50 Top Horseback Riding Quotes (Picked By An Equestrian)

Looking For the Best Quotes About Horseback Riding?

Being on the back of a horse is a powerful experience, and most equestrians have been confronted with every emotion in their being while horseback riding – from frustration and fear to elation and giddiness. There is nothing in the world like horseback riding, and below you will find 50 of my favorite riding quotes that help put these emotions into words.

 

Horseback Riding Quotes About Courage

Horses are much stronger and larger than we are, and it takes a lot of courage to climb onto a horse for the first time (or second, or third… or anytime after you fall off). Below are 8 quotes related to the courage it takes to put your trust in your horse.

 

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”

– John Wayne

 

“Cowgirl Courage isn’t the lack of fear, but the courage to take action in the face of fear.”

– J.H. Lee

 

“If you fall off a horse, you get back up. I am not a quitter.”

– Olivia Wilde

 

“It takes a good deal of physical courage to ride a horse. This, however, I have. I get it at about forty cents a flask, and take it as required.”

– Stephen Leacock

 

“If you climb in the saddle, be ready for the ride.”

– Unknown

 

“Only by falling do you learn how to mount a horse.”

– Kurdish Proverb

 

“The hardest thing about riding… is the ground.”

– Unknown

 

“It is the difficult horses that have the most to give you.”

– Lendon Gray

 

Horseback Riding Quotes About Respect

Horses can be both powerful and gentle, both brave and timid, both strong and submissive. Below you will find 8 quotes about the respect that our horses deserve from us.

 

“Dancing and riding; it’s the same damn thing. It’s about trust and consent.”

– Nicholas Evans

 

“I can make a General in five minutes, but a good horse is hard to replace.”

– Abraham Lincoln

 

“I sit astride life like a bad rider on a horse. I only owe it to the horse’s good nature that I am not thrown off at this very moment.”

– Ludwig Wittgenstein

 

“A horse is like a violin; first it must be tuned, and when tuned it must be accurately played.”

– Unknown

 

“You cannot train a horse with shouts and expect it to obey a whisper.”

– Dagobert D. Runes

 

“If your horse says no, you either asked the wrong question or asked the question wrong.”

– Pat Parelli

 

“The history of mankind is carried on the back of a horse.”

– Unknown

 

“One who believes that he has mastered the art of horsemanship has not yet begun to understand the horse.”

– Unknown

 

Horseback Riding Quotes About The Beauty Of Horses

Throughout history, there have been thousands of written descriptions of the beauty of horses. People have been fascinated by these majestic creatures for thousands of years, and here you will find 8 quotes related to the sheer beauty of horses.

 

“One can get in a car and see what man has made. One must get on a horse to see what God has made.”

– Unknown

 

“There are many wonderful places in the world, but one of my favorite places is on the back of my horse.”

– Rolf Kopfle

 

“The horse, with beauty unsurpassed, strength immeasurable and grace unlike any other, still remains humble enough to carry a man upon his back.”

– Amber Senti

 

“The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and freedom.”

– Sharon Ralls Lemon

 

“When you are on a great horse, you have the best seat you will ever have.”

– Winston Churchill

 

“The world is best viewed between the ears of your horse.”

– Unknown

 

“Horses change lives. They give our young people confidence and self-esteem. They provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls; they give us hope.”

– Toni Robinson

 

“Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of solitaire. It is a grand passion. It seizes a person whole and once it has done so, he will have to accept that his life will be radically changed.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

Horseback Riding Quotes: Horse Therapy

As every equestrian knows, nothing clears the mind and heals the soul like riding a horse. Riding is excellent for our mental health. Below are 5 quotes about the therapeutic nature of horseback riding. 

 

“There is nothing so good for the inside of a man as the outside of a horse.”

– John Lubbock

 

“No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.”

– Winston Churchill

 

“It’s the aspirin of horseback riding; it cures everything.”

– Nuno Oliveira

 

“A canter is a cure for every evil.”

– Benjamin Disraeli

 

“There is no better place to heal a broken heart than on the back of a horse.”

– Missy Lyons

 

Horseback Riding Quotes About The Rider-Horse Relationship

When you are riding a horse, you are putting your trust in that horse, while the horse is putting his trust in you. Horses require clear communication and respect from their riders. Below are 12 quotes about the rider-horse relationship.

 

“There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse.”

– R.S. Surtees

 

“It’s a lot like nuts and bolts; if the rider’s nuts, the horse bolts!”

– Nicholas Evans

 

“The horse you get off is not the same as the horse you got on. It is your job as a rider to ensure that as often as possible, the change is for the better.”

– Unknown

 

“A horse can lend its rider the speed and strength he or she lacks – but the rider who is wise remembers it is no more than a loan.”

– Pam Brown

 

“Equestrian art is the perfect understanding and harmony between horse and rider.”

– Nuno Oliveira

 

“Your seat is a verb, and your reins are adjectives to add beauty and shape.”

– Pat Parelli

 

“No one can teach riding so well as a horse.”

– C.S. Lewis

 

“Every time you ride, you’re either teaching or un-teaching your horse.”

– Unknown

 

“We will never have to tell our horse that we are sad, happy, confident, angry, or relaxed. He already knows – long before we do.”

– Marijke de Jong

 

“A stubborn horse walks behind you, an impatient horse walks in front of you, but a noble companion walks beside you.”

– Unknown

 

“There are only two emotions that belong in the saddle; one is a sense of humor and the other is patience.”

– John Lyons

 

“If you are fearful, a horse will back off. If you are calm and confident, it will come forward. For those who are often flattered or feared, the horse can be a welcome mirror of the best in human nature.”

– Claire Balding

 

How can you tell if a horse likes you? Since they aren’t able to speak, it can be difficult to decipher what your horse is feeling. to learn more, visit my article Do Horses Like Humans? Here’s What You Need to Know.

Horseback Riding Quotes Comparing Riding To Flying

Riding is an exhilarating experience, and cantering a horse can feel like flying. Below are 4 quotes relating riding to flying. 

 

“Horses lend us the wings we lack.”

– Pam Brown

 

“For one to fly, one needs only to take the reins.”

– Melissa James

 

“To ride a horse is to ride the sky.”

– Unknown

 

“When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.”

– William Shakespeare

 

Horseback Riding Quotes That Can Apply To Other Areas Of Life

Below you will find 5 quotes that, while referring to horseback riding, can also relate to many other aspects of your life. 

 

“Don’t be the rider who gallops all night and never sees the horse that is beneath him.”

– Rumi

 

“Speak your mind, but ride a fast horse.”

– Texas Bix Bender

 

“Success is like a wild horse. If you do not know how to handle it, it will throw you off and look for another rider who can handle it well.”

– Ajith Kumar

 

“It is best not to swap horses while crossing the river.”

– Abraham Lincoln

 

“You never know how a horse will pull until you hook him to a heavy load.”

– Bear Bryant

 

Looking for more good horse quotes? Visit my article The Best Horse Quotes (Picked By An Actual Equestrian.)

P.S. Save this article to your “Equestrian Lifestyle” board!

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Carmella Abel, Pro Horse Trainer

Hi! I’m Carmella

My husband and I started Equine Helper to share what we’ve learned about owning and caring for horses. I’ve spent my whole life around horses, and I currently own a POA named Tucker. You can learn more here.

Thank you for reading, and happy trails!

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