Driving With A Horse Trailer.

Driving with a trailer is a difficult task for someone who has never done it before, but when you are transporting animals you must be extra cautious. Mastering how to drive a trailer is mostly trial and error. Practicing and doing it often is really the only way to learn to be an efficient driver.

When you are turning your horse trailer it is extremely important to pay attention to the surroundings. You need to make sure that you are watching to road and other drivers on the road. Be sure not to turn too sharply or too fast. By turning too fast, you may make your horse fall down. If you end up turning too sharp you may hit your tire and this will create a lot of problems for your trailer, truck, and horse.

When backing up your trailer it is nothing like backing up normally. To go left you must turn your steering wheel to the right and vise versa. This is also another task that will only get better with more practice.

When driving over bumps or pot holes be sure to slow down for your horse. When riding in a trailer your horse's balance may be off and this could also make your horse fall down.

Be sure when you are driving to also check that you are staying in the lane. The trailer is wider than your vehicle, so you must leave extra room. Also, if it is rainy or icy, you must slow down. The roads become more slippery when the conditions are bad. It is important to keep your horse and you safe from danger.

How To Winterize Your Barn.

With winter approaching, there are some things that you need to make sure you do to your barn before the heavy cold and snow hit.

• Clean out your horse's water bucket and replace with rubber buckets. This is very helpful in insulating the buckets so they do not freeze as easily and if the bucket ever freezes, you can get the ice out without cracking your bucket.
• If you have water heaters for your horse's bucket you should start to plug those in and get the heaters in the buckets. If there is a warm day however, you can unplug the heaters to save electricity. Also, these need to be cleaned once and a while along with the buckets. Crud can get in the crevices of the heater and cause there to be a funky taste in the water and your horse may not drink. If you do not have heaters, make sure to empty the buckets after the horse has been in the stall. This will prevent the buckets from freezing.
• If there is a large water tub in your horse's pasture, a heater needs to be placed into this as well to keep ice from forming.
• The hose that you use to fill your buckets up, if you use a hose, should be emptied after every use. If not, the hose will freeze and you will be stuck with carrying buckets of water for your horse.
• Also, you need to ensure that there is always fresh water for your horse as snow is not a water supply.
• Try to clear snow from the patios and barn. If a horse runs over the patch of ice or slippery snow they may fall and hurt themselves.
• Lastly, make sure to clean out your horse's hooves regularly because snow can easily get compacted in the hooves.

What Is A Farrier?

A farrier is a person that deals with the care of a horse's foot. There are many different types of farriers available in this world. Some people prefer the natural barefoot trim, which is making headway. Farriers also are the ones responsible for putting shoes on horses. I personally do not put shoes on my horses because in nature, they do not have shoes on them.

 

Farriers do a lot of work for their clients. It is very hard on their back to be bending over that much. It is also very stressful on the joints of the farrier because remember they holding up a thousand pound horse. Farriers use different tools to trim the hoof that has grown since the last time they trimmed the horse's hoof. Horse's feet need to be trimmed every six to eight weeks or whatever plan you have set up with your farrier. Some horses need farriers for corrective needs. They may have a foot defect and a farrier can correct these problems by corrective shoeing or trimming.

In the United States, it is illegal for people to call themselves a farrier unless they have been registered by the American Farrier Association. To trim your horse's foot, it may cost anywhere from twenty dollars to one- hundred dollars depending on the service. Make sure to check with your farrier's costs and see if he does any type of discount for multiple horses.

 

There are also hoof supplements that your farrier may recommend for you to give your horse if they do have a hoof problem. These usually strengthen the hoof and promote growing.

Therapeutic Horses.

Sometimes horses can be associated with therapeutic riding. This is where men, women, and children can use horses as a way to deal with their dissabilities. Autistic children have found many benefits associated with the riding of horses. This was first developed in Germany for patients that had Scolios. Many people with emotional dissabilities also have a positive time from riding horses. Forming a bond with a horse is very beneficial. They never get amd at you or put you down. Horses can be someone's best friend. They are very easy to emotionaly connect too. Horses, after knowing you for a while will bond with the rider. I know my horses will neigh when we walk out to the barn. This makes you feel good. For people with depression this will help.

When dealing with patients of autism riding a horse can help with many of their symptoms. This riding may help with communication, motor skills, and social skills. Riding a horse for therapeutic reasons is beneficial because communicating with a horse is different than a human. You must be gentle and the horse and rider work together. This is especially important because the autistic child can really learn from the horse on how to be gentle to get their point across. Also, be autsistic the children have a hard time focusing on one thing so riding a horse, the child can focus on just one thing, the horse.

Not only can autistic children benefit from riding a horse, so can the parents. It is a way to see their child succeed and this is really benficial for the parents too. I suggest even if you are having a bad day, ride a horse. You will feel so much calmer and realxed.

How To Wean A Foal.

Weaning a foal is a very difficult task for many horse owners. If not done correctly, the mother and her foal can become injured. They will also try to whinny back and forth constantly. This can really tug on your heart if you are a passionate horse lover.

Many people use the separation method to wean their foal and it's mother. This may seem to be a good way to wean a foal but in fact it is very unhealthy. When a mother and her foal is separated the immune system of both the foal and the mare becomes decreased. This then puts both horse to be at greater risks of becoming sick and developing a disease. Also, many temperament traits may develop from this type of weaning that can create an undesirable horse. Horses that are weaned the wrong way may become timid or they can possibly become very aggressive.

The weaning process should take place between four and six months of age. This should happen spread out and should not be dramatic for the mare or foal. Try taking the foal away from the mother for a few hours a day. In this time, the foal should have companions around. You could also be working with the foal in this time. This is a great time to get the horse used to you. After a few horses you can turn the foal back out to her mother. If you are going to separate the mother and the foal in two separate pastures, make sure that the mother and foal can see each other. Do not put the foal in a stall and the mare outside. In this case the foal is probably going to hurt its self and then you are going to create a bad experience for the baby.

Continue to do this process. Once the foal seems to be doing okay with the mother in the next pasture, try to separate the foal farther away but only for a few hours. You can make up different types of separation for the horse. This should include different areas as well as different amounts of time. By the end, the horse should be able to be on its own.

What Does It Mean To Board?

Boarding a horse can be very stressful for those people that like to keep their horse on a perfect schedule and like to have everything their way. In order to make sure that your horse is going to get taken care of the way you want, you must make a contract between your self and the boarding owner. Some things that should be included in your contract are:

• Is your horse going to be stalled or in pasture?
• How many hours will your horse be in its stall or in a pasture.
• Will the horse be around other horses?
• How many horses to a pasture?
• What type of hay and grain schedule is the horse going to be on?
• What type of hay and grain is provided?
• What extra expenses are you required for?
• What facilities are you allowed to use? (arena, round pen, etc.)
• Is your horse required to be vaccinated?
• What is the barn's hours of operation?
• Are there safety rules?
• Are you allowed to bring anyone to the barn to ride your horse?
• Who will be taking care of your horse?
• Will the stable hands apply fly screen and fly masks?

This is just a sample list of questions. I know that my list would have a lot more questions than this. You should carefully plan your list of questions and make sure to let the barn owner know of any special needs that your horse may have.

You should also discuss the boarding costs with the barn owner and when the bill is due. You should make sure to pay your bills on time. This will allow for smooth relations with the barn owner. Also, if you do need to move your horse to another barn, you want your name to be good and not tainted.

You should make sure that if there are any problems with the treatment of your horse that you address them promptly. This will allow for unaddressed problems to be fixed right away and this will also ensure that your horse is getting the best possible care.

You should make sure that you bring your own products for your horse and do not use other people's equipment. This will only make people angry. Bring what you need with you to the barn or keep it in a tack box. This also includes other people's horse. Do not use them or move them without the owner's permission.

