Is horseback riding complicated and difficult? Many have pondered this question. When people ask me if riding involves work, I like to say that it is like pushing a boulder up a mountain, in the middle of a desert, while wearing a formal suit, except the boulder is a 2,000 pound animal that could snap a human’s neck with one step. Does that sound like no work at all? Warning: Riders gets extremely frustrated whenever people tell them the rider does nothing but sit there and let the horse do all of the work. That statement is incredibly false and offensive! There are countless complex instructions and actions running through a rider’s head and body at any given time which makes horseback riding not only hard, but VERY hard, and unbelievably complicated.
Body position itself is extremely complex. While doing flatwork (walking, trotting, cantering) and jumping, riders are thinking about their body from head to toe and forcing themselves to follow the given criteria: Eyes up, mouth closed, smile, face lifted, head back, neck straight, shoulders down and back, arms up, elbows in and back, wrists straight, 1st and 5th fingers up, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th fingers down, chest up and forward, back curved, stomach in, butt back and up, thighs down, knees in and up, calves back, feet up, toes up, and most importantly, HEELS DOWN. One of the very first things anyone ever learn in horseback riding is to always keep their heels down, or expect to hit the ground quickly. Also, when jumping the rider must complete “Two-Point” over every jump, which is a position where the rider stands up and crouches over the horse’s neck. They must do this immediately when the horse leaves the ground and then return to their regular position the minute that the horse touches down on the other side. This requires a lot of balance. While cantering, riders must also stand up and go into a half seat, rather than a full seat where the rider is completely sitting in their saddle. If the rider does not force themselves into the correct position, the trainer will happily inform them of their mistakes. Multiple times. In a very loud voice.
Before even attempting the paragraph above, the rider must be dressed appropriately. Most riders wear breeches or jodhpurs, tall or short paddock, muck, or equitation boots, riding socks, blouse or collared shirt, gloves, hairnet, and their helmet. This is simply for practice. If the rider has a show, they must wear everything named above as well as garter knee straps, a belt, nicer, cleaner boots, a white collared long-sleeved blouse, a far too tight collar fastened with a decorative pin, a blazer or suit top, and hair ribbons if under a certain age. One of the hardest parts of showing is being able to move fluidly while wearing a formal suit and other clothes that are unhealthily tight and usually too small. It takes poise and a LOT of patience to maneuver an animal with a fully functioning mind of its own while hair ribbons are flapping, belts are slipping, and pins are snapping!
After worrying about how the rider looks, they must then correct their horse’s appearance. Bathing, grooming, and tacking up is quite a process. Bathing involves a wash stall, horse hair-products (such as shampoo, hair polish, detangler, moisturizer, and conditioner), a hose, and usually a very scared and angry horse or pony with a show the next day. Grooming is the next step after drying off the horse, which can be done with scrapers, towels, or vacuums that are meant for horses. After using hoof picks, small, medium, and large stiff and soft brushes, an extra small finishing brush, rubber and plastic currycombs, mane combs, tail combs, and clippers, the horse is substantially less mud-covered than when the rider brought him in from a pasture, ring, or other stall! However, after bathing and grooming, the horse’s daily injuries become apparent. These include rein rash, bug bites, and nips from other horses. Equine veterinary care is far, far too complicated to even begin to explain.
The next step is tacking up. The horse is led to its tacking up stall by a halter and lead rope. Many horses enjoy a game of I’m-going-to-pull-your-arm-off-unless-you-let-go-so-I-suggest-you-let-me-lead-the-way-and-while-we-walk-I’m-going-to-slobber-on-your-back-and-eat-everything-I-pass while being led to the tack room, stall, ring, or trailer. In order to ride, every horse must wear a saddle, girth, bridle, bit, and saddle pad. The horse may also need pom-poms, a martingale, or leg wraps. Barns have tack rooms where all supplies can be found although the search usually involves sprinting throughout the barn in an effort to be on time for a lesson.
Equitation: Pushing a Boulder up a Mountain
By Isabelle B.