Jane Zubia of Satin Gaits

Training Articles

Sometimes Wrong is Right

Passenger or Driver

Sky Rocket

Wheel Alignment

Have You Ever Been Fired?

Straighten Up and Fly Right

Passenger or Driver - Continued

Here’s a quick test. If you feel very confident in your ability to do the following things put a “D” for Driver Rider before each entry or if you don’t feel very confident then write “P” for Passenger Rider.

(If you would like a .pdf version of this form, click here)

1	You know how to get your horse to do any of the preferred gaits you enjoy.
2	You know how to keep your horse consistent in any gait until you decided to switch.
3	You know how to change your horse back into the gait you desire when he switches gait on you.
4	On trail rides, you pick the desired gait and speed instead of your horse.
5	Ride up and down hills with you choosing the gait and speed, instead of your horse.
6	Ride across streams and rivers with you in charge of the path taken.
7	Ride across bridges under control.
8	Able to plow rein (two handed reining) your horse well ***
9	Able to neck rein your horse effectively. ***
10	Ride a round circle, instead of an oblong or irregular circle.
11	Ride a straight line down the middle of an arena for 50 feet or more.
12	Feel confident to know how to handle your horse if he gets afraid and wants to run.
13	Know what to do if your horse wants to go with the other horses and you don't want to go with them. In other words, get your horse secure to be with you instead of only being secure when he is with other horses.
14	Know what to do if your horse is resisting you because he wants to do something else (he's unwilling to leave the barn, or wants to take a different trail).
15	Know how to back your horse up in a straight line or circle. ***
16	Know how to get your horse to do a turn on the forehand or on his haunches.
17	Know how to open and close a gate off of your horse. ***
18	Know how to leg yield your horse in both directions
19	Know how to side-pass in both directions
20	If interested in cantering, you know how to get your horse to canter.
21	Know how to do a right or left lead canter departure from a walk.
22	Know how to get a smooth relaxed stop on your horse from any preferred gait.
***	Without horse tossing his head. Head tossing is usually an indication the horse is out of balance, or being cranked around by the rider.

So... which one are you?

If you are more of a passenger rider, how do you become a driver rider? The best way is to find someone who will safely help you shift from being a passenger rider to a driver rider by sharing their knowledge and experience with you. Don’t be looking for someone who will always get on your horse and try to temporarily fix your problems for you. I am NOT talking about quick fixes; I am talking about LEARNING to do the things you don’t know how to do. We don’t expect someone else to take over driving the car every time we encounter difficult road or traffic conditions. The same should be true when we ride our horse. We should be seeking help and guidance instead of quick fixes that keep us dependent and ineffective riders. Yes it means learning things we don’t yet know how to do besides maybe having to pay someone for their help. But becoming a driver rider means eventually we will have the power of knowledge besides the experience to fix our own problems. We also will become a safer more confident rider with good horse communication skills.

I don’t want to hear someday you have ended up in the hospital because you chose to continue to be a passenger rider. I am encouraging ALL riders to becoming better and better driver riders. The more proficient we are at handling our horses from the ground as well as in the saddle, the safer our horse experiences will be.

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