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Throw Your Heart Over the Fence and the Horse Will Follow

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For those who participate in the English disciplines, jumping is a large part of the sport.  Whether it’s Cross Country or Hunter/Jumpers, jumping can be both fun and exhilarating.  However, there is an increased amount of risk when going over fences that doesn’t apply when doing strictly flat work. Granted, you might be wearing a helmet, but that’s not going to protect the rest of your body.  If you have a lump form in your throat every time you approach a fence, you have to get to the bottom of what’s driving the fear and figure out if this is really what you want to be doing. Horses are very intuitive creatures and they will immediately sense your hesitation. To their way of thinking, if you don’t want to do it, why should they? The rider’s fear of jumping then becomes fulfilled with the horse refusing the fence and ducking out, or taking a peek at it as he’s going over, jumping the rider out of the tack. Thus the vicious cycle begins which only undermines the confidence of both horse and rider.

Being over horsed when someone starts jumping is often the prime cause for fear of jumping to begin. Learning to jump on a green horse, or a horse that has some behavioral issues doesn’t allow the rider to concentrate on himself or herself. With each failure the rider takes a knock to his or her confidence. Being comfortable in the jump position is crucial to a successful jumping career. Until the beginner rider can establish a solid seat while jumping on an old schoolie, riding more challenging horses should be discouraged. Young or inexperienced horses are going to have their own insecurities to deal with and having a green or nervous rider isn’t doing either the horse or the rider any good. Both horse and rider need a good foundation to establish confidence over fences and both need an experienced partner in the beginning.

If the damage is already done and you still want to jump, it might be a good idea to back up a bit and insist that you only jump on reliable and steady horses that know the job well and that will forgive beginner mistakes. If you own the horse that you’re not meshing with, either further training is required while you learn on a more experienced horse, or it may be time to make a difficult decision to sell the horse and get a more appropriate mount.  Either way, you have to feel safe and have fun to be able to jump with confidence.

How to Tell a Beginner Horse

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For the novice rider or someone that is new to horses, it’s important to know what sort of behavior you should see out of a horse that is suitable for beginners.   A quiet horse that is suitable for beginners is usually a gelding (a neutered male horse). Although you can find mares (female horses) that are good beginner horses, mares typically are a little less agreeable and have a mind of their own. Stallions are out of the question for the beginner as they require a great deal of skill and knowledge to handle safely.

Another key aspect to a good beginner horse is age. For the rank beginner, it’s always a good idea to get on an older horse. Many people have the perception that they will “grow” with the horse.  Younger horses tend to be sensitive and being a prey animal with strong survival instincts, they are often quite reactive and the beginner might inadvertently give them the wrong cues, creating a reaction that is both frightening and dangerous. When we talk about age, the general rule of thumb is anything that is over 10 years of age.  There are those that would argue that their 4 year old is dead quiet, but he just simply doesn’t have the exposure and experience of a 10 year old. Ten years old is, in my opinion, the minimum age of a horse that is probably going to be safe for a beginner to get on. However, in most cases the older the better. Older horses are often discounted but they are worth their weight in gold in terms of giving the new rider confidence and creating a pleasurable experience.

The next thing you want to look for is the behavior of the horse itself. Is he holding his head high? Is he snorting and looking around in a nervous fashion? Is he antsy while being tacked up? A good beginner horse is going to stand quietly and keep his head level with or below his shoulders. His demeanor should be one of being overall calm and complacent. Nervous and high strung horses will be more concerned with the environment around them. They will have often have a wide eyed expression and hold their head high.

Most lesson barns have horses that are suitable for beginners to learn to ride on. If you are new to horses and riding it’s important to take lessons with a qualified instructor before considering buying your own. Once you have some lessons under your belt and you want to own your own horse, work with your instructor to help you select an appropriate horse for your level of riding skill. Approaching horse ownership in this way will insure a successful relationship between you and your horse.

What Does a Beginner Rider Need

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The only thing you need as a beginner rider is a helmet and paddock boots with a slight heel. There are many on the market that are reasonably priced.  Paddock boots come up to the ankle and provide protection for your foot both in and out of the saddle. This way your foot stays in position in the stirrup and your feet are protected should a horse step on you while working around them on the ground.  If you are starting out, the facility where you are taking lessons should have all of the other necessary equipment including all tack and grooming supplies.  In fact a good first lesson is one of simply learning to groom the horse and how to tack him up. Some lesson barns have the horse saddled up and ready to go.  Make sure you ask if you will be learning how to groom and tack up. If you are ever going to own your own horse, this information is vital and you need to know how to do it.

Admitting Limitations

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For the timid rider, being around those that seem absolutely fearless can make them feel insecure and inept.  The fearless or gutsy rider likes to point out that they are on the craziest animal on four legs. My response? Good for you!!!  Being older, I’m not into to taking stupid risks for the sake of showing off or to prove a point. I could simply care less that you can jump a 4 foot oxer on a bat shit crazy horse and win first place. Sorry, that just ain’t my gig.  My interest in riding and being around horses is one of pleasure riding and  relaxing. At my age, the adrenaline rush holds no magic for me and I could honestly give a shit. I’ve got way too many responsibilities that no one else is going to take care of if I get hurt.

If you find yourself in this situation be proud of the fact that you are smart and know your limitations. It’s people that are goaded into doing something beyond their capability that are going to get hurt and the person that goaded you into it isn’t going to pay your bills or give a damn if you’re laid up for months because of an injury.  With these people, I usually turn it on them and ask them if I can forward the bills to them while I’m recovering. I have no shame in the fact that I can’t ride like that. That’s the key.  There is nothing wrong with not being able to jump or perform advanced dressage and anyone that belittles you or makes snide comments about it have their own issues. Often times they won’t verbalize what they’re really thinking and yet everything about them is saying “You’re a wimp”. This is where you have to have the back bone to simply not care. By making it clear that you don’t respect their opinion, you’re taking their power to make you feel inferior away from them. Without attention, these people lose their punch. Simply ignoring or avoiding them is the best course of action. However if you find them unavoidable, don’t engage in their conversation. Just smile and nod. If you don’t feed their appetite for superiority they will move on to someone else.

Learning to Ride A Horse

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I’ve seen a lot of stuff online lately that I just find scary. There are many books out there that claim to be able to teach you how to ride simply by reading them. Now, I’m not opposed to anyone reading to gain knowledge that will help them better understand some of the concepts that their instructor may being trying to teach them, however, the only way you’re going to really learn how to ride is by taking lessons from a competent riding instructor.  Many people who know nothing about horses or riding make the big mistake of buying a horse and then watching their dream of horse ownership turn into a nightmare. They usually end up with a horse that is way beyond their ability and the horse is then left in a field not being worked with and becoming even more unruly.  Learning to ride comes through “feel” and you need to be on a horse that is suitable for someone who’s just learning as well as have an experienced eye on the ground guiding you so that you know that if what you’re feeling is right or wrong. There have been some lucky people that have embarked on their horsemanship journey without the aid of a professional and everything has turned out ok. However, these scenarios are few and far between.

If you want to learn how to ride then don’t take shortcuts. Find a qualified instructor who specializes in the discipline of your choice and make your introduction to riding and horses a pleasant one.

Horse Shows – It’s About the Kids Isn’t It?

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After having recently attended a horse show in which my daughter was riding I noticed something that I hadn’t really paid much attention to before. Horse show parents.  We’ve all heard of stage moms of 5 year olds competing in beauty pageants or a dad that starts a fist fight at a little league baseball game, but it never occurred to me before that equestrian parents can be just as bad.  This is the parent who is living vicariously through their son or daughter and feels the need to make the show about themselves.  I view the horse shows as a way for my daughter to get objective feedback on her horse and her riding and of course to have fun while doing it. I’ve always emphasized good sportsmanship and that there are going to be good days and bad days.

On a hot summer day, if the show officials have made jackets optional (and it’s a small local show) then for the love of god why would you force your child to wear a jacket in steaming temperatures?  Or, if your child doesn’t do well at a particular show, how about you don’t react in an immature and pouty manner?  I’ve actually witnessed some parents throw hissy fits when their child doesn’t come in the ribbons. This negative attitude carries over to children where showing is only about the ribbons and not the experience.  Many of these children treat the horse as a machine and a means with which to garner attention with little or no thought to the welfare of the horse.  And this my friends, is how the adult horse show divas are created.  They are programmed from an early age that they are superior and how they treat others and their horses are second to the winning of a ribbon.

