Being In Perfect Coordination With Your Horses

January 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

One of the loveliest sights in the equine world is a rider and horse team in perfect coordination. The rider has the lightest of touches, invisible and unfelt except by the horse. The pony basically appears to be directly linked to the rider’s brain, so that thoughts are communicated and acted upon in mere nanoseconds. As a rider, you need to appreciate the pony has the inborn abilities that may blossom with a little bit of schooling; it is you, the rider, who has to learn the hard way. The most important lesson you can learn vis achieving a light touch is to cease being firm.

You start humble, at the most elementary of levels, and you progress right. You don’t make the cardinal mistake most new pony riders do of presuming that a horse can be ridden by exercise of thought control. I repeat, you’ve got to learn more than the pony.

I believe the presence of a professional coach is mandatory. You can’t do everything yourself: there are as much chances of screwing up as there are of succeeding.

Get one thing straight: horses are intuitive. They read you even before you have laid a hand or a bit or a saddle on them. They are attuned to what your body is saying and what your mind may not be saying. You work best with them when you’re utterly relaxed. Let them start to know you at their pace.

Like most animals, horses respond well to praise and poorly to criticism. You’ve got to find the best compromise between excessive gentleness and excessive harshness. You must impress on the horse in no uncertain terms that you are the boss, but you don’t do it with a punishing approach.

You adopt an approach that is like an iron fist in a multi layered velvet glove. There are numerous methods of achieving perfect coordination and understanding with your horse, but a debate of these methods is outside the boundaries of this document.

Suffice it to say that you punish your pony if he errs, never corporally. The very easy act of making him do something repeatedly until he gets it right is punishment.

Naturally, you need a way of informing him when he gets it right. You give him a small reward, a treat, even a break. Let him go off and roll while you gather your wits about you in anticipation of the next session. Most horses are bright enough to work out where they are going wrong and where they are going right if they are handled with the reward/punish approach.

You do need to be very careful to approach things in a very logical step-by-step fashion. When building rapport with your horse and coaching him to get finetuned to you, patience is vital. You’ll find as your horse advances that you have progressed yourself. You have taught him, but he has taught you too. He is just half of an ideal team; you’re the other half.

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How To Get Horses Moving

January 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

As a novice rider one of the prim responses you have to instill into your horse is that of it spontaneously moving straight ahead on receipt of your cue. You may have heard loose talk from folk who brag about how they move their horses along with a kick or a cut with a riding crop, but most horses will make a response to cues that are much more subtle. The typical horse is normally ardent on exploring new territory, and this suggests that he wants little prodding to get moving. The go forward cue is one of the simplest to teach.

You can’t teach your horse to spontaneously move forward without first having a correct seat. Your posture should be erect and tall; your legs should very nearly cuddle the horse’s body. If you’re seated the correct way, your heels will be down and your toes up a little. Depending on whatever riding style you have adopted, the reins should be in 1 or both of your hands. You must hold the reins with just enough tension to exert no force in the slightest on the bit but be in a position to immediately control or stop the horse as required. Once you are seated right with the reins held correctly, it’s time to go forward. You exert gentle pressure with the calves and utter sounds moderately like clucks or vocal kisses to cue the horse to move forward. If he doesn’t respond, gently tap with your heels on the horse’s ribs, while maintaining pressure with the calves. If you have squeezed too tight, or if you kick harder than necessary, the take off might be quicker than you were expecting; just relax and pull back on the reins softly but firmly, calling out ‘steady, steady’ to the horse. AVOID jerking back forcefully on the reins.

If you’d like to stop a moving pony, give a verbal whoa or stop command and pull on the reins extremely gently but firmly. Remember not to squeeze with the legs, as that would essentially be telling the pony to keep going forward. Relax the legs. Release pressure right away when the pony stops, give him a quick neck rub and completely free the reins to release the bit from any pressure. You would back up by getting the pony to stop with a ‘whoa’ and then maintaining pressure, squeezing his sides gently with your calves. As fast as your pony begins to move release all pressure so he knows he is doing right. If he stops put pressure again on both the bit and his sides.

You turn the pony by pulling softly on the rein on the side you want him to turn. You gently move your inside leg slightly back and apply a little pressure.

When you have perfected turning, beginning and stopping at walks you’ll be able to progress to faster gaits all the way up to canters. A great idea isn’t to permit the horse to move at a pace that seems to be too swiftly or that makes you uncomfortable.

