Posted by admin | Under facts on horses
Saturday May 29, 2010
What I have done/experienced/know:
1. I have owned a pony for 2 years. She is a special needs horse for she has many issues and I take care of her completely. Well my mom helps me with her medicine because I spill and she has the schedules and stuff because I don’t have a date book but besides that I take care of her.
2. I have worked at a rescue farm and delt with abused intermediate horses. They were quite scared. One time one of them got freaked out while I was walking her to the feed bucket. She literally almost backed up into the barn, but I calmed her down steadily and brought her to her bucket without losing her (she was really quick too)
3. I’ve been riding for 9 years now. Since 3rd grade and I’m in 12th. I ride 2-5 times a week, but I go to the barn a lot more than that. And I ride all summer long. I have ridden 7 days a week for a year, but my pony’s old so I can’t do it anymore. And I take lesson 2-3 times a week.
4. I have shown one season in long stirrup hunter, low large hunