Anyway, please tell me your best advice, and where you heard it. It's fun reading how others have learned valuable lessons and pass on the advice to others.What is the best horse advice you've ever gotten?
For me, the old training slogan ';the long way is the short way'; is one of the best things I've heard. If you take the time to do things right when training a horse (although it takes longer) you will run into fewer problems in the long run (which makes it shorter because you don't have to retrace your steps from not doing it right the first time). I always apply this to my training methods and take pride in knowing that they all have a great solid foundation to build from.What is the best horse advice you've ever gotten?
First, I'd like to say, I really enjoyed this question and the answers! Way ta go!! Some of these I've heard. And are great advice. So I won't repeat the one's that are. I have two sayings though that come to mind:
1.This one may not be exact it's been so long ago I heard it but.... Soft heart = soft hands, soft hands, =soft mouth, It's not the bit but the hands on the bit.
2. A good rider can make a bad horse look good, but a bad rider can make the best horse look bad.
';the ground will be there to catch you';
this is the most helpful advice i ever gotten, and the only advice i ever gotten
A horse is only as smart as his trainer. Treat him with kindness and love him. Go ahead, spoil him.
i cant decide... 1 is that 99%of the time it isn't the horses fault... and 2 is to never let the horse do what it wants if u want to go left well the horse does to !
Two golden rules, doesn't matter how well you know the horse, never turn your back on it and when riding, wherever you look is where you will end up so if you always look at the floor, you'll eventually end up down there. Those where 2 of the first things I was ever told and they hold true to this day.
I was trompled as a 5 yr old by a stallion, I was knocked out and didn't know what happened untill I awoke in my dads arms, who asked me if I was ok but soon to yell at me for not listening to the things he had been telling me throughout my childhood. Anyway, he told me real quick to respect a horse and watch what it is saying.... I got the picture and understood what he had been telling all along. Basically, horses are not toys, or soft cuddly creatures. They are large dangerous animals and you have to learn to be responsible for your actions around them, you never know when a horse may do something you never expected out of it. Keep your eyes and ears open and learn to ';read'; what a horse is saying.
';It's 95% rider error.'; Which is so true. We sure like to blame our horses, but in reality, we are usually giving the wrong cue, mixed signals, or improper training. Much as I'd often like to beat on a horse for doing something wrong, this reminds me to step back, take a deep breath and re-evaluate the situation. What did I do wrong?
';If you are going to loose, look good losing.'; At least look the part. Look like you practiced, you know what you are doing, and that you gave it your all. You may not win, but you, your horse, and everyone else will know it wasn't because you didn't try.
the best horse advice i have ever gotten was how to get a horse to come to me! and it really works!!! Get the horse alone in the sand arena (if you have one, if you don't, just do it in the pasture.) This is kind of like playing hard to get with a horse. Look at the horse and wait for the horse to look at you, when it does, turn around and cross your arms! make it look like you are almost mad at the horse. look back a little bit, and see if the horse is still looking. If not, walk up a couple of baby steps. if the horse looks, turn away again. when the horse isn't looking, take another couple of baby steps. When the horse looks again, turn away and crouch down to get smaller than the horse. this normally works with a horse that is somewhat curious. if you have the time to do this with a shy horse, go for it. I have done it with both!!! just take your time and be patient!
Back when I was just getting to be a rider- really learning the ropes, really showing, really winning, my trainer - a man capable of riding just about anything, and formerly showed Grand Prix as well as jumped 7' fences before said to me ';you can't love 'em if you're gonna ride 'em';
I thought, what a terrible thing to say, but the truth was, he was right. As I got better and better, and started really down to the nitty gritty of showing, going to the better shows, jumping higher jumps, the love faded away and the need and desire to compete and have the horse WORK outweighed the whole reason I started riding in the first place - I just loved horses.
I went through a lot of horses over a short period of time, buying and selling them because they showed with me for a year, or because they weren't shaping out to be the show horse I wanted them to be. Sent a lot of really good horses down the road to the next guy because I stopped loving them and just pursued showing. It gets under your skin like a sickness and you truly can't see beyond it.
Now-a-days, I have returned to my roots so to speak, and don't really show any more, besides the occaisonal one day family./fun show if I have the chance or desire. I love my horses once more. Ironically, both of my horses are broken and can't be ridden, but that is of little concern to me anymore. I love them to pieces and their hearts are made of pure gold - I have learned through sour experience not to pass along a truly wonderful horse.
Always get back on.
Always end on a good note.
Look after your tack and it will look after you.
You are not a rider if you have never fallen off.
Gift horse - that one makes me laugh - both of mine were given to me free - they both have problems but hey ho !
';Stand back here comes keenan!!!'; I was wandering the feilds passing out treats with my friend, and the herd was a little wild that day. i need to explain keenan. he's a 26 year old geld who thinks hes a 3 yearold stallion. he started charing strate at me!!! my friend yelled, ';Stand back here comes keenan!!!'; which probably saved my life!!!
I guess as a barrel racer, the best advice that I've ever received was relax and breathe. Some people have an unconscious habit of holding their breathe while they run barrels, then after wards they are out of breathe and can not remember their run. When you learn to control your breathing that 15 second run feels like an eternity to you because it all seems to play out in slow motion. Then after the run is over you can look back on your run and see either that you done your job right or what you still need to work on.
The next best piece of advice that I received was never tell someone, your pupil, what they did wrong, it sounds so negative. Instead, tell them what you still need to work on.
';Practice to play, not play to practice'; . Practice at home and then you get to enjoy playing at the show, instead of worrying about how you horse will perform. I have this on a sign in my barn to remind me everyday what it takes to be able to go out and have a good show. Best advice I ever got.
never get on a horse that doesnt look ridable.
before you get on any horse always ask yourself it she is ridable
';is she ridable ??';
I agree, I think you should get back on, unless it is a horse you never should have gotten on in the first place. In that case, let a pro handle the situation and watch and learn.
I guess after 35 years of riding the best advice I ever got was from my husband. He told me about 2 years ago that it is better to get hurt around horses being cautious than being completely fearless. Everyone would prefer not to get hurt at all but lets face it, it happens to EVERYONE. I will elaborat on this if you like but you would have to im or email me.
I think the best advice I have ever gotten was: ';You're a better rider than that. Trust him that you'll make it to the other side.';
My trainer told me that a long time ago when I was jumping.
Also some more advice that I had gotten are:
';Get back together and do it so you end on a good note. No matter if you have to walk it, trot it, or lower it.';
';Look where you want to go and your horse will follow.';
';If you look at the ground, you'll end up there.';
';More leg is better than no leg.';
';Toes forward and heels down!';
';You learn something at shows even if you don't get the ribbon.';
';Bond with your horse to make the ride/time more worth it.';
';Feed your grain in small quanities (or they'll colic).';
';Don't let one fall ruin your life.'; (This one has two meanings: get better leg and mor expirence so you don't fall so you don't end up in the hospital AND it can mean get back on after you fall, don't let it ruin your life with horses.)
My first 4-H pony was a bucker. I was like seven, so I wasn't very srong. A riding insrtuctor told me to stay on to put my feet forward hard in the stirups and sit back. I have been riding sense I was 5, so I didn't have too much experience at the time because I had only ridden our dead broke horse, Tyme, so that was a major change!
Your advice is the best advise we always get back on when we fall off at our barn.
The second best advise we follow: ';Always put your horse's health and well-being before winning a ribbon';.
the best advice i've ever been given is use common sense.
k so.. maybe not an amazingly cool saying or anything.. and not all that specific.. but really common sense is all you need.
Don't slap your horse in the face, because he'll be head shy. Always let them know when you walk behind them. Be careful around their back legs. Don't sneak up on them.
I mean, come on! All of this stuff is stuff that anybody could figure out if they thought about it! A horse is a thousand pound animal that could kill you without even trying. Just don't do anything that could get you hurt, AKA: common sense.
an old adage comes to mind:
';never look a gift horse in the mouth';
a horses age is apparent in its teeth, so examining them in front of the ';giver'; is an insult.
Run faster, Jump higher and live longer !!! A very old horse trainer taught me that when I was young - I am the old horse trianer now - lol!
i have several,
1. There are no problem horses, only problem riders.
2.trust your horse and let him trust you.
3. If your horse says no, you either asked the wrong question or, asked the question wrong.
then there are the quotes:
1. He who needs a mounting block had better not fall off in the middle of the pasture.
2. There is just as much horse sense as ever, but the horses have most of it.
3. If you start getting nervous about getting hurt, you will be... If you are worried about the danger, it's time to give up.
4. Riding is not a sport, it id s passion. If you do not share the passion, you do not know the sport, and therefore are wasting your time.
5. A good horse and a good rider are only so in mutual trust.
6. It is the difficult horses that have the most to offer us.
(that one i have found to be almost too true)
7. To be loved by a horse or any animal, should fill us with awe- for we have not deserved it.
8. The love of a horse is just as complicated as the love for another human being... If you never love a horse, you will never understand.
KISS - keep it simple stupid. this came in handy when trying to teach my horse new things i would often end up asking for 12 things at once instead of breaking the task down into small steps and combinging all of the skills i learned. For an example of this think about how you do a gate in trail class and then break it down
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