Each one of us would like to achieve the maximum of our capabilities in horse riding. In order to find motivation for everyday work, we love to follow actions and results of famous riders from all over the world. We admire their achievements, wondering how did they manage to be so successful? How does their every day look like? How much time do they spend on trainings? Do they do any other sports, or do they exercise so they stay fit outside the saddle? Do they stick to their diets? How does their training look like? What we get to see during competitions is just the effect of their hard work as well as their traits and acquired abilities, on which they are trying to work all their lives. Without them, they would not be in the place they are :)
Nevertheless, we admire not only the competitors. Sometimes we get to meet somebody who impresses us on our own "backyard" - riding style, level of advancement, riding sense and experience. Very often that person is our own instructor or coach, who helps us achieving our "riding perfection".
But what is this "riding perfection"? We have decided to make a list of 12 such traits and skills of a good rider :) Surely, you will find a lot of them as your own traits :)
1. Patience
It is a well-known fact that a good rider knows that some processes (especially teaching processes) cannot be rushed. Both the horse and the rider need time to acquire new expectations. Nothing in horse riding pays off more than everyday training and teaching and learning step by step. Due to such system you can teach your horse everything - complicated dressage elements, jumping over any kind of fancy obstacles, loading the horse on a trailer, or standing still during cleaning. It is our mantra - whatever you omit in your training will make you have to take a few steps back to make up for the shortages.
Every rider knows the horse's nature that makes the horse react very abruptly in stressful situations. Only your composure and patience will help you overcome his fears.
source: theequineindependent.com
2. Persistence
Each one of us in our riding career at least once encountered a horse, who was not exactly an "easy" horse. Especially when you are young or at the beginning stage of training, pretty much every second horse seems "too difficult" for you :) It is all because your abilities are not sufficient yet and the horse - "trouper" knew how to lead you astray :) It is usually then when it becomes clear who is suitable for being a rider, and who eventually will give up on riding. Usually the first fall of a rider brings such fear that he or she immediately loses any interest in horse riding. This is the exact reason for popularity of the saying "who never fell off a horse is not a real rider" :) Only those who can raise up after falling down and mount a horse again have a chance to become successful in the future.
When the phase of being an entrant is far behind you, there comes a time when you encounter horses who need more experience and knowledge than other horses. What does it mean? It means that those are not the "troupers" anymore, but horses who are young and unexperienced, or those who, unfortunately, have not been well prepared to riding, horses in which trainings some people have made huge mistakes. The second type of horses are the so-called difficult horses, so animals that have wrong habits and vices resulting from fear. Work with such steeds requires even more persistence.
Another stage of horse riding is sport. Every rider, regardless of the discipline, starting in jumping, dressage, vaulting, racing, or eventing competitions always have a goal :) Only persistence will help achieve the highest results.
Horses do not speak and additionally they feel and perceive the surrounding world and any kind of stimuli completely different than we do. It is not an easy situation for the rider, to understand why and how does his four-legged friend act. Empathy, or the ability to feel other beings' mental states is absolutely crucial here. If you are to properly react in a situation where your horse starts to act "reprehensibly", you have to know why. Maybe he is afraid of something that abruptly appeared in your environment? Maybe he has some bad memories caused by the previous owner's "methods"? It is you who has to adjust yourself to the horse, understand him, take the control and make him feel safe. Without your empathy it would be impossible.
4. Appetite for knowledge
"Perfect rider" is a rider who not only reads to expand his or her knowledge, but most of all, a rider who can learn from horses and other riders. Every steed has a completely different character and experience. Working with them, you have to be open to new solutions and way of communication.
Not everybody can afford several-days clinics with high-class trainer. But conversation with trainer in a tack room, asking some questions somebody who rider better than you, or talking to riders on a warm-up arena does not cost anything :) And every conversation teaches, sometimes it might even open your eyes :) Usually it also forces you to conduct an internal discussion and considering if somebody's methods are right. Is he/she right, or are we in how we act?
source: love2read.org.au
5. Desire for self-improvement
Good rider is characterised by his or her desire for self-improvement never ceases. There is no single answer, there is no single way to achieve something during training. There is also no single way to succeed. Each training and every horse is a new challenge, which will require new search and abilities from you. For such people the statement "I can ride a horse" does not exist :) Because they learn and improve every single day.
6. Sensing when to let go
It is a very important ability, which usually comes with time. You should be able to let go by, for example not taking part in competitions to which you are not ready. The ability of "letting go" is also useful during training. Sometimes one repetition too much causes all the exercise go to waste. The rider, to know when to let go, has to know both his or her mental and physical capabilities as well as those of the horse. Only then will you be able to finish training successfully (for example by properly performing an exercise).
Good rider is a rider who can connect the dots, namely - analyse a situation. Especially "problems" that appear while training horses require such ability. After each training, competition, and especially failed attempts you have to be able to draw conclusions in order to prevent the same mistakes from happening in the future.
In our equestrian everyday life we constantly have to connect causes and effects. If the horse springs to the side and tries to run away, quickly going backwards and squatting, it means that he had to get scared by a sudden entrance of a tractor to the area next to your stable. It all requires your deduction, even planning ahead, which might be "difficult" for the horse and cause him fear. That will allow you to react properly, often anticipating the course of events.
8. Efficiency
Good riders know how to achieve the best result with the least amount of effort or the least harm to the horse. They constantly improve their abilities, trying to get from the horse what they want, due to built trust and without the use of physical force :)
We all know how injury prone and extreme sport can horse riding be. Regardless of how cautious you are, every rider has in their lives at least one situation that chilled his or her blood. Falls, sudden and impulsive horses' reaction (bucking, rearing, sudden springing to the sides or speeding at a canter), caused by fear or excessive energy, vices (biting, kicking) forces you to have eyes in the back of your head. They also require "cool" assessment of the situation and quick reaction. In the saddle you cannot let your emotions carry you away, you have to bite the bullet and try to do something one more time. Whether you want it or not, this ability comes with time :)
10. Ability to notice talent
Such ability allows you to pick not only promising riders, but also unique horses of great predispositions, who can achieve success. The first case will refer mainly coaches, but the second case refers to everybody in the equestrian world. Who does not dream about buying a horse "from nowhere", with no lineage and great, titles ancestors, for little money, who will provide you with your dream results? :)
source: about.com
11. Determination
This trait will allow you to resign from pleasures, pushing you towards the stable for your everyday training :)
As we all know, horses bring us the highest ups, but also the lowest downs. Joy from the first ones comes easily, but the true success is to rise from the latter :)
12. Humility
It is the last, probably the most important and the most valuable trait. Who has a lot of humility, will never say that they know everything. They will always be open to others' remarks, their horse including, because it is the horse who points to our mistakes - he does it silently, but very vividly :)
If you do not blame your four-legged partner, poor weather conditions, bad equipment, the ground, coach, other riders for your mistakes, but you blame yourself - your shortages and negligence, then you can see yourself as a "good rider" :) Only due to humility you will be able to develop those 12 traits and skills. Regardless your age.
We hope you develop and foster each of the above mentioned traits and abilities. Only they will allow you to constantly improve your qualifications, but also to achieve harmony and full understanding with your horse :)
Maybe you would like to add something to that list? We await your comments :)
Product successfully added to your shopping cart
source: shutterstock.com
source: theequineindependent.com
Photo's author: 
source: love2read.org.au
source: 
Photo's author: 
source: about.com
Photo's author: 
