November 21st, 2009
Every horse and every hoof is unique. Deciding what is best for you horse and your horses feet, is an important part of owning a horse. Finding a good farrier that is knowledgeable, on time and willing to work with you is important.
I will give you some ideas and questions you should ask yourself and your farrier to help you do the best thing for your horse!
November 21st, 2009
Before you can pick the perfect music for your horse, you need to understand the difference between rhythm and tempo.
Many people use the words rhythm and tempo interchangeable, but they do not mean the same thing. I will talk about the meaning of each, both in musical terminology and in riding reference.
Rhythm – When riding, regularity of the rhythm refers to the even spacing between each step in a stride of walk, trot or canter. In music, rhythm is made up of sounds and silences. These sounds and silences are put together to form patterns of sound which are repeated to create rhythm.
Look at the two descriptions of rhythm and put them together. Think of the sounds and silences of the musical terminology and the even spacing between each step of your horse’s gaits as the same thing. When the horse’s foot is down it is a sound. When your horse’s foot is up, it is silent. This is how we can relate the rhythm of music to the rhythm of your horse’s gaits.
Tempo –Tempo is the speed of the music or the speed of your horse. Depending on how fast you want to go you can adjust the rate of repetition of the rhythm. Tempo in music can be fast or slow or in-between. Music sounds and feels different depending on how fast it’s played. The same piece of music will have a different effect or mood depending on weather it is played fast or slow.
Hopefully this will clarify the difference between rhythm and tempo as it applies to music and how it applies to your horse.
Next month we will talk more about what particular kind of music will accentuate your horse’s strengths.
November 20th, 2009
One of the most common and a fatal problem any trainer would face is the training area space; it should be wide enough for catching your horse and not to lose control upon it. If it happens and it is a small area then no option and it may become a must to bond the horse!
There are several techniques for bonding which will be discussed later.
Second annoying problem you would face when breeding a horse is the bucking while you are trying to mount it, this is an obstacle that you should overcome and know how to deal with, you would wonder why the horse is behaving that way, well it maybe some other previous user whom mistreated the horse, so it’s most probably a matter of abuse. Now the problem is how to overcome, well you should learn how to mount the horse while not frustrating by using any of the mounting techniques, I will mention them later and give a source where to find them, as well as using the help of another person for the mounting purpose but these solutions are under the assumption of no past abuse.
One other common problem is the horse getting used to eating it trail grass, and this problem rises due to a default from the trainer side, as if you kept on preventing this action immediately when it occurs, the horse wont get used to it and will know that this is not a permissible behavior, you will avoid lots of headache if you trained it on this attitude from the beginning.
By following my signature, you can find some reviews for resources of the bonding and mounting techniques, those I have promised to provide you with through my article, hopefully you will find them really beneficial and help you through all your horse breeding issues.
November 19th, 2009
Almost every good rider has an accident at some point during her riding career. While some riders see accidents as a part of the sport and get right back in the saddle, so to speak, other riders lose their confidence and even experience gripping fear. Some riders are so afraid that they ask themselves whether the time and money they spend on their hobby is worth it after all!
Here’s the deal: unless you enjoy riding, then you shouldn’t be doing it. If every time you get on a horse you experience a pounding heart, dry mouth, and crushing anxiety, then I would ask you why you continue to torture yourself in this way. Especially considering that riding is an expensive, time-consuming hobby.
However, many riders continue to torture themselves in just this way. Why? Because they remember what it was like, before the unfortunate incident, to love to ride. And they want to experience that feeling again.
If you are still going out to the barn and trying to get on your horse despite having huge fears, my guess is that you want to return to the time when you loved horses. The good news is, there’s no reason why you can’t. If you take it slow and put yourself in the right situation, you can love riding again.
The first step is to figure out what is getting in the way of your enjoyment. For many people, they just can’t relax on their horse. They relive their bad situation, and this makes them tense. Knowing that you have a hard time relaxing is the first step in learning how to relax on horseback. Once you learn to relax, you’ll enjoy riding.
