So, recently I really started to learn how to ride a horse from my friend who has been riding for most of her life, and it's really hard!

Maybe I am moving too fast, but the first time I rode, once I got adjusted to walking and controlling the horse, I tried trotting. It was a bit hard to keep my balance, and it was a little scary, but it wasn't that bad. The next few times I rode, I trotted and I got better at it, to the point where I could sit the trot without losing my balance and bouncing around.

Then, about the fifth or sixth time, my friend had me trot a few laps around the pasture, and once I had that down, I tried cantering. Her horse paced, which was really jarring, so I stopped him. I know, bad. I tried again, and it was really jarring again and was really fast, and then he bucked a little and I went flying xD Don't worry, I got back on right after but Ididn't try cantering again because my back was hurting from the fall. The fall itself wasn't that bad.

As I usually do when I learn something new and don't get it right away, I worry that I won't ever get better! I'm afraid it's never going to be easy to ride, like it is for my friends. I mean, I feel like part of the problem is that I can't reach the stirrups very well on my friend's saddle, which I imagine might be a problem. They can't be brought up any further though, so not much can be done there :/

Did anyone else have this experience? Everyone else I know has ridden since they were a little kid, so they don't really remember the learning process. I need comforting words, haha :P

- It always helps to have the proper gear when riding, like stirrups that suit you :) But I do understand where you are coming from. My best friend is an excellent equestrian who competed in dressage. Her old horse was an off the track thoroughbred and he was a tall, sassy brute who had a stubborn streak a mile long but he was very patient with novice riders which was why she chose him for me to ride when we went on a beach ride. It was my first time on a horse since I was eight, which was about twenty years ago and it was just the most intimidating thing I'd ever done. First off, Romeo was over 17 hands and whenever I looked down I'd just stare at the ground and my knuckles turned white lol! Like you, I had trouble at the start but found that the more I rode with her, the easier it became.

It does get easier eventually, just takes some time and perseverance :)

@ Cheese I haven't been on a horse since I was a kid, but I'm envious! I'd love to do that again someday, but I don't know anyone with horses where I moved to :c I'm sure you'll get better though, everything takes practice c: I'm pretty sure riders have a lot of muscles in their legs and thighs though so they have an easier time riding. You might have to just take it slow and build up your muscles for it too c:

Take it slow. I don't know whether you're riding Western or English, or how the horse is naturally gaited, but riding takes time. See if you can find stirrups that are able to be adjusted higher. If you're friend doesn't mind, you could possibly use a leather hole punch to make a new hole so that the stirrups can be adjusted to a suitable length for you. Loose stirrups can cause all sorts of problems when you're riding as it's a way to help keep your balance.

You should make sure that your posture isn't part of the problem. Imagine a straight line connecting your head, shoulders, upper arm, hip, and heels. This helps keep your weight spread out equally so that the horse's forward motion isn't inhibited while also making sure that the horse is comfortable. Try not to push your legs too far forward, even though it is comfortable at higher speeds, as it puts more weight on the horse's lower back and doesn't allow you to move with the motion of the horse. Reins can't be held too high or the bit will jerk on the horse's mouth. Too low and it's harder to direct the horse. This is also affected by the type of bit as some are more strict then others. This is basic riding posture. Your posture should only vary if you're doing something like jumping, barrels, etc.

Since each horse is gaited differently, it's entirely possible that the horse you were cantering on just has a really jarring canter. While it's likely you may just need more practice to get the hang of it, you can try to learn how to post to help with keep your balance. It's also possible that you may just be off balance a tad and caught off guard when the horse accelerates.

Hopefully that helped some. Really, it just comes down to forming good riding habits and practicing them. It'll all become easier as you get more experience.

Oh man haha, the first horse I ever rode (without being lead around) is a 17.3 hand thoroughbred! Thankfully, he is pretty mellow in warm weather and didn't really do anything to bother me. Her other horse, however, is not patient with beginners but is currently more well behaved. But thank you :D that does make me feel better :)

I feel very lucky to have a friend who has horses, if I had never met her, I probably wouldn't be riding now! And I definitely imagine that the muscles in my legs have something to do with it. I don't ride on a regular basis, so I don't have the muscles that regular riders do!

I'm riding Western, and according to my friend who owns the horse, his canter is really smooth, but he tends to pace before he goes into a canter, which she says is really jarring. And I'll see if she wouldn't mind punching new holes so the stirrups can be shorter :) When I get my own horse next year, I'm getting an Aussie saddle, which is essentially a Western Saddle with English stirrups, so it would be perfect.

And I feel like I may need to adjust my posture. I feel like I have short arms compared to my torso, because I have a hard time keeping my hands down where my friend says I should keep them, and it makes me slump. If I hold the reins any higher so I can stop slumping, it is pulling on the horse's mouth, so I'm not really sure how to fix that.

Overall, I guess I am just going to have to trust that with practice, it will get easier :)

Part of the slumping could just be the fact that your stirrups are too long. Learning where to hold the reins takes practice, so you'll get the hang of it. It sounds like you're doing good so far.

I noticed that you said you were riding western. Is there a chance that you can try English? I know the equipment is different but for the few years that I was riding, using English saddles and bridles made it muchhh easier to control the horse. For example, in English riding you hold the reigns with both hands rather than just one.

I feel stupid xD I thought that riding style just had to do with the saddle. I use a western saddle, but I hold the reins with both hands. But when I get my own horse I could try riding English. I don't really want to buy a bunch of tack that may not fit whatever horse I end up getting in the future.

I used to ride for years, and trust me, it's not something you get good at overnight! It takes a lot of practice, and an infinite amount of patience. Now, I don't know too much about Western riding since I used to be a dressage guy, and my best friend rides hunter/jumper. So I probs can't give you too many tips, since English is a totally different world! If you do get the chance though, I do reccommend learning to ride in an English saddle as well, since you get better contact with the horse (so you can feel the way he moves), and it's very good for developing better posture and balance.

Other than that, take things slow. Every horse has their quirks, and sometimes they have a gait that just doesn't mesh with you. I used to ride this pony that supposedly had the smoothest canter ever, and I just. Couldn't. Sit. It. And then I started riding this little QH gelding, and I could sit his canter just fine, even though it should have been more difficult.

Oh! And always always always go back to the basics =3 I know trying the next step as soon as possible is super exiting, but it's very important to work on a good foundation, for both you and the horse. When warming up, just play with him. Do figure 8's, circles, turn randomly...Get a feel for how light you can be on his mouth, and establish good "controls". This also gets the horse thinking, rather than just plodding along. The smarter the horse, the more you need to keep them on their toes ;)

It does get easier. I've been riding since I was 3 and it just takes awhile to get the muscles built up. Just make sure you're using the correct gear and make sure it fits correctly otherwise you end up using the wrong muscles and you have to retrain your body to carry itself.

It's a pain in the ass but it's worth it I promise!