Wedges of Wisdom: Get Out! (of the Arena)

There is very little that qualifies as more exhilarating than letting your horse open up to a full gallop in a big, open field. 

There is also very little that qualifies as more terrifying if you aren't ready for it (and sometimes even if you are.)

All horses intrinsically know how to get up to a good clip of speed on their own and many will do so of their own free will because it feels good. That doesn't directly translate to having it feel good with a rider aboard (or having it feel good to the rider!) All of the sudden the horse is no longer flying solo - he's got you to consider and if he gets the feeling that you're not okay, he's going to start to believe there is something to be concerned about.

Arena work - the comfort zone many of us hang out in for ninety-plus percent of our rides - IS incredibly important because it provides a safe space where you can teach the horse the basics of how you and he might work together once you do get into the great beyond. There are varying beliefs depending on who you talk to regarding how soon you should get yourself and your horse out of the confines of a fence and none of them are wrong, but any of them might be wrong for you. 

As a teacher of horsemanship my feelings are two-sided: I am confident enough in my abilities that I will take a horse out as soon as I can; that is to say, as soon as I believe that the horse and I have enough going between us that I can keep us out of trouble and help the horse if and when we do find it. For my students, I want them to push their comfort zones if they have reservations about riding out, but I don't want them to do so at the expense of their safety. I want them to feel comfortable identifying and voicing their own boundaries: if they aren't ready then they aren't ready, but we'll continue to work towards getting them ready. It doesn't really matter if they ever get ready enough to go, it just matters that they don't stop trying.

Soni and I returning from a stroll around the farm.

Riding out is so much more than just getting out from behind a fence line. You have the opportunity to see just how much your arena work has helped (or hindered) you and your horse. You have the opportunity to put the mettle of your relationship to the test and see how good your horse feels looking to you when he gets a bit worried. You also have the opportunity to intentionally expose your horse to some things he probably isn't going to be okay with at first and show him he can get okay with them. There is no substitute for riding out when it comes to deepening the horse's belief that you are his safety net in all circumstances.

I have taken Soni out quite a bit but in ways that probably differ slightly from what you might have in mind. I don't often endeavor to go on a long trail ride with friends (that's not to say it's not quite enjoyable when I do!) Instead, I try and get out and meander around the property a few times a week - every ride if I can - just for a little bit. I might get on in the arena, do a bit of work to make sure I've got some things going for us that day, then open up the gate* and head out. Depending on the day we might not even go very far: maybe just the parking lot, out behind the barn, down the driveway or even into an open pasture. 

*I cannot stress how invaluable being able to open and close a gate from horseback is, both from a practical perspective but also from the perspective of having your horse okay with things coming towards them and being in enough control of the horse's feet that you can ask him to get quite precise about where he places his body to help you.

It's not just a pleasure ride: I'm asking my horse questions the whole time. Can you stop here (and be okay stopping here?) Can you ride away from the barn with some pace? Can you ride towards the barn on the buckle, nice and slow? How do you feel about sidling up next to this car/trailer/fence line/wall? Could you settle and cock a hind foot if I needed you to in this spot? What about this one? 

You will probably find that your horse struggles with some - or all - of these initially. The good news is you aren't looking to perfect anything in these little trips, just get your horse more and more okay with the idea that the world outside of the arena is just an extension of the arena itself. You're asking all the same questions you'd ask inside the arena and working towards getting answers that are just as focused, relaxed and smooth. Ultimately, it doesn't matter whether you ever go for that exhilarating gallop...you should just have the confidence that you could.

I like to finish these rides by going back to the arena and asking my horse a couple more questions before I hop off. I'm looking to ascertain whether he is able to come back to the arena as relaxed as he left it or if that little trip brought up some worry that he wasn't able to let go of. If I find the former is true, I might ride out a bit farther or longer next time. If it's the latter, I know I didn't get the clarity for him I was hoping and need to pay more attention next time. 

Go forth and ride out! And don't have any hang-ups about starting small.