Good Riding Etiquette

Anybody riding horses will understand that there is an established riding etiquette which should be followed for both the safety of you and your equine friend.

Good riding etiquette is mainly about using common sense, but here we recap what is expected of you as a competent horse rider.

Looking out for your fellow riders

Always ride a safe distance from other horses so that you will not disturb them. Remember you should be always looking up and around when riding, so you should see where everybody else it.

Give right of way

Whether you are riding your horse or walking him in hand, you ought to know where your fellow riders are, and also any spectators. Potentially, if you are not in control of your horse, he could always cause an injury to somebody.

Entrance gates

Keep the entrance clear of all arenas, as this is where people will be entering and existing. If you are going to be mounting or dismounting, it is wise to do this either in the corner of the school, or outside, away from the activity.

Pass left-to-left

When riding anywhere, you must always pass left-to-left. Everybody knows this rule, so there should never be a case of two horses being ridden into one another.

Walking on an inner track

This will give priority to those who are trotting and cantering, therefore preventing any accidents occurring.

Jumping

When there is jumping going on in the arena, you should be conscious to stay well out of their way.  This means staying away from take-off and landing paths, as this could lead to disastrous results.

Equally, if you are jumping in a busy arena, you should be aware of the other horses and riders in the arena, and be in control of your horse at all times. If their path to the jump is not clear, turn a circle and come round again.

Why do some horses have a ribbon in their tail?

At shows, a red ribbon is tied on the tail of a horse because the horse is known to kick; you should keep more than adequate distance. If you are aware that your horse may kick someone or another horse, then it is recommended that you put a red ribbon on his tail too.

You may also see a green ribbon tied to a horses tail. This would indicate that this horse is relatively young, or inexperienced. Therefore you should understand that he may be not used to other horses around him and could be unpredictable.

To summarise, using your common sense when you are riding your horse in a busy area will prevent accidents, and enable you to have an enjoyable ride without putting yourself or others at risk.