Trick riding evolved from techniques used by working cowboys in the American West and involves performing difficult maneuvers on a moving horse. The Wild West Arts Club preserves and celebrates this history, and trick riding can be seen at rodeos and circuses worldwide. Basic riding skills are necessary before learning trick riding.
Trick riding is a family of riding techniques that evolved in the American West. These techniques were originally developed to meet the needs of working cowboys and have since evolved into stunts designed more for performance than practicality. In the United States, the Wild West Arts Club works to preserve and celebrate the history of trick riding and other Western stunt riding, and is offered at several riding schools in North America.
Most riding stunts involve performing difficult maneuvers on a moving horse. For example, riders may jump on or off a horse while it is in motion or stand on the horse’s back. Experienced riders can play jump rope with a lasso on the back of a moving horse, swap mounts with other riders while in motion, and hold their places while the horses perform checked hindquarters and other flashy moves.
For working cowboys, being able to be extremely comfortable around a horse is paramount. Cowboys work closely with their mounts and must be able to leap off a moving horse, trust a horse to stop on a dime, and engage in other riding maneuvers not seen in recreational riding. Some acrobatic stunts are used by many working cowboys still today, while others have become much flashier, diverging from their real-world roots.
Trick riding displays can often be seen at major events in the American West. Riders typically perform at rodeos, often parading in elaborate team drills involving multiple riders. They are also included in many parades in the American West where they display their horses and skills for crowds.
In addition to being native to the American West, various forms of trick riding are used in circuses around the world. Bareback acrobats are especially common in European circuses, working with highly trained horses to put on spectacular shows. Some equestrian sports also lay the groundwork for tricks: buzkashi and polo, for example, both require extreme maneuverability on the part of riders and horses.
People who want to study horse riding usually start out by getting a very thorough grounding in basic riding schools. To ride like this, someone has to be bold, confident, and very much in control, and it’s important to be comfortable with horses and a variety of situations. Once basic riding skills have been acquired, trick riding can be acquired through an advanced riding school or mentor.
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