Learning to be a good rider is a combination of knowledge and learning how to be in your body in a way that helps you partner with a horse. In this section, I collect articles on both topics intended to build your knowledge to help you become a better, more responsive rider, as well as exercises to help introduce you to the body movements necessary for comfortable, confident horseback riding.
Questions about the difference between a canter and a gallop are among the most frequently asked questions about horses. In this article, you’ll learn about how, while both gaits are ways that horses run, comparing a canter versus gallop reveals major differences between these two paces. Gallop and Canter Have Different Rhythms and Sounds Comparing …
The positive effect of horseback riding lessons on humans’ well-being is well documented by both countless personal stories and through academic peer-reviewed research (check out this massive research study analyzing years of research). In the last few decades, therapeutic riding has grown increasingly popular as a treatment for many disorders including mental health issues, developmental …
Just like people, horses have different personalities. There are anxious horses and horses that are so calm they help calm down other horses. Some horses are more prone to anxiety while other horses are quiet and unflappable. Horses that are often anxious, with the ears scanning for scary sounds and eyes watching hypervigilant for something …
Growing up, I simply could not get my hands on enough books about horses. Bookstores, libraries, and interlibrary loans all became channels to get my hands on more books about horses. All that reading as a kid helped me become a lifelong reader, and even as an adult, books about horses are my favorite genre …
For many of us, winter is a rest cycle for us and our equestrian activities. Snuggled up inside, staying cozy in our heated homes, most of us tend to let our horses grow round hay-bellies as they eat their way through the coldest months. This is especially true in the brutally cold and icy weather …
Both novice horse riders and non-equestrians alike often wonder what, exactly, is the difference between a horse and a pony. This question has both one pretty straightforward answer as well as some nuanced complexities, in this article we will discuss the most straightforward answer as well as some of these more nuanced answers to the …
Everything you ever wanted to know about horseback riding lessons – from your first lesson to becoming an instructor. Horseback riding lessons are many people’s first experience of horses. Unlike generations past, few of us have lifestyles that allow us regular contact with horses. Instead, horseback riding has become a rather unusual hobby, often accessible …
One of the most frustrating parts of being (or living with!) someone who rides horses for fun or as part of professional work on a farm, stockyard, or race track is dealing with the unique odor that makes clothing stink after horseback riding. In this article, we’ll be talking about a few effective ways to …
Has your horse or pony recently started tossing their head up in the air when you are riding? When horses start head tossing behavior, it often indicates one of a few things, which we will discuss in this article. Because head tossing can have a few causes, it may take some detective work to …
Most horses have four main gaits: the walk, the trot, the canter (called a lope in Western riding), and the gallop. Within these gaits, horses have a huge variance- horses can be taught to trot or even lope as slow as other horses walk! The speed of each gait depends on many factors- just like …
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