Posts Tagged ‘Gelding’

In shopping for a horse there are a few basic rules to meet success. Do yourself a favor and read this guideline if you want a smooth transition into your next purchase of an equine. All buyers interested in horses are interested for different reasons. The most important thing you can do for yourself is know yourself. Knowing yourself will ultimately lead you to understand what you need to aim for in finding the “right” horse. For instance, if you have never owned a horse before don’t buy a untrained horse or a young one for that matter. The market right now is such that you can find a well broke experienced horse for a good price. Also understand a horse will not train you, you need to find someone to help you learn how to become a good rider and a responsible horse owner. A well trained horse makes this transition a lot smoother if your new at being a horse owner.

Here are some steps to go by.

1) Figure out exactly what you want in a horse. Figure out the breed your aiming for, the level of training you want them to have, their age, their past experience, mare or gelding, and what you want to do in the future with this companion. If you are buying your ten year old daughter a pony will the pony still fit her in four years? Will she be able to compete with her like friends when they all have quarter horses? What is in her best interest now and in the future.

2) Start looking around to see what meets this description. Look locally, look on the Internet, ask a local barn that specializing in your area of interests.

3) Once you find a prospect start asking questions. Lots of questions. Past history, vet check-ups, how they do in a trailer, how do they respond to a bath and most importantly how often is this horse worked with? How do they respond to vaccines? What do they feed him or her? Are they in a pasture, a stall, a horse facility. What do they do when they are in a stressful situation? Bring a friend that is horse savvy with you. This is important, because it will give you a different perspective.

4) Make the owner ride the horse first and watch how the horse responds and how the owner complies with the horse. Ask the owner of the horse to load the horse in the trailer just to see how the horse responds. Pick up the horses feet. Lead the horse around at a jog to see how they respond. Then if your comfortable take a ride yourself, but wear a helmet. Have a friend video tape it and if your concerned about anything take the tape to a respected trainer and ask them what they see. Suggestions they might have?

5) Ask for vet check. It is worth the investment. If you buy a horse and it ends up lame in a week your “new” horse won’t be worth as much as you paid for it. Also it will allow you to see if the previous owner has been up to date on teeth floating, trimming, ect. It will also give you a little time to really think about the decision your about ready to make. If the horse passes with flying colors I would recommend having the vet back out to give the horse it’s vaccines and worming it before it’s transported. You will be responsible for the bill so be prepared for that.

6) Ask the owner of the horse if they have sold any other horses in the two years. If they have get the name of the buyer and call them to see if their transaction was positive. Ask if the owner was honest about the horse.

7) If everything lines up then this is the one. I might wait a few weeks to make sure the vaccine becomes active and then it’s time for safe transport.

Prior to pick up ask if the horse comes with anything. A records book? A halter (do you need to bring your own), a blanket, anything? So you are prepared when it’s time to pick the horse up.

9) Once your horse has been purchased. Ask for all their vet records. If their vet has them ask for a waver so you can access them today and in the future.

10) Have the owner fill out a bill of sale and get a signature and date. Head on down the road. You got yourself a pony!

Understand that you can not predict everything when you buy a horse. That you can only do as much as you can to ensure that you made the most knowledgeable decision possible.

Fiona Stone of StoneRidge Farms

[http://stoneridgefarms.org]

Author: Fiona Stone
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Digital TV, HDTV, Satellite TV

In the winter, all the horses stay up close to the barn in their pasture. But in the summer, they have hundreds of acres to roam and I know my new gelding will be all over it. I don’t want to have to walk over creeks and streams just to get to him. And I may not even find him- they even have little forests and such. My trainer has a horse that knows how to come when called, but she bought her that way. Plus, my trainer is on vacation right now.

Anybody have any tips?

We all have those visions in our heads of the perfect horse. Maybe it’s a 16-hand palomino mare with a snip and two socks and a beautiful, wavy blond mane and tail. Maybe it’s a well-muscled solid black gelding with just the smallest of stars . . .

So why don’t we ever end up with it? Well, probably for good reason. Is it possible to find the perfect horse for you? You can certainly get darn close. But will he look like the vision you’ve carried in your head since childhood? Doubtful. If you want to find the right horse for you, you are going to have to do a lot more than go on looks alone.