What they don’t realize is, that if they are competing at local shows they are not going to get anywhere to the level needed to compete in the Olympics, and yet they still present themselves as prospective Olympic riders. The rest of us are realistic and know that the local shows are fun and nothing more than another activity with which to have fun with horses.

If you are relatively new to horses and decide you want to compete, always practice good sportsmanship whether you win or lose. This will give you a reputation of a pleasant person to be around and no one will be avoiding you at the next show.

Beware The Screaming Harpie

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As an avid reader of the Fugly Blog, I couldn’t agree more with one of her recent posts regarding rabid trainers that do nothing but scream while you’re on the horse.  I thought this would be a good opportunity to mention that if you are new to riding and you’re on the horse and the instructor isn’t paying attention or worse just barking orders at you without explaining concepts or why you need to do something, run as fast as you can.  They are quite frankly ripping you off and you won’t learn a thing if your instructor is texting friends or talking to someone else on the sidelines.  It’s also important that your riding instructor knows your goals.  If you have no intention of competing and would just like to improve your riding, then make sure that he or she knows this.  Even if you want to compete, make sure that your instructor also understands that you don’t have Olympic aspirations.  As posted on the Fugly Blog, most of us want to have fun when riding and we aren’t going to train 5-6 hours a day.  Hell, most of us don’t have that kind of time with work and family. This is particularly true in the case of older riders that are either just starting out or returning to riding.  Does the instructor honestly think we’re competing in a world cup qualifier?  That being said, you do have to have realistic expectations for the amount of time you can spend in the saddle.  You’ll have to accept that you’re going to take a longer amount of time to reach certain goals if you can only ride once a week.  As long as you’re ok with that, then the instructor should be too.

Whatever you want your riding to be, make sure that you are getting what you pay for. If the instructor is nothing more than a screaming harpie, then move on. It’s time to change the attitude of the horse professional so that they understand that if they were a nicer person to be around, then their students would to spend more time at the barn and riding in general.

Horse Shows – Are We Having Fun Yet?

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If you are interested in competing and you are close to going to your first horse show, there’s some things you can do to minimize the stress of the day.  I think to really enjoy a horse show you sort of need to know why you want to show in the first place.  Once you know what it is that’s motivating you, you’ll be able to gear your experience toward that end. There are those that are competitive, those that use it as a social outlet and those that simply want an objective opinion of their horse or their riding.  I fall into the third category, and although I would like to win, winning is more of a reflection of how well me and my horse are doing as opposed to me being better than someone else. If you’re using a show as a social outlet, then you are spending a lot of money to socialize, but hey who am I to judge. The more serious competitor is more of an athlete and is someone who takes shows very seriously. When warming up they are hyper focused and often aren’t too talkative until after their ride.

Regardless of which category you fall into, the best way to avoid stress and friction is to make sure all equipment is in its place, clothing is clean and ready to go and you get plenty of rest and are on time. When you arrive at the show grounds, you are already going to be a bit nervous, particularly if it’s your first show. Any added stress of not having everything you need is just going to make things fall apart once you enter the ring. Being on time is critical so you don’t feel rushed and exasperated. Your horse is only going to pick up on this which again, will make things go sideways.  This can be particularly stressful if you have a trainer that gripes at you for it. Be ready and be on time.

If you suffer from show nerves, the only real way to get over it is to do it a few times.  Having performance anxiety can often lead to mistakes or tension which won’t add to the ride. If you are worried about what other people think, just bear in mind that they have all had their own mishaps at a horse show, so if you fall off or make a mistake, you’re in good company. It might not feel that way at the time, but you’ll only improve the more you do it.  The most important aspect of any horse show is to have fun and learn from what does and doesn’t go well.

Horse People are Crazy

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You’ve undoubtedly heard this before along with the thought that if you don’t know any crazy horse people look out because it’s probably you.  I tend to think this is because those that love horses are passionate about them. At the end of the day we all have the horse’s best interest at heart. Now we all know that this can lead to heated debates and sometimes outright animosity. I think the best way to get along with your fellow horses lovers is simply live and let live and respect their right to enjoy  horses in a manner that works for them. Provided that the horse is well cared for and not abused, there’s no need to nit pick.

As an example, I’m not a big fan of chiropractors on people let alone on horses. Now that being said there are those that will swear by them. If someone chooses to have an equine massage therapist or chiropractor come out and work on their horse and the horse is none the worse for wear, it’s none of my business, period.  I can still be friends with these people even though we might disagree on this point. I won’t brow beat them and tell them what a waste of money I think it is. This is how feelings of resentment and malcontent get started.  The sense of being better than others is rampant in the horse world and is often the start of barn drama. I’m really at a point where I think all of this ridiculousness needs to stop.  I frequent equine forums and it never fails to amaze me how someone will admit to offering unsolicited advice and then can’t figure out why it was not well received.  Again, if a horse isn’t in any danger, there’s no need to push your attitudes and opinions onto others.

Conversely, if you post on a forum asking for advice and you post pictures of your horse clearly showing signs of neglect, don’t expect everyone to roll out the welcome rug for you. This is particularly true if you become defensive when someone points out that your horse is underweight or needs a veterinarian visit and you just simply refuse to do it. I’m not by any stretch of the imagination suggesting that we should let people abuse or neglect horses, but simply let people be so that we can all enjoy our horses and stop this holier than thou silliness.

If you see a newbie clearly struggling with a behavioral problem, you can politely offer to help. This doesn’t mean immediately jumping all over them and telling them that they’re wrong. It just simply means offering them assistance and telling them what worked for you in the same situation. If they don’t seem receptive to you helping, then let it go. You aren’t the self professed equine savior and some people are only going to learn by getting hurt. The key to being someone that others trust and look up to is knowing when to offer help and when to leave well enough alone. As in all things, balance is the key and those that feel the need to force their opinions on others will find the world a lonely place to be.

Enjoying Horses Takes More Than Fairy Dust

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Most adults who have returned to riding or are parents of a child that’s enamored of horses comes into the horse world with the attitude of magical horsies and rainbows.  Hollywood has often reinforced this belief with movies depicting a horse saving its owner’s life or facing extreme adversity to be reunited with its owner.  Although we would all like to think these scenarios are true, the reality is that a horse is a 1000 lb animal that can cause serious damage if he wants to and most of the time he has his own agenda.  Horses are different than dogs and should be taught to respect personal space and to move away from pressure. This helps to keep the person handling them in a safer place. Most people who have serious issues with horses have either bought a horse that was unsuitable for their skill level, or have let a quiet suitable horse get away with murder. Either one of these scenarios results in a pushy dangerous horse that is no fun to be around.

In the case of the unsuitable horse, your best option is to put the horse in training with a knowledgable trainer.  Even then, he may not be compatible with your riding or confidence level. Many of these horses perform great for experienced riders, but quickly take advantage of those timid less experienced riders. If you can’t overcome the issues while working with a trainer, the best thing would be to sell him and ask the trainer to find you a more appropriate mount.

If you bought a horse that was deemed good for beginners and now suddenly he’s acting up and you are afraid to ride him, you might want to look at what you’re telling the horse with your body language and actions. Horses learn very quickly who’s in charge and what they can get away with. Newbies who are intimidated and allow the horse to pull them around very quickly teach the horse that he’s the one in charge.  Don’t be afraid to give the horse a verbal reprimand or a tap with a crop if necessary. Horses will pick up on your lack of confidence immediately and use it to their advantage. If you find that the horse loses their pleasant attitude and you are unable to maintain control, then you might consider that this horse is not suitable after all.  Finding a suitable horse is not so much about training as it is about attitude and compatibility with the rider.  There are many horses that will safely pack a kid around but really turn it on for more experienced riders. As a general rule, horses that are less sensitive are more suitable for beginner riders. In some cases, a horse that you don’t get along with could be the best horse possible for someone else.

Not matter what type of horse you have, coddling them and letting them walk all over you is both dangerous and unfair to the horse. Horses, like children, need boundaries and are happiest when the rules are clear.  When your horse knows what’s expected of him he can react accordingly which leads to a happier relationship with your horse.