Horseback Riding, How to Continue After a Horse-Fall.

Area of expertise
Horseback Riding

The area of expertise I want to share is the sport of equestrianism, in simpler words horseback riding. What I want to convey with this essay is the idea of not giving up after the first fall a rider experiences. It is very common that the first time someone falls off his or her horse in the beginning of this sport they tend to quit out of fear. People after their first fall build up a sort of trauma of continuing. In this essay I want to convey the truth about horseback riding but at the same time build up the courage for the reader to not give up after their first accident. If the person has still not had an accident, I want to make them aware and braver to what can come.

Horseback riding is considered one of the most dangerous sports in the world. The frequent question brought up is, why is horse back riding so dangerous? The answer to this is because a horse is an animal, and animals base their responses to situations based on fright and other animal instincts, which we as humans will never one hundred percent understand. Horses respond to fearful situations with the instinct to run, and if something is on their back, to try to rid themselves of it. The sport of riding is a sport of two, the horse and the rider. The rider must have a kind communication and connection with the horse to get to what the want to do. When riding, we have a certain degree of control. We have a saddle, stirrups, a bridle and other equipment that help us to achieve this control. We also have the horse trained to respond to these signals. Some horses respond better to these signals and have a higher training than others, which is when the horse gets more expensive. The horse is a noble animal, it will do almost anything that it asks us to do, and when in reality they outweigh us and outrun us. This is why caution always must taken when riding, especially if it’s as a sport rather than just for relaxing.

Everyone who takes up horseback as a hobby or as a sport will at some point fall off. For safety it's best to never ride alone if you are not very experienced and are able to handle such a situation on your own. So if you fall and get hurt someone will be nearby to help you. If after the fall you are not hurt, injured or in great pain it is extremely important to get right back on the horse. This permits the horse recognize that he can't getaway from work by getting you off. It mostly important for your courage because a fall can make a rider become very fearful after the first fall. Getting back on helps you deal with it right then and there and keeps your confidence intact.

When you fall of your horse you have to think why your horse bucked, reared got spooked or whatever reason it was that it sent you off flying. When you have gained the appropriate skills during the majority of the cases you will be able to stay on and ride through it. Getting control again after the first fall is the key to avoiding that kind of accident in the future. If you feel like you are that stage you just want to give up, work with your instructor who can help you get over this trauma. Almost all instructors are very sensitive to this problem because they have all experienced it themselves at some previous point during their riding life. Getting over this trauma may be starting from the very beginning and doing some remedial work to help gain your confidence again, if its what it takes then its better to just do it.

Falling off the horse is just as part of this sport as riding the horse. It is said that you need to fall off 100 times before you're a good rider; it is all part of learning to ride. Everyone will fall of at some point, even top riders.

In the beginning it is best to use a sensible horse to learn with out the fear of getting knocked off, but even sensible horses will react when they are scared of a situation, although with an old experienced horse this can be minimized.

Something else that helps with this kind of situation is to build physical strength. We have to be aware that we are dealing with a 700-kilogram and animal. Even though we will never outweigh them in strength we still cannot be weak. You don't necessarily need to ride for this kind of physical training, although you can. It can be just as effective for you to go to the gym and work on your legs, arms and back. This doesn’t only increase your awareness of confidence on a horse, but also give you something optimistic to emphasize your attention on.

When people are tense on the horses back or have fear, the horse senses it. It is a natural instinct for them to since fear because in their natural habitat they are a prey and they build up this instinct to precept danger. As we transmit this fear, which is probably due to the trauma from the previous fall, we are not off to a good start. This fear makes the horse very sensitive to what is happening in its surroundings, making it easier for the horse to be spooked and try to run away. The best exercise for this is Relaxation training. Stretching and breathing exercises before and during riding can help make you more relaxed when riding, and relax the horse as well.

Best thing to do when there is a fault between you and your horse is to build a sort of understanding connection with it. For this the best thing to do is spend time with it. Sometimes the most ideal way to do it is by not being on its back but rather on the ground with him, to level with him and make him feel you are not trying to dominate him. You can go on open fields and just sit next to him so he looks at you from above at the same time stroking him. This gives the horse the feeling that you are not all the time trying to demand him with work and that you have a more gentle side. Also feeding him instead of stroking him also does the same effects.

What I can tell you from personal experience is that I have gone through many falls and a couple of very horrid ones. I have also gone through the same fears and traumas after falls. But from what I have learned is that not doing anything about it is the must unsatisfying thing there is. After 14 years of riding the advice that was mentioned before is the best thing a person that wants to become a rider in the future can do. If this is taken seriously and with sincerity succeed will come your way. Riding is a beautiful and a very prestigious sport to just give up after an accident. It is a kind of sport that if you build up the confidence and true admiration for it, you will not want to stop riding.