Essentials Regarding Successfully Raising And Caring For Horses

A most enjoyable experience is raising and caring for horses. The prospect of looking for, selecting, and buying a horse, can be fun, but it is important to realize what the initial cost is going to be, as well as the continuing costs associated with the care of the animal. Finding the correct match between the rider and the horse requires some work, but it will pay off in the long run.

If you are a prospective, first-time horse owner, you need to consider the type of horse you want and the purpose for which you will use it. Knowing what to expect from an animal is important so that you can make an effective decision. It would not be a good idea to buy a high-spirited horse for a young, inexperienced rider. Conversely, an old, run-down animal would not be a good match for a skilled rider.

Horse Riding Equipment and Supplies Video

If you find the horse you believe is right for you, then riding it is the best way to confirm your decision. However, if you feel uncomfortable or threatened by the animal, then you need to move on and keep searching.

Once the decision has been made to buy the horse, a medical examination should be conducted by a veterinarian before any money exchanges hands. Depending upon the value and the plans for the horse, the examination may only need to be a basic once over or it may need to be more thorough.

Once everything is agreed upon, the new proud owner of the horse has to determine how and where the horse will be sheltered and fed. Some people are able to keep their horses at home. Others must investigate other options for keeping their animal.

If you must keep your horse elsewhere, you should pay attention to some details when visiting possible places for boarding. Some of them are the general condition of their feed, their stalls, and the animals that are kept there. Animals in boarding facilities have to depend on their caregivers in order to live. It is your responsibility to be sure your horse is in a safe situation.

Wherever your horse is housed, it will require feed, water, and forage. A trusted veterinarian can develop a feeding plan that will promote the well-being of your horse. The type and amount of feed you give your horse will depend upon its health, its nutritional needs, and its activity level.

It is vital to give horses adequate amounts of water, and to keep their buckets clean and fresh. While doing those chores, you may also muck the stall. Horses need dry, clean bedding, so it is advisable, using a pitchfork or other type of rake, to pick out the urine-soaked bedding and the manure. Straw, wood shavings, and sawdust are some common types of bedding.

Horse Care and Feeding Video

Feeding and watering the horse and cleaning the stalls promote health of the animal. Caring for its body also is good for its physical and mental health. When a horse is not familiar with being handled or touched, there may be a period of adjustment where you need to talk softly to calm the animal. It can be pleasurable for both the horse and the owner to spend time brushing the coat and combing the mane and tail.

Just as humans need comfort for their feet, horses need regular hoof care. Six to eight weeks is an appropriate interval for trimming their hooves. Although not mandatory, a horse may be much safer with shoes for protection of the hooves. It is also important to clean the hooves daily, using a hoof pick.

Raising and caring for horses is a pleasurable hobby or business. While equine animals can be fun and entertaining, they need a great deal of care. There are many articles about horses available on the Internet.

About the Author:  Jessup Clower
When you want to be a success in caring for and owning horses, tap into all the help you can get online. Articles that tell you everything you need to know are always available when you know where to look.

Horseback Riding Lessons At A Riding Camp

Have you ever wished you could learn more about horses in a very short period of time, all while taking some horseback riding lessons and actually getting to ride for the better part of a whole day?

There may be a horseback riding camp that’s just right for you! Gaining greater knowledge in equestrianism and the care of this magnificent animal in a relatively small time-frame is what these riding camps specialize in.

What Happens at a Camp?

You will learn primarily on one horse. It is solely YOUR duty to care for this horse while at the camp.

With two lessons per day, you will learn basic riding skills.

How to handle, lead and groom your horse

You will become proficient in the fundamentals of riding.

You will know what is required for the proper use and care of all your riding equipment.

You will gain a greater knowledge of caring for the horse’s nutritional needs, first aid techniques, general horse anatomy, and even working in the equestrian field.

“Is there a camp that’s right for me?” “What is the time-frame?”

Most horseback riding camps cater to girls aged 5-16, although some co-ed camps are available, as well as mother and daughter and adult camps. They make the perfect horseback riding venue for beginners.

Some camps provide sleeping quarters, while others you leave everyday and come back to the next day, lasting up to a few weeks to complete a full course in either English or Western riding. Some will even allow you to ride your own horse.

What Gear Should You Take?

