We just went on vacation a couple weeks ago...it was fun! And then today, I had to have a nerve conduction done. That is when they test your nerves by giving you little shocks. I have been having numbing all over by body, and we don't know what is causing it! Any way nothing really turned up, so that is good.
I am going to copy something out of HorseIllustrated.
A Good Seat
Riding by the seat of your pants isn't just a metaphor when it comes to effective equitation and proper horsemanship. Your seatbones should always be in contact with the saddle when you're riding. As soon as you lose that connection you're no longer in balance with your hose. To find you seatbones, drop your stirrups and pull knees up to the swells of the saddle. Do this any time you feel disconnected and need to re-extablish seat contact. Concentrate on maintaining contact wth the saddle throughout your ride, especially during upward and downward transitions. Remeber that this isn't just about looking good in the saddle; it has a huge impact on how our horse travels. By riding with a stable seat, you will help you rhorse work from his hindquarters and carry himself in a balanced frame.
--Dale Rudin
So the point is--to think about keeping good contact from your seat, down into the saddle!
Have a good day!!!!! -Sarah- |
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This is out of a book that I just checked out at the library today. Here is some good....just basic stuff that a lot of books don't cover. All of this is for English style riding. See the bottom of the post for some differences between Western and English.
-Sarah-
Horses move at different paces called gaits. Walking, trotting, cantering, and galloping are common gaits. Switching form one gait to another is called a transition. A rider uses aids to signal the horse to make a transition.
Trotting Away
A trot is a slow, bouncy gait. Tog go from a walk to a trot, squeeze the horse's sides with your legs. You may have to tap the horse gently with your heels to encourage it to move. Riders post, or rise themselves up and down, as their horse trots. The rider gos up on the first beat of the trot and down on the second.
Trot to Canter
The canter is a fast, bounding pace. The horse starts a canter with its back leg. You must signal to the horse to let it know with which back leg to strike off, or take the first step into the canter. Keep your inside leg at the girth of the saddle and squeeze your opposite leg behind the girth. Gently put pressure on the inside rein and then release it as soon as the horse begins to canter.
The Gallop
The gallop is a horse's fastest gait. The horse stretches out all its legs in a running stride. To make the transition from a canter to a gallop, squeeze the horse's sides with the lower part of your legs. During a gallop, sit in the forward seat position. To sit in the forward seat position, bring your seat out of the saddle, bend forward slightly at the waist, and keep your balance over the center of the horse. Let your hands allow the motion of the horse's neck to move freely.
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The most obvious difference between "English" and western is that the reins are held in one hand only, at least with mature horses. Horse show rules offer classes for junior horses in which they may be ridden with two hands, but the finished western horse is ridden with just one hand on the reins. Show rules also request the reins to be held in such a way that not more than one finger is between the reins. Good western horses are also ridden with slack in the reins - you just can't impress a judge riding a tight rein. This calls for a training program designed to work more on your horse's mind than on his mouth.
A common mistake would-be western riders make is pitching the horse the slack. This can work if you just amble through the countryside, not wanting to bother your horse much, and that's most likely how the slack-rein style developed. However, to execute precisely sophisticated maneuvers, it just doesn't work. You'll have to ride your horse according to the age-old principles of dressage, which means you need to ride him from the rear forward, push him into the bridle, and have him give to your hand. That way, the horse is providing himself the slack by tucking in his chin. Only you need him so light on your hands that he'll do that long before your reins actually make contact. The weight of the rein is felt by a horse in his mouth long before it forms a straight line between your hand and the horse's mouth - if he's been trained to be that sensitive! And if your horse works on a really slack rein, he is even working on a "mental rein". He is tuned to where he respects a rein that exists mainly in his memory.
