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Horseback Riding Tips:
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Horseback Riding Tips:
Intermediate

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Horseback Riding Tips: Intermediate

Horseback riding can be lots of fun when the proper skills have been grasped and fully understood. Only with a solid foundation and strong base can a beginner horseback riding student move up to an intermediate level. Do not attempt to skip ahead or allow your instructor to teach you new techniques if you are not yet comfortable with the basics. This could lead to unneccessary falls and injury which should be avoided at all times. The following article will cover 6 intermediate horseback riding tips for the novice horseback rider. Please note that it is assumed that you already are familiar riding a horse and fully understand how to properly and safely mount a horse, how to control a rein and girth, and how to walk a horse and guide it to a hault. If not, please refer to the Horseback Riding Tips for Beginners article of this website.



1. As a novice horseback rider, you will probably be a little anxious to start moving the horse a little faster rather than the basic walking drills. Let us begin with a slow trot now which is double the time speed of a walk. Keep in mind that trotting can become a little bumpy which can lead you to sliding off your seat if you lose focus. Do not worry, take it one day at a time and try to maintain a slower trot at first.

2. In order to get your horse to trot, you need to squeeze the horse's side with your legs, much like getting it to walk only you squeeze a little bit harder. In trotting, the horse's hoofs will hit the floor 2 at a time instead of a 4 count when walking.

3. You will notice at first how much bump a trot will bring. Do not panic. Try to go with the movements of the horse by posting up and down in the saddle in perfect timing with the sounds of the hoofs. Try not to drop your weight so hard into the saddle as you bounce because this will only unsteady the horse and enable it to move forward as much. As a rule of thumb, pay attention to your horse's shoulders with trotting. You should attempt to rise up when the inside shoulder is inside the horse and sit when they are under it. It will take some time to adjust but as long as you practice and keep at it, you will be fine.

4. In order to slow the horse from a trot down to a walk, you simply sit back and gently pull back on the reins. It is almost like haulting the horse except you don't want it to come to a complete stop.

5. Always remember to continuosly build a relationship with your horse. You want the horse to trust you. Gently pet your horse on its back eveytime he obeys your commands and upon mounting and dismounting, take a moment to connect with the horse either by brushing its mane or petting its back.