Saddlery and Supplies

This is what I call happiness!

When you’re buying your first horse, it can be intimidating to decide on the right saddlery, and other supplies to purchase. You might very well need additional supplies as you progress, but there are some basic requirements that every horse owner and rider will need. There’s no reason to worry, though, as it’s easy to find good information and good prices regarding these substantial investments.

Choosing the Right Saddle

Your saddle is the single most expensive piece of tack that you’ll buy for your horse. Thankfully, a smart choice will give you years of good use, and doesn’t need to cost a fortune. Synthetic and low quality leather saddles start in price from about $200. Handcrafted saddles can cost as much as $10,000. For typical use, however, a pricey saddle is unnecessary. The right care and cleaning of an inexpensive one will make it last.

The type of saddle to buy will depend on your preferred style of riding. If you like to jump primarily, but enjoy trail riding as well, a close contact or all purpose saddle would be a good choice. You can ride the trails with an English saddle, but you wouldn’t be able to jump properly with a Western one. An all purpose English saddle is an appropriate choice for most beginner riders in an English discipline (jumping, dressage, English pleasure…).

For most Western disciplines, a basic pleasure saddle is recommended. If you plan to do serious trail riding, however, you should think about a trail saddle with more padding, or maybe even an Australian style saddle.

Synthetic saddles are inexpensive and easy to care for, but admittedly not always the most comfortable choice. A discounted leather saddle is a better choice. Leather simply requires care and cleaning to remain supple. All you need is an affordable leather cleaner and conditioner to keep your leather tack feeling great.

Unless you purchase a beginner’s kit, your English saddle will probably not include your stirrup leathers, irons, or a girth. Many riders like to choose these parts individually, as they may have specific tastes or requirements. Western saddles are equipped with everything except a girth, or cinch as they are called in the Western world.

You’ll also need a saddle pad to cushion the area between your horse’s back and the saddle. These can cost as little as $20 to well over $100. You’ll want a good quality pad, as this works to better distribute your weight on your horse’s back, reducing muscle strain.

Options for Bridles

There are also a wide variety of bridles available. Basic English bridles start at around $40. These can be used with a few different bits. A snaffle is the most common choice. English bridles come with reins, but the bit must be purchased separately. Western headstalls cost a similar price as English bridles. Although many Western riders use leverage style curb bits, you can use a milder snaffle bit just as easily with Western equipment.

Eggbutts, dee rings, and French link snaffle bits are some of the most common choices for basic English riding. Western riders often use more severe bits that use leverage to employ a ratcheting motion to the horse’s mouth. You can use a kinder bit just as easily, however. A stubborn or hard-mouthed horse doesn’t require a more severe bit, but only more training to re-sensitize his mouth. Double bridles and Western curb bits are useful for teaching your horse more complicated maneuvers, such as those used in dressage and reining. They are not meant to be an easy fix for hard-pulling horses.

Importance of Helmets and Boots

For good riding safety, you need to invest in a helmet and boots. Helmets cost anywhere between about $30 and $100 dollars. Although helmets are much less popular in Western riding than English, they are important for every rider. Boots are not only meant to look good on your foot, but also to protect you. Although Western and English boots are very different looking, they share some key similarities. Boots have narrow toes to allow you to easily slip your feet in and out of the stirrups. They have smooth soles, so that you can quickly pull out your feet in the event of an emergency dismount or fall. Most boots also feature a low heal that discourages a foot from slipping through the stirrups, but is comfortable for walking.

Basic Barn and Grooming Equipment

You’ll need a halter and lead line for walking your horse. A halter should not be left on your horse while at pasture or in a stall. If, for some reason, this is necessary, choose a halter with a break-away strap. This is a small strap of thin leather on the halter that is designed to snap loose if the horse pulls hard in a panic. A horse can get his halter caught on tree branches or pasture debris. They can even get their own rear hooves stuck while scratching an itch. This can lead to the horse panicking and causing serious injury to himself. Lead ropes should be cotton and round to avoid hand injury if your horse should suddenly pull.

Basic grooming supplies include 1 or 2 body brushes, a curry comb, mane/tail comb, face brush, hoof pick, and bathing supplies (sweat scraper, sponge, shampoo). These products come in a wide range of prices, styles, and colors. Choose what you think will work best for your horse and your budget.

Additional saddlery and equipment that might or might not be important for your horse includes, horse rugs (blankets), fly spray, fly mask, and protective boots (for jumping or other intense sports). Your horse itself is only part of the investment that you are making.

