Equestrian Goods

I am on Mountain Standard time, (no daylight savings time) which is 3 hours behind New York’s time if you didn’t know and I was wondering what time the final round of show jumping would be on because I really want to see it. I missed it today because I turned on the TV and it was ending but they said the final round is tomorrow. Thank you!!!

I might be to late, but if you are in Canada, CBC has it on their website that you can watch live
http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/livevideo/#n=bold&p=equestrian_on_bold&e=individual_show_jumping_finals&dt=2008/08/21_07:10%20AM&s=http://authmfile.akamai.com.edgesuite.net/akamai.stream.auth/35018/wm/cbcwm.gen/v001/reflector:12324.js
Sorry, if this doesnt help very much. I think its also live on TV on CBC BOld, and NBC

I was watching some type of equestrian thing on the olympics yesterday and it said that the handler of the horse was from Connecticut, so the horse must be her horse and also live in Connecticut too right? So how do they get everyone’s horses over there?

The horses were flown to Hong Kong - site of the Equestrian events - from at least two quarantine locations. I believe they were Great Britian and Saudi Arabia.

WA

I need statistics on horse riding hats, how they are used, how they are manufactured and how well they sell!

Personally I'd say that 99% of riders use hard hats and anyone that doesn't is stupid and asking for trouble.

Horses are unpredictable animals and you can never be 100% sure that they won't do something that will cause you to fall off and injure yourself.

In GB it is against the law for a child under the age of 13 to ride a horse on the public highway without a hard hat.

In all horse related sports (racing, showjumping, eventing, etc) it is compulsory to wear a hard hat, although the standard of safety varies from country to country.

Try the following link, it will take you to Charles Owen's website. They are manufacturers of riding hats and may be able to provide you with facts and figures: http://www.charlesowen.co.uk/en/index.php?c=uni

As I havnt owned a horse for some 20 years Im very rusty and am getting stuck on some of the questions. One of them is to explain what I know about "trotting up" and how to hold the lead rope in this situation? If anyone can help Id be very grateful.

Trotting up is usually done to test the soundness of a horse. It should be carried out on a solid and level surface so that uneven steps can be spotted easily. The horse should be trotted steadily and you should hold the leadrope far enough away from the horse not to interfere with the horses movement. Make sure you bring the horse back to a balanced walk before turning around and trotting back and always turn the horse away from you.

Obviously I am new to dressage. My horse has schooled and competed to level 2-3. But I want to do a dressage schooling show in October. I see that I can buy the tests for $25 online, but when I watch You Tube it looks like there is no difference between 2007 and 2008 tests. (At least for the Intro Level B test). Does anyone know? Thanks!

I don’t think there is any difference. I looked for that also at the beginning of the year but couldn’t figure out if there was really a change. I ended up doing the same test that I had done in 2007 and it was the right one. If you’re really unsure ask the judges or show officials although I really don’t think they’ve made any changes to the intro and training level tests. also I’m pretty sure you can get the tests online for free so keep looking. good luck

How do I find one? Should I call around, or put an add in the paper for Western riding. I'm near Scranton PA. Thanks.

1. any stable will let you ride any style you want as long as you pay them.
2. if you're looking for a western trainer, then go to a local barn/tack store and ask for suggestions from them, they're sure to know.

I am thinking about picking up horse riding for the summer. I've never done any horse riding but really want to pick it up. Is it hard to learn horse riding without any prior experience? I don't to learn all the tricks, just want to able to ride the horse. Any tips or suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

It's not hard but it takes time to advance to higher levels…..
You should definatly give it a try….. you may hate it, but it may just be the best choice you ever made!

Here are a few of the basics:
Start Safe
Have someone hold the horse so that you can concentrate on getting the correct position once you have mounted and are sitting in the saddle.

Find Your Balance
Sit squarely, with your seat bones comfortably in the middle of the saddle seat and your legs hanging loose on each side. Make sure you are not slouched to one side and are feeling relaxed.

A Foot in Each Stirrup
Lift up your feet and slide them into the stirrups. You can do this one at a time or at the same time if you are feeling balanced and co-coordinated. Your feet should lightly rest in the stirrups with the widest part of your foot. Your heels should be angled, but not pressed down.

Check Your Position
Looking down and check that you cannot see your toe or your heel. Your feet in the stirrups should be pointing in the same direction as your knee that is lying, but not excessively gripping, the knee roll of the saddle. Don’t let your ankles cave in, or swivel so your toes are pointing in

Holding the Reins
Pick up the reins, one in each hand, or if Western riding, with both reins in one hand while the other rests along your thigh. The rein end that is attached to the horse’s bit should be coming out under your little finger, with the buckle or loose end coming out past your thumb and forefinger.

