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November 17, 2020 by Lisa

100 Things To Do With Your Horse

100 things to do with your horse

100 things to do with your horse

100 Things To Do With Your Horse

I wrote this article way back in March. You know, when we were at the beginning of this awful pandemic. And with the threat of yet another lock down, I wanted to bring this blog post out again. Mainly because I know when thinking about being locked down yet again, I get anxious. And I thought YOU might get anxious too. So instead of focusing on the negative, I wanted to give you a goal, or a project to take your mind off what you can’t do, and keep it as positive as we can and look at the good things we can do when we can’t do all of our normal things.

So here are 100 things that you can do with your horse, when you can’t think of anything to do.

Spicing Up Your Horse Time

Sometimes we can fall into a rut with our horses. We can’t think of anything different to do so we do the same routine every time we are with our horses. But there are a lot of different things we can do with our horses that will strengthen the relationship. And some of these are under saddle, and some are from the ground. But hopefully you will find some inspiration from this list.

So if you are searching for something new to do with your horse, here are 100 different things you could do. And please remember to keep in mind safety! If you are doing any of the riding exercises, make sure to have on an approved riding helmet! And know your limitations, if you are not sure how to do something correctly, learn about it, practice on the ground before you attempt it under saddle.

100 Things To Do With Your Horse

  1. Hang out with your horse in his field
  2. Grooming (brushing)
  3. Picking out his feet
  4. Practice saddling, and then don’t ride
  5. Getting him used to being sprayed, like fly spray shine spray, etc.
  6. Clip his bridle path
  7. Practice bridling and unbridling
  8. Take him for a walk (like you would a dog)100 Things To Do With Your Horse
  9. Work on backing up (in hand)
  10. Teach him to move away from pressure (in hand)
  11. From the ground, walk a dressage pattern
  12. Take your horse for a jog
  13. Lunging both directions, and moving all around the arena
  14. Backing up over a ground pole (in hand)
  15. Backing a pattern (in hand)
  16. Walking up and down hills
  17. Practicing mounting and having your horse stand still100 Things To Do With Your Horse
  18. Work on inside rein, outside leg in the arena, on the trail, wherever!
  19. Ride in a two point position and see how long you can do it
  20. Practice a three point position and see how long you can do it
  21. Perfect your sitting trot
  22. Practice rising trot
  23. Learn how to feel the correct diagonal while in rising trot
  24. Drop and pick up your stirrups without looking down
  25. Walk without stirrups
  26. Trot without stirrups
  27. Two point without stirrups
  28. Canter on your horse
  29. Learn how to counter canter
  30. Learn how to do a flying lead change
  31. Walk to canter transition
  32. Practice half halts
  33. Practice a side pass, both directions
  34. Go for a trail ride100 Things To Do With Your Horse
  35. Walk your horse over ground poles
  36. Learn how to do a shoulder in
  37. Learn how to do a shoulder out
  38. Practice walking a straight line
  39. Trot a perfect circle
  40. Canter a perfect circle
  41. Give your horse a bath
  42. Teach your horse to smile
  43. Teach your horse to bow
  44. Find a horsemanship pattern, and practice it
  45. Ride an introductory dressage test
  46. Build a gymnastic, and jump it100 Things To Do With Your Horse
  47. Ride bareback
  48. Learn how to do a turn on the forehand
  49. Learn how to do a turn on the haunches
  50. Ride a regular serpentine pattern
  51. Practice sitting on your horse at the halt
  52. Spiral in on a circle
  53. Give your horse a massage
  54. Braid (or band) your horses mane100 Things To Do With Your Horse
  55. Ride to music
  56. Ride for 15 minutes longer than you normally do
  57. Lunge over ground poles
  58. Lunge over a small jump or cavaletti
  59. Desensitize your horse to a plastic bag
  60. Desensitize your horse to a tarp (or a water jump)
  61. Try to touch your toes while in the saddle
  62. Learn how to ground drive your horse
  63. Ride a cloverleaf barrel pattern
  64. 100 things to do with your horse
  65. Get your horse to bend without using your reins
  66. Back your horse in a circle
  67. Check your horses pulse, and temperature
  68. Open and close a gate while mounted
  69. Ride with a neck rope
  70. Teach your horse to lower his head for haltering and bridling
  71. Video record your ride, and then watch it
  72. Have a photography session with your horse and actually print and hang a photo100 Things To Do With Your Horse
  73. Ride a reining pattern
  74. Drag your arena, and then work your horse creating fun patterns
  75. Have someone lunge you and your horse
  76. Practice loading and unloading your horse into a trailer without going anywhere
  77. Learn how to apply polo wraps
  78. Practice putting boots on your horses legs
  79. Jump a small jump without stirrups
  80. Remove your stirrups from your saddle for your ride
  81. Ride your horse to your mailbox
  82. Try riding a different discipline
  83. Ride through water
  84. Have a complete spa day with your horse (not just grooming)
  85. Try riding bitless
  86. Make a costume for your horse100 things to do with your horse
  87. Take a professional lesson with your horse (online)
  88. Groom like you are going to a horse show
  89. Make homemade horse treats for your horse
  90. Hand graze your horse
  91. Find his favorite itching spot
  92. Film your ride and have a friend critique it
  93. Ride on a loose rein, let your horse decide where to go (in the arena of course)
  94. Trot a figure 8 pattern
  95. Make or buy a toy for your horse
  96. Teach your horse the Spanish walk
  97. Take your horse to a local online horse show
  98. Teach your horse to come when called
  99. Teach your horse different stretches
  100. Learn how to braid his tail
  101. Give your horse a hug100 Things To Do With Your Horse

There Is Always Something New To Do

Can you think of anything else that you can do with your horse? I’m sure you can! The original reason I decided to come up with this list is because I had surgery, and I still had some time before I was allowed to ride my horse.

But now, I find I have to find things to do to keep myself busy, and my mind on happier things. Which is why I revisited this list. Even if I can’t go do all of the things I would like to do, doesn’t mean I have to stay away from the barn! There are a lot of things to do that don’t include riding. I have been doing a lot of these things with my horses right now, while we work through this hopefully temporary new normal.

100 things to do with your horse

And the best thing is with this list of things to do, I don’t feel slighted, or that I have missed anything since I can’t go to horse shows, or riding club meetings. In fact, I feel the complete opposite. I have been able to spend so much time with my horses, and bonding with them on the ground. Not being able to ride has probably been the best thing that could have happened. So I challenge you to look for the positive. Try and focus only on the good, and see if you can come up with a list of 100 things you can be doing with your horse right now.

Related

Category: Articles, Challenges, Equestrian ResourcesTag: challenge, equestrian, exercise, horse care, horses at home, riding, things to do with your horse, things to do with your horse when you get bored, what to do when you have to stay home, what to do when your bored

About Lisa

I am horse crazy and love DIY projects, and finding great deals on everything horse related. When I have a new idea, or find a great deal I love sharing this information with you……..AND just to have FULL Disclosure:

Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the blog posts on my site will allow you to purchase different products and services online provided by other merchants, and not myself. Some of the links that I post on my site are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I may receive an affiliate commission.* I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn a commission by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
*Disclosed in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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  1. rihanna parton

    September 22, 2021 at 4:48 AM

    i really like horses

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