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Studying Equine Science – Dodge City Community College

January 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment

You get no prizes for making a guess where Dodge City Community College is? Dodge City, Kansas. It is a public community institution that offers a wide variety of two year associate degree courses among these is equine science.

This programme was designed in 1979 to assist scholars curious about recreational and vocational experiences in the world of horses. It includes classes in horse breaking/coaching, stable management, breeding, nutrition and health as well as horsemanship. Scholars are give occasions to actively partake of internships, as also in showing and judging, without mentioning an entire set of other activities.

Courses range from extraordinarily basic classes for newbies to advanced classes for sharpening the abilities of more accomplished horsemen. Class sizes are kept small to enable bigger focus upon scholars practical activities. Horsemanship I (Introductory Horsemanship) is meant for the amateur rider. Students who are placed in this course usually have really minimal riding experience. These students are introduced to horsemanship basics and safety. The program additionally has an intermediate horsemanship component for riders with a touch more experience on horseback. Students are expected to be comfortable when riding several horse breeds. The ultimate horsemanship course offered is advanced horsemanship. A course for scholars with considerable previous experience with horses. Many of these scholars have already gone through intensive training and development of skills in not less than one specific area of horsemanship, like showing or rodeo, and they’re now seeking to build further on their horsemanship knowledge and methodologies.

The varsity also offers classes in breaking horses and training them. Students learn from these classes about how to train horses, whether for fun or as profession. Only scholars with intermediate horsemanship abilities at the least are permitted to enroll in this course. They are given opportunities to get some hands on experience; they are permitted to help in the training of horses, at different training levels.

Students eager to find out all about breeding of horses have the option of joining up in one of the one or two breeding courses that are offered. Courses in breeding and foaling are available on campus or otherwise as farm activities associated with internships. These courses are meant to teach students about breeding, whether they want to breed their own horses or take it up as a vocation. 2 of the aspects that receive emphasis in these courses are cooled semen and artificial insemination.

For scholars who prefer learning about the commercial side of the equine industry, courses in stable management are available. These courses familiarize students with the commercial aspects of raising foals and training horses, as also in more mundane work like accounting and promoting. They are also taught about business planning and organization and management talents, as well as insurance/liability issues.

It should be obvious that nourishment is a key sector in the equine industry. Horses need the right nutritive balances to keep them in the very best of health. Classes in nourishment teach students all about ration formulation; scholars are also totally exposed to acceptable feed theories and feeding sicknesses. They also teach least cost analysis.

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Horse Back Holiday Adventures In Arizona

January 11, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Southwest Arizona has some superb terrain that’s famous. Because of thin population, states like Arizona and Utah are ideal for outdoors adventures generally, and horse riding in particular. The topography in these states can be really haunting. I know of lots of diehards who swear that Arizona has the most marvelous landscapes they have ever seen. Whether you share that opinion or not, you won’t have any doubts the mountains and rock formations of Arizona are superb. They make for perfect horse riding.

Horseback adventures in Arizona are experiences that get etched rock solid in your memory cells. You’ll carry these memories for ever.

Arizona also boasts of tribes of ethnic Northern Americans like the Navajos, who have managed to cling on to a substantial portion of their ancient customs and practices. You can purchase yourself a souvenir of Navajo history while you are in Arizona. There’s lots of topography to explore, from rolling plains to the peaks of the Gullible Mountain ranges. You need feel no concern about being a beginner, if you’re one: you are going to get access to several of the country’s most experienced, veteran instructors.

And of course, how can one even think about giving the Grand Canyon a miss? Now there is something glorious for you, one of the world’s natural marvels. You can explore along the old cattle drive routes etched in history, or you can decide to carve out one or two new routes for yourself.

The majority of the tours offer you excellent accommodation, wonderful food and impressive views on your daily rides. You can follow in the steps of the old time Spanish explorers, cowboys, prospectors, outlaws and lawmen. If you are at the right sites, you can see the remains of the ancient Anasazi civlization. Unbelievable relaxation fun and much, much enjoyment!!!!

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers www.horsehorses.net

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Some Basic Horse Riding Safety Tips

January 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

While horse riding can be a dangerous endeavour, it is a fantastic pleasure if all necessary precautions are taken. Every newb rider should do not forget that horse riding doesn’t equate to horse play. So if you’re one who’s just starting to learn, consider the following basic horse riding safety tips.

Wearing a safety helmet can’t be stressed enough. Wear ASTM-certified helmets because unlike any other helmets, they specially protect the back of your head. Remember: you’re a newbie. It’s necessary not to be too confident and think as if nothing is going to happen.

A long-sleeved blouse or shirt doesn’t only spell comfort. It also protects your body when riding. If the weather’s too hot, you can opt for short-sleeved shirts or blouses.

It’s not advisable to wear skirts or shorts because the saddle will chaff your legs. A pair of well-fitting pants should do the job.

Boots with at least an one-inch heel will stop your feet from slipping through the stirrups. You’ll end up getting dragged by your pony if you’re wearing the wrong footwear. But if you really want perfect safety, you can get safety stirrups so you don’t have to stress about such a thing occuring.

If you’re planning on wearing jewelry, then forget about it. Wearing rings can obstruct your grip on the reins. Necklaces can not only be distracting, it also calls for accidents particularly if you’re riding along forest trails.

As much as is possible, we want you to achieve maximum enjoyment throughout your ride. So here are 1 or 2 tips to remember before, during and after journeying with your horse.

It’s necessary for a newbie to talk to a certified horse riding coach before anything else. These instructors are professionals and if you’d like to maximize the experience, they’re the right folk for the job. From picking the right horse to basic riding lessons, even to 1 or 2 tricks when riding, your coach can smoothly guide you.

Not only is casual horse riding enjoyable when shared with somebody, it’s also for your own security. Riding with someone makes you more cautious and aware of your environment as well as how you ride. Just remember that it is important to always ride with your companion. Never leave him/her behind because you’ll never know what could happen. Keep the same pace and enjoy the ride together.

It’s not enough that your mobile phone is fitted out with GPS System. It’s important to let somebody know where you are, the way in which the precise trail will go and the time you’re expected to be done. Even though you’re already riding with somebody, it’s better to have somebody out of the trail monitoring you.

After a good long ride, don’t forget to pet your horse a bit and thank it for an enjoyable time. You can even give it a treat. This gives the pony a certain sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. You can ask help from your coach when loosening the saddle so your pony can relax after the ride.

Riding horses is indeed a surreal experience. So if you’re privileged to be granted such, indulge. But be sure that neither your safety nor anybody else’s is compromised.

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers www.horsehorses.net/

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Inspiration For Serious Horse Competitor

January 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The very best of pony riders are good at identifying, harnessing and honing all of the abilities they find inside themselves. They use their minds and bodies to maximum effect. They understand how to prime themselves to peak operating condition, and they know the way to recover quickly from problems with their abilities honed. They evaluate information and pick out all the most beneficial aspects, helping them set solid strategies that enhance the standard of results.

Just below, I have nine ideas as far as trusty and practical sources of quality info are concerned.

1. Instructional videos and audios

2. Trade associations, clubs and forums, both physical and virtual (on the net)

3. Subscriptions to online trade newsletters

4. BHS classes and lectures

5. Seminars, workshops, conferences

6. Personal coaching. A good coach can be of invaluable assistance in helping you work out your weaknesses and strengths, and in determining the direction your future endeavours should take. Personal trainers of the right quality are good for turning your dreams into realities, because they help you convert your deficiencies into strengths and augment all of your natural strengths. They’re also excellent for mental conditioning. They help you:

-improve your focus or direction by helping you identify where you have to go and how to get there;

– become fully aware of your own self, the areas you need to work on to get rid of errors, the areas you need to work on to fine tune skills;

– boost your ability to deal with others, especially your horses;

– inspire yourself better. You get to approach even the nastiest of tasks, like mucking out your stable on freezing winter dawns, with equanimity;

– cope with change better: in horse riding, you cannot predict everything, and you ought to be prepared for everything;

– build up your resiliency and your inventiveness.

7. Books on riding strategies by prominent specialists in the world of horses

8. Horse shows, performances, competitions, open days

9. Famous quotations, of the type that will galvanize and inspire you. Make it a practice to dig up 3 quotations a day and think on them. Think of their meaning, and how the wisdom in them can be applied by you.

Keep clear of overconfidence and arrogance. These are perilous sentiments , there’s a lot of truth in the old saying about pride coming before a fall

There’s nothing that’s unattainable for the person who is not scared to try. You can’t achieve success or failure unless you really make the attempt. Every failed attempt is a stepping stone to success, as it teaches you a lesson: how to do or not to do something. Failure is not falling down, failure is getting up again and keeping going.

