![]() Some riders say that their horses love to be ridden that they ask for it. It’s true that domesticated horses are fed and sheltered and therefore benefit in ways from human ownership – but would they choose to be ridden? DavidYoung/Shutterstock Horses choose to live in groups They would choose to graze in meadows, to run, play and travel long distances. Horses are intelligent and empathetic animals who would choose to live in nature and in large groups. To them, Ren says, ‘Basing natural horsemanship on the natural dynamics of horses the way they are today would be like basing natural human behaviour on watching a prison yard.’ Some riders argue that horses are domesticated and that submission is in their nature. Ren explains that those who claim to love their horse ‘have no idea that the animals they are spending time with are in an absolute state of learned helplessness.’ Ren Hurst explains why she gave up riding In it, Ren explains why she made the difficult decision to quit horse riding after a lifetime spent with horses. My doubts grew when I watched an interview with lifelong rider and trainer Ren Hurst. Swap him for a young child and this treatment would not be acceptable. It’s presented as cute and funny, but I couldn’t help but feel that the horse was distressed and confused. As restrictions began to ease, I came across an Instagram video of a young horse with its owner. I rode for another two months until lockdown hit in the UK. I was keen to continue riding, so I chose to believe them. Riders far more experienced than I would tell me that horses love to be ridden that their very bodies are designed for humans. Shutterstock The bit is placed in a horse’s mouth so that the rider can control it with the reins It’s true that most riders are gentle, but it’s also true that when we ride horses, we literally place them in bondage. There are bitless bridles but they still place pressure on the head. I imagined what it felt like to have a thick metal bar placed in your mouth and a bridle around your head so that you could not ease the pressure placed on it by the rider’s rein. You don’t see the ‘bit’ (a thick metal bar) being placed into their mouths or the girth being tightened around their torsos, often leaving an indentation when it’s taken off. In these cases, the horses are usually tacked and waiting. If you’re not a rider, it’s likely that the only time you’ve ridden a horse has been on holiday or an excursion. Mathilde Coolen Kia’s riding holiday in MontenegroĪs I learnt to manage them, however, I started to feel doubts as to what I was doing. I’m awed by how these incredibly powerful creatures can also be gentle and skittish. I love the thrill, freedom and romance of it. As with any good rider, however, I got back on as soon as I was better. Last year, I broke a bone in my right hand and couldn’t ride for two months. I’ve fallen off my horse a fair few times, I’ve been kicked twice and trodden on once (all resulting in some glorious bruises). Along the way, there have been more than a few accidents. You want me to count strides too?’Įxpert riders do all of this effortlessly and though I’ve never got to that point, I have finally learnt to canter and jump. When I was learning to canter, my instructor asked me to start counting my horse’s strides and I remember thinking, ‘I’m already trying to keep my back straight (but also relaxed), my head up, my leg on, my heels down, my toes in, the reins loose, all while making making sure that I was striking off on the correct lead. I was being taught a multitude of tiny things slowly and carefully so that one day, I too might call myself a horseman.Ītlas & BOots Kia riding in Montenegro, Ecuador and Namibia It’s often said that the best riders look like they’re doing nothing at all and I’ve learnt that this is true. Instead, I was mired in the minutiae of technique.Īs I became a better rider, however, I realised that it wasn’t minutiae at all but a fundamental part of learning. I thought I’d be well on my way to cantering by then. When I first started to learn back in 2014, all we did for months was walk and trot. My first impression of horse riding was how bloody slow it all was. After years of riding horses, Kia explains why she’s chosen to quit
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |