Pets's Articles Archives

Learn to Ride a Horse – Basic Horseback Riding Lessons

Posted on Monday, November 02, 2009 by Geraldine in Pets
Tags: ,

Clinton Lyons asked:


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?



Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • YahooMyWeb
  • Google
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • TwitThis
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • Pownce
  • MySpace

Considering a Horse Back Riding Lesson?

Posted on Friday, September 11, 2009 by Geraldine in Pets
Tags: ,

Benjamin Wise asked:


You can have a formal riding lesson with an instructor, or you can simply have a lesson in riding. For me every time I get on a horse I learn something new. It does not matter if I am in an indoor arena or out in the open country along a winding trail. Sometimes the horse is the greatest teacher of all.

Horse riding can be enjoyed by everyone and the age span is huge. My last employer said that he first learnt to ride at age 30. Now since I started around 7 years, I figured 30 to be old. My mother has been learning to ride for about 3 years now and she is in her early 50’s.

My father had a horse on our property, we had 6 acres and for some reason he got a horse. I should mention that my father does not like horses. I was probably 3 or 4 years old and it would be fun to ride whilst someone kept me balanced and lead the horse. I never grew attached to the horse and for good reason since he always ran away with me when I was left to steer on my own.

If I had started with actual riding lessons at an earlier age, I would have had better control and knowledge. Lessons help you develop a good seat which gives you excellent balance. When your horse panics you are then able to focus your attention on getting him under control. Without the lessons you may simply be hanging on for dear life praying for the horse to calm down and stop.

Horse riding lessons not only help you learn to ride correctly, but you also learn a good deal about your horse. You will learn to pick up on his moods and subtleties and your instructor will be able to instruct and help you work with your horse.

A horse’s life should not be about all work and no play. Even top competition horses get to simply blow off steam. Treat yourself, treat your horse and take him for a hack or trail ride. When you have paid a lot of money for your horse and or you are riding competitively you owe it to yourself to have horse riding lessons.

A fit healthy horse when scared can be formidable beast; they have far more power and endurance than a horse that is ridden infrequently. Taking lessons with your horse will help create your bond of mutual respect and understanding. Your horse will know and respond to your cues.

When you are out in the open and the confines of the arena are a fading memory, your skill learned from your lessons really pays off. The bond you formed with the lessons has established trust with your horse. He is calmed and reassured by your voice, he knows you are confident in the saddle and out for a pleasure ride.

Horse riding is a fun sport, even in competition there is intense thrill and excitement. Always ensure your safety as well as your horse’s and invest in some riding lessons to develop and strengthen your bond with your horse and your skill in horsemanship.



Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • YahooMyWeb
  • Google
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • TwitThis
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • Pownce
  • MySpace

What are the Factors you Need to Consider When Deciding Where to Ride your Horse?

Posted on Thursday, August 27, 2009 by Geraldine in Pets
Tags: ,

Benjamin Wise asked:


The factors to take into consideration when deciding where to ride your horse are: where you keep your horse and your level of experience with horses. Other aspects such as whether you want to have a pleasure ride or to train your horse will also factor into the location of where to ride your horse.

Growing up in the country I had access to a vast area of dirt roads that lead to open areas for hacking and trail riding. Both the roads and the country posed their challenges, but I was never short of a place to ride. I did however have to face my fears and leave the safety of our property if I wanted to ride.

If you are learning to ride or if you have a new horse, the best place to ride your horse is in an arena. An arena offers a place of less distraction than a road or the trails; your horse is less likely to get a fright and panic. If your horse does panic there is usually help close at hand.

Riding in an arena should not be considered boring; it is a place to learn trust and confidence for both the horse and rider. Any horse no matter the breed or intended discipline to which he is being trained can benefit from being ridden in an arena.

When both horse and rider have a level of communication where the rider feels confident and in control then they can venture to ride outside of the arena. With the use of the word control I mean that in the event of “fight or flight” you will be able to react immediately with good riding skills and to regain your horse’s composure before he panicked.

The advantage of a big stable yard is being able to ask other riders where they ride. Not only will you learn specific trails, but also the hazards along those trails, such as a barking dog that never fails to respond to a horse passing its property.

A horse box is a wonderful means of transportation and certainly opens up the world for places to ride your horse. If you do not own a horsebox and can not afford to purchase one, you can always ask the help of other riders. Some riders will share their horse box just to have a companion on the trail; others will lend or rent you a horse box.

With a horse box you can travel to parks where there are specific trails or bridle paths for horses. You can travel to competitions where, if you entered the competition, you can ride your horse in the competition arenas. You could also take your horse to the competition and choose to ride him around there, in order to expose him to the environment.

When deciding to own a horse for riding, always take the time to explore and investigate places to ride before you find a place to stable your horse. That way you when you have to choose between the lunge ring or the arena, you are not bored and upset because it is the setting you chose. If it is however the only option you had at the time, start saving for that horse box.



Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • YahooMyWeb
  • Google
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • TwitThis
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • Pownce
  • MySpace

The Benefits of Therapeutic Horseback Riding

Posted on Friday, July 03, 2009 by Geraldine in Pets
Tags: ,

Elizabeth Clinton asked:


Since the dawn of time, mankind has had an interesting relationship with animals. In some ways, the history of modern man is intimately linked to our interaction with animals. Dog’s, for instance, have long been considered man’s best friend. Any dog owner will gladly confirm this for you. Cat’s, too, have been living in close quarters with man for literally thousands of years.

In modern times, there has been a lot of research and experimentation regarding the use of horses in various forms of therapy. Back in the early 1900’s, Dame Agnes Hunt used horses in the rehabilitation of her patients at the first orthopedic hospital in England. A few years later, therapeutic riding was introduced to soldiers injured on the battlefield during World War I.

In the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, an amazing feat was accomplished. Dame Liz Hartel, a former Danish dressage rider, decided to compete in spite of being severely paralyzed by Polio. She became an inspiration to millions of people, when she won the Silver medal that year. Over time, doctors and therapists realized that exposure to animals was having a rehabilitative effect on their patients.

A number of organizations were established to reflect the interests of this new form of therapy. In the early 1960’s, the first therapeutic riding program in Canada was established by Dr. Elmer Butt. More recently, The Federation of Riding for the Disabled International was created. This organization serves to coordinate efforts between therapeutic riding centers all around the world, and have they been instrumental in helping this form of therapy gain the recognition it deserves.

Horseback riding is currently being used in many types of therapy. It is being used to help children suffering from physical disabilities, as in the case of Dame Liz Hartel. It is also gaining mainstream acceptance as a form of therapy for children with emotional or psychological disabilities. Children are naturally drawn to these majestic and beautiful animals, and many develop meaningful bonds that can last a lifetime.

In the case of children with Autism, riding can provide them with the sensory stimulation they need. The motion of the horse is highly rhythmic, and provides something for the child to focus on. As the child progresses with the horse, they are often introduced to group riding sessions. This allows for socialization and bonding in a peer setting, further supporting the child’s progress as a healthy, functioning individual.



Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • YahooMyWeb
  • Google
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • TwitThis
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • Pownce
  • MySpace

Buying Your New (first) Horse

Posted on Saturday, June 06, 2009 by Geraldine in Pets
Tags: ,

Tina Williamson asked:


Buying your first or new horse can be a very exciting but nervous time. Will I find what I’m after? Will it be the right horse for me? What is the real reason it’s for sale? Does it have any health problems? HELP…… I don’t want to be ripped off!

RELAX………..here are a few handy hints that can reduce the stress in choosing your new equine partner.

Whether you are looking at buying your first horse or your 3rdor 4th there are a few safe guards you can take to help ensure it is an exciting time in both your lives.

So you have decided to buy a horse, congratulations! Now that you have taken this first step there are a few things you need to decide.

What are your plans with your new horse? Do you just want to go trail riding? Do you want to compete? If so, in what equestrian sport? Western, Dressage, Jumping, Polo, Pony Club, Eventing, Rodeo, Show riding, breed classes???

Do you have a breed preference? What height horse is best suited to you? What sex animal do you prefer? Will it be run with other horses? Are you experienced enough for a young horse? How much are you willing to spend?

Sometimes it can be difficult to pin point exactly what type of horse is best suited to you and your equestrian pursuits. It is advisable to seek out the opinion of a more experienced horse person, someone you trust and has lots of horse knowledge.

Unless you are buying for a particular breed or show ring activity, the coat color is of no importance! I have seen lots of people make mistakes having brought a horse because of their coat color.

I personally have never been a big fan of grays (sorry to all the gray lovers out there), but I will tell you that some of my best horses have infact been gray!

There are quite a few different horse buying guides and sources around. Check out the internet, local paper and local saddlery shop. Don’t forget to ask your friends and horse acquaintances. These people will normally know who is for sale, why they are for sale and what the horse is like.

So you have found a horse that sounds great on paper and have contacted the owner to organize a viewing time. See if you can have a knowledgeable horse person go with you.

Try to arrive a little earlier than the agreed time. This way you will see if the horse has been worked before you get there and hopefully allows you to see the horse being caught and tacked up.

Get the owner to show you the horse being ridden first, and then get your friend to have a try and see what they think. If the horse doesn’t seem to be suitable at this point or it scares you half to death, then don’t get on!!! If you don’t feel comfortable now then you won’t when you get it home.

Ask lots of questions. Even if you think they are silly. You won’t know unless you ask. View any registration papers and competition results.

Have a good look at the horse, pick up all four feet, look in their mouth, under their tail, in their eyes and note anything that looks abnormal. If you don’t know what you are looking at get your friend to look.

If after you have put it through its paces and you think it maybe the right horse for you then I suggest two things, it maybe an idea to put a deposit down (if the owner agrees) and get a vet check done.

A vet will view the horse and conduct a few tests to see if it is healthy and sound. Remember to get an independent vet, one that hasn’t seen the horse before.

It may also be wise to have another viewing of the horse on a different day. Even if you arrived unannounced, at least this gives you an idea of what the horse is like naturally.

Talk to people who may have seen the horse before, they should be able to tell you anything that they have noticed.

See the horse loaded on to a trailer, lead the horse around yourself, try putting the bridle on, any think else you may have to do on a regular bases.

Once you have done all this and you still think the horse is suitable then it maybe necessary to negotiate the price. This is entirely up to you.

But remember that a lot of owners won’t budge on the price, especially if they know it’s a good horse (Although I have picked up a couple of great horses for half price their value, having been in the right place at the right time).

Remember to have all the registration forms transferred over to your name (or at least signed over) before you take the horse home. Also get a receipt saying you have paid for the horse in full before you leave the property.

Congratulations!!! You are now the proud owner of your new horse. May it be a long and satisfying journey together.

Happy Horsing

Tina Williamson B App Sci (Equine)



Share and Enjoy:
  • Digg
  • del.icio.us
  • Facebook
  • NewsVine
  • Reddit
  • StumbleUpon
  • YahooMyWeb
  • Google
  • Yahoo! Buzz
  • TwitThis
  • Live
  • LinkedIn
  • Pownce
  • MySpace
homemade solar panels