Horse Riding Skills
Horse Riding Game with Affection
Horse riding is a skill that involves physical activity. Many beneficial effects on health are claimed for horse riding, some physiological and some psychological. Those who enjoy horse riding are unlikely to argue with claims that it has a broad benefit on health and well-being. There has not been much ‘scientific’ research into this subject.
The British Horse Society commissioned a study into the health benefits of riding. Amongst the study’s conclusions, it found that ‘Horse riding and activities associated with horse riding, such as mucking out, expend sufficient energy to be classed as moderate-intensity exercise’.
The study noted that achieving this level of exercise three times a week should help an individual achieve or exceed the minimum level of physical activity set out in government recommendations. Many other amateur riders will be expending significantly higher levels of energy, for example, those involved in competitive riding and those who look after horses daily.
Exercise alone is clearly not the most important reason why people ride. Riding and working with horses is a way of life – providing many valuable challenges, lessons, and insights – as well as a sport and means of outdoor exercise.
By: Pradeep
Learn more about the parts of a saddle, that can be handcrafted and customized to fit each unique horse and rider pair.
It’s important for all horsemen and horse-women to know and understand how their saddles work. Part of this understanding comes from knowing about the design and the parts of the saddle.
In this article, I’ll be discussing the different parts of a saddle. I’ll be talking about the different pieces of the saddle itself, as well as common saddle attachments.
Parts of a Saddle
Saddles can be broken up into three areas: the pommel, the seat, and the cantle.
Think of these simply as the front, middle, and back of the saddle.
Pommel
So, the pommel is the front of your saddle. It rises above the horse’s withers, and it slopes upward, to properly position the rider in the seat. Pommels should clear a horse’s withers by a few inches, and include the knee flaps or pads, where the rider rests his or her knees.
Seat
The seat of a saddle, as can be expected, is where you sit. This part is wider than the pommel, and it is often cushioned with foaming to make it more comfortable. The seat also attaches to the main flaps on either side of the saddle, where the rider’s legs rest.
The seat is also where the stirrup leathers and the girth attach to the saddle. But, more on that later.
Cantle
The cantle of the saddle in the back of it. This part also slopes upward, to give the rider more support in the saddle. It is the widest part of the saddle. The cantle determines the “type” of the saddle in the English riding world.
It can create a “deep seat” if the cantle is high, and more of a “close contact” if the cantle is low. Cantles are also frequently adorned with brass or silver nameplates.
Flaps and Billets
A saddle can either be duo-flap or mono-flap. A duo-flap has two flaps attached to the seat. One flap lifts up to reveal the “billets” where a rider will attach the girth to the saddle.
A mono-flap saddle has only one flap, with the billets attached at the bottom of this flap. A much shorter girth must be used with mono-flaps and attached to the billets below the flap.
The risk of injury or death from horse riding has been compared unfavorably with the risks inherent to motorcycling, extreme sports, and illicit drug use.
How dangerous is horse riding? Attempts to quantify risk depend on large-scale surveys and reviews of injury data from health services and other government departments. None of these sources are perfect and the statistics produced will only give part of the picture. Data on injured riders are quite straightforward to collect. However, comparisons of risk with other activities depend on knowing the total number of riders, how many horses they ride, how often, for how many hours, and for which activities. These are far more complex statistics to collect and so it is common for even ‘research’ reports to involve a large degree of estimation. A report from the 1980s is often referred to as the ‘horse riding is 20 times more dangerous than motorcycling’ claim.
Every year horse riding causes deaths and very serious injuries such as long-term paralysis from spinal cord damage. Even if the danger is difficult to quantify, it is unarguable that horse riding is potentially dangerous. Moreover, anyone can be unlucky. Also, many injuries are sustained whilst on the ground around horses. Children may be particularly vulnerable. Some seemingly straightforward activities such as leading a horse out to its paddock can result in fatal kicks.
In 2011 there were 8 deaths on UK roads from horse-riding (as reported to the British Horse Society scheme), 107 pedal cyclist deaths, and 362 motorcyclist deaths (Department for Transport). British Eventing recorded 1 death in competition 2010-2011. Otherwise, the number of deaths due to horse riding or contact with horses away from roads is uncertain. In part, this is due to the way that injuries and causes of death are coded in hospitals and by the Office of National Statistics. For every equestrian-related death, there may be approximately 7 or 8 very serious injuries.
Most injuries from horse riding do not involve hospital treatment but there is concern that a significant number of this soft tissue or musculoskeletal injuries may also cause riders long-term pain and disability. Of injuries seen at hospitals, head injuries are the commonest; about one-fifth of the total. Various patterns of broken arms amount to about a quarter of injured riders seen in hospitals. Fortunately, the majority of head injuries are not severe but even minor head injuries can be significant. Concussion has probably been underdiagnosed in the past. The increased use of protective riding hats is most probably responsible for a significant reduction in the proportion of fatal head injuries recorded in the USA over the past thirty years.
Any rider, or parent of a young rider, can reduce risk by adopting a sensible approach; the jargon for which is risk management. This is inherent to the guidance given by qualified instructors and the organizations that represent equestrianism. For example, The British Horse Society has a wealth of guidance, standards, and approval schemes for instruction and riding Centres (BHS Rider Safety). Within equestrian sport, the British Horseracing Authority and British Eventing have systems for monitoring accidents and injuries and implementing innovative measures to reduce these. HE has accessible data on accidents and injuries in competition (BE Rider Safety).
In simple terms, there are two important things for any rider to think about regarding risk management. Firstly, they should consider their behavior. This ought to include reflection on whether they are attempting the right thing on the right horse at the right time. Secondly, they should assess their equipment. This includes the horse’s tack (for example checking that stirrup leathers are in good condition) and personal protective equipment - most importantly their protective hat. Experience and being prepared to ask for advice and listen to others, especially good instructors, will build on these points.
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IHSC (International Horse Sports Confederation)
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