When buying your first horse, remember that it will require significant investment of saddlery, as well as time put into maintaining all of your equipment.

Rusty recommends this saddlery and equine equipment:

Wintec All Rounder Western Saddle

Royal King Western Pleasure/Trail Saddle

Gatsby Fancy Raised Bridle

Oster Equine Care Series 5-Piece Grooming Kit

Troxel Sport Schooling Horse Riding Helmet

Related posts:

1. A Modern Jumping saddle – the Pessoa AO.
2. Would I Have Chosen a Western Saddle?
3. Where To Look For Affordable Horse Tack!

Is an Off The Track Thoroughbred right for you?

More and more equestrians are discovering the enormous potential found in off the track thoroughbreds. These horses excel in many fields, including jumping, dressage, and even Western events, such as barrels.  There’s not much better value for the money in the horse world than the value found in one of these athletes.

The prospect of rescuing one of these off the track thoroughbreds is heartwarming to many well-intended horse enthusiasts. It also brings a host of challenges that can prove too difficult for some riders. For the right person, an OTTB adoption can be a great reward, both emotionally and in the show ring.

Determining whether or not an OTTB adoption is the best choice for you

Thousands of thoroughbred foals are born every season. They are bred with the hopes that one of them will become the next big Kentucky Derby champion. Unfortunately, not all of these horses have the ability to excel on the racetrack. Others sustain career-ending injuries, while still others are simply given up for retirement due to age. These horses often end up in non-profit thoroughbred adoption agencies. Horses of varying ages, training, and abilities can be found through these life-saving organizations.

Among these washed-up racers can be found equines suitable for breeding, trail riding, or high level jumping. Other adopters may find a simple pasture buddy that is not rideable, but offers plenty of love and companionship.

Because of the enormous number of potential racers that are bred every year and the small market of buyers, prices for off the track thoroughbreds are very low.  Many of them sell for as little as a few hundred dollars. The more training and potential that an OTTB has, the higher the price will be. However, most of these horses do not exceed $1,000 in price.

While this cost is attractive to many buyers, it’s critical to keep in mind the additional expenses of horse ownership. Their low initial cost is often offset by the expense of feeding and training an animal of this size and history. Veterinary costs can also mount quickly with these animals.

Thoroughbreds have unusually high metabolisms, and are by no means easy keepers. They require a large amount of calories simply to be kept in good physical condition. For those horse-owners who are used to quarter horses or other low maintenance breeds, an off the track thoroughbred can be a very different experience.

In addition to the weight maintenance required with these OTTBs, they may be significantly underweight from the transition from the racetrack to pasture and pleasure. Many of these thoroughbreds are in need of a good deal of weight gain. This means that the cost to feed one will be even higher than normal during early ownership.

Re-training an Off The Track Thoroughbred

An OTTB can be a great companion

Many potential adopters also underestimate the amount of training required to make one of these horses suitable for recreational riding. These horses are trained for one purpose in life—to run. Off the track thoroughbreds need a good deal of rehabilitation and professional training to teach them how to carry a rider quietly. Their ground manners have also often been neglected. They can be nippy or have other bad habits, such as kicking or rearing on a line.

To correct these problems an off the track thoroughbred will require a lengthy period of rehabilitation and retraining. The average equestrian doesn’t have the skill set to properly retrain one of these horses. They have been taught many habits that are considered incorrect in every other discipline. For example, they are trained to pull against pressure on the reins. The horse has never been asked to collect himself or to calmly approach a trail. Unless you are particularly experienced in dealing with ex-racehorses, a professional trainer will be required. This can be another large expense.

Ask about old injuries that may affect an Off The Track Thoroughbred

Many agencies will honestly advertise a horse as being relatively sound. However, even if the off the track thoroughbred is currently sound, many of them will have old injuries that could flare up later on, causing an unexpected expense. Others may be sound, but require regular medication to remain healthy. These costs can add up quickly, making your monthly care bill grow substantially. As with any horse purchase, it’s necessary to have a trusted veterinarian give the thoroughbred a thorough exam. If the horse will be used for intensive riding, this exam is of even higher importance.

It’s advisable to find out all of the information possible about the horse before adopting it. Potential owners should keep a tally of the horse’s proposed monthly expenses before buying. The discounted purchase price might be quickly outweighed by these added costs.

It’s not all bad, though.

The right person can make great use of an off the track thoroughbred. Owners who approach this decision with the right mentality can find these ex-racehorses to be dazzling show competitors, steady trail mounts, sound broodmares, or loving pasture companions.