Camp staff can tell you specifically what to bring, but these items are recommended.

For a Western style, you will want to wear jeans. English riding is better to be done in sweat pants or riding tights, as jeans will cause your knees to chafe severely.

Horseback riding boots specific to your chosen riding style (Western or English) are preferred, but at least wear a boot with some heel. Please note that other shoes, such as running shoes, are NOT recommended for safety reasons, due to getting snagged easily in the stirrup irons.

A helmet. You’ll probably be lent one, but if you’re going to be riding regularly, invest in a NEW ASTM/SEI approved helmet.

Where to Find Riding Camps?

A good place to start your camp search is with the Allens Guide at http://www.allensguide.com. This comprehensive and detailed list includes foreign travel programs if you’re interested in going abroad to ride.

A horseback riding camp is a fun way to quickly improve your horse riding abilities. When you return to your regular riding schedule you’ll be amazed at how much better you ride.

About the Author:
Horse riding beginners, get help from Jim Milton’s vast knowledge by reading his posts on his horse riding training blog. More details on beginners horse riding can be found there.

Choosing The Best Riding Stables And Equipment

by Jim Milton

So, you have decided that you want to take horseback riding lessons, but you have no idea how to get started. Luckily, there are endless resources available and you should have no problem getting started.

The first thing that you should do is to find a horse back riding instructor. There are many resources that you can access to find the perfect instructor for you needs. You can start by looking in your local phone directory, going to a horse show, or by word of mouth (do you have a friend or know someone taking lessons). You can also contact national, regional, or local horse clubs, the United States Equestrian Federation, or breed associations (AQHA, APHA, Appaloosa horse breeders…). You could also stop by a local stable and ask if they have an instructor that gives lessons, and even if they do not give lessons, they will probably know of someone who does.

When you are looking for an instructor, do not be afraid to ask question. After all, you want to get the best possible instruction for your money. The first thing you should ask is if the instructor has any certifications or accreditations. You should also ask how long they have owned and ridden horses, how long have they been teaching, what is their specialty (you want to make sure that they teach the discipline that you want to learn), how many students do they currently have, and do they offer private lessons? Once you have found an instructor, it is also important to evaluate the stables that they teach at.

When you are visiting the stables it is important to make sure that the stables are clean, the horses look healthy, and that the stables main priority is safety for everyone. Here are some specific things that you can look for when you are visiting a stable. Is the riding area free from clutter, are the students wearing riding helmets and horse back riding boots, are the lesson groups to big, do the students appear to be on the same level, are the horses healthy, and finally does everyone appear to be happy and having fun learning?

You have found a good horse riding stables and a good instructor, now it is time to find all the proper equipment. Many times your instructor will have all of the equipment you will need for your lesson and you will not need to purchase any of your own equipment at first. After you have progressed in your lessons, you may want to have your own equipment. There are many ways to find good quality equipment with out spending a fortune. Your best bet is to ask your instructor or other students at the stable if they, or someone they know, have any equipment for sale, or you can check your local paper or tack shop. When shopping for equipment you want to make sure that nothing is torn or cracked and you want to make sure that all of the leather equipment (saddles and bridles) have been properly oiled and conditioned to prevent the leather from cracking.

You should now have the basic knowledge to find everything that you need to become a great horse back rider in no time.

About the Author:
Want to learn horseback riding from your home? Jim Milton has a great online course that will help you achieve that in no time and without paying for expensive classes. Visit Milton’s horse riding lessons and start learning today.

Training a Horse to Lunge

Prepare your horse by perfecting his leading and ground handling skills. If a horse is not completely halter broke and responsive to being led and handled, you should not attempt to train the horse to lunge. Spend a lot of time with your horse and practice basic leading skills until they are perfected.

The first few lessons will go easier if you have a helper. The ideal location to begin lunging is an indoor arena or open space that is far away from other horses or distractions. Using a lunging cavesson is the best option, but you can also use a plain halter and long lunge line. You will also need a lunge whip.

