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10 Tips for the Average Rider
Photo Credit: NBanaszak Photography
Are you an average rider? You know the type – the one who has to work hard for one step forward and two steps back.
Are you the one who has to spend hours and hours finding your seat, or coordinating your hands and legs to finally not interfere with your horse?
Then join the club!
We are the ones who drool wistfully at those riders that seem to just get on the horse and blend into the movement without nary a thought. As Sally Swift wrote so eloquently in her book, Centered Riding,
Many of the great riders have the gift of natural balance and coordination so that they never have to question how to do anything with any part of their body. If they know what they want to do, their body will respond. Because of this innate coordination, they have not needed to know how one makes a leg move, or how one breathes, or how one balances. It just happens. Therefore it is usually difficult for them to explain to the rest of us less-coordinated mortals how to move some particular part of our bodies.
We are the ones who need lessons broken down into small, achievable steps that eventually develop into just one coordinated movement. We practice, practice and then practice some more, even while seeming to make only minimal progress.
If you resemble the above scenarios, don’t despair. And enjoy the following tips to get through those average rider moments that we all experience from time to time.
1. Find a good teacher.
I use the word “teacher” because the skill development required at the basic levels requires someone that can impart knowledge as well as technique. A good instructor can break explain the physiology of movement. The best instructors can direct you to find feels for yourself. Detailed explanations and clarity of purpose can make the learning curve much easier and even quicker for us average riders.
2. Be patient.
Cut yourself some slack. Then cut your horse some slack. Always seek correct posture, aids, and movements but do it with a sense of humility and gratefulness. Never forget that your horse is working for you and choosing to humor your requests! If something goes wrong, problem solve and patiently redirect your horse’s behaviour.
3. Practice.
As much as we would like short-cuts, secret methods or fancy expensive gimmicks that will open the world of riding to us, there is no other way to truly become an effective, compassionate rider than to practice. And so we must.
4. Accept your limitations.
Some of us not-as-young riders discover that no matter how hard we try, some parts of our bodies simply never seem to respond the way we would hope! 
For example, ligaments and tendons become shortened over time and less resilient. Lower legs have more trouble staying still or releasing our lower backs to follow the horse becomes more of a challenge. We need to acknowledge that developing more flexible bodies will take longer and harder work. We might need to seek other avenues of physical development such as yoga or Pilates to find that release we are looking for.
5. Find your comfortable un-comfort.
Despite knowing our challenges, we need to constantly seek improvement. Beware of becoming the rider who never develops their skills year after year. Always push yourself past your comfort zone and know that confusion and frustration are part of the learning process. Difficult rides are a good sign that you are going to make a breakthrough (sooner or later)!
6. Enjoy the moment.
Even if we struggle, and certainly through our grandest rides, we must enjoy the moments we get to share with our equine friends. For it is the moment that is what we are here for.
7. Persevere.
Sometimes, it might feel like you are never going to make that breakthrough that you’ve been looking for. The key at this juncture is to be so determined and stubborn that you will be willing to come back and try again tomorrow and the next day and the day after that.
8. Set goals.
Set long term goals, then develop realistically achievable short-term goals. Be flexible but have an intended path. Even if you don’t meet your goals, they will serve to direct your efforts and give you perspective.
9. Read, watch, imitate.
Look out for inspiration. Read the books of the masters as well as contemporary riders. In this day and age of the Internet, having access to excellent video footage of lessons, clinic rides, and show footage is at your fingertips.
Watch many riders, define what you like in a good ride and study. Then, go and try it yourself. Imitation is the first step to learning a skill set. Watch and try. Get feedback from your instructor. Once you have developed a skill, you can easily make the skill “yours” by adding something new or specific to your horse’s needs.
10. Keep practicing.
Develop a routine. Follow a system. But keep at it. There is no other way.
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If you enjoyed the above post, you might also like to check these out:
When “Good Enough” Just Isn’t Good Enough In Horseback Riding: We come up with all sorts of excuses to explain why we don’t want to or can’t get past the problem.
Too Good to be True? Finding Your Horse’s “Happy Place”: Did you know that through riding, you can help your horse achieve a happy, content outlook on life? Sounds ridiculously far-fetched? Too good to be true?
How Do You Develop “Feel” in Horseback Riding? Developing ‘feel’ in horseback riding doesn’t have to be an impossible dream! If you can ride with feel, you will be able to respond immediately to your horse’s needs.
What you Ought to Know About Instant Gratification in Horse Riding: There is no such thing!
Quit To Persevere: Quitting isn’t always a bad thing in horse riding – sometimes, it may just be the ticket!
Horseback Riding the Yoga Way-Practice
When you are riding, do you “practice” your ride?
Just a moment in time
Do you give your horse and yourself a break when things go wrong?
Do you approach “mistakes” with a forgiving attitude, thinking that this is just one practice in a million, and there will be chances to improve over time?
I have to admit to myself – not all the time.
Sometimes, I get wrapped up in making it happen “right now”. Sometimes, when things don’t fall together at the right time, I feel discouraged.
I feel like I’ve failed my horse. Other times, I feel like the horse has let me down.
Practice Your Ride
As I walked into the yoga studio the other day, I was greeted by my yoga teacher with:
“What a wonderful day to practice.”
The word “practice” resonated in my mind for a moment. Naturally, I made a horse-riding connection.
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“Practice” refers to repetitiveness, habitual performance and regular training. There is a sense of repeating to seek improvement. But the key underlying sense of the term is that if things don’t go right, you can try, try again.
When you practice something, you know it doesn’t count.
Practicing brings a positive sense to a situation. When you practice, it means you are trying to improve yourself. The world is on your side, you know you have a second and third chance.