Finding the right horse is hard. There are lots of horses out there for sale, and it’s not always easy to determine that a horse will fit your needs in the limited amount of time you spend considering him. However, if you follow a few simple rules you can make sure that the horse you end up buying is the right horse for you.

o Deal only with reputable sellers. Ask friends, family, and fellow riders for recommendations of good sellers to deal with. An honest, reliable seller will make a considerable difference in your horse buying experience.

o Determine your discipline. No matter how much you love the leggy Thoroughbred you saw last week, if your discipline of choice is barrel racing he might not be the best choice. Know what type of conformation and attitude suits the discipline you enjoy, and look only at like horses.

o Know your strengths and weaknesses. Your horse should make up for your deficiencies, and you should make up for his. For example, if you are a beginner rider, you are going to need an expert horse to show you the ropes. But if you are an expert rider, you might enjoy working with a green horse. Don’t forget to consider personality as well. If you are a timid rider, for example, you will do much better with a confident horse.

o Enlist the help of a knowledgeable friend. Sometimes you get so caught up one aspect of a horse–say his bloodlines–that you can’t see past it. A knowledgeable horse person–a friend, instructor, or trainer–will notice things that you don’t. It never hurts to have a few pair of eyes look a potential horse over.

o Ask lots of questions. Make a list of questions about behavior, performance, and health, and bring them with you when you visit the barn. If the owner declines to answer a question, consider it a red flag!

o Handle the horse yourself. Ask if you can groom the horse, handle him in crossties, load him on a trailer, or anything else you see yourself doing with the horse on a regular basis. Never buy a horse without knowing that you are comfortable handling him.

o Ask to see the horse ridden. Have the owner or trainer ride the horse before you do. That way you will be able to better gauge his performance level and potential.

o Take the horse for a test ride. You’ll want to do this at least once, preferably two or three times, to determine whether you like the way the horse goes. If you are an inexperienced rider having your trainer or riding instructor ride the horse will also give you a good sense of what your horse is capable of.

o Have the horse vet checked. If you love the horse and want to buy him, make sure that your contract stipulates that the horse must pass a vet check in order for the sale to be final.

o Ask the seller about a trial period. Some sellers, particularly those who are concerned that their horses go to the right buyers, allow a horse to be returned within a specific number of days if things don’t work out.

Good luck finding the perfect horse! And check out the great resources below for more information on equine information.

Hope that Helps..

Ron Petracek – Raised in southern Idaho, Ron loves horses and the outdoors. If you would like to join in and learn from the vast resources at our equine forum please visit http://www.horsechitchat.com Looking to buy sell or trade something equine realted? Just visit our huge network and get 12 sites for Free! Click here => http://www.Click4equine.com

Author: Ron Petracek
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Digital Camera Information

I am interested in insuring my horse and was wondering if there was a specific company I should use and about how much it would cost. I live in So Cal, so I would need a company that covers that area. My horse is 16, a Warmblood gelding, and I use him for pleasure and am starting to learn dressage on him. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

There are great pleasures in owning horses and there are some not so pleasant chores that need to be done. Some people opt to have their veterinarians handle the chore of sheath/udder cleaning, which is fine. However, you need to make sure your horse is taught to accept the cleaning process before the vet arrives. Most mare owners decide to take on udder cleaning themselves, as udders are simple to maintain. Alternately, gelding owners can have a more daunting task.

You may want the veterinarian to start you out or at least give you guidelines on sheath cleaning such as the frequency, best cleanser to use or tricks he may have to make this job and maintenance between cleanings easier. If you wonder about the importance of such a task, I have heard stories of horses that have gotten urinary infections, maggot infestations, and sheath infections from neglect. Therefore, it may seem tedious, but it can save you a lot of real agony if you let it go unchecked.

If you have already tried this task to no avail then try these exercises to get your horse accepting the procedure. You will want to take your horse to an enclosed area, such as a round pen or arena. You can stay in his stall if it is free of any protrusions that your horse could get hurt on. What you are going to do is sack out your horse with your hand. You can do this with the halter on if you feel you have enough control or a bridle with a full cheek snaffle and continuous rope reins if you need more control.

