Horseriding

Since these pages are dedicated to the things I enjoy doing and learning about, well, I thought that horseriding just HAD to come into it all somewheres. So finally, here is my page dedicated to the different disciplines and breeds that I enjoy working with. I'll begin with my story, the way I learned and different milestones I encountered (if you'd rather skip and go straight to the info on disciplines, scroll past the text in Italics).

It all began when I'd just learned to speak. Almost as soon as I was putting scentences together, I was begging for my mother to take me to horseriding lessons. I begged and harrassed her at Caboolture Fleamarket for long enough one day and she gave in. Sure, it was a little Shetland pony being led by one of the handlers around a ring, but at 18 months old I had my first 'riding' experience.

By the time I was 3 years old, Mum was looking around desperately for an affordable place where I could be educated in the art of horsemanship. She heard of a place out at Mango Hill and decided she'd try it. I remember that morning well. It was winter, I was dressed in my pink jacket, crawling around on a dirt track (I fell over a pothole) towards a chestnut horse. I had no idea that you don't approach horses from behind and whammo! I was kicked smack in the forehead. Mum had already paid, so I still went on the ride. I don't remember anything more of the experience and I refused to go back to that place.

So once more, Mum was searching the phone books and various advertisements in the paper, and eventually, ironically enough, again at Caboolture Fleamarket, found Bev. Bev keeps several ponies and horses of all sizes, shapes and temperaments, and although her first priority is fleamarkets, she also teaches children to ride. And might I add that she was an excellent teacher.

The ritual began - every Saturday morning I'd be driven off to Bev's place to learn the fundamental principals of horsemanship. Unfortunately as time progresses, she was called out to do fleamarket work more frequently and since I was then in school, other times for riding could not be arranged, so the hunt began again.

This time, it was up to me to find the place. I went straight for the phone book and found Sandra out at Kurwongbah - much closer to home and although more expensive, I quickly found that there was nothing about horses she could not teach me. I was 10 years old when I began riding there, by the time I was 13, my lessons had finished and I was assisting in taking trail rides and working weekends at the ranch as well as further practicing and enhancing my skills in the lesson paddock.

To the right of my babbling you will notice a horse. She is what they call an Australian Stock Horse. This breed has been built over the past 100 years to suit the Ozzie environment, and although relatively small (around 15 - 16 hh), you'd be surprised at just how much 'spunk' these guys have in them.

Ideally this breed has a long neck, well sloping withers and straight, strong legs, the rump around the same height as the withers (no heigher though), a deep girth and raised belly so the legs can come well under for the active work. They are usually bay but may come in just about any colour (grey is rare though), and are a fantastic breed for any type of discipline (good all-rounders).

Click the pic to see the site I stole it from.

rejuvenate overnight and put out just as much effort the next day. Over my entire time riding, I have only ever managed to tire out a Quarter Horse once.

SOME RIDING SUGGESTIONS FOR THE ADVANCED

Here are some suggestions for those who become a little bored of routine riding from time to time. I found that after about 6 years of taking the trail, while each day was different, the challenge was not always there, and so to save myself (and the horse) from becoming bored, I began to experiment with different things in the paddock to improve riding skills and rider-horse-rider communication.

- When you're confident you know the horse you're riding, try doing all the in-paddock training bareback. You'd be surprised at just how slippery it is to start with, and you learn quickly how much (if at all) your balance depends on the saddle (with practice, this dependence will minimise to nil). You may want to use a padded blanket if your horse has a rather bony back though!

- Good riders should never depend on contact with the horses mouth for complete control. All the riding books tell you that. So, on a well-trained, responsive horse, test your seat and leg commands by removing the bridle and continuing with the lesson (in a well-fenced paddock with gate shut of course).

- Riders always mount from the in-hand (left) side. It's the correct, English way. What if you were out checking fences, fell from your horse and say, broke your left leg? You'd be stuffed if you couldn't re-mount and ride home. So, every now and then, why not try mounting from the off-hand side? It's surprising just how difficult this one truly is.

- When you're a super-duper bareback rider, try the rising trot. Yes, and I do mean bareback. Then, using a basic cavaletti circuit to start with, trot over the jumps, changing to jumping position for each one. Half an hour of this and you'll be walking like John Wayne for a week!!! But it's fantastic for leg muscle development (as you will soon feel) and teaches you not to depend on the stirrup (I've seen too many falls happen because a rider's foot has slipped from the stirrup and decided I was not going to be one of those victims).

- After practicing the no-bridle, no-saddle riding for a bit, when catching your horse and you plan on leading him to wherever you groom and saddle him, or feed him, or stable him for the night, try just taking your helmet, going into the paddock, jumping on and riding him there. If you've got a gate to open you may want to take a halter and lead so you can point his head in the right direction if he doesn't respond to seat aids, but he'll soon get the hang of it.

One of the fellers out bush teaches locals to listen to their mount in a rather unique way. He puts horse and rider in a ring yard, no tack whatsoever, tells the rider to hop on and he proceeds to harrass the horse (by snaking the stock whip, whistling various commands and shouting, waving his arms, even chasing the horse). This harrassment causes the animal to run madly in all directions, the idea of the game being for the rider to gain control of the frightened critter and persuade him to stand still. The horse is then in complete trust of its rider. That guy's taught some fantastic bushmen how to ride.

I could talk all day about techniques like that. If you have any questions just ask me - those I can't answer from my own knowledge I can look up the books for - if they fail also I will say so.