Posts Tagged ‘horse competitions’

There are four heavy draft horse breeds recognized in Great Britain: The Shire Horse, the Clydesdale, the Suffolk Punch and the Percheron.

In former times heavy horses had been used for pulling loads and as the “heart”of transportation. Tractors and lorries haven’t been invented yet, only after the Second World War, when the diesel engine was introduced into the world of farming and transportation their importance decreased suddenly and they almost disappeared.

Nowadays those horses are becoming popular again: due to their docile temperament, stamina and versatility they can be used for all sorts of equestrian activities: showing, driving, pulling logs or agricultural machinery, riding and even dressage and show jumping.

The Shire Horse

This is the tallest of the modern heavy horse breeds, their height reaches 18 hh and they can grow even taller. Their weight is about a ton. The world’s tallest horse “Sampson”, born in 1846 in Bedfordshire in England, was 21.2 hh (2.20m) at the whither and his weight was estimated for 1.5 tonnes.

The Shire horse was developed out of the medieval Great Horse, which William the Conqueror brought 1066 to the British Islands. By planned improvement of a breed called the Black horse or later the Bake well Black, the Shire horse breed was formed. The number of Shire Horses decreased considerably after the Second World War, because of a more and more motorized agriculture and haulage business. Nowadays numbers are slowly rising again, because they are used for crossbreeding and showing.

In former times it was used for pulling heavy loads and for heavy farm work. It was originally used to pull ale-delivery carts. Nowadays it is still used as a brewery horse, e.g. the grey Shires of Samuel Smith Brewery in Tadcaster and the Tetley brewery in Leeds.
The Shire horse is also seen in Draft horse competitions and shows. They are used for crossbreeding with Thoroughbreds to produce a heavy hunter horse type.

The Clydesdale

This breed originates in the Clydesdale in Scotland, where it was bred and developed over the last 300 years.

It was used for heavy farm work, pulling carts and in the timber industry for pulling logs. These heavy draft horses have been exported all over the world.

The Clydesdale became like the Shire horse a victim of the motorization and would almost disappear, but it has regained popularity and its biggest population is now in the United States with yearly 600 new foal registrations.

Two stallions are recognized as the founders of the breed (“Lord Darney” and “The Prince of Wales”) and all Clydesdales nowadays originate from these two bloodlines. Clydesdales have been used for heavy farm work and today they are still used for farming and pulling logs, where machines are not suitable to be used.

They are a symbol for the Anheuser-Busch brewery (Budweiser).
And they are performing in shows in halter and performance classes. In performance classes the horse is judged on how it is behaving in harness, on how it is moving in the ring and its capability to work in a team, its responsiveness to the driver and on the quality of the horse and the equipment.

The Suffolk Punch

It is like the Shire horse a descendant of the medieval Great Horse. The Suffolk Punch was developed in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in England and is one of the oldest heavy horse breeds. This heavy horse has got stamina and is very powerful. Its temperament is docile and it is well known for easy handling.

It reaches in average16.1 hh. It has got a very muscular, arched neck, a short strong back and strong, upright shoulders. The hips are broad and the tail high in onset. The legs appear short and have no feathering. The usual hair coat color is chestnut in various shades. White markings occur.
It was used for heavy farm work and pulling heavy loads in the past.

Today it still performs in draft horse competitions and is used for driving and showing.

The Percheron

The Percheron is a very popular heavy horse breed and in the UK amongst the four recognized heavy draft horse breeds.

This breed is named after the Perche valley in the North of France. Its exact origin is unknown, but it is believed that Moores brought them to Europe and their ancestors are Arabian horses.
in the middle age it was used as a heavy warhorse. Then it was used for heavy work, like pulling stagecoaches etc. The forehead is square with a straight profile. The neck is muscular and strong, some individuals have a long and heavy neck.

