Why should you ride...

Riding isn’t just about riding a horse. It is the connection you make with your horse through care and riding. There are also the bonds you make with fellow riders and parents that will last a lifetime. These will be the people you ride with or those who help around the barn. Riding has many connections created both physical and emotional for the rider

Winston Churchill once said "There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man."

Riding horses is good not only physically but also for mental health. Horses have a way to make a connection with riders and in turn the rider ends up mirroring the emotions of the horse. This can help individuals build confidence, communication skills, trust, social skills, impulse control, and also learn boundaries. (https://www.fei.org/stories/lifestyle/health-fitness/equine-assisted-activities-therapies-2020)

When you get to your lesson you find out who you will be riding and get them out to start to groom them prior to putting on a saddle. This is where the bonding begins. Grooming a horse helps you and the horse connect before the ride as well as make them feel good by getting them clean from dirt and loose hair which could make it uncomfortable for them under the saddle. It also helps the rider by getting to know what they like or dislike. Some horses even have tickle spots (they are fun when you find them). I have had horses that are not fans of getting their face brushed and others who will fall asleep while brushing them. There are some that will lean into you when you find that spot that feels good too. If you know you are making the horse, feel good, a person will start to release oxytocin which will help the rider feel less stressed and bond more with the horse they are going to be riding. Grooming the horse not only shows the horse you care for them, but it is also a way of showing the horse respect and that you are there for them as much as they are there for you. There is always that one horse that a rider will make a connection to. This is called a “heart horse”. When you find that special horse, there is this unmentioned bond, and the rider will always remember this strong connection. The horse will also remember this connection and no matter how long a rider may be gone for, they will always remember that special rider and the connection that they had with one another.

The connections you make with your trainer, parents, and fellow riders are lifetime connections. These will be the people you will spend many hours with over the years. These will be the people you will lean on during the good and bad moments. These will the friends you laugh, act silly, and maybe even cry with. They will be the ones who pick you up when you fall (which will happen), dust you off, and help you get back on.

Riding is about connecting to experiences and learning new things. Being is scary situations and knowing that not only your trainer, but your friends and your partner (the horse) will be there for you. The ribbons that you win are not only a win for the rider but for the horse and the team as well. It shows that dedication and hard work will pay off and there is joy in knowing that because of the things you learned you can be successful. Will you always win, no, but that is another life lesson. While you may not always win, or be the best, what you take away from the experience will help you in all things that you want to accomplish.

This is why we ride.