Archive for December, 2009
Horse Training Secrets – Slow and Steady Wins the Race
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Whether you’ve got a pony for the kids, or a full-blooded Arabian, getting the animal to do what you want and need it to do is the most important thing for all concerned. An untrained horse makes for an unsafe horse, and an unsafe horse makes for unhappy owners. Ideally, training should begin as soon as possible, but if you aren’t able to begin training your horse until it is older, don’t despair. You can still have a well-behaved, well-mannered, rideable horse.
Begin by simply letting your horse know that you aren’t afraid of it or nervous around it. Appearing calm and decisive will go a long way to gaining your horse’s trust and confidence. Simply walk around the corral or pen, or walk through the stable, as if it were the most natural thing in the world for you to do. Check the feed and water troughs or buckets. Get your horse used to seeing you in his space. He will soon come to accept that you share his world and that you are alright to have around. Don’t try to catch or even touch the horse unless he approaches you. If you’ve got a friendly horse, he’ll take to you easier and sooner than one who is suspicious or skittish of people.
After your horse is used to having you around, you can begin training. One of the most important things you can train your horse to do is to walk beside you on a lead. In order to train to a lead, your horse has to be used to wearing a halter. If he isn’t halter trained, start out slow and small. Spend 15 minutes holding it in front of him, letting him sniff and even taste the halter. Once he gets used to the sight of the halter in front of him, move it over his head. Just hold the halter above him – don’t try to put it on yet. He may shy away at first, but he’ll get used to it soon enough. Again, work for 15 minutes or so at a time. Never train your horse past his tolerance level. Tired or frustrated horses don’t learn anything, and depending on their personalities, can become dangerous when fatigued or bored. Once your horse is accustomed to seeing you with the halter near his head, put it on. You may only get it over his nose the first few times and that’s alright. Again, he’s got to become comfortable with the idea, as well as the item, that you are presenting. Once he gets it on, only leave the halter on for 10 to 15 minutes at a time for the first few times. He may try to toss his head or rub or paw at the halter. Once he becomes comfortable with the halter on, then you can leave it on if you choose. Coming at a horse with a halter, slamming it over his head and then forcing him to wear it can build an attitude of resentment toward you, and an atmosphere of mistrust on the part of your horse. Slow and steady training, with careful, calm voice and movements, will win over rough or rowdy any day.
The next step is lead training. This is best done with a long lead. As with the halter, take things slow and easy. Let the horse sniff the lead before you use it. Clip it to his halter and let it hang down, so he can feel the weight of it. Try to get him to walk toward you without pulling on the lead to start. Do this with a favorite treat or a handful of hay. Once he begins to step toward you, tighten the lead so that he acquaints the tug of the lead with moving. Stop after 15 to 20 minutes. Once he is comfortable walking with the lead, come back beside him. Take a step and tug the lead. Take another step and tug again. He will quickly learn that he walks when you walk. If he doesn’t like to stop when you stop, try placing your hand in front of his nose and tugging the lead backward. You can add a verbal command if you like, but it is not necessary.
Your horse will need to learn to tolerate being touched all over. Certain body areas are more sensitive than others and horses will naturally shy or become defensive when touched in those areas. Start by giving a positive, pleasing touch with on hand while the other hand moves to an area of discomfort. The horse will soon get used to the feel of a hand on his ear, muzzle or chest and will no longer bite, kick or shy away. He’ll learn to trust you with his body, making vet care, hoof care, grooming, as well as saddle training and other types of training easier and more pleasant for all involved.
Poorly trained horses will often pull or whinny and fuss when tied. One way to train a horse to stand quietly while tied is to first just stand beside him and not move. He’ll most likely be used to walking beside you. Standing still may confuse him at first, but he’ll get used to it. Move on to tying the lead, but still standing beside him. Next, stand a little farther away, so that he can see you but not so far away that you can’t reach out and reassure him or stop him if he becomes upset or tries to move. Once he remains calm after you move away, walk out of his sight for just a moment or two. Gradually build this to longer and longer periods of time. Your horse will soon quietly, waiting patiently for you to return. Standing quietly will also help you when it comes to grooming, cleaning hooves, or administering medical treatment.
Getting him walking beside you, allowing himself to be touched, and standing quietly are perhaps the three most important things you can teach your horse. Even if he is only ever going to serve as a pasture ornament, walking on a lead, tolerating touch, and standing still make vet care, grooming and other necessities of horse ownership so much easier and stress-free for both horse and master. Always remember to allow your horse to become accustomed to any new idea or item slowly, calmly, and for short amounts of time to start. You may never take the stakes, but a well-trained horse is a winner, hands down!
