Posts Tagged ‘horseback riding lessons’

Every little girl and boy who takes horseback riding lessons from me wants his or her own horse. Sometimes their parents are amenable to such an investment, and sometimes they are not, but if you think you might like to buy a beginner horse for your child, it’s important to think this decision through. Too often, I see parents run out and buy the first pretty piece of horseflesh they find, only to discover later that is was the wrong choice.

For one thing, most parents of horse-crazy kids aren’t very knowledgeable about horses in general. They don’t know how to safely shop for horses, and they don’t know what qualities to seek out. Consequently, they come home with a dangerous or ill-mannered or incapable horse that send their child home in tears every night. To avoid this, it is important to follow a few guidelines for selecting an appropriate beginner horse.

1- Get Advice

Reading this article is a great first step toward choosing the best beginner horse for your child, but you need more than words on paper if you don’t know the first thing about equines. A trainer, instructor or equine professional can make your buying experience much more pleasant, and you’re far more likely to choose an appropriate animal. In most cases, the trainer at your barn will be more than happy to assist you, but may charge a commission fee for their time.

Even if you don’t know a qualified individual, however, there is guaranteed to be someone in your city who knows about horses. Look through the Yellow Pages under “Riding Academies” or “Stables” to find equestrian facilities near you, then contact the owner to see if he or she can help. Again, you might have to pay a small commission, but it’s worth it in the long run.

2- Buy Close to Home

It is sometimes beneficial for an experienced equestrian to look for horses across the country, or even on the other side of the world. When you’re buying a beginner horse for your child, however, look in a small radius, and don’t buy a horse you can’t visit beforehand. Not only will this give you an opportunity to “try out” the horse before purchase, but it is a lot harder to get scammed by someone who lives virtually in your own backyard.

Additionally, you might also try to buy from someone you know, or based on a referral from a friend or family member. Working with people you know and trust will take much of the stress out of buying a horse, and you’re almost guaranteed to get what you asked for. Unfortunately, the scams in this country aren’t limited to credit card fraud and identity theft; they also extend to the equine industry.

3- Ride More than Once

You should never buy a beginner horse for your child without riding it first, but I advise at least two or three rides before you offer up a check on a silver platter. One ride might be stellar, but your child might discover in subsequent rides that the horse is harder to handle than he or she previously thought. Other issues, such as lamenesses or bad habits, can surface after “meeting” the horse several times.

In fact, I recommend putting a down payment on the horse and taking it to your barn for a week to “try out” before paying for it entirely. Most reputable horse dealers are more than happy to accommodate this request, and it simply adds another layer of security to the process. Generally, you’ll need to give the seller at least 50% good-faith deposit before you take the horse from their property, and you’ll need to return the horse in seven days if you don’t intend to buy.

4- Conduct a Vet Check

Just because your trainer says that a beginner horse is the perfect one for your child doesn’t mean that this should be the end of the road. Horses, like people, are susceptible to injuries and illnesses that often don’t materialize for months or years. A thorough examination by a veterinarian will turn up things like navicular changes and parasites. Have your veterinarian conduct this examination (called a vet check) prior to buying the horse.

If you’ve driven far to buy the animal, however, you can always write a check contingent on a clear vet check. This needs to be placed in writing so that you can return the horse if there are any significant health problems uncovered by the veterinarian.

5- Pay Attention to Demeanor

Unscrupulous horse dealers will actually drug a horse before showing it to potential buyers, creating an extremely dangerous situation. When you’re buying a beginner horse for your child, you want an animal that won’t try to hurt anyone, and drugs can make the feistiest, wildest, most unmanageable horse seem like a school pony. Therefore, horses who are overly lethargic or dull-eyed should raise a red flag.

If you think that something “just isn’t right”, don’t buy the horse until you’ve called out a vet. After the vet check, ride the horse again to make sure that he wasn’t drugged the first time you tried him.

Laura Thompson is a freelance writer and equestrian consultant from Houston, Texas. She provides assistance to equestrian professionals who want to enter or who currently work in the equestrian industry, and also conducts clinics and seminars in Texas and surrounding states. Her web site, MICA21.com [http://www.mica21.com], provides not only information about her services, but also free resources for equestrian professionals.

Author: Laura J Thompson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If your child is going to take horseback riding lessons, then they are going to need certain clothing and safety equipment. Whether your child is participating in an English private horseback riding lesson, or a Western group horse riding lesson, safety equipment is of the utmost importance. In this article, you will learn what your child needs to be safe around horses and ponies.

