TipsGreat tips for horsemanship - By: Carolyn Robins

Coaching a person to ride, or even to handle a horse on the ground, without first constructing a {quality|good calibre|good calibre of foundation skills and understanding is like constructing a house in the sand, asking a baby to run a race or telling someone to pray without first introducing them to the Lord.

Can it be done? Well of course., reasonable shelter can be created just about any place, and competent orators can deliver a decent prayer or sermon without any real belief in the Almighty. The real question is; can it be done well with constructive, lasting effects?

A windstorm will blow over a quickly built hut that isn't properly shored up. A prayer unanswered is sure to leave the faithless with debilitating disappointment. Taking the time and effort to lay reliable foundations leads to strength, comfort and quality.

The key element in true horsemanship is that it requires understanding of the horse's natural instincts, behavior and communication. Because horses communicate physically and humans do not, people have to first observe and comprehend how this is done in the horse world. They then have to learn how to put physical communication into practice in a way that can be understood by their horses.

This process truly takes quite a bit of time and dedicated practice; there is no quick fix. Along with thorough understanding on an intellectual level, which may take place in a relatively brief period, our human bodies have to create the habits and build the muscle memory required to speak physically with the horse in a clear, timely, concise and consistent manner.

Not only are you now learning a new language and trying to understand their customs , you are literally discovering a new way of speaking. Your words are no longer pertinent. You have to talk to the horse with your body communicating in his language.

Can people learn to ride or even train a horse without these skills? They can. However; their riding is likely to be rigid, improperly balanced and it's certain that they will encounter more than their share of trying obstacles in subsequent training endeavors. The horse will probably become uncomfortable and confused, leading to behaviors that will compromise his progress and possibly put handlers at risk.

It is always best for the horse and rider if the person commits to making whatever investments are necessary to create a class foundation of true horsemanship skills. No matter which order you select for the future - dressage, hunt seat, reining, racing or trail riding - the capabilities and confidence that horsemanship will instill in you will be of enormous and enduring benefit.

Being a quarry animal, every horse, no matter how well taught, will occasionally have a instant when it will react to a startling stimulus and spook, bolt, buck, shy, rear or any other self-preserving act. It's your job, as the rider and handler, to know how to keep yourself and your horse safe and rapidly regain self-control in these situations. Without a comprehensive understanding of and control over your own body, your situation is going to quickly crumble like a house of cards in the sand.

There is no lasting point in learning how to jump over a 6' fence, do a canter pirouette or run your pattern in 15.9 seconds if you don't first understand how and why your physical interaction impacts your horse.

While there is no alternate for working directly with a skilled and expert horseman, you can complement your education with reading, DVDs or televised equine programs. RFD-TV is a network that dedicates significant blocks of time to helping horse owners. Not everyone will have an opportunity to work directly with such legends as Ray Hunt, Bill Dorrance, Craig Cameron, Joe Ruiz or Pat Parelli, but ask around and watch local events and you may find a respected expert that you can learn from.

Keep in mind that reading, watching or talking about the needed skills do little to create the physical skills that you must develop if you're going to achieve even an adequate degree of success.

There are a lot of other sports and activities you could engage in that don't directly involve another living creature. If you are not willing to devote the time, devotion and resources to building a correct and lasting foundation for your horsemanship practices, you owe it to your horse to consider taking up golf.
For those who are lucky enough to make a relationship with a real horseman and who have the keenness and loyalty to transform themselves into a true horseperson, the joy and passion they will ultimately experience will be absolutely priceless.

It is crucial to get to know your horse and work with his or her energy. Having a understanding of your horse's personality and needs will really enhance your relationship.

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