Antares Saddles: World Class Saddle Making

December 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Founded by 5 pro riders in March 2000, Antares produces the most intricate and well-crafted horse saddles around. What started off as a common ambition to make customised saddles is now a world-class business serving riders across the globe.

Antares’ aim is to make the finest saddles fit for each rider. Having been established by veteran riders, the company understands a rider’s need to have the ideal saddle for comfort and function.

Customization and personalization is what makes Antares unique. Until now, many riders worldwide believe that nothing can measure up to the quality of saddles Antares crafts.

Now serving Europe, North America and some countries in Asia, the business has expanded to making pony bridles and harnesses also. Considering the growth, the company continues to make characteristic saddles as perfectly gorgeous and functional as ever.

One thing that distinguishes Antares from others is its individualized service for each rider. When you come in and describe what type of saddle you need, a professional will give you options that are within your budget. You may either purchase a customised saddle from them or bring an old one for them to work on. Whatever decision you make, you’re sure to have a very good saddle at the end.

What sets Antares saddles apart from others is that each is assembled with the softest leather around. Such softness is imperative to the rider and horse’s comfort. Not only are Antares saddles soft, they are also made firm and steadier than any other saddle. This has a lot to do with the craftsmen and the consultation team of pros behind it. Each saddle is created with experienced hands so that you can be completely certain of perfect quality.

Whether you’re riding simply for recreation or participate in races or shows, different Antares saddles are available for you. Whichever saddle you choose, you’re assured a selection of sizes, seat depths and twists.

An Antares Close Contact Saddle keeps your legs in close as you ride. You won’t need to be concerned about your legs moving all around the place when your horse begins to gallop. Their close contact saddle is one that keeps you comfortable and well-positioned.

The Fizik Antares Saddle is excellent for extended trips. It’s made with a bigger seat and is stuffed with thicker foam, providing great comfort and more room for the rider. It’s also very firm and is awfully light, which makes it better for your horse.

These are only a couple of the most popular types of Antares saddles among riders. Once you learn more about the company, you’ll find that there are so many options to make a choice from, each with its distinctive characteristic.

Though prices of Antares saddles aren’t the least expensive ones around, your investment will certainly not be in vain. With proper care and upkeep, your saddle can last for decades.

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers click here

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Horse Racing Systems – Stop Being a Butterfly

December 27, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I have never made any secret of the fact that I believe that punters should have a system and staking plan if they are to have consistent success. Some punters who accept this fact fail because they have a butterfly type of mind.

They buy system after system often discarding them before they have given them any true test. Even if they find a system that works they will discard it if they have a run of a few bad results. In fact I have noticed when a new highly promoted system comes onto the market it can often effect the odds. This is particularly true in systems involving Betfair. However, usually after about a month or so the market goes back to normal as the majority a systems purchasers discard it to move on to the latest “good thing”.

For this reason I have got into the habit of not buying a system when it first come onto the market. This lets you avoid the initial odds fluctuations and gives you a chance to assess the feedback regarding the system. At the price that is charged for some of these systems it pays to find out as much as you can before parting with hard cash. I usually rely on the Darren Powers Betting School web site which reviews most of the new systems that come onto the market. They also have a very good forum where some knowledgeable contributors pass on their thoughts about current systems.

As a rule even if a system receives a favourable report I will carry out a paper test for at least a month to satisfy myself that it works and is suitable for my circumstances. For instance some systems may require you to be at your computer to bet during racing, for most people who have jobs this would not be possible. Also as I have said in other articles systems that involve doubling up of stakes or Stop At A Winner options would leave alone. I believe that if a system will not work using level stakes it is not worth pursuing.

Punters with butterfly minds will not spend time trialling a system. They go straight in, often not understanding all the restrictions and constraints of the system. This is crazy because there is no rush, if a system is good now, it is going to be good in 3 months time so why rush into it.

Whether operating a system purely on paper or using real money it is imperative to keep accurate records of your trading. This is the only way you can assess how it is doing. The trouble with any system no matter how good is that it will have poor spells. For that reason just as a Stockbroker has a portfolio of shares the serious punter should have a portfolio of systems that they operate at any one time. Currently I am using 4 systems so that if one is having a bad spell the others will carry me through.

At the same time I am looking for new systems to either add to my portfolio or to replace one I am already using.

