Is horse riding hard?

Question

I'm going to start horse back riding this weekend and I wondering if it's really hard. And does anyone have any good tips?

Answer 1

It takes a lot of practice. I thought I would be able to ride imediately, but it actually took several lessons to undestand what I was supposed to do. My tips are:
1. Keep your back straight, don't lean forward.
2. Keep your legs as far down as you can, don't bend them upwards.
3. Keep your hands low and steady, near the saddle, (think that you are holding 2 glasses of water that are on the saddle and they must not be spilt), don't pull them up or move them as you move, because you will be hurting the horse insetad of leading it. We don't use the reins to hold on for balance.
4. Squeeze your legs on the horse's body. Don't squeeze the thighs, but the low part of the leg, from the knee down, without bringing it upwards,
5. Keep your heels down, your toes towards the horse as much as you can, and keep the toes on the stirrup, not the entire foot.
6. Enjoy yourself, build a relation with your horse, and think of what you want to do, look at where you want to go, show the horse you are confident.

Answer 2

It isn't all that hard to stay on the horse, make it stop, go, etc.(especially when the horse is a school horse has been doing this forever). It IS hard to become a GOOD rider, in any discipline. A trainer told me once that people should work towards having "good" hands, then "educated" hands. Good hands are hands that don't interfere with the horse. Educated hands are hands that help the horse. It's the same thing for you. You want to start off just being a passenger and not interfering, then as you get better you learn to help the horse.
As a beginner, the biggest thing you need to remember is to KEEP YOUR HEELS DOWN! Listen to your trainer. They are there to help YOU personally, and can probably give much better assistance than a bunch of people online.

Answer 3

No, it's not hard- all you have to do is climb on and steer! Being a good rider is so much harder, takes a lot of practise and patience and time, but is truly worth all of the effort when you and your horse work in perfect harmony and you swear that you can read your horse's mind and know what he is thinking, and are sure he can read your mind too and anticipate your next command.


So yes, riding is hard, but it's also easy at the same time (all horse riders out there will surely know what I mean). Good luck with the riding lessons.

Answer 4

Well yes and no, it depends on how serious you are. If you're just going to go to a tacked up horse, and sit there and not listen to the trainer than sure, it's easy as heck. But if you really get into it, ask how to tack up, how to groom, types of horses, colors, all riding techniques then it can become difficult. The only reason it's really hard is because it's such a big sport, theres so many aspects to it.
BTW, what are you going to do? Regular English, or Western?

Answer 5

I have been a horse owner and used to teach classes for new horse owners. The best advice I can give you is the rules are there for a reason. Learn and listen to every single rule about how to act around a horse, how to tighten the saddle, etc. This will avoid injury and surgery or worse. I had two accidents on horseback, and both were from operator error. Once I didn't tighten the saddle enough (because I was just going around the yard and didn't think it was necessary).
Also, remember, if the horse begins to get away from you, do not react by holding on tight with your legs. This is the "gas pedal", and it just tells the horse to speed up, so if you are pulling on the reins saying "whoa", but you are also hanging on for dear life with your legs, you're telling the horse "go, no stop, no go, no stop" and it makes for one confused equine!
Horses are awesome animals, but never forget they are large and you can get hurt by not respecting basic horsemanship rules. Good luck to you.

Answer 6

It can be hard, but if you're just starting you won't be jumping straight into the hard stuff. Just keep calm, that's what matters the most, trust me. If you're scared or angry you'll get into trouble, the horse can tell and it will make your riding worse, those two things make for a disastrous combination.

Keep the stirrups on the balls of your feet, be careful not to let your feet slip through too far because it throws off your balance and you can get stuck if you fall. Arch your back just a little bit, picture sticking your butt out but bringing your shoulders back over it at the same time and sticking your chest out (Like Dolly Parton, my trainer would say). Don't go too far though and make it awkward.

Keep your heels down and toes just slightly out, make sure not to lean too far forward as that's a sign to GO, and you don't want that if you're a beginner. It also throws off your balance.

Other than that, just enjoy it and listen to your trainer, don't argue.

Answer 7

Like learning anything new, pay attention to learning the fundamentals. When you have a good foundation it'll be easier to become a good rider. Spend some time getting to know horses from the ground, watch their behavior, learn to groom and tack. Be patient with yourself and the horse you're riding. Initially, the horse will probably know a lot more than you do so relax and listen to your instructor. Have fun.

Answer 8

I was riding a horse by the time I was 7 before that I had a pony. It's just always been second nature to me, it's just something that comes naturally. I did have to learn though that you have to believe you are in control. My horse totally controlled me when I was younger, and after not seeing him for a while, I can ride him now even when he doesn't want to be ridden. It's a great feeling knowing that you can control something that is strong enough to kill you. Horses are great!!!

Answer 9

Do you love horse? If yes, horse-riding will be very easy to you. It is my passion since I'm nine year old and I can assure you, horse-riding is fun... at the beginning it is easy, especially if you can keep your back straight and sit properly on the horse... but the more you know, the hardest it is... you want to become perfect and you know what to do, but sometimes you just can't... especially for dressage...
Be prepared in the future to fall down... but this is part of the training and of course be well prepared and have the right equipment for your own safety.... respect at all the time the animal and think for his well-being. You will love it!

Answer 10

Its just like riding a bike, once you get your balance and you know how to handle it then you will never forget! Although the only thing thats hard is being prepared for the unexpected with a horse:) BUt practice does make perfect, you got to start somewhere:)