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.