Posts Tagged ‘Guidance’

So, you have a horse crazy child, and you are thinking about getting him or her that first horse. Whether you have experience with horses or not, finding the perfect horse for your child can be like finding a needle in the proverbial haystack. There is no shortage of horses and ponies that are advertised as “kid safe”. Unfortunately, the actual percentage of horses that are truly “kid safe” is very small. Here are some tips on finding that perfect horse or pony that will become a member of your family and take care of your precious little one.

First of all, consider the age and skills of your child. For a very young child who hasn’t had lessons in horsemanship, an older “babysitter” horse is a must. Often there is a misconception that like with puppies, young horses and children can grow up together. A young horse needs the guidance and experience of a trainer or very experienced rider. It takes many months, even years of training to teach a horse his job, and this is something well beyond the scope of an inexperienced child. A “been there, done that” type of horse is much better suited to a young or inexperienced rider.

I initially look for several things when considering a safe, kid’s horse. First of all, the temperament of the horse is crucial. Will he stand tied quietly (for hours) without getting impatient, pulling back, or jumping around? Is he calm under pressure, like loud noises, sudden movements, and being touched all over? He should be easy and safe to saddle, bridle, have his feet handled, easy to catch, and trailer load.

Then I look at his past history. What has he been used for? A horse that has had a lot of miles on him may be a good bet. If he’s been sitting in a pasture for much of his life, he doesn’t have the exposure to the many situations that an old veteran may have. I also look at his age. Not that there can’t be a great kid’s horse that is younger than 6, but it would be much less common. I don’t discount the older horses at all, even the much older horses. My daughters all learned to ride on horses that were 20 years old and older. These horses were worth their weight in gold, and they took care of my girls. In return, we gave them a loving home in their golden years with light work, good feed, and lots of love. We lost the last of these great horses at the ripe old age of 36. The criteria I mentioned before still apply to these older horses; you don’t want one that is highly spirited, and some are, even at 20+years.

Also of equal importance is the horse’s training. “Whoa” is much more important than “Go”. The horse should have a good handle, and he should be easy to stop and steer. A horse that is hard to control is not only frustrating for a child, but dangerous as well.

Then, I look at the overall condition of the horse. Does he have any lameness issues? Some very mild lameness in a kid’s horse wouldn’t necessarily be cause for me to rule him out. A veterinary inspection should be done prior to purchase to rule out any serious health issues. Lastly, and probably most importantly, your child should be comfortable with the horse and you both should feel safe with him. If possible, a trial period of a week or two would be ideal. That way, you can determine if the horse or pony is a good match for your child. I always encourage horsemanship lessons because knowledge and safety are the key to a great relationship with horses. When you find the perfect kid’s horse for your child, you will be amazed at the partnership and bond they will form together, and the peace of mind you will have knowing that your child is being taken care of by his equine friend.

Article written by Adrienne Pietrafeso. Adrienne and her husband Ron own Missing Creek Ranch Cutting Horses, raising, training and showing cutting horses with their three daughters in Colorado. Visit them at http://www.MissingCreekRanch.com

Author: Adrienne Pietrafeso
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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How do you know if your horse has a hole in his training? Does he give you any resistance when you ask him for something? That something could be moving sideways from your leg or softening his jaw to your hands or giving you nice up and down transitions. These are just several examples of basic training holes that many horses have.

It is important to know how to fix the problem, or in this case to plug the training hole. In order to correct the holes in your horse’s training, he needs to have a good foundation. That is where ground work comes in. Ground work is the foundation upon which all riding is built upon. Every discipline uses ground work to some extent. It is part of the basics your horse needs to understand to be ridden well. It is similar to school, where you can’t move on to the next grade UNTIL you pass the previous grade. In this article we will talk why it is bad to have holes in your horses training and then in later articles will go over several holes and how to fix them.

