subject: Becoming The Best Equestrian [print this page] Whether youre a seasoned rider or a late starting novice, you want to get the most out of your horse and be able to enjoy the experience as you grow in ability and knowledge. Yet surprisingly few riders have ever undertaken a comprehensive review of the best way to engage with their horse and understand the underlying tenets of animal psychology. Although, arguably, a lot of this is imparted during general riding lessons, there is still a wide amount of understanding that is not. Becoming the best equestrian takes time, patience and a great rapport with your mount, but getting to this point can often be achieved a lot more efficiently if you have a rudimentary understanding of how a horse is predisposed to learn and work. Indeed, for anyone whos seen the film The Horse Whisperer, youll appreciate the central importance of animal psychology when it comes to controlling a horse and getting it to do what you want precisely.
Sometimes also referred to as natural horsemanship, working with your horse in a relaxed and organic fashion is the best way to get them to properly bond with you as a rider not merely obeying your commands, but anticipating them. Indeed, there is a great amount of difference between a horse thats being controlled and one that truly understands. However, perhaps more significantly, the ability to build a strong bond of trust on natural horsemanship will head off any psychological problems further down the line. So, what exactly is natural horsemanship and how do you start?
One of the most important things to remember is that there is no one set of rules or techniques that will work best for you. Every horse is different, so its more a case of knowing the best approach and then adapting your method to match. This isnt something that can be learned in the space of a few weeks or even months. Indeed, the best natural horsemen take years developing their approach and spend many hundreds of hours working with a variety of horses to develop the type of skills necessary. However, that said, there are some basic approaches that will help you take your first tentative steps towards a more organic approach with your animal.
Perhaps the most important is to spend time with your horse before riding him. Knowing you horses disposition and the way they interact with you is important. Some animals are looking for leadership, which consequently requires a firmer approach. Others are more fearful, in which case its important to show that you know what youre doing and are fully in control. To find out more about the specific approaches to natural horsemanship, use your favourite search engine to find some of the many website dedicated to the practice.
