Life Of A Country Kid
Many of us dream of riding or
owning a horse or our own. A
horse and rider galloping across an
open field appears elegant and
effortless. However, Claudia Hart
zler, 10, says a well-trained horse
and rider makes everything look
easier than it really is.
Claudia, daughter of ‘Jeff and
Gwen Hartzler, Mount Joy, is a
second year member of the Lan
caster County Boots and Saddles
4-H Club. As anyone who has ever
ridden knows, it lakes hours of
hard work for both horse and nder
to travel in harmony. Claudia takes
riding lessons and practices regu
larly with her mare, Jessica.
A partnership needs to be deve
loped between horse and rider.
Riding is two-way communica
tion. Horse and rider share a spe
cial language that both need to
learn. There are certain aids a rider
uses to help the horse understand
what to do. A simple walk can be
uncomfortable and dangerous for
horse and rider if one does not
understand the language.
A rider’s hands on the reins are
the most obvious aids. According
to Claudia, a nder with “good
hands” is one that hardly uses
them. Hands should never be used
alone, but always in combination
with leg and seat aids. For exam
ple, by applying pressure with her
legs, Claudia controls the pace and
Right: With her horse’s tail and mane braided,
Claudia Hartzler takes time to brush down Jessica’s
coat before putting on the saddle.
In the ring, Claudia does her best to show her horse
manship skllls-she spent practicing at home.
hindquarters of her horse,
A well-schooled horse has been
trained to understand and respond
to pressure from the rider’s legs,
seat and hands. Through the use of
these aids, Claudia can control her
horse’s movements. A good rider
learns to sit upright, relax and keep
the horse balanced. By using the
aids correctly, the nder earns a
horse’s trust. A horse can sense an
inexperienced nder and often will
not respond properly.
Most people just ride for plea
sure. As some riders progress with
their riding skills, they look for
challenges. Equestrian events test
a rider’s horsemanship and a
horse’s ability. One advantage of
equestnan events is riders can
compete at different levels. The
older and more experienced riders
become, the tougher they are
judged on how they control their
horses.
Once riders have mastered their
horses, they often learn to jump
fences and other obstacles. The
excitement of top-level show
jumping is hard to beat.
Sports such as hunting, cross
country nding, racing, and polo
provide horse-lovers with many
opportunities. These events pro
vide pleasure and competition, but
can be dangerous. You need to be a
competent rider. This takes hours
of practice and dedication.
Right: Before boarding
the trailer to the District
4-H Horse Show, Claudia
Hartzler lets her horse,
Jessica, grab an early
morning snack.
Below: Claudia gets a
few riding tips from her
older sister, Kim, while
warming up for the 4-H
District Show.
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