Mistakes are forgiven. There is room for improvement. You have more time. You have more tries.
You can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you’ll be given another chance. You know that if things don’t go as well as planned this time, you will eventually get to the point where you want to be, because you have all the time in the world to improve yourself.
Find a balance between achieving and letting go.
Of course we don’t want to do badly when we ride. It is obvious that we want to seek harmony, stay in balance and be there for our horses. It is through practicing that we can discover the areas we need to improve upon and how to use our aids clearly.
But things do not always go as planned!
When this happens to you, it is time to sit back and reflect – it’s OK for things to not go perfectly. There is always the next try, the next day, the next week.
Give yourself some slack. Be kind and appreciative to your horse even if you DIDN’T get what you wanted right away.
Be prepared to try, try again. Maybe there is something you can change. Is there a different sequence of aids you can use? Were your aids too tight/loose/quick/slow? Is your horse in the right frame of mind? Maybe achieving only 50% of your goal is just fine for today.
Discover the things not to do and as a byproduct, the things to do. Keep trouble-shooting but avoid building tension and getting stressed.
And if all else fails, quit while you’re ahead.
Feel the freedom that practice can give you. It is not essential to be perfect, because so long as you keep practicing, the achievement will come on its own. Let it go and enjoy your ride!
There’s always tomorrow.
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I looked into my yoga instructor’s eyes, enjoying the deeper understanding (and riding connections) I had just made with just that simple word “practice”. I felt a sense of relief in knowing that I wasn’t going to be expected to be perfect in my yoga practice that day. I also gave myself the permission to enjoy that same feeling in my future horseback rides!
Do you regularly “practice” during your rides? Is there a time in your riding where the concept of practicing could fit in? Do you or can you let go of the tension that comes along with perfectionism and relax more into the rhythm of trying differently the next time? Share your observations in the comments below.
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Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email
Read more here:
Softly Determined – A Poem: I found this one on the Internet long ago, with no indication of the author. However, it has stayed with me, blending intensity with passion, being so eloquent and yet knowledgeable about the “path”.
Ask 25 Horse People One Question…: … and get 25 different answers! What to do with all the opinions out there.
Do You Make This Timing Mistake When Riding Your Horse? Have you ever given your horse an aid and got nothing in return? There could be one other variable that you might not have considered…
Speaking “Horse” (a.k.a. “Pushing the Envelope”): Horses send messages out as much as humans do. Once you know how to listen to your horse, a whole world of communication can open up for you.
No Middle Ground in Riding Horses
We learn so much from horses
Yes, it certainly is possible to drift through all your riding days with nary a thought to how your horse is moving. There are many people far and wide who either choose to ignore their horse’s “way of going”, or are truly ignorant of the differences in the horse’s movements. They are also likely unaware of the implications of their lack of attention.
There really are only two possible results to riding:
1) Improve the horse.
2) Harm the horse.
The unfortunate news is that there is no middle ground between the two.
Either you are contributing to the proper development of the horse (physically, mentally, emotionally) or you are causing damage. Unfortunately, the path to damage isn’t always obvious or easily identified.
However, deterioration of the horse can become evident to the educated eye; you just need to know how to spot the clues and draw accurate conclusions in order to know what to do about it.
But the message here isn’t about what NOT to do. Instead, the idea is to learn, develop, try and keep working at it, especially when the going gets tough. Don’t obsess over the “damage”; rather, take note and change what you are doing.
How to spot the “healthy” horse
When observing the horse without tack, you will notice:
- a short coat with a glowing sheen (assuming the horse is already brushed and clean);
- a soft, almost slippery feel to the coat when you pet the horse (the coat feels “alive”);
- evidence of good foot care and saddle/tack fitting;
- a bright, alert, even sensitive, inquisitive demeanour;
- a good appetite, rare to no bouts with stomach problems (and colics);
- when standing still, without tack, the back appears “rounded” in his topline muscling (rather than a flat back or having a sway in the middle of the back);
- a muscled hind end that is filled out in the hamstrings.
Under saddle:
- is free moving and willing to stride out;
- rarely missteps or trips up in either the front or hind end;
- round, rolly-polly croup (behind the saddle) with hind legs reaching deep underneath the body;
- looks “filled out” in the front (thick neck muscles, swinging shoulders) as opposed to lean, thin and awkward-looking in the head to neck to shoulder area;
- appears confident in the rider, rarely pinning the ears or swishing the tail.
Good (a.k.a. responsible) riders are constantly looking for ways to improve their riding, and how their horse uses its body. If nothing else, the main goal of riding is to improve the horse’s weight-bearing skills.
Proper movement leads to increased circulation in the horse’s musculature, joints and skeleton. Good movement leads to good health and longevity in the horse – something all riders should be aspiring toward.
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Don’t miss a single issue of Horse Listening! If you like what you are reading, become a subscriber and receive updates when new Horse Listening articles are published! Your email address will not be used on any other distribution list. Subscribe to Horse Listening by Email
You might also enjoy:
Too Good to be True? Finding Your Horse’s “Happy Place”: Did you know that through riding, you can help your horse achieve a happy, content outlook on life? Sounds ridiculously far-fetched? Too good to be true?
What You Ought to Know About Instant Gratification in Horse Riding: Do you expect riding to come as easily as other sports?
Top 10 Ways to Reward Your Horse: A happy horse is a willing partner, and many horses will give everything they have if they feel your acknowledgement and generosity of spirit.
Speaking “Horse” (a.k.a. “Pushing the Envelope”): Horses send messages out as much as humans do. Once you know how to listen to your horse, a whole world of communication can open up for you.