Chris Tischer
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/horse-training-secrets-slow-and-steady-wins-the-race-755873.html
So you Want to Learn to Ride a Horse? By: Shari O’neal
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Finding a good instructor is important. If you’ve never been on a horse before, you do not need to have an olympic level teacher. Sometimes this level instructor cannot relate to beginners because they are so advanced in their thinking. You need to be looking for an instructor who will teach a good basic foundation. You want an instructor who honestly enjoys people, horses and teaching.
You need an instructor who will teach basic knowledge about horses, how they think, what they are afraid of, and why they do what they do. How their senses of sight, smell and hearing work. They are large animals and very strong. They belong to the group of animals that gets eaten by the other group, so you need to know how to make the horse feel safe around you. You need to know how to touch them. You need to learn what you need to do, why you need to do it and how to achieve it. A good instructor will teach the student how to use our own intelligence to ride and care for the horse properly and safely You need to learn how to care for them, grooming, catching and leading, haltering and tying, saddleing and bridling, mounting and dismounting, sitting correctly in the saddle and communicating with the horse. These subjects should be taught before the student ever mounts and begins instruction on riding.
Some instructors constantly teach “head up, heels down, sit straight, turn your shoulders, toes forward etc”. Teaching posing often results in a stiff rider. It is difficult to concentrate on both posing and riding. Riders learn to ride by being taught exercises that enable them to FEEL. First you need to move WITH the horse. Then you direct the horse by interferring with his movenment. This is what they call “riding from your seat”.
A good instructor needs to be able to communicate clearly and logically and allows you to ask questions. Asking questions shows that the student has a real desire to learn. They must be honest with you, have happy students that are satisfied with how they have learned.
A credible instructor will allow you to sit and observe a lesson or two. Before you commit yourself to a series of lessons, take a couple of lessons to see if you like your instructor.
Get references from instructors and contact those students. Find out their complaints as well as compliments.
You need to do your homework before you just sign up for lessons with the first instructor you meet. Ask horse people, visit local stables, go to some horse shows, visit some tack shops, go on the internet and visit sites offering advice on the subject of horses.
Has the instructor completed any kind of training?
Is the instructor insured?
Is the facility neat, clean and the animals well cared for?
Is the tack well cared for, clean and safe?
Safety should be a good instructors main concern. Are all students wearing approved helmets, boots or shoes with a heel and smooth sole? Are they wearing well-fitted clothing?
Does the instructor speak clearly and loudly so students can hear?
Is the instructor giving you the full attention you paid for or is he/she distracted by phone calls, visitors, loose pets, or other frivilous matters that could be attended to after your lesson?
Riding is not cheap. Just like any other sport, you will have to invest in good equipment and riding apparel. Your instructor should be able to guide you in the right direction for the type of riding you want to do.
After your first couple of lessons, you should feel good about learning more and your confidence should grow with each succeeding lesson. It often takes years to become an excellent rider so don’t feel discouraged if you are not an expert right away. There is so much to learn about horses so just relax and have fun!
Shari O’neal
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/so-you-want-to-learn-to-ride-a-horse-by-shari-oneal-71435.html
Helpful Thoughts on Owning and Boarding your First Horse
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Having a horse is fun, but a major responsibility, so be thorough on your research of barns to board it at. It pays to choose a place that is close to where you live, has facilities that are well maintained and most importantly, gives its horses proper care and nutrition. Each barn has its own atmosphere, is it one you can live with? If you want to participate in horse shows, it may be a good idea to choose a barn that frequents the kinds of shows you want to be in. If you live in a cold climate, make sure the barn has a large indoor arena for winter riding.
Do you ride English or Western? If English is your thing, then make sure your barn has jumps available, and/or a dressage ring. I ride English, and my barn had a top show trainer in it, so if I needed to prepare for a show, he was there to critique my riding during lessons. I liked boarding my horse at a place with a competent, experienced trainer, one that took the time to explain the exercises and gave me quality instruction. Since I spent most of my money at this sport, I wanted to make sure I was doing everything right.
If you ride Western, make sure there are trails to ride on nearby your barn. And again, find a barn that has a trainer suited to your style of riding in order to get the proper instruction. Once you find a barn you like, whatever style you ride, spend time taking lessons there before buying a horse, just to get a feel of the place. If you haven’t found a horse yet, trainers can assist you in looking. Ask around, and tell them how much you are looking to spend on your first horse. Another great way to find a horse is during the summer, many young horse owners are getting ready to go off to college and need to sell their animal fast. This is a good bargaining time, if the seller is motivated, you may talk the price down on his horse. Have them throw in the tack (saddle, bridle, etc) too, as part of the bargain. When I sold my horse to go to college, I gladly gave the buyers (a well maintained show barn) all my tack since I knew he was going to be in good hands. It pays to ask about the tack, to save on money, since having a horse is very expensive any way you look at it.