Having a horse with holes in his training is dangerous for these reasons: safety, horses monetary value deteriorates, your relationship suffers and you can’t progress in training. These are just several of the reasons why good training is important. But knowing how to fix the holes and improve your horse’s behavior is especially important to your long term relationship with your horse.

Safety is the number one most important reason why you should be able to have your horse’s attention on you at all times. Your horse needs to be able to respect you and look to you for guidance. Especially in a situation where you are around other people and horses. Horses can be very dangerous without intending to be dangerous. They weight roughly 1000 pounds, and we as people weigh a fraction of that. Horses consider us part of their “herds” and don’t realize that we are not the same size. So for the safety of us, and everyone around us it is your number one priority to always be in “control” of your horse. Otherwise someone else can be injured or worse.

Another reason to fix your horse’s training is because monetary value declines. A trained horse has a higher value than an untrained horse. And a horse that has training issues is worth even less. Invest your time and effort in the best training you can do for your horse. Not only will it improve his monetary value, but you will also improve your relationship with him. This will in turn increase your level of satisfaction and fulfillment.

Another aspect of your horse having holes in his training is your relationship with him will deteriorate. If your horse has poor training that includes large holes, you will be less inclined to spend time with him. Which will in turn decrease your level of satisfaction. This can also cause you to be afraid of your horse, as well as teach him many bad habits. Reinforcing the bad habit also erodes the relationship you have with your horse, as well as deteriorates any respect he may have for you. As the respect declines so will his behavior. And this goes back to the safety paragraph. Anytime we handle a horse we are training it; you are either reinforcing good habits or bad habits. When you reinforce all of the good habits, everyone will be happier.

The last reason that I will discuss here is moving forward with his training. When you have holes in the training you can’t move beyond the hole. For example, if your horse does not perform trot transitions well, then how can you move on to the canter or any more difficult training? The trot transitions need to be fixed before you move on to higher levels of training. Otherwise, at some point your foundation will crumble and the horse will start having issues because he doesn’t understand what you are asking for. You don’t want your horse to start having issues, as this is dangerous. This is when your horse can inadvertently injure someone or himself.

All in all, you need to have a solid base of groundwork in order to move up in training. This is what allows you to teach your horse more difficult training. By having solid ground work training you can always go back to it if your horse has a hard time understanding more difficult work. It will benefit you and your horse for many years to come, and should not be skimped on.

Editor’s Note: Based in Sugar Grove, Sara McKiness is a Certified Horse Trainer who helps riders improve their communication with horses without punishment. She graduated valedictorian from Meredith Manor International Equestrian Center (MMIEC) where she majored in teaching and training, and minored in Farrier Science.

Questions or comments can be sent to sara @ horselogic.net

Horse Logic 2010

Classical Dressage, Western, and Hunt Seat Lessons. Come ride exceptional & experienced lesson horses. Based in Sugar Grove IL with travel to your facility available. Learn better communication with your horse and build your relationship. Fully insured with over 18 years riding experience. Contact Sara for more information 630-631-2746

Sara McKiness
Horse Logic
St. Charles, IL
630-631-2746
sara@horselogic.net
http://www.horselogic.net

Author: Sara McKiness
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Guest blogger

Dressage is the be all and end all of every single event that a competition horse will ever learn to compete in. Considered as the backbone and sole training and guidance technique for the proper suppleness, intelligence, conditioning, and mental awareness of the horse, a dressage routine can rarely be perfected, for this is in the eye of the beholder. The elements and teachings of this art form are evident in everything that makes horse and rider a fluid unit, however, and the competitions based around this discipline are bewilderingly awesome. There are two stages of the dressage discipline played out during the FEI World Equestrian Games, the first being a Grand Prix style exhibit which is stringently patterned and 5 minutes in length per horse and rider team.

