Riding a horse can be a very intimate and enjoyable experience, but not all people continue riding after their initial lessons. You can explore more options for Oahu area here: http://horsebackridingoahu.com/ To enjoy horse riding, it is essential that you are aware of all the elements involved when riding a horse. This extends beyond sitting on the horse to managing the horse, mounting the horse, and even learning new terminology. This article will provide information on what you can expect riding a horse for the first time.
1. Being Assigned A Horse
When approaching their first riding lesson, many students wonder what type of horse they will be assigned and what they are expected to accomplish during the lesson. If you have not encountered horses in the past, it is understandable that you will experience some anxiety regarding the intended mount. Reputable riding schools know that fear, anxiety, and inexperience are a terrible combination; therefore, they tend to assign new riders the older, semi-retired, easy-going horses for their first lesson.
Just as you are anxious during a first lesson, the horses in the stable can be anxious of new faces. This is one of the reasons why you should remain courteous to fellow riders and their horses when participating in a horse back riding lesson. Do not make any sudden movements and turn off your cell phone. It may be tempting, but try not to take any pictures without warning the riders or stablemen. Horses can be photosensitive, so you should ask instructors if taking photographs is permitted.
2. Entering And Leading The Horse From The Stall
In some cases, the instructor may ask you to lead your horse from the stall into the arena. This is a fun task, but there are specific considerations to make when performing the activity. Firstly, you must remember that the horse should be facing you when you enter the stall and not have his or her tail to you. If the horse has their tail to you, they may be upset or sad, and as a new rider, you probably do not know how to deal with this situation.
The majority of riding schools will have a horse tacked and ready to go before a beginner lesson; therefore, you should be able to lead the horse from the stall easily. Before leading a horse into the aisle of the barn, it is essential that you call “heads up” to ensure you do not crash into anyone else who may be going down the aisle.
3. Entering The Area
Once you enter the area, you should lead the horse into the center of the arena and turn the horse to the in-gate. Horses facing the in-gate are not surprised by other horses and are less likely to become startled. You must hold the horse with the reins below his or her chin.
4. Mounting The Horse
DO NOT mount the horse until you have been instructed to by your horse riding teacher. This is important for two reasons – the first is that you need to be shown how to mount a horse correctly, and the second is that the instructor needs to check all the equipment has been properly placed on the horse. If either of these tasks is done incorrectly, you could jeopardize the safety of you and the horse.
During an initial lesson, the instructor may offer you a ‘leg up’ to mount the horse or have you mount using a mounting block. Either way, mounting will typically be done from the left side by placing your left foot into the left stirrup and swinging your right leg over the saddle to place it into the right stirrup.
5. The Lesson
During the lesson, you will be taught how to sit on a horse and ride the animal correctly. In most cases, instructors will keep the horse in a circle around them so they can control where the horse goes. The average lesson lasts one hour and can be tiring.
Hope the information helps your horse back riding in Oahu.