If an equestrian doesn’t have the money or motivation to give one of these horses the attention and care that they deserve, it’s best not to adopt at all. It’s no service to the horse if they are adopted, but allowed to become wild and/or lame and undesirable.

The right adopter can provide an OTTB with a world of love and purpose. In return, an Off The Track Thoroughbred can prove to be a wonderfully rewarding mount and friend.

Rusty Recommends:     Natural Horsemanship Training Videos ~ Horse training software system teaches natural    horsemanship with 17 horse training videos.

Applied Posture Riding  ~ Learn to become a better, more confident and skilled rider.

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I trained by myself.

I could not have picked a better horse to give me problems.
This horse was slow to motivate. He was very much his own “person” so to speak and was going to do what he pleased…at least…that’s

horse training

how it seemed.

There are plenty of horses in this world that will move when you want them to move. In fact, some horses can be so nervous it takes little effort to get them moving in the round pen. In a way, they almost train themselves.

When I was first training this horse he moved slowly and not very deliberately. Teaching him to drive was very difficult because he just wasn’t going to move for me.
The first time I put a surcingle on him and attached the lines he had no more intention on moving forward than an elephant with no legs.
The lesson I was teaching was to move forward. When you want your horse to move then, obviously, you want him to move…not stand there.

A typical way to teach moving forward and associating the action with a command is to get behind your horse and to the left a little. Then give a slight pull on the left rein, then say “step” or “get up” and tap him on his rear end with the whip.
Most every horse I worked with, this technique worked well. But the technique failed with this horse.
Whenever I tapped him on the butt he would either stand there and blink his eyes or he would turn around and just look at me.
To the trained trainer it may seem he was balking. In fact, that’s what I feared was happening.

The next thing I tried to get him moving was a hog slapper. A hog slapper is a small pole like aid with a handle on one end and two pieces of leather on the other end. When you slap the leather end against your boots it makes a loud slapping sound.
It was the loud slapping sound I was hoping would motivate the horse to move. Here’s what happened.
Nothing.
The horse didn’t take any steps forward to get away from it. It scared him a little the first two or three times I slapped it on my boot, but that’s all it did.

Frustrated and bewildered I wasn’t sure what to do next.
I began to analyze the situation. I knew the tap with the whip wasn’t working so I didn’t need to repeat trying it. I knew the hog slapper didn’t work so I didn’t need to repeat that either.
So I asked myself, “What can I use to motivate this horse to move?”

I got the answer from Jesse Beery.

Jesse Beery, a famous horse trainer from the 1800′s, taught training a horse to drive in much the same way I do it. Even the tap on the rear end with the whip is the same.
In teaching a horse to overcome fears and desensitizing him to sounds, Beery prescribes using metal bowls strung together like a wind chime on rope. These bowls make quite a racket when you shake them. Used as Beery describes, they are extremely effective in horse training.
So I thought these noise makers would motivate my horse to move. After all, they are loud and obnoxious when they clank together and make noise.

o I tacked up the horse, grabbed my noise maker, and tried again.
As I was fumbling with the lines and the noise maker trying to get situated, I nearly dropped the noise maker and it made a pretty good racket. Almost the second it rattled, the horse moved away from it.
Immediately I had a glimmer of hope that this was my answer.

So I tried it all again. I gave a slight pull on the left line, I then said “get up”, and then I rattled the bowls.
The result?
Nothing except the horse raising his head and looking behind him a little. But I knew that meant I was getting his attention.
So I tried it again.

This time, he took about 3 steps forward and stopped. I was thrilled. I walked up to him and rewarded him with a caress.
Then I stepped back and did it again.
It wasn’t long before I didn’t have to use my noise maker anymore. All I had to do was say “get up” and he’d move. Not only did he move, he moved with energy.

Although this horse was very frustrating I must admit I am grateful to him. Why? Because he taught me valuable lessons.

The first lesson I relearned was patience.

The second lesson was that not everything will work on the same way on every horse. This was a lesson I already knew but it was reinforced.

The third lesson learned was to reexamine what I knew about horses and use that knowledge to get him doing what I needed him to do. That’s why I tried the noise maker.
I knew certain noises frighten horses so I decided to manipulate his fear with the noise maker. I also knew to be careful not to terrorize him. After all, you want to use as little of that kind of motivation as possible. Only use what is just enough.

Fourth, he taught me to keep looking for an answer because one exists even though I didn’t know it at the time.

