Tips for Riding Horses Safely
Horseback riding is a lucrative and enjoyable hobby, but certain parts of it can be dangerous due to a horse’s power, speed, height, and unpredictability. Riding with an experienced instructor on a calm school horse is the safest way to learn to ride. An instructor can teach you safe riding techniques like as halting and turning, as well as how to cue for gait changes. Instructors can prevent negative habits from developing and save you from making risky mistakes that might endanger the horse, rider, or bystander. Use these fundamental recommendations to make every ride as safe as possible.
- Ride a horse that is appropriate for your riding ability level. Beginner riders should ride calm, well-mannered horses that are used to making rookie mistakes.
- Leave tiny toddlers unsupervised on or around horses. Teach children how to behave around horses. Unless they are actually interacting with the horse, people should learn to talk quietly and walk gently, keeping a safe space between themselves and it. They should also learn not to be a nuisance to other riders.
- Riding with an experienced riding instructor or coach is the safest method to learn to ride. Don’t try to do it alone. You will not only learn faster, but you will also be safer as you study.
- Riding a young, green (untrained) or unfamiliar horse should be done under supervision and in a familiar environment. Riding a horse on the path or alone for the first time is not a good idea.
- Wear an ASTM-certified riding helmet. According to several authorities and safety committees, the bulk of rider deaths is caused by head injuries. Inexperienced motorcyclists are equally as vulnerable to head injuries as experienced riders. According to certain data, experienced motorcyclists are even more likely to be hurt than beginners. Every time you bike, put on a helmet.
- Keep at least one horse length between horses while riding in a group. If one horse kicks out at another, they are unlikely to make contact and will not kick you by accident instead.
- If your horse becomes really anxious, dismount and deal with the problem from the ground. Consider wearing a safety vest that protects your body.
- Before you mount, measure your girth.
- Check tack for symptoms of wear and weakening on a regular basis, especially stirrup leathers.
- Learn how to conduct a one-rein emergency stop.
- Learn how to fall safely. This does not ensure that you will not be injured, but it may teach you how to prevent damage by rolling away from the horse.
- Learn how to dismount in an emergency. Sometimes the best tactic is to leave as soon as possible.
- Wear strong boots with little tread and a 1-inch (2.5 cm) heel. Use safety stirrups or cages instead to keep your foot from sliding through the stirrup.
- Ride in total control at all times. As with vehicles or motorcycles, the quicker you travel, the more likely something will go wrong.
- When riding on a path, leave a map of your route and an estimate of when you will return. That way, your family will know when to start worrying and where to search if you are late.
- Always ride with a friend. Carry a mobile phone or two-way radio as an added precaution.
- A large percentage of accidents occur near the roadside. Avoid riding on routes where automobiles and other vehicles might frighten your horse.
- Ride at the speed and ability of the least experienced rider on the greenest horse in a group.
- Don’t try to ride your horse home. At the very least, walk the remaining half mile. This eliminates the negative habit of hurrying.
These are fundamental guidelines. When you first start out, there appears to be a lot to remember, but as you learn how horses think and how to move about and ride them, these guidelines will become a habit and second nature.
