Approaching a Horse When you first approach a horse, greet him by touching him to let him know where you are and to help put him at ease (figure A). Avoid making sudden moves or loud noises. Stroking a horse on its neck and shoulder soothes and reassures him since it mimics horses' natural nuzzling behavior. Just like petting a dog when you greet it, this stroking may help you be more readily accepted. Always greet, saddle, mount and dismount your horse from his left side. That's how they're trained, and it feels more comfortable and natural for them. Because of the way their eyes are positioned, horses have a wide-angle view, but they have blind spots directly in front of and behind them. Avoid standing directly in front of or behind a horse. When you walk around to the rear, always keep one hand on the horse's body so he knows where you are at all times.
Mounting and Dismounting a Horse - Stand with your left shoulder next to the horse's left shoulder, facing the tail. Hold the reins in your left hand above the mane in front of the saddle (figure B). This helps you keep control of the horse. Then, using your right hand, turn the stirrup toward you.
- Keep hold of the reins with your left hand and put your left foot into the stirrup (figure C). As you do this, turn the body to face the horse's side.
- Reach up and take hold of the saddle and push off the ground lightly with your right foot so that you're standing in the stirrup on your left foot (figure D).
- Now swing your right leg over the horse's back, taking care not to kick the horse (figure E).
- As you lift your leg, turn your body to face forward and gently lower yourself into the saddle (figure F). The balls of your feet should rest in the stirrups with your toes pointed forward and your heels down. Keep in mind that when your legs hang straight down, the bottom of your stirrup should be just below your ankle bone if you're riding Western style and just at your anklebone if you're riding English style.
- Once you're seated and feel comfortable, try to dismount. You do the opposite of what you just did to mount: With your left hand holding the reins and resting on your horse, you should stand up and swing your right leg over the horse's back.
- Then place your right hand on the cantel, or the back part of the saddle. With the weight in your arms, take your left foot out the stirrup and drop gently to the ground.
Reining and Guiding Holding onto the reins may seem simple, but it's your "line of communication" to the horse, and it's easy to get tangled up in them. Proper technique is very important. - Once you're in the saddle, gather the reins with both hands.
- Your hands should be in a loose fist with your thumbs on the top .
- The reins should come up between your little finger and your ring finger and out the top between your thumb and your index finger (figure G).
To get the horse to walk forward, squeeze your legs against his sides and relax the reins. It may help to pique the horse's attention by whistling or making clicking sounds to coax him forward. To make the horse turn or veer right, pull back on the right rein and loosen your hold on the left (figure H). At the same time, bring your left leg back and put pressure on the horse's right side with your right leg. To turn left, use the same signals but on the opposite sides. To make the horse stop, press your seat down and slightly forward as you pull back gently on the reins. Posture is important. Sit up in the saddle with your back straight, chin up and eyes forward. Sit with your legs hanging down directly beneath you, relax your hips and keep your heels pressed down. Learning to direct and guide your horse takes some practice, and the signals may vary slightly between horses, depending on how each was trained, each individual horse's personality, the type of bridle that's being used, etc. Effective communication between horse and rider can involve subtlety and is mastered over a period of time. The signals described here are the basic ones that are commonly used in the training of most horses.
RESOURCES :
American Horse Shows Association (AHSA)
4047 Iron Works Parkway
Lexington, KY 40511-8483
Phone: 859-258-2472
Fax: 859-231-6662
Web site: www.soccer.org
Great Outdoor Recreation Pages (GORP) Web-site -- horseback riding
Great Outdoor Recreation Pages (GORP) is an informational Web site about outdoor activities.
Below is the link to their section on horseback riding.
Web site: www.gorp.com/gorp/activity/horsebak
Complete Idiot's Guide to Horseback Riding
Model: 0028639332
Author: Jaheil Jessica, Ph.D.
Macmillan / Alpha Books
Website: www.macmillan.com
The Handbook of Riding Essentials
Model: 0060155175
Author: Francois Lemaire De Ruffieu
HarperCollins
New York, NY 10022
Phone: 212-207-7000
Fax: 212-207-7145
Cottonwood Riding Club
Cottonwood Riding Club was featured in DIY Family Outdoors episode on horseback riding.
Web site: www.cottonwoodridingclub.com
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