Riding for Pleasure
by Dr. Christine King
These days, most horses are pleasure horses in that relatively few riders rely on their horses for their primary source of income, transportation, or other needs. Most people ride and keep horses for their own enjoyment, even if they are serious about showing or competing in other types of events. So, this article is for more than just the trail riders and other weekenders; it’s also for those with performance horses.
My view is that pleasure riding is supposed to be a pleasure, or at least not a hardship, for the horse as well as for the rider. It may not seem like it some days, but riding for pleasure is supposed to be pleasant. In my experience, riding is most pleasant for the rider when it is comfortable, easy, fun, and rewarding for the horse as well.
Comfort
In order to move with ease and efficiency, a body must be comfortable. That’s true for us, and it’s true for horses. Carrying a rider around is not a natural thing for a horse; the simple fact is that horses are not designed to be ridden. In order to be able to carry a rider with comfort and ease, the horse’s neuromuscular system must figure out how to do it; the horse must also be strong enough to do it. Good training emphasizes both aspects: ability and fitness.
Equally important, any source of discomfort will interfere with the horse’s movement, making it less fluid, less efficient. Perhaps the change is subtle, but even a small change in the way the horse moves can have a big impact. Anything that alters the way the horse would naturally move will alter the way his joints, bones, and supporting soft tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia) are loaded. That increases the potential for wear-and-tear type joint disease (bone spavin, fetlock arthritis, etc.) and for more acute injuries (bowed tendon, suspensory ligament strain, etc.).
So, your horse’s comfort is not just a “warm, fuzzy” concern; it is of very real and practical importance, particularly if you want your horse to stay healthy and sound for life. Even in a young horse, physical activity the horse is not adequately prepared for can cause various areas of discomfort and functional restriction. These effects are cumulative and over time they create a pattern of posture and movement that limits the horse’s comfort and function, and eventually his soundness.
Patterns of poor posture and movement are unique to every body. However, there are some common patterns in riding horses and common areas of discomfort. They include the feet, the muscles and associated connective tissues (tendons, ligaments, fascia), the joints, the mouth, and the spine (neck and back). Even in a horse who is healthy and performing well, it is common to find various areas of tension and discomfort along the horse’s spine and in the shoulders and hindquarters, related to inefficient posture and movement.
And even if the horse is completely free of these restrictive patterns, the addition of tack and rider could change that. As well as good foot care, good dental care, and good training, it is important that the saddle, bridle, and rider be comfortable for the horse. (For more information on saddle fit and care of the horse’s back, see the articles archived on my web site: www.animavet.com/articles.html.)
Ease
For ridden activities to be easy, the horse must be well suited for the task, both in build and temperament. She also needs to be athletically fit and adequately trained for the task. Neither of these last two factors (fitness and task-specific training) happen on their own, so preparation is another key ingredient for ease.
For most horses, carrying a rider is an athletic endeavor in that it requires more work output from the horse than she would otherwise be doing. If the horse is expected to perform any athletic function, then she should be in athletic training, and exercised at least 4 days a week. It’s not fair to expect a horse to carry you around for hours on a weekend when you haven’t taken the time to prepare her for that task during the week. The same thing applies for riding lessons once a week with no follow-through between lessons. These sporadic activities in an unfit horse are a good recipe for musculoskeletal problems which can range from chronic soreness to actual injury.
Another important component for ease is good communication between horse and rider. The horse must be able to easily understand what the rider wants. Keys to good communication include clarity and consistency; be clear about what you want (the simpler the better), and be consistent in the way that you ask for it. Interspecies communication also takes a bit of imagination and out-of-the-box thinking. What I’ve found works best with any animal is to use a combination of simple verbal and physical signals (i.e. words and actions) and mental imagery (i.e. run a short movie in your mind of what it is you want).
Fun
Pleasure riding is also supposed to be fun. We can only speculate on what horses find fun, and it probably varies from horse to horse, just as it does from person to person. In my observation, fun for most horses includes things like freedom (both of movement and expression), play, and positive social interactions (hanging out with other horses). In other words, physical, mental, and social stimulation that remains enjoyable, and that stops short of being too taxing, uncomfortable, or scary.
An interesting thing about the really outstanding performance horses is that they seem to find their work fun, even if it’s physically or mentally challenging. That might even be one of the marks of a great performance horse: that he enjoys the challenges of training and competition. It’s true of people; why not of horses, too?
Rewards
We can also only speculate on what horses find rewarding. Depending on the horse, physical rewards might include getting to gallop unrestricted just for the fun of it, or getting a pat or a hug of appreciation for a job well done. And of course, food is a welcome reward for most horses.
Mental rewards might include the stimulation of doing something more interesting than standing around in a stall or paddock all day, or turning the mind to learning new things. Social rewards generally are in the form of connections with other horses and even with people. If you believe (as I do) that horses have a spirit, then you’ll probably concur that a lot of horses seem to derive a deep sense of pleasure and purpose from partnering with a person who loves and appreciates them.
These things are all important for the performance horse and the professional horseman/woman as well--perhaps even more so. The higher the level of performance required, the less it takes to interfere with a horse’s performance. So, as you’re out enjoying the summer on horseback, give some thought to how you can ensure that your horse enjoys his job as much as you do.
