Horseback riding was practiced as far back as the Bronze Age and thereafter adapted to commerce, industry, war, sports and recreation. Equestrianism is the art of riding and handling a horse. Being an equestrian requires a great amount of personal dedication.
Some equestrian sports are: Polo, Buzkashi, Dressage, Eventing, Cross-Country Equestrian, Equestrian vaulting and Horseball.
To become a true equestrian you need to learn how to properly communicate with horses. It is very important that you are guided by an expert when you start riding a horse. After all, every expert was once a beginner too.
LA POLO brings you 20 tips to excel equestrianism
1) Be careful while mounting the horse: Mount the horse thoughtfully, be confident. If you are nervous your horse can feel it and he might become uneasy too.
2) Dismount like a pro: Land gently; make sure your horse is still. Get both feet out of the stirrups, lean forward, swing your right leg over the horse, and jump off.
3) Learn how to adjust the stirrups: All riders lose a stirrup from time to time, it is important to get it back.
4) Don’t lean over. Sit up straight and relaxed: Make sure your horse doesn’t feel too much load on him. Hold your balance and look forward.
5) Allow time to loosen up.
6) Keep a light seat to help stay in balance with your horse and thereby proffering him a pace for flexible mobility.
7) If you are into show jumping your focus should be about how you get from fence to fence.
8) If you are an experienced rider you should check and correct your position constantly, look ahead while riding the horse.
9) Wear proper horse riding gear: if you are a beginner you should always wear a helmet while riding the horse. Proper attire is also important, ride in comfortable clothes.
10) Greet your horse: Your horse is also a living creature; you should treat him with respect and care. Sometimes, for a change just taking a walk with the horse is enough. Play the role of a leader not a dictator.
11) Choose a type of riding: As per United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) there are 18 styles of riding.
12) Every equestrian sport has a different style and technique. Be gentle with the reins. The way you hold the reins is different for each technique.
13) Sometimes the best piece of advice one can get is “you can’t do it!” this forces your mind to look through the problem.
14) Failure makes you successful: The more you work hard after your failure the more you’ll succeed. Practice is necessary.
15) Doesn’t matter if it’s raining or the sun is way too bright, don’t stop! Consistency is the key to good training.
16) Make sure you and your horse is relaxed. You can’t put pressure on top of tension. So you must have a relaxed horse before you start training.
17) It’s okay if you lose some matches. It’s not important to win every class. Focus on winning the final class.
18) Acknowledge the time requirement: Don’t overstress your horse out of excitement. Understand the time limit and don’t over practice.
19) Join an Equestrian community: Joining an equestrian community can be really helpful to you. You get to know a lot about equestrianism as you interact with other equestrians.
20) Pay careful attention to the physical and mental needs of your horse. Keep in touch with your equine vet and make sure your horse is getting a general checkup and treatment on a regular basis.