Leg cues are largely the same as in "English", but a good rider/horse team needs less of it. Normally, the western rider doesn't use the legs just to maintain a gait. Weight cues are applied differently by most top western trainers, though. The western dressage horse (reining horse) is taught to move away from pressure, including weight. This means that the rider's weight is rather on the outside of the horse in a turn-around or a circle, pushing the horse in. If it's a well-tuned team, the rider would be sitting pretty much in the middle, but the principle of steering is one of pushing/driving the horse into the direction it is supposed to go, in contrast to putting your weight there and expect the horse to follow (move underneath it).
One could express it by saying the rider is behind the horse, not leading the horse. There are exceptions, as there is no universally accepted western riding doctrine; in the final analysis, everything goes that works. No judge will mark you down because he disagreed with your cues - he'll mark you down if your cues were too obvious for his taste, or, more important, if the execution of the required maneuvers were substandard.
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Nov. 17, 2008 Olympic Equestrian Games
A look back at the 2008 Equestrian Games.
Eventing: Throughout the three-day evening competition, American riders struggled. During the cross-country phase, Amy Tryon and her mount Poggio II took a spill on course, eliminating them from the rest of the competition. Several days later, Tryon was admitted to Hong Kong hospital for knee injury she sustained during the fall; she returned home to complete her recovery and is rider again. Poggio II was unharmed.
Olympic three-day veteran Karren O'Conner (USA) put in an uncharacteristically poor performance n Mandiba thought the competition, perhaps due to the untimely death of her Olympic-hopeful equine partner, Theodore O'Conner.
Gina Miles thought stayed focused. She helped land team USA in seventh place during the team competition and grabbed a silver for herself in individual competition.
Dressage: Hopes were high that American favorites Debbie McDonald and Brentina would medal in these Games, but the duo fell short and was eliminated from individual competition after scoring a 63 percent in the team round. Afterward, McDonald said of Brentina, "She's been schooling so well. I was totally caught by surprise when she started spooking in the ring." After the ride, Brentina was given a vet exam that showed she was in good health.
American Courtney King-Dye aboard Harmony's Mythilus put in a highly respectable performance during the team competition. The young and upstart outrode her veteran teammates with a score of 70.458 percent. Her performance helped the American team land fourth after the team round was finished.
Unfortunately, the Americans were stripped of their forth-place finish and King-Dye was disqualified from the Games after is was determined that Mrythilus tested positive for a banned substance.
Show Jumping: American rider were favored going into the Olympic show jumping competition. Beezie Madden and the Dutch Warmblood Authentic, as well as McLain Ward and Sapphire, a 13 year-old Belgian Warmblood mare, were all part of the 2004 Olympic gold medal-winning team. This time around, they stuck gold again with fellow teammates Will Simpson riding Carlsson Vom Dach, a 12 year-old Holsteiner gelding, and Laura Kraut riding Cedric, a 19 year-old Dutch-bred gelding.
During the individual competition, the Americans scored again, but it was a bitter race to the end. Under the unsettle skies of an impending typhoon, the individual medals required two jump-offs. Beezie Madden aboard Athentic outran six other combination to win her first individual medal, a bronze. Canada's Eric Lamaze aboard his mount, Hickstead, who had come back from colic surgery, claimed gold, while Sweden's Rolf-Goran Bengtosson riding Ninja captured silver.
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Jul. 30, 2008 Hearing Hoofbeats
Hearing Hoofbeats
By riding with your ears, you can tell whether or not your horse is balanced. A horse that’s carrying more weight over his fore hand will hit the ground more forcefully, while a horse that is balance over his haunches will have quieter gaits. How loudly or quietly your horse’s hooves hit the ground depends on both his conformation and training. Your ears can also be useful diagnostic tools if you’re in the market for a performance horse: A horse with soft gaits will be more naturally balanced and easier to train than one that’s inherently heavy.
--Dale Rudin
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May. 8, 2008 The Point Of Spurs
The Point Of Spurs
Spurs come in a variety of types and styles. How mild or severe they are depends on the type of rowel, which is the wheel on the end f the shank. Here is how spurs rank, from on to five, with one being the mildest and five the most severe.