Of course, you can’t relax unless you are confident and comfortable. Being confident and comfortable are the cornerstones of relaxation. So how do you get confident and comfortable? By riding the right horse, and by taking lessons from the right instructor. That’s right, I said instructor. If you are so fearful of horses that you want to throw up every time you get in the saddle, it’s too much to ask that you conquer this on your own.
A good instructor is patient, kind, never demeans you, and understands that you’ve had a bad experience and need to move slowly. Since there are many riders who have faced fear, there are also many riders who help their students overcome it. To find the right instructor, ask others who have had similar problems for a recommendation. An instructor who is right for you should be downright enthusiastic about helping you get over your issues.
You’ll also need the right horse. A calm, confident, and bombproof schoolhorse is the best choice if you’ve been frightened. Even if your riding skills are good, you need to remember that the goal here isn’t to improve your riding skills. The goal is to ride without fear. The right horse will give you good experiences, and the more good experiences you have, the more your fear will recede. If you really love riding, face your fears but take it slowly. With a good instructor and the right horse you’ll be happily back in the saddle in no time.
Want some more great advice on horses? Just visit our resource links below and make sure to bookmark us.
November 19th, 2009
It is with obvious Hollywood trickery that the famous “Mr. Ed” the horse did not actually talk on the classic TV show of the same name. However, this does not mean that horses cannot communicate with humans. We just have to “listen” carefully. Here are some regulary horse expressions.
Instead of reading lips, try reading the ears of a horse. The ears of a horse can express a lot of what the equine is trying to say. When the horse’s ears are pinned back and he is showing you the whites of his eyes, watch out, he means business! There are milder versions of this expressions as his ears might be pulled back just because he’s annoyed or maybe he’s even listening to noises behind him. However, when the eyes are bugged out with ears pinned back flat, beware.
The ears of a horse can show signs of aggression as mentioned above or signs of boredom. When the ears of a horse are turned back and jutting out gently, it is usually a sign of ennui. Make sure that the horse is aware of your presence before your approach as not to
risk startling him.
The positions of ears to the back and to the side have been discussed. All that remains are ears in the forward position. At this position, it usually means that the horse is alert. Occasionally, he might turn his ears back when you’re riding him as to listen to
your commands. Conversely, a horse might be ultra alert because he senses danger. Ears pricked forward and stiff along with tense muscles can signal fear. Being prey animals, horses can pick up a lot of things to get twitchy about. If the horse does is constantly on high alert, gentle corrective measures should take place.
There are many nuances when reading a horse’s body language and its ears are just one aspect of learning the way horses communicate. However, it is his most expressive body part.
In horse racing, there is a famous expression, straight from the horse’s mouth to indicate who is the likely winner. This information jokingly comes from those in the trusted inner circle – being the horse himself. But from what we know of horse communication, perhaps it would be more accurate to change it straight from the horse’s ears? Perhaps, but it doesn’t have the same ring and the show Mr. Ed would not have been nearly as funny.
November 19th, 2009
When first learning to saddle a horse, you should know that there is no difference between using a western saddle or an English saddle. They require the same knowledge and steps.
Before Saddling Your Horse
Before you place a saddle on your horse, you should always groom the horse. Take the time to check and make sure there are no sores in the area the saddle will be placed. Then brush your horse to make sure that anything like grit or dirt is removed so you can prevent irritation or chaffing. When you are finished brushing, the hair on the horse’s back or girth should lie flat.
Saddling Your Horse
When you begin to saddle a horse, it is traditionally done from the left side. Although, if it is necessary, you can also do it from the right side of the horse. Now you are ready to place the blanket on the horse. If you are using a western saddle, first fold the blanket in half. Then place the blanket over the horse with the fold towards the horse’s head. Some blankets may have rings on them so you can attach it to the saddle and help keep it from moving around. If that is the case, make sure they are up and not against the horse.
Now check to make sure that the blanket is folded evenly. A tip to help make sure that the hair on the horse’s back stays flat is when you are placing the blanket over the horse start at the withers and slide it down the back into place.
