Love horses... love horseback riding!!!!

My life is blessed. I have owned horses and been horse riding for quite some time now. I can't imagine life without them. They make me laugh, they give me love, and after a hard day at work, there is not a greater stress relief than saddling up and going for a ride. Together we share a deep bond

While horses are second nature to me, many people are mystified by horses and horse riding. They are big animals that look intimating, and the idea of getting on a horse's back is frightening. To many, horseback riding is intimidating, or worse, some are fearful of horses. It is not your fault. You are simply reacting to a lifetime of what you have seen and been told.

The very fundamental basis to mastering horse riding techniques starts on the ground long before you even think about getting on a horse... It begins with a good education about the horses mind and how they think.

We all like to humanize our pets, and it is no different with horses. We tend to transfer our ways of reasoning and our emotions to the horses. This is the first great mistake many new horse riders do, and it is the worst thing a horseman can do.

Horses are not human. They do not think, see, smell, hear, or reason like a human. This is the most important concept for you to master; For your safety on and off the ground, and for the horse's safety.

Horse are herd animals. This means that they are genetically hard-wired to live, think and react as a pack animal. Nature has programed them to react, rather than to act. Ever seen a TV show of a herd of zebras spooked at a predator? It is no different with a horse. But this should not deter you learning to horse ride. Rather it gives you an understanding that they are different and you must "think like a horse" to master horse riding techniques. After that, the learning curve comes easy.

Horse riding can be fun and fulfilling for anybody, but if you don't start with a good foundation, you just start with bad technique and habits.

That is why most people quit riding horses after a few tries. They had bad experiences with the powerful beasts that caused them to fall, be frightened or worse injured. But don't let that scare you off. Falls and injuries can be avoided, and riding can be the best experience of your life when you have the best horse riding techniques under your belt.

Believe me you can ride a horse and you can start any time you want with proper guidance and training.