Posts Tagged ‘First Horse’

So you’ve gone through the process of lessons and leasing. Your child is certain they will keep up their riding, and you are happy that your child has a hobby and a responsibility that they are assuming without hassle or argument.

There’s a ‘magic’ place where you know your child is at that point where they are not just horse crazy. If they:

- hang out at the barn more than home,
- talk about the horses more than school friends,
- spend countless hours trying to braid a forelock,
- have picked out colors for blankets, saddle pads and boots,
- and they jump on their mounts bareback and wander off into the sunset,

then you can be sure that this is the life for them at this juncture.

That was the easy part.

Finding a pony or horse that gives your child hours of fond memories and experiences can be a daunting task. Let’s look at the difference between pony ownership and horse ownership.

Ponies

Ponies have had a bad reputation ever since we domesticated them. While many people believe it’s just pony breeds in general, there are many good ponies of all breeds that have no vices and pack their little riders around like an old schoolmaster. Those who breed ponies will also tell you that ponies’ vices are a product of humans misunderstanding.

There are sound reasons why ponies misbehave and get vices. Pony owners tend to treat them and train and discipline them differently than horses. They get pampered more, and fed by hand more often. Because they are cute and cuddly, it is often overlooked that they are in the horse family, and have all the same abilities to become aggressive and dangerous, the same as horses.

Because they are small, it is difficult to retrain them if they need it. Most riders competent enough to retrain are too big for ponies. Unless you can find someone small and skilled, the pony usually gets a very long vacation, or the auction mart. Therefore little children are often left to deal with the pony’s vices, which only leads to more problems and more mistakes made.

Ponies are also subject to abuse from their small riders. They are often mishandled, kicked around and suffer mouth damage, eventually turning the pony ‘sour’ and evasive to catch and work.

As for personalities, most breeders will tell you that ponies are actually one of the quieter and better mannered mounts for children, and I have to agree. When you find a good pony, they are worth their weight in gold. Bad ponies are the fault of mishandling and spoiling, more so than breeding.

Is a Pony Right For Your Child?

Before you go looking for a pony check with your child to make sure THEY want a pony. Does their instructor recommend a pony or is the child able to handle a small horse?

When deciding on a pony, always remember that it will be outgrown before a horse would, in size and performance abilities. If keeping the pony for life will not be possible, just remember that one day your child and pony will likely have to split up.

Ponies should be bought to fit the child right away, as larger ponies may become too difficult for the child to handle, and the child/horse relationship will be lost. Never buy a pony a child can grow into.

What is The Right Pony?

Pretty is in the eye of the beholder, so before you start looking at show ponies and fall for the fancy, clipped and groomed one, there are many backyard ponies who may give you years of serviceability.

The pony should have ample experience to deal with a fairly new rider. Ponies under the age of 10 may not always have the time in to be able to handle their new responsibilities. Often the best pony is older and has had more experience with life. Ponies can spook, shy and bolt just as easily as a big horse. They’re just a little closer to the ground.

Show Ponies

Many ponies have moved from home to home, babysitting and teaching young students the basics of horsemanship. Show ponies tend to fit that description. They are bought to bridge the time of deciding whether a horse is in the future for your child. Show ponies have the training for at least one discipline, and most are able to pin a ribbon at the local shows. The majority of show ponies are registered purebreds, are better disciplined, and have been exposed to travel, bathing, clipping and being fussed over. Because of their reliability and scarcity, they will cost more, but may be easier to sell in the future.

Is The Pony A Backyard Or Boarded Pony?

Backyard ponies tend to have more freedoms and often mingle with other animals and horses. If this is the case, make sure that one of the virtues your new pony has, is the ability to be caught easily. Ponies that can’t be caught can’t be ridden, and children often give up on animals they can’t get near.

