Horse riding is an excellent form of exercise and you will no doubt love going out on the trail to enjoy some time on horseback. Like any sport, those who ride horses can improve their skills over time, which allows them to take on longer, more challenging rides. Here are some ways you can become a better rider. (Image Credit: Ivy Son/Pexels)
Working on Your Horse’s Behavior
One way you can improve your overall riding skills is to work on your horse’s behavior. No matter how good your own horse riding skills are, if your horse is showing negative behaviors, it’s going to be difficult to identify problems with your own technique and ensure you’re doing things properly. It’s worth having some sessions with a horse trainer such as those from Downunder Horsemanship to get tailored, one-on-one advice on improving your horse’s behavior.
Improving your horse’s behavior can also make them more pleasant to ride, which will encourage you to take them on longer, more challenging trails.
Advice From Other Riders Can Help
Working with more experienced riders can be a good way of improving your skills. When you visit the riding stables, try to make friends with riders who have been there a while and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Most people who love horses are friendly and help each other out.
Some stables offer lessons for those who want to improve their techniques and this can also be helpful as it corrects any sloppy behaviors you may have developed. It’s worth considering if you haven’t taken lessons in a while.
General Fitness Improves Your Riding Ability
Horse riding is hard, physical work, so if you want to be a better rider, it pays to get fitter in general. There are lots of strength training techniques for horse riders that you can follow and even workouts tailored to riders who want better posture and strong legs.
Other exercises that can be good for riders include:
- Yoga
- Pilates
- Legs, bums and tums workouts, or similar programs that focus on core strength
- General cardio
The fitter you are, the longer and more challenging the rides you can take on.
Vary the Trails You Take
You learn by being challenged, so if you take your horse on the same trails and routes all the time, you simply won’t push yourself to the next level. Check out some of the best riding trails in California, or ask local riders for suggestions. This can also make horse riding a lot more fun and encourage you to work on your skills and perfect them.
Becoming a better horse rider is not something that happens overnight. It’s important to work on your general fitness and toning to give you the stamina for longer rides and to constantly challenge yourself by trying new things. If your horse is stabled, then this is usually a good place to meet other riders and get tips on how to improve your skills and take things to the next level.