To begin, attach your lunge line to the horse’s halter, and keep the normal lead rope attached as well, for your helper to use. The helper will stand beside the horse’s head in a normal leading position, and will stay behind the lunge line. You will stand in the center of a large circle (50-60 feet in diameter). Hold the lunge line in your left hand for a counter-clockwise circle, and the lunge whip in your right hand. Ask the horse to walk with a voice command and raise of the whip. (For vocal commands you can either say “walk” in a long low tone or give a clucking “ck-ck” sound with your tongue. For the trot, use a medium tone and more energetic command, or give another louder “ck-ck-ck” sound. For the canter, say “canter” in a higher and very energetic tone, or make a kissing sound with your lips.) The helper will lead the horse around the circle, at the beginning, helping it to obey. You should stand in the center and just turn with the horse.

Ask the horse to halt, using the voice command “whoa” and lowering the whip. Your helper will make the horse stop and stand. You should go to the horse and pat it and praise it; don’t allow it to turn in and come to you, as it could develop a bad habit of turning in often. Switch the lunge line, lead rope, and helper to the other side of the horse, to go in the opposite direction. Return to the center, hold the lunge line in your right hand and the whip in your left, and ask the horse to circle in a clockwise direction.

You can advance to a trot from a walk by giving a voice command, swishing the whip a little, and having the helper speed up. The horse should learn to stay at the outside of the circle and listen for your commands. A lot of consistent practice will help the horse develop good habits.

The helper can remove the extra lead rope and just continue to walk beside the horse. Eventually, you will lunge the horse without a helper, but be prepared for the horse to test you.

Some things your horse may attempt, and what you should do to prevent them:

1. Stopping when you haven’t asked for a halt-use the lunge whip to swish, snap, or flick to encourage the horse to move on. Do not allow the horse to call the shots or you will lose control and respect. Make him continue to circle, and if he refuses, encourage him with the whip.

2. Speeding up when you haven’t asked for a trot or canter-say “whoa” firmly and pull the horse to a stop. Then resume walking. Do not allow the horse to go faster than you have asked.

3. Bucking or goofing off while lunging-this is evidence of the horse having an abundance of energy, and you should ignore the bucking and ask for a canter for several minutes until the horse settles down and circles correctly at an even canter. Do not allow the horse to buck or rear and then stop and stand still. Make him canter until he will straighten out and canter correctly, then slow him down to a walk.

4. Cutting in on the circle, not staying to the outside-use the lunge whip and your advancing body language to move the horse back out of the middle of the circle. Do not allow the horse to cut into the inside or he will develop a bad habit. Be very watchful and if he starts to cut in, throw your arms up high, swish the lunge whip at him to make him stay out.

5. Pulling strongly to the outside, not maintaining a steady circle-you may have to switch to a rope halter that has knots where the pressure points are on a horse’s head if this persists. Or you can use a bridle and snaffle bit. You can attach the lunge line to the snaffle bit by running the snap end through the near side ring of the bit, up over the horse’s head alongside of the headstall, and clip to the bit ring on the off side. When you change directions when lunging, you must unsnap the lunge line and thread it through the opposite side of the bridle.

Things to avoid when lunging a horse:

1. Using too small of a circle, especially at faster gaits. This can put too much stress on the hocks and leg joints of a horse and possibly lame it.

2. Over-working a very young horse on the lunge line. Horses under the age of three may have undeveloped joints or knees that haven’t “closed” yet. Asking a young horse to turn quickly or work too hard can permanently injure its legs and joints. If training a young colt, keep things slow and relaxed, and use as large a circle as possible.

3. Lunging a horse with an over-reaching stride without bell boots and protective leg wraps to protect its legs and pasterns. It is always good to use some type of leg protection when exercising a horse, but if the horse tends to over-reach and strike the back of his front feet with his hind feet, it is an absolute necessity to use bell boots and protective leg wear.

4. Confusing the horse with unclear cues or voice commands. You should form a V shape with your arms when lunging; one hand holding the lunge line and “pointing” the direction the horse should go, and the other hand holding the lunge whip and “following” the horse to encourage its movement around the circle. Keep voice commands clear and always use the same ones.

Once you have clearly defined what the horse should do, then always follow through and get the horse to obey. The horse will learn best if you ask consistently, expect obedience, and then reward him.

About the Author:

Kerrie Tischer is the owner of Livery Stable. If you’re in the market to sell or buy a horse, this is the place to start. They offer horses for sale online as well as detailed information on riding, selecting a good horse and much more. Visit us online for more information!