Posts Tagged ‘puppies’

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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For those of us who grew up years ago without but desperately wanting a horse, a lot of fantasy and dreams colored our idea of what having a horse would be like. Many of us grew up on the standard fiction fare of books like The Black Stallion, television shows like My Friend Flicka or Mr. Ed, and the once-popular weekly westerns like Roy Rogers. In those scenarios, the horses were always very well behaved, kind, attached to their humans, and ever so willing to comply with every request as well as sometimes even protect their human. They would come running when called, and were more interested in their human than grass.

Those fictional horses certainly didn’t step on their humans’ toes, bite, bump, or kick them. They didn’t move off before their humans could get mounted, didn’t buck or run away, and you never saw or read about them grabbing a bite to eat as they moved down the trail. It seemed like they could run all day and never even get sweaty, much less tired.

Needless to say, the dream was certainly fiction! Many new horse owners have their bubble burst when they finally do get a horse because they think all horses will be like the fiction version. That is probably why a lot of new horse owners don’t do their research and they may end up with a horse that is not at all suited to their needs and abilities.

Misconceptions about horses can turn the dream into a nightmare or at the very least wake the new owner up with a start. Many people misunderstand the nature of horses. Horses are not overgrown puppies and should not be treated like dogs are. They are not children and do not have human thought patterns or the same emotions. Horses are simply horses, a unique and fascinating species in their own right. They deserve and need to be understood for what they are instead of fantasized. They are wonderful creatures as they are, and we shouldn’t try to make believe that they are something different.

I heard of a man recently whose family purchased a bred mare because they wanted to have a baby horse for their daughter to “grow up” with. When the colt was born, the man liked to go out and play with it. He would pick up the colt’s front feet and put them on his shoulders, and they would “dance”. Picture that same scene when the colt grew to be a yearling of around 700 pounds. All the sudden, it wasn’t nearly so much fun for the man when he got knocked down and had a gash in his head from a hoof. Suddenly the horses were no fun any more and were sold for whatever they could get for them. All because the owner though of the colt as a big dog and treated it that way.

Oftentimes people act as if horses think the same way people do. That’s a big mistake. Horses are prey animals–in nature prey animals are hunted for food by predators, and their survival may very well depend on running away or fighting. People are predators. Predators are the hunters. It makes no difference that we have taken the horse out of its natural environment and put it in ours where there aren’t that many predators that will actually hunt and hurt the horse. In their minds, they still know they are prey animals and vulnerable to predators. We have to understand that and prove to them that we are friendly predators who can be trusted to keep them safe. They aren’t going to understand that with words, so we have to demonstrate it with our confidence and actions.

Prey animals and predators do not see the world the same way and do not think the same way. For example, an upturned tree may look like a horse-eating monster to a horse or at least a perch from which a mountain lion might leap, whereas the rider sees it as a harmless upturned tree to which the horse should not react. Often the human gets frustrated with a horse that is afraid because the human knows that the scary object isn’t anything to worry about and doesn’t understand the horse’s perspective on the matter. Or they might get the matter worked out with the horse finally accepting the scary upturned tree going in one direction, and then on the return trip, the same thing happens again. The rider may think it’s ridiculous for this to happen since they worked the issue out going the other way. What isn’t taken into consideration is that the horse sees things differently than people do. Passing something on the left is not the same view as passing it on the right. Horses have to learn something from both the left eye and also from the right eye. The knowledge does not automatically transfer just because the object is the same.

The best way we can overcome our misconceptions is to study horse psychology through lessons (particularly Natural Horsemanship), reading, clinics, dvds, and observation of horses together in a field. There is a wealth of information out there, it’s just a matter of wading through it and sorting it out. Just be careful not to ascribe human or dog explanations to what you see horses do. Think about things from the horse’s perspective.

Bonnie and Gregg Martin own Gemara Farm Foxtrotters located in Barnesville, Georgia. They currently have nine fox trotters of their own and practice natural horsemanship with them.

http://www.gemara.homestead.com

Author: Bonnie Martin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Before you be present at the excellent expense of purchasing a horse, you require to evaluate how best a rider you are, & only how much do you actually understand about horses & horse care.  Make no mistake, you require to really be honest with yourself whether this is a huge commitment. Consult yourself what size & age of horse will work best for you whether well.

Okay you have just fallen in like with a flashy looking equine and today what?  What do you seek to reach and is THIS the horse for you? Are you bound for be hunting, driving, barrel racing, trail riding or jumping?  Are you intended for ride at all?  You can get horses just to drive.

What about this horse’s temper?  Quiet, feisty, pushy, amenable, or grumpy?  If you aren’t comfortable by horses, do not find a pushy horse, as you will obtain it ruling you and not the other path around.  When you’re planning to only trail ride, don’t buy an eventing horse.

Wheter you don’t have horse experience then do not buy a young horse & try to train it.  Two newbies who don’t understand much do not make a good mixture.  Wait until you have more experience or pay the price for your mistakes – such as injuries to you and your horse because you didn’t understand what you were doing.

Choose an experienced friend with you to check out horses.  Better they aid you assess the horse thus you do not wind up over horsed (purchasing a horse that’s path too much for you to handle).  Your experienced friend could also ride the horse for you to assess if it would work for you.  When the existing owner is riding the horse, & they insist you don’t need to try the horse – run, do not walk whether far away as you can, & remain appearance. Checkout more other useful information about dog weight, pregnant dogs and small puppies