Tag Archives: riding

Equestrian Fashions for Fall & Winter

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Riding shoulder-in in a dressage test (via Wikipedia)

Fall is just around the bend and before we know it winter will be here. But as horse people, not even the freezing cold weather will stop us from riding. Therefore, it’s important to be prepared for all different riding conditions.

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Riding Confidence: The Pressures of Showing

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One important aspect of riding horses is showing confidence and an outstanding demeanor.

In competitions, distractions are a rider’s worst enemy. Skills that were so easy to perform when you were at home, are suddenly lost from your mind. People are making noise, umbrellas are being opened near the ring, and children and dogs are running close to the fence. It’s hard to know what might happen while you are riding around a jumping course, or passing by other horses in a flat class. There are so many distractions for horse and rider in a show ring, especially during the summer months when shows are outdoors. What surrounds the ring can end up being more attention grabbing than what is going on in the ring. Every rider wants to maintain total focus on the jumps, or the flat work of their horse, but at times this seems almost impossible. Above all else, nerves are the worst problem that a rider can have, because undoubtedly, a nervous rider will be ten times more distracted then a rider who is calm.
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My First Ride

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Riding has always been in my blood. My mother rode horses with her two brothers when she was growing up, and she never really stopped. My first lesson was a magical experience. I didn’t know where my mom was taking me, because she wanted it to be a surprise. So when we arrived at a barn, I was so excited I could barely contain myself. I ran into the office and my mom went to meet with my trainer. I was told that I would be riding a pony named Chumley and that I should go into the back tack room to find a helmet. My mother helped me out with finding the right size and I was on my way! When I met up with Chumley he was already all tacked up with a saddle, back pad, and bridle (of course at that point I didn’t know what anything was called). He was a very round pony, bay in color, with soft fur that I wanted so badly to pet. But I kept my distance because my mother had told me to follow my trainer’s instruction, and I didn’t want to get into trouble before I had my first ever riding lesson.

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Ring Sour Horses

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Sometimes it’s nice to escape the monotony and pressure of the ring and venture onto the trails with your horse. Not only is it pleasant for the rider, but it’s good for your horse as well – if you had to run around in circles day after day, odds are that you’d be pretty bored, too. What many people fail to realize is how important it is to mix things up sometimes and occasionally take your horse somewhere other than the riding ring. Horses who a lot of their time in the ring, such as school horse, can sometimes become what is called ‘ring sour’. That means that this horse will become very obstinate and unruly in the ring, and will often refuse to do what you ask, since they are so frustrated and bored. When I deal with a horse like this, I find myself feeling sympathetic instead of upset. Horses are animals, not machines – you can’t reasonably expect them to happily plod around a ring all day. Continue reading “Ring Sour Horses” »