During this phase of the competition, one horse and rider team is allowed in the enclosed performance arena at a time. Beginning in the middle of the arena, directly facing the judges, the team will begin a series of precise and technically superior movements which have been predetermined for the event and cannot be altered or changed in any way. The fluid communication between horse and rider should seem motionless, effortless, and seamless during all points of the exercise.

Flying lead changes, pirouettes, and passage are all to be performed flawlessly with seemingly no direction from the rider. To the audience, the horse seems to be dancing about beautifully with no help or guidance at all. In actuality, the rider is expertly controlling the horse through weight shifting, knee pressure, and slight heel directions. At no time should the riders heel come into contact with the horse during this or any dressage exercise. Once the Grand Prix event has been completed and judged, the leaders are entered into the freestyle dressage ring for the ultimate dancing show.

Set to music and choreographed by the rider and or trainer, the freestyle leg of the dressage competition is explosive and amazing, set to the music of choice and performed as a combination of maneuvers which consist of both required movements and motions, and the artistic interpretations of the horse and rider team. A rider who really knows the strengths and most beautiful elements of their talented mount can turn this event into a magical and spellbinding routine. This is compulsory training at its most artistic and expressive level, and is extremely difficult to master.

For more information about the world equestrian games and to find the best world equestrian games housing visit http://weg2010housing.net.

Author: Abbey Dale
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Here’s my story and suggestions on how to avoid making the mistakes I made, and almost made, when I came to buy a horse! I was in my early 50′s when I started riding. I was full enthusiasm and keen to get really involved. I’d just bought a 10 acre property with lush pasture and so had plenty of space to keep a horse. The fencing was excellent as the property had formerly been a deer farm and was fenced accordingly. So I decided to buy a horse. I’d heard of a horse for sale some distance from me and he sounded like he could be OK. So I arranged to see him for an inspection, even although I was totally inexperienced.

I took a horse owner friend with me for guidance and went to see him. He turned out to be a rather tall, chestnut thoroughbred. The lady owner didn’t offer to ride him (my first mistake as I should have insisted she did) and my friend mounted him and did some walking, trotting and cantering.

Then it was my turn. With some trepidation I mounted up, but due to my total inexperience, only managed to walk him around the property for a short time. However my friend gave the nod of approval and said he looked fine, so I made my first major mistake. I said “yes” to the seller and so became the owner of a horse of unknown origin known by the name of Ziggy.

After I had Ziggy back on my property I enlisted the help of an instructress from our local Saddle Club who came to my place and gave me a series of lessons. Initially I only rode on my property, but then ventured out my front gate and rode on some of the riding tracks that were plentiful in my area. And finally I took him to the monthly all-day training meetings at the Saddle Club. I learnt a lot, but the only problem was that Ziggy obviously sensed my inexperience and was inclined to fight my every move.

I persisted with Ziggy for six months or so, but then decided that he wasn’t the horse for me. So I decided to sell him to someone more capable of handling his strong spirit and did just that. My second mistake (well, almost!) when I went to buy a horse. By luck, this “almost a mistake” turned out in my favour!

I’d heard a consistent rumour about a beautiful, big black horse that had apparently been left out in a paddock somewhere in my local area for quite some time. As I wanted another horse I was intrigued and decided to check this rumour out. As it turned out it didn’t take me long to find that the horse was actually well attended and was agisted on a horse riding facility not far from my property. I promptly went and had a look. And, yes, he was big, beautiful and black and I instantly fell in love with him. But was he available to be bought?

I found that the owner was an advertising agency principal from Melbourne. I phoned him and he told me that he’d owned the horse, Midnight, for two years with the idea of using him at a Hunt Club but had never had the time. Subject to where and how I’d keep Midnight he could be bought for what I thought to be a high price. I arranged for an inspection meeting at the facility where he was agisted.

