Lesley Ward - Western Riding

Roger Sipe, Special Projects Editor

Lindsay Hanks, Associate Editor

Matt Hennings, Art Director

Jessica Jaensch, Production Coordinator

June Kikuchi, Andrew DePrisco, Editorial Directors

The horses in this book are referred to as he or she in alternating chapters unless their gender is apparent from the activity discussed.

Text copyright 1998, 2003, 2010 by Lesley Ward. Previously published in different-sized formats in The Horse Illustrated Guide to Western Riding.

Back Cover photo courtesy of Moira C. Reeve. Photos on pages 6, 88 (far left) and 89 by Bob Langrish. All other photos by Lesley Ward.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of I-5 Press, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Ward, Lesley.

Western riding / by Lesley Ward.

p. cm. -- (Horse illustrated training guide)

Previously published as Horse illustrated guide to western riding by Lesley Ward.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-1-935484-53-0

eISBN 978-1-937049-39-3

1. Western riding. I. Ward, Lesley. Horse illustrated guide to western riding. II. Title.

SF309.3.W37 2010

798.23--dc22

2010014020

I-5 Press

A Division of I-5 Publishing, LLC

3 Burroughs

Irvine, CA 92618

Printed and bound in the United States

14 13 12 11 10 1 2 3 4 5

acknowledgments

I would like to thank the following people for their help with this book: Sarah Coleman; Sarah Deluca; Firestorm Arabians; Becky Frost; Pat Fuchs; Allison Griest; Jennifer Griffin; Diane Harkey; Katie Henderson; Becky Holman, Black Diamond Performance Horses; Carol Nelson; Jennifer Oltmann; Sherry Pascual; Dale Rudin; Melissa Schoedlbauer; Heather Hayes Schram; Julie Salinas; Erica Seiver; and, finally, my dad, Alan Ward, for his editing skills.

Contents

Choosing a Riding School Choosing a Trainer What You Should Wear to Ride Gaining Experience in the Saddle

Fit for Riding Leading a Horse Mounting a Horse Perfecting Your Position Dismounting

The Aids First Steps Steering Halting Exercises and Stretches You Can Do in the Saddle

Posting (Rising) Trot Diagonals Transitions Jogging Exercises Praise and Rewards Riding Bareback

Leads Asking for the Lope Loping Tips Loping Exercises The Gallop

Reasons for Bad Behavior Falling Off Bucking Bolting Rearing Grass Grabbing Kicking

Finding Trails Trail Etiquette Training Your Horse for the Trail First Trail Your Position in the Saddle Safety on the Trail Riding on the Road Passing Scary Objects Riding in a Group

Preparing Your Horse What Your Horse Should Wear What You Should Wear Western Show Classes Saddle Up and Go!

Introduction

S o you want to learn how to ride western? Once you slip into the comfortable seat of a western saddle, there are many activities to choose from. If youre competitive, you can try your hand at gymkhana games, reining, barrel racing, roping, or team penning. If youre laidback, you could spend hours exploring the countryside on horseback. If youre sociable, you could enjoy long trail rides and picnics with other horse lovers. Western riding offers something for everyone.

You dont need to be born on a ranch or live in the heart of Texas to become a good western rider, but you do need to be dedicated to improving your horsemanship. Good horsemanship is based on constant communication between horse and rider and the desire to continually improve your riding skills.

When you first learn to ride, youll be taught how to sit in the saddle, how to hold the reins, and how to make a horse go forward. As you become more secure in the saddle, youll worry less about falling off and begin to concentrate more on the horses performance. Youll learn how to give the cues that guide the horse, and as you improve, youll find that most horses actually listen to you. It takes time and practice in the saddle before you become an effective rider.

If youre just starting out, its important to sign up with a good riding instructor who will teach you the basics. No matter how experienced you become, youll never stop learning. Every time you jog down a country road or land on the ground after a fall, you add to your library of equestrian knowledge.

Use this book in addition to your hands-on experiences. Read it before you head for your lessons and refer back to it as you need to. It wont be long before you are riding with confidence. Lets face it: Its easy to get hooked on western riding!

Starting Out

S o, going on the occasional trail ride on a rented horse isnt enough for you anymore? If youre serious about learning how to ride and improve your western riding skills, look for a good trainer and sign up for lessons.

If you dont have a horse of your own, find a trainer who has his own horses or one based at a riding school. If you do have your own horse but are new to riding, its a good idea to board your horse at a barn with an instructor on-site.

Choosing a Riding School

Visit your local tack shop and check the bulletin board. There should be a few signs or business cards advertising local riding schools or trainers. If one catches your eye, write down the phone number. Ask the sales assistant if she can recommend any reputable schools or trainers.

Check the bulletin board to see if western shows are advertised. If there are shows in your area, hang around the warm-up arena and watch the riders and their trainers in action. If you like the way a particular trainer works with a student, approach him when he is less busy and introduce yourself. Find out if he gives lessons and if he is based at a nearby barn. Most trainers are happy to chat with you. If you like what you hear, arrange to meet at the trainers barn to take a look at his lesson horses and see how he runs his business.

You can also look on the Internet or in the Yellow Pages for western riding schools or facilities near you, but dont sign up for lessons until youve seen the place. When you go, stop by the office and tell the manager youve arrived. Ask her if you can look around while lessons are going on. She may offer to give you a tour of the facility or she may send you off by yourself to have a look at the place. As youre walking around, keep the following points in mind.

The Staff: The employees should be friendly and happy to answer your questions. They should be dressed professionallyin jeans and boots, not shorts and sandals. No one should be smoking in the barn area. Workers should be kind but firm with the horses. You shouldnt see anyone shout at horses or beat them into submission.

The Barn: The barn should be neat and well organized. You shouldnt spot any litter or loose baling twine lying on the ground. Manure and used bedding should be swept neatly onto a muck heap, away from the barn. As you walk around, look in some stables and check the cleanliness of the bedding. If horses are standing in piles of manure or puddles of urine, leave immediately and look for a better barn.