Boarded ponies can often live in isolation. Because they are small, they are often left in stalls, with the false belief that they do not need the outside turn out as a big horse would. Being small has nothing to do with tossing aside the need of movement or herd instincts. Keeping ponies in a stall can be a cruel form of loving. They are often too short to see over the stall walls, and their movement is limited to circling. Remember; they have the same instincts as horses, and can get depressed and aggressive when treated improperly. Ponies (as well as horses), need the ability to run and move forward every day. Forward movement allows the stretching of muscles and keeps joints working. Circling does not do this as well.

If you have to board your pony, ensure it is treated with the same dignity as any large animal. Movement and the company of the herd are necessary for a pony’s physical and mental well being.

Choosing a Horse

Horses come in all sizes, and that’s good news for beginners. Any horse over 14.2 hands high is considered a horse. Let’s go over the pros and cons of horse ownership.

Pros

1. Horses have greater flexibility to learn new disciplines, as they are larger and can be ridden and retrained by a professional.
2. A child can outgrow a pony faster than a horse.
3. Finding a good horse can be easier than finding a good pony. There are simply more to choose from.
4. Parents can ride the horse.

Cons

1. They are larger. This can be intimidating at first, if the child has a bad experience early in the relationship.
2. They eat more.
3. They require larger trailers, saddles, blankets, bridles…

As for vet costs, horses and ponies are pretty much equal. When it comes time to resell them, you may make or lose money on either, depending upon age and abilities of horse or pony during time of sale.

(On that side note: it has been my experience that a good pony will retain it’s value throughout most of it’s lifetime, even as it gets older. Horses seem to peak in their mid teens and then drop in value. A 17 year old pony with show capabilities is likely going to sell for the same price as when it was 8. A 17 year old horse may drop each year. This may be because it’s harder to find a good pony (market demand) and that ponies are often bought with short term use in mind.)

I’ll be saying this a lot throughout this series: “It costs the same to feed a good horse as it does a bad horse.” Keep that mantra in your head when looking at ponies and horses.

April Reeves
Clinician, Instructor, Trainer
http://www.HorsemansU.com

Author: April Reeves
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Digital economy, mobile technology

I am 13 years old and going to go to my first riding lesson on Saturday. I was just wondering what to expect to be learning and doing. I am taking this lesson because to get into their horse camp you have to take one lesson with them. I am suppose to come early and tack up (i thinks that’s what you call putting the saddle on.) and stay late to clean the horse. What should I expect and will they tell me how to do this stuff?

There is so much excitement and anticipation in the very art of buying a horse. It is certainly a task not to be taken lightly. A horse is certainly not as easy to drop off at your local shelter as a cat is. When you buy a horse it should be genuine, not a spur of the moment whim.

The biggest consideration when buying a horse is where to keep him. Investigating local stables and yards, finding out the fee and what you are paying for is an important step to make the transition easier. I have yet to find a stable that pays for horse shoeing, unless it is on their horses!

Once you’ve settled on a place to keep your horse, you can then indulge yourself in finding a good horse. Horses are easy enough to come by, but not all horses are alike. We know that all horses bite, it is a fact horse owners rarely think about. However when buying a horse it is a tidbit to keep handy.

Some horses due to cruel handling, neglect or an aggressive streak will bite. Biting is a bad habit called a vice, horses that bite do not make a good first horse purchase. There is fact in the saying “once bitten twice shy”!

Read up on vices so you know one when you see one and if the current owner says the horse crib bites, you’ll know what that means and whether it is a vice you can live with. Remember the horse is yours and will be your responsibility once you purchase it.

Like humans you have horses in good health and others in questionable health. Some owners will try to sell a horse when they find out his health is less than perfect. The horse could have been in a field and cut his leg. Seems like an every day possibility but depending on where and how severe the cut, he could have done permanent damage. He would thus have a weakness and be prone to lameness.

It is always a good idea to have a veterinarian inspect the horse you want to purchase. That way any possibility of ill health can be brought to your attention and you are in control of taking on the responsibility or not.

