Like our homes, children, and careers, our horses are a commitment. If you are juggling the various responsibilities of the typical amateur rider ensuring you and your horse are the right fit for each other is important, or you may run the risk of creating more work, expense, and potential heartache for yourself. I have a friend who decided to buy a young, unmade horse for budgetary reasons. She is a working mom of two able to ride on average 3 times a week. The horse needed a fair amount of training that she could not give due to lack of time and expertise. Unwilling to invest in the training for various reasons she would spend a lot of time struggling with a green horse and becoming progressively unhappy. Riding is about enjoyment so it is prudent to spend a couple of minutes to take stock in your lifestyle, your obligations, and your abilities before you venture into a new horse purchase. Your personal profile should help you select the right horse for temperament, training needs, and ambitions.
1. How often will I be riding on a weekly basis?
2. Can I afford or do I want professional training for my horse?
3. What is my objective for this horse? Horse shows, trail riding, pleasure?
4. What is my riding level and experience?
5. What is my fitness level?
Your personal profile can help to guide your horse search. Honestly assessing your personal needs and abilities can help you determine if you are able enough to train and nuture a green horse on your own or if you need a "school master" whose job it will be to teach you and build your confidence. Your profile can point you in the direction of breed and age as well. A word of caution: never select a horse based on "looks" or somebody else's idea of the perfect horse. Horse shopping can be exciting, sad, and often disappointing, but if you can remain objective and true to yourself the right match is out there.
Have a good ride!
Mel-
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Thursday, July 23, 2009
10 Criteria to Find the Right Boarding Facility For You and Your Horse
Beside your budget, boarding your horse is about personal fit and preference. Here are my top 10 criteria:
1) Instruction or training in your riding discipline - make sure that the trainers and instructors are suited to your needs and style. Check out their lessons in advance. Will they allow other trainers at the facility?
2) Level of Service - If you work or travel a lot you may need a more full-service barn so that your horse can be properly attended to during your absence or tacked up for you when you are pinched for time. If you like to do things yourself and have the time, then less is OK.
3) Riding/Schooling Arenas - depending on where you live and your schedule, assess whether the available arenas will suit your needs. Multiple riding arenas and indoor/outdoor options should be considered. If a facility has one riding arena, are you OK working in a busy arena?
4) Hours of Operation - are they open for business during the times that you are most often going to ride?
5.) Turn out - look for quality: maintained (pasture and fencing) and well drained paddocks are important. Ask about the ratio of horses to each acre of turnout and about the facility's pasture management practices. Inquire about inclement weather turnout. Some barns turnout in all kinds of whether as long as it is not life-threatening. Others will avoid turning out in wet weather to preserve the paddocks and/or to avoid injuries.
6.) Cleanliness - well-swept aisles, dry and airy stalls, clean/organized tack areas.
7.) On-Site Management - is there somebody there at all times? Is there a nightwatch? Who is in charge when management is away at horseshows?
8.) Feed - who is in charge of feeding? Will they allow custom feeding programs or do they follow their own? How are supplements and medications administered and managed?
9.) Vets and Farriers - do they use their own vets and farriers and/or are you free to bring in your own?
10.) Bells and whistles - security, space to keep your stuff, round pen availability, hot walkers are among other things you may desire or have a need for.
Have a good ride!
Mel-
1) Instruction or training in your riding discipline - make sure that the trainers and instructors are suited to your needs and style. Check out their lessons in advance. Will they allow other trainers at the facility?
2) Level of Service - If you work or travel a lot you may need a more full-service barn so that your horse can be properly attended to during your absence or tacked up for you when you are pinched for time. If you like to do things yourself and have the time, then less is OK.
3) Riding/Schooling Arenas - depending on where you live and your schedule, assess whether the available arenas will suit your needs. Multiple riding arenas and indoor/outdoor options should be considered. If a facility has one riding arena, are you OK working in a busy arena?
4) Hours of Operation - are they open for business during the times that you are most often going to ride?
