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.

Different Horse Categories:Warmbloods

Today I will tell you about the warmblood category of horses. Warmblood horses aren't actually warmblooded it is just a way people use to classify these horses with similar characteristics. Warmblood horses are a cross between the feisty athletic hot blooded horses and gentle heavier agricultural type horses used on farms. Warmbloods are descended from heavier draft (coldblood) type horses, but not directly. These horses are generally bred for sport. Some of the heavier types are used for driving which is when horses draw a carriage through a course competively. Many horses classified as warmbloods are excellent riding horses. They are midweight and not hot tempered like the hotblood horses. These horses are not as swift as hotbloods, but many make excellent sport horses. Breeds like the Hanovarian, Dutch Warmblood, and Swedish Warmblood can be seen competing in top events. These breeds are bred for competition with people working to constantly improve its performance. In conclusion these horse make great riding horses some even great sport horses.

Different Horse Categories: Coldbloods

There are three main groups of horses warmbloods,coldbloods,and hotbloods. Today I'll be telling you about coldbloods. Coldbloods are big tall horses with a gentle temperament.Draft horses that used to be carriage horses in the old days are among the type of horses classified as "coldbloods". These horses are not actually coldblooded it's just a way for people to classify the different breeds of horses with similar characteristics. Generally speaking coldblooded horses are big and tall. They usually weigh more than the warmbloods and hotbloods. Also they are very strong with very calm and willing temperament. Many of these horses used to pull carriages or plows on farms. They are generally not used for sport as they are much heavier than other horses and slower, but nowadays they are still bred by enthusiasts. These horses are very gentle and it takes a lot to spook them which is why they're great with children. Common coldblood breeds are the Shire, Friesan,Percheron, and Haflinger. Those are what coldblooded horses are.

Different Horse Categories: Intro

 Horses are scientifically known as "equus ferus caballus". There are many breeds of horses. Also though ponies and horses belong to the same species to be a pony a horse must be less than 14.2 hands high at the shoulder. A hand is used to measure a horse and each hand is 4 inches. Horses are also more lanky and swift than ponies who are much sturdily built and compact. Some horses such as Arabians are always considered horses regardless their size. Horses come in an array of different colors. The most common colors are gray (white or gray),chestnut(reddish brown all over including mane and tail),black(all black), bay(reddish brown with black mane and tail),palomino(golden with white mane and tail),buckskin(golden/beige with black mane and tail)strawberry roan( mix of reddish and white hair),darky bay(dark brown with black mane and tail), roan(mix of black and white hair), and of course the horses with white patches( tobiano and overo). Horses also having markings on their face and legs. The ones on the face , basics include the snip( white mark on nose), blaze(broad white mark from forehead to nose),star(small white mark on nose),and stripe(thin stripe from the forehead to an inch or to above muzzle). The ones on the legs are sock(small white patch up to forlock and stockings( white mark halfway up to the knee). Horse usually live about 25-30 years. The generally weigh around a thousand pounds and on average gallop 25 miles a hour at to speed. That is your general information on horses.

Riding Part:5

The gallop is the gait after the canter. It is a four beat gait and has the longest moment of suspension where all four hooves are off the ground. Galloping should only be done by advanced riders as it is the fastest of all gaits and horses tend to get overexcited when asked to do this. Galloping should only be done in a place where there is lots of room such as an open field. It is a very exhilarating gait for both you and your horse when controlled properly. To ask for the gallop you need to go into two point position. Two point position is when you lean slightly forward and lift your weight out of the saddle. To que for the gallop get your horse into an extended canter. Then rise into your two point position. Next squeeze with your calves or give a tap with your whip to get the horse to gallop. Galloping is very fast and horses tend to get overexcited in this pace so before you attempt it make sure you have a good control of your horse in all the other gaits and a strong seat because falling off on this one is going to hurt. There are different paces in even a gallop but there is no collected or extended gallop since it is not a gait used in dressage ;and is mainly just used to get better time and momentum on jump courses or for fun. That is how to gallop a horse.

Riding Part:4

This week I will tell you how to canter a horse. The canter is a three beat gait. It is between the trot and the gallop. In the canter a horse leads with his right hind and there is a moment of suspension when all four legs are off the ground. On average a canter is faster than most horses' trot and slower than the gallop. It ranges between 10-17 miles an hour but in western riding where it is called a lope it's usually no faster than 8-12 miles an hour. To ask for a canter you put your outside  leg behind the horse's girth and one at the girth. There are four variations of the canter. One is the collected canter which is often slower and has shorter strides. The other is the most common type of canter the working, in which the horse uses an average pace and average stride. Next is the extended canter which has a longer stride and is often faster than the other canters. Lastly there is the counter canter in which the horse leads with the wrong lead. The counter canter is harder to maintain because both horse and rider have to be very balanced. Now that you know the different types of canters there are two ways to ride it. One is sitting back and scooping your hips back and forth with the horse's movement. The other way is just rising slightly out of the saddle and leaning forward. That is all you need to know about the canter.

What To Do With Your Horse When It's Raining

Today I will tell you somethings you can do with your horse when it's raining. When it's raining its best not to ride for your health and your horse's as you can get a fever and the horse can slip and fall injuring you both. Even though you can't ride there are other things you can do. One thing you can do when it's raining is groom you horse. This is relaxing for your horse and is good for bonding as in the wild horses groom each other as a form of affection. Aside from grooming you can lunge your horse. Lungeing your horse will get him some exercise which is good since he won't be high energy when you ride him or kick around in his stall and get injured. To lunge your horse you put him on a lunge line. Then you let him move around you in a circle. Also you can turn the lunging into join up which creates a good bond with your horse and he learns to respect you and listen to your commands.Lastly you can just walk around with your horse on the lead line. This is a fun activity that can get both you and your horse some exercise. Those are somethings you can do with your horse when it's raining.

Riding Part:3

  As you know last week we talked about riding at a walk. This week I will tell you about riding at a trot. The trot is a two beat gait. In it the the horse moves his legs diagonally. The trot is the most bouncy out of the four gaits. You can either sit the trot or post. In western riding it is called the jog and you usually sit. In English riding it's called a trot and you can either sit or post. Posting is when you rise up and down in the saddle with the horses movement. This is the most comfortable way to ride the trot but if you plan to do dressage you need to learn to sit the the trot as well. There are three main trots. One is the basic working trot which is an average medium pace with a medium stride. Then there is a collected trot which is slower and has shorter strides. Lastly there is the extended trot which is the fastest out of the three and has the longest stride. To ask for a trot you should get your horse into a walk and gently squeeze his sides with your calves again to send him into a trot. In the trot you might want slightly shorter reins so you have more contact with the horse since it is a slightly faster pace. Well this is all you need to know about the trot next week we will talk about the canter.