A cool breeze and frisky horses seem to go hand in hand. but a chill in the air isn't the only reason a horse may be high-spirited. Too much barn time, too little exercise, or an exciting environment can leave your horse feeling full of himself, and you wondering how to ride him safely. Following our tips might mean the difference between a good ride and risking life and limb.
1. Assemble your gear before you get the horse. You know the classic picture of the little child dressed to go out in the snow? As soon as mom has him bundled up, what does he have to do? You guessed it. Get yourself ready, gloves, helmet, tack-whatever-before you take the horse out of his stall. Put boots on the horse. If he's frisky or the footing is wet, his feet are often making lots of small, poorly controlled steps, and he's more likely to hit one leg with the hoof of another.
2. "Ride where you can, and not where you can't." Though it may seem obvious, that saying really packs a lot of wisdom. Staying safe requires that you be realistic about where you can ride your horse safely today.
You know when and where you have really good control and where you're taking chances. Just because you had a great gallop across a big open field on a hot day last summer doesn't mean that it's wise to do it today, with the wind blowing and your horse feeling fresh. Since you know that horses are more easily spooked in some situations, it's best to avoid challenging areas on a day when your horse is feeling particularly frisky. Consider riding in the arena, for instance, if you're not 100% sure you'll have good control on the trail.
3. Work from the ground until you're confident that you'll be safe in the saddle. There's no reason to get in a rush to get on your horse. Ground work can do wonders to calm an excited horse.
Be specific about what you want your horse to do. Your objective is control, not blowing off energy. Often when you allow an energetic horse to blow off steam, he ends up more excited than when he started. Instead, give your horse specific requests, where you put him under pressure momentarily, and then relieve the pressure when he does what you ask. As you repeat the movements and the releases, he'll begin to settle into the exercise.
