Horse Care For Beginners

The Curb bit. What the horse rider needs to know. Horse bits are the key to effective horse riding. There are countless different variations of horse bit available in the market place with each one providing features than can give excellent or terrible results depending on the choice and the skills of the rider concerned .

The relationship between horse and rider can be complex and many riders jump too quickly to conclusions regarding their riding problems . Horses are personalities in their own right and how you successfully control them, whether in horse racing, show jumping or just a sunday afternoon ride is not just about the bit. It is how you, your horse and the bit work together. Don’t forget it might be you that is the problem and not the horse. In this article we will investigate the ins and outs of what different horse bits bring to this relationship, plus how you and the horse need to work in synergy.

A guide to selecting the right bit for your horse.
Horse bits are a very important ingredient in the success of the horse and rider’s relationship . Literally dozens if not hundreds of different types of horse bit can be purchased so understanding how they work and how they can address your problems is critical to your relationship with your horse .

Grooming is an important part of dealing with problem horses.
This may sound simplistic but I can assure you it’s true. I’ve talked about the importance of grooming before, in particular with regard to communicating with your horse. However it’s probably one of the easiest things to do when caring for a problem horse. A horse will often find love for and trust of his owner through the grooming process.

I have trained and bred Arabian horses for over twenty years and have developed my skills through the guidance and philosophies of some of the greatest ‘natural horseman’ of their day. I have been influenced by such greats as Monty Roberts, Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt. I only endorse techniques in horse training that comply with the philosophy that ‘violence is never the answer’.

My first horse. I was in my early 50′s when I first started riding. I was full enthusiasm and keen to get really involved. I’d just bought a 10 acre property with lush pasture and so had plenty of space to keep a horse. The fencing was excellent as the property had formerly been a deer farm and was fenced accordingly. So I decided to buy a horse.

Is equine influenza likely to affect my horse?
This is a question I cannot answer, but I should state that equine influenza ( often known as EI) is not the most common disease that may affect your horse, but it is essential that horse owners remain vigilant to any of the disease symptoms which I’ll cover in this post. Should you suspect that your horse may have contracted the disease it is vital that you immediately report this to your vet.

In it’s simplest terms it refers to pain originating in the abdomen. So, if there is any disturbance of gut function your horse will tend to show signs of pain. The two usual causes of colic are either impaction or a build-up of gas in the large intestine. In the case of a minor form of either of these forms of colic and the pain it causes may, with appropriate care, pass quite quickly. Should it be severe your horse will need to have immediate veterinary treatment.

“If you can’t BREATHE … nothing else matters!” That’s a very true saying from The Australian Lung Foundation. A rather similar well-known saying in the horse fraternity is “no foot … no horse”. It’s a fact that most of the horse lameness problems have the origin in their feet. So it’s important for you to regularly check your horse’s feet, if not daily, then very frequently. This brings us to a problem that many people who are new to owning a horse have, and that’s lifting a horse’s foot.

But very quickly my local Saddle Club made me aware of the many problems that could happen with a horse without the proper care, and that I’d need to find a vet for help if ever the need arose. So I did some research and learned of the many health problems that could occur without the proper care.