How to Be a Successful Horse Rider

Success is a word we hear a lot of these days but often in a context, which is quite irrelevant to many people. It does not necessarily mean competitive success; it simply means that you have attained standards or goals you have set yourself.

It is a quantum leap from not being able to get your horse out of the yard to going for an enjoyable hack in the countryside, or from being utterly overawed by dressage to realizing that you have become quite good enough to get a rosette at preliminary level.

If you ride well and your horse is well schooled, trusts your judgement and, therefore, is co-operative, you are more likely not only to be successful, but also safe because you are in reasonable control and can prevent or minimize mishaps.

Mental Attitude

In order to set yourself up for success with horses, certain things have to be borne in mind all the time:

Remember what kind of animal a horse or pony is.

The horse is a prey animal evolved to be chased to death in open country by a predator, which will give as little warning as possible. This has produced an animal which runs first and thinks later, which can get to a speed of 30mph in three or four seconds (faster than a family car) and weighs about half a ton. That's rather a sobering thought, isn't it?

Horses need leadership

As herd animals most horses are followers, not leaders. They are also born into an environment alien to their evolutionary one, human society, and so are not really equipped to make reasoned decisions in a man-made world, because domestication has not changed them.

They speak and think in �â'¬ËœHorse' and behave like horses, if they have been raised with other horses and have learned equine herd manners. By assuming the role as a leader or supporter we have a great responsibility to always be fair, reliable, trustworthy and consistent, otherwise horses become confused and defensive, which can be dangerous.

Ultimately, when you are together, your horse must rely on you for security, not other horses.

You must give horses clear parameters

In a herd, a horse knows exactly what behaviour is acceptable from him to his herd-mates. If he doesn't get the same clear limits from his human counterparts, which he understands so well in nature, a horse can become spoilt, difficult and even dangerous to handle because of confusion, insecurity and lack of clear leadership. Good leadership does not mean bullying or brutality, it means love, support, guidance and, when necessary, firmness.

For safety's sake, the human has to be the senior partner.

Most wise horsemen and women say that the most we can aim for is a 49/51 partnership in our favour. Much of the time the relationship may appear to be 50/50 but when the chips are down and the horse just has to do what you say when he doesn't want to, for example in a road traffic situation, he must do it for the safety of you both. Read the first point again and ask yourself if you really want to sit on that and be out of control, because if the horse doesn't do as you ask, that's what you are.

Conformation

Some riding problems are certainly caused because the horse simply does not have the conformation or action to perform as the rider wishes. There are several books on this topic.

Similarly, some riders may have physical problems which make life in the saddle more difficult, but most can achieve a sufficient standard to become safe and competent enough to enjoy riding a well-mannered horse.

Take The Lead

I find that most problems arise because of a lack of knowledge of effective riding techniques and a lack of a �â'¬Ëœleader' or �â'¬Ëœsupporter' attitude when dealing with the horse. To be a good leader you must be calm, kind, firm and positive.

Equestrian Tact

Up until the middle of the last century, this very meaningful phrase was often used in equestrian circles, but seems to have been lost over the years, equestrian tact. This mainly related to a riders give-and-take attitude toward horses, which can be very sensitive animals. Often �â'¬Ëœpersistent insistence' in a quiet, firm way does the trick, or a cajoling attitude can work wonders in certain situations in establishing trust, forming good habits and overcoming obstacles.

Safety through control and co-operation is essential, but the horse has a point of view which must be taken into consideration and worked with.

REMEMBER: Not all problems, equine and human, can be solved, but most can be improved.