The chest is broad, the back short and they have a deep girth. The hindquarters are very muscular and powerful. They should have a round hip and a long croup. The mane is thick; the hair coat color is gray or black. They can reach heights of 15 – 19 hh and weigh up to a ton and above and lives 27 – 39 years. A modern variation of the Percheron is longer and slender in appearance. This type is used for showing competitions.

This is a very gentle and intelligent horse and ideal for driving. It can pull heavy loads as well as perform in front of a fine carriage.
It is also suitable for riding and competes even as a show jumper.

Dr.med.vet. Ellen Schmidt
I am a veterinary surgeon living and working in Scotland, United Kingdom. My passion are horses and horse driving for pleasure and recreation. In my spare time I am creating and writing on my website http://www.discover-horse-carriage-driving.com

This is an “Infoport” for hobby drivers and horse lovers who would like to get expert information about most aspects of equine driving.

Author: Dr Ellen Schmidt
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Para dressage provides disabled riders the ability to compete in dressage against other disabled riders. Since the 1970s, the FEI Para Equestrian governing body has held international competitions for disabled riders. The first World Championship was held in 1987 in Sweden.

Riders are graded according to their disability with Grade I riders being the most disabled. The tests for both Grade I and II riders involve only the walk and trot. Grades III and IV are allowed to canter and perform more difficult maneuvers.

Once a rider is classified internationally, they receive an FEI Para Equestrian International Identity Card with a profile number, their Grade level as well as any aids the rider is allowed to use in competition. These aids may include:

• The voice
• Whips
• Rein and saddle adaptations
• Bands to hold the feet in the stirrups

For example, some riders are allowed to use split reins or loop reins depending on how difficult it is for them to hold the reins with their hands and fingers, as well as what type of tack the horse wears. Loop reins may help the rider to keep better contact with the horse as it allows for an easier grip. Various disabilities may require a rider to utilize different adaptations or aids to help them complete their test.

The majority of the para dressage competitions are “own horse” competitions in which the rider travels and brings their own horse abroad. In the past, all competitions were “borrowed horse” competitions and the riders were allocated a horse at the event. Today, a rider can borrow a horse at an “own horse” competition if they are unable to bring their horse, but this makes the competition tougher on the rider as they do not know the intricacies of their new mount. All schooling is the responsibility of the rider, but the trainer is allowed to lunge the horse to release excess energy.

Riders are required to perform a test with specific maneuvers being performed at specific points in the arena, just like dressage for able-bodied riders. However, due to some learning disabilities that cause a poor short term memory, riders may have their tests called to them. If you are interested in watching these brave individuals perform at the highest level of equestrian sports, then you can see them at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. Para dressage competition takes place October 5th-10th.

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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Before you purchase any horse rugs, there are some things you should consider in order to find the right ones. There are a wide variety of types of horse rugs and finding the right one for your horse should be a lasting investment. knife edge stirrups Most horse owners end up buying more than one type of horse rug.

The size of your horse is an important consideration in your purchase. Before you shop for the perfect horse rug for your horse be sure to take the horse’s measurements. The risk of not taking measurements is getting a horse rug that is too large, which is a risk to the horse. Stable rugs

You will need to take some twine or rope and wrap it around the horse’s mid section in order to get a proper measurement. Measuring the twine against a tape measure will give you the width of the horse rug you need. You also need to measure your horse from the mane to the tail for the length.

Consider the climate of your area when you shop for a horse rug also. Any exposure to extreme weather conditions will warrant either a heavy weight horse rug or a light weight horse rug. Investing in a summer cooler horse rug is a good idea to protect your horse from heat, flies and other insects.

If you have a show horse or compete in horse competitions, you will want to find a dressage horse rug that is colorful and ornamental. You can easily find a horse rug that matches your horse’s personality and performance as there is wide variety of color and design available.

For horses that spend a lot of time in the stable, for whatever reason, there are stable rugs. These horse rugs can be anything from light weight fleece to fancy duvet types. Cooler Rugs These are meant for the comfort and warmth of the horse.

No matter what type of horse rug you choose for your horse, follow the manufacturer’s care instructions to keep it lasting a long time.