Fingertip Control
Hold your hands at about a 30 degree angle to the ground with your fingers closed around the rein in a relaxed fist. Holding your hand upright or too flat decreases your flexibility and strength. Some people hold the reins between the baby and ring fingers—either way is okay.

Perfect Posture
Sit tall and relaxed with your shoulders back. Don’t stiffen your back and try not to slouch—bad posture is as much a problem when riding as when walking or running.

Tall in the Saddle
Look up and past your horse’s ears. Looking down stiffens the spine and causes your horse to feel like he is carrying a heavier load.

Practice Makes Perfect
Smile, breathe and be patient as your body uses new muscles and develop awareness. Practice does make perfect, so expect to correct yourself frequently as you ride until your 'perfect seat' becomes perfectly natural.

Tips:
Don’t jam your feet too far into the stirrup. You should be able to take your feet out without too much struggle.

Ideally the angle made by your shin and thigh bone should be no more than 100 degrees and no less than 90 degrees.

If you are nervous or tense don’t forget to breathe. Your horse will pick up any tension and be less likely to want to stand while you practice getting your position.

As you hold the reins your arms will be hanging relaxed at your sides, your elbows close to but not touching your body, and your hands slightly below your navel. Ideally your thumbs will be about six or seven inches apart.

I’ve seen tons of people exaggerate the amount of time and care you need to own a horse. I know plenty of people who own pasture horses that require little maintenance. I am looking into buying a horse and I need realistic answers. One horse. It will be a pleasure horse that will be ridden probably every other day and live in a pasture. And additional information you can provide me with about caring for a horse is welcome
depending on how you have your pasture set up, and weather or not you will stall the horse, it can take as little or as much care as you want, but you will get what you give. my wife bought 2 horses 8 years before we met, when they came to her they were lead trained and halter broken, and not hard to work with at all, by the time I met her, they had devolved to the point where it is next to impossible to get a halter near them, and they are certainly not able to be ridden. she spent almost no time with them, gave them just the basic care required, and now it has taken me forever to get them somewhat trained so I can work with them. the more time you spend with your horse, the better the bond should be between you.
you will need to plan on paying for basic care items, vet work, tack and equipment. also grain and hay, in all likelihood will be needed if you will be riding every other day, we hay our three through the winter and early spring in upstate NY, you may or may not need to where you are, but it would be a very good idea to grain. how many acres will the horse be running on, and what type of pasture is there now? there are tons of plants that they can’t eat, and you should check to make sure those aren’t present.
do you have a shelter of some kind for the horse to go into? they don’t need much, but they do require a place to get out of the weather, and local law may require it as well, check with a local vet to find out.
what type of fence do you have? we had barbed wire at one of the places I worked as a stable hand, and the vet was called far too often to stitch cuts from it. 500 $ vet bills are no fun!
there are tons of books online and in stores that can help you, do your research and find out if this is something you really want to do, and if it seems too much, you can always rent a horse at a local stable and ride there, much less fuss, and it may cost less for you.
hopefully this helps, and feel free to contact if you’d like more info, songwind923@hotmail.com.

Hey, so I am goingto start Dressage, I do not plan on buying a horse right away, but in a few years I am. Once I do get more experince. What things should I look for in them?

When you really get into Dressage, you'll know what attributes you look for.

You want a horse with a nice amount of suspension. If you're looking for a horse who's already trained, then look at the flexsion in his neck and how he uses his back legs. Does he move properly and comfortably, making it look effortless? How experienced of a Dressage horse is he, does he know piaffe and tempes? Is he in a focused enough state of mind, that he can keep his focus on performing every detail while theres a wild crowd outside of the ring?

Those are all some questions you should ask yourself. Now, I'm not much for a Dressage rider but we have a Dressage trainer at the barn. Maybe other Dressage riders would be able to give you a better gist.
But, once you get into the swing of it, you'll know what you're looking for.

How can I convince someone that horse riding is a good thing for me?
Convincing Parent
Convincing Parent
age 12

The best way to convince your parents is to show them your maturity by NOT asking them again for at least ONE WEEK. At the end of one week (7 days), ask them again & when they say NO, do not beg, cry, or keep asking WHY. Accept their answer & respect their decisions & it is very possible that your parents will REWARD you with an unexpected gift. Whatever it is, be greatful & happy, as this is how you show maturity to your parents. You need self control BEFORE you get onto a horse.