August 2008 - Tips of the Week

Sort by: Most Recent | Most Viewed | Most Commented

Friday, August 29, 2008 4:46 PM

Make a Lasting Impression

by warren_mather

Judges, whether they be American or foreign, are going to look for a well conformed horse that is in top physical condition, groomed impeccably, and trained to present itself in a positive, 'look at me' manner. In the Andalusian halter division, outstanding conformation always has been and always will be a priority. Movement in the Andalusian horse is also very important, and as with any horse, a strong presence in the ring will catch a judge’s eye. If you have done all of the above and you present your horse in a quiet, professional manner you will definitely stand out. Remember one thing—there is no substitute for quality. In most cases at any level, the winning horse will be the horse that captures your heart and leaves a lasting impression.

--Interview by Leah Oliveto 

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 5:21 PM

Want to Get into Welsh Ponies and Cobs?

by dr_ruth
Start by deciding what your goal is. Do you want to just breed or do you just want to show or do both? Do you want to buy young stock and train them for resale? What type of pony do you want to breed? There are four “sections” of Welsh (Section A-Welsh Mountain Pony, Section B-Welsh Pony, Section C-Welsh Pony of Cob Type and Section D-Welsh Cob) plus Half-Welsh, and while part of the same breed, have subtle differences. Are they mainly for show or pleasure? Study the breed standard and try to start out with the best you can afford. Pick the brains of longtime successful breeders/exhibitors—it may save you many frustrating years!

Monday, August 18, 2008 8:29 PM

Calming the Nerves

by tmcquay
The biggest thing that everybody goes through is getting too nervous when they get ready to show. Hopefully you buy a horse that will let you show. Everybody that rides with me can ask, “Why did I do that? I should not have gotten in such a hurry.” Ninety percent know that they’ve made the mistake, but it’s hard not to at times.

When you get ready to show, and you know you are a nervous person, try to stay away from candy bars that are full of sugar. Stay focused on what you should do and keep your diet correct so that you don’t screw up.

Friday, August 08, 2008 9:48 PM

Finding the Right Trainer

by gary_mullen
My number one piece of advice would be to find a reputable trainer. TAKE YOUR TIME, and do your homework on this. Watch trainers at horse shows. Are their clients winning? Watch the trainers school the horses and riders to observe their methods. How do they appear to communicate with the clients? Ask questions of anyone and everyone. You must find a trainer that has a personality and temperament with which you and your horse will connect.

Thursday, August 07, 2008 2:45 PM

Advice for the Beginning Rider

by archie_cox

For riders who are just getting started, one of the most important things you can do is to examine your environment—whether it’s at your barn or at a show. Look around—what interests you, what are you unsure about, what would you like to know more about? Never hesitate to ask questions, to want to learn and gain more information, so that you can make educated decisions about what direction you would like to go towards.

--Interview by Leah Oliveto 

Wednesday, August 06, 2008 9:37 PM

The Right Fit

by jgoodnight
Is your horse’s halter too snug or too loose? Does it hang down around his nose or squeeze his face, rubbing the hair away? Do you fit a rope halter the same as a webbed halter? How do you know if you horse’s halter fits or what size halter he should wear? These are all legitimate questions and it is important to have a halter that fits your horse just right—for his comfort and his safety.

Whether you use a rope, nylon or leather halter, the fit should be the same. The cheek rings of the webbed halter and the cheek knots of the rope halter should sit about one finger’s width below the bottom of the cheek bone. If the noseband gets much lower, it could cause damage to the sensitive cartilage of the nose. The noseband should not fit snugly, but should not be so loose that he could get a hoof stuck in there when he scratches his face with his foot. You should have at least two finger’s width between the noseband and your horse’s jaw.

Usually halters come in basic sizes: yearling, small horse (cob size), regular horse (most horses fit into this category), large horse (Warmblood or draft crosses), draft and mule. The average horse typically wears a regular horse size; if your horse’s head is very small and dished, he may need a small horse size, but keep in mind that you do not want the halter to be tight and uncomfortable for your horse.

Rope halters can be a little trickier to fit correctly on the horse. When you put the rope halter on, be sure to pull the throat knot all the way up to the horse’s throat, then tie it off. This should place the cheek knots just below the cheek bones and keep the upper piece above his jowl—not going across it. If there is too much room in the noseband because your horse has a very refined head, you can loosen the fiador knot under the chin and work it up to tighten the noseband. Or you can use electrical tape to tape around the fiador knot to make the noseband smaller.

Turning out horse in halters is not recommended because of the chance of your horse getting hung up on something. Horses should never be turned loose with a rope halter on because it is easier for them to get hung up and they will not break. If a horse must be turned out with a halter on, make sure that it has a leather breakaway strap at the top so your horse can break safely away if he gets snagged.

Finally, when you trailer your horse, make sure he is in a breakaway halter and never trailer a horse in a rope halter. If your horse falls and or you are in a wreck, you want him to break free. Most halters made for trailering are made of leather because they are more breakable. Most rope halters are made with climbing rope, which is not breakable for the horse. Also, you want your horse to be as comfortable as possible in the trailer and not pulling against the rope halter when he gets off balance.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008 7:08 PM

With Reining Comes Patience

by tmcquay
The best advice would be to have patience. Let things happen, let it all go through and make sure that you are not forcing things. Riders have to learn to let things happen. Don’t try to make your horse do more than he can do. Let the horse show what they have, but show off the parts that you know he can do well.

That helps me as far as being able to show my horse well. I try to show that particular horse to the best of his ability and make the people chase me to catch up to what mine can do. You have to show the strong points of your horse. The biggest mistake I see is riders over-show. They try to show off more than they can do and the “wheels start falling off,” more or less.