Dated a riding instructor/barn manager for a long time, and one of the first things you learn while riding is basically how to maximize control with minimal effort. If you're on a trail, you're hardly using the reigns to steer a horse, but gentle leans/squeezes with your legs, and the harder to apply pressure, the faster/more effort a horse puts into moving. I haven't ridden in, gosh, probably 15 years now, but I always enjoyed it - just not enough to own a horse! Ha.
Facts. The better rider you are the more it looks like you're hardly doing anything at all. Horses are insanely in tune to every movement you make when you're riding, and can tell if you're relaxed or stressed or afraid, often times when you aren't even aware of it yourself. They also each have their own personalities and behaviors, and no matter how broke they are, you should always approach them with caution, because they're incredibly fast and powerful animals, and they might react in ways you're not expecting.
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u/[deleted] 23d ago
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