Horseback Riding

Have you ever seen competitions where smartly-clad riders in black and white prance their horses around a ring like dancers in a ballroom?  Or perhaps you prefer competitions where spectacularly-muscled steeds gallop towards large obstacles and leap them with ease.  Maybe race-horses with their tiny jockeys are really more appealing.  But whatever type of riding you prefer to watch, you’ve probably found yourself, at one time or another, wondering what it must be like to stand up in the stirrups and gallop, wild and free, with the wind in your hair.  If you thought that you could never be that person, it’s time to think again.  It’s never too late to get in the saddle and learn to command a mount.  Here’s how you can tackle this fun and exciting activity.

The first thing you need to do is find horse barns in your area.  Many offer lodgings for the horses of private owners as well as housing a number of animals that belong to the stable.  In most cases, all are used for lessons, whether with those who own the horses or those who can only afford the tuition (horses are extremely expensive animals to feed and care for, so many people who ride do not actually own a horse).  Next you’ll want to determine which type of riding is right for you.  Some barns specialize in a particular style of riding while others offer a variety of classes.  You may want to try a couple before you settle on one that you prefer.  And each has its challenges and rewards.

One popular style of riding is hunter/jumper, which includes just what you would expect from the name.  You’ll learn to ride in the traditional English style of fox hunters, which means trail riding and jumping over obstacles.  In competitive circles, this will generally be done on a course, but if you’re doing it for fun, horse trails in your area will provide for hours of practice and amusement.  Just be prepared to fall a few times as you learn to jump.  The other classic English style of riding is called dressage, and it is just as popular as hunter/jumper, although the accoutrements (saddle, bridle, bit, etc.) are different, as is the form.  Unlike hunter/jumper, dressage is a precision training technique that turns animals into athletes.  It’s like equine gymnastics, in a way, because horses and riders that master the art are able to walk, trot, and prance to a beat.  In this type of riding, both you and the horse will have to practice incessantly.

Of course, there are many other styles of riding (although these are the two most commonly taught and practiced in America and many parts of the world).  Racing and stunt riding, for example, may be more difficult to find as they are also more dangerous.  But if you’re bound and determined to ride a horse, start simple and work your way up.  After all, you need to get seated before you can post, and you need to post before you can gallop.  You may have to go through years of training to become comfortable mounting a 16-hand, 1,200-pound horse.  But once you’ve grown accustomed to horseback riding, you’ll never want to give it up.