A Comprehensive Horse Riding Guide For Beginners
Horse riding can give you a lot of pleasant experiences. Anyone who has ever tried to ride a horse can confirm how exciting it is. Communication with a kind and intelligent four-legged friend has a beneficial effect on the physical and psychological state of a person. To benefit from horseback riding, you need to master the rules of horseback riding. It is not difficult to learn horse riding. You need to regularly attend training sessions and follow the instructions given by the instructor.
How Does Horse Riding Help You?
Horseback riding is useful for people of all ages. Doctors recommend it to those who suffer from diseases of the respiratory and nervous systems, as well as people who have suffered a heart attack. Let's look at how horse riding affects the body:
● It makes all muscles more strong and more toned,
● A sharp improvement in posture,
● A nice way to get rid of stress, depression and tension &
● With horse riding, your self-confidence increases up to a great extent.
At What Age Can You Learn To Ride A Horse?
Anyone can learn to ride a horse, regardless of age. Children learn horse riding skills faster, as practice shows. You can start studying for a child from 5-6 years old. All individuals with fit bodies and mental status can try learning horse riding.
Horse Riding Rules
Horse riding will give you a lot of pleasant sensations if the training is conducted under the guidance of an experienced instructor because beginners have a lot to learn:
● How to get acquainted with the horse,
● Required equipment,
● How to properly sit down and get up from an animal,
You'll have to learn the theory first and practice riding. There will be no difficulties if there is a good mentor nearby.
Training Equipment
A novice rider will need special riding clothes. Fit jeans or trousers, a comfortable vest will do. Shoes for training are chosen on a flat sole to minimize the risk of getting tangled in the stirrup. An important element of protection is a helmet, without which beginners can not sit on a horse.
There is no need to purchase equipment for the animal. It is usually available at the equestrian club. For horse riding, you need the following items:
● The bridle,
● Saddle,
● Girth,
● Gel or fur coat on and
● Bandages.
The First Step: Know More About The Horse
Horses kept in horse clubs are not inclined to show aggression. If you are going to learn to ride a horse that belongs to a friend, the horse owner must be present at the first class. You can attract an animal to yourself by caressing it, stroking its neck. You need to talk to the horse in a pleasant voice. A treat will help you make friends with the animal. Offer the horse a carrot, a piece of melon, bread, or some special food, if the instructor allows it.
How To Properly Get On A Horse And Start Moving?
It's not easy to get on a horse for the first time, you need experience. Take the help of an experienced horse rider. So they are safe to grab the mane with their right hand, helping themselves to get up.
The first thing that a beginner learns is walking on a horse at a walk. To get the animal moving, the rider leans forward a little and squeezes the horse's torso with both feet. The pet will speed up if the rider rhythmically hits it from both sides with their feet.
Staying in the Saddle: Try These Useful Tips
Once in the saddle, the rider must assume the correct position. Keep your back straight, trying not to shift the center of gravity. Proper landing implies complete relaxation of the muscles, the pose should be natural. The hip bones are located in the recess of the saddle.
It is important to learn to keep your balance as if repeating the movements of the horse. With time, you learn to control the horse after attending each training session. The trainer conducts the training session in a calm and composed environment. The rider keeps himself in the saddle thanks to the muscles in the inner thighs. But this does not mean that he is constantly tense. When the feeling of confidence comes, the rider can control the body unconsciously.
Making Turns: Be Alert and Follow The Master’s Instruction!
Generally, Experienced riders control the horse when its speed is slow. The beginner will first have to learn the basics of this science. The occasion is the main tool with which a person gives the animal the necessary commands. You can use it to stop the horse and change its trajectory.
By creating tension on the reins, the rider slows down or turns. To turn the horse to the left on the move, the rider pulls the rein slightly on the left side, and the right – loosens it. At the same time, the right leg is pressed against the animal's body behind the girth, as if pushing it in the right direction. The same actions apply when turning to the right, only in the mirror image.
How To Stop And Get Off The Horse?
Pulling hard on the reins causes pain to the horse. To stop, it is not necessary to resort to this technique.
● While holding the reins in your hands, tilt your body back, shifting the center of gravity,
● Squeeze the horse with your hips and
● Pull the reins slightly towards you, signaling the animal to stop.
It’s easy to get down from the horse. Take your right leg out of the stirrup, throw it over, holding on to the mane at the withers, go down to the ground, and then release your left leg.
Keep A Safe Distance From The Animal & Drive Safely
The basis for safe riding is keeping a distance. There should be 3-4 meters between the horses moving one after the other. Do not allow the animals to be too close to each other. It is impossible to predict the horse’s behavior. Some individuals may get scared and show aggression.
Safe Fall
While riding, the animal may behave unnaturally, suffer or kick. Many times, riders fall from the horse accidentally. It’s a normal incident and you should not be panic. If a fall is unavoidable, you should try to relax and fall on your side, then immediately roll in the opposite direction from the horse. This will help you avoid being hit by hooves.
Horse riding can bring a lot of positive emotions. People who have been lucky enough to ride a horse at least once in their lives note that this beast carries incredibly positive energy.
Interaction with kind and intelligent quadrupeds has a good effect not only on the physical but also on the mental state of people. If there is a desire to ride a horse, you need to understand all the nuances of horse riding. To master these skills, it is enough to regularly undergo training in special schools, where experienced instructors will always teach you everything.
Are you fond of learning horse riding but have no idea where to start? Horse riding hub is one of the best places to visit? Here you can find books written by Debbie Burgermeister on horse riding useful for beginners.
