Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned rider, there is always something new to learn. Every discipline and style of riding teaches riders key elements that help them improve their overall skills. Equestrians never stop learning from their horses and other horsemen, so it’s important to find a style that is compatible with you and your goals in the riding world.
Western Pleasure
As a Western pleasure rider, you are able to work with your horse to help him develop a strong, sound stride and good posture. This type of riding is also great for developing confidence with the horse because it involves lots of communication and listening to your horse.
Reining
The main goal of reining is to move a horse through the air with ease and precision. Riders use their tack and the horn to help their horse move forward while being able to control the movement of the horse with their body language and voice.
Showjumping
A showjumping competition consists of a course of fences, water jumps and obstacles. The horse and rider must jump over these to win.
Natural Horsemanship
The Natural Horsemanship movement developed primarily in the Pacific Northwest. This approach is based on the understanding that a horse is a living, breathing animal and requires a humane and natural approach to training.
There is a growing belief that the horse is intelligent, which leads to an increased focus on educating and training them to work with their natural instincts instead of against them. This allows them to develop a more positive attitude toward their training, and it also increases the safety of the horse when they are in the saddle.
Equestrian science is gaining in popularity with many professional and amateur horse enthusiasts. This is because it explains the animal from a physical and chemical perspective, rather than just from a visual impression or rider’s perception.
It also studies the muscles and joints of the horse from the gross anatomy to the molecular level, providing a greater understanding of their function as well as helping to understand how to train them.
This can be beneficial for any equestrian, whether you’re an experienced rider or a novice, as it will increase your overall knowledge of the horse and the different ways that they can be trained.
Online courses
There are many different online equestrian education programs available that can teach you about specific topics. These are a great way to supplement the learning that you receive from your instructor. You can watch different videos on a topic and also practice the lessons that you have learned.
You can even create your own equestrian knowledge games with friends! This will allow you to test your knowledge with fun and interesting questions that you can choose based on the theme of the game.
If you’re looking to get started on your equestrian journey, start with a free trial of an equestrian knowledge game. This will give you an idea of how much knowledge you need to learn before deciding on a program.