Training · #beginner

Training guides tagged “beginner” from the Apex Equine resource center.

• What really happens in your first riding lesson — Spoiler: you probably won't canter off into a sunset. Here's the honest play-by-play of a first lesson, from the moment you park your car to the moment you peel off your boots.
• Your first horse show: surviving and maybe enjoying it — Nobody warns you that the hardest part of your first show is the four hours before your class. Here's how to make the day feel less like an ambush.
• How to mount a horse without pulling the saddle (or your trainer's hair out) — Hauling yourself up by the cantle twists the saddle, sours the horse's back, and looks rough. A mounting block and five clean steps fix all of it.
• Finding your first balanced canter — The first canter feels fast and unbalanced because your seat hasn't learned the motion yet. Here's how to set it up so the gait helps you instead of throwing you around.