Find out if people know about the horse and let them tell you their view of the horse. What is he like on an every day basis when a prospective buyer is not looking? Some horses are lunged to tire them out before a buyer comes to ride…

Yes, riding is sure a very important step when buying a horse! I was so desperate to buy my first horse that I overlooked this step and regretted it every day of the two years I owned the horse. Sometimes you can simply get sold by the look of a horse…

Make sure you buy a good horse that is right for you. The best way to do that is to read and gain knowledge of horses. Take a trainer or experienced horse person with you, but be sure to trust your instinct and have the knowledge to make the best decision for you. Turns out the person I took with me to buy my first horse was really looking for something they wanted.

Horses. Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about buying a horse. Learn all about your horse starting today.

Author: Benjamin Wise
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax

I just bought my first horse, and she is being broke right now to ride and has already been ridden and is great with ground manners. I am a full time worker and was wondering how some of you fit time for your horse if you work an 8-5, and if it’s bad if you only see your horse 2-3 times a week? Like many full time white collar workers I get the weekends off, and would be close to my horse so I may only be able to spend 1 or 2 horse twice a week during my work week, but all day on the 2 days I have off. Any suggestions? I just want my horse to feel loved and not hate me or forget her training because I’m not seeing her every single day. All suggestions and advice are greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Wish I could tell you after going through the tasks of looking for your first horse, checking for soundness and way of going, buying your first horse and then tackling the worries of moving your horse to his or her new home, that the worst is over. Some horses do not always do well when it comes to uprooting them and changing their homes. Of course, there are some exceptions, but overall most horses have fairly strong reactions to this move.

Horses are creatures of habit. Horses can eat the same feed, stay in the same pasture, and basically follow the same routine everyday of the rest of their lives and be happy, providing that all their basic needs are met and they share their life with other horses. Some horses when you take them off the van will start screaming and hollering and try to run over top of you. Be patient. This is only a temporary reaction. Your best bet is to get the horse into a stall as soon as possible. Do not allow them to drink large amounts of water at this time. A few sips will be sufficient.

You do not want to turn the horse out into a pasture or paddock in this mental and emotional condition. The horse may inadvertently run into or through the fence or even try to go over the fence. Make sure good hay is in the stall to try and calm your horse down and divert his or her attention. Usually, what follows after this is perhaps a lot of pawing and digging of holes in the stall if you do not have horse mats. I will be discussing the use of mats, bedding and other issues concerning safe stalls at a later date. Stay with your horse as he or she is already feeling abandonment, missing their friends, and not understanding why they had to leave the place they loved. If there is a top door on the stall and your horse is really misbehaving, shut the door for a while until they settle down some, but stay outside the stall and continue to talk to them.

If your horse is sweating and is getting too hot, even though it will be difficult, it is in their best interest to take them to the wash rack and give them a bath. Most likely, it will calm them down and help make them feel a little more at home. At this time, you can ask your horse if they want more water, but only a few sips at a time. If possible, walk the horse around for a while and consider allowing your horse to graze or sniff around unless their behavior becomes outrageous again. Tranquilizers are an option if the horse does not calm down in a reasonable amount of time but only use this as a last resort as a veterinarian call will be necessary. It is best not to feed your horse on this particular evening, just make sure that he or she has plenty of hay and lots of fresh cool water. This will reduce the risk of colic. Better to be safe than sorry.

Now lets’ discuss the other end of the spectrum. If you just bought an animal that has been showing, then more than likely this will probably not be much of an issue. This type of horse is used to getting on the van or trailer and going to many different places and usually does not mind as that is their habit of life. So follow the same rules but everything will be much quieter and simpler. If your horse is well behaved, after a few hours, you can give them an evening offering of grain but it is not necessary, and monitor the amount of water your horse is drinking. Allowing a horse to drink a large amount of water after any activity is not in their best interest. You could end up with a horse suffering from colic. Hopefully you will either have your horse on your own property and you will be able to watch your horse’s behavior throughout the evening, or the facility that you are boarding your horse will have a night watchman that can check on your horse throughout the evening.

Beverly Jansen
http://bevshorseadvice.com
I’m a licensed Thoroughbred Horse Trainer and a licensed Equine Message Therapist. I have devoted my entire life to horses and have over 40 years experience to share. My blog site was created to share my knowledge and will soon offer exceptional, all natural horse products that are above and beyond any other products in comparison and will guarantee fantastic results. I will also be posting “How To” videos on my YouTube channel soon.