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D J Bromley has 1 articles online

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How To Mount Your Pony

December 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you are wondering about the safest techniques of mounting your pony, you have two choices, you can risk a lot of issues with your pony and to yourself by imitating Zorro or the Lone Ranger, or you can go the safe, normal way.

Hopefully, you have settled on the second plan of action. You’ll find this article of lots of help. Correct mounting of a horse is a critical part of horse riding. Even though you do want to try out some tricky mounting methods at a later stage, you can lay the right foundation with control over the traditional method.

Mounting a pony is not as simple as it looks, particularly if you have a skittish pony. You’ll find this out the difficult way when you try and mount the horse for the 1st time. Mounting is much more difficult than you’ll believe. You do it best when you have established a robust bond of trust and respect with your horse.

Mounting your pony

– Test the girth before you try and mount. It should be tight and snug. You should be able to slide in 2 fingers between the horse’s side and the girth. You don’t wish to cause severe distress to your pony by trying to cut him in 2 with the girth. At the least, girths that are too tight could cause some painful skin abrasions. Try and maintain balance and equilibrium when you mount. You can displace the saddle, especially if it’s been fitted on a bit loose, so be very appreciative of your movements.

– Make it a habit to get on from the horse’s left side, This is standard practice. At the outset, you might consider using a mounting stool so that you can get used to the shifts in balance that happens when you mount a horse.

– Take a grip on the reins and a little bit of your horse’s mane with your left hand.

– Your horse may move toward you to help you take control while mounting.

– With your right hand, grab the saddle at the rear. NEVER grab the horn. Grabbing the horn exerts an unpleasant pull on the horse. You can try for more leverage on the cantle by shifting you hand further toward the back of the saddle. Remember this, though: you’ll need to move your hand out of the way of your right leg as you mount and your leg swings over.

– You can now step into the stirrup with your left foot. If necessary, bounce on your right foot a couple of times to gain enough momentum to swing all the way up, over and across. Stick close to your horse to help you maintain your balance.

– Use the momentum you generate to swing your right leg over. Raise your leg sufficiently high to clear the horse and the saddle on it. When you succeed in learning the knack of how to do this, you’ll find yourself in the saddle with minimum discomfort and maximum comfort. Make no abrupt moves, and don’t impact hard against the pony to prevent him getting startled. Learn how to be graceful.

– When you’ve swung over, get your right foot into the stirrup immediately. Try to not poke your toes into your horse’s side as you try to get it into the stirrup.

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers read more

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Horse Coaching Requires Persistent Patience

December 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

If you’ve been riding horses for a bit, you will probably have experienced the actual joy of riding a pony that’s remarkably well trained. But did you ever give thought to the periods of time and energy, and most likely money, spent on making that pony that way?

You can’t train a pony in a day, a week or a month, I might go so far as to say a year, because as far as I am concerned coaching is a permanent process. It takes amazing patience and perseverance.

When coaching a horse, it is basically a battle between your patience and the horse’s resistance. If you show implacable patience, you’ll come out the winner. If you lose patience and snap on any specific day, you lost that day’s battle. Lose too many battles and you will land up losing the war. Handling horses is like handling youngsters. Fury and disappointment only inflame bad eventualities. Anger has no role to play in training or handling a pony, and demonstration of outrage is an absolute no-no. Loud remonstrations, cursing and physical action are among the 7 cardinal sins.

If you cannot accept the unshakable fact that there is no alternative choice to patience, you have no business coaching horses. My apologies, but that’s the blunt truth. Each shortcut you take today is a failure waiting to happen along the way some other day. Like most children, horses learn only through constant repetition. And like with children, some horses require a load more repetition than other horses.

If you come across any books or videos or audios that promise to train you how to teach your pony everything it needs to be taught in 60 minutes, a day or a month, you want to burn that baloney. The single thing you achieve with super fast teaching strategies is disaster. Your pony is not designed by nature to be a genius, so don’t try to make him one. When he learns at his own pace, he learns for life. When he learns at a turbocharged pace, he learns for an hour, or perhaps a day. It’s irrelevant that you need days to teach him something that to you seems to be the easiest thing in the world to learn. You aren’t a pony, and your pony is not you. Start every day with your pony brightly, and ensure it ends brightly. If you should happen to feel anger building up over something, take the day off and do something, anything , that has nothing to do with horses. Tomorrow will always dawn fresh.

