught how to make him turn and stop. You may even get to trot in your first lesson! And, if you trot, your instructor may start teaching you how to post (if riding english). At the end, you’ll be taught to dismount by taking both feet out of your stirrups and swinging your right leg around his back and sliding down the left side. Or your instructor may teach you to "kick free" in dismounting by keeping your left foot in the stirrup until you swing your right leg over, then kicking free your left foot of the stirrup then jumping down to the left side. Regardless of how you are taught to dismount, you will always do so facing the horse and off the same side that you mounted from–the left.

That’s all you will likely do in your first lesson. It may not sound like a lot, but you will be spending a bit of time just getting used to balancing on a horse, maintaining and correcting your position, keeping with his rhythm and basically getting a feel for where your hands, feet and legs are. It will be a lot to think about, and you’ll probably be tired afterward. Good luck with your first ride and happy trails!

Still not sure whether you are ready? Visit our exciting equine forum and ask any further questions you may have. We have experienced trainers and veterinarians as members.

We will leave the light on and the barn door open for you! Stop by and say hello at HorseChitChat.com, just click the forum link or visit our equine resource box below.

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By Ron Petracek Published: 9/7/2007

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