Fifth, if I ever run across another horse that’s hard to motivate to move, then I will pull out my noise makers because it worked before.
As I patted myself on the back for coming up with the noise maker idea I was actually feeling grateful for having such a difficult horse. I realized having a difficult horse was a great teacher to me – and I have absolutely loved having difficult horses since.

Author of this article: Andy Curry

Recommended Resource:  Natural Horsemanship Training Videos ~ Horse training software system teaches natural horsemanship with 17 horse training videos.

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Picture your self on this bolting horse!

You’re out feeding your horse. You’re petting her, talking to her, and admiring how beautiful she is.

Suddenly, you get the urge to get on her and go for a ride. The only thing is, you don’t feel like getting the saddle and bridle – so you just jump on…bareback.

Now you’re sitting on her. Her head is high, her ears are twitching, and she’s wondering what’s going on.

It’s boring just sitting on her. You want her to move. So you boot her forward.

She moves. You’re delighted. Suddenly, she starts going faster and faster until she’s in a full gallop.
The fence posts go whizzing by. Your white knuckle hands have a death grip on her mane. In your raging fear you see a turn coming up and you’re wondering whether your horse will take a sharp right or go straight.

In a flash you prepare for her to take a right so you won’t be thrown to the ground. Thank goodness you did because she took a sharp right. In fact, it felt like she turned ninety degrees.

What I didn’t tell you is this whole time you’ve been yelling “Whoooaaaaa!!!”

No matter how many times you yelled “whoa” your horse didn’t stop. It was like she never knew the command – she simply kept moving despite what you said. And all the while, all you could picture in your head was your life in danger.
Hopefully, this will NEVER happen to you. It’s a sick feeling being on a horse you can’t control and the fence posts whiz by you while you quickly and silently rehearse your own funeral in your head.

This scenario actually happened to a friend of mine. She had help training her horse and did a decent job except for something very important. She didn’t teach the “whoa” lesson thoroughly enough.

One of the most important aspects of horse training is repetition.

Whatever lesson you’re teaching your horse it should be taught so thoroughly that it is a fixed habit on her brain. It becomes a fixed habit by repetition.

In this horse’s case, she hadn’t been taught that “whoa” means to stop. In fact, I’d bet she thinks “whoa” means to slow down. Lots of people tell their horse “whoa” when their horse is moving too fast and they want it to slow down. Before you know it, the horse thinks “whoa” means to slow down a little.

Pretty soon, the horse has been thoroughly taught that “whoa” means to slow down…not stop.  Repetition worked in this case but backfired. “Whoa” was repeated so many times to mean to slow down the horse now believes “whoa” means slow down.

In a case like this the horse will need to be retrained to understand what “whoa” really means. It will take a lot of patience and thoroughness in your horse training but it’ll be well worth the time.

The value of this significant piece of knowledge cannot be overstated. When you’re out training your horse a lesson be sure to give it enough repetition that the lesson becomes a habit for your horse.

Jesse Beery, a famous horse trainer from the late 1800′s, overemphasized this crucial training tip. In  his horse training he preached teaching only one thing at a time and having that thing so thoroughly taught that the habit is fixed upon the horse’s brain.

That’s some of the best horse training advice you’ll ever get.

Recommended Resource:  Natural Horsemanship Training Videos ~ Horse training software system teaches natural horsemanship with 17 horse training videos.

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There is an old song about roller skating in a buffalo herd and that song carries a meaning that you can carry over to your horse behaviour and training. Watching how others react, or reading body language, has long been practiced by humans to better understand each other as well as understanding their animals.

And by the way, your horse can detect the subtle signals you put out as well. In fact, they can see and interpret them better than you can. Because of this, your horse may often know what you are going to do before you have actually formed the thought.

Understand the Signals Your Horse Recognizes

Being able to “sense” dangerous situations or people is something many people attribute to the instinct of the horse but they are actually able to read the body language of those around them and interpret the situation before it actually manifests. The ability to observe this horse behaviour can help you to work better with your horse. Horse body language tells you a lot about the psyche of your horse and working with him.

When my naturally friendly horse takes an instant dislike to someone or a situation I have come to understand that this is a signal to follow. Horses do not target individuals, they just observe and react to situations and people. Your horse will be able to detect situations that you may not see until it is too late to react properly or safely.

A Calm Demeanor Makes a Better Horse Person

Working calmly and maintaining your cool when working around your horse will allow you build a great rapport with him. You are the “alpha” horse or leader of the herd to your horse and you must always portray that image or your horse may decide to challenge your authority. Understanding horse behaviour and remaining in charge will let your horse understand his standing in the order of things and take his behavior cues from the way you act.

