Discovering the Horse s Mind and Body in VS .NET

Generation QR in VS .NET Discovering the Horse s Mind and Body

I ve heard people say that horses are dumb, but that idea couldn t be further from the truth Horses are brilliant in many ways, which is why they ve been around for so many millions of years You can t be stupid and manage to stay alive for that long!

Likewise, the horse s body is an amazing machine, designed for speed, agility, and survival Horses can run incredibly fast, turn their 1,000-pound bulk on a dime, and react physically with lightning speed to even the slightest sound If you want to ride horses, you need to understand all these abilities in depth As a rider, you want to understand and communicate with your mount Horses don t see the world the way we do Cellphones, computers, and fax machines are not their world; hay, dirt, and other horses make up the bulk of their existence Seeing the world from the horse s perspective can make you a better rider and provide you with more enjoyment when you re around these really neat animals The equine mind and body are at your fingertips if you just know how to use them In 2 of this book, you get a primer on equine psychology and discover the language that horse people use to describe their favorite animal and her various body parts Each part of the horse has a corresponding name that horse people toss around like so much confetti If you want to fit in with the crowd and know what people at the barn at talking about, make sure you take a good look at the diagram in 2

Getting up on a horse s back can be an exciting experience, but it can also be frustrating and even scary if you don t know what you re doing Learning to ride in a formal setting, with an instructor or trainer who knows how to properly teach riding basics, is imperative Even though horses have minds and can think and see where they re going (unlike cars, which need direction every inch of the way), don t fall victim to the notion that you just need to sit up there and let the horse do his thing This approach only lets you discover that you and the horse may not have the same ideas about what to do next Instead, figure out how to ride before you start doing it on your own, just like you d take skiing lessons with an instructor before heading down the slope Riding lessons are a lot of fun, but they re also hard work You find yourself using muscles you never knew you had and are challenged to coordinate different parts of your body in ways you ve never done before If you enjoy learning and challenging yourself, you ll likely enjoy horseback riding lessons You ll also discover the wonderful feeling that comes when you communicate with a horse while on his back

In 3, I give you advice on how to get started with riding lessons Here are some examples of what you can find there: Finding a stable A friendly atmosphere, a clean environment, healthy equine tenants, and a professional demeanor from the staff are all things you should seek out when picking the stable where you ll learn to ride Choosing your instructor The person you pick to be your instructor should have a teaching style that you like, be experienced in the discipline you ve chosen (English or Western), and be familiar with training adult beginners Being a good student It s not all up to the teacher! The best students (and the ones who get the most from their training) are the folks who show up on time, pay attention, speak up when they need to, and do their homework