Make sure to keep your horse's area clean and tidy. No one want to see the barn messy. Remember it is a business and looks do serve a purpose.

Gymkhana.

Gymkhana is a term that is used to describe events that horses compete in that are timed. These events are also called speed events. This type of sport is recognized in fairs and children events even though it is also a professional sport. There are several different events that consist of a gymkhana event. Barrel racing, pole bending, barrel bending, keyhole, down and back, speed and action, and Indiana flag race are all different classes that a rider can participate in.

Barrel racing is an event where there is three barrels and the horse enters the arena and can either start going around the left barrel or the right barrel. The following picture shows the pattern with the right barrel as the starting barrel. Which barrel you start at all depends on whether or not your horse is better at his left or right lead. If you knock over a barrel there is five seconds added and two barrels is a disqualification.

The next event pole bending is where there are six poles that are lined up in the middle of the ring. The horse must run all the way down to the end pole and then begin to weave. Once the horse reaches the start pole they weave back down again and run down the side of the poles all the way home. The pattern is below. Again with this pattern, it is your choice to start on the left or right of the poles. If you knock over one pole there is five seconds added to your time and two poles is a disqualification.

The barrel bending pattern is very similar to the above pattern except the horse is not required to run down the side of the poles or run home along the side of the poles. The only requirement is that the horse weaves through the barrels down and back. If you knock a bucket over, there is five seconds added on to your time. If you knock over two, you are disqualified.

Keyhole is a pattern where the horse is required to run down and at the end of the arena, there is a keyhole looking object drawn in the sand with flour. The horse is required to run in the keyhole and turn around with out touching the flour or steeping outside of it. The pattern is below. You may turn either way, to the right or to the left.

 Down and back is very simple where all this pattern requires is the horse to run down the arena and run around one barrel. You may choose to run on the left or right. A tip to getting a fast time is to try to turn as close as you can to the barrel and do not complete an arena run. If you knock the barrel over you are disqualified.

Speed and action is a very fun class in where there is a box and the horse must run through the box. At the end of the arena there are three buckets and the horse must run between the barrels and look back around, run to the box, and stop in the box. If you do not stop in the box, you are disqualified. The pattern is below.

Lastly, Indiana flag race uses the barrel racing pattern as the template. There are two buckets set up on the first and third barrel. On one of the barrels there is a bucket on top of it with a flag in the bucket. On the opposite barrel there is just an empty bucket. The rider begins by choosing what side they want to grab the flag from. The rider then runs around the barrel and grabs the flag and makes a large loop around the second barrel and runs and drops the flag in the empty bucket. If you do not put the flag in the bucket you are disqualified.The pattern is below.

Lastly, if you stop forward motion or go off course you then become disqualified. Here is a video of a barrel pattern: Barrel Pattern

The Art of Lunging.

Lunging a horse is a great way to start the lesson out. This will help get your horse with you. Sometimes many young horses will be very fresh when they come out of the pasture and can be scattered. Lunging will tire the horse as well as get him in sink with you, the rider. Lunging can also be a form of exercise for horses that are not being ridden.

To begin the horse should have splint boots on to prevent any injury to their legs. Also you will need a whip and a lunge line if in an arena and you may choose to use a lunge line if you are in a round pen. You want to start the horse going one direction. While going this direction you want to keep everything the same. If you are going to the left, you should make sure that your whip is in your right hand and your line is in the left hand.

Start the horse out by walking. Keep the whip low and say walk. You do not want the whip to be your fist line of attack for the horse. Teach him based on words. So ask the horse to walk. If he does not respond with your voice, gently wiggle to whip on the ground. This should get him walking.

Ask the horse to trot. Do this by again first saying trot. If he does not trot raise your whip so that it is even with the hip of the horse. If he does not trot with the elevated whip then shake it a little. He should begin to trot.

Next, you can ask the horse to canter. As you can guess, first begin by saying the word canter. Raise your whip so that it is elevated a more toward the sky. As the horse begins to canter, move your whip from front to back with the movement of their legs. This will keep the beat for the horse.

So remember, use your voice first and then the whip. Also, the whip will determine the speed of the horse. The higher, the faster, the lower the slower the horse will go. You also can switch directions and follow the same steps but put the whip in the left hand and the rope in the right.

Lastly, try to do different combinations of gait changes and directional changes. You want to see your licking his lips and lowering his head. That means he is becoming submissive to you, and that is the main goal of lunging for me anyways.

Here is a short video also: Lunging Demo

What Do Horses Need To Live?

All horses need to be loved, but the amount of food, grain, and supplements mainly depend on the type of horse and the type of exercises the horse will be performing. Some horses are easier to take care of but gain weight with too much food and some need the extras to keep weight on.

All horses need a fresh supply of water at all times. This should be cleaned once a day and the water supply should never run out. When the cold winter months come around, as they are almost here, a water heater needs yo be added to the water to prevent the water from freezing. Many people think that horses can eat snow. This does not count a sufficient water source.

Horses also need hay. The hay that you provide them should be a nice grass mix. Some of my favorite hay mix is grass, brome, orchard grass, and a tiny bot of timothy. This should be fed to the horse at least two times a day and possibly three if there is not a source of fresh grass for the horse. It is good to spread out their feeding. An average horse needs between 15 to 20 pounds of hay a day. A draft horse is going to require more and a miniature or pony is gong to require less.

Grain is a type of supplement that can be fed to horses. Grains can consist of anything between sweet feed, oats, corn, or just straight pellets. You need to make sure that you do not overdo the grain because too much grain can cause a horse to founder. The package will tell you just amount the horse should receive.

Another form of food that horses can receive is pasture. I typically allow my horses on pasture between two to three hours. This can not be overdone too because horses can founder as well. The amount of sugar in the grass is higher at night, so horses should be fed in the morning with grass. Sugar is what contributes to the founder.

A horse should also be provided a salt block with selenium. This should always be available for the horse at free will. There are many other supplements that you can provide for your horse. Again this just depends on the needs of the individual horse.

Arabian vs. Paint

Arabians and Paints are both different breeds of horses. This blog will discuss the different characteristics and different uses for these two breeds,

Arabians originated in the Arabian Peninsula. Two characteristics that can easily distinguish an Arabian from any other horse it their distinctive face. When looking at the face of an Arabian you will notice that they have a dished face. They also carry their tails very high. These horses also have a more slender body and are more delicate looking. They are typically 14.1 hands to 15.1 hands.

Arabians can also be high strung at times but can be very gentle too. With abuse they will become cold, as any horse would. The Arabian Horse Association registers horses with the coat color of bay, chestnut, black, roan, and gray.

Nowadays, Arabians can be seen crossed with other breeds of horses. People are now mixing paints, quarter horses, and Morgans. By mixing these breeds, the Arabian temperament is still coming through in the new breed.

Paints are another type of horse breed that exist in the world today. Paints are also easily distinguisable because they usually have a spotted bi colored coat. They are a mix between the western stock horse and the pinto color pattern. There also can be solid Paint horses with out the bi colored coats. There are different ways to classify the color variation of the horse.

Tobiano: This horse has more round white spots with white legs and face. There is more white than color in this pattern.

Overo: There are sharp irregular markings. There is more color than white in this horse.

The Sport Of Show Jumping.

Show jumping is one of my very favorite equestrian events. Between the elegance of the horse and the amazing patterns that the horses and their riders are asked to perform is just amazing. Show jumping is judged based on whether or not a horse clears the jump, nicks it with his hoof, drops a rail, and the time in which the horse completes the pattern in. There is a course that the horse is supposed to perform.

Within this course there is different types of jumps that the horse is supposed to be able to perform. Some of these jumps include: verticals, spreads, double and triple combinations, and many turning of the direction. All this needs to be completed in a certain amount of time.

