It is fascinating to learn a new hobby. However, for perfection, you must practice the new thing you have learnt over time. Likewise, learning how to ride a horse is very interesting. However, there are numerous common mistakes new horse riders commit when learning how to ride.
This article gives the top mistakes new horse riders make and how to correct them.
Hands in the Air
Human beings use hands by instinct whenever they feel they are losing their balance to secure themselves. New horse riders usually find themselves lifting their hands up in the air leaving the reins for too long and hence losing control of the horse. In other instances, instead of making the reins shorter, new riders lift up their hands and lose authority.
You should always follow the horse’s movement with your seat and core. Make sure the reins are adjusted if they loosen. Lastly, keep the tension on the reins light and make sure your hands are at hip level.
Ramming Your Feet Into the Stirrups
Some riders have their feet rammed too far into the stirrups. This makes the rider uncomfortable; this is unsafe for new horse riders, especially if they don’t have safety stirrups or proper boots. You can fix this by adjusting the length of your stirrups. The right length should reach your ankle bone when your legs are hanging free. It is also essential to have good boots, and you could get them from Rieker Shoes, which will protect your feet. Lastly, make sure your legs are correctly positioned.
Gripping Tightly With Your Legs
To ride a horse, you need balance, not grip. Some riders clench with their legs when seated on the horse. This is dangerous because the horse can read it as a sign of telling it to move forward. Again, it makes the horse tense, and it can have an effect on its attitude.
To avoid this, after sitting in the saddle, you should allow your legs to hang freely. Your weight should be directed to your heels. Do not let your legs swing. Instead, make sure they are under you so that your ears are aligned to your shoulders and hips as well as heels.
Standing Tippy Toe
When new riders are learning to trot, they tend to stand on tiptoe. They try to lift themselves by standing on their tiptoes. When they do this, there is a probability of them falling behind the pace of the trot and double bouncing hard in the saddle. Their hands are likely to be lifted as they try to find balance, and this makes the rider unbalanced and the horse grumpy.
Your lower legs should be kept still to avoid this, and your feet should be under you as if you are standing with slightly bent knees. Using your core muscles will also help in trotting, rather than your feet.