The art of horseback riding offers an opportunity to enhance your communication and coordination skills. Riding also trains you to remain calm and focused while at the same time keeping your balance. Even if you already know how to ride, there are few things that could be improved upon. Similarly, there are also a few tricks that you can use to make your horseback-riding experience even more enjoyable. Let’s explore the details:
Don’t Hide Your Hands While Riding
Horses are very perceptive creatures. They are able to sense any change in a person’s mood or state of mind. If you hide your hands while horseback riding, your horse may get alarmed and be afraid of you. This can happen because horses often associate hand movements with feeding and grooming.
If your horse is afraid of you, it will behave in a nervous manner and this can be very dangerous for you and the animal. Therefore, it is always better to have your hands visible while riding so that your horse can see them and know that you are there to lead and guide it.
Keep Your Face Warm and Dry
If you are riding in the winter season, make sure that you wear a hat and gloves to keep your face and hands warm. If you ride with bare hands, you’re going to get an icy burn in a matter of minutes. You can also use a scarf with your gloves to keep your hands warm and comfortable. When you ride, you need to keep your face and nose protected. This will help you avoid injuries caused by the elements.
Make sure that you wear a hat when you’re out on a ride. You should also wear gloves to keep your hands warm and safe. When you ride outside in the winter, you need to keep your face and nose protected. This will help you avoid injuries caused by the elements.
A Good Grip Is Everything
While riding, your hands should be in a comfortable position. If you grip your saddle too tightly, then it can be very painful for your horse. Be careful not to grip so tightly that your fingers hurt. However, you don’t want to grip too loosely that your horse is uncomfortable.
There’s a balance between the two. A good grip is essential to riding a horse safely and comfortably. A good grip is achieved when your hands are positioned below your pelvis, with your forearms parallel to the ground. Your thumbs should be pointing down. Your thumbs should be able to touch the back of your hands, and your fingers should be able to curl slightly.
Head Up and Down
Another trick that you can use to make your horse-riding experience more enjoyable is head up/down. When you’re riding, try to keep your head up and slightly tilted back. This will allow you to see more of the area around you and give you an opportunity to look over your horse’s head as well. You can also try to make eye contact with your horse as this will help you stay connected with it.
Shoulder Strap Tug-o-War
The shoulder strap tug-o-war trick is one that can really help you improve your communication skills. It can also be used as a form of communication with your horse. While riding, you can pull the strap on your horse’s bridle with your right hand. When you pull the strap, your horse’s head should follow it. This is a sign that your horse is ready to be re-directed. When your horse is not responding to your cues, it can be a bit frustrating. You can use the shoulder strap tug-o-war trick to help you communicate with your horse and re-direct its attention.
The Wedge Horse Trick
The wedge trick is a good way to encourage your horse to move forward. All you have to do is position your hands slightly in front of the horse’s front legs so that it feels like it’s being pushed forward. If you do this, your horse will instinctively start to walk forward. It can be useful for beginners who might need a little extra push to get their horse moving.
Summary
Horseback riding is a great way to improve your communication and coordination skills. You can also use tricks and gimmicks in your training to make the experience more fun. The hand-signals used to communicate with your horse can be very effective.