5.) Turn out - look for quality: maintained (pasture and fencing) and well drained paddocks are important. Ask about the ratio of horses to each acre of turnout and about the facility's pasture management practices. Inquire about inclement weather turnout. Some barns turnout in all kinds of whether as long as it is not life-threatening. Others will avoid turning out in wet weather to preserve the paddocks and/or to avoid injuries.
6.) Cleanliness - well-swept aisles, dry and airy stalls, clean/organized tack areas.
7.) On-Site Management - is there somebody there at all times? Is there a nightwatch? Who is in charge when management is away at horseshows?
8.) Feed - who is in charge of feeding? Will they allow custom feeding programs or do they follow their own? How are supplements and medications administered and managed?
9.) Vets and Farriers - do they use their own vets and farriers and/or are you free to bring in your own?
10.) Bells and whistles - security, space to keep your stuff, round pen availability, hot walkers are among other things you may desire or have a need for.
Have a good ride!
Mel-
Monday, July 13, 2009
Tack Trunk on a Budget
The amount of supplies, tools, and remedies that are on the market for horse care is astounding. For those of you watching your budget consider basic needs and avoid unecessary gadgets and luxury items. This list can be tailored down or up depending on what you can rely on from your barn.
Brushes - you only need a basic few: curry, dandy, finishing, if you do not clip your horse consider investing in a shedding blade.
Other grooming tools - hoof picks, comb, and detangling spray (PS: to avoid damaging the tail, never comb the tail from top to bottom, and never comb without detangling spray. Hand pick shavings and other debris out of the tail and, using copious amounts of detangling spray, gently comb sections starting from the bottom until the whole tail is detangled and smooth).
Hoof boot - in case you lose a shoe use this temporarily (only to hack) if the farrier cannot make it out to your barn immediately.
First Aid - to lower cost some of these supplies can be bought from your local grocery or pharmacy: surgical/antiseptic scrub, epsom salts, square bandages, vet wrap, duct tape, scissors, thermometer (don't forget to attach a string to the end), antiseptic ointment, thrush treatment. A cream containing zince oxide (such as diaper rash ointment) may be used as a sunscreen or rash treatment in a pinch. Your vet is probably needed for anything these supplies can't handle.
Blankets - depending on where you live, two is probably all you need to handle change of temperature. In very cold temperatures, you may layer the two for extra warmth. Consider a cooler if you work your horse to a sweat during cool weather months. If you clip your horse during the winter where the temps dip below 20 degrees, consider thermal "underwear". Look for sales during the summer months and consignment options.
Barn Tack - make sure you have "extras" just in case something breaks, gets lost, or needs washing: halter, lead rope, saddle pad, girth, polo wraps.
Extra Clothes For You - gloves, hat/ball cap, jacket (for rain or if you come to the barn underdressed). Whenever I buy new paddock boots I always keep the old ones in my car trunk just in case I forget to bring my boots to the barn after work.
If you don't use something on a regular basis determine whether you can rely on your barn for things like clippers, leg bandaging, shipping boots, braiding tools/supplies, and lunging equipment. This will lower costs for you considerably. My friend Robin keeps nothing but fly spray, a helmet, and gloves in her trunk. I could not function this way but you get the idea of how "stealth" you can be depending on your circumstances!
Did I forget anything? Please share your thoughts.
Mel-
Other grooming tools - hoof picks, comb, and detangling spray (PS: to avoid damaging the tail, never comb the tail from top to bottom, and never comb without detangling spray. Hand pick shavings and other debris out of the tail and, using copious amounts of detangling spray, gently comb sections starting from the bottom until the whole tail is detangled and smooth).
Hoof boot - in case you lose a shoe use this temporarily (only to hack) if the farrier cannot make it out to your barn immediately.
First Aid - to lower cost some of these supplies can be bought from your local grocery or pharmacy: surgical/antiseptic scrub, epsom salts, square bandages, vet wrap, duct tape, scissors, thermometer (don't forget to attach a string to the end), antiseptic ointment, thrush treatment. A cream containing zince oxide (such as diaper rash ointment) may be used as a sunscreen or rash treatment in a pinch. Your vet is probably needed for anything these supplies can't handle.
