Horse and Rider
Horse and Rider
Nothing about riding is so important as making up your mind to control your horse. A horse knows whether its rider is afraid of him or not. This fear is conveyed to the horse by nervous use of the reins, by stiffness of seat, by the way the feet are moved in the stirrups, by speech and by other acts that actually disturb or frighten the animal.
When a rider gets on his horse he must be sure that he intends to manage his horse and not let the horse manage him. If you lack this confidence, select another horse that you positively know you can control. In a surprisingly short time the rider will acquire ease and confidence and both will be conveyed to the horse. After this lesson is learned, riding will take a natural course and will be done with safety.
In riding there are two essentials that must never be forgotten: (1) to secure and keep a firm seat; and (2) to use a "light hand." Without a combination of the two no one can become a good horseman.
Almost equally important is the knowledge of the proper action in emergencies. If a horse runs away, do not exhaust yourself by vain pulling, but guide him out of danger, and let me run until he is tired.
If a horse rears, loosen the reins and lean forward.
In case of kicking, keep his head up as much as possible and sit firm in the saddle.
If he stumbles, quickly draw in the reins to help him recover.
Here is a very beautiful video of Clinton Anderson riding bridleless.
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