When it comes to horsemanship training, finding the right trainer can make all the difference in your riding journey. Whether you want to improve your skills or start from scratch, having a knowledgeable and experienced trainer can help you and your horse reach your goals.
I believe finding the right horsemanship trainer is crucial for any rider who is serious about improving their skills and deepening their connection with their horse. The horse is one of the oldest domesticated animals in the world that is still widely present in our society. I’ve come to appreciate how a skilled trainer can transform your riding and understanding of equine behavior. Whether you’re a seasoned rider or a newcomer, investing time in finding the right trainer can make all the difference in achieving your horsemanship goals. Here’s a guide to help you locate and select the best trainers near you, ensuring you and your horse can thrive together.
Understanding Horsemanship Training
Horsemanship training is more than just learning to ride; it’s about building a bond with your horse and understanding its behavior and needs. A good horsemanship trainer will focus on developing communication, trust, and respect between you and your horse. They should be skilled in various training techniques and able to tailor their approach to your needs and goals.
WHAT IS HORSEMANSHIP?
The art of handling, training, and riding a horse is called horsemanship. This is a careful process involving you as the horse trainer to be patient until you can have the horse submissive to your wishes.
To train your horse properly and enjoy your equestrian career, you may first need to learn the basics of horsemanship training. This includes learning about the characteristics of your horse, the psychological aspects, and their behavioral responses to your commands and their environment. You may also want to familiarize yourself with some common horse training tools and equipment to help you with the process.
What to Look for in a Horsemanship Trainer
- Experience and Qualifications: Look for trainers with a proven track record and relevant qualifications. Experience in different disciplines (e.g., dressage, jumping, Western riding) can be beneficial depending on your interests.
- Teaching Style: Different trainers have different teaching styles. Some might be more hands-on, while others prefer a more theoretical approach. It’s important to find someone whose style resonates with you.
- Reputation: Ask for recommendations from other riders or check online reviews. A trainer with a good reputation will likely have a successful training history.
- Compatibility: The relationship between you, your horse, and your trainer is crucial. Ensure that you feel comfortable with the trainer’s methods and that they understand and respect your goals.
- Facilities and Resources: Consider the facilities available for training. Well-maintained arenas, proper equipment, and a safe environment are important for effective training.
Finding Trainers Near You
Here are some practical steps to help you find the right horsemanship trainer:
- Local Equestrian Centers: Check with local riding schools, equestrian centers, or stables. They often have trainers on staff or can recommend reputable professionals in the area.
- Online Searches: Use online directories and search engines to find trainers near you. Websites like the American Riding Instructors Association (ARIA) or your country’s equivalent can be helpful.
- Horse Communities: Join local horse clubs or online forums. Fellow riders can provide valuable recommendations based on their own experiences.
- Attending Clinics: Look for horsemanship clinics or workshops in your area. These events allow you to observe different trainers and their methods before committing.
- Trial Lessons: Many trainers offer a trial lesson or introductory session. This can be a great way to gauge their teaching style and how well you and your horse connect with them.
BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS DISTINCT TO HORSES
Every creature in deed was made unique from each other. There might be common features we see in a group of animals and even in humans, but as designed, there will still be something distinct about every living thing. The following are what differentiate horses from other domesticated animals worldwide.
1. HORSES ARE FLIGHT ANIMALS. They are always in defense mode as their safety is their top priority; knowing this, the idea that even though “horsepower” is a strength may scare you. Dominance over horses is always in your hands with the right mindset.
2. HORSES HAVE THE MOST PERCEPTIVE 5 SENSES. As for their taste, they like sweet and salty. Things become familiar to them with the use of their sense of smell. They are also very sensitive to touch, especially on the head area. Their sight is monocular and binocular, enabling them to have more than 300 degrees of vision. Lastly, what regulates their mood is their sense of hearing with their directional ears, which are keener than what humans have.
3. HORSES ARE THE FASTEST LEARNER AMONG DOMESTICATED SPECIES. The most common way for horses to be trained accordingly is with the use of “pressure and release.” The horse acknowledges your dominance as the trainer with a certain amount of pressure, and for every positive response, the horse is rewarded with some release.
4. THEIR REACTION TIME IS FASTER THAN HUMANS. In comparison to humans, the same is true of the horse’s ability to run a hundred times faster than humans; their faster reaction time is indisputable. As claimed earlier, horses have the most perceptive senses among domesticated species worldwide.
5. THE DESENSITIZATION PROCESS IS REPETITIVE. Naturally and instinctively fearful as flight animals, horses can overcome this issue by repeatedly introducing something new.
6. HORSES HAVE A VERY HIGH MEMORY RETENTION. Horses are somewhat domesticated animals who “forgive but do not forget.” So be careful of how you treat your horse. Unlike dogs and cats, horses do not rationalize and is not as curious as other animals. Hence, you need more patience to get your horse used to something you want done.
7. HORSES FOLLOW A GOOD LEADER. Though horses are easily dominated, your training sessions will be much easier and faster if you are assertive in your training strategies. Horses will not forget any cruelty induced to them, so don’t be aggressive.
8. HORSES USE BODY LANGUAGE TO CONVEY SOMETHING. As the trainer, you must be aware of the body language of horses. For instance, an elevated head indicates a flight position, while a bowed down head implies vulnerability and submission.
9. HORSES ARE SOCIAL ANIMALS. If you ever want to have friends other than humans, then a horse is one of your best options. Horses are very much attached to establishing friendships with the right trainer. They also display sadness when they lose a friend.
10. HORSES DO HAVE PRIORITIES WHEN TRAINED. As a trainer, you must consider what matters most to horses so that they can trust you. First, horses are so important to their safety that their instincts will help them determine this. Second, horses want to feel comfort. Third, horses are like children who also need to play. And lastly, they must always be satisfied with their food. Horses can consume around 25 gallons of water or more daily and eat 7 times their weight yearly.
NATURAL HORSEMANSHIP TRAINING 101: THE BASIC APPROACH
When we talk about being natural, this involves the different aspects of the totality of our being, as with the horse’s entity. Our environment setting, physical state, emotional condition, and, most importantly, our psychological or mental stature play a vital role in succeeding in our goals in life. Hence, we must consider our capability to influence our subject and be submissive to our intent for their benefit.
If you are a bit confused of your capabilities in horseback riding and natural horsemanship training, here are some of the basics I have listed for your reference;
1. APPROACH AND RETREAT
This is the process where the horse builds the confidence needed to be trained. Like an infant having his or her first bath, we dip the baby’s body into lukewarm water in a slow and step-by-step process until it gets into his or her system and recognize it as something comforting and relaxing. The same thing happens with training horses; you have to introduce something new to them promptly, constantly repeating procedures until their bodies become familiar with it and eventually make them comfortable. Always remember that horses are flight animals. Their tendencies to run are very typical if you scare them, and everything new to them scares them. This process applies to all skills you want to obtain with your horse. Just imagine yourself taking care of and educating your child.
2. PRESSURE AND RELEASE
Imagine yourself as a child being tasked to do something; remember your parents giving you gifts as rewards for your obedience and giving you certain punishments for doing the wrong way? They also base this on your likes and dislikes. The same principle of discipline applies to educating your horse. Learn what motivates your horse. There should be something that you can use to let your horse identify what is right and wrong with every action and reaction, and choosing this must always conform to what matters and what is natural to their animal characteristics. Perhaps giving your horse a bite of his or her favorite food and loving touch on his head to recognize and acknowledge a positive behavior expressed, and immediately tapping your horse’ with a stick and pushing your horse away if he had stepped on your foot, making your horse know immediately that what he or she did was bad.
4. DESENSITIZATION
This is the process whereby your horse learns to act as normal as he or she could be in his or her natural environment. For instance, the presence of other animals in your barnyard would trigger fear within your horse and can cause reactions that may put all your other animals and even you in danger. Remember that horses react extremely fast and are fearful of almost everything. That is why, at birth, as foals, they must already be trained as early as 3 to 5 days, especially to accept their environment and other natural things that may occur in their lifetime. To do this, you may use objects representing other animals that may just appear in any direction. The horse’s viewpoint is to be considered, so you may want to fly around a piece of paper, a plastic, or cloth around his vision and take it away with the constant integration of other basic processes, such as the rewards given for a good reaction made. Perhaps you can also integrate talking with different variations of your voice in addition to your rewards and consequences while in training.
5. FOUNDATION TRAINING
Like every one of us, we have our kind of foundation growing up that made us who we are today. Our childhood foundation is very important in our decision-making in our daily lives. The same thing is with the horses. They needed a good foundation of basic skills before we tried to level up their performance. We as humans pass pre-school, grade school, high school, and/or some university degrees before we can say we are skilled in performing our jobs. Admit it or not, we have gone through every hardship and learned that patience is the key to success. The horses, being social and emotional animals, are also experiencing stress in their “growing up” and training period, And that is why the most important thing to build in this foundation when speaking of horses is the trust they have in you as their trainer. Always remember the horses’ priorities: Safety, Comfort, Play, and Food. By satisfying these, you are on your next move.
HORSEBACK RIDING LESSONS
No matter your goal, to succeed in a race, be popular on a show, or make your job easier, Horseback riding is the most common skill every horse rider enthusiast must acquire. As the trainer or rider, you must also be trained to ride a horse properly. Some of the proven techniques in making your first ride a success include but are not limited to the following;
1. Preparation is the key. Getting your horse and yourself equipped and ready for a ride is always the most important of all horse riding lessons to remember. Ensure you have all your safety gear on. A helmet is critical and always wear the most appropriate clothes. Tight-fitting fitting jeans and booths are recommended.
2. Tack up your horse. It is also very important to perform tacking of your horse with all the necessary equipment to make your riding a success. Ensure you properly install and fit all tack and equipment to your horse, avoiding loose parts. Be mindful that saddles must perfectly fit both the horse and the rider. Prevention is better than cure. Always consider your and your horse’s safety. Besides the saddle, other equipment you need to check are the following;
- Girt is an adjustable leather strap that goes around the horse’s abdomen and
connects the saddle to the horse. - A bridle is a piece of leather that goes over the horse’s face.
- A bit is a metal bar that goes in the horse’s mouth and then connects to the bridle. Applying
Pressure on the bit is a way for the horse to know your nonverbal commands. - Reins are the leather straps the rider holds; these are connected to
the bit. Pulling on these is another way to communicate to the horse, like if
you are to change your direction.
3. Get to know the horse. As previously told, horses are very keen, fearful, and are flight animals, and you must first gain their trust by following the previously tackled techniques and processes. It may take time, but it’s all worth it.
4. It is accustomed to mount or ride from a horse’s left side. Place your left foot in the stirrup, pull yourself up, and swing your right leg over. Your trainer, more often than not, can help get you up and over if riding is all new to you. You can also mount on the right, but it will always be best to follow what has been practiced all the time before fancying new techniques.
5. Practice the proper riding posture. Depending on how you want to perform with your horse, there are different kinds of sitting postures that can be applicable for your specific reason for use;
- Hunter
Posture. This posture comes from the English tradition of fox hunting while on
horseback. Sit up straight in the saddle and lean slightly forward. You’re
riding in a posture with the possibility that you’ll eventually go over jumps.
Hold a rein in each hand down by the saddle pad on each side of the front of
the saddle. - Western
Posture. Sit straight up and hold the reins by your hip bone in one hand.
You’ll move that one hand left or right when you want to turn. - Saddle
seat Posture. Sit straight, almost leaning back to get off the horse’s
shoulders. This style is done with trotting breeds, Wooten says, to emphasize
how pretty the horse trots. The hands are held up high, almost near the chest.
6. Balancing is also important in a successful horse riding experience. To learn balance in riding a horse, you must do this frequently; if you do not have a good schedule, you can use a balancing ball, sit on it, and try balancing yourself.
7. Always relax and avoid panic or be overly excited. Once you have ridden your horse, let your trainer walk you around. Slowly walk your horse independently until you learn to stop the horse and continue to an advanced throttle.
8. Repeat your riding activity at least twice a week at the start of your horseback riding lessons to familiarize your body with the horse’s movement.
THE COMMON THINGS NEEDED IN HORSEMANSHIP TRAINING
There are various pieces of equipment that you need to have for both you and your horse before starting a horseback riding lesson. Knowing these in advance may help you better understand and apply the proper usage of it. Take a look at this image that shows a properly equipped equine.
Figure 1: Illustration of the horse tack and equipment used from Flipkart
Properly installing the tack and equipment used in horse riding is very important to ensure your safety. If you are unsure how to install it or are new to this activity, it is always best to consult a professional first.
Many available resources can help you understand more about getting success in natural horsemanship training, and there is a highly qualified and expert horse trainer near me and your area who is to offer their help in this venture. Find your horse expert now!
There are also a bunch of credible centers and stables around that offer great service and a place where you can have enough space to perform your lessons and training in horsemanship and meet new friends with the same interests with horses while enjoying beautiful scenery and other leisure attractions. Locate the best stables and horse businesses to visit now!
HORSE TRAINERS NEAR ME
To help you more in your search to get the best result in mastering horse riding lessons. Here are a few top-rated horse trainers near me;
1. Pelts Equestrian – Rated 5 Stars with 10 Reviews
“Hi, I’m Sherette Peltz, one of the top trainers in Pinellas County. I work primarily out of Calypso Bay Stables ( calypsobaystables.net ). I have 22 years experience with horses and started riding English at age 8.”.
2. Southern Fried Yoga & Equestrian Services – Rated 5 Stars with 7 Reviews
“If you want to improve your working relationship with your Equine partner, I offer Riding Instruction at your facility, Show & Rodeo coaching, and tune-ups. 24 years experience. “
3. Flying Z Stables, Learn The Training Secrets Of The Pros – Rated 5 Stars with 8 Reviews
“We provide safe and professionally trained horses to provide riding instruction for beginner riders to Grand Prix show jumpers and Hunter riders. We provide lessons, trials, show experience, hunter paces, and Fox Hunts. “
4. Happy Trails Horsemanship And Literacy Program LLC – Rated 5 Stars with 10 Reviews
“ Happy Trails promotes reading and writing through equine-related learning of horsemanship skills. The students progress at their own pace through lessons covering safety groundwork, including haltering, grooming, leading, and lunging. As the skills are mastered, they progress to cart driving and riding.”
5. Independent C Farms – Rated 5 Stars with 7 Reviews
“ Sarahjoy has taught students of all ages how to ride horses
for over 25 years. Beginners to advanced levels welcome.”
Natural horsemanship training always requires professional intervention. It is strongly advised to seek experts near you to discuss this matter and save yourself more time and effort doing it on your own. This skill is established and developed over time, and learning insights from expert’s experiences may greatly help you succeed in this goal of being a skilled equestrian.
Finding the right horsemanship trainer requires careful research and reflection on your personal preferences and practical needs. Take the time to evaluate various trainers by considering their methods, experience, and how well their approach aligns with your goals and values. This process ensures that you choose a trainer who matches your training objectives and fosters a positive and effective learning experience for you and your horse.
