Horse Riding Fundamentals

Aside from these basic details, there are certain fundamentals of riding you should be aware of before taking your first trip out on your horse. A chief rule is that you should never blame the horse for anything that happens while you are riding. If the horse shies at something which frightens him and you fall off, don't say "he threw me" and decide that the horse is at fault. It's up to you to anticipate when a horse might become scared by something strange. You must be alert enough to feel the horse tense up, and you must be ready to soothe your pet and grip your knees m tight so that, if he does shy, you're ready. The sure sign of a poor rider is a person's saying that the horse threw him rather than admitting that he fell off.

Always bear in mind that you must

have respect for your own horse and for other riders. Don't work your horse hard without giving him rest periods. He must surely be walked the first and last fifteen minutes of a ride and should never be ridden at more than a walk on hard roads. Why? Remember about laminitis? Your horse is likely to get it if you trot or canter him on before the circulation in his feet has had a chance to be stimulated by walking.

If you're riding on a bridle path and come upon other riders, assume that there may be a timid horse or a novice rider in the group and walk past these people instead of galloping by them. Suppose you were one of these riders and you had been on a horse only once or twice before. Some young rider comes galloping by, your horse takes off after him, you

lose control and wind up taking an ugly fall. It's all quite avoidable if we observe common courtesy on the trails.

Above all else horse riding is a time for fun and freedom. If you take the care to know your horse and care for it your riding experience will be all that much better.

About the Author: Pam McKinnis, horse lover and enthusiast, has prsented many articles on the subject of horses, how to care for them, what type of equipment is necessary, etc. http://www.horsesarethebest.com

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