Now you are ready to put the actual saddle on the horse. Before you place it on the horse, make sure you have properly hooked the stirrups so they will not smack the horse as you set the saddle down. Then lift the saddle high enough that you can set it down with out moving the blanket. Set it down easy; if you just drop it on the horse you may spook it. When you place it, try to place it a little higher up the back and let it “settle” in where it belongs.
Walk around to the other side and unattached the stirrup. Check to make sure that the blanket stayed in place, smooth out any wrinkles and make sure the hair remained flat. Double-checking is very important when you saddle a horse.
Now reach under the horse and get the girth or cinch. Bring it up and either tie the cinch or buckle the girth. When you do this, do it in increments. Start loosely and then slowly tighten. This gives the horse a chance to relax. Tighter is not always better. When you have the correct tightness, you should be able to place your fingers in between the girth and the horse. If you had rings on your blanket now is the time to hook them to the saddle.
Final Tip
Hopefully, these tips on how to saddle a horse have been helpful. Just remember to always check the girth and make sure it is tight every time you mount the horse.
November 18th, 2009
Aluminum horse trailers have taken the horse world by storm. In fact, some aluminum horse trailers don’t even look aluminum, but their underlying frame is. Is it worth it to pay the extra money for aluminum or will good ole’ steel do for you?
Aluminum horse trailers are popular because they are light and easy to haul. In most cases this is great, especially when it comes to yor gas mileage, but in some cases this can be a weakness. Not all aluminum trailers are created equally and some are weaker than others. Be careful when choosing aluminum without finding out what will happen if your horse were to give the side of the trailer a really good kick. Some of the less expensive and weaker trailers will dent and tear easily depending on the blow or multiple blows they receive. This can lead to shearing and tearing which can do major damage to a horse if it were to catch its hoof or brush against the tear.
In some cases the weight factor of the trailer is falsely advertised. Depending on the model of the trailer, the floor of the trailer may reinforced with additional aluminum. This can lead to the aluminum trailer weighing just as much as a similar steel trailer. You also need to be certain that you check the welds on the trailer as these can be difficult to fix once broken.
Steel trailers have their downfalls as well. Depending on the trailer, these trailers can be exceptionally heavy and with horses in the back your gas budget is going to run thin. They are also prone to rust, although many manufacturers have worked on several different sealants that are preventing rust more and more as technology increases. Steel trailers are also durable and easy to fix. Sure they might dent when your horse lays into kicking in it as he impatiently waits to get out of the trailer, but chances that the actual trailer is going to tear are minimal. The cost of steel trailers have also gone down. The galvanized steel, powder-coated steel and galvanized steel has become relatively inexpensive and rust has almost completely been eliminated.
When it comes down to which trailer is better than the other, it comes down to what you are willing to pay and what disadvantages you are willing to live with. An aluminum trailer is going to cost more, but you are able to save in fuel while a steel trailer is strong and easier to repair.
You will need to take into consideration the type of hitching point you would like, either a bumper pull from a rear mounted trailer hitch from your tow vehicle. Or a goose neck or fifth wheel mount that attaches within the bed for a greater load tolerance and improved handling and turning.
There are many additional questions that we answer on our equine forum and in our article base.
For more great trailer and equine information visit our links in our bio reference to help with further questions.
November 18th, 2009
A youngster is called a yearling from 1st January of the year after his birth. Remember therefore that he may still be very young if born late (ie November) in the previous year, but still called a yearling – hence their level of maturity will depend upon how much you can do with them.
So, in this article we’re going to cover what you can expect from a Yearling, and to be clear I am referring to a foal that has been weaned and is actually between 6-9 months old.
A reasonably well developed, mature yearling can be lunged a little, although only for a few minutes on each rein. As the joints are not yet fully formed at this stage, there is an obvious risk of injury if you do too much at this stage. An experience trainer will know how much to ask of a yearling or whether to delay the first lessons on the lunge until the horse is 2 or 3 years old. So if you are uncertain, seek advice.
