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What Beginners to Horse Riding Should Know 118 views 0 Comments 0 Images 11 July 2018 by emmarie See all

Horse riding can be one of the most fun, exhilarating ways to spend some time outdoors. However, if you do not know what you are doing, you get either get yourself or your horse injured, neither of which are good outcomes. So if you have decided that you would like to try your hand at horse riding, then there are a few things you should know. As a beginner, you should be thorough about these tips, although you will only know what they exactly mean once you put them to practice. Study them thoroughly before you start saddling-up. Control the Horse Think of it like driving a car. You just have a completely different driving seat. Just because you are on the horse, does not mean the horse is going to know where you want it to go. It is waiting for direction from you. And how do horse riders do this? By using the reins of course. You communicate and send signals to your horse through the reins. Many beginner riders often try to keep their balance and therefore unconsciously raise their arms too high in the air, causing the reins to loosen. Which means you, in turn, are unable to control your horse. Invest In the Right Gear Obviously, though some movies and music videos make you feel like riding off on a bare-backed horse into the sunset, you still need to get the right gear. Horse riding needs a lot of attention, and aside from horse rugs, you have to look at things like reins, saddles, bridles and so on. Plus, you need your own riding outfits as well which need to be resilient, especially if you plan on becoming a full-time or frequent horse rider. Relax When Riding What most people tend to forget, is that horses take their cues from the rider's body language. Beginners have a habit of clenching their legs in an effort to maintain balance, but that guarantees nothing of the sort. In fact, the horse only misconstrues this as a sign to keep moving forward. Besides, constantly gripping your legs tightly on the horse’s body has got to be uncomfortable for the horse as well. Just relax, and let your leg hang loose. It will take some getting used to, but you will get there. Do Not Hunch This happens either when you are tired or either because you are not sure about how you are riding in the first place, but kick that habit to the curb immediately. If you get used to it, you will have a hard time getting rid of it. You need to sit up straight and confidently on your house. When you hunch, it is much like letting go of the reins; you lose control of your horse. Which is not what you want as a beginner rider quite frankly. You also lose your balance which in turn makes the whole experience a nuisance. Remember that the horse functions according to you, so you need to be on top of your game at all times.

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