In a match between a horse and a car, the horse will always loose. Cars, trucks, drivers and roads suck, but they are an inescapable part of modern living if you want to ride horses. You AND your horse needs to know the rules for riding a horse on the road. If you or your horse cannot handle roads and traffic, you cannot risk riding on a road.

Rules You Need To Follow

Always keep in mind that drivers are the enemy. It doesn t matter that it s illegal to hit a horse with a car intentionally. They will still do it, because there are drivers out there who think it s funny to kill animals with cars. This might sound paranoid, but this kind of paranoia will save your horse s life. This is THE most important of the rules for riding a horse on the road.

Always dress in bright reflective colors. This is one of the most important rules for riding a horse on the road. There are many cheap and cheerful fluorescent colored vests you can buy. If you have to, stick an orange slow traffic triangle on your back. Consider that most horses are a shade of brown. This color blends in with the surroundings. Drowsy drivers will not see a brown horse, but will see the bright vest.

Reflective stickers and additions are also available for your horse. You can put them on the saddle blanket, the brow band, or as wraps around the legs. If you have to do any riding at dawn, dusk or evening, these are a good investment.

Always ride your horse facing traffic, if you can help it. This is another of the most important rules for riding a horse on the road. The horse will be less likely to panic if they can see what s coming.

Rules Your Horse Needs To Follow

Your horse must be road wise. There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. It s hard enough to sit a bucking horse without having to weave around traffic as well. For the first time you ride your horse anywhere near a road, dismount and LEAD the horse until you are assured that he or she is road wise.

The other rules for riding a horse on the road are to keep alert. Also, keep as calm as you can. Horses can pick up your nerves. Don t ride alone on a road if you can help it, in case of emergency, you have help. Ride with a cell phone for emergencies. And praise your horse when he or she is behaving well.

Horses have been used, ridden, treasured and coddled for hundreds of years. There were horses around when the ancient Greeks and Trojans went to war. The most important warriors often were depicted riding a horse into battle while the less important people used their own feet to do their duty. Horses were around when the Pilgrims landed in North America, and they are still useful animals today. Some people are viewed riding a horse just for pleasure. Some of these people are riding a horse that they own while others spend time on horses that they have rented or borrowed from somebody else.

Those riding a horse for pleasure are often seen in the most spectacular settings such as a gorgeous beach or a sandy desert. These people riding a horse for pleasure are often viewed in wooden forests or wonderful parks. Riding a horse often helps people escape from the every day realities of life. While riding a horse through a magnificent setting, riders often feel relieved from the pressures of every day life. Some people who do not own a horse go to stables or ranches that rent their horses to other people. These stables and ranches are usually situated in beautiful places to provide a truly spectacular experience for their clients.

Riding A Horse Could Be A Pastime Or A Profession

Many people just enjoy riding a horse while others make their living riding horses. Jockeys spend a life time on horses racing against other jockeys on horses. Some of these jockeys make millions of dollars and become famous for their skills. Although these people are very tiny, they are very powerful on the back of a thoroughbred horse. At one time, cowboys spent long days and nights on a horse while taking care of huge ranches. Some cowboys still ride horses on the range, but others do all of their chores on the ranch in a pickup truck.

Rodeos have cowboys who ride bucking broncos for prize money. The work is dangerous, but it can pay great prize money for those who can stay on these horses for the longest time. Some police departments employ officers who can ride horses to control crowds and monitor the streets. These police officers must be highly skilled for it is not easy to control a horse in a noisy crowd. These officers must know the law and a lot about horses. For business or pleasure, riding a horse is a skill that takes time and patience.

How does a horse feel about people who ride horses? Depends on the horse. Horses are as individualistic as people. They also make associations the same way. By making any interaction between you and the horses you come in contact with pleasant, you will make a horse look forward to doing any kind of work with people, including those who ride horses.

And You Though Elephants Had Long Memories

Horses are a prey species. They depend on their memories in order to keep themselves alive. In the wild, this memory would ve taught them what animals and plants to avoid, where the watering holes were and what escape routes to take. The memory still works as powerfully for the same reasons, to keep the horse safe, but it will remember anything, good or bad.

If you ride horses regularly, you can tell immediately what the past life of that horse has been like when he or she has to be ridden. The horse s body language is as expressive and eloquent as any Shakespeare play. As soon as the horse sees a saddle and bridle, look at his or her body language. Has the horse backed up? Are the ears back? Are the eyes wide? Is the horse fidgeting all over, maybe even sweating? This horse has had bad past experiences being ridden and fears being ridden again. This horse needs extra gentle treatment and lots of praise and fun.

But is the horse standing still, maybe with a hind leg cocked, ears forward? If the horse opens his or her mouth for the bit when you bridle the horse, that s a really good sign. This horse has associated people who ride horses with fun and pleasure. Your job as a person who rides horses is to keep this attitude going and not let this partner down.

Are All Horses Meant To Be Ridden?

Not all horses are meant to be ridden, even those who are members of breeds known for exceptional riding horses. The individual horse you meet may have had a trauma while being ridden and just cannot handle the stress of the memories. These horses still have place in the world. Horses did not evolve just for people to ride horses, or have them pull carts. Horses add to the flavor of existence. Horses who can t be ridden can still make great friends, companions for other animals, make great fertilizer and help people realize there is more to life than what you might expect.