One: Bumper spurs. These types of spurs are popular among barrel racers. Rather than having a shank and rowel, they have smooth or ridged bar that wraps around the back of the boot heel. They allow the rider to utilize heel pressure without having the traditional shank and rowel.
Two: Spurs that have a smooth, round point or ball at the end of shank, instead of a rowel.
Three: Spurs with a clover-leaf or rosebud rowel. The tips of the rowel are flat and smooth, rather than pointed.
Four: Spurs with pointed rowels: Available with varying numbers of points, typically from six to 12. The sharper the points, the more severe the rowel.
Five: Any spurs with larger rowels that have multiple, sharp points are considered severe. Rowels with names like “rock grinders” are not recommended for any rider. |
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It’s a Cinch
Your cinch is important to your safety and to your horse’s comfort under saddle. It should be made of a material that won’t chafe, such as neoprene, leather or wool. Which material you choose depends on your horse and how much time you’re willing to put in to the care of your cinch. Neoprene is anti-fungal and needs little maintenance. A quick spray of water will knock off dirt and grime. However, a few horses are allergic to neoprene. Leather is strong and, if properly cared for, easy on your horse, but it requires regular cleaning to remove dirt and sweat, and periodic conditioning to maintain pliability and strength. Natural fleece and mohair cinches are durable and keep your horse comfy, but they absorb sweat, can spread fungus, and attract debris.
Whatever cinch material you choose, make sure it is clean and in good repair to ensure your safety and the health of your horse’s skin.
-Dale Rudin
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This is to help especially kids to find a way to get a free ride. Since riding lessons can be very expensive. -Sarah-
Five fun ways you can earn extra time in the saddle!
1. Work for rides
If you take lessons at a barn, ask your trainer if you can work for extra rides. Some kids muck out, feed or groom horses in exchange for extra riding time. You could also help younger kids before or during their riding lessons. Work out a schedule with your trainer- and don’t let her down. You must treat the work like a real job—your trainer will rely on you to work when you say you will work. Make sure this arrangement is OK with your parents because they will probable have to take you to the barn.
2. Exercise other people’s horses
It you’re an experienced rider, other riders at the barn may let you exercise their horses. Some people are busy with jobs or school and they may be thrilled to let you ride their horses once or twice a week to keep the horse fit and in shape. If you agree to ride someone else’s horse, you must treat the horse as if it were your own. Groom him thoroughly after every ride and clean the owner’s tack.
Ask your trainer if she knows of an extra-busy rider who might like your help. You could also volunteer to ride someone’s horse if he or she hoes on a vacation.
3. Volunteer at a horse rescue
Horse charities often rescue horses that are sound and healthy enough to be adopted out. Many of these horses need to be brought back into shape or retrained. If you help out at the charity, you might get a chance to ride one of these horses to prepare him for adoption.
Remember, you’ll probably have to do other chores as well, including sucking out and feeding—or whatever else needs to be done.
4. Be a junior counselor
If you are 14 or over, you might be able to sign up as a junior camp counselor at a riding camp. You’ll probable get a break on camp fees and you might get to ride a little more that if you were just a camper.
If you’re an experienced rider, you might get to take beginner rider on trail rides or you could get the chance to work with horses that need some extra training before they can be used as lesson horses.
5. Help out at a sales barn
If there’s a trainer at your barn who buys and sells horses, volunteer to help her out. She might get a pony in that needs some extra work before it can be sold. Or she might have a horse that needs to get back in shape before she puts him on the market.
You’ll ride lots of different horses at a sale barn; this experience will really improve you riding skills. You might have to ride a horse to show him to a potential buyer. Don’t get on a horse or pony that you think looks dangerous. You don’t want to get hurt!
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Oct. 30, 2006 30 Tips For Beter Trial Riding
30 Tips for better trail riding
1. Desensitize you horse to scary situations you may encounter on the trail in a safe environment, such as an arena.
2. Gradually introduce him to traffic where you can control the situation.
3. Before you even think of hitting the trail, you and your horse should have mastery of basic skills in the arena. You should have whoa and go, steering, and control at all gaits.
4. If your horse isnt used to riding alone, build up his confidence by going out for short jaunts frequently, working up to longer rides as his confidence grows.
5. Dont tailgate! Maintain one horse length between horses.
6. Before you trot or canter on the trail, check with the other riders in your group.
7. In a mixedlevels group ride, put an experienced rider in the lead and another at the end.
8. If your group is well matched in skill level, take turns riding in the lead, middle and end positions.
9. Negotiate road crossings as a group so that no horse is left behind on the other side of a busy roadway.
10. Horses feel safest in a herd, and some may panic if they feel deserted. Its best to keep all riders in your group together, although experienced horses and riders may be fine venturing off alone.
11. At water stops, wait until all horses are done drinking before leaving the watering place. Some horses wont drink if they are distracted by the fear of being left behind.
12. If your horse tries to hurry home, refocus his attention by asking him to ride in serpentines along the trail or flex to give his shoulder.
13. Rather than pulling straight back on the reins when your horse dives for bite of grass along the trail, try pulling his left or right while you encourage him to move out.
14. Mind your multi-use manner: Show courtesy to hikers, bikers and others sharing the trail.
15. If you crave competition consider participating in a judged trail ride, endurance ride or competitive trail ride.
16. Looking for adventure with your friends or family? Some camping facilities, state and national parks offer amenities to accommodate horse, including corrals.
17. Approach slippery, slick or rocky trail conditions slowly. Keep yourself centered in the saddle, so you dont throw your horse off balance.
18. Clean up after yourself: If you parked you rig at a trailhead, dont leave piles of manure and other mess behind.
19. Take care of the trails.
20. Wear a helmet with an extended visor for added sun protection.
21. Be seen: If you ride out at night, reflective tack and clothing is a must. Wear dayglo orange in hunting territory.
22. Keep your tack in good repair. You dont want a cinch of bridle to break out on the trail.
23. If you only trail ride on weekends, make sure the ride you choose is within you horses current fitness level.
24. When you set out, always let someone know where you are going and when you expect to be back.
25. Carry a cell phone on you body, rather then in a saddle bag, in the event that you and your horse part company. Attach an ID tag somewhere on you horses gear as well.
26. Pack a basic first-aid kit for horses and humans.
27. Dont let your horse choose to charge up hills-a change in pace should be decided by you.
28. Reevaluate your horses saddle fit on trail. A good arena saddle doesnt always make a good trail saddle.
29. If you use protective legwear for your horse, make sure it can withstand the rigors of trail ridding. You shouldnt come home with burrs and/or sand in your horses boots or wraps.
30. Insect populations can in crease on the trails. Protect yourself and your horse from pests, including gnats and ticks.
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Oct. 24, 2006 When a horse is hot
When a horse is hot from being worked or exercised, he should have no grain and only a swallow or two of water until he has cooled out. Eating or drinking at such a time may cause severe stomach cramps.
During the cooling out period your horse should be led or ridden at a slow walk to avoid stiffening of the muscles. In case of racehorses, the grooms lead them in a circle, with regular pauses at a bucket for a sip of water, until they have completely cooled out.
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Western saddle and Western-style riding.
Western saddles were developed for specific tasks, such as herding and
roping cattle. The most conspicuous differences between the Western
saddle and the English type are the saddle horn and the high cantle.
The lariat used if roping cattle is attached to the horn, and the
blanket roll is fastened to the cantle. The stirrups on the Western
saddle are different as well, being wooden rather then iron, and
covered to protect the rider's legs. Stirrups are usually set so that
the rider's legs are almost straight rather than bent at the knee.
Also, when riding Western style , the rider does not "post" or rise to
the trot as when riding
English.
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About Me
Hi my name is Sarah. I am 16 years old and love horses. I don't have any horses but like to study and ride them! All of the entries on my blog are things I have read in books or magazines. I hope you enjoy all the information!
I have also published a book during the 2009 school year, "Skylark." Here is the blog to see more about it!
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Skylark/
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