Best bit of horsey advice you've ever been given?

[Ollie's Mum]

As the title says - what sticks in your mind as a good bit of advice that you've been given along the way?

I always remember my old riding teacher telling us "never ride a horse faster than you can control it". Having had a couple of "this is it, he's away now!" moments that's one I always remember!

 

[nikCscott]

The front end bites...... the back end kicks...... and the middle bit is just dangerous!

Makes me smile and reminds me of my grampy.

You can't buy talent or experience- is also one of my favourites

 

[Littlelegs]

The worst that can happen is you fall off

 

[Lolo]

Those who matter don't mind, and those who mind don't matter.
Courtesy of the lovely Baydale on here, who I think got it off Dr Seuss. So true, and makes it easier to ignore the naysayers.

 

[quirky]

To mount a horse new to you as if it has just been backed.

 

[padderpaws]

The stamp of a good rider is making sure you live to ride tomorrow.

Never a horse that couldn't be rode, never a rider that couldn't be throwed.

 

[Pearlsasinger]

"If you've got livestock, you'll have deadstock" Old farmer friend always told us that.

He thought that every horse owner should be prepared for the worst, and indeed he was right. As soon as we buy a horse we should decide what we will do in an emergency, who to call, what means of disposal we want (if possible). It is so much better than having to make these decisions in the heat of the moment.

 

[thespanishmane]

Try to keep the horse between you and the ground !

 

[Peegeesmum]

When I was a young girl & had just got my first pony,my Father told me that the most vunerable parts of a horse are the legs & the belly.So true.

 

[indie999]

No foot no horse

Dont get off unless its about to jump off a cliff!

Make life easy for yourself........

Always shut gates.

 

[VickyP]

My dad always says the only safe horse is a clothes horse!

 

[Polo*Pony]

My dad always says the only safe horse is a clothes horse!

Ha, I like this.

I was always told to 'make the right thing easy, the wrong thing difficult'.

When any horse/pony I ride is being difficult this reminds me to focus on being positive and making it easy for them to do the right thing, rather than getting all defensive and only concentrating on stopping them from doing the wrong thing.

 

[Echo Bravo]

Time spent on a horse,is worth thousands in the bank.

 

[Madam Min]

My old instructor use to shout at us as kids "sit up and sit back" when we rode the not so ploddy riding school ponies

 

[Slightlyconfused]

Dosen matter how old or how experienced you are you never stop learning........

The ones that brag about how good they are never are.......

 

[Goldenstar]

Never invest on any thing thats eats during the night !!!!

 

[ew0855]

It's supposed to be fun! (applies to horse as well as rider)

 

[Archiepoo]

if you fall off keep hold of the reins!!!

 

[Mahoganybay]

It's supposed to be fun! (applies to horse as well as rider)

My god how true is that, and how we forget this so many times...

 

[lizziegoos]

It's supposed to be fun! (applies to horse as well as rider)

This is the first thing my instructor said to me back in the saddle after ten year break..

 

[SouthWestWhippet]

My old boss had loads that stick in my memory

"If in doubt, kick on"

"the art of riding is to keep the horse between you and the ground"

"The key to successful jumping is... line to the fence, speed to the fence, rhythm to the fence and spot off the ground"

And my particular favourite when I was going through a very nervous patch after having recently broken my back coming off a youngster

"Look, if he buggers off with you, bucking, you're going to tense up pretty quickly anyway, so why waste your energy tensing up before anything has happened?"

Oh and my mum always says, "why bother owning a horse when you could just dig a big hole in the garden and throw money into it?" She isn't horsey LOL

 

[skint1]

Someone once told me that horses had the equivalent intellect of a 3yo child, this really helped me be a bit more assertive and definite around them,and in turn really made things much easier for me because my daughter's pony and horse began to treat me with more respect!

 

[nosenseofdirection]

Buy one that's **** coloured to start with, otherwise you'll spend your whole life washing it!

 

[Ollie's Mum]

One from my friend - "never trust a man with a horse in his hand"!!

 

[Kat]

If in doubt sit up and kick on!

The one I pass on most is the public loo analogy for jumping. Bloody brilliant and works so well. Thanks to my old instructor for that!

 

[Uniique]

Many years ago a very wise man once told me;

Turn out to your horse as you would like your horse to turn out for you.

Never forgotten this advice, very true. If you turn up in shorts (or whatever) you cant expect your horse to perform to the best of his ability - if your not prepared he wont be x

 

[alext]

"well you stopped him that time so you can stop him" after being pulled round the indoor school by the 17.2hh hunter I was Erm riding. Though it made me think of what I did to eventually stop him and next time I asked for canter it was much more controlled!!

 

[Bettyboo222]

'Always remember a horse is an animal not a machine'

'It is ALWAYS the riders fault'

First two things my instrutor said to me

 

[Eaglestone]

if you fall off keep hold of the reins!!!

I was always told to let go

 

[Eaglestone]

My riding instructor always stressed that no horse should leave the yard with shavings or straw in its tail

To this day, I will always brush my horse's tail