As vital as patience is persistence is. Your pony isn’t going to learn constantly if you are not teaching him consistently.

For all the undeniable fact that it could take tons of time, horse coaching is not a difficult task. The largest challenge is finding the patience needed. Anyone who tells you that horse coaching is an arduous task is either too bone-idle to try it himself, or has screwed up by employing short-cuts. Malicious manipulation of whips, bits and spurs will only bring about a defiant horse, and the more the punishment, the more the defiance.

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers read more

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Is The Wintec Saddle Right For You?

December 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Overview

The number 1 synthetic saddle maker in the world is Wintec saddles. Wintec refuses to use substandard manufacturing processes when making their synthetic saddles, and that’s why they outsell their competitors.

The reason Wintec saddles are so popular is because the saddles are so dependable, durable and easy to care for.  Fitting the needs of the horse rider and the horse is Wintec’s motivation for using the latest saddle technology.  For instance, the Wintec Isabell Dressage Saddle features the latest saddle technology, which enables new features to work seamlessly with any features that are added to the saddle.  Wintec’s competitors simply pile on feature after feature, which makes their saddles bulky and uncomfortable . 

Features and Benefits

Traditional counterparts to synthetic saddles are often high maintenance and lack changeability. Wintec is at the top of its class in terms of innovation on  both of these fronts. Many of their saddles include easy change gullet systems and other moving parts that allow the rider to shape the saddle to a changing horse.

Wintec synthetic saddles are easy to clean. You can use a hose to wash down your saddle very quickly.  Cleaning an especially grungy Wintec saddle is as easy as using mild soap and water. What’s even better is that there is no need to oil any leather or add any grease. The saddle comes feeling like it is already broken in, ready for the long ride.

Choosing the right Wintec

Despite being highly customizable, its a good idea to pick the saddle in the line that best suits your needs. Wintec makes dressage, all purpose, jumping, kids, endurance, and stock saddles. If you specialize in one event, like dressage, than you should definitely pick up the more specialized saddle like the Wintec Isabell Dressage Saddle.

For the beginner or the versatile rider, I always recommend the all purpose saddle. It has many moving parts that can adjust to fit your horse as it gets stronger and ages. In addition, this saddle will get you ready if you ever want to upgrade to one of Wintec’s specialized rigs.

If you’re riding on the job, I suggest the endurance saddle. Though this saddle is also for racing long distances, it can be a great companion on long rides and cattle runs. It emphasizes comfort and unrestricted range of motion that prevents rider and horse fatigue.

Drawbacks

For the horse rider that considers himself a traditionalist, then the Wintec saddle may not be the best choice. However, you should consider all of the benefits! Having such an easily maintainable saddle that can change with your growing horse can potentially save you an extraordinary amount of time and money.

If you look forward to working grease into your saddle to make it more comfortable, then this isn’t the right line for you.  But if you just like to pick up and ride without too much hassle, you’ve found the right ride.

Summary and Recommendation

Wintec saddles are a great investment. They last a long time even with regular and simple maintenance. Their long life span is made more valuable by the adjustable nature of most of their saddles.

No matter how your horse grows or changes, the saddle will always fit like a glove with some simple adjustments. You can’t go wrong when you choose to go with one of the many amazing Wintec saddles.  For more horse saddle reviews, please visit HorseSaddleComparison.com.

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Handicapping Seven Furlong Races For Horse Racing Betting Profit

December 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The seven furlong race is perhaps the most unique and difficult to handicap. When we think of the distances of horse races in the US, we usually think in terms of sprints and routes. The classic distances of 6 furlongs and Mile and an eighth come to mind first. They seem to be the yardsticks we measure by, though some might argue that the one mile distance is more popular the Mile and an eighth. Whatever the case may be, the seven furlong distance is a bit of an oddball.

The horses who seem to excel at the 7 furlong distance are often flops at other distances. Sometimes they don’t seem to be able to get going quick enough for the 6 furlong events and run out of steam in races of a mile or longer. Of course, no discussion of horse race distances would be complete without also considering track models.

A seven furlong race at one track is often different than a seven furlong event at another track, because a horse with a different running style is favored. So the horse that wins at Saratoga on a seven mile course may not fare as well at Calder on a 7 furlong course. Then again, without discussing breeding, we cannot discuss running styles or preferred distances.