Controlling your anger, providing a framework of discipline and couple this with true affection and you will build a bond that you and your horse will benefit from for years. You will be a better working team, riding team and separately both of you will stand out from the rest of the crowd. Horse behavior does not come and go but is something a horse carries around with it all the time. Just as you carry your attitudes and beliefs for the world to see when you are not around your horse.

Your attitude, regardless of what you thing you are portraying, shows openly to your horse and will be transferred into how he works with you on any given day. If you come to a horse training session angry your horse will only mirror your feelings and reduce the effectiveness of the session. In the same manner approaching a session, even just feeding time, with a large amount of negative emotion will cause a transfer of the emotion to your horse leading to difficulty working with the horse.

Provide enough poor attitudes and negative emotions to your horse and the horse behavior will begin to mimic this behavior and your horse’s body language may become angry, frightened or even dangerous to you and others.

Learn to understand horse behaviour and look forward to your training sessions and make sure you approach them in the right frame of mind.

Recommended Resource:  Natural Horsemanship Training Videos ~ Horse training software system teaches natural horsemanship with 17 horse training videos.

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Jesse Beery

Portrait of Jesse Beery

For centuries writers have been telling us that the eyes are the window into our soul. We’ve taken it to mean that you can understand the heart of man and animal by looking into their eyes. Almost every animal trainer on the planet takes cues from the eyes of the animals they are working for, from the lowly cat trainer looking for soft eyes, to the fearless lion tamer who stares death in the face each time he enter the ring.

Jesse Beery or Professor Beery as he came to be known was born at the beginning of the Civil War and lived until the end of World War II. He farmed with his father and developed a special gift for working with horses. At a time when travelling was difficult he travelled and shared his knowledge with thousands of enthusiastic horse owners. He developed the Jesse Beery School of Correspondence in Horsemanship and to this day Jesse Beery remains one of the most revered horse trainers in the world.

Horse Training Through Observance

The eyes of your horse can open up his heart to you if you’re willing to look and understand. Horses, like people, have expressions and these expressions are most often conveyed through their eye movements. A horse that is said to have kind eyes would seem relaxed and able to be trained more easily and in fact often eagerly awaits your arrival for training sessions.

A horse whose eyes are darting back and forth, head is moving about nervously might require quite a bit of reassurance before a training session could be initiated. This worry can also point to physical problems that need to be investigated as well.

Just like a person does, a horse that is showing you angry or “mad eyes” would show some furrowing of the brow as the tension in your horse begins to overflow. It can also cause the eyes to redden from strain. These are all signs that something is not right and that you should tread lightly during your horse training session.

During Professor Jesse Beery horse training sessions, he would describe four different dispositions to help classify the difficulty of training your horse. In describing the characteristics of each disposition Jesse Beery made multiple mentions of the horse’s eyes in order to determine the amount of work needed during training. Jesse Beery was a visionary ahead of the times and many of his techniques can be used safely and effectively today.

Horse Training and Your Horse’s Eyes

Looking into the window is not enough. You need to be able to climb in the window and read your horse’s thoughts in order to work with him effectively. Horses are observant and spend a great amount of time watching you and their surroundings for cues on how to act. Doing nothing more than looking your horse in the eye sends a message about you being in control of the situation and aware of your horse’s presence.

Drop your guard on a nervous horse and he will find a way to bolt, either running away or attempting to run over you and exert his dominance.  Eye contact with your horse will make this less likely to happen as your horse knows you are aware.

Watch the expression on your horse’s face the next time you approach, especially when you are openly carrying his favorite treat. Just like a child you will see him open up and this may be an “aha” moment you are searching for to gain trust and acceptance. Likewise pay attention to your horse’s face and eyes when he is expressing displeasure or rebelling from a training session.

Remember as well that horses remember from one horse training session to the next. Watch his eyes when you first approach and begin to recognize the times that your horse is more ready to work with you than not.

Careful observance of your horse’s eyes may find you seeing the whites of his eyes more often than before. An old horse training maxim states to not trust a horse that shows you the whites of their eyes. This usually means that the horse is looking for an escape route. By not looking at you it means they are looking for an opening from whence they can escape. Be careful because it is at this time that injuries can occur quickly.

Go forward in your horsemanship career by understanding your horse and building a trusting relationship. Although your horse cannot speak words with his mouths\, his eyes can tell you a story that may save your life as well as your horse’s. This is particularly important if you’re learning about horse care for beginners.