Start by approaching your horse and rubbing his face and then walk away making a ‘V’ shape in front of him. Turn back around and have your horse take at least one step toward you. Continue this approach and retreat technique continuing down your horses’ sides. When you get to and beyond the horse’s shoulder, you should keep the horse’s head facing the same side you are on. This way if the horse tries to kick you can bring his nose toward you with the lead rope or rein and that will take his hip away from you. Alternate sides and go over every inch of your horses’ body, saving the problem area for last. Always keep yourself in a safe position to avoid being kicked if your horse should have a strong reaction.

If you find other places your horse is not comfortable with you touching, you will want to stay working on that point until he is. You will run your hand over the area as quickly as you can without frightening the horse, but fast enough that your hand is gone before the horse reacts. Then you will gradually slow your hand down on each approach until the horse is good with your hand resting on the spot. If you cannot get to the spot then run your hand to the point you think he will leave and take your hand off just before that. Then gradually get closer each approach.

When your horse is comfortable with being touched everywhere but the sheath/udder area, you are ready to start working this area. You will treat it the same way as you did the rest of the horse but with extreme caution as you will be an easy target for kicking. If your horse is a bad kicker, you will want to work on more exercises that address the kicking before continuing with this exercise.

We will start on the left side of the horse. You will take the rein/lead in your left hand and as much as possible, keep your body by the horse’s shoulder as if to mount. This will keep you the safest if the horse decides to kick out to the side. You will bring your horses’ head as much to the left with the left hand as you can without the horse stepping to the right with its hip. You will then take your right hand, begin sacking out the belly area, and work back to the sheath/udder. Do not try to leave your hand there if the horse is not comfortable. Do as before and take your hand away before the horse reacts and slowly build up the amount of time you leave your hand at the sheath/udder.

When the horse is comfortable with your hand, you can introduce the water. Make sure it is warm water to start; we do not want to surprise the horse with cold water at this point. If you will be using gloves and sponge, introduce these as you did your hand. Never assume the horse will be good with them because he was good with your hand. Always keep yourself in a safe position when introducing something new. For the sheath, you will want to introduce the water to the inside and outside of the sheath. Some horses will be fine until you try to clean the inside so be sure to keep the horses’ head to the side you are on and keep yourself up by the shoulder as much as possible.

When the horse is comfortable with being touched in this area by water and your hand, you can either continue and complete the washing lessons or leave the rest to the veterinarian. If you choose to clean your horses’ sheath, it may be a good idea to have your vet go over all the details and possibly show you how to get the sheath completely clean.

When the horse accepts the water, you can introduce the cleanser. Again, do not just dive in; only do as much at one time as the horse is comfortable with adding a little more each time. As soon as your horse understands you are not going to hurt him, he should relax. There are many good sheath-cleaning products on the market or you can simply cover your gloved hand with baby oil and slowly work your way into the sheath applying the oil liberally as you go. The baby oil will help loosen any caked on dirt and debris and can be left without washing off. Alternatively, you can allow it to set for a few minutes then use a bucket of warm water and sheath cleaner to wash it out. Then get a bucket or hose with warm water and rinse it well. Be sure to purchase a cleanser that will not irritate the horse if you cannot get it completely rinsed.

Whether you take on the task yourself or call the veterinarian, it is you responsibility to learn how often your horse needs to be cleaned. Each horse is different but try to have it done at least four times a year; some need it done once a month. If you will provide your horse with this service you will not only add to his comfort and health, you will also have a happier partner.

Jodi Wilson is a recognized authority on the subject of horse training and has spent almost 30 years developing training techniques and solutions for horse owners no matter the discipline or breed.

Jodi is an Accredited Josh Lyons trainer, and is Certified in John Lyons training techniques. Her website, http://Jodi-Wilson.com, provides a wealth of information to improve the relationship between horse and rider. Jodi is also available for clinics and demonstrations as well as lessons, apprenticeships, and horse training.

Jodi has trained and competed in Reining, Sorting, Jumping, Dressage, English and Western Pleasure, Trail and Problem Solving.

