How Do I Steer a Horse?

The first answer to this question is usually "With the reins, duh," but it's more complicated than that. Yes, most horses have been taught to follow their noses around, so if you pull on the reins, you pull their nose in the direction you want to go. But what about the rest of the horse? Or those horses that neck rein? That's where your legs come in to play. By using your legs when you ride, you can control the hip, barrel, and shoulder of your horse, not just the horse's head and neck. This allows the rider to be much more precise in the directions he or she is giving. Move your leg a little bit forward to push the front end around, a little bit back to move the hind end, ect. It's called body control, and is very important in today's performance horse. But it isn't just for people who show, or compete. If you've ever wanted to open a gate from horseback, or pick something up off the fence, or keep your horse straight while crossing an obstacle, you'll have a much easier time of it if you can control each portion of your horse's body. How do you do that? By using your legs as well as your hands to direct the horse. Sounds complicated? Don't think you're that coordinated? Practice, practice, practice. Take a few lessons. Have your horse tuned up a bit. Think about what your legs should be doing every time you move your hands. It's hard at first, but consistency is one of the keys to training, and by doing something exactly the same, at the same time, every time, it will become second nature for you and your horse.

Training Tenets

These are the things I keep in mind while training:

• Every time you interact with a horse, you are training it. Be conscious of this.
• Horses are incredibly good at reading body language. The horse is sizing you up from the moment you enter the pen or stall, trying to decide whether or not they have to respect and listen to you.
• Frightened horses don’t think, they react. You can’t train on a scared horse.
• A broke horse is a broke horse, no matter what the disciple. They should all be soft in the face and sides, balanced at all gaits, and exhibit a calm, willing attitude.
• The first 30 days of riding forms the foundation of the horse’s education for the rest of their life. Done correctly, it makes everything you teach them later in life easier. Screw it up, and you’ll spend the next several months or years trying to fix the bad habits they’ve learned.

Riding Lessons

Has your child been bugging you about wanting a horse or pony for Christmas? Not sure that they are ready for the responsibility, or have the skills necessary to ride and take care of such a large animal? Get them started in a riding lesson program instead. He or she will learn the skills necessary to ride and take care of a horse, spend time in an athletic endeavor, and be out of your hair for a little while. Even if they've ridden a little with grandparents, cousins, or friends, they will learn a lot more and be better equipped to deal with horses and ponies after spending time learning from a qualified instructor. Don't buy a horse on impulse, only to find out that it's more trouble than fun.