Make sure the horse is healthy before committing to buying it. This is incredibly important. Make sure to have a vet look it over, and tell you what condition he is in. Are his legs sound? Has he ever been lame? Has he had all his shots, and is he disease-free? Also, make sure there are no growths on his ears. A friend of mine bought an expensive show horse, only to find out he had skin cancer on one of his ears. One of his ears had to be partially removed, it was really sad. Make sure the animal is completely sound and has a personality you can live with.
One way to try out horse ownership is to lease a horse from its owner. Most barns have horses that are up for lease, you can even get a half or quarter lease sometimes. Then, you help with the bills of the horse, but are not fully responsible for it. You work out with the owner, and anyone who may be sharing the lease with you, what days you will ride. That is a great solution if you have limited time, because owning a horse, even when boarded at a show stable, is still very time consuming. You must groom, saddle, ride, unsaddle, wash then clean its feet every time you ride. And, I used to let my horse out into the paddocks and wait for him to have fun kicking up his heels every day, instead of paying extra to have the trainer do it for me. I spent at least four hours every afternoon at my stable since he was my full responsibility, I owned him so his well-being was totally up to me alone. The barn workers fed the horses, mucked stalls and kept the grounds up. I kept the horse clean, healthy and happy, as well as my tack spotlessly maintained.
Keep in mind, horses have other bills that must be paid, such as vet bills (worming, shots, etc) and farrier (horseshoes, hoof trimming, etc). These must be done on a regular schedule and not ignored. Taking good care of your horse’s feet is of major importance so never skimp on cleaning or trimming them. Also, buy shampoo and other grooming products online to save money. If you don’t have a locker in your barn, get a caddy to hold your grooming supplies, and keep it in the back of your car. Leaving it out in the open at the barn invites trouble, in the form of others “borrowing” things and forgetting to put them back, so it’s best to have a locking trunk or keep the caddy in the back of your car.
If you plan to show your horse, ask your barn how much they charge to use their horse trailer. Most barns will haul the horse for you, for the asking, as long as they have enough trailer space for all the horses going to the show. Showing is addictive. Start at a small, local show and see how you like it. Then, if you do well and enjoy yourself, work your way up to bigger shows. Going to a horse show is a enjoyable family event. Many people bring picnics to watch the show as their children ride. If you win a prize, it’s a bonus, but do it for the sheer pleasure of it all. If you show, make sure to wear the appropriate clothing and boots. Advance preparation of both the rider and horse is the key to a successful day of horse showing.
Once you and your horse are settled in and know each other, you will make a good team and build on your experiences together. Bring him treats, talk to him and give kind approval so he learns to trust you. My horse used to whinny whenever he saw me walking towards him. We were buddies and I used to make him carrot cake every New Year’s Day (he was a Thoroughbred and all registered Thoroughbreds share the birthday of January first, whether they were born on that day or not). He plowed through that cake in minutes flat and looked for more. We were a great team and I’ll never forget him. These little things make the relationship you have with your horse all the more special. Owning a horse is a special privelege so enjoy each and every day with him. Grow together, learn new things, and both your lives will be enriched and happy. I highly recommend it.
Carolyn McFann
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/helpful-thoughts-on-owning-and-boarding-your-first-horse-126068.html
Essential Trailer Hitch Accessories
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There are a number of trailer hitch accessories that make the
hitches easier to operate safely. Some accessories, like trailer
hitch balls, ball mounts and hitch receivers are necessary for
the hitch to be usable. Other trailer hitch accessories, like
hitch locks are convenient and make the hitches easier to use
and maintain.
The hitch ball is the part of the trailer hitch that the cargo
is attached to. Hitch balls are usually made of chrome or
another strong metal. Bigger, heavier hitch balls can bear more
weight than smaller ones. Hitch balls are removable and can be
changed if another size is needed.
The hitch ball is usually connected to a ball mount. The ball
mount is a hollow metal square that slides into the trailer
hitch receiver opening. Trailer hitch ball mounts come in a
variety of sizes to fit different trailer hitch receiver
openings. Some ball mounts are curved to let the user attach the
ball lower or higher than the trailer hitch opening to
accommodate trailers with different socket heights. Other ball
mounts are extra long and come in handy when hauling horse
trailers and other irregularly shaped trailers.
Trailer hitch receivers are similar to bumpers. They are
horizontal bars fastened to the rear of the truck. They have an
opening that accommodates the ball mount. Once the ball mount is
locked in the receiver opening, the trailer hitch can be
attached to its cargo.