Author: Beverly Jansen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Get my ex back

Congratulations! You are now the proud owner of your first horse. It’s time to either move your new responsibility to a boarding stable or to your own farm. There are many horsemen who will haul your horse for a reasonable price. However, although they may be slightly higher in price, there are also many hauling companies nationwide that usually have very large horse vans that may be better equipped to move your new family member. Either way, the best advice would be to spend a little more money for a reputable hauler as they usually provide very experienced drivers.

If you are looking to purchase your own trailer for hauling, you have many companies to choose from as well as many different types. There are two, three, four and six horse trailers and so on. You can get the standard trailer with horses walking straight into the trailer, or slant trailers where the horses are loaded on a slant, or vans that the horses can walk up into and are backed into the stall, and basically they are facing each other as they travel. Keep in mind that hauling this animal is probably the most unnatural thing you will do with your horse. If you find that your horse is not good with hauling, then you must approach this problem carefully. Having a trailer with a ramp instead of a step up trailer is to your advantage in this situation. Some horses love to go for a ride, and of course, some don’t. Some horses will, with patience and a small amount of encouragement, enter a trailer fairly quickly. Some horses will be reluctant to leave their environment and their friends and will be much more difficult and sometimes become quite angry. In these cases, make sure you have an experienced horse person to help you. Sometimes it may be necessary to load another horse, who does not mind getting onto a trailer, temporarily, in order to convince the stubborn horse that it is alright to go on. As soon as the reluctant horse goes onto the trailer, you will have to unload the decoy horse quickly, lock and secure the ramps and doors immediately, and start on your way. Leaving a horse or horses standing in a trailer for more than a minute or two can be asking for trouble, especially with a horse who did not want to leave in the first place. This time frame goes both ways for getting them into the trailer, and getting them off as quickly as possible.

Some horses are claustrophobic and will be much more willing to load on a larger van. If you cannot get your horse loaded on a smaller type trailer, you may have to postpone your move to another day and consider a larger van as an option. Keeping in mind that a horse’s body temperature is higher than ours, normally between 101 degrees to 102 degrees, as horses will start to sweat quickly once placed in the trailer. As you move off, the air passing through the open windows in the trailer will help to keep them cool. It is a good practice to put shipping bandages on your horse, but by an experienced horse person, as bandages too tight or too loose are dangerous. Learning to bandage the legs of a horse is fairly simple and with practice, under experienced instruction, can become an easy task.

Driving a trailer or van is a very big responsibility, not just because of the equipment being used, but also for the precious cargo that is depending on you to get them to their destination safely. TAKE YOUR TIME. Going too fast and having to stop suddenly could be a disaster. Going too fast around the turns can cause the horse to be thrown around in the trailer and step on themselves causing injury to their legs or coronet bands, especially if they have shoes on or if their legs are not protected by shipping bandages. You always want each and every hauling experience to be a pleasant one. Also, make sure you have quality hay for them to munch on during their journey, either in a hanging hay rack or the hay sacks provided in the trailer. If you and your horse are about to head out on a long journey, make sure you have a water bucket and a large amount of water in a container so you can offer your horse water at stops every few hours. Remember, dehydration can be deadly.

In the future, I will be coming back to articulate on different aspects of hauling vehicles and problem horses that refuse to load. Patience and understanding is priority when transporting horses.

Beverly Jansen
http://bevshorseadvice.com
I’m a licensed Thoroughbred Horse Trainer and a licensed Equine Message Therapist. I have devoted my entire life to horses and have over 40 years experience to share. My blog site was created to share my knowledge and will soon offer exceptional, all natural horse products that are above and beyond any other products in comparison and will guarantee fantastic results. I will also be posting “How To” videos on my YouTube channel soon.

