Riding Part:2

 This week you will learn the different gaits that horses have and how to turn. To turn a horse you can pull slightly on the rein in the direction you want to turn. Using reins is easier but a better way is by using your legs. You can pull the rein a little then but you should really depend on your legs more. First put your outside leg behind the girth and inside one on it curving your horse in the direction you want to go.At first it may feel hard directing your horse without using the reins too much but it gets easier with time and as your horse gets used to taking questions from your legs. Now that you know how to turn we will talk about the first gait which is the walk. The walk is a four beat gait and the slowest of all. There is a collected walk which doesn't mean that the walk has no energy, but instead that the horse just takes smaller steps. Then there is your medium walk which is just relaxed and average. Next there is your working/marching walk. This is a faster walk and is a good walk for warming up your horse and transitioning into a trot. Lastly there is a free walk which the horse has his neck stretched out at a medium pace. Well that is all you need to know about the walk next week we will talk about the trot.

Riding:Part1

Horseback riding is super fun. Here, are the basics of riding. After you tack up your horse you have to lead him into the arena. Check your girth and make sure it's tight and the saddle does not move. If you aren't sure tighten it as much as you can and have your instructor or someone experienced check it for you. Next you want to run your stirrups down. If you don't know their length you could estimate with the length of your arm and putting your fist where the stirrup straps start then adjusting them so the end touches your arm pit. After you adjust your stirrups and tighten your girth it's time to get on. Lead your horse to a mounting block if you don't know how to mount. Climb up onto the mounting block and stick your foot in the stirrup. Next swing your other leg over the horse, and sit gently on his back. Make sure your well seated and gently squeeze your calves against the horse's sides to make him go forward. Keep your heels down and legs turned inward so your whole leg has contact on the horse and keeps you in a secure position. Also remember to keep your hands down and your torso straight up. If you need to slow down squeeze with your thighs and lean back also you could pull back on the reins but these shouldn't be depended on. You should depend on your legs. To go faster squeeze with your calves. These are basics of riding next week I'll tell u how to turn and elaborate on the different gates/ speeds.

Tacking Up Your Horse:Part 2

Last week you learned how to groom your horse before tacking up. Today, you will learn how to actually put your equipment on. So, now that your horse is clean the first thing you need to put on is the horse's saddle. The saddle is what you sit on for those of you who don't know and goes on the horse's back. Before putting the saddle on you need to first put on the saddle pad. Put the saddle pad on up on the withers. Then put the saddle on top. Make sure everything is even then slide the saddle into place behind the shoulders so that the girth is three inches behind the horse's elbow. After that you need tighten the horse's girth. You should tighten the girth just enough so the saddle stays in place, but then make it tight right before you get on. Next you need to put on your bridle. First take off your horse's halter and fasten it onto his neck so you still have control over him. Next slide the reins over his head and grab all the other straps. Place the bit on your palm and your other hand on the horse's poll. Offer the bit to the horse, but if he doesn't open his mouth slide your thumb in his mouth behind his teeth. After you get the bit in, slide the headpiece over his ears and buckle up the straps. The throatlatch should be loose enough so that you can fit four fingers and the noseband should be tight enough so that you can fit in two fingers. Now you know how to tack up your horse.

Tacking Up:Part 1

    When getting ready to ride a horse, one thing you must know is how to tack your horse up for the ride. Tacking up means to basically put the saddle and bridle(tack) on the horse.First, you must get your  saddle, bridle, grooming kit (brushes,hoof pick,and etc.),and helmet because once you get your horse you'll have to supervise him and you don't want to be running around getting all of your gear since it would also waste a lot of time. Next you should halter your horse and take him to the cross-ties or tie him outside his stall,which are the most convenient spots , but you can basically put him wherever you put your tack. After that start with the hoof pick and scrape out all the dust and stones from your horse's hooves,but be careful not to poke the triangle thing in the middle (the frog) because it is very sensitive. After that you should curry comb his coat. This is the harder rubber thing with little round teeth on it. Move this in a circular motion all over your horse to loosen up the hair and dirt. Finally brush off all the dirt using quick strong strokes. Now you have a clean horse to tack up. Next week I'll tell you how to put everything on.