The basic safety equipment needed includes boots, a helmet and riding pants. These can be purchased at a local tack store or online.

Horse Riding Boot Needs

You should always wear a good protective horseback riding boot whenever you are around horses. It doesn’t matter if you are planning to ride or simply plan on a grooming session. Boots are important while you are on the ground to protect you in case a horse accidently steps on your foot. They are also important while riding, because they have a heel that keeps your foot from slipping too far into the stirrup causing you to get stuck. It’s obvious that you don’t want your foot to be stuck, if you were to experience a fall from a horse. So don’t cut corners where an equestrian boot is concerned.

Paddock boots are typically the type of boot used for English horseback riding lessons. A paddock boot is a leather ankle boot that can either lace up or zip closed. These can also be used for Western riding, or a cowboys boots can be used. In English riding, tall boots that go up to your knees are not required for lessons and usually children do not start wearing them until they are over the age of 12 or so.

Horse Riding Helmet Needs

A helmet is probably the most important part of your child’s equestrian wardrobe, because it protects the skull and brain. While a helmet should always be worn while riding, it can also be worn while on the ground as an extra safety precaution while being around horses. A schooling helmet is typically used for riding lessons. As the name implies, schooling helmets are only used for practice, not for horse shows. I personally like the adjustable kind. They have a little dial in the back that you can adjust to fit your head perfectly, so it doesn’t fall down onto your forehead while you are riding.

Horse Riding Pant Needs

Long pants should be worn when riding horses. This is to protect the legs from rubbing against the saddle and horse. It can also protect the legs should your child fall from her horse or pony. If your child is taking English riding lessons, schooling tights or schooling breeches are usually worn. For Western riding, regular blue jeans are typically worn.

Once your child has been around horses for a while, their comfort grows, and there might be a tendency to cut corners. Don’t allow your child to get too comfortable. You must always remind them to follow the safety rules, however much at ease they become around horses.

Author: Eileen Childs
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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How long have you been dreaming of horseback riding?

Have you been considering taking horseback riding lessons?

There’s an old saying:

Is Now the Time?

If a horse is in a lot of pain and distress, due to an incurable injury or disease, the only correct action is to put it down as quickly and as humanely as possible. However, in some cases the decision is not as clear.

For example, a horse may be in permanent pain but quite capable of happily living with it. This was the case of a draft horse pensioned with us, who had a chronic case of laminitis which made walking painful (especially over hard surfaces). As an elderly horse, he also had dental issues which made chewing uncomfortable. However, by supplementing his diet with soft food and giving him maximum time on soft pasture, his discomfort was minimised. He was a stoic horse, who seemed little bothered by pain, and obviously enjoyed life. He would trot around the pasture with his head held high and come to us for cuddles. Although retired, he was active in the pasture and obviously enjoyed life despite the constant pain in his feet and when he ate.

For me, the question is not how much pain the horse is in, but rather is he still happy and enjoying life. One can tell this not only by how the horse behaves at the moment, but also how his behavior has changed in response to injury or illness. When life changes from a pleasure to a burden, that is the time for the horse to be put down.

Economic Constraints

Aside from illness and disease, many horses are put down for financial reasons, such as:

• Competitive Horses. Many horses are bred and raised for competitions (e.g. racing), with the vast majority of these not making the grade. The ones which are not fast enough are often either put down, or sold for slaughter, or sold into questionable circumstances.
• Elderly Horses. Older horses, having reached the end of their productive life (e.g. riding), leave the owner with a decision between puting the horse down or paying for an expensive (and potentially lengthy) retirement.
• Medical Costs. Injuries and illnesses can be very expensive. For example, a severe case of colic which requires surgery can cost 000, with no guarantee that the treatment will be successful. With the average horse costing 00 or less (in many cases, much less), horse owners of limited financial resources face a difficult decision.

Although the economic pressures are real, there are alternatives:

• Rescue Organisations. There are numerous horse rescue organisations, which will find new homes for horses young and old. Some of them will even take on medical costs. Your local veterinarian is a good source to ask, not only for the large organisations but also for the smaller ones and the local private activities.
• New Owners. Although a horse may have no apparent economic value,  there may still be many potential alternative owners that would be happy to provide it a new home. For example, people which have purchased a horse for their private use recognise that they need a second horse as a companion to the first. For this purpose, even an old or unusable horse may be perfectly suitable. There are a number of websites where one can advertise horses for this and similar purposes, often free of charge.

One may not always be able to find a solution for every horse. However, before putting down a horse which is still enjoying its life, remember that there are alternatives.

