Getting Ready To Horse Ride
The first time that you have to put your tack on a horse it may seem a bit confusing and difficult, but it is actually a very simple routine that is quick to establish and helps the horse understand what is happening. Having your horse secured with a set of crossties that fasten to the halter from opposite sides at about normal head height is really helpful as this leaves the rider with both hands to work with the tack.
Before putting on the tack it is important to quickly examine your horse and make sure there are no injuries or leg or foot problems. Slide your hand down each of the legs, pick up the hooves and be sure to pick out all the dirt, mud or debris using a hoof pick. This will prevent the possibility of riding the horse with a rock in the hoof that can cause lameness, plus if your horse has shoes you can also make sure they are secured and in place. Now that you’ve checked your horse’s legs and hooves, it’s time to give a good brushing to his back and body. You can use a curry comb or a dandy brush, but it is important to remove all the dead, loose hair as well as any mud, twigs or other debris that could cause an irritation under the saddle or the saddle pad or blanket.
Since the halter is securing the horse to the crossties, you may want to start with the saddle. Place the saddle pad or blanket straight down on the horses back, just on the highest point of the withers and slide it straight back a fraction of an inch to position it. This ensures that the hair is all flat, if you have to reposition the blanket lift it off the horse, smooth down the hair again with a brush or your hand, then start over.
With the saddle pad or blanket in place, pick up the saddle with your left hand on the horn or pommel and the left hand under the back skirt or the cantle, depending on the saddle type. After securing the stirrups (you don’t want to get clunked in the head), place the saddle in onto the saddle pad just behind the withers. There is a natural depression in the horse’s back that the saddle should sit in. If you have a western style saddle, reach under the horse’s belly and grasp the cinch, make sure it is straight and tighten the saddle from the left side. With an English saddle you may need to walk around to the right side and affix the cinch, then move back around to the left to tighten it.
Because of prior bad handling, many horses can be challenging to bridle. This can be corrected by slow and gentle movements, so always move with a purpose and don’t become excited or angry with the horse. Unbuckle the throatlatch and noseband if there is one, then standing in the same direction as the horse on the left side, hold the bit in your left hand and the top of the bridle in your right. Bring the browband of the bridle above your horse’s head with your right hand, thereby positioning the bit below the lips. Gently insert the bit by raising the top up and over the ears. Position both the bit and the headstall in the right place, then latch the throatlatch and noseband. Avoid banging the horse’s teeth with the bit as this will hurt.
Mounting the horse is the opposite of dismounting and should be done in one fluid movement. Hold the reins in your left hand and grasp a piece of the mane near the saddle. Using the right hand to hold the stirrup, place your left foot in the stirrup, swing your body up and your right leg up and over the back of the horse, gentle sitting down into the saddle. Put the right foot in the right stirrup and you are all ready to go.
Choosing a Riding Style: English or Western?
Learning how to ride is a very rewarding experience, but it can often be a bit confusing as to which type of riding is most suited to your goals with regards to what you want to do with your horse. A good place to start is by talking to experienced riders. Find out what they like about each style and see which fits you the best. Becoming competent will take lots of hours in the saddle for either style, and becoming competitive will require even more practice.
If you are going to compete, knowing what you want to do in the competition is essential before choosing a riding style. If you want to dress formally and compete in dressage, hunter seat, English equitation, saddle seat, competitive jumping, eventing or cross country jumping events you will only have the option of using the English riding style. On the other hand if you want to compete in less formal events where jeans and western style shirts are the trend then rodeos or trail riding, endurance events, cross country rides, gymkhana, western pleasure riding or any type of working cow horse event then your only option is to learn to ride western style. You can ride for pleasure on the trails with either style of riding.
Besides just what events you can compete in there are also differences to the actual riding styles. Riding the western style is a more casual style designed to allow the rider to ride for hours and hours over varied terrain. The stirrups are longer and the rider sits deep in the seat. Western riding also has the reins held in one hand, leaving the other hand free for using a rope. English riding has shorter stirrups with riders more erect to slightly forward sitting, posting in motion to the horse and typically holding the reins in both hands. Some English riding will require double reins, one set to direct the motion of the horse and one set to control the head position. English riding also has several different styles including hunt seat, dressage, saddleseat, and endurance. Each of these disciplines has their own style of tack - a dressage saddle, jumping saddle, all purpose saddle, and so on.
Whichever style you choose, proper safety equipment, especially a helmet should be part of your routine. This is a must for all junior and novice riders. When you select a style you can always decide to learn the other style at a later date, after all your horse can certainly learn another style, but learning both at the same time is overwhelming and can lead to confusion.
