Bernadette Kelly
Horse sense
If you're a beginner to horses and riding but really want to learn there are a few basic points which may help you to enjoy your time around horses and help you and the horse to stay safe and happy.
Even a small pony is a large animal and much stronger than you, so learning to be safe around horses is a must.
A horse has a mind of its own and can react in unpredictable ways.
A horse is not a machine. It can think and feel and needs to be treated with kindness and respect.
Horses can learn bad habits just as quickly as they can learn good ones. The rider is the person who teaches the horse so make sure you teach him the right way. If you don't know what that is, then get someone who knows about horses to help you.
A frightened horse is a dangerous horse so be sure you stay calm and keep your patience when around horses.
Imagine how you would feel about being pulled around by means of a steel bit in your mouth. Always ride with consideration for your horse and if you can avoid it, try to never cause him pain.
Just like us, a horse needs food for energy. The more you ride your horse, the more you need to be sure he is getting enough food for energy. If you can't afford to feed and care for your horse properly, then you shouldn't have him.
Overfeeding your horse is just as bad as underfeeding him. Refer to horse care tips on this site to find out a horse's basic needs.
Most times when things go wrong it is in some way the fault of the rider. This can be the case even when the rider doesn't know what they have done to cause the problem.
For your horse's sake, take every opportunity to learn. Ask questions, read books, observe what others do but remember that not all the advice you receive will be good advice. If you're not sure, get another opinion.
You could spend a lifetime learning about horses and still not know everything there is to know about them.
A happy, well trained horse is much more likely to obey its rider than an unhappy, frightened or inexperienced horse. Never punish your horse. After all, he is just being a horse. It is up to you to train him the right way and make sure he knows what is expected of him.
As a beginner you should never ride or handle horses alone. Children should always be under the supervision of an adult.
The best and safest way to learn to ride is under the guidance of a qualified instructor.