The day arrived and I waited for the owner to arrive and was rather amused when he turned up in a BLACK BMW duly dressed in neat BLACK riding gear, making a good match to the BLACK horse. We took the horse to any undercover riding area and owner did several circuits in varying gaits. Then suddenly Midnight went lame in the right front shoulder. The owner instantly dismounted, but it was obvious that I wouldn’t be able to ride him in that condition. It was left that I’d call a vet to look at the shoulder and obtain a full “vet check”.

The vet could find nothing that caused the lameness, but recommended that I not buy him. I was devastated! I reported this to the owner. He then suggested that If I was prepared to take him to my property and call in what ever veterinarian treatment was needed to fix the lameness that he’d re-inburse me for all costs and we could then discuss possible purchase. This is where I made my “next big mistake – well almost!” In spite of the vet’s advice I said “yes”.

I called the best veterinarian care people I could find including the senior vet from the Melbourne Racing Club, chiropractors, and even an acupuncturist. All with no success. Then by chance I found a local young lady chiropractor who had a brief look and said “his shoulder has frozen up through lack of riding. Just exercise and ride him and he’ll come good”.

Once again I reported back to the owner who promptly came down to see me. Standing in the paddock with Midnight he said that if I was prepared to work with the horse and accept all the fees I’d incurred, I could keep Midnight with no purchase cost. I immediately said “yes”. The owner asked if I’d leave him alone with the horse before he left, and I could see he had tears in his eyes.

I worked with Midnight, whose name I abbreviated to Middie for everyday use, constantly. I lunged him, rode him in short bursts at first, and finally took him to Saddle Club. He was improving, but if he showed too much sign of soreness I cut the day short.

And to cut this long story short Middie’s lameness cleared up completely and we became the very best of friends He was an absolute gentleman, probably because he was a Percheron/Thoroughbred cross with the Percheron characteristics showing through strongly. I had total trust in him and he appeared to have complete trust in me and we’ve had many, many happy years of riding.

But pleased be advised not to take my pure luck with Middie and feel that it could happen to you. When you buy a horse, have a qualified “vet check”, and take the advice of your vet!

So here are my Top 10 Things for you to do BEFORE you buy your horse based on my experience…

1. Have you had riding lessons? Have you done a personal assessment of your riding skills?
Before you buy a horse be sure you have had at least six months of riding lessons.

2. What type of riding activity do you want to do?
This is important. Do you want to to go in for jumping? Dressage? Hunting? Just trail riding? Be sure of what you want.

3. What sort of personality do you want your horse to have? Full of fire and enthusiasm? More quiet and passive?
A lot will depend on the type of riding you decide to pursue.

4. Do you have any preference on the breed of horse you want?
Once again, the sort of riding you want to do will have a major influence on your choice.

5. How big a horse do you want? Pony size? Mid-size? Or tall because you like a big horse?
Be sure that you choose something that you can easily manage.

6. Do you have a preference on gender?
Geldings usually make great riding horses. Mares can also be good if they have stable personalities. Avoid stallions unless you’re going in for breeding.

7. Have you given proper consideration as where you’re going to house and keep your horse?
If you’re planning to keep your horse on your own property, ensure that you have safe fencing and a clean barn or other shelter. If you’re boarding out, check out the available boarding stables before you commit to buying your horse.

8. Bearing in mind the costs of horse maintenance, have you set a affordable budget figure for purchase of your horse?
Budget all costs carefully and don’t over-commit yourself. Be ready for unexpected costs such as vet fees in case of vet care due to an illness or accident.

9. Have you had a serious look at the monthly/yearly cost of keeping your horse?
Take the time to look at costs of such items as feed, food supplements, hay, farrier charges, worming, etc..

10. Have you considered your needs and costs associated with equipping yourself and your horse with tack and supplies?
You’ll need a saddle, halter, headstall, bits, lead rope, and a wide variety of other tack and supplies. Review everything carefully.

I hope that these suggestions will assist you to buy a horse that you’ll truly come to love. If you’re ready to own a horse learn more about how to buy a horse at http://www.easyhorsecare.com

Author: J Russell Hart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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