    Halloween is coming up in less than a week, and for those of you who love getting into the holiday spirit here are some cool ways to get you and your horse looking spooky. So we'll start with the simple things that don't require much tolerance from your horse. On your horse's stall door in the corners you could put spiderwebs with little spiders, but make sure your horse doesn't start nibbling on them because it could be hazardous so if you see that happening put them in a place where your horse can't reach them like the outside of the stall. Also you could stick halloween stickers and hang skeletons and spiders from the stall. Just make sure when you do this the decorations don't fall or scare your horse.  Another  even easier thing you could do is get a black halter with an orange lead rope. Or a black and orange blanket. You could also purchase some cool Halloween themed saddle pads. Basically just play with the Halloween color scheme and designs with your regular equipment. Now onto dressing up your  horse which is a bit more complex. The easy things you could do are some of the above mentioned get Halloween themed saddle pads, blankets, etc.  But another relatively easy thing to do is shave a skull , bat, and etc into  your horse's coat. Now here are some more complex looks that require tolerance from your horse.
A Nerd                                            A Night Mare                              A Pirate

To thank your horse for putting up with your madness give him some yummy homemade pumpkin cookies, the link to the recipe is: http://thehorsejunkie.blogspot.com/2013/10/fall-pumpkin-cinnamon-horse-cookies.html?m=1. It'll make him happy after going through a day of wearing Halloween costumes.

Horseback Riding Basic Position

Horseback riding is incredibly fun, but it takes a lot of time and effort to master. Horseback riding is difficult because you have to learn to communicate with another creature  and work with it as a team. Here is the basic position when horseback riding. When your riding a horse try to balance your weight and keep from leaning on one side as this could be bothersome and damaging to a horse's back. Keep your head up and look where you want to go.Also keep from slouching and leaning too far forward or back in the saddle. You want to be sitting up tall and upright ,as if there is something pulling your your body up towards the sky. In the beginning though your instructor may want you to lean back as this prevents falling and gives you a more secure seat. Another  thing is when riding you always want your toes turned inward toward the horse and pointing up and your heals down. This keeps you from digging your heals into the horse which can really agitate them and cause them to act up. Another thing to remember when riding is your thighs should always have connection with the saddle. They are what keep you secure  in the saddle and can prevent you from falling . Also always remember to keep your hands giving and down either touching your saddle or your thigh. A horse's mouth is very sensitive and it could damage and bother the  horse if your hands are rigid and up with the bit is constantly jabbing it in the mouth.Another thing to keep in mind is that you don't want to be stiff. Your body should be relaxed and supple absorbing the movement of the horse.Finally there should be a straight line from your head to your heels if you are in the correct position,but don't stress if you are just starting and don't have that position everything takes time and practice.

How to Halter and Lead a Horse

   So, this week I'll be telling you how to get your horse out of his stall safely. As you know there is no running when around horses because the movement can spook them, so you have to walk to the horse's stall. Then get his halter. Make sure that it is his because some horses have bigger heads than others and it could be uncomfortable if you put on the wrong one. Then walk towards the horse making sure he sees you so you don't startle him. If your horse has his backside faced towards you slide your hand over his hindquarters and talk to him so he doesn't kick or spook at seeing you all of a sudden. When putting on the horse's halter you want to be on the left side because that is the side where the buckle is usually on. First slide your lead rope over the horse's neck. Then slip the halter over his nose and buckle it. Be sure the halter isn't twisted or to tight as this could be very irritating. Also if it is to loose the horse may be able to take it off and you wouldn't have much control over him.When leading your horse you could come across a few problems. One is if he sees some feed he might want to go to it and snag a bite. If he does this give him a little smack on his shoulder and tell him firmly "no". Also you could give the lead rope a little jerk , but never hit a horse's head as this can cause them to become fearful and head shy. Also sometimes horses want to go faster than you because they're excited or they feel like it. This is not okay, your in charge and let your horse know  that. You could tug on the lead rope a little  to slow him down, but if that doesn't work  you can halt completely and then walk then halt again when the horse speeds up  until he gets that he needs to walk with you instead of faster. Lastly sometimes you'll come across something that your horse is afraid of and he'll refuse to move forward. If this is the case don't rush him. Let him look at the object , talk to him, give him a stroke and let him know he's okay. Then look where you want to go and then just walk. Chances are your horse will follow but if he doesn't give him some more time and if that doesn't work ask an experienced person like an instructor or trainer to help you. Well, that is all for today now you know how to halter and lead a horse.

Rules Around Horses

When around horses here are a few rules you should abide to. One thing is you should never walk behind a horse especially if you don't know him/her. Horses can kick and when they do it's usually hard, so  don't risk broken bones over a silly mistake . Another thing  is if you do have to walk behind a horse make sure he doesn't kick then walk close behind him with your hand sliding over his hindquarters letting him know exactly where you are so you don't risk spooking him.  By  walking close behind the horse it allows you to be hit with minimum force if the horse decides to kick. Also if a horse kicks at you and it's not normal for him make sure you tell someone working at the stable. Something could be bothering the horse or he may have picked up some behavioral issues that need fixing. Another thing is never run around horses, your movement can spook them. Also make sure you throw your trash away because if some wind picks up it could float  the trash towards the horse and cause him to freak  out . Lastly do not pet or feed a horse you don't know. Some horses have strict diets and are allergic to things, and their owners will not be happy if they get sick because you fed them something they weren't supposed to eat. Also don't pet a horse you are not familiar with because they can bite especially when their ears are pinned to their heads. Those are some basic rules when working with horses.

Things You'll Need While Riding

Riding a horse is the best feeling ever but you should definitely invest in somethings before you get on your first horse. As we established in last weeks blog you need horseback riding boots when working with horses, but when riding make sure you have either tall boots or half chaps with your short boot otherwise you will suffer chaffing which is incredibly uncomfortable. I recommend half chaps and short boots while taking lessons or riding for fun because they are easier on your pockets, but if you plan on showing you'll  probably need tall boots as they are a mandatory part of the dress code in most events.  Aside from boots when riding it is a good idea to buy some riding pants. In my experience they are more comfortable and allow more free movement of your legs. Also they prevent chaffing which can occur from stitching on your jeans. Another reason you should buy some riding pants is I feel they get less dirty. When working with horses you will get covered in hair, dirt, maybe even some horse feed, but to me the material of the horseback riding pants didn't allow all the hair and dirt to get stuck on my pants and was way easier to brush off then jeans or leggings. Another  thing you should get when riding is horseback riding  gloves . Now these are less important than other things on this list but are helpful. They keep your reins from slipping through your fingers and allow you to have a better grip on them. Also they kept my fingers from get cuts due to friction with the leather on the saddle and reins. Last but not least the most important thing you'll need is a helmet. If your taking lessons you're riding school will probably provide some, but you may want one of your own that fits your head perfectly. Riding helmets range in price and looks. One thing  you should keep in  mind is that you can't wear a biking helmet for riding. A horse is way taller than your average bike so please don't go get a biking helmet from target for riding.  Regardless of the look of the helmet make sure it fits well because it can save your life if you fall . A helmet should be tight but  not pinching , and it should sit on your brow . One way to check if your helmet  fits is by moving it up and down  and seeing if your eyebrows move with it.  It's best  to buy a helmet  from  a equestrian store  because they will make sure you have the right fitting helmet. Also when you fall off make sure you replace your helmet  to make sure when you fall next time you have full protection because a helmet could be damaged and not show it. While all the things on this list are good to have  when riding a helmet and boots are most important because they will keep you safe as you learn to communicate with the majestic creature known as the horse .

Importance of Horesback Riding Boots

Though horses are really fun to be around and great to ride they can be very dangerous, so before you start spending time with these majestic animals here are a somethings you should consider investing in. When hanging around horses it's important to invest in horseback riding boots(and no any random boots that look similar will not do). Horseback riding boots are an important investment because they protect your toes when a 1,000 pound animal accidentally steps on you while trying to snag some grass. They are tough around the toes unlike regular boots so you wont suffer broken toes. Also they have a small heel so when you fall off your foot doesn't slip through the stirrup and you don't get dragged around.Also unless your showing consider buying short boots because they can be quite expensive depending on the leather. You can get good quality leather boots which are more comfortable and last longer than faux starting at around a hundred dollars while tall boots are in a range from six hundred up. If you are growing though good quality faux leather boots should do you well. They last around six months to a year with repairs and are about forty to seventy dollars. Lastly don't forget half chaps if you plan to ride and get short boots otherwise you are going to get leg chaffs due to friction between your legs and your horse. Chaps are about forty dollars if they are suede and upward seventy in leather . In conclusion don't skip the riding boots, they are crucial to your safety and comfort.