Many horse owners look at lessons like this and think that it is useless information, while many others take this information and are able to transform the relationship with their horse to new heights. Horses become the rider and the rider becomes a part of the horse. Jesse Beery horse training principles tried to instill this in people at a time when brute force was the mainstay of horse training.

Recommended Resource:  Natural Horsemanship Training Videos ~ Horse training software system teaches natural horsemanship with 17 horse training videos.

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Horse Training

Training your horse is a matter of first determining what your horse will do as its principle job. Will it be a work horse, show horse, race horse, barrel racer or just for general riding? Will your horse be used in a therapeutic setting or will it be a parade horse? There are so many different things you and your horse can do together that it almost boggles the mind. This decision often needs to be made before you even get a horse.

There are basic skills that every horse needs to know and it is up to you to provide your horse with this training. Horse training guidelines really vary based on what your horse will be doing most of the time. They also come into play based on the age of your horse at the time that he arrives at your barn.

Familiarization with the Routine

The first thing that you should do is set up a routine for your horse and make sure that hr becomes comfortable with feeding times, exercise times and training sessions. Letting him get used to the sights, sounds and smells of the new barn allows him to feel more comfortable. Doing this before you start to put demands on hom will allow him to relax more during your training sessions and your horse will learn faster and be more willing to work with you.

When working with your horse it’s important that you’re consistent with your commands. Understand what you’ll be saying to your horse so that when you’re going to say a command your horse is not confused. It’s also wise to adapt a sound that is used to reprimand your horse as well. Often trainers will use a loud “shh” sound in order to let a horse know he has done something wrong. If you repeat this sound each time your horse makes a wrong move and then correct him, then soon he’ll become accustomed to it and you’ll be able to move on in your training.

Diet and Rapport with Your Horse

Watching what your horse eats and how he reacts to it is crucial to your horse’s health and your relationship with your horse. Understanding how your horse reacts to different foods and the mix that he eats will help you to work with your horse better. You’ll also get a feel for when he is being overfed by the way he reacts to his food. Attempt to feed your horse at close to the same time and from the same type of container. You should never feed your horse by hand except for occasional treats.

Written Horse Training Guidelines

Most written horse training guidelines will tell you that a fixed schedule and positive reinforcement will help to build rapport between you and your horse and while this is so, consistency is probably more important than anything. Maintaining a consistent schedule, attitude and regimen will allow your horse to trust in what you’ll do and that’s important for your horse to develop trust in you.

Horse training guidelines are just that, guidelines, and should be treated as such. Once you begin to teach your horse and he learns from you, training time will become play time for both of you and you will begin to find true enjoyment in owning a horse.

Don’t look for all the answers in books but take the time to find out what your horse truly needs when you’re looking for training help.

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Take advantage of a horse training clinic

Learning to ride a horse requires time and a certain amount of skill on the part of both rider and your horse. Horse training clinics are offered in many areas several times per year and these clinics will do wonders in advancing your skills and horsemanship. You and your horse can benefit from expert tutelage from experienced riders.

When you decide to take a class at a horse training clinic make sure that you reserve space early for the clinic as well as ensuring travel and lodging arrangements are made in advance. Training classes are often very well attended and attending on the type of instruction offered can be booked months in advance.

Searching For the Right Horse Training Clinic to Attend

Depending upon your level of skill you should make plans to attend a course training clinic that will move your skills from one level to the next. The skills provided during training require that you absorbing the mechanics of the skills during the clinic and then be prepared to return home and work with your horse to improve on what you have learned. Preparing for a horse training clinic in advance may allow you to receive a higher level of benefit from your attendance as well as prepare your horse for learning new skills.

At times these clinics may only be one day in length but in some cases can extend to as long as a week or more. It is important that your horse and you be ready to spend an extended length of time in a strange arena as well as spending time traveling. Ensure that your horse is capable of traveling in a trailer without becoming upset or endangering himself or other animals.

If your horse has never traveled for any distance it may be wise to take a few short trips that will prepare your horse for the sensation of a moving trailer. Make sure that your horse is familiar with the inside of the trailer as it may also be a part of the boarding facilities at the location where the training is held.

Planning Your Attendance at a Horse Training Clinic

Depending on the distance from your stable to the clinic make sure that you anticipate enough travel time that will allow you and your horse to be rested at the time the clinic starts. Knowing that your horse will be in strange surroundings and around strange people and animals means that you need to take every precaution prior to beginning the class. Attending the horse training clinic means that you, the student, should be prepared to focus your attention on the drills and skills that are being taught. Then it will be up to you to take these skills and continue their development.

