A popular sport with girls and boys is horseback riding and like any sport, we all start off as beginners. There are many beginner horseback riding students at the various riding schools around the country and memberships increase annually.
Every beginner in horseback riding initially has a slight fear of horses, yet the desire to ride quells this uneasiness. Before climbing on the back of a horse, a beginner in horseback riding must first learn the basics.
How to stop, turn and move a horse are obviously important points to know for any beginner in horseback riding. Beginners of horseback riding also must learn how to “talk” to a horse. Indeed, experts will tell you that if commands are issued in a kind, friendly manner the horse will respond to the rider’s request – ordering in a snippy, gruff manner will only achieve the opposite.
I think beginners of horseback riding would find this information interesting, if not unbelievable, however it is true. This revelation thus proves horses are very intelligent and are able to sense human emotions. For the beginner, instructors will tell you that you must let the horse know that you are in-charge. This is not to suggest you treat the horse badly and without respect, quite the opposite in fact – respect the beast and the beast will respect you.
Instructors for beginner horseback riders are patient people and understand that the rider soon wants to be jumping fences, herding cattle or whacking a polo ball, but like everything in life, it takes time. The time it takes, however, depends on the rider. If you are the type of person who listens, understands and follows instructions and not a person who is impatient, disrespects his or her mount and considers the instructor to be wasting your time, then you’re never going to learn. Patience is very important for horseback riding.
Beginning lessons usually involved “understanding” the horse, learning to control him or her and practicing how to grooming techniques. There are also horse health aspects to be learned. Watering a horse soon after vigorous exercise can sometimes be dangerous as the horse can develop an illness called colic. A beginner horseback rider is offer ignorant of these details which is why finding a good instructor who knows riding as well as horses, is vital. Instructors who are well versed will ensure that the beginner horseback rider has a unique and wonderful experience in the saddle.
If getting an instructor is not one of your plans, then getting a good book geared to beginner horseback rider is the next best thing. In fact, to many it is their first plan. A good horseback riding book geared for beginners is much cheaper than an instructor and can be read over and over again.
Also, being able to ride a horse and enjoy it requires lots of practice and repetition. So with a book you can do that and reread the section that you need to, until you can do it perfectly.