Author: Jodi M Wilson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: PCB Prototype & Manufacturing

Do you think your horse is broke?

Think again.

The majority of people who think their horses are well-trained, or broke, are correct until they take their horse into a new environment. Then all the fun starts: the bucking, rearing, shying, and general mayhem. Then they know that their horses aren’t really broke.

My Horse Ain’t Broke!

I used to think my veteran jumper gelding, Marcus, was broke. After all, I had successfully campaigned him at all kinds of shows, he had won Championships up to the 4’9″ Preliminary Jumper Division, and he was in full training all the time.

Then I moved out the country, met some cowboys, and went riding with them. Ouch! The illusion that my horse was broke fell apart immediately. He couldn’t side pass to open a gate; he was afraid of cows, goats, and llamas; and he couldn’t figure out where to put his feet when climbing a steep hill. He basically freaked out. Nope, Marcus wasn’t broke.

How to Avoid Being Boxed In By Your Routine

Riding with the cowboys, team penners, and ropers, I quickly learned that a well-broke horse is one who pays attention to you, understands your signals, and attempts to do what you ask — all without freaking out. I know (some) team penners who can have their horse cut a cow out of the herd, and then turn around and take that same horse over a jumper course. In between, they can also navigate a trail course at an open show and score pretty well. They have well-broke horses.

Now how do they do that? By watching closely I’ve figured out that they do their horse training mostly in the form of “on the job” training. For instance, try to teach a horse to side pass as an isolated exercise and you might get a lot of objections, but teach a horse to side pass while opening and shutting a gate, and you’ll get a lot more cooperation. The same goes for working the obstacles on a trail course. The reason the cowboy horses have no problem negotiating a trail course is that they are used to navigating around and over fallen logs on a mountain trail, crossing fast-moving streams, and dragging reluctant steers, all while pushing a herd of cows in front of them. When a horse has a job he likes, he’s willing to learn almost anything to do that job well, and that’s why cowboy horses are so well-broke.

Some Horse Training Exercises to Get You Out of the Box

If you don’t have cows at your disposal, don’t fret. You can still do a lot of exercises that will result in a well-broke horse. Here are some simple exercises to help you break up your horse-training routine and to teach your horse some new moves:

1. Working a Gate

Opening, walking through, and shutting a gate teaches your horse to move laterally to snug up next to the gate. It also teaches him not to be afraid of gates touching him, especially on his hindquarters (many horses are spooky about this). He will also learn to take one step at a time, in whichever direction you ask, and to stand still while you unlatch and latch the gate. There’s a world of training in working a gate.

2. Drag a Log

Tie a log to a long rope or lariat, and drag the log behind you. This teaches your horse to not spook at people or objects coming up behind him, and teaches him to pull objects at your command. Many horses find this exercise frightening at first, so you may need to lead your horse from the ground the first few times so you maintain control. Teach your horse to drag the log while walking forward and backward.

3. Maintain the Same Gait on Trail

This exercise has to be done with two riders. Proceed along the trail at a walk. Then, keeping your horse at a walk, have the other person move forward at a trot or lope, leaving you and your horse behind. Your focus is to keep your horse calm and collected at the walk. Many horses will want to catch up to the other horse, or will rear, bolt, spook, or buck if not allowed to run with the other horse. To keep your horse calm and in control, you may need to turn him in small circles (called a curl), which prevents him from doing any of these naughty behaviors. You can also try walking him in the opposite direction until he is calm. This teaches your horse that no amount of naughty activity will get him closer to the other horse, so he will eventually learn to just walk.

There are tons more of these simple exercises to help you break out of your horse training routine, but these should get you started, The beauty of these kinds of exercises is that you don’t need a lot of equipment or special training. You just have to have the willingness to play around with some new exercises, and most of all, enjoy the process. Don’t get mad doing any of these exercises because that won’t help. Stay patient and slow, so your horse can learn without stress. This will be totally new and different for many horses, so remember to take it slow.

What about you? Got any great “out of the box” horse training exercises to share? If so, check out the resource box below and share on my blog.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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 ) and order XanGo mangosteen products on her website ( http://www.mangosteengood.com ).

Author: Stephanie H. Yeh
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: WordPress plugin Guest Blogger

Some general pointers on choosing your first horse

Geldings generally have the most consistent behavior. They are generally the most even tempered and pleasant natured. Not every gelding will be like this, it’s that the odds are greatest that a gelding will be consistently good natured.
Mares, go in and out of “heat”. They have hormone cycles. This may or may not affect a mare’s behavior and temperament. Some mares are even tempered. Some can be Jekyll and Hyde. Be aware of this and ask the owner.
Stallions are not suitable for anyone other than experienced horse people. A beginner should not even consider one. End of story.

On the age of your horse, young horses or inexperienced older horses are not suitable for a beginner. Your ideal steed will be at least 5 and have been well handled and trained. You are after a horse who has maturity, who is familiar with the world of humans. A horse in his late teens or early twenties has plenty of maturity and would be a great first horse.

Of course, you are after a sound, healthy and pleasant natured animal. If the horse has a health issue, consider how this will affect the riding you want to do before deciding yay or nay. If the horse has a cranky temperament, it is not suitable for a beginner. Living in fear of being nipped or kicked by your first horse will destroy your confidence and your horsey dream, as well as being a physically dangerous situation.

Cover the basics

First of all, let’s go through some questions to find out what you’re after and what’s most suitable.

At what level are your horse and riding skills? It is a huge mistake, as a beginner, to purchase a horse that is beyond your current ability. It is far safer and easier to grow out of a horse than into one. You want a horse that you can ride now, based on your current level of skill.

Untrained, lightly trained, lightly handled or ‘green broke’ horses are often cheaper. There’s a reason for that. It’s because they need work, an experienced hand and time. They aren’t as predictable or reliable. The training required can take months or even a few years (think $$) and can lead to a dangerous horse if not done right (by a beginner).

What you pay for with an experienced horse is the training that has gone into the animal and the world experience and familiarity the horse has with human ways. It IS worth it for a first horse.
And please remember that if a horse is to be ridden by more than one person, look for a horse that will be suitable for the lowest skilled person.

Next question, is this a child’s horse or an adult’s? The answer will determine a suitable size for you to be comfortable on and build to carry your weight. A horse for both children and adults will need to be small enough for the kids to be comfortable, while tall and strong enough to carry an adult easily.

Now what sort of riding do you want to do? Is this a work horse? A show horse? A serious or fun competition horse? A jumper, barrel racer or endurance ride? Or a trail & leisure horse? Do you want to do dressage? The reason for answering this question is that it will help you focus the temperament, skills and confirmation you require from your horse. And perhaps a suitable breed.

There is no right or wrong breed of horse for a particular genre of horse sports in terms of suitability. It is dependent on the individual animal. Some types of competition are restricted to a particular breed. ie horse racing is restricted to thoroughbreds. There aren’t many of these, but find out beforehand.

Having said that, some breeds TEND to be particularly suitable for particular sports as they have been bred to excel in these. For instance, warmbloods and dressage, quarter horse and barrel racing, arabian and endurance riding. This does not exclude other breeds from excelling. Confirmation (the shape and way a horse is put together) will determine what horse will be good at what activity. A good endurance horse is built differently to a good dressage horse, for instance. There is no need to purchase a purebred or discount one breed over another. Find out what is important in a horse for your chosen discipline and look for a horse with those qualities. This is where your expert friend will help sort a suitable horse from one that just won’t do. If you don’t have a specialised sport in mind, any sound, healthy, quiet, gentle natured, well trained horse will do.

As far as a ‘good’ breed for a beginner goes, there is no right or wrong. The individual temperament of the horse and the training it has received are more important factors than it’s pedigree or papers.

Author: Phil Tragear
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: US Dollar credit card

So, your little girl has been taking riding lessons for a year now and
(surprise) she wants her own pony. Heres how to begin.

First, talk to your childs trainer. He or she may have an experienced
lesson horse they would be willing to lease to you. Thats a good way to
get your feet wet before you commit to the full-time obligation of caring
for your own pony. Leasing arrangements vary, but usually you pay a
monthly fee for riding privileges any time you want, as if it were your
pony. You can ride, train and show the pony. You may also have to pay
for farrier services (usually a hoof trim and/or reset shoes every six
weeks), periodic de-worming and veterinary services.

