# Best Advice You Have Had (or Advice that you remember the most!)



## jenn44uk (9 March 2013)

Hi!

Long time lurker here but first time posting. I'm glad there's a new rider/owners section where I can post without seeming too out of my depth! Please be gentle.  

Anyway I've nearly had my boy (see my avatar!) for two years, he's my first horse and I got him when I was 27. There's still so much that I'm trying to learn but I'm lucky that I have some good horsey friends at my yard, my instructor and websites such as this one (and Horse How To Academy).

I have started this thread to ask people what is the best advice they have received as new rider/owner and learning new things. Or not necessarily the best advice but something that you remember.

There are a couple of ones that really struck me but the one that springs to mind is this one that my instructor told me about trying to get my horse 'on the bit' (so using his hindquarters to push rather than his front end to pull himself - I didn't even understand the term 'on the bit' before I got him!).

Actually it applies to just commincating with the horse - I also had washing line reins. Anyway my instructor told me this:

You're trying to communicate with the horse via your reins (as well as your legs and weight etc). Think of the reins as a telephone wire and your hands are one handset and the horses mouth is the other. In order to speak to the horse and get him to listen you need to make sure your phone line is open - no sags in the reins, no pulling or blocking with the hands but gentle, clear and sometimes firm instruction and talk with the fingers, otherwise he won't understand what you're saying.

Love how it made things easier to understand for me. We're still a work in progress though!

I have some other tips and thoughts but will see if anyone has any other good ones, since I seem to have wrote a lot here.

Looking forward to seeing other peoples thoughts. Thank you for reading!

Jen


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## Pippity (9 March 2013)

One I read on uk.rec.equestrian: "Make love to the saddle, don't **** it to death!"

I've had a much quieter seat since reading that!


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## Nettle123 (9 March 2013)

Great tips. One I always remember from riding a very forward going horse, when going into canter, let her go forward before bringing her back to you. Also, keep looking at the floor and you will probably end up there, lol.


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## jenn44uk (9 March 2013)

Great advice guys! I suppose the other most important advice I've had is to relax, relax and relax! I am unfortunately of the group of riders that used to be nervous when riding (I've changed through my instructor) or nervous in a different place or when trying a new thing.

The first proper lesson I had after I bought Logan was simply to relax and let my knee go soft and floppy as I was gripping with the knee which resulted in my leg and heel rising and I would lose stability and balance. It's taking me a long time to get my confidence up and get my position sorted (plus regular trips to the osteo - that was an eye opener - didn't think it would work and can't believe the difference!).

So basically relax. If you're not relaxed you can't expect the horse to be.

Jen


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## Ancient Hacker (10 March 2013)

The most useful advice (especially now that I am older) was given me by my mum when I was a toddler: your voice is your best aid! Of course this is no help with dressage; however, for anything else it is incredible how much you can do using voice alone. 

Interesting, my mum said that you never know when you might fall off whilst hacking and break your arms; you could then ride our horse home by voice commands.  Being a child, I never thought to ask how I would remount with the broken arms.  Still, this advice has always been with me.


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## GrumpyMare (10 March 2013)

You'll always end up where you look, so if you look down at the ground, that's where you're headed


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## Tammytoo (10 March 2013)

"It's NEVER the horse's fault".

You can be sure that when  things go wrong the horse is either un-prepared, or you haven't given him a clear instruction, or you are expecting him to know more than he does, or in a frightening situation he reacts like a horse, or he is in pain.


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## slumdog (10 March 2013)

"It takes a life time to make them, but only 2 seconds to break them"
And
"Ask a lot but accept a little"


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## heebiejeebies (11 March 2013)

Ancient Hacker said:



			I never thought to ask how I would remount with the broken arms.  Still, this advice has always been with me.
		
Click to expand...

Bahaha! That's like the famous "Don't come running to me if you fall out of that tree and break your legs!" that I used to hear many a time as a kid! Strangely though, I never questioned it!

Back in the day when I was teaching and my clients had rubbish posture/balance I'd take their saddle off them, every single one of them improved dramatically after that. No one ever seemed to enjoy riding without a saddle, so it was a great threat to use "Stop gripping with your knees/sit up straight/stop leaning to the inside/etc or I'll take that saddle away!" haha I still live by the fact that riding bareback is the best balance improver.

Same goes for riders that hang on with their reins, yanking the horse in the mouth, I'd take the reins off to make them understand that you don't need the reins to stay up there! 

Don't think you can get away with that now though... what with 'elf an safety...


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## Pippity (11 March 2013)

My instructor threatens to take my stirrups away from me, but hasn't threatened to remove the saddle yet! (The threat doesn't work with me. I LOVE working without stirrups, because it does so much for me. Nothing better for keeping my lower leg still than 15 minutes trot/canter without stirrups.)


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## unicorndreams (11 March 2013)

'A horse can feel a fly land anywhere on its body so why should you need to use more pressure than that?' - always makes me think about how I am communicating with my horse and to ask with a light touch first. I so don't like to see riders nagging their horse with every stride!


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## Redwood1985 (13 March 2013)

'Heel down, eyes up' and 'If you look at the ground, thats where your going to end up!' are 2 of the most important things while riding a horse


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## MissJessica (17 March 2013)

Great post, I'm loving the replies! 
My best piece would be..."the longest dressage test is a maximum of 12 minutes and that includes a walk in a long rein"
Meaning don't overwork your horse in an outline.


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## ShadowHunter (17 March 2013)

I actually heard this yesterday when my instructor was talking to someone behind me. 
'Cantering isn't asking your horse to move faster but changing the way they move'
Meaning don't expect to get a canter just by pushing them on more.


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## combat_claire (18 March 2013)

I was taught to ride by very traditional instructor. 

His favourite pearl of wisdom was 'a good rider makes a quick horse go slow and a slow horse go quick' whenever we moaned about the steed we were put up on. He taught my OH to ride a good 17 years later and damn me if his dulcet tones weren't still dispensing that particular piece of advice!


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## Tabula Rasa (19 March 2013)

'If you keep looking at the floor that's where you'll end up'
 haha

Tabula Rasa x


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## TrasaM (19 March 2013)

Tabula Rasa said:



			'If you keep looking at the floor that's where you'll end up'
 haha

Tabula Rasa x
		
Click to expand...

I think I had that shouted at me in every lesson for my first 6 months learning. Not heard it in a while so it must have worked..eventually


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## Tabula Rasa (19 March 2013)

TrasaM -

Hahaha 
Same! Although I never ended up on the floor for looking at it. Must of worked for me too! :')
Good memories.

Tabula Rasa x


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## samsbilly (19 March 2013)

I was told years ago that you should constantly learn with horses and if I ever got to the point I thought I knew it all I should find another hobby x


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## RhaLoulou (19 March 2013)

From a dear late friend who bred both my horses. "if you want to truly enjoy your riding make sure that you are under not over horsed"


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## Muckmeister (21 March 2013)

Sit up!

The "default seat", i.e. sitting up, shoulders back if necessary, has saved me on more than one occasion when in trouble!


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## Cortez (21 March 2013)

"Drink heavily" was the best advice I was given by and old horse trainer when I was a young one. Been following it ever since


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## Enfys (22 March 2013)

Sit up and kick on, if it's good enough for MK then it's good enough for me.


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## kirstykate (22 March 2013)

Enfys said:



			Sit up and kick on, if it's good enough for MK then it's good enough for me.
		
Click to expand...

And if in doubt kick some more


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## cptrayes (22 March 2013)

Always say thankyou never say please.

If you say please, then it allows for the fact that the horse may say no. And that should never be an option because you should never be asking the horse a question that he will say no to, and he should never be allowed to say no to a reasonable request.


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## Natti (23 March 2013)

'If you don't do it right do it again' is what I've heard a lot. Its true as well, I now repeat every action (not just riding but with saxophone and such as well) over and over again until I'm sick of it. Completely help though as I can always see the changes that it's help make.


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## Crugeran Celt (23 March 2013)

My instructor, many years ago as a child told me that if any of her horses did something 'wrong' then it was my fault for not 'asking' correctly. She also said always ask a horse nicely and never demand anything from it and that way you will most likely get what you want. Must be honest she didn't look that great on a horse but whatever animal she rode she could get it to do anything with what looked like no movement from any part of her body. I always wanted to be able to understand a horse like she could.


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## moorhillhorses (23 March 2013)

Best advice video is the link Ive posted. I was going to quit horses as my yard was too small, ive no indoor, no onsite fields and on top of a very cold windy unsheltered mountain, with 6 livery riding school yards in a 2 mile radius. I have another 2 very successful business's that are inside jobs, warm I can wear nice clothes , have pretty hair and drive a nice car. Instead ive taking a year out from the horses, loaned them all out, im working extremely hard to buy a farm to relocate. Im going to get a someone to run my both business so I can run a horse farm . (livery lessons and a rescue centre etc) There wont be as much money in this as the other two companies I own but I can not wait to get my wellies on, muck stables out at 6am, fix fencing etc again lol its a way of life. This video was the icing on the cake and made me realise i want to live and breathe horses. Life isnt about making money its about doing what makes you happy. Im lucky tobe in the situation im in todo this. I worked through mud sweat and tears and was at a breaking point but im lucky two discover and get the other two business's I have to allow me to do my dream. I think god felt sorry for me and seen the amount of animals id helped and rescued and gave me the break! :/ watch this link 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iMb-7FybJs


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## showpony (23 March 2013)

" what flows through the riders brain flows through the reins"


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## elbee (28 March 2013)

Remember to breathe. Seems so obvious but somehow so easy to forget when I'm having a riding lesson


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## pottypony1 (30 March 2013)

Show jumping is dressage with lumps, cross country is dressage with a scenery... Shows how important Flatwork really is!


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## Skib (30 March 2013)

I like what you were told OP. 
The best bit of advice I had as an older, unequal and not very competent beginner is a matter of controversy, but has been my secret safety net. 

When going round a circle or corner, picture the centre of the circle and keep your shoulders and hips aligned with the line (radius) to that centre point. If a teacher is lunging you, he or she should see you sideways on and not be able to see your outside shoulder at all.
This advice has classical credentials - but it kept me secure in the saddle at novicey moments I might have fallen, canter round bends out hacking or trotting bareback or being run away with in the school. So easy to forget these magical bits of advice and good to be reminded. Thank you.


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## PolarSkye (3 April 2013)

So many things . . . 

Keep feed simple and feed according to breed/type and the amount and type of work - too many horses are overfed and underworked.

Listen to your horse rather than the myriad of fellow liveries - and if you need advice, get it from a trusted professional.

P


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## Goldenstar (3 April 2013)

I have lots but here's one practise makes permanent not perfect ,you have to always be doing things the right way to improve.


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## sally2008 (3 April 2013)

"Any fool can bully a horse into doing what they want.  It takes a great rider to make a horse want to you what you want"

"If you always do what you always did, you will always get what you always got"

"There's no such thing as a horse who is dead to the leg, just riders who allow themselves to become background noise"

So, so many, I must bore my pupils to death with them all!


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