Trailer hitch locks are similar to hitch covers except that they
can be locked into place and only taken off with a key. These
are useful for security and can keep water and debris out of the
hitch receiver opening.
Some trailer hitch accessories are needed for the hitch to work
properly, while others merely make it easier and more convenient
to use the hitch
Elizabeth Morgan
http://www.articlesbase.com/automotive-articles/essential-trailer-hitch-accessories-3207.html
Learn to Ride a Horse – Basic Horseback Riding Lessons
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There are a few things that some people wish to do before they die. For some they want to climb Mount Everest, some want to see the ancient pyramids, and some just want to learn to ride a horse. Fortunately for me I was able to learn to ride a horse at a very young age and it’s something I have enjoyed my whole entire life. If you wish to learn to ride a horse I’ll give you just a couple of things that you should learn to do right at the start.
One of the first things that you should do when you learn to ride a horse is to learn how to lead one. That’s probably not what you had in mind but still, it’s kind of important. You shouldn’t be standing at the end of the lead rope trying to pull your horse along and you also shouldn’t be standing at their shoulder letting them lead you along. There’s no control in either of those methods. The best way to lead a horse is to stand with your shoulder pretty close to their throatlatch and about a foot over to the side of them. That way you have enough room between the two of you for comfort. With one hand right below the lead snap and the other holding the rest of the lead line, you will step forward with the horse hopefully following. If it doesn’t then you just simply push gently in the direction you want to go with the hand that has the snap. That will give you the most control over the horse.
Now that you know how to lead a horse your horseback riding lessons will flow smoother. When you learn to ride a horse you have to be in control and if you can lead one with control on the ground you have a better chance of being able to learn to ride a horse. Riding a horse works best when you know that you’re in control. If you think that you can’t ride a horse, you will never be able to learn proper horseback riding. They will know that you’re scared and take total advantage of you. That’s all there is to it. If you get scared just take some deep breaths and tell yourself that you’re the boss. Any time my mare and I have a “discussion” and she thinks that she’s the boss I calmly let her know that I’m the boss and that I’m always going to win. And I always do. You can’t get rough and be mean but you have to be firm. If you start beating and thumping on a horse, odds are it’s gonna scared and then you might get scared. Not a good thing.
You can learn to ride a horse by taking lessons but unless you are with a trainer that has a goal of teaching you something in particular, you might be able to get the same effects by watching a few videos or reading some horse training books. And a lot of those books you can purchase online for a reasonable cost. No sense making horse ownership any more expensive than it needs to be. If you learn to ride a horse, you are learning a skill that has been around for hundreds of years and obviously is still important to this day because people still do it. Mainly some will learn to ride a horse for pleasure, relaxation or just time by themselves. What’s you’re reason?
Clinton Lyons
http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/learn-to-ride-a-horse-basic-horseback-riding-lessons-471316.html
How to Groom a Horse : Horse Grooming Supplies
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Watch as a seasoned horseback rider explains the supplies you need for grooming a horse in this free online video on horse care.
Expert: Kelli LaBar
Bio: Kelli LaBar is a practicing aesthetician and makeup artist in Wilmington, N.C.
Filmmaker: Reel Media LLC
Duration : 0:1:27
Meet Blackjack – Star of the Morgan Horse series
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Blackjack, the inspiration for the Morgan Horse series plays and prances in slow motion. Interspersed between his antics are clips of the books from the series.
Duration : 0:2:1
Horse Training using the German Martingale, part 1
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http://www.HorseTrainingTack.com
If you want your horse to flex at the poll, lightly give to your hands and be more supple, this video is for you.
In this two-part video, reining and cutting horse trainer, Larry Trocha demonstrates how to use a German Martingale to help train your horse.
Larry explains the purpose of the German Martingale, how to adjust it properly plus he shows effective training methods to use with the martingale.
You can get the German Martingale that Larry recommends at this web page: http://www.horsetrainingvideos.com/tack/german-martingale.htm
Any questions you may have regarding the use of the German Martingale should be directed to Larry Trocha through his website, http://www.HorseTrainingVideos.com.
Duration : 0:9:59
horse back riding and jumpingTraining Tips: Horse Psychology, as seen on eXtension
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This video briefly discusses horse psychology and horse behavior. It is part of the Fundamental Training of a Horse video.
In this set of videos, basic ground work, longing and handling methods are demonstrated, as well as numerous suppling and basic training maneuvers are shown to develop quiet, broke horses.
Presenters: Gary Stauffer and Monte Stauffer, UNL Extension Educators
This presentation was given at the 2007 Equestrian Academy at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. For more horse information, visit www.extension.org/horses!
Duration : 0:9:5
