So You Want to Ride?

Let's face it. Most people that have an interest in horses have this dream of galloping bareback along the coastline of the ocean or riding a horse out in the Wild West with a ten gallon hat and big spurs.

Last night, I met a guy at AIB College of Business who argued that a horse show is comparable to a dog show, if dogs were big enough to ride.

In short, if you haven't had much experience around horses, these fantasies and ideas are often unrealistic. Most of us don't live close enough to the ocean to gallop along the coastline, and if we did, we'd have to find a place where they would allow horses. Most of us also don't wear ten gallon hats and big spurs in the Wild West; if we do, most of the clothing is well worn and not brand spanking new. As for the theory of a horse show being like a dog show...there's no explanation for that one!

 

Thankfully, we can still dream, and our dreams can still come true. But it takes a lot of work to get there. So before you start booking adventures to exotic riding locations and buying tricked out trail horses, consider some of the following:

• Take some riding lessons. I highly, HIGHLY recommend this to anyone that has not been around horses. Not only will you learn how to ride, you will learn how to work with horses safely. Your goals will depend on what kind of instruction you need. If you want to learn how to jump, for example, you want to take lessons at a stable with hunter/jumper instruction, not barrel racing instruction. But, for the purpose of this blog, if you just want to trail ride, any type of instruction will do. Just make sure that you check out the instructor, whether it be a friend or professional, before you start lessons. Make sure they are putting your safety and the horse's safety first. www.riding-instructor.com provides a list of instructors who have been tested and certified.
• Horses are dangerous animals. Yeah, they're beautiful and often kind, but they are also upwards of 1,000 pounds. They can hurt you very easily if you don't know what you're doing around them. Even if you do, they can still hurt you.
• Start out easy. If you're going on your first trail ride, don't pick the most difficult trail to start on. Challenging terrain and varied trail conditions require knowledge that beginning trail riders may not have yet. A big hill may not look scary, for example, but if you don't ride it properly, your horse may trip or lose its balance. It's better to start on smaller hills and more open areas so you can get used to how the horse moves in these areas and so you can learn to ride them properly. Also, you may want to avoid an all-day trail ride so you won't be super sore the next day!
• Don't go alone. This is a code that even the most experienced riders should probably follow. Riding alone poses bigger risks. If you were to fall off and get hurt, there would be no one there to help you or to call for help. And if you do decide to go alone, always, ALWAYS let someone know where you are going and what time you plan on being back!
• Ride an experienced horse. They say that green on green equals black and blue. It's so true. A beginning rider will not have the experience to control an untrained horse, and this leads to dangerous situations. It's better for a beginning rider to ride a horse that has been there, done that. If you give the wrong cue or ride a little sloppy, this horse isn't going to care. He knows what he's doing and lets you focus on learning to ride. Leave the spirited horses to someone that knows how to handle them.
• Guided trail rides do not equal riding experience. So often people tell me that they ride. When I ask how much, they'll tell me that they went to horse camp for a week or rode out in Wyoming once on a trail ride. The goals of these rides are fun and entertainment, not teaching people how to ride. You're not going to be able learn how to ride in one week at camp. You'll pick up a few skills, but the learning curve is ongoing, and it takes a lot longer than one week to master basic skills. Guided trail rides usually don't teach you squat. The horses are trained to follow the horses in front of them and have non-riders plopped on them daily. The crazy stories you hear about horses taking off or eating plants happen because the riders don't know how to control their horses.  By all means, if you're looking for a one-time, quick-fix horse ride, go for it; just don't expect to learn anything.

Again, horses can be dangerous animals.

 

 

I'm going to give you my example to stress the importance of your safety. I was not even riding a horse when this happened. I was loading my 19 year old Arabian, Knight, into the horse trailer. Normally, Knight loads very well with no fuss. Because he had not been out in quite a while, he became very attached to the other horses, causing him to be jumpy and nervous. I loaded him into the trailer, locked the divider, and then ducked under the divider to unclip him so he could eat hay while I went to grab my other horse. My sudden appearance spooked Knight, and he kicked me at least twice before I was able to tuck and roll. Fortunately, I was not knocked unconscious, but I got six stitches to the chin, multiple bruises, and a very sore jaw that, even months after, sometimes is still stiff and sore. What I did was very stupid and thoughtless, and I was very lucky that I was not injured worse.

I'm not trying to scare you, but I am trying to make you more aware of the risks you take by being around horses. If you take the time to learn proper riding and safety skills, you will be well on your way to attaining your goals and becoming a great rider. When you know how to ride and how to follow proper safety procedures, you can have a lot more fun.

Ride Safe,
Kelsey

-PS: Look for the posts from our first big overnight trail ride after October 13th! Stay tuned for more tips and topics!