If you cant find a suitable leasing arrangement and are still interested in
owning a pony, here are some tips and things to consider along the
way.

1. What age do you want your pony or horse? An ideal age for a
beginner rider horse is 10. You can go a little younger, if you want, but a
well-trained 10-year-old horse has already experienced a lot of life. He
probably wont be as frisky as a younger horse and will be less likely to
spook or act unpredictably. You are looking for a “bomb-proof” horse,
especially for your childs first mount. Ten years old is great, as well,
because as your child grows, the horse will have many healthy years
ahead of him for riding and showing.

2. What gender should your pony be? Common experience tells us that
geldings are the best beginner mount, however, some mares can be
excellent babysitters as well. The main drawback to a mare is that some
get moody during their monthly cycles, and can even nip or kick. The
other consideration is if you are ever going to have additional horses
and plan to turn them out in a pasture together, its better not to have
one mare and several geldings. Even though they are gelded, the males
will still want to fight over the mare. You can avoid that headache by
sticking with geldings. However, if you plan to always keep your horse in
a stall in a stable with individual turnout, a mare can work out fine. Of
course, a first-time owner should never buy a stallion.

3. Do you want a horse or pony? A small horse may be a better option
than a pony for several reasons. First, your little one is going to grow up
and may be faced in the future with having to sell her beloved pony
because she’s outgrown him or her.

Second, horses are a little easier to care for. Ponies are famous for
foundering, a condition that occurs especially when a pony overeats rich
grass. The safest bet for a pony is to never let him eat grass. Feed hay, a
little grain and turn him out on dirt. Horses can founder as well, but not
as easily as ponies.

If you have a pasture-only boarding situation, opt for a horse, not a pony.
Some stables, however, have many ponies they turn out together on dirt.
If your barn is set up to care properly for a pony, go ahead, if not, stick
with a horse.

3. Look in the newspaper, on the internet, ask around at horse shows or
call other trainers. Many trainers will help you find the perfect horse for a
finders fee. It can be more expensive, but well worth it in the long run to
have professional assistance. Taking along a trainer to look at a horse
with you can give you confidence as well as an expert set of eyes and
ears in the situation.

4. Once you have a prospect located, find out as much as you can about
the horse or pony. What is its training or background? Has it showed
and where? Does it have any bad habits or fears? Is it friendly toward
other horses? Does it load in a trailer and can I do it myself? Does it or
has it ever had any health problems? Why are you selling now?

5. Get a veterinarian check before you buy. This can cost up to $200, if it
includes x-rays, but it can be well worth the expense and trouble.
Coming home with a horse that immediately is lame can be a big
disappointment. Consider the possibility, too, that the current owner may
be giving the horse bute (horse aspirin) to hide lameness when you are
looking at the horse.

6. Check out the horse unannounced. Show up at the horses stables or
pasture when you are not expected. Ask to take the horse for a ride or to
trot him on the lead rope to check for problems. Unfortunately, some
people drug their horses to make them appear more calm than they
really are. Arriving unannounced helps you see the pony as he really is.

7. Get ready for expenses. Make sure you understand and budget for all
the expenses associated with owning a horse or pony. There are
monthly boarding bills, which include food and care. You may also want
to supplement your horse or pony with a hoof, coat or joint supplement.
Your horse needs its hooves trimmed or shoes reset every six weeks.
You also need an annual check from the veterinarian, which at least will
include shots, teeth floating and a coggins test. Many owners give their
horses twice yearly shots, as well as de-worming at least four times a
year.

Of course, now there are expenses for saddles, blankets, bridles, bits,
riding clothes, lessons, helmets, riding lessons and showing fees. If your
trainer will transport your horse for you, great, if not, add a horse trailer
to the list.

Finding the right horse or pony can be a long adventure. Dont be
tempted to pick one out of the paper and surprise your child with it at a
birthday party. Considering the investment on your part, you want your
child to fall in love with this animal, so his or her opinion needs to count
as well. Finding the right equine companion for your child can begin a
relationship that will last for years.

Author: Diane Samson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera News