When it comes to confidence in the saddle, there's no substitute for experience. If you don't spend lots of hours in the saddle, you can't expect yourself to get better. Gaining knowledge, owning knowledge, and applying that knowledge in practice is a huge part of becoming confident in the saddle. But you must put in the time to gather the knowledge in the first place.
It's a great time to be involved with horses today, because there are so many opportunities to gather knowledge. We live in an information age. You can go to clinics, and online resources and training videos are available at your fingertips. (Visit HorseandRider.com and On Demand.HorseandRider.com for more training resources.) There's this wonderful free flow of information within the professional horse community and the tools are available for you to use. You just have to reach out and find them.
Find Your Match
Before you even start to work on your confidence in the saddle, you need to make sure you're well-matched with your horse. The best way to build confidence is by spending a lot of time riding your horse. If your horse is too green, or needs a more advanced rider, you're not going to be very successful in the saddle.
This story is from the Winter 2022 edition of Horse and Rider.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the Winter 2022 edition of Horse and Rider.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Horseback High
Riding vacations can be found around the world, and here are five bucket list rides in the United States
JOIN THE CLUB!
Riding clubs of all forms can be found across the country. What should you look for when choosing—or starting—a club of your own? We asked three club leaders to share their insights
Help Is (Sometimes) Only a Phone Call Away!
Do you depend on over-the-phone advice from your veterinarian? Here's what you need to know about telehealth to help you understand what you can, and can't, expect
REPLACING FEAR WITH CURIOSITY
Horses have both flight and investigative behaviors but not at the same time. Learn how to help your horse switch to curiosity when his flight instincts kick in, and how to put the brakes on when he's already gone
Ranch Riding Mares
Evaluate and place these performance mares. Then see how your choices compare to our expert judge's.
An Empty Stall
The loss of a horse leads to a new landscape of managing emotions and moving forward
Strengthen Your Mental Game
Prepare your mind for peak performances with your horse by implementing these tips from reining trainer Shane Brown
Burning Off the Fresh
Whether your horse has gone unridden due to a health problem, the weather, or your schedule, a thoughtful process can keep everyone safe during his return to work
Return to Exercise Slowly
If you’ve been turned out to pasture for a while, as the result of injury or just a busy life, return to exercise in a safe and steady way
Ground Tying for Ranch Trail
There are many reasons to teach your horse how to safely ground tie