Blankets - depending on where you live, two is probably all you need to handle change of temperature. In very cold temperatures, you may layer the two for extra warmth. Consider a cooler if you work your horse to a sweat during cool weather months. If you clip your horse during the winter where the temps dip below 20 degrees, consider thermal "underwear". Look for sales during the summer months and consignment options.
Barn Tack - make sure you have "extras" just in case something breaks, gets lost, or needs washing: halter, lead rope, saddle pad, girth, polo wraps.
Extra Clothes For You - gloves, hat/ball cap, jacket (for rain or if you come to the barn underdressed). Whenever I buy new paddock boots I always keep the old ones in my car trunk just in case I forget to bring my boots to the barn after work.
If you don't use something on a regular basis determine whether you can rely on your barn for things like clippers, leg bandaging, shipping boots, braiding tools/supplies, and lunging equipment. This will lower costs for you considerably. My friend Robin keeps nothing but fly spray, a helmet, and gloves in her trunk. I could not function this way but you get the idea of how "stealth" you can be depending on your circumstances!
Did I forget anything? Please share your thoughts.
Mel-
Monday, July 6, 2009
Get the Most Out of Your Hack Time
Lessons with our horse are what many of us look forward to. The magic lesson where "the switch" gets flipped and I REALLY learn how to ride has been elusive but I keep trying nonetheless! If you are like me you take 1-2 lessons a week if you’re lucky, hacking in the ring or along a trail the rest of the time. Creating value out of those hacks can really help with the progress of your lessons. Simply trotting and cantering around a ring in a circle is boring for all involved. Try some of the following exercises the next time it’s just you and your horse:
Warm Up (Always!): on a loose rein walk, trot and canter once around in each direction.
Get your horse to engage his back end: leg yield off the rail (or trail path) and back again, shoulder in, and haunches in are very effective suppling exercises. Do this at the walk first if you or your horse have not done a lot of it.
Sharpen your horses’ response time to your aids: do lots of transitions, upward and downward, every eight strides, gradually reducing the number of strides between transitions.
Sharpen your eye and practice straightness: cantering over a single ground pole often makes it harder to find a distance than an actual jump. Do this in a circle at first then begin to figure eight--stay straight on the approach through the center of the pole and land straight for a stride or two before changing direction.
Practice Rhythm: Set 2-4 ground poles up so that the distance allows for a working trot or relaxed canter over the exercise. Set 3 ground poles up in the corner of your ring on an arc and practice cantering over them at the top of the arc (longer distances) and bottom of the arc (shorter distances). See sidebar diagrams.
Work on Your Strength and Balance: Stand in your two-point at the trot. At the posting trot try staying out of your saddle 4 beats before sitting, then reduce this to 3 and finally 2. Drop your stirrups at the trot and post for as long as you can. If this is too uncomfortable, sit the trot. It is amazing what this work can do for your legs and other body parts!
None of these exercises are breakthrough ideas; just basic drills that I have found really work. Professional riders describe how they're done in detail in many of the popular equine magazines. Please share any exercises that have been fun and/or helpful for you and your horse. We’d love to hear about them.
Have a good ride!
