Posts Tagged ‘gait’

Our vet thinks that my horse is part walking horse, but I have seen racking horses that look like mine. I love gaited horses and wondered if it was possible to teach her how to gait. Her coat looks chocolate colored and she has white on her stomach and legs. She also has a very smooth trot.

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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Tips to help your dressage horse (or any horse!) enjoy the benefits of riding a musical freestyle or just riding to music.

So whether you want to ride competitively or just want to enjoy riding to music at home, here are some free tips.

6 Tips for Picking Out Awesome Freestyle Music for Your Horse

1. Know your horse’s ideal BPM (beats per minute)

2. The average horse has the following BPM:

o Walk 90-106 BPM
o Trot 138-160 BPM
o Canter 96-108 BPM

3. Pick music that matches your horse’s BPM within 4-6 BPM range.

(For example if your dressage horse has a canter of 104 BPM, choose music that is between 100 BPM and 108 BPM)

4. Choose music that has a very clear downbeat. (You’d tap your toe to the downbeat.)

5. If you CAN’T tap your toe or clap your hands easily to the beat of the music, it’s not great freestyle music!

6. Choose freestyle music that will help you achieve your horse’s ideal tempo.
For example: If your horse is a bit on the lazy side, choose an upbeat and energetic piece of music that will help YOU ask for more energy. If your horse is hot or nervous, choose freestyle music that will help you feel calm and steady as well as help your horse with rhythm and relaxation.

7.Choose music that has dynamic changes. Dynamic changes are audible changes within the music (either volume or intensity) where you can make transitions. (for example, the music should FEEL or SOUND like there is a transition to an extended trot) When you are riding a freestyle for competition, the dynamic changes of the music need to match your transitions both within the gate and from gait to gait. Meaning, when you begin and end a half-pass, the observer should see and hear the transition and hear the change in the music occurring together. When riding a transition from gait to gait, such as the canter to walk for example, the observer should hear and see the transition to the walk occur with the change in the music.

8. Choose music that has appropriate back ground music. Even when a selection of music has the correct BPM for a trot; for example, the music that is in the back ground has an impact on the FEEL of the music. If you have a hot nervous horse, a high pitched frantic violin in the back ground will NOT help you or your horse maintain rhythm and relaxation. On the other hand, if your horse is always lacking impulsion or is lazy, more upbeat and forward moving back ground music will help you increase his energy level. For example, a soft and slower piece of jazz music might be appropriate for a nervous horse, but would allow the quiet or lazy horse to have even less energy.

Ruth Hogan Poulsen
http://www.Ruthhoganpoulsen.com
Ruth@Ruthhoganpoulsen.com

Author: Ruth Hogan Poulsen
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They say eating chocolate is like a time warp. It lasts only a second on the lips but an ETERNITY on the hips! That’s why some of us stay away from chocolate.

Yet nutritionists now tell us that chocolate is good for us. When we eat good quality dark chocolate we get the benefits of a happy mood, reduced blood pressure, a rich source of minerals, and a boost in the “good” HDL cholesterol. So chocolate, though it can be costly in terms of fat, is also good for us in many ways.

I say the same goes for horses, at least for us horse addicts. Without a doubt, horses can be expensive hay burners who are expensive to feed. And yet, the benefits of being around horses are undeniable. I just came in from feeding my herd of five horses. The temperature was a chilly three below zero, and the wind was howling. I hauled and tossed hay, fixed a little fence, and de-iced the water tank. I FEEL GREAT!

My conclusion? Horses, like chocolate, can be costly but are sooooo are good for you! But don’t take my word for it, take the word of scientists and researchers who have studied exactly how and why horses are good for us.

3 Ways Horses Benefit Humans

You have probably read about the use of horses as therapy for the handicapped. The benefits for people are easy to see in that situation. But horses are great for everyday horse addicts, too. Here are three ways horses benefit us humans.

#1: Horses Assist Physically Disabled Humans

You have probably heard about “hippotherapy,” which is the use of the horse’s natural movement to help physically-disabled people. Researchers at the Washington University Program in Occupational Therapy studied the effects of this kind of therapy on children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, and concluded that it works. Specifically, they proved that the rhythm of the horse’s gait “improves both head and trunk stability and upper extremity function” in these children. See? Horses are good for humans.

OK, but what about if you don’t have a physical challenge. Can you still say that horses, like chocolate, are good for you? Yup. Keep reading.

#2: Horses as Mirrors for Humans

Have you ever gone out to catch your horse in pasture only to have her run from you? After 45 minutes of chasing your horse while soothingly murmuring, “Come here, you little #$**&@!,” did you suddenly realize that you started out in a bad mood? Have you ever busted out laughing after realizing this? Your horse, who sensed your mood immediately (probably before you ever opened the pasture gate), wanted nothing to do with your “bad vibe,” and ran.

If you are a student of the Law of Attraction, then you know that the happier you feel, the better your life works. By showing you that you’ve got a bad vibe going, your horse is doing you a favor. And by persisting in not being caught, even though you are cussing her out (in a soothing tone of voice, of course), your horse really tries to reflect your state of being back to you. That’s a big favor… how many humans do you know would do you this kind of favor while you’re cussing them out?

Many addiction rehab places are now using horses as therapy for this very reason. Members of the program are asked to enter an arena with a halter and catch a loose horse. The horse mirrors the person’s attitude and vibration by walking away, turning his back, or allowing himself to be caught. Many times the person can’t catch the horse at all, and the event becomes a starting point for discussing the person’s way of approaching another being, and so forth.

So horses tell us when we have a lousy vibe in no uncertain terms. I ask you: would you rather have your horse tell you this or pay a shrink to tell you this? I’ll take a view of my horse’s butt speeding off into the sunset any day!

#3: Horse Care and the Cortisol Connection

You have probably heard about the negative effects of cortisol on our physical health. Cortisol is a hormone released in our bodies when we are stressed, and it increases blood sugar and blood pressure. Back in the cave man days, cortisol was what allowed the “fight or flight” reflex to occur, so that we could escape from predators.

These days, we get flooded with cortisol just by living life. Studies have shown that our everyday lives are truly that stressful. That’s a bummer because studies show that this hormone breaks down muscle tissue, compromises immunity, and plays a role in many chronic health conditions. Oh yes, it can also make you fat!

The good news? If you personally take care of your horse everyday, meaning you lug bales of hay around or muck out your horse’s pen, you are reducing the levels of cortisol in your body. Scientific studies demonstrate that exercise decreases cortisol in the body produced by stress.

So see? Your horse is truly physically beneficial to your health. It’s a scientific fact!

Horses Just Make Us Happy

At the end of the day, horses just make us happy. There’s really no need to explain it… and in fact explaining it takes away from the joy of it, in some ways. One of the better known aphorisms of the esoteric philosopher Gurdjieff may explain it best:

“Practice love on animals first; they react better and more sensitively.”

The human world is often complicated and fraught with multiple conflicting motivations. Horses are deeply sensitive and yet very direct. When I practice love on horses (or dogs or cats) I am immediately rewarded. I am made happy. I am blessed with inner peace.

So whether there is wind or ice or snow or sleet, I’ll be out there with my horses, throwing hay over the fence (and having it blown right back at me), de-icing water tanks, and generally having a great time. It costs a bundle to care for my horses, but they ARE truly good and good for me. You agree?

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Stephanie Yeh is a zen cowgirl obsessed about horses, healing, natural remedies, herbs, magic, MLM, and more. Check out natural horse care tips, ways to fund your horse obsession, natural health products, and more on her blog ( http://zencowgirl.blogspot.com ). Get her free ebook for wacky humans and horses, and order XanGo mangosteen products on her website ( http://www.mangosteengood.com ).

Author: Stephanie H. Yeh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I have a beginner horse and i want to be able to do extensions and collections within each gait. How do i do this? what should i be doing to work my horse up to this? i know it will take time and patience, and im commited to that. but i need help training my horse on my own. i cant afford a trainer, so i am my own horses trainer.

When the judges are listening to your music, what are they listening for? One of the most frequently asked questions I get is, “How do the judges evaluate my music?” I’m going to go over the guidelines that are given to the judges so you can be on the same page as they are. There are four categories that the judges must consider when listening to and watching your freestyle. They are:

1. Suitability
2. Cohesiveness
3. Editing
4. Phrasing and dynamics

Let’s go over them one by one.

1. Suitability – The actual definition in the USDF rulebook says, “The music matches and expresses the horse and the gaits.”

What does this mean? “Matching the gaits” means that the music tempo or beats per minute (BPM) is the same as your horse’s down beat in the foot fall pattern of the walk, trot, and canter. (For the upper levels, it must also match piaffe and passage.)

The downbeat of the measure (the one you tap your toe to) should match the down beat of your horse’s gait. For example, in the canter the main down beat of the right lead would be the third beat, when the right front hits the ground. If the judge can tap his toe to the music and it matches when the right front foot is hitting the ground in the right lead, then the tempo matches your horse’s gait.

Matching your horse’s “expression” can be a bit more subjective although it’s very obvious when it does NOT match. If you’re riding a big springy warmblood, then cute circus music is not appropriate. On the flip side, a smaller, more average mover would look even more average if he had a large piece of music. Large music may draw wrong expectations from the judges because of the depth of the music. Bigger music is not always better.

2. Cohesiveness is defined in the rulebook as, “Music that is linked by genre, theme or orchestration.” This means that the judges should easily be able to hear the connection between the pieces of music.

The music should sound as if it were one piece for all the selected gaits. The link could be music of the same genre, like jazz or rock and roll, or the same instrument could be featured throughout the piece.

The link could also be music from TV shows, or a movie series. In any case, the connection of the music should be obvious to more than just you. You may think that the connection is apparent, but ask a few friends if they “get it” before you finalize your selection of music.

3. Editing is defined as “Music that has a smooth flow; there are no abrasive cuts, transition or fades.” If you can hear a cut or clip in a piece of music, it’s not a good edit.

Remember that music has phrases. You should never cut or edit a piece of music in the middle of a phrase. It would be like leaving off the end of a sentence. You’d leave the judges hanging.

Imperceptible edits are seamless. Elements that play an important role in a good edit are pitch, key, and where the beats are in the measure.

4. Phrasing and dynamics-Phrasing is defined as “The way sequences of notes are grouped together to form units of melody; the expression of musical sentences.”

This means that a line of notes or measures are grouped together with a clear beginning and end, like a sentence. You should almost feel like taking a breath at the end of a musical phrase much like you would at the end of a sentence.

Dynamics are the variations of the intensity of sound such as the changes in volume and intensity that would help define a change in a movement. For example, going from working trot to a lengthening, or a collected trot to half pass would be more enhanced with a clear, dynamic musical change.

The judges don’t want to guess when your lengthening was supposed to start. They want to hear a clear change in the music, volume, or intensity.

Hope this helps get you on the same “page” as the judges!

Ruth Hogan Poulsen

http://www.Ruthhoganpoulsen.com

Ruth@Ruthhoganpoulsen.com

Author: Ruth Hogan Poulsen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Learning to ride a horse isn’t easy. There are so many things that you need to remember and they aren’t always related to the horse. Always ensure that you have the correct clothing and a helmet that fits properly before you start. Then you are ready to continue with the rest.

How to correctly mount a horse

When the bridle and saddle have been correctly fitted and double-checked, stand to the left of the horse. Place your left foot in the stirrup, and grasp the withers (mane), not the saddle as this will cause it to slide. Then keeping both of your hands on the front of the horse or on the cantle (back) of the saddle, push up and swing your right leg over the back of the horse, being careful not to kick the horse, so that you seat yourself comfortably in the saddle. When comfortable, reassess your grip on the reigns and hang both your legs down near the stirrups. Make sure they are at the correct length by having the stirrup reach your ankle. Then you should be able to just slide your feet into the stirrup whilst your foot is raised a few inches. Remember that it important that you are balanced to the horse, not them to you.

Now you are sitting comfortably… Keep your upper back straight and lower back relaxed. Sit tall in the saddle. Always look ahead so that you can see for anything that might spook your horse. Take one rein in each hand; left rein in the left hand, right rein in the right hand. Tuck the reins under all four fingers, with the reins going in under the little fingers. Always hold the reins in place with your thumbs against your forefingers with your thumbs up, palms down and each hand as wide apart as the neck of the horse with them just in front of the saddle and above of the horse. To let more rein in, slide it through by lifting your thumbs. Shorten them by using the opposite hand to take up extra length.

Starting to ride your horse

To start the horse off with a slow walk – the first gait – squeeze your lower legs. After a few minutes stop and check the girth. If you can feel more than one hand under and between the girth and the horse, then you must tighten it. Carry on walking, keeping your heels down, back straight and chin up. You should be able to draw a straight line from the heel to the shoulders. Pull slightly on the reigns so as to turn the horses head enabling you to turn. When you need to stop, simply pull back on the reins and sit deep into the saddle; sometimes you may need to lean back, then relax the reigns and praise your horse. Always release the reins when you stop as this will praise and reward your horse; also they might pull if you don’t. Horses can jerk short reins out of your hands, so try to make them long. Practice these basic moves until you and the horse are comfortable with it all.

When you are both ready, try trotting – the second gait. Again, squeeze the horse with your legs and the horse will start to move faster. With a trot, you need to learn how to rise and sit with the trot of the horse. You will need to rise and sit with the movement of the horse without bumping. This takes a bit of getting used to, and you will be using muscles which you may not be used to using! Thinking “lift, sit, lift, sit” in time to the rhythm will help you with this. Try not to sit too heavily as you may unsteady the horse. When you wish to slow down, sit deep in the saddle and pull back slightly on the reins. Again practice this until you are comfortable with the movements. When you are happy, trying turning and stopping from a trot.

Cantering is the next step – the third gait. This is often only managed after weeks of trotting. To ask for canter, squeeze your outside leg while having it back a bit and then squeeze with your inside leg. It’s sometimes best to sit trot and then ask, so you are sitting ready for the canter. This means that you should sitting back slightly; when you feel you’re sitting back, you’re about right. Whilst in a canter, you should be rocking forward backward, with your bottom slightly off the saddle. Again, keep on practicing this as this will take longer to grasp. Ensure you are wary of your posture and heels as you practice; back on your heels and rocked forward but straight with your body.

After mastering the canter, you can move on to a gallop – this is the fastest gait. Again squeeze your calves as you have before, but you must be in a canter. As with the canter you should be sitting slightly forward in the saddle, with bottom off the saddle. It is always advisable to ensure that you are fully confident and well-practiced with each gait before you move on to the faster gait.

When dismounting your horse, swing your right leg over to the back of the horse. Stay balanced with a good grip on the saddle so you don’t slip. Then lower yourself down from the left side, you should try to put both your legs down at the same time, keeping your knees slightly bent to absorb the weight.

Other helpful horse hints

Get to know your horse. Always ensure that you approach him carefully from the front or side; touching him and talking to him, thus avoiding spooking him and being hurt by a kick. Then move towards his shoulder, so he knows you’re coming closer.

If you are new to a horse, or riding, always make sure that you have had proper rider training before you attempt anything on your own. Try to avoid riding alone; never ride alone if you are a beginner.

Even though it will be a shock and could very possibly hurt when you fall off, try to get straight back on.

Never kneel or sit by a horse; if you are tending to them, always make sure that you are positioned so that you can jump aside quickly if need be.

Make sure that you are comfortable on the horse that you are riding; they will be nervous too if they sense that you are uneasy.

Never yank the bit, as this will hurt the horse and distress him. If you handle it carefully, he will be more relaxed and easier to ride.

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Author: Stephanie Andrew
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I often hear riders at the basic levels say that their dressage horses are collected. I assume they’re confused and are actually talking about connection as opposed to collection.

But since I run across this confusion a lot, I want to take some time to explain how to evaluate whether or not a horse is collected.

Many people think that when a horse is collected, he just takes shorter, slower steps. But you can shorten a horse’s strides without actually collecting him.

Think about three things in terms of collecting any gait.

1. The steps are shortened, but the rhythm and tempo stay the same as they were when the steps were longer.

2. The center of gravity must shift back toward the hind legs. That is, there is a loading of the hind legs. In nature, a horse has approximately 60% of his weight on his front legs and 40% on his hind legs. As you collect the horse, you gradually shift that center of gravity back to the hind legs. As a result, the horse begins to take more weight on the hind legs so his forehead can be lighter and freer.

3. When a horse is collected he bends the joints of his hind legs. As a result, his croup lowers and his forehand elevates. Look at the top of his withers and compare it to the top of his croup. In this balance, he’ll have the silhouette or outline of an airplane taking off, or a seesaw where one end is pushed down and the other end goes up.

It’s very important you don’t get fooled into thinking that a horse with a high head and neck carriage is necessarily collected. That’s because if the horse is “hand-ridden”, the rider can lift his head and neck up. But if the rider does this, the withers will stay low. And if the withers are low and the croup is high, there is no collection.

So when you evaluate whether or not a dressage horse is truly collected think about those three things–a shortening of the frame, a loading of the hind legs, and the relative height of the top of the withers to the top of the croup.

Are you sick and tired of complicated and confusing training techniques?
Are you frustrated by negative emotions like fear and lack of confidence?v Would you like to be trained by a Three Time Olympic Coach?
Learn how by going to: http://www.janesavoie.com/ or http://www.dressagementor.com

Author: Jane Savoie
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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