Introduction
According to Matt Davies Harmony Communities, horse riding is becoming a very popular activity. Both old and young people can start learning horse riding as long as they ignore the mountain of opinions both online and offline. Let’s check out a few beginner tips for horseback riding.
Tips & Tricks
1. Find a great instructor – Great instructors are hard to find. Ask around and search online for good instructors. Once you have a list, take their demo lessons and watch them and their surroundings carefully. Look at the condition of the tour horses and other barn animals and take a tour of the barn to inspect the atmosphere. Choose an instructor who keeps their horses and barn in good condition and shows a great understanding of both horseback riding and the animals.
2. Prioritize safety – As a beginner, you’ll need a few things to keep yourself safe for the first few months. Even the most well-trained and obedient horses can’t be trusted all the time. They are flight animals who’ll betray your expectations within a moment. That’s why you need to be aware of your personal space when you work around horses. Don’t allow the horse to rub or nibble on you and keep your feet clear of hooves. Be audible and make sure you’re heard by the horses when you work around them or approach them.
3. Focus on seat development – All great riding starts and ends with the seat and it’s the same for horseback riding. However, with horseback riding, you’ll find that using your hands and feet is much easier than trying to coordinate with the horse and trying to influence him with your seat. But once you master seat development, you won’t regret all the hours spent on it. It’s going to be easier if you can find someone who will lunge at you in the beginning.
4. Develop ground skills – If you have a great instructor, he or she will also help you develop good ground skills along with seat development. Groundwork can be learned with lunge work, round penning, showmanship, and a bunch of other ways. When you develop excellent ground skills, you’ll be more confident during the ride since the horse would recognize you as a herd leader.
5. Volunteer at the barn – As you spend more time with horses, you know more about them and can communicate with them more easily. The best way to do that is not just during training sessions, but also by working at the barn and caring for the animals. If you’re able to score a paid job for just one day at the barn, you will acquire invaluable skills and experience. However, if that’s not possible, consider volunteer work. It can flatten out your learning curve dramatically.
Conclusion
Matt Davies Harmony Communities suggests that you use the above-mentioned tips while you’re learning to ride a horse. Volunteer to work at the barn so that you can get more experience being close to horses and focus on safety and seat development.