Mel-
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Finding The Time to Ride Your Horse
If you are the typical amateur equestrian, holding down a 40-hour + work week, a family, a home, horse(s) and a passion for riding and competing you are like so many of us involved in the sport who are trying to balance what they love with what is needed to support the lifestyle! There is nothing like coming out to ride after a 10-hour work day—it is decompression time, stress relief, and an energy boost. There is much literature out there that speaks to the calming effect of animal companionship (recommend reading "Therapeutic Aspects of the Human-Companion Animal Interaction". Barker, Sandra B. Psychiatric Times. Vol. 16. No. 2). In addition, we all know the wonderful feeling of physical exhaustion after a workout with our horses—our endorphins pump, our muscles burn, and our heart rate is elevated in one of the best cardiovascular workouts you can get. As an aside, I dared to take a spinning class for the first time during a holiday break from work. My very fit, workout addict neighbor was kind (or perhaps just sadistic) enough to bring me in as her guest. It was an hour long and very intense—I barely made it. The instructor Susan was impressed that I had endured the entire session. This was funny to me since she didn’t seem to be as sympathetic during the workout…. She stated “you have a good cardiovascular baseline, you must do some other type of workout.” I told her that I ride 4 times a week—that’s all! That said, finding the time to ride during our busy, often chaotic, work week is easier said than done. Here are a few tips that the savvy every day equestrian should live by:
· Get the support of your family. Let your family members know that riding is your stress relief and exercise and that it makes you a better mother, father, wife, husband, etc. in the long run! Invite them to partake in your passion if possible.
· Take care of yourself. Eat right and try not to binge-eat your stress away. Get as much sleep as you can. If you are a mom/dad this can be very challenging so set (and stick to!) your kids bedtimes; this will ensure you have time at night to organize for the next day. If possible take a yoga class to improve your flexibility and promote a sense of well-being—this is a great exercise adjacency for the equestrian athlete. Yoga classes are often offered in the workplace where you are able to take a class during your lunch hour.
· Schedule your riding time in advance every week and stick to it. Work it in around meetings, doctor appointments, and the kids’ after school sports. Like going to the gym, riding requires commitment. Keep your schedule on the refrigerator calendar, your blackberry and anywhere else your appointments appear so that other things do not creep into the time you have with your horse.
· Ensure your barn keeps hours that enable you to maximize your riding time. Some equestrian centers have showers and early morning hours that allow you to ride before work. Many barns offer evening hours.
· Schedule your lessons strategically and with instructors who appreciate your hectic schedule and the inherent setbacks that come with it. Lessons are VERY important to your progress as a rider, and the accomplishments made during a lesson help us feel better about ourselves. Your instructor is there to help you meet your goals, but they should also be empathetic to your schedule and the inconsistencies and last-minute changes that come with it! Try not to schedule lessons on days that you have an important business presentation or back-to-back meetings. Arriving at the barn for a physically challenging lesson when you are mentally still at work can be counterproductive to the advancement of you and your horse.
· Get the support of your family. Let your family members know that riding is your stress relief and exercise and that it makes you a better mother, father, wife, husband, etc. in the long run! Invite them to partake in your passion if possible.
· Take care of yourself. Eat right and try not to binge-eat your stress away. Get as much sleep as you can. If you are a mom/dad this can be very challenging so set (and stick to!) your kids bedtimes; this will ensure you have time at night to organize for the next day. If possible take a yoga class to improve your flexibility and promote a sense of well-being—this is a great exercise adjacency for the equestrian athlete. Yoga classes are often offered in the workplace where you are able to take a class during your lunch hour.
· Schedule your riding time in advance every week and stick to it. Work it in around meetings, doctor appointments, and the kids’ after school sports. Like going to the gym, riding requires commitment. Keep your schedule on the refrigerator calendar, your blackberry and anywhere else your appointments appear so that other things do not creep into the time you have with your horse.
· Ensure your barn keeps hours that enable you to maximize your riding time. Some equestrian centers have showers and early morning hours that allow you to ride before work. Many barns offer evening hours.
· Schedule your lessons strategically and with instructors who appreciate your hectic schedule and the inherent setbacks that come with it. Lessons are VERY important to your progress as a rider, and the accomplishments made during a lesson help us feel better about ourselves. Your instructor is there to help you meet your goals, but they should also be empathetic to your schedule and the inconsistencies and last-minute changes that come with it! Try not to schedule lessons on days that you have an important business presentation or back-to-back meetings. Arriving at the barn for a physically challenging lesson when you are mentally still at work can be counterproductive to the advancement of you and your horse.
Have a good ride!
Mel
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