Bhuj Mounted Police Horse Riding Club.
• 1 Take riding lessons from a qualified teacher. Start with barn chores at a quality stable first, if there is one nearby, to become familiar with horses and to get used to being around them. Many stables are happy to have a volunteer. In return they might let you ride their horses, and you will become acquainted with the horses, their temperaments, and body language.
• 2
A good instructor or coach can make all the difference
Follow the instructor's guidance, and learn about all aspects of horsemanship, from putting tack on the horse, to cleaning and storing the tack when the ride is over.
• 3
Learn to properly groom the horse. This is important both in "bonding" with a horse, if you are fortunate enough to ride the same one regularly, and also gives you a chance to look the horse over for problems or injuries before and after a ride.
• 4
Feed and water the horse if you have opportunity, once again cementing a bond with the animal, earning its trust, and learning to trust it, as well. Many people are surprised, when they find themselves "up close, and personal," with a horse; with how large and powerful they truly are.
• 5
Learn the steps involved for a beginning rider. Actual horseback riding involves more than "hopping up" on the horse's back and galloping off into the sunset. The following is a checklist for preparing for a ride.
• Bring your tack out of the tack room, check it over to make sure it is clean and in good shape, with no holes or tears in the leather. Set it down, preferably on a rail, saddle rack, or stand. Ensure that it is out of the way of other riders.
• Catch or call your horse, and put on the halter. This is the leather or nylon harness that goes over the horse's head, and you will want to strap it tightly enough so it doesn't slip, but not tight enough to be uncomfortable for the horse. Ensure that it is completely on the horse's head; many an escaped horse could have been avoided had they simply ensured that the halter was on completely.
• 6
Lead the horse into the barn and attach the cross ties to the metal ring on the halter near the horses mouth. If there are two rings, the cross ties should be clipped to the metal loops on the sides, closest to the horse's mouth.
• Use the curry comb, dandy (hard) brush, and body (soft) brush, in that order. The curry comb should be used on the neck, body, and about halfway down the horse's legs, and likewise for the hard brush. The body brush is the only brush that should be used all the way down to the horse's hooves. Do not brush the horse's face; use a towel or a grooming glove on this area. Pick up the horse's hooves and use a hoof pick to clean out dirt and mud if they appear to be dirty. Pick them up from the side, never stand directly behind or in front of a horse's legs, for safety reasons.
• Standing on the horse's left side, slide the saddle blanket over the horse's back, with the front of the blanket just at the ridge of the front shoulders. Do this without sudden, jerking motions, as your horse may spook at any startling movement.
• Lift the saddle over the horse's back, letting the stirrups and girth (leather or other type of strap passing across the belly to secure the saddle) hang on the opposite side. Center the saddle on the horse, and check that the blanket is equally exposed beneath the saddle, with an inch or so showing all the way around. The blanket will help keep the saddle from slipping, and at the same time, keep the saddle from rubbing or binding on the horse, causing discomfort. If the girth is currently unattached, attach it to the saddle on the horse's right side. If only one side has elastic, this side should not yet be buckled onto the saddle. Ensure that the side in contact with the horse is smooth. Often, one side of the girth will have leather tabs sewn down to hold the buckles, while the other is smooth. These tabs must not be face down, as this may cause the horse to experience undue discomfort. Also, many saddles have three leather tabs to buckle the girth to, use the two outside leather tabs, ensuring that the middle tab runs beneath the girth and is not twisted or forming any sort of bump.
• Pull the girth (chest-strap) under the horse and pass the tabs on the saddle through the girth buckles on the horse's left side. Ensure that it is not twisted.
• To tighten the girth, pass the leather tab on the saddle through the girth buckle, and then pull up on the end of the leather tab, securing the buckle once the girth is tightened. Ensure that the girth is tightened, and if only one end has elastic, this end should be tightened last.
• 7
Put the bridle on your horse by holding it in your non-dominant hand and using the dominant hand to work the bit into the mouth. Secure all of the straps. The cavesson (strap passing around the muzzle) should be just tight enough to get one finger between it and the horse. The throat-latch, which passes near where the horse's head meets the neck, should be tight enough to remain in position without being tight. It should be relatively loose, with multiple fingers fitting between it and the horse.
• Walk the horse to a mounting block if so desired. Check that the girth is tight, the saddle should not shift significantly when attempts are made to move it. You should be on the horse's left side at this point.
• Catch the reins in your left hand, then grasp the horse's wither, mane, or the saddle horn with your left hand (do not pull on the horse!), and the back of the saddle with your right. Place your left foot in the stirrup, pull yourself up, and swing your right leg over the horse's hindquarters. Be careful not to kick the horse's rump as you swing your leg over his hindquarters, as he may begin to move if you do. Then again, they may do this anyway. It may be recommended to have someone else hold the horse while you are mounting.
• Drop your right foot in the stirrup, lean forward in a semi-standing position just above the saddle, and feel if the saddle seems tight. If it has a tendency to slip, or doesn't feel tight, dismount, again on the left side, and re-tighten the chest strap.
• Pull up the reins, and get each at equal length while holding them over the center of the horse's neck with its head facing straight ahead. The reins are, effectively, the "steering wheel" of the horse. To turn him left, you pull the reins left, so that the bit puts pressure on the horse's mouth, cuing him to move away from the pressure, turning the horse's head in that direction.
• A second style of steering the horse involves the reins in two hands, where you hold one hand steady while the other exerts gentle pressure straight backwards, thus causing the horse to move away from the pressure, turning in response. The left hand is pulled back while the right hand is held steady, and so the horse turns to the left. It is important for the inactive hand to remain steady and not travel forward. If the left hand is pulled back while the right hand moves forward, the horse may simply tilt its head while continuing straight on.
• Above all, listen to your teacher's instructions, since techniques may vary depending on the handler and trainer's methods for a particular horse.
• Urge the horse fore-ward by gently squeezing your calves into the horse's sides. Most horses respond to verbal commands too, commonly, "giddap", or "get up", to go forward, ("whoa", to stop).
• 8
Ride in open area as a beginner, staying away from fences, low branches of trees, or steep grades. Staying on a horse's back requires balance and concentration, and becomes much more natural and easy with practice. Be careful to keep the horse under your control, and watching for anything that may spook or cause the horse to rear up.
• 9
Consider all the costs and the commitment of horse ownership before looking at buying a horse. Horses are living creatures, requiring feed, water, and attention every day, as well as a clean pasture area and stable or stall to protect it from the weather. They also require regular veterinary care, and hoof care by a qualified farrier, who trims the hoofs and reshods the ho
