Part 2: Horse Riding Camp

The reason I decided to attend this horse riding camp was because I had never had any experience with a horse whatsoever before this experience and I wanted to try something new. So when I heard that my sister would be doing it as well, I decided to join her. Truthfully, I felt a little bit nervous before the camp since I had never been up close with a horse before and also because I had seen some crazy rodeos in the past and for some reason I thought my horse would try and throw me off of him (I’m glad to say he did not). So, after the first day of horse riding camp, I was ready for the next! The second day of horse riding camp was a little bit of a repeat of everything from day 1, which was actually really helpful for reinforcing everything we learned on the first day—bonding with our horses, brushing them down, saddling up, and getting comfortable with simple walking. Going through these steps again made me feel more confident and relaxed around the horses. But we didn’t just stick to the basics this time; we added some new fun skills into the mix, like turning our horses around in a full 360°, which felt like a big accomplishment. For me and Gus (my horse) it was a little tricky doing a full 360° turn because as I was trying to turn, Gus just wouldn’t turn with me. I’m not sure why, but maybe it has something to do with Gus preferring the right side since I was turning to the left? It was quite intriguing though!

We also learned how to do simple stretches with the horses, which is really good for their muscles. One of the fun parts of our training was learning some stretches for our horses which are super important for their well-being. The first stretch involved gently pulling the reins to the side, encouraging the horse to move its head and neck to one side, then the other. To be honest, I felt a little nervous doing this stretch because I didn’t want to accidentally pull too hard. But after some practice, I felt much more comfortable doing this stretch. It’s kind of like a yoga session for their neck muscles. This stretch helps loosen and relax their neck muscles, which is important for maintaining flexibility and preventing stiffness. By regularly stretching their necks, we make sure that the horses can move comfortably and freely, improving their range of motion and making them more responsive during rides. Without these stretches, their muscles can become tight and tense, leading to discomfort or potential muscle strain over time. So, this simple neck stretch is key to keeping our horses healthy and ready for action. 

Then, we practiced backing them up, which is harder than it sounds! Backing up horses can be a bit tricky because it goes against their natural instincts. Horses are naturally forward-moving animals, so asking them to back up is like saying, "Hey, let's try something totally different!" It’s not just a mental challenge; it’s also physically harder for them. When backing up, horses have to shift their weight onto their hind legs and coordinate their muscles in a way they don’t normally use. Plus, they have to be more aware of where each hoof is landing, almost like solving a little puzzle with every step. While doing this exercise, I actually had to pull back really hard to get Gus to back up with me. After some practice though, we finally managed to do it! It takes some practice to use the right amount of pressure with the reins and your body language to guide them backward smoothly. But once you and your horse get the hang of it, it’s pretty cool to see how well they can pull it off!

A new challenge we took on was learning how to control the reins with both of our hands independently, which was a lot harder than it seems! The tricky part is that you're not just relying on your dominant hand; your non-dominant hand has to step up too, which can feel like trying to write with your opposite hand. I had to focus really hard on what each hand was doing at the same time. This is because each hand needs to send separate signals to the horse, and our brains aren’t naturally wired to have both hands do different things at the same time. It’s all about coordination and training your brain to be more ambidextrous, which takes time and practice. It’s like trying to pat your head and rub your belly simultaneously—your brain has to work overtime!

Once we got the hang of that, we practiced weaving in between pilones with our horses, which was like navigating a fun little obstacle course. This exercise required precise timing and control, making sure we guided our horses smoothly around each pylon without knocking them over. It was a real test of our new rein skills! After all that, we went through our usual cleanup routine, putting away all the equipment and making sure everything was neat and tidy for the next day.