Thouroughbreds

   Thoroughbreds are a hot blood breed of horse. They are the fastest breed of horse and descend from some very fast Arabians. Thoroughbred blood has been used in many other breeds of horse in order to improve the other breeds and make them better riding horses. They are the fastest breed of horse in the world and dominate the racetracks. Thoroughbreds are also very good jumpers and are excellent equine athletes. Most thoroughbreds are bred for the track therefore they are very light and lean, but some breeders also breed them as sport horses making them suitable for jumping and giving them a stronger built. Though most of these horses are made for the track many of them don't make it far due to career ending injuries or lack of speed. These ex-race horses can make great jumpers or pleasure horses if given the chance.  Thoroughbreds range from 15.2-17.2 hands high. They come in black, gray, chestnut, white, bay, and palomino. Thoroughbreds are very high spirited with a brave and fiery temperament. Due to this they are not recommended for young and inexperienced riders as their first horse. Those are some facts on the thoroughbred breed.

Arabians

   Arabians are a gorgeous breed of horse. As you can probably guess they originate from Arabia. These stunning horses are one of the oldest breed of horse. They are hot blooded with a high strung temperament. Arabians originate from the hot dry Arabian deserts. These horses had to gallop miles and miles on the hot sand without food and water which resulted in this breed having an exceptional amount of stamina. They are also considered one of the fastest breeds considering Thoroughbred horses which dominate the racetrack  decend from them. Arabians generally have a lean compact body with excellent bone structure. These horses can range anywhere from 14.1 to 15.1 hands high. Arabian horses are one of the easiest breed to recognize. The have arched necks, beautiful dished faces, small noses, big eyes and carry their tails high. Purebred Arabians come in black, bay, dark bay, chestnut, gray and roan color. They have an excellent personality and even kids under 18 are allowed to ride stallions in shows. Arabians are excellent riding horses and dominate the world of competitive endurance riding. Those are some facts about the Arabian breed.

Exercises to Strengthen Your Riding Muscles

   Horseback riding is not just sitting on a horse and enjoying a ride, as we established on the last post. Real riding involves total control over your body which means you need to have strong muscles.    Today I'll be telling you some different exercises you can do to condition the muscles used while riding. A lot of riding is more about your muscle strength rather than cardiovascular fitness, but riding does involve a lot of endurance , so riders with a strong cardiovascular system will get tired less easily, therefore performing better on the horse. Some good cardiovascular activities include running, cycling, and swimming. Other than having a good cardiovascular system to ride well you need strong legs. Some good leg strengthening exercises include squats, lunges, and calf raises. Also I recommend doing wall sits as they really engage many of the muscles used in your leg while riding in one exercise. Lastly to have a good balance and posture on a horse you need a strong core. Some good exercises for strengthening your core are planks and sit ups. Those are some good exercises to do if you want to keep in shape, so you can ride at your best.

Body Parts Used while Riding

Today I'll be telling you about the different body parts used while horseback riding. Often people think that riding doesn't require any work, but in reality it does.  Unlike what most people think riding  is not just putting your butt in the saddle and letting a horse carry you around while you steer with the reins. To ride properly and actually get the horse to do what you want you need to have strong muscles. When riding you use your whole body but most of the work is done by your legs. Your legs are what keep you from falling off , tell your horse where to go and  how fast to go. Due to this  trainers will often tell you that if your legs aren't sore by the end of the lesson you weren't riding correctly. Also you need to have a strong core. Your core enables you to keep your legs in place. Also your core gives you your balance.  Basically your core is your powerhouse. If you have a strong core you'll be able to keep your balance which in turn will keep your legs which tell your horse what to do  in position.The body parts least used while riding are your arms, but having strong arms is also useful since after long periods of riding your arms get tired as well. In conclusion to ride properly you use your whole body. Next time I will tell you how to strengthen these body parts.

Friesian

    The Friesian is a breed of horse that originated from Friesland which is located in the Netherlands. They are a draft breed, but they have a lighter build compared to the heavy boned structure of others in the same category. The Friesian is a powerfully muscled horse with a thick mane and tail, feathered feet, and gorgeous elegant movement. They are considered coldblood horses because they are a draft breed and range from 14.2- 17 hands high.  Friesans have to be pure black in order to be registered and rarely have any white markings. The only white marking that is allowed is a small white star on their forehead. They used to sometimes come in a chestnut color as well but many breeders tried to get rid of that gene since it was considered a fault to have a chestnut Friesian. The Friesian is thought of to descend from powerful war horses that were used to carry knights in medieval times. Nowadays there are two main types of Friesans. One is the classic " baroque"  type whose body structure resembles more closely to it's strong war horse ancestors. The second is the "sport horse" type who is leaner and more finer built. These horses are energetic with a nice docile temperament. They can be used for carriage, but also make fine mounts especially for dressage. Overall this stunning breed is a great choice to be your four legged hoofed companion and mount.

Hanoverians

  Hanovariens are a breed of horse. They are of the warmblood category and great riding horses.  Hanovariens originated from Germany and are one the best and oldest warmblood breed. They are excellent sport horses and have bloodlines that lead back to many different horse breeds including the Thouroughbred which gives them more athletic traits. Hanoverians are bred very selectively to ensure that the breed is improved and no bad traits are passed on. Many of these horses are graded and have to pass certain standerds in order to be bred. Due to these strict standards that only allow the best of the best, Hanovarians have won gold medals in all the three Olympic events, dressage, cross country, and show jumping. These horses are specifically bred to have pretty elastic gaits that can be used in dressage while at the same time be able to preform excellently at jumping as well. These horses are very elegant and athletic with a nice trainable disposition. Their most common colors are chestnut, bay, gray, and black, and they stand anywhere from 15.3-17.2 hands high. In conclusion Hanovarians are excellent sport and riding horses with a great disposition useful for anyone who wants to move forward in the competitive world of riding.

Different Horse Categories:Hotbloods

  Today I'll be telling you about the hotblood category of horses. These horses are incredible athletes. They are very sleek, slender, and fast. There are only three breeds of hotblood horses. One is the Arabian, next is the Thoroughbred, and lastly is the Anglo-Arabian which is a cross between a Thoroughbred and Arabian. Hotbloods dominate the competitive world of horses. Thoroughbreds are known to be the fastest horses and can be seen all over racetracks. Also some of them are bred for jumping and are exceptional at that as well. Thoroughbreds are such great athletes, that many competitive breeds of horses have traces of their blood to improve their athleticism.  Arabians are also known for their swiftness but more than that they are known for their endurance. They can go miles and miles without food or water which is why they are used in endurance races that can go on for 90+ miles. Anglo-Arabians combine both traits of Thoroughbreds and Arabians which means they get a Thoroughbreds speed with the endurance of Arabian, and a good bone structure which also makes them excellent jumpers. Due to all those great qualities Anglo-Arabians make excellent Cross-Country horses which requires horses to race over a long jumping course. Though Hotbloods are great athletes they're personality can be hard to handle. They are incredibly brave and spirited but with that comes horses that easily spook and are highstrung. Their  personality is great in competitions and for very advanced riders but beginners should steer clear of these horses as they are very unpredictable. That's all you need to know about hotbloods.