Horse Racing Tips and Tricks
Whether you are new to horse tips racing or an experienced professional, there are a few tips and tricks that can help improve your odds of winning.
One of the most important things to remember is to take into account a horse’s class. This refers to the level of competition they have faced throughout their career.
Keep Your Balance
Keeping your balance when riding a horse is one of the most important skills you can learn. It will help you control the horse through muscular movements and will keep you in the saddle if they spook or bolt.
To get started on improving your balance, try doing simple exercises like a plank or a figure eight. These will improve your posture, while also strengthening your core and allowing you to relax.
When jumping, practice staying over your center of balance and releasing as your horse jumps. This will give him the time he needs to land and get his hind end back underneath him.
Keep Your Eyes Up
Eye focus is an essential skill for riders. It links together the plan for the ring with your performance, establishes the correct timing and impacts the quality and consistency of your horse’s work.
Whether you’re riding on the flat or over fences, your eyes play an important role in your balance and communication with your horse. Especially on the flat, dropping your head and looking down can tip your balance forward and make you susceptible to falling.
A simple and effective way to keep your eyes up is by using a pair of look up glasses. They’re easy to use and will help you to remember to look up every time you ride.
Change Up Your Training Routine
When riding a horse, it’s important to change up your training routine. Adding variety can help your horse become fonder of you, which will make them more willing to work with you.
Start with light flatwork for a few sessions per week and gradually increase the intensity and duration. Observe your horse’s heart rate; if it’s elevated for long periods of time, you may need to scale back on the workout.
One exercise that can be challenging is riding a small circle in one corner of your arena, then a larger circle in the diagonal opposite corner. This exercise improves your horse’s bending ability and teaches you how to guide them. It also helps them to balance on circles of different sizes.
Review Basic Commands
Horses are very intelligent and sensitive animals, so it’s important to communicate with them properly. Riders usually use voice commands, rein (hand) cues and leg cues to communicate with their horses.
The best way to teach your horse basic voice commands is to speak them clearly and consistently. You can also reinforce your voice command with other aids.
If you need your horse to move forward, for example, you should tell them to “walk.” You can also make physical gestures that will help them understand what you are saying, such as patting their neck.
You can also use your voice to give them other commands, such as speeding up or slowing down. It’s important to use a higher-pitched voice when you want them to speed up, and a lower-pitched voice when you want them to slow down.
Don’t Wrap Your Lead Ropes
When riding a horse, it is important to not wrap your lead ropes around your hand. This can be dangerous because if a horse spooks or suddenly pulls the lead rope out of your hand, you could be seriously injured.
Some people choose to add a knot to the end of their lead ropes to keep their hands from getting trapped. However, this can make it harder to untie a rope in an emergency situation.
To ensure safety while riding a horse, it is always better to use a simple quick release knot instead of tying the lead rope to something more permanent. For example, a panic snap or twine can be used as a quick release hook.