I’ve started becoming bored on my horse, what is something I can do to make my riding more interesting?
My horse and I are becoming bored and I need to “spice up” my riding. I’ve tried jumping, dressage, and both english and western and done great in shows in almost everything I try (mostly because I have an amazing horse who is a quick learner) Do you have any suggestions to what I should try?
Take a buddy with you and go bareback on trails. Try learning how to ride in every gait and jump bareback.
Hippodrome
Try a couple of riding lessons, different instructors bring different techniques to the table.
Do you have any hacking facilities? Just going for a hour ride without any pressure can do good.
How about pole work? It gets the horse’s brain in gear and gets them thinking.
Introduce new things! How about endurance? Do you think you and your horse could handle that? Go on a riding holiday or something, a change of scenery will give you both something else to do!
Try eventing, cross country or hunting. Something you don’t usually do.
Try side saddle. Your horse will love it. Let me know where you are and I’ll find you a contact in your area.
It sounds like your horse may be a little too easy for you. If you do not want to look at a more challenging horse than you can:
1) trail ride here & there
2) take your horse to a summer camp . You can go with friends or by yourself & learn some new things
3) Show in higher rated shows. I have been showing local & C rated shows, & it got kind of boring. Now I have been showing a few A rated shows and it is much more challenging.
4) Set up harder courses.
5) do things your horse isn’t too great at. Like my previous pony wasn’t very good at crooked lines ( she would lead swap all the way to the jump)
6) Ive done this once & Im now hooked on it! ::: BARREL RACING or any types of gaming. If your horse isnt mentally or physically able to try this please avoid it!
7) Take some lessons from some new trainers
Good Luck!
try barrel racing its a blast. im only 13 and ive done it since i was 9 and it never gets old
Here are a few ideas. . .
Take lessons from a different trainer!
Teach your horse fun tricks!
Learn to ride bareback!
Learn to jump bareback!
Learn fun ways to mount your horse (this is super fun as long as your horse isn’t spooky)!
Go on long trail rides <3
Teach your horse to play soccer (this is SO much fun)!
Ride with no reins and lead your horse with only your feet!
Close your eyes and find out what diagonal or lead your horse is on just by feeling your horse!
Ride without stirrups!
Work on your sitting trot!
Try to stay up in two point for as long as you can!
Go up into two point but then straighten your knees so you are standing up straight with your feet in the stirrups (make sure your heels are down or else you will fall)!
Find a problem that you have in your riding (keeping your heels down, using to much rein, etc. . . ) and work on fixing it!
Try to teach your horse advanced Dressage moves like Passage, Tempi Changes and Piaffe when your on him or off him!
Put the jumps up higher!
There is so much you can do to spice up your riding! I hope some of these ideas inspired you <3
go camping
trail riding with friends- they will keep you from getting bored and you can see some cool places
gymkhana
parades or festivals
give lessons to a neighbor/friend/cousin
natural horsemanship – can you drive a trailer into your paster, point at the trailer and have your horse walk right in?
desensitize to umbrellas, water, whatever you haven’t already
get or train a green horse, you can train that one and then ride your horse you have now when you need a break or want to do something with a reliable mount. working with an untrained or not as cooperative horse will make you relish your more quiet trips with your current horse.
Definately give bareback a go. . . thats why I started riding bareback I needed an adrenalin rush and galloping bareback will do it! Like the 1st post said give it a go in every gait and try jumping. Or have a look at trick riding. . . exciting!