subject: Horseback Riding Tips For Beginners: Motivating The Lazy Horse [print this page] Before their first lesson, new riders are often afraid of their horses bolting into the blue. But the usual problem during horseback riding for beginners is the opposite: the horse is hard to get going.
A newbie hasn't developed the strength in their legs to effectively motivate a sluggish horse and the whole situation can leave the rider feeling frustrated and powerless. All the inexperienced rider feels he can do is kick and hope that the massive horse decides it wants to go for a walk.
Teaching new riders how to goad the horse with the legs is not the purpose of horseback riding lessons, but what can be done concerning the issue of laziness in the horse?
Possible Reasons for Laziness
Before you can motivate your horse you should try to figure out why he is feeling so lazy. If your horse is accustomed to spending hours each day with unbalanced and inexperienced riders on his back, he may have learned to "switch off" or block out the commands of student riders.
Being overweight, a frequent and obvious cause of lethargy, or having feed or health issues are additional reasons that a horse may evidence laziness. Should you be the owner of the horse, investigate the potential source of the issue and determine how you can increase his energy level.
How to Wake Up a Lazy Horse
Take a short whip to your horseback riding lessons, being sure not to hit your equine buddy inadvertently with it.
Ask your horse to start off at a walk with quiet legs and should he fail to do so, emphasize your request with a sharp jab of your heels. If that prompts him to move on, rub his neck and say "good boy."
Should he fail to respond appropriately, poke him on his shoulder as you apply your legs. It should not be necessary to hit him on his rump, but should you have to, make it a single, quick reinforcement of your leg aid.
Walk for half the length of the arena, then halt. Ask for walk again, repeating the above procedure until he walks off smartly. Continue this exercise until you can merely brush his sides with your legs for him to move energetically into walk. Praise him when he responds immediately.
Now ask him to transition into trot from walk, using the same methods as from halt to walk. By now the horse should be listening to you and respecting your aids. If at any time he 'forgets,' reinforce your aids with a swift tap of the whip.
Consistency is very important in teaching your horse to do as you bid the first time you ask. After this relationship is established you and the horse will build a partnership based on trust and respect that will be fun and exciting for both of you.
