It might sound like a tall order, but that’s what this video is here to help explain.

A few pointers for the sitting trot:

1. Keep your core engaged. I say “engaged” and not “flexed” or “hard” because your abdomen still needs to be flexible, but it can’t be “gooey.” Your ab muscles help balance your horse, and they keep your upper body from flapping around as your lower back and hips rock with the bounce of the horse’s trot.

2. Sitting trot means turning up and down motion into forward and back motion. It’s not that you magically stay still while your horse is madly bouncing away underneath you, but rather that you take the motion that before you used to post up and down and use your hips and lower back to change it into swinging towards his ears and back.

3. Even as you let your hips rock back and forth, don’t let your lower back arch too much. If you let the top of your pelvis tilt forward and you lower back really arch, you will both lose the strength of your seat and hurt your lower back (I’ve now learned this the painful way…). That’s why I say think about tucking your hips and almost “scooping” toward your horse’s ears. This motion lets your hips take the bounce without sacrificing your lower back.

4. Practice, practice, practice! It’s the only way to get good at the sitting trot. Have someone video you so you can see where you might be going wrong. I’ve learned so much about my riding from making these videos… ;)

Happy trails!

-Ali

I think this question is one of the most common I get on my website. So today’s blog is all about answering it! First, let me just say that I know ALL about really, really, REALLY wanting a horse. I’ve been there. That said, I also understand the concern parents might have about getting their child a horse of his or her own.

As a child asking your parents for a horse, you need to remember what I said in the “Horse care, beware!” blog (maybe go back and read it if you haven’t). Horses are expensive, time-consuming, even potentially dangerous. In addition, how do your parents know that tomorrow you won’t wake up and decide that now you’re into tennis–or dancing, or art, or swimming–instead of horses?

So, if you really want to convince your parents to get you a horse, you need to do the following things (Of course, these pointers also apply if you just want to take riding lessons or work at a barn and your parents still aren’t interested):

1. Find out exactly why they don’t want to get you a horse. Is it because it’s too expensive? Is it because they are worried you won’t take good care of it? Is it because you have never even ridden before and they aren’t convinced that you’ll stick with riding? Is it because they are worried you will get injured? It’s really important when you ask your parents why, that you listen very closely and without any eye-rolling or arguing or sighing. You have to actually hear what they are saying–they want to be understood just as much as you do. Parents reading this, make sure you are honest and open with your child when he or she approaches you. Don’t be afraid to really discuss the concerns you have!

2. Once you know what their concerns are, find out ways to address those concerns. If the concern is money, brainstorm some ideas of how you could earn some money to help out. Or consider leasing a horse first (much less expensive than owning your own horse). If the concern is safety, look at safety gear together (liking riding vests) and talk about what things you could all do to minimize the risk involved with riding. If it’s because they aren’t sure you’ll stick with riding, make an agreement on how long you would need to take lessons before they will reconsider getting a horse–maybe weekly lessons for two years? Stay calm and honestly look at their concerns. Parents, you can help out this process by considering why your son or daughter wants so badly to be involved with horses, and what you would need to feel comfortable with the idea.

3. Consider taking it in steps. Instead of starting out asking for a horse, start with asking for weekly riding lessons. If these go well, and you are still interested, then you can talk with your parents about leasing a horse. If the lease goes well, then you can move onto buying a horse. In this way, you’ll show your parents how you are able to care for a horse and are committed to owning your own horse. For parents, be open to talking about possible compromises, like leasing. Clearly, this subject is important to your child. And here’s a chance for great lessons on planning, negotiation, responsibility, creativity and initiative!

Kids, remember that your parents aren’t just out to make your lives miserable by refusing to get you a horse. They want what’s best for you, and sometimes they just aren’t able to get you everything you want just because you want it. That doesn’t mean they don’t want you to be happy! If you work with them, often you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve together. So good luck, and here’s to a fabulous cooperation between children and their parents–and lots of happy ponies!

The first thing to remember is that you shouldn’t bathe your horse too often with shampoo or soap. A horse’s skin has many vital oils that he loses if you wash him with any kind of soap. So save your baths for special occasions, like shows. Hosing a horse off with water if he’s become quite sweaty is not only okay, but recommended–just don’t use soap.

Next, make sure you don’t surprise a horse by suddenly blasting him with cold water (think how little you’d appreciate similar treatment…). Always start on his hooves, and work your way up his legs so he’s expecting the water on his body.

Lastly, make sure your horse is at least mostly dry before putting back out in his paddock or pasture. One, a damp horse can easily get chilled if there’s any wind or if it’s a bit nippy. Second, wet horses LOVE to roll; they’ll undo all your hard work in a matter of seconds!

So check out the video below for detailed instructions on how to properly and safely wash a horse. Enjoy!

Of course, you have to practice to get good at riding bareback, just like you have to for everything involving horses. I suggest starting out just at the walk, maybe even on a lunge line or with someone leading you. Trust me, it will feel TOTALLY different the first time you hop on a horse without a saddle. You’ll probably feel like you’re just going to slip right off, especially because horses’ skin is so wiggly. That’s why it’s nice to have someone lead you the first time you try, so you can just grab mane to help you feel secure. Try not to grip with your legs too much, or you’ll just tell your horse to zip right off with you.

So, check out the video below for a few more tips and an example of me riding bareback. Then go for it yourself! Once you try it, though, you may never want to ride in a saddle again ;)

Watch the video to see in detail everything I’m talking about here. Enjoy!