Author: Beverly Jansen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Finally, the last recommendation before making your decision to buy your first horse, is making sure the horse is sound. This means that the horse does not have any lameness. Unsoundness can come in many forms, not just the obvious; from respiratory problems, to muscular or skeletal problems, to feet problems. You also want a horse that is mentally sound in his or her way of thinking and dealing with life’s everyday issues. Lets’ assume you have found a horse of interest and you are going back for a second look. Now you are familiar with the horses’ ways and mannerisms. This will give you an advantage as it will make it a little easier to detect some of these things I am about to discuss.

It is important that you look for evenness in their gaits, (walk, trot and canter); no head bobbing as they go through their motions and when you are on their backs, and that every time they put each foot down while at a walk, trot or canter, that each step feels the same. When you are riding a horse, they should feel smooth and even. You are looking for a comfortable ride, the smoother the better. Of course, if a horse has not been ridden in several months or years, their gait will not be quite as smooth perhaps as it should be, as their fitness level will determine this to a degree. When you are on a horse’s back and they are jolting you in the saddle and the horse seems to be pounding the ground, (instead of moving easily across the ground), this should be a red flag for you. Sound and good moving horses just seem to float across the surface. Each horse is an individual, and each one will feel different and you have to take that into consideration. The way in which we ride a horse will also change the outcome of his or her ability to please us.

Let’s move on to muscular, joint and feet problems. If a horse has been ridden too hard on a particular day, they may be moving a little off, (meaning that they are not moving evenly and smoothly), and they may experience some stiffness and soreness due to the build up of lactic acid in the muscles. But as the lactic acid is absorbed by the body, the soreness should subside and the horse’s gaits should go back to normal. If there are chronic muscle issues, then it will take much longer for the horse to re-cooperate and this is another red flag. If, when you go to mount the horse, and they go down in the back, this of course means that their back is sore, but why? This behavior may not just be the back, but may also involve the stifle muscles or other muscles adjoining these areas. Usually, if a horse is unsound because of joint issues, there will be some heat or swelling involved which may or may not be easily detected by a beginner horse person.

If you are suspicious of joint problems, it may be in your best interest to have a veterinarian perform a physical check on the horse and maybe take x-rays just to be sure; depending on the amount of money you are willing to spend. Also, feet problems are a very big issue and can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. If you put your hands around the coronet band, (the very top of the front and side of the foot), where the leg meets the foot, you want to feel if there is any heat in that area and you need to do this on each foot. Also by picking up the feet and looking at the bottom, you will notice a v-shape what is known as a frog. The frog should be a little spongy, yield slightly to a pressured touch, should not have any odor and should look full and not partially eaten away by fungus. Also the walls of the foot, similar to our fingernail, should be extending further down from the frog meaning if you look at the foot from the side, the walls of the foot, (darker outer fingernail), should be a little longer than the frog, but not too long. A good blacksmith is invaluable in today’s horse world as some sound horses need a little more care in this area in order to keep them sound, especially if they are being ridden or campaigned a lot.

The next issue of soundness is respiratory. These problems can be physical malfunctions which will not allow the proper flow of air called a palate. The palate is a mechanism located in the throat area which separates the flow of air and food. That means that if the palate is not working properly it can cause some distress for your horse when breathing. Horses can also suffer from allergies and a problem called heaves. I will be going in depth about these problems at a later date, but for now, you should pay attention to how the horse you are considering is breathing when at a stand still, and how quickly their nostrils start getting wider and wider at what stage of riding. Of course, horses who are not being ridden often and/or are overweight, their nostrils will start to flare very easily. If you just started riding, and the horse is breathing heavy, and you can hear them breathing or they are making a loud noise, this is not a good sign. Horses with the heaves will show signs first, (with little or no exercise), of coughing, sometimes severely, and their stomach’s will tighten up and then drop suddenly, tighten up and drop suddenly. Horses with heaves are usually not very usable and need special care as far as their feed and hay regiment.

So in conclusion of this series Buying a New Horse, I wish you the best of luck. May it be the beginning of a very long, happy and healthy time for you with the possibility of many more horses in your life to come. They will be as much a part of your family as any other member and will give you endless hours of happiness, fun and love.

