From the outside, horseback riding may look like just sitting and that all a rider has to do is give the horse some simple instructions like go, whoa, and turn. In carrying the rider the horse is doing all the work, right? There is far more to horseback riding than the casual observer might expect. And, there are benefits beyond simple enjoyment; physically, mentally and emotionally
Five Things:
Benefits from Horse Riding
Throughout the world horses play a big role, and not only for efficiency of transport or work. But they provide very beneficial education for children from the young age of three. Even grown-ups are only too welcome to experience a carefree hour or two on horseback, whether it is learning new things taught by instructors in a ring or trekking adventurously along the many trails and blazing across fresh fields of lushness as an exciting sightseeing journey. Whichever way you may see horse riding, it improves and develops many essential qualities for a person. Horses tend to be awfully stubborn and misbehave frequently, and to control such a strong animal you gradually develop body improvements as you ride; strength. Strength is something everyone has, whether it is shown by your muscular body, or by your very own heart and ingenious mind. And as you ride, strength builds up in both areas. All your horse’s tricks are learned and your brain discovers how to conquer whatever your horse will throw at you, seeming as you most probably know it already. And as you put your mind strength into use you’ve employed your strength physically as well, to actually give your horse the right instructions. The right commands are the first step to excelling in horse riding. But as you rule over your misbehaving horse and turn it in the right direction, another of your body elements is used…
CONFIDENCE. Since you started riding you would’ve known nothing about the sport, and so your commands are often mistaken by your horse and it reacts differently to what you wanted it to do. As that occurs your confidence drops to a scale where you think you can’t ride properly and that you are seemingly hopeless at the sport. But the trick is to continue, and the more you learn, the better you ride. Soon the horse will start listening to you properly and your commands are obeyed. Horse riding teaches you to never give up, and once you had conquered something, as simple as it seems, but hard when you want to succeed, you will move confidently to other things in the wide world of opportunities that can be reached by your confidence. And then when you have confidence and know you can conquer anything, you move on to…
FUN. So that means not to let high competition rule over you. Horse riding is a fun recreational activity of never-ending joy for people. It is a great escape from troubles in life and refreshes you most comfortably at the end of the week when all piles of work are left behind and school isn’t due until tomorrow or the day after. But then again, you won’t be able to stay on the horse if you didn’t have…
BALANCE. Yep, you guessed it. Balance is essential in horse riding, mostly because you can never ride well without good balance and even more important, you can stay on! Stirrups are there to support you, but with them gone, what will happen? Will you plummet onto the ground in a confused heap or stay perfectly still as if you were born in the saddle? Those two answers depend on balance. To have good balance, all you have to do is practise and rely on your stirrups more. Some exercises can be very helpful like the around-the-world where you turn 360 degrees in the saddle. And in the sport of vaulting, balance is the main secret. So that concludes it. But wait, I forgot something, and that is…
TRUST. Last but not least, trust. Horse riding is a risky activity and many major accidents can occur. In some people’s opinions, they prefer bicycles to horses. But in my opinion, it is just the total opposite. Bicycles aren’t alive, so if you just happened to have a broken brake, it would just keep going until maybe it rolls off a cliffside. But when you are talking about horses, they know directions. So they have a bigger chance of throwing you and running off, but at least you know that they are unlikely to run blindly to a cliff’s edge. So even though your horse can get spooked and run wild, you still trust your horse to not get you into deep trouble. There we have it explained — five good benefits from the very exciting sport of horse riding. From the Horse's Perspective
Let Me Teach You
by Willis Lamm
When you are tense, let me teach you to relax. When you are short tempered, let me teach you to be patient. When you are short sighted, let me teach you to see. When you are quick to react, let me teach you to be thoughtful. When you are angry, let me teach you to be serene. When you feel superior, let me teach you to be respectful. When you are self absorbed, let me teach you to think of greater things. When you are arrogant, let me teach you humility. When you are lonely, let me be your companion. When you are tired, let me carry the load. When you need to learn, let me teach you. After all, I am your horse. Physical Benefits
Improved balance. As the horse moves, the rider is constantly thrown off-balance, requiring that the rider's muscles contract and relax in an attempt to rebalance. This exercise reaches deep muscles not accessible in conventional physical therapy. The three-dimensional rhythmical movement of the horse is similar to the motion of walking, teaching rhythmical patterns to the muscles of the legs and trunk. By placing the rider in different positions on the horse (therapeutic vaulting), we can work different sets of muscles. Stopping and starting the horse, changing speed and changing direction increase the benefits. Strengthened muscles. Muscles are strengthened by the increased use involved in riding. Even though riding is exercise, it is perceived as enjoyment, and therefore the rider has increased tolerance and motivation to lengthen the period of exercise. Improved coordination, faster reflexes, and better motor planning. Riding a horse requires a great deal of coordination in order to get the desired response from the horse. Since the horse provides instant feedback to every action by the rider, it is easy to know when you have given the correct cue. Repetition of patterned movements required in controlling a horse quickens the reflexes and aids in motor planning. Stretching of tight or spastic muscles. Sitting on a horse requires stretching of the adductor muscles of the thighs. This is accomplished by pre-stretching prior to mounting the horse, and starting the rider off on a narrow horse, gradually working to wider and wider horses. Gravity helps to stretch the muscles in front of the leg as the rider sits on the horse without stirrups. Riding with stirrups with heels level or down helps to stretch the heel cords and calf muscles. Stomach and back muscles are stretched as the rider is encouraged to maintain an upright posture against the movement of the horse. Arm and hand muscles are stretched as part of routine exercises on the horse and by the act of holding and using the reins. Decreased spasticity. Spasticity is reduced by the rhythmic motion of the horse. The warmth of the horse may aid in relaxation, especially