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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The Types Of Horse Martingales

January 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

A standing martingale is usually attached to the girth’s middle, passing up between the front legs of the pony and attaching to the lower part of the noseband. Among martingales, this version is the most restricting. A pony using a standing martingale is more likely to fall, if it unexpectedly loses its balance, because its freedom of movement is considerably restricted. Nevertheless this version of martingale, which applies pressure to the nose, gives the rider an improved way of control. Flat competitions do not allow martingales, though you can use them in jumping competitions and while playing polo.

Running martingale do not give the rider as much control as the standing versions, but because they aren’t fixed, they’re less constrictive. The rider can use them as a safer aid. The running martingale is fixed to the bottom of the girth and rises between the horses front legs, it splits into 2 straps with each rein passing through an end ring fixed to each of these straps.

The rider can control the scale of downward pressure he or she applies to the mouth thru the reins and the bit. The horse does not feel any pressure when it holds its head right. ‘rein stops’ are used to stop the running martingale’s rings from snagging on the horse’s bit.

All martingales must be handled with utmost care, particularly when initially introduced to a horse. You must take into account that horses have instincts that make them resist pressure and anything strange on their heads. They may even panic and violently throw their heads backwards against the pressure source; this can result in them falling over backwards.

The German martingale, also called Market Harborough, works much the same as a running martingale, but is generally not held to be legal, and thus is utilized in coaching only. It originates at the girth, goes up between the horse’s front legs and forks into two. These two straps go thru the bit rings before they are attached to other rings on reins that are specially suited. The German martingale permits bigger range compared to the running and the standing martingales.

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers www.horsehorses.net

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Ideal Show Jumping Horses

January 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Show jumpers are horses utilised for the sport of show jumping. Horses and ponies of nearly all breeds, builds, colors and dispositions are used to make show jumpers.

Show jumping events are structured with different tiers that minister to all riding skill levels. Rider’s capabilities are reflected in the type and standard of pony or pony that they use.

Show jumping courses feature impressively coloured fences and twists, turns and changes of directions. The rider tries to go thru the whole course inside a set duration of time; if he does so without faulting even once, he has achieved a clear round.

Competitors who achieve clear rounds are qualified for the subsequent event: the jump off, a course that’s shorter but has fences of increased height. The rider who clocks the swiftest clear round is the winner.

Show jumpers come with differing abilities, and are given to riders according to skill level. Beginner riders do best on show jumpers of average capability but with great calmness and patience; these horses or ponies would have relevant experience in beginner level show jumping. These horses and ponies are meant to instill confidence in their riders and give them opportunities to improve their riding abilities, especially over fences. More capable riders need horses in harmony with their own capabilities; they are going to be competing at more demanding levels. The best show jumpers are accurate and bold; they need to be brave enough to attempt tall obstacles and physically tough enough to go through the trickiest of courses. Clearly, the most gifted horses also need to be ridden by the most accomplished riders.

Horses and ponies of several breeds have been successful show jumping. There’s no direct link between show jumping ability and body size. There have several really great show jumpers of no identifiable breed. However , some breeds are rather more consistent in excelling at show jumping.

There is pretty much unanimous agreement that Connemara ponies are the equine world’s best sports breed. They are amazingly athletic and have gravity-defying jumping capability.

The Continental Warmblood is an enormously popular breed. The Warmblood is bred for high standards of performance; this breed is a brilliant show jumper. Warmbloods dominate the highest show jumping levels.

Another breed that’s frequently seen at the highest levels of show jumping is the Thoroughbred. These horses are powerful and magnificently athletic. They have extraordinarily superior jumping abilities.

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Why You Should Define Your Pony Training Objectives

January 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

What precisely does a conversation on success have in common with handling horses? How does one define success in handling horses?

Well, let me put it in an alternative point of view. You have to have heard of the saying, ‘Fail to plan, plan to fail’? It is a fairly obvious saying that does not really require much explanation, and it is as pertinent to the training and handling of horses as to anything else.

If you are planning to train a pony, you want a plan that includes details of what you need to achieve, how and by when you would like to achieve it and what are the parameters which will help you conclude that your mission has had success. When you have a time-bound plan, you are galvanized to go hell for leather to achieve it. When you don’t have a plan, you are going to be chased all out by failure.

