Horses are large creatures, so skill and knowledge are paramount when working around them. The vast majority of horses are gentle and would never deliberately hurt a person, but because horses are so large, accidents can happen. Staying aware and knowing how to handle these big animals can minimize the risk. The following sections discuss how to approach, halter, lead, and tie a horse safely.

Tacking up a horse, especially putting on the saddle, takes practice. Become familiar with the process and then ask an experienced horse person (such as your riding instructor or trainer) to help you the first few times you try it. Making sure the saddle goes on right is important because you don’t want it to slip off while you’re riding.

When you start exploring the world of horse shows, you may discover that the types of shows out there are as numerous as the breeds of horses — more so, in fact. And those shows offer a variety of classes, or categories of competition — pleasure classes so you can show off your horse’s body structure and movement, dressage classes so you can flaunt your horse’s training, and equitation classes to demonstrate that your riding technique is just right.

Before you hit the horseback riding trail, you need to get ready. This prep work includes getting the right horse, knowing where you’re going, and sporting the proper gear. Use the right horse Just because a horse is easy to ride in the arena doesn’t mean he’ll be a good mount for the trail. From the horse’s perspective, trail riding is completely different from arena riding.

If you’re the kind of person who loves to get involved with activities and wants a horse to be part of your experience, you’re in luck. A whole slew of horseback riding activities are out there for horse owners (and even non-horse owners) who want to spend quality time with horses.If you’re the competitive type, you’ll find plenty to do outside the show ring to keep you busy.

Before you start horseback riding, preparing your body for the task at hand is a good idea. This preparation means being at the right weight, developing muscle strength, and increasing your flexibility and stamina.Put yourself on a health and exercise regimen a few weeks before you begin your riding lessons. Your instructor will go easy on you at first, so you don’t have to be completely fit when you start.

If you like riding Western saddle, hunt seat, or dressage but think you may want to try something a bit different, consider experimenting with another, more unique discipline. You don’t have to give up your main discipline—just add one or two horseback riding styles to your repertoire. Of course, if you try an alternative discipline and like it better, you can give up the tried and true and just be different!

Before you saddle up and go horseback riding, do a few stretches and check your tack to stay comfortable and safe while riding. Learn the basic steps for mounting either a Western or English saddle carefully and for dismounting your horse. © LanaG/Shutterstock.comStretching before riding a horseTaking a few minutes to stretch before you go horseback riding will help you move more freely with the horse, lessen the possibility of injury and lower the odds of being sore afterwards.