Common Horse Riding Beginner Mistakes

Humans have been riding horses for thousands of years, and much like dogs, horses have become trusted companions to us, and have been a vital part of our history. But no one inherently knows how to hop on a horse and start riding straight away, and it’s something that a person needs to learn over time.

Part of the experience is also making mistakes; not only are they invaluable in terms of learning, but they can also give the rider the chance to pass on what they’ve learnt. Here we will look at some of the most common mistakes made by all beginner horse riders, whether they’re doing it for fun, or looking to start taking it to a professional level at one point or another.

Ill-Fitted Tack

Putting tack and other gear on a horse is a learned practise, meaning that it’s fairly common for beginner riders to not properly fit tack to their horse. This makes things extremely uncomfortable for the horse, which can sometimes spell disaster for the inexperienced rider.

Horses need to be calm and comfortable throughout the experience, so it’s always worth taking the extra time to ensure that everything is fitted properly, and that the horse isn’t uncomfortable or in pain of any kind. This can also potentially lead to long-term health issues for the horse, something that should be avoided as much as possible.

Being Impatient

A horse is a living, breathing animal with its own personality, wants and dislikes. And much like other people, often the key to success is practising good patience. Horses can sense when they are being pushed around against their will, and it makes the experience more uncomfortable for both rider and animal but can also lead to injury if not taken into account.

Horses should always be approached with as much patience as possible, and it’s better by far to start off things as slowly as possible in order to build up adequate trust with the animal. This will lead to better training in the long run and may be helpful when presented with a horse that has some behavioural problems.

Not Remembering The Basics

The basics of horse riding are the fundamental rules about the exercise that all riders need to learn at one point or another. But as they become more proficient with riding, they will often find themselves forgetting about the more basic rules, and then making mistakes.

The basic rules should always be practised, regardless of how experienced a rider is. Similar to playing casino games for real money, always keeping the basics in mind means avoiding otherwise amateur mistakes that can set a person back significantly.

Not Taking Care of Gear

The tack that a horse wears while riding tends to be fairly expensive to source, and not maintaining it means that those expenses will continue to rise. This is why it’s highly recommended to take the time and maintain the tack as often as possible. Not only will it be better for financial reasons, but it will also be more comfortable for the horse.

Tags: horse riding mistakes