When handicapping a seven furlong race I like to see that the sire’s foals usually have some early speed, not necessarily blazing early speed, but some speed to get near the front, tactical speed. I also like to see some bottom in the mare and an average winning distance of her sire’s offspring of at least 7+ furlongs, though my preference is a dam’s sire that has some real distance in the breeding like an average win distance of a mile or more (8 furlongs).

That combination of some early speed on the sire’s side and some distance breeding on the dam’s side seems to produce the best 7 furlong horses. As for running styles, I try to match them to the track model and of course, always factor in recent form and the day’s odds.

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Bill Peterson has 1 articles online

The most consistent horse racing systems have to have the basics and a handicapper must understand the basics. I have been around horse racing for 50 years including as an owner. Without the basics the rest is not going to do any good. If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to http://williewins.homestead.com/truecb.html and get the truth.

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The Ideal Hunter Show Riders Position

December 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Riders in hunting events should have a entire range of positions in their repertory to be sure they get their horses successfully and safely through the course. A hunter rider needs a highly advanced sense of balance, fluidity and rhythm. He should make the ride seem to be totally effortless, and he should make it seem like he had no role to play in it at all, except sit in the saddle for decoration purposes. The rider blows it if he keeps shifting from 2 to 3 point when a jump’s comes up. He should be able to simply nurse his horse thru turns, however tight, and over slippery ground.

What the rider needs is control over the half seat.

The 3 seating positions are described below.

1. 3 point/full seat: While seated so, the rider’s seat and inner thighs make up the 3 point. The upper part of the body should be erect, with an imaginary straight line thru the ears, the shoulders, the hips and the heels. This seat is used for flat work.

2) 2 point/jumping seat: The rider sits with hips lifted, pushing back a bit toward the saddle’s cantle. The rider’s seat isn’t in touch with his saddle. He’s connected to the saddle through his inner thighs, and this makes for the 2 points. The rider’s weight is centred over his saddle such that he’s not supporting his upper body with his hands or losing his leg support. This seat is meant for jumping.

3) Half seat: The rider closes his hip angle a touch and raises his seat slightly, though not to the extent he loses full contact with his saddle. He’s at the half way point between a 3 point position and a 2 point one.

Plenty of riders have difficulty with staying in a half seat. They become unstable and tend to balance themselves on the hands so that they can support the upper body weight. This is definitely not recommended, since it does nothing for building up a leg-based support structure.

What have you got to do to line up this structure of support while staying balanced?

When supporting yourself with your hands, you are almost certainly pinching at the knees, which implies you are imitating a wobble totter. You need to try the exercise described below if you can get a buddy (ideally your coach) to lunge or lead your pony while you are in the saddle.

Get your pony to stand still (when necessary use your mate or coach to help), drop the reins, lift your hip a little and push it towards your saddle’s cantle to take up a half seat or forward position. By doing this, you’ll find your hip angle closing and the shoulders lowering. Raise your arms until they are level with the shoulders and maintain this position for a count of approximately 10. You can stay balanced only if you keep your leg under and softly wrapped around your horse’s barrel. Make sure your knee isn’t pinching, because if it does your lower leg will get pushed off the barrel, making you pivot. Make sure you do not draw up your heels, as that would ‘goose’ your pony into going forward. The whole of your leg must stay supple and soft as it softly hugs your horse’s barrel. Let your knees open and the toes turn out naturally to point away at about 45 degrees from the horse’s barrel. Your ankles, knees and hips must be relaxed and soft because they function as shock absorbers. Try and release all strain in your legs, right from the joint with the torso to the toes.

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers visit HorseHorses

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Devon – Equestrian Activity Paradise

December 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Devon has a lot to offer the pony lover.

You can make a start at the two terrific racecourses Devon boasts of. One of those, the racecourse atop Haldon Hill, offers fantastic views of Dartmoor and Exeter. This racecourse does not confine itself to just races; it offers some amazing top quality steeplechase events which make for the ideal family day out. This racecourse has seen some of the most famous horses in action, like Best Male and Desert Orchid.

The Newton Abbot racecourse is also a very famous vacation race venue.