In the beginning it may be wise to only attend a horse training clinic in your local area. This will ensure that you and your horse can focus without being tired or agitated from traveling.

With what you learn at the horse training clinic and then working hard to develop the skills that will improve your horsemanship will make you and your horse a better team and provide many hours of enjoyable companionship and riding.

Related posts:

1. Understanding Dressage And Your Horse Training Skills
2. Training Your Young Horse Personally Or Letting Nature Do Your Horse Training For You
3. Do It Yourself Parelli Horse Training.

Understanding dressage

Dressage is French term that can literally be translated as training but is considered to be an equestrian sport that allows riders to display a high level of training from both you and your horse. The Greeks originally used this type of training to prepare their mounts for battle.

A fully trained and developed horse and rider team will appear relaxed and smooth during all of the tasks set before them. Your horse once it has high level of “dressage training” will seem effortless in completing tasks, while you the rider appear to relaxed and able to do other tasks.

Dressage training includes the development of subtle communication between you and your horse. This communication will allow your horse to respond to gentle movements of your knees or gentle pressure on the reins. As your horse develops its skill at responding, you become more comfortable on the horse and this leads to more fun and greater safety for both horse and rider.

Dressage has been called the “Horse Ballet” by many because of the intricate movements and tasks that rider and animal must perform. It takes many years of teamwork for your horse to compliment your riding style in a way that appears effortless. Your mount will require plenty of attention and you will need to develop patience and discipline in order to succeed successfully in dressage competitions.

Regardless of whether you plan on entering dressage competition or not here is what you can expect if you do attempt to compete. Even if you don’t compete you will gain a greater understanding of your horse and how to ride by practicing the skills required for successful dressage competitions.

Dressage Competitions Require an Investment of the Mind, Body and Spirit

You and your horse must be prepared mentally for the event. There will be three judges whose sole job is to see how well your horse can obey your subtle commands and perform the tasks that are presented to him. It is in this preparation stage that you must know what will be asked of you and of your horse.

You are required to ride the perimeter of the area until allowed into the ring by the judge’s whistle. Once inside the competition area you must salute the judges and follow the letters that have been posted in order and allow your horse to perform the tasks that have been provided for you to accomplish.

Your horse will be graded on how well he responds and you’ll be judged on how well you respond to your horse’s goals. There are various gaits, jumps and maneuvers that your horse will be required to perform in order to score highly in dressage competition.

Training your horse before the event is crucial. Never move too quickly through the training stages and be sure that your horse can complete one task before moving on to the next. Dressage offers the chance to build a long lasting relationship with your horse as long as you treat himwith respect and provide him the care he needs.

Developing the patience required for dressage training takes time. You must be prepared for long training sessions and frustrating setbacks as well. Train yourself to memorize the requirements that will be set before you so that on the day of the event you are sure of your requirements and can focus on the needs and requirements of your horse.

Concentration and practice are the keys to success in dressage competition.

Recommended Horse Training Resources:

Natural Horsemanship Training videos … CLICK HERE

Applied Posture Riding … CLICK HERE

Related posts:

1. Taking Advantage Of A Horse Training Clinic To Improve Your Skills
2. A Bucking Horse: Rider Training Or Horse Training
3. Horse Riding Helmets ~ Are They Really a Necessity?

If you want to make the most of your horse riding instruction and learn to ride horses really well in the shortest amount of time possible, here are a few secrets just for you:

Multiplying Your Practice Time

Learning to ride horseback, like anything else, is a skill that comes with practice. But horse riding instruction can be expensive and often your riding time is limited to one or twice a week, usually on weekends. So how can you practice enough to get really good when you are limited to an hour or two a week? After all, it is said that to become good at any skill you need to have put in about 500 hours of practice …and about 3000 hours to become a master! Well, by that rule, with a weekly horse riding instruction session of 1 hour, it would take you about 9 and a half years to get good! I don’t know about you but that seems an awfully long time. Fortunately there are some ways you can multiply the effects of your horse riding instruction that won’t cost you a fortune. And you’ll become a better horse rider in the process.