of the legs. Sitting astride a horse helps to break up extensor spasms of the lower limbs. Holding the reins helps to break flexor spasm patterns of the upper limbs. Many of the developmental vaulting positions are also designed to break up or reduce spasticity. Fatigue also helps to decrease spasticity by producing relaxation. Increased range of motion of the joints. As spasticity is reduced, range of motion increases. Range of motion is also improved by the act of mounting and dismounting, tacking up, grooming, and exercises during lessons. Reduction of abnormal movement patterns. If spasticity is reduced and range of motion increased, it follows that abnormal movements will be inhibited. Relaxation techniques while riding also help to inhibit abnormal movement. Improved respiration and circulation. Although riding is not normally considered a cardiovascular exercise, trotting and cantering do increase both respiration and circulation. Improved appetite and digestion. Like all forms of exercise, riding stimulates the appetite. The digestive tract is also stimulated, increasing the efficiency of digestion. Sensory integration. Riding stimulates the tactile senses both through touch and environmental stimuli. The vestibular system is also stimulated by the movement of the horse, changes in direction and speed. The olfactory system responds to the many smells involved in a stable and ranch environment. Vision is used in control of the horse. The many sounds of a ranch help to involve the auditory system. All of these senses work together and are integrated in the act of riding. In addition, proprioceptors ( receptors that give information from our muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints) are activated, resulting in improved proprioception. Psychological Benefits
General sense of well-being. Exercise in the fresh air of a ranch, away from hospitals, doctors office, therapy rooms, or home help to promote a sense of well-being. Improved self-confidence
Confidence is gained by mastering a skill normally performed by able-bodied people. The ability to control an animal much larger and stronger than oneself is a great confidence builder. Participating in events such as shows and play days add to the sense of achievement. Increased interest in the outside world. For those confined by a disability, the world tends to shrink in size. Riding increases interest in what is happening around the rider, as the rider explores the world from the back of a horse. Even exercising becomes interesting when done on horseback. Increased interest in one's own life. The excitement of riding and the experiences involved stimulate the rider, encouraging the rider to speak and communicate about it. Improved risk-taking abilities. Riding is a risk sport. The rider learns to master fears though the act of staying on the horse, as well as attempting new skills and positions on the horse. Development of patience. Since the horse has a mind of it's own, the rider learns patience as he or she attempts to perform skills on the horse when the horse is not cooperating. Repetition of basic riding principles also helps to develop patience. Emotional control and self-discipline. The rider quickly learns that an out-of-control rider means an out-of-control horse. Shouting, crying, and emotional outbursts upset the horse, which in turn frightens the rider. Riders learn to control these emotions and appropriately express them. Sense of normality. By being able to master a skill considered difficult by the able population, the rider experiences him/herself as being normal. Expansion of the locus of control. The rider begins to view him/herself as having control over his/her world as control over a powerful animal increases. Social Benefits
Friendship. Although riding can be a solitary activity, it is normally performed in groups. Riders share a common love of horses and a common experience of riding -- a good foundation on which to build a friendship. Development of respect and love for animals. Horses require a great deal of care and attention. Riders find themselves bonding with the animals. They develop an interest in them and learn to care for them. They learn to put the needs of the horse first. Increased experiences. The variety of experiences involved in riding are endless. From tacking and grooming to trail riding, from going to horse shows to learning the parts of a horse, the rider is constantly experiencing and growing. The horse also provides the rider with the ability to go places otherwise inaccessible due to the disability. Enjoyment. There is no doubt about it, riding a horse is fun. Riders experience excitement and pleasure every time they come for a lesson. Educational Benefits
Remedial Reading. Before one can read, it is necessary to recognize the difference in shapes, sizes, and even colors. These can be taught more easily on horseback, as part of games and activities. There is less resistance to learning when it is part of a riding lesson. Through the use of signs placed around the arena, letters can be taught, and reading of individual words by word recognition can also be learned. Games involving signs for "exit", "danger", "stop" etc., help to teach important life skills involving reading. Remedial Math
Counting is learned by counting the horse's footsteps, objects around the arena, or even the horse's ears and legs. Number concepts are gained as the rider compares the number of legs on a horse to the number of his own legs. Addition and subtraction are taught through games involving throwing numbered foam dice and adding or subtracting the numbers. Because the concepts are taught through games, resistance to learning is decreased. Sequencing, patterning and motor planning. Something as simple as holding and using a pencil requires a great deal of motor planning. Knowing which comes first in a sequence of events is an important part of most activities. These and other similar skills are taught on horseback though the use of obstacle courses, pole bending, drill team, and many other games and activities. Improved eye-hand coordination. Eye hand coordination is necessary for such skills as writing. These skills are taught in tacking the horse, as well as various activities and exercises. Visual/spatial perception. This includes our awareness of form and space, and our understanding relationships between forms in our environment. Included in this area are directionality (knowing right from left); space perception, which allows us to differentiate between items close in shape but spatially different (i.e. "h" versus "b"); form perception (i.e. differentiating "h" and "m"); figure ground (picking out an object from the background); and visual sequential memory (such as remembering symbols in a particular sequence or pattern). Both reading and math concepts involve visual spatial perception. Visual spatial perception improves as a natural result of control of the horse. Additional exercises are done on the horse to increase ability in this area. Differentiation. The rider learns to differentiate significant from less significant stimuli in the environment. An improvement in this area occurs as the rider learns to attend to his horse and those things that may influence the horse as opposed to attending the environment in general.
