Riding a horse is a beautiful experience that brings horse and rider together in perfect harmony. As riders, understanding how to set your horse up for success is pivotal developing an harmonious relationship under saddle. Your horse is always talking to you, you just might not like what you hear or lack confidence in how to navigate the conversation to resolve the behaviour. Developing a deep sense of trust and respect for each other and a positive riding experience helps to create a relationship where the horse enjoys learning and asks to be ridden. We have identified 4 key pillars to establishing enthusiastic, consenting and congruent riding.

1. Balance is Key

One of the most crucial aspects of riding is maintaining a balance, both within the horse and the rider. This affect we have on the horses balance both on them carrying us and the application of the bit to the mouth is significantly unrecognised and results in not only a lot of the behavioural issues we see like bucking, bolting and rearing but also the long soundness issues like kissing spine, navicular disease and bridle lameness. Horses rely on the rider to be well-balanced to support their movements effectively. When you are balanced, your horse feels more at ease, allowing them to move with relaxation, swing and impulsion. Developing a stable lower leg and understanding how to balance over it minimises issues like balancing on the horses mouth and landing heavy on the horses back. These 2 lessons are the foundational work for everything else we do in the saddle. Without balance our horse is always trying to catch, lean or balance against us.

Check out the youtube video for how we teach this.

2. Trust and Respect

Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, and this holds true in your relationship with your horse. Horses are incredibly perceptive creatures, and they can sense your emotions and intentions. Earning your horse's trust and respect is a gradual process that involves consistent and patient interaction.

Approach your horse calmly and confidently, avoiding sudden movements or loud noises that might startle them. Respect their personal space and boundaries, understanding that each horse has its comfort zone. When your horse trusts you, they will be more willing to cooperate, making the ride smoother and more enjoyable for both of you.

While this may sound obvious it is something we forget as adults. When we have the to do list, the grocery list, the conversation with the boss swirling around in our head as we approach our horse the see the angst, frustration and irritation radiating from us. They say no thank you! Find your internal sanctuary before engaging with your horse will guarantee you a more harmonious ride. And if you can’t find it, just spend time hanging out with your horse. They are more than happy to help us find it when we don’t come in with an agenda.

3. Clear Communication

Horses communicate primarily through body language and respond well to clear and concise cues from their rider. Your horse wants you to be a confident and effective communicator during the ride. They often require way more direction than the rider gives to have confidence to move with relaxation, swing and impulsion. Quite often when I’m teaching I will see the horses looking to me unsure what to do. This is a great cue to me that the rider isn’t doing enough to communicate to the horse what they want from them and reminder that not all resistance is work evasion. A lot of it is simply confusion. Other ways it shows up is as the horse jacking up, napping and refusing to move, the speed getting faster and faster until the horse is out of control, spooking seemingly out of nowhere and the horse actively evading and doing things like running into the walls or trees.

It is important to develop a layering and a mental scaffolding for you and the horse as we teach in the holistic horse rider program for how you will combine the aids in complexity to move up the training scale. For example, how does your horse differentiate between a halt aid, half halt and a frame aid? This needs to be strategically developed because your horse doesn’t just innately know, someone has to teach them and the can’t read the text book!

4. Regular Breaks and Care

While a lot of us want to go fast, jump high and gallop through the paddock with the wind blowing through your hair, the slow work is crucial for you and your horses success. This is where we do the cuing and language building to create that mental scaffolding for the horse and rider to develop more complex aids. This is where the horse learns to organise its body better for turns and lateral movements. This is where the rider returns to organise their balance, coordination and communication. We can also use these walk breaks to mark task achievement for our horse so that they are more willing to effort again.

Why would your horse want to perform at their best effort? When we are looking at endurance and stamina we are looking at a lower energy expense over a longer period of time versus maximum efforts to build more muscle to hold the body with more integrity. We are looking to balance the 2. We don’t want the horse to be so exhausted it can’t hold its body well because it will break down in to compensatory movement patterns and inevitable go lame. Every time you do a half halt should be a squat effort for your horse and every time you allow to stretch, pick up into contact and go into an upward transition, grid or pole work should be a like a push up. We are looking to isolate and build specific muscle groups in training as well as cross train for endurance and stamina, suppleness and strength.

After the ride, take the time to groom and care for your horse. Grooming not only helps maintain their coat and health but also fosters a deeper connection between you and your equine companion. It's a perfect opportunity to check for any signs of discomfort or injury and address them promptly.

Being in tune with your horse's needs while riding is the key to a successful and enjoyable partnership. By being balanced, building trust, communicating effectively, and caring for your horse's well-being, you create a positive and rewarding riding experience for both of you. Remember that every horse is unique, so take the time to understand your horse's individual preferences and personality. This understanding will strengthen your bond and lead to many unforgettable rides together.

So, next time you saddle up, keep these four things in mind, and you'll be amazed at the difference it makes in your horse's happiness and your overall riding experience.