How to Achieve Safe Horse Riding

I am sure safe horse riding is everyone’s priority! Yet, I witness short cuts taken and dangerous situations encountered that could have been avoided.

Especially for beginner riders and new horse owners. You don’t know what you don’t know! You are at the mercy of the more experienced horse people around you. I understand this well. I too was once a beginner rider and believed what those experienced trainers told me. I had no reason to doubt, I trusted them. After all they sure knew more than I did!

And when I became a new horse owner that’s when I realized all the riding lessons I had taken did not prepare me at all for solving horse problems that everyone encounters at one time or another.

Horseback Riding Lessons

The typical riding lessons start at learning how to mount, how to steer and how to balance on top of a horse. We are at the mercy of that well schooled horse who hopefully can tolerate all the mistakes a new rider will make.

Personally, I feel this as great injustice to not only the rider but the horse as well. After all it’s not a machine you are on top of. It’s a living breathing, emotional feeling animal!

But have you learned any safe horse riding skills? Were you given any equine information on horse psychology or horse behaviour? Were you taught how to communicate with a horse from the ground first that will build a relationship in the saddle? Do you know the personality of the horse you will be getting on top of? Can you identify when something doesn’t feel right and know what you can do about it? Can you confidently groom, saddle and catch the horse? Did you learn aspects of how to generally care for a horse (i.e. deworming, feeding requirements, dental or hoof care)?

These are items that should be included too!

Obtaining Safe Horse Riding Skills

It was when I owned my first horse that I realized I needed to understand the horse’s mind and literally become a horse trainer not just a rider that safety was restored.

I also discovered I needed to learn how to solve problems. I preferred to do this without the use of more pain inducing tools like bigger bits, crops, spurs, riding martingales and such. Inflicting pain was what I had already been taught and I did not like the results it created which was a fearful horse.

My goal now is to teach people how to truly understand how horse’s think. The best way to do this is through learning ground training skills That is why our lessons start there.

I recently heard a great saying that goes, “Ground training is learning how to ride, standing up!” I couldn’t have said it better!

Safe Horse Riding Skills with Natural Horsemanship & Clicker Training

This combination has proven to be the most effective for people and horses. I can now solve problems, identify when communication is breaking down and how to build it back up.

Click here for more information on Clicker Training
Click here for more information on Natural Lessons

If you just want to learn how to ride there are many places to accommodate you but if you want to learn how to be safe while riding then consider asking these questions above before you get up on any horse.

Here’s to bouncing around, but never on the ground! :0)



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