How

When your horse has reached the point where it needs to be put down, the question is no longer ‘when’ but rather ‘how’.

The normal methods are by injection (sedative overdose) or by a slaughter gun which fires a bolt directly into the brain. In both cases, this should be done by a professional. In particular, the use of a slaughter gun should be done by an experienced person, as inexperienced people have been known to shoot the horse without killing it on first attempt, resulting in terrible pain until the mistake can be corrected. Whatever one might see in western movies, the use of a hunting gun is highly questionable, due to the risk that the bullet may not penetrate the thick skill and immediately end the horse’s life.

If the horse is at home when the decision is make, it is kindest to the horse to put it down there (e.g. have a veterinarian come out and give a lethal injection). If the horse is severely injured or ill, transport to another location adds to its suffering. Furthermore, unfamiliar surroundings may cause it distress (particularly if taken to a slaughterhouse, where the horse may panic in response to the smell of blood). The main obstacle to this approach is the difficulty of transporting the body afterwards, so prior to putting a horse down one needs to consider whether it is necessary to first move it to a more practical location.

For personal safety, if the horse is standing up, one needs to either lie it down prior to euthanasia or be careful that nobody becomes trapped under the horse if it falls while being euthanized. Professionals (e.g. a veterinarian) should have the experience and sufficient detachment to consider such practicalities.

Unless one personally knows and trusts the person performing the euthanasia, one should remain with the horse until the end, to ensure that your wishes in this regard are properly carried out. For example, it has been known for professional slaughter staff to transport horses to the location which is most convenient for them, even though it meant additional suffering for the animal. Staying with your horse allows you to ensure that your horse ends its life with minimum distress

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A lot of kids love horses.  Unless you already have a horse, lessons and horseback riding can be a very expensive hobby.  Here are ways to get your children involved with horses without emptying your 401k.

1. Horseback Riding Lessons – Call around.  The difference in cost is big depending on the stables that you are planning to let your kids take horse back riding lessons.

2. Kids Horse Camp – Find a kids horse camp in the summer.  This is usually a day camp where your kids can learn to ride a horse and care for horses.  While more expensive than one week  of lessons, it is much more affordable than a full summer of lessons.

3. Trail Riding – If you have a bit of experience, you may have some local places to go trail riding in your area.

4. Look for horse shows in your area and take your kid to see it.

5. Ask about price breaks for horseback riding lessons.  Many of the places that offer lessons will let some people work off part or all of their lessons.  Taking care of horses is a lot of work.

6. Start a horse blog and encourage your horse lover to write about horses and build a website or blog about them.  This helps them with their interest in horses and will also improve their writing and research skills.

7. Let your kids start a neighborhood horse club.  They can get groups of kids together for parties, watching horse movies, playing horse games, read horse books and such.

8. You can also do all kinds of horse crafts and activities for younger kids, although if they are getting older that might not interest them so much anymore.

These are just some of the ways you can help your kids get involved with horses without actually going out and buying one.

If you are looking for good, highly quality Western saddles, then the best place to go would be the markets where there are horses for sale, as well as pre-owned horse tack supply items. You should be able to find some great used saddles and to choose the one that suits the horse and yourself the best. Pay very close attention to the fit of the saddle, as this is what matters when you ride; if it is too loose or too tight, leave it. Go for soft buffed, used leather that not only looks good but also is very comfortable.

When you are looking for proper pre-owned saddles, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind, such as the brand of the saddle, the model of the saddle, the fit to the horse and the present status of the saddle. The brand and the model of the saddle will tell you the actual quality of the saddle. Good brands saddles, no matter how old, are as good as gold. The fit and status of the saddle is important, as this will influence your ride; the horse will not listen to your body language if it does not accept the saddle. This is why it is very important that you find a saddle that not only matches perfectly with what you have in mind, but also is comfortable for your horse.

Do not buy any used Western saddles over the internet, no matter how beautiful and perfect they look. Buying anything that is even remotely connected with horse supply should never be bought unless it is checked, by putting it on the horse, and also inspected for quality. The horse is not an animal that can be trifled with. Many horses refuse to listen to their riders if they are unhappy with their saddles and other gear. Check out the Western horse tack shops as well. For information on what to look for, speak with a veteran horse-rider or educate yourself online.

The best Western saddles are those which are sold as pre-owned at horse supply shops or anywhere where horse equipment is sold. This is because the most important factor is comfort when it comes to saddles. Never buy over the internet since you can’t try it out on your horse before purchasing.