How to control a horse while riding
Such a service as a horse ride is offered to tourists at any resort. But in order to feel confident in the saddle, you need to understand at least theoretically how to control a horse. Of course, you cannot learn to ride with the help of theory alone. But knowing the basic rules of horse control, you can quickly get used to the saddle. In equestrian schools, specialists have developed whole teaching methods that differ from each other. We will talk about the main points that are worth focusing on.
How to drive a horse
Important points
Immediately it is worth making a reservation that, before climbing a horse, it is worth making friends with it. Only animals with whom mutual understanding has been found will be able to control. This can be achieved through talking and offering treats. You shouldn't come to a horse empty-handed. You need to find out what she loves the most and bring her a treat. Once an understanding is reached, it will be much easier to learn to ride.
You cannot try to climb a horse for the first time without an instructor or a person who is familiar with horse riding firsthand. If you fall from a horse, you can get serious, sometimes even fatal injury.
Why do you need reins
The horses are given different commands with the reins. With this control, the rider makes it clear to the animal when to walk and when to stop, when to gallop, and when to walk at a calm pace. Also, with the help of the horse's rein, the rider makes it clear to the animal that it should turn in one direction or another. When driving a horse, remember that the rein is connected to an iron element (snaffle), which is located in the horse's mouth. With sudden movements with the reins, the rider delivers pain to the animal, which can provoke an unexpected reaction.
To correctly and quickly give commands to the reins, it must be taken in the right hands. As a rule, the rein is taken into a fist, pressing it with the thumb against the index finger. You should experiment with different ways of holding the reins and find the best one for yourself. At the same time, do not tighten your fists too much while riding: the muscles should be in a slightly relaxed position. With excessive stress, the hands quickly get tired, and the movements are sharp. The knight can misinterpret such signals or react too actively.
If you need to turn to the right, pull the reins with your right hand to steer the horse. All movements should be done smoothly. It is advisable to pull the rein not only with the right hand, but also with the left, but at the same time the left hand is pressed against the neck of the animal. As soon as the horse understands what is required of it, the reins are immediately released. After the horse fulfills the requirements, the intelligent animal must be praised. This can be done by simply stroking his neck. During the turn, it is important to tilt the body in the direction of the turn (in our case, to the right). This is done in order not to lose balance.
The role of the leg in running a horse
The horse is controlled not only by the reins. The leg plays an equally important function. It is needed in order for the animal to accelerate its pace. This horse control is located near the leg. Accordingly, it is controlled with its help. The schenkel is the entire structure located near the leg (from the foot to the knee).
The leg is used not only to go into a canter. You also need this control to:
- the horse starts walking after stopping;
- perform a turn;
- the animal quickened its pace.
Depending on how much you need to accelerate the pace, they use different movements. If, for example, you need to increase the speed a little, it is enough to slightly press the horse's sides. If you need to significantly catch up with the pace, the horse is actively tapping on the sides.
During a horse ride, the legs should not be constantly pressed to the sides of the animal: this scares him. In addition, the leg is the horse's control. If you constantly keep the legs pressed to the sides, the animal will cease to accept the commands given with the help of this control. She will perceive side leg tapping as normal while riding.
Some commands are issued at once by several controls. So, for example, the stop command is given by the reins and the leg at the same time. Pull on the reins with both hands at the same time, while pressing the leg to the sides of the horse. So that the animal does not doubt the meaning of the command being given, it will not be superfluous to lean back with the body.
With constant training, the horse will begin to understand the commands given by one movement of the body. But for this you need to spend a lot of time in the saddle.
The role of the whip and spurs in management
To control the horse, in addition to the reins and leg, a whip and spurs are used. First of all, let's talk about spurs. Novice riders are not allowed to put them on, and this is no coincidence: the spurs are sharp enough and can harm the horse. Accordingly, they can be used to control animals only by those riders who have some riding experience behind them.
When choosing spurs, you should pay attention to the fact that some of them are prohibited by the equestrian federation. So, for example, excessively sharp spurs cannot be used. Spurs are needed in order to speed up the step of the horse or to transfer it to a gallop. In other words, the spurs enhance the action of the leg.
In parallel with the spurs, the riders also use the whip to increase the speed of the horse. Also, the whip is used as a tool to punish a horse for disobedience. Novice riders are better off doing without this control for a while: it can cause different reactions in the horse. The whip should not be used too often. It is very important that the horse is not afraid of this tool. This is the main principle of its use.
During the punishment, they beat the horse with the whip only in those places where the leg kick falls. You cannot beat the horse on the back. This is not just a recommendation, but a requirement of the same riding federation. It is due to the fact that blows with a whip on the rump can harm the health of the animal.
When it comes to sports, a person may be expelled for such handling of a horse.
Voice commands
When riding a horse, do not forget that, in addition to the instruments issued by the instructor, a person also has a voice with which he can give commands. True, the voice cannot be regarded as the main means of control. This is just an auxiliary element that helps to establish a bond with the horse.
Using your voice should be as careful as using a spur or whip. With an aggressive attitude, you can frighten the animal or cause irritation in it. Do not forget that each horse has its own character, which cannot be ignored.
The horse is not able to understand any particular word. He can associate it with some actions.So, for example, if every time, before making a stop, say the command "stop", over time the horse will begin to recognize it.
The horse perceives only simple words (tshshsh, stop, forward, prrr, etc.). Do not expect your horse to understand the phrase "turn left." It is also important that the teams differ in intonation. If everyone speaks the same way, the horse will get confused. Each voice command must have its own audio range.
Separately, I would like to say that among the voice commands there should be a so-called clicker word. It is used in the event that the ward has followed the command, for this it would not hurt to praise her. It doesn't matter if the horse is preparing for sports or just needed for riding.
Body commands
The commands of the body are no less important than the commands of the voice. The horse is a very sensitive animal. And this quality is used by riders during horseback riding. For the animal to begin to understand the signals given by the rider's body, you need to confidently hold on to the saddle. First of all, you need to learn how to keep balance. The fit should not be bent. In case of an incorrect landing on the horse's back, uneven pressure is applied, which complicates control.
To give a signal to the horse, it is enough to shift the body weight forward or backward, to the right or to the left. But such an understanding with the horse can only be achieved through prolonged training.
Summarizing
When riding a horse, you need to understand that every movement is a message to the horse, so the one who sits in the saddle must do everything carefully and correctly, listening to the instructions of the instructor. When riding a horse, a person must sit correctly, correctly control the leg and spurs, use a whip, and give commands. If you ignore the instructions of the instructor and do everything in your own way, and not in the right way, the horse will constantly become confused, not understanding what is required of him.
Before getting into the saddle, you need to make sure that all belts are tight and that the legs are correct. With the wrong equipment, there can be no question of any effective interaction between the horse and the person.