Trainer Tip Tuesday! When you get a good start on your horse in a controlled setting such as a round pen, you should be able to feel when they are ready for outside riding. As long as you can bend them for a one-rein stop, there comes a point where you need to trust yourself and the horse and get out of the pen! Your horse will learn to move out freely and you can concentrate on directing their forward motion. It shouldn't matter what discipline the horse will be used in, our opinion is that outside miles will help make your horse well rounded!
If you are riding with others, be careful to make sure you are still asking your horse to do something, rather than just allow them to follow. If you aren't actually directing their feet, you won't be doing yourself or your horse any favors. Your horse can draw comfort from the other horses, but be sure to still be preparing your horse for when you will be riding them alone. Look at every ride as an opportunity to improve your horses training. You can take the horse out of their comfort zone and before they are too upset, release that pressure and let them absorb what you are trying to teach them.
Happy Trails! - Dawn
If you are riding with others, be careful to make sure you are still asking your horse to do something, rather than just allow them to follow. If you aren't actually directing their feet, you won't be doing yourself or your horse any favors. Your horse can draw comfort from the other horses, but be sure to still be preparing your horse for when you will be riding them alone. Look at every ride as an opportunity to improve your horses training. You can take the horse out of their comfort zone and before they are too upset, release that pressure and let them absorb what you are trying to teach them.
Happy Trails! - Dawn