If there were two horses that completed a pattern perfectly, the time would be the determining factor. The fastest horse takes home the trophy. Before competing in a course, the riders are allowed to walk the course. This allows the rider to get a feel and know what to expect before jumping right in.

With higher level courses, the difficulty is increased. The width of the jump is decreased as well as the height of the jumps. There turns that the horse is required to do may be tightened so that the turn is harder.

The attire for a jumping class is very similar to that of an English class. One of the exceptions is that horses are allowed to wear protective leg gear. This is to make sure that the horse is not going to hurt its leg if it accidentally kicks a pole.

Jumping can be seen in the Olympics and is a highly competitive sport. Many warmbloods are also used for this event as well.

Show Jumping Video

What is Dressage?

Dressage is a competitive horse sport that according to the International Equestrian Federation is "the highest expression of horse training." In this sport, the horse and rider are supposed to work together with the horse understanding every que from the rider. The horse should respond to every que with willingness and ease. The horse and rider should perform as one. There are various levels that riders can participate in. In each level there is a pattern that the rider and the horse must perform. Within the pattern there are steps. Each steps are scored by the judge. Ten is the highest and zero is the lowest. A ten is the best that any rider can do and this is usually reserved for upper level riders and the Olympics. In a 4-H show you would not expect to see a rider walking out of the ring with a ten. At the end of the pattern your pattern is scored and your score is compared to the other riders score and you are then placed within your level.

Dressage horses are typically warmbloods. Warmbloods are horses that are of mid-size and they originated in Europe. Some specific breeds of these horses are the Traekner, Hanoverian, and Holsteiner.

The tack that is used for a dressage class is very similar to the English style of riding. The only exception is the saddle, in which a specific saddle is required. That saddle is called a dressage saddle.

There are many different maneuvers that a horse should be expected to perform. The most very basic steps include, ten and twenty meter circles. There usually is a free walk, extended walk, trot, and canter.

Here is a video of the Olympic trials: Olympic Trial Dressage Video.

Polo...A Shirt Or A Sport?

Polo is a horseback game in which the objective of the game is to score points against the other team. A mallet and wooden ball is used. The mallet is what is used to push the ball along the court and if you are lucky enough, into the opponents goal.

During outdoor polo, the field in which the game is played at can be up to 300 yards in length. There are four riders for the outdoor polo as where in indoor or arena style, there are only three players. This sport is played in sixteen different countries and is not a sport played in the Olympics.

There are rules and there is an umpire that is in the ring with the horses. When a penalty occurs he/ she will blow a whistle. When the ball is on the right side of the horse, this is considered the right of way. There are also fouls when a rider tries to intentionally harm another player.

The horses that are used for this event are called polo ponies. Many of these horses are a mix between Thoroughbreds or Thoroughbred crosses. Also, mounts should have different horses that they can trade between each different game so the horses do not get tired.

When there are four players on the field, player one is the most offense oriented person. Person number two is also important for offense reasons. They generally score points and are running around the field. Player number three is the most tactical player and they have the strongest hitting player. Lastly, player four is the most primary defensive player that tries to guard the other team from scoring.

What is Draft Pulling?

Draft horse pulling has been around for a long time. It originated back when neighbors would test to see who had the stronger horse. The horses that pull these heavy weights, are not your everyday Quarter Horse or Arabian. These are usually Draft horses that have been conditioned on a everyday basis. These horses are worked in order to keep their muscles and strength up to tip-top shape.

It has even been thought that this competition is harmful to the horses, but this is far from true. Draft horses are bred for their strength and ability to pull large weights. After a team has pulled their weight, the horses are proud of them selves.

There is certain equipment that is required for pulling a horse. You need to make sure that the collar of the horse fits properly. This is one of the most important things the puller can make sure is fitted properly. Another horse's collar is not going to fit every horse, they are specific for the horse. Next, the bridle and harness should also be fitted for the horse. It also is a lot of trial and error for attaching the bar to the actual pulling machine. These evener must know what to do and how to place the board on properly. This is extremely important and your horse will not pull correctly if you do not position it correctly.

