Posts Tagged ‘pony’

When I used to ride a tiny buckskin pony, I was told that, in a class where the horse is judged, buckskin is a low color in the judges’ ranks. I heard that bays, blacks, grays, and chestnuts tend to be favored.

I heard some where that if a horse is smaller than like 14.3 or 13.0 or something then its considered a pony???

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
Programmable Multi-cooker

I’ve been teaching my pony some tricks recently, and I was wondering if any one knew how to teach my horse how to lie down. Also, if any one knew how to teach a horse how to rear. I have a small pony who trusts me, and I trust him. I’d rather not teach him to do either of these things while I’m in the saddle, because I think that it could have bad consequences. Thanks for any help!

OK, so I have one horse right now, but she’s had a baby so I can’t ride her anymore. She’s half arabian, tri-color paint and she’s 14.1hh. My older horse died last year, she was an abused QH and she used to be a rodeo queen. She was almost 15hh. I’m thinking about buying a new horse right now, but I’m not sure what size I should get or which breed. I’m 16 and 5’3" and 118 pounds, so I’m a little bit petite, but I’m strong with long legs. I love all forms of riding so I really want a good all purpose horse that’s not gonna cost too much. I just want to make sure the horse I get has a really good temperment, because I let my 5 yr old nephew ride the pony I have now, and I don’t want a huge new horse that’s gonna be mean to him. I know I’m not giving anything really specific, but I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions. Thanks!

Buying a horse is a moment of great excitement for any horse lover. Horses can be purchased to pamper them as a pet or even for commercial purposes such as for racing or soothing long riding. Considering the price paid for horses are exorbitant, many people just refrain themselves from buying one. However changing market trends and growth of several financing options has increased many lending institutions ability to lend loans to borrowers who want to purchase a horse.

Similar to a house loan, a car loan or even a mortgage loan, you can now opt for a horse loan to buy a horse for yourself. Be it a pony or a grown up horse, you can simply apply for a loan a horse and fulfill your dream of owning one, at no initial costs.Generally owners loan there horses at a point when they are unable to manage them. Hence they loan their horses to interested parties, who can pay for the horse’ expenses like the stable cost, the food, vaccination etc. There are two ways you can get a horse; borrower one or buy one.

One noteworthy aspect of borrowing a loaner horse is that the ownership of the animal remains with the original owner instead of a borrower. The loan agreement is signed for a limited period, consented by both parties. During this period the borrower has to expense the living of the horse and can use it for commercial or personal purposes. After the duration of the bond gets over, the lender or original owner will retain the ownership of the horse. This is a good option if you don’t have an interest in fully owning a horse for it’s lifetime.

If you are interested in buying a horse instead of borrowing or sharing it with someone, you can obtain financing from companies that offer horse loans. Since it is quite an investment and most people cannot afford to pay the lump sum, they get the horse financed. The institutions offering horse loans can lend you anything from $1,000 to $30,000 and the repayment duration could last from 3 to 25 years.

Getting the loan approved for buying an animal is actually a cakewalk like any other loan as most creditors are only concerned with the interest amount and the repayment of the loan. They will not even interfere with the usage of the loan amount, if it loan is applied as a personal loan, installment loan, second mortgage loan, or no-collateral loan. You can even get cash advance loans that are 7 to 10 times larger than your monthly net-pay. Finding the lenders that offer loans to buy horses is not hard, they are usually found on a website grouping page, whereas all the lenders you actually pay to be listed as horse loan lenders.

If unsure whether or not buying a horse is the best option, maybe horse sharing is the more feasible option. Sharing would require you to pay for the horse’s maintenance in partnership with the owner and would allow you, your friends, and family to enjoy rides on the horse along with other horse related activities. What ever you choose to do, either way, make sure it is in both your and the horse’s best interest.

You don’t have to have collateral or a down payment to get a Horse Loan. Take a look at all the lenders standing by to give you an immediate quote on low-rate Horse Loans.

Author: Grant Webb
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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The Dressage Arena

Inside the arena is one of the most difficult moments at a competition for both the rider and the horse. The time immediately before entering the arena is the most crucial. You hope that the horse has worked is ready to do its best. But it is very easy for the horse to switch off between the warming-up area and the competition arena. You have to be alert with particularly young or inexperienced horses and ponies. They will be wary of any new arena, and may well lose their confidence and concentration when entering this new place.

In training, frequently give your horse an opportunity to switch off, then find ways of bringing it back to attention. This is beneficial at competitions, when you will need to bring the horse back again to do its best following a break. When you are about to enter the arena, try, as quickly as possible, to bring the horse correctly on the aids again. This is another situation where as the rider and trainer, you need to really know your horse.

With young horses or a pony it is vital that the rider treat the competition arena as a training ground. If the horse does something unacceptable, it has to be corrected (as he would be at home). If the horse get the idea that you, as the rider will allow him to misbehave in the arena, the horse’s behaviour or the pony’s behaviour, will gradually get worse. Some novice riders think that they must do nothing in the arena. The equestrian dressage, however, will realize that if something is going wrong it needs to be corrected immediately.

Now that both rider and horse have entered the arena, they should make sure that the horse’s boots or bandages are removed and your rider’s jacket is buttoned up. Have a few calming thoughts, then you are off!

And Finally

Wherever you are placed at the end of the event, remember dressage competitions are a test of the horse’s training and provide an opportunity to receive expert observations of an independent judge.

Frequently a rider will be thrilled with a fairly low placing in a test in which the horse did its best and showed improvements. On the other hand, another rider may be unhappy with a winning test that he did not consider to be that good. Winning may be the well-deserved regard for all the time and patience put into systematically training a horse, but it should not in itself be the primary aim. If the performance of the horse or pony was disappointing, do not automatically blame the horse or pony. Instead, try to view the test dispassionately; try to see the good points as well as the bad. Think about what you could have done better, and how you will improve next time.

It is very important that the principles of sound training (dressage) are clearly understood by riders, teachers and judges.

Training should be kept as simple and clear as possible, with no secret about the correct thing to do – just dedication on your part. I hope that this article will help make the life of your horse or your horses more comfortable. As I wish you good riding and happy horses.

Sonia is a book reviewer, coach and author. Equestrian dressage is about techniques, competing, tack, horse riding, caring for your horse and more.

Refer to:

http://dressage.ebooksgain.com

in support of more exciting and appealing information on your passion!

Author: Sonia Dixon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Beading Necklace

My four year old is obsessed with horses…My dad has the perfect land with an old barn. We are thinking about in the near future (probably spring) getting him a horse. He doesn’t want a pony, b/c he wants to grow with it. I also have a 2 yr old boy that is possibly heading the same direction. My question is can anyone give me a suggestions on the breed we should look for? And any other tips with small children involved. Thanks !