Sunday, September 22, 2013

Different Techniques Of Horse Riding

By Orlando Finlay


Horse Riding for pay includes being a jockey and performing in shows and exhibitions. When done for pleasure it takes the form of spending weekends on the trail on horseback. For any individual who is not planning to ride often, it is more economical to rent than own and maintain your steed.

You can ride Western or English style. The difference is the type of saddle and bridle used for each one. The Western saddle is bulkier than the English, which is flat and has no saddle horn. English style is more formal and includes jumping competitions.

In Western competitions you will see barrel racing and pole bending, plus other timed events. The barrel racing requires completing a cloverleaf pattern, which includes turning around three barrels without tipping them over. Fastest time wins.

An English saddlery show includes gaited classes and jumping competitions. The competitions are not gender specific. In a rodeo, it is the winner of the barrel race who wins the title of rodeo queen. The barrel race is the only female event in a rodeo.

Any parade is made better by having a group of equestrians in it. The rider must be able to control the mount because there are people lining the streets on either side. If a loud noise were to spook one of these thousand pound animals, someone in the crowd might be injured.

Joining a riding club can be a great deal of fun. Other members always have good advice to offer. Everyone can feel a camaraderie with others wearing the same uniform. Planned activities such as hayrides are enjoyable for all the club members in addition to taking group rides together.

Another competitive equestrian event takes countless hours and years of training and practicing to perfect. It originated in the old West when ranch hands had to cut each calf out of the herd to be branded on the open range. The cowboy performed this task as a routine part of his work.

For the most part, reins are not used to guide the cutting horse. The cowboy shifts his weight in the saddle to indicate which direction he wants to move in. This is a beautiful exhibition of skill and the relationship that can be developed between man and animal.

The novice rider may think Horse Riding is all about how fast you can move. The three gaits, types of movement, in addition to walking, are the trot, the canter and the gallop. The trot is slow and causes you to bounce up and down. The canter is a slow gallop, very controlled. The gallop is an all-out run, which is what the novice is always hoping to enjoy, speed.




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