Folk more keen on shows and other equestrian events will prefer to go to Bicton Arena, in the Budleigh Salterton area. This venue has a substantial menu of events to relish. It is very well set up, with stables, grass arenas, a ring for all-weather practice and a cross-country course, as well as a number of other facilities of the very highest standards. The Bicton Arena hosts horse trials and show jumping events, and some single day events.

Devon’s Donkey Refuge and Devon Horse and Pony Sanctuary are venues of interest to everybody, not just horse fanatics. The Donkey Refuge, which is found in East Devon’s gentle hills, is a haven for lots of unwanted and dumped donkeys. The animals receive much care and affection here. Manaton’s Horse and Pony Sanctuary, near Dartmoor, is equally superb.

You may be aware of the fact that Dartmoor National Park is home to the native Dartmoor Hill Pony breed. Life on the moors has made these ponies very hardy. Though they graze and roam freely, they aren’t really wild ponies, they belong to farmers in the vicinity. These ponies have a history in Dartmoor that is claimed to go back about 3,500 years, they find mention in documents going back to AD 1012.

The Dartmoor ponies were utilised for transporting granite and stone in the nineteenth century. They lead far easier lives these days though they have problems with issues like over grazing. There are far more than 3000 ponies in Dartmoor.

Dartmoor ponies have been ridden in show jumping events and cross country events. They have been used as working hunter ponies and for single day events. They have also been utilized for driving carriages, and potentially their favourite use has been in the role of family pony, a role of historic popularity.

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Horse Racing Secrets for Handicapping Races With Horses That …

December 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment

You’ve probably heard this said before, “These horses have raced so many times against each other, it’s just a matter of whose turn it is to win.  They just take turns.”

On any racing circuit there are certain horses who always seem to wind up in the same races.  Usually this occurs with claimers or cheap handicap races.  First one horse from the group will win and then another one of the horses will win and it really does seem like the trainers are taking turns, but that usually isn’t the case.  What is actually happening is that the horses are so evenly matched that a minor advantage is all it takes for one of them to win.

Many times in these races, the favorite fails.  That is good news for an astute handicapper, but before we get too excited about the possibility of winning, let’s be honest with ourselves.  This is one of the toughest races to handicap because they have all shown that they are capable at this level.

Another problem is that we can’t read their minds to know which one is feeling its best and which one will get a good break, etc.  So how do you handicap this race?  First of all, there are many times when you should pass a race like this because it really is too close to call.  On the other hand, look for value. If a horse has won at this level against this group, why can’t it do it again?  If the odds are right, go for it.

The truth is that the trainers and other insiders often don’t have a clue as to which horse will win a race like that, but put their horse in because they know that given a break or in the right circumstances, their horse can win.

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Bill Peterson has 12661 articles online and 9 fans

If you want to learn how a horse owner and insider handicaps just go to http://williewins.homestead.com/truecb.html and get the truth. Bill Peterson is a former horse race owner and professional handicapper. To see all Bill’s horse racing material go to Horse Racing Handicapping, Bill’s handicapping store.

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The Ideal Bit For A Newbie Horse Rider

December 17, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Communication is a significant part of our lifestyles and is the major part of our experiences with horses. The standard of communication between rider and pony establishes the quality of the ride.

I believe each beginner should start pony riding with a ‘solid’ bit with no leverage. The solid (aka pelum) bit is way more understanding and forgiving of the beginner rider compared with the snaffle bit. If misused by the beginner, the solid bit is less likely to confuse the horse. The snaffle is multi-dimensional and better utilised by experienced riders.

I have come across many brand new students who become absolutely disoriented because of the volume of info given to them all at the same time. Ideally, you want to keep things simple with a beginner student regardless of if progress is slow. It is vital that the student receives adequate info to help him make a stress free relationship with his horse as soon as possible.

When you employ a solid bit with no leverage or possibly a bosal for that matter, you are left with a one hand riding opportunity, since it takes just one hand to operate these effectively; an ideal situation for a newbie.

I have come across many new scholars who become totally disoriented thanks to the volume of info given to them all at the same time. Ideally, you need to keep things simple with a beginner student regardless of if progress is slow. It is imperative that the student receives adequate info to help him make a calm relationship with his horse straight away.

When you utilise a solid bit with no leverage maybe a bosal for that matter, you are left with a one hand riding opportunity, since it takes only one hand to operate these bits effectively; a perfect situation for a beginner.

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers visit HorseHorses

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