Thoroughbreds destined to race on the flat are broken in during their second winter – while still yearling’s. Many of them are lunged, long reined, backed and ridden and have started cantering before their second birthday. Most horses cannot be broken as yearling’s, however because they are insufficiently developed. A racehorse can be reared with a view to racing at 2 years, but even then he may be too ‘backward’ to be trained for racing until he is a year older – they are all individuals and have to be treated as such.
The process must be carefully planned otherwise only the really tough ones will survive hard training without some damage.
All yearlings however should learn to obey your hand and voice and to tie up quietly. Before going onto lunge them, you should be sure to complete your horse’s training ‘in hand’ so that he obeys voice commands and light hand signals on the lead rein.
By now he should walk and trot beside you without pulling against the rope. He should also stop when you ask him to by saying ‘halt’ or ‘whoa’ (only use one or the other of these commands, not both, otherwise you will confuse him) and should walk on and trot on when you ask him. He should stand still until you ask him to move on. If you press your outside hand on his flank and say ‘walk on’ he will not be surprised when you use your leg aids later on to give a similar signal.
What you have to be aware of is that all during this time your horse is still growing and developing. As such his behavior will also change, so don’t be surprised if exercises and lessons he performed when he was much younger, even suckling perhaps, no longer work. His rate of growth will show you how much he is changing, and you must expect his behavior to change too, which is why you must make sure that you finish his hands on and voice training properly before you move on to anything more complex and challenging.
Remember the main schooling aim for a yearling is primarily to establish the relationship between you and your horse. With this in mind the important thing to bear in mind is that what you do with him is not as important as the fact that you do something with him at all – trying to do every exercise perfectly and overstraining him to do this is not the objective – working with him gently to get him used to you and used to doing some training is more important than the technicalities of how well he does the exercises.
November 17th, 2009
When you say the word horses a few places come to mind, Montana, Wyoming, but none as much as Texas. Texas and its horses have quite a history. In this article we will introduce you to a little Texas history and the horses that are involved.
First, we have to go into a little Mexican and Spanish History. Texas was, for a long time, under Spanish rule. Spain ruled Mexico and Mexico ruled Texas you might say.
Spain’s introduction of warfare on horseback is very well known. The horse helped the Conquistadors conquer more and more territory throughout South America. Their territory once extended from Peru and Argentina all the way up into Texas and Louisiana.
Most of the groups the warriors from Spain encountered had no horses and were at a huge disadvantage in battle. The image we always see of the Spanish Soldier is one of him in armor and on horseback.
Another image that is conjured up when mentioning horses and Texas is Indians on horseback. What many do not know is that the Indians in Texas had no horses until they were brought in during Spanish rule of the area. Most hoses the Indians rode were ones stolen from settlers and soldiers after seeing the advantage the soldiers had over them.
When Mexicans first began to settle in Texas around where the Friars built their missions to bring religion to the Indians, most of them didn’t bring horses either. People walked hundreds of miles to get to where they would eventually settle and build their homes. Many had mules or donkeys, but few had horses.
It was the same for those who came from various places within the new United States. They came by boat to New Orleans many times, but then had a long walk to get to their new Texas home where the Mexican government was giving land away for free.
The settlers soon discovered there were wild horses in Texas. What we now call Mustangs were abundant and were free if you could catch them and train them. These horses were not as big as other horses, but they were very sturdy and strong animals that became a huge part of Texas history.
You have to see it how it was then. There was not that much actual cash money to be had anywhere in Texas. There was free land if you were willing to go there and claim it. There were free horses if you were willing to catch and train them. There were even free cattle if you were willing to round them up, the Texas Longhorn.
So many settlers made the long trek to Texas, converted to Catholicism, which was required by the Mexican government if you wanted free land, then captured and trained free Mustangs, which they then used to round up the free cattle.
It sounds great, huh? Just go grab some free land, free horses, and free cattle and you were on your way! Not exactly. It was a very rough life. One that not many people today could even fathom. There was not many people in Texas, some Indian tribes did not want settlers there and showed it through violent attacks, and the work was hard.