You also need to break down your targets into little, logical and time-bound steps. Every step covers one specific task, and when the horse has passed the test convincingly, the following step is taken up. Success can be claimed just when all the steps have been completed, and the horse has improved in its skills, its attitudes and its responses just the way it was initially planned.

When talking about horses and coaching, I also define success as not just getting the horse to respond fantasically to cues and commands with his regular trainer/rider, but also with all others who ride him. If your pony recognizes only your cues and commands, you cannot be said to have succeeded. It is understandable that your horse feels most happy with you and resents being ridden by others, but his coaching must be of such quality that his training-inspired responses work every time, irrespective of the rider.

By implication, that also means that before you initiate his training, you take the trouble of making yourself acquainted with the character type and history of your horse. You get detailed information on his idiosyncrasies and eccentricities, his likes, his peculiarities. You design your training to rid your horse of his idiosyncrasies by catering to them to begin with, and eventually weaning him away from them.

I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that success is most frequently the result of a reasoned approach that involves do-able bites. These steps should not be tough to achieve, but should involve consistent work and dedication.

One way or the other, you have to gain the unquestioning faith and obedience of your horse. That is one of the vital ingredients that is going to result in success. The way to start this is to use a soft approach, to reward your horse each time he does something right. When he makes a mistake, you make him do it repeatedly, taking care though not to wear him out to a frazzle. You follow up on each step till the right responses become natural to your horse.

Success is reached when every second person wants to ride your pony and every third person wants his pony trained by you.

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers www.horsehorses.net

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Preparing Your Horses For Their First Trail Ride

January 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Almost invariably, a trail ride comes as a nice change from the boredom of dull hours spent in the closed up environment of an arena. A trial isn’t just straightforward, relaxing fun; it also offers opportunities for both rider and horse to learn new things. Trail rides should be made an imperative part of any training programme involving horse riding.

However , you need to work on a few things prior to going out on a trail ride. There are steps you need to take to make sure that both your horse and you are prepared. Poor preparation can turn an otherwise enjoyable experience into an unpleasant nightmare. You would be making a major mistake in taking a raw pony out on a trail ride where he is going to be exposed to dozens of new objects he will not have been desensitized for.

If you used the principles of natural horsemanship to train your horse, your pony will often have had exposure to various sorts of circumstances. He shouldn’t be worried by bizarre stimuli and will hopefully have previous experience with rides through pastures having brush and trees. The ‘sacking out’ exercises you conducted on him should have made him inured to the more common ‘boogeymen’ like pieces of rubbish, flying plastic bags and the movement of unseen birds or animals in the brush.

The reality is that nothing can entirely prepare a young raw horse for everything he’s bound to encounter on a trail ride. This is the major reason that you should always send out a raw pony in the company of an old been-there-seen-that-done-it equine chum. His herd mindset will make the greenhorn depend on the veteran for direction, and the vet can give the rookie constant inputs on whether the tree up ahead is safe or whether the noise coming from that bit of brush to the side signifies anything threatening. There are good chances the greenhorn will follow the lead of the vet, and if the vet is not worried by anything, the newbie will stay cool, too.

The point is this: never take a green horse trail riding alone. If you’ve ever faced a riderless and clearly frightened pony hitting the trail at a quick clip, or standing at the trail side grazing with no human in sight, you may know what I mean. Don’t put yourself and your horse in such a position.

I recall the case of a beginner coach who went off on his first trail ride with his mare of 3 years. Right at the beginning of the ride, they had to ride next to a narrow country road with a regular flow of vehicular traffic. The rider had prepped his mare well for meetings with cars and other heavier vehicles. He blundered in ignoring motorcycles. As fate would have it, the 1st vehicle the rider and his mare ran into was a motorbike, and that too as they were crossing the road. The mare reared and dumped her rider bang in the middle of the road, right in the way of approaching automobiles. Out of judgment or more likely luck, the rider had clung on to the reins, and got his mare to pull him to the road side with his body intact but bruised and his ego severely dented.

Take all of the time in the world prepping your young horse for his inaugural trail ride. You must ensure your horse is sensitized to even apparently harmless stuff like your donning or taking off a slicker or rain coat, whether on the ground or astride your horse. Your horse must stand silently when tied. It’d be even better if he is also familiar with a ground-tie and hobbles.

Horses are Heather Tomspassion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100s of articles with other horse lovers www.horsehorses.net/

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