The Riding School in Your Mind

You can use mental rehearsal to practice horse back riding in your mind! The reason little girls get so good at riding so fast is partly due to the fact that they obsess about horses and horse riding and spend so much of their freetime thinking about horse riding, talking about horses, reading equestrian books and day dreaming about being on horseback. This is the perfect recipe for getting good at something. Added to good instruction of course! So when you have your riding lessons, make sure you pay full attention. Be right in the moment and be aware of how your body feels as you ride the horse.

Really observe everything about being on horse back as you ride around the ménage or riding school area. Listen to the sounds of the horses hooves, its breathing, the clink of the harness or the clicks and taps of its shoes as its feet occasionally clip one another. Notice any smells in the air and store all this sensory information in your memory banks. As soon as you get home, make some notes about the major things you learnt in your lesson that day, and any things that you have to work on for next week. Also note down any observations you had during your lesson — even if they seem unrelated to riding — like the fact your instructor had a coffee stain in the shape of Kansas on her T-shirt. This will all help to lock in your lesson. Then at odd times when you can, just sit quietly and replay your horse riding lesson in your mind’s eye. Go through it again and again. Feel yourself back in the saddle, holding the reins, your feet in the stirrups. And relive that lesson — only in your imagination you can do it better. When you are practising in your mind’s eye, you can be a perfect rider, totally confident and skillful.

The ideal time to practice mental rehearsal is last thing at night as you go to sleep, and first thing in the morning when you wake up. But the more you do it, the better it is. You should see rapid improvements in your horse riding ability as you go to your weekly instruction classes.

In the Hoofsteps of the Masters

Another secret to accelerating the affects of your horse riding instruction is to copy great riders. There are 3 simple ways to do this.

1. Get a mentor.

You can watch someone who is a great rider at your riding school and try and copy the way they ride. Just spend some time observing them around horses. Be like an actor rehearsing for a part. Gradually build up your inner picture of what it is to be that person. Notice everything about the way they get on a horse, how they sit in the saddle, the way they hold the reins. Look closely at the set of their face. Are they tense or relaxed? Are they comfortable enough to smile? Notice their breathing… and imagine yourself getting on a horse, sitting in the saddle, holding the reins, and breathing, just like that great rider. Befriend that person if you can and get their advice and tips… otherwise just observe them secretly and absorb what they know about riding confidently.

2. Create an equestrian book library.

Your mind will benefit by absorbing the principles of riding, so plunder your local library for books on horses and riding, or create your own personal library of equestrian books to which you can refer frequently. Seeing pictures of people riding will fill your mind with the images of ‘how to ride’ that it needs. Reading actual written instructions can help you cement the lessons you are taught at your horse riding instruction sessions. If you have fallen in love with horses and with horse riding, you’ll be happy to read all about them — it will fuel your passion and excitement and your mind will gallop to help you achieve what you want: to become a great horse rider.

3. Watch DVDs of great horse riders.

When I first learnt to ride, one of my heroes was a famous British showjumper called Harvey Smith. I used to think he was brilliant and wanted to be like him, so I would always watch the showjumping on TV and cheer him on and imagine I was him. I also bought or was given a set of Pony Club videos. These showed some Pony Club kids getting riding instruction in a beautiful part of Great Britain. And again I used to imagine I was there, riding my horse over those training poles. The more opportunities you get to see and observe horse riding, the more information your mind has to work with. By feeding your brain with movies of good horse riding you help form a mental map of what great riding is all about. If you have a particular equestrian hero, you can create an imaginary meeting with that person, in which you have them stand in front of you with their back turned to you, and the you ‘step inside’ them and ‘become’ that person. You imagine looking out of their eyes, feeling what they feel, hearing what they hear. And you get on your hero’s horse and you ride that horse as your hero. This little exercise has been used successfully to accelerate ability in many fields of endeavor — so why don’t you use it to accelerate your horse riding instruction?

Copyright 2007 Adam di Cavallo

Adam di Cavallo grew up watching cowboy movies and took to the saddle at the age of 9. Nearly 30 years later his passion and enthusiasm for horses and horse riding is as strong as ever and he is delighted to have this opportunity to share with you some of the equestrian secrets he has discovered over the years….

If you enjoyed this article, you might like to discover the secrets of how you can learn horseback riding from home without expensive lessons at: [http://www.horseyhorses.com/horse-riding-made-easy.html]

Accelerated Horse Riding Instruction Secrets [http://www.horseyhorses.com/horse-riding-made-easy.html]

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1. Horse Back Riding ~ Tips and Techniques for the Beginner Rider.
2. Horse Riding Helmets ~ Are They Really a Necessity?
3. Safe Riding: Tips On Keeping You And Your Horse Safe