To make money from the cattle or horses that were collected they had to be driven all the way to New Orleans for sale. This drive took months to accomplish. The travel we do today spoils our ability to understand the way it was for these settlers.
Some of them spent more than a year traveling to find where they and their families would settle. They then spent at least another year building their house and gathering the horses and cattle that might make up their rancho. Then figure at least a 6 month round trip to sell cattle or horses just to make enough money to buy supplies that were not available free on the Texas range.
The Mustang Horse proved to be one of the best horses for soldiers. It was sturdy enough to handle the rough terrain that larger horses could not handle. They could go without water longer than other horses. They were not skittish when it came to gunfire and battle.
The Texas Rangers rode Mustangs while roaming Texas in search of Banditos and Outlaws. Many men riding Mustangs fought the Battle of San Jacinto. The Apache Indians used them somewhat, but the fierce Comanche Indians had many Mustangs and were some of the greatest horsemen to ever live anywhere. But that is another story.
I hope this short article gave you at least a glimpse into where horses in Texas came from and how they were used. Look in your favorite search engine for more about the Mustangs that still run free today and for more about Texas history and horses. You’ll find the topic interesting and entertaining.
November 14th, 2009
Barrel racing is a tough sport on both rider and horse. Barrel horses are athletes that need to be in really good condition when running barrels. A horse that is not in good condition and started on barrels may get sore and associate the pain with running barrels. This can lead to problems that are hard to correct.
If you plan on starting a horse on barrels or are getting a seasoned horse back into shape, start on their conditioning before putting them on the barrel pattern. Long trotting and slow loping are the best two ways to get a horse in top condition. These gaits will build up muscle and lung capacity allowing the horse to perform better and not be gasping for air after a run. Part of getting your horse into shape is building his lung capacity and stamina. Having an exercise program for your horse is the best way to monitor what exercise your horse is getting. This makes it easier to add or take away parts of the program according to his condition and needs.
Find a good, safe place to exercise your horse. An arena is good because of the cushion of the dirt or sand, but can become very boring for both you and your horse. If you have a large pasture you can do most of the exercising there. Dirt roads without rocks are good for this because the scenery isn’t so repetitive. Make sure that you don’t exercise your horse on ground that is too hard, like on roadways, cement or icy ground. Always put protective boots on your horse’s legs before riding to protect his legs from injury.
To get your barrel horse in condition you should work up to riding him six to eight miles three or four days a week. These days should consist of warming up with a walk, long trotting and slow loping. In the beginning you should do more walking and slowly take the walking time and add it to the trotting and loping segments. After walking a half of a mile, alternate long trotting and slow loping for a half of a mile. Do this for a week and then add another half of a mile. It can take months to reach the full six to eight miles, but getting a horse in top condition takes time and patience. Of course, if your horse is in good shape before starting the program you may increase the mileage faster.
On the days you aren’t following the exercise program you should your horse lightly or exercise him in a round pen. Allow your horse at least one day off a week to rest and relax. Turn him out in a pasture to run freely or lay around. This allows his muscles to still work, but at his own, natural pace. This also allows him to relax and not become bored with the exercise program.
After following this program for about 90 days you should see a vast improvement in your horse’s condition and stamina. He is almost at his peak performance at this point. Now you can add a sprint to your exercise program on one day of the week. Start out with a walk and trot to get his muscles warmed up and stretched. Ask your horse for a sprint for about 250 yards. Ask for as much speed as he will give you, allowing him to run as fast as he can. Slowly bring him down to a lope, trot and then a walk. Walk him until his breathing is even and he is cooled down. This does not need to be done more than once a week. If you are running your horse at a barrel race almost every weekend, you can skip this part of the workout.
Once you start competing regularly this rigorous exercise program can be cut down to a maintenance program. If you are competing almost every weekend you can shorten the exercise down to 45 minutes of walking, trotting and loping three to four days a week. Always be sure and give your horse at least one day off a week and don’t ride him hard every single day. Horses get bored with routine and can start to misbehave. Remember to not work him too hard the day of or the day just before a competition.
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