Beverly Jansen
http://bevshorseadvice.com
I’m a licensed Thoroughbred Horse Trainer and a licensed Equine Message Therapist. I have devoted my entire life to horses and have over 40 years experience to share. My blog site was created to share my knowledge and will soon offer exceptional, all natural horse products that are above and beyond any other products in comparison and will guarantee fantastic results. I will also be posting “How To” videos on my YouTube channel soon.

Author: Beverly Jansen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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OK, you think you may have found the right horse. You went through all the check points in part one, you have made arrangements at the nearest horse stables that meet the requirements that were discussed in part two, or you have made arrangements for a facility at home providing either a stall or a lean-to (a two or three sided building with a high roof and preferably built in hay racks). Remember, all horses need to have shelter from the elements. Hopefully whichever place you will be keeping your horse, there will be a considerable amount of room not only for your horse to graze, but where he or she can run and play and have some fun; preferably with other horses. But, before you pass over your hard earned dollars, I want to give you just a few more things to consider, hence – Part Three.

What kind of mannerisms did the horse display when having the saddle and bridle put on them? Were they putting there ears back, or acting like they wanted to step on the person trying to tack them up? Were they moving back and forth, acting nervous or even starting to break out in a sweat? Were they difficult when the bridle was being put on them, or were they interacting, being friendly, wanting attention and not seeming to care that they were about to be ridden? When you started to mount the horse, did they stand there quietly and wait for their first command, or did they want to walk off quickly?

Did they do what you asked or was it a struggle to get them to go forward or turn around? Is the horse trying to take control and go wherever they want to go, or are you on an animal that really wants to please you? If you are saying yes to these negative inquiries, then this may not be a horse for a beginner. The quieter and more agreeable a horse behaves, the better a prospect that animal will be for a first time horse owner. He or she will enrich your life, and warm your heart with pleasant experiences that come with owning a horse. As your experiences grow, you then can step up to meet the challenges of other horses. Horse behavior can sometimes be compared to that of a child. So, if you have children you will understand how to deal with them.

Before making that final commitment, it is to your advantage to ride the horse for more than just a minute or two. Make sure that you walk, trot and canter preferably more than once. Some horses seem to be fine at first but as time passes with you on their backs, they sometimes can change into a “horse of a different color”. It is not unusual, and actually recommended, that you come back a second time to ride the horse again. That way you have something to compare their behavior to. Meaning if the horses’ behavior was very much the same the second time you rode him or her without much variance, then he or she probably is the real thing. Remember that this animal may possibly be with you for the rest of their life. You want a horse that you will really enjoy and who really enjoys you. As I said before horses are social animals, but it is important to understand that they are emotional ones too.

Unfortunately, there will always be horses that exhibit bad behavior, and some, very bad behavior. My experience tells me that a lot of bad behavior is usually the result of human error. That is why I am here trying to talk to you, and hopefully in the future, you will be talking to me. It is so easy to buy a horse, bring that animal home and find that you have an animal that is out of control, and you don’t know what to do about it. Horses have a tendency to try to take advantage of beginners. Trust me, they know! All they have to do is take one look at you, the way you approach them and ride them. Your best defense is knowledge. I am not trying to scare you, I am trying to educate and help you to understand that the more knowledge you have about horses, the more success you will have with them. Please don’t be afraid to enter into the wonderful world of horses. It is a fun place to be and learning about horses is the best part as it is never ending. Most of the riding horses out there are sound, quiet animals. They have a lot to offer an owner who wants to know, love, and care for them, as they will gladly return the favor.

Beverly Jansen
http://bevshorseadvice.com
I’m a licensed Thoroughbred Horse Trainer and a licensed Equine Message Therapist. I have devoted my entire life to horses and have over 40 years experience to share. My blog site was created to share my knowledge and will soon offer exceptional, all natural horse products that are above and beyond any other products in comparison,that will guarantee fantastic results. I will also be posting “How To” videos on my YouTube channel soon.

Author: Beverly Jansen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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