Lastly, it is not unheard of for a man to have several different teams to pull on the pull day.

What is A Trail Class?

The common trail class is a class that included many different obstacles for your horse. There must be at least six obstacles that the rider is to perform. Of those six, three must be from the following list:

• open, pass through, and close gate.
• ride over at least four logs or poles that may be in a straight line, zigzag, curved, or raised

There also must be three obstacles from the following optional list:

• water
• serpentine obstacles at a walk or jog
• carrying of an object
• walk over a wooden bridge
• put on and remove a slicker
• side pass pole

These are some obstacles that are not permitted in a trial class:

• animals
• dismounting
• elevated poles or logs that roll
• flames, noise, dry ice, fire extinguishers
• ground tying
• hides
• jumps
• PVC poles
• rocking moving bridges
• tires
• water box

While judging the trail class, the rider should be able to ride the obstacles with a good speed that is appropriate for the course. Also, the horse should be alert and responsive to the rider. The overall look to the horse and rider should be natural. The judge wants to see that the horse and rider are working together. There should be no fake movements and the horse should be light on the bit and all cues that the rider is asking of the horse.

You will become disqualified if you:

• going out of order in the class
• illegal equipment or abuse of your horse
• obvious cues to lower the horse's head
• touching in front of the cinch
• rearing, bucking, etc.

What Are Mustangs?

A mustang is a free roaming horse that lives in North America. They originated here because of the Spanish bringing horses over into this country. Native Americans used the Mustangs on their settlements. It is common term to hear people call Mustangs wild horses, but in fact they have ancestry from tame horses. There are many Mustangs that do still run free in the plains and mountains of North America.

They are all managed by the Bureau of Land Management. This group trains a Mustang to round up all of the Mustang that are still in the wild. This makes it easier for the Bureau to keep tabs on all the wild horses that are out there. There are strict guidelines for adopting Mustangs. In order to make sure that they are not bought and sold for meat, the Bureau requires that you keep the Mustang for at least a year after you first purchase them.

There are many farmers that are mad at the Mustangs. They say that the Mustangs eat their crops and the food that their livestock need. 

It can be seen now that these Mustangs have been interbred with tame horses. Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses, and even some draft breed characteristics are present in the Mustang.

Here is a short informational video clip about Mustangs: Mustang Video

Groundwork 101.

Groundwork is a fundamental part of training your horse. It is the first step in starting a young horse and can also be used to sharpen your older horse's skills. It also helps when you ride and it also can teach your horse new concepts. The following list is some different exercises that you can do with your horse.

1. Teach your horse to follow you without pulling on the lead line. Your horse should follow you, stop with you, and turn with you. This can be achieved by practice first off, but here are some pointers on how you can achieve this with your horse.
• Use a small whip and ask the horse to walk with you. You should be holding on to the line. If the horse does not move when you move your hand forward and begin to walk, give them a slight tap on the belly. Then ask the horse to stop. Place the whip in front of them as you stop. Continue this and eventually your horse will learn to follow you without the lead line or whip.
2. Teach your horse to back smoothly. This technique is extremely important when showing in showmanship. You want your horse to back in a nice manner with little effort.
• Begin by holding the lead line close to the halter. Apply pressure to your horse's face. As soon as they move their head toward their chest release. Do this until the horse knows that a little pressure and I move my head, the pressure is gone. Once the horse has mastered that, continue to apply pressure and the horse will try to shift his weight back.
3. You can also teach your horse to do transitions with you. This is also important for showmanship. You have already taught your horse how to follow you, stop, and smoothly back up so now you can begin combining it into one long session.
• You can start by walking along side your horse. Make different patterns like, walk, trot, stop, back. You can make a whole bunch of different combinations that your horse will enjoy. When you want to change directions, walk into your horse's shoulder, never pull the horse toward you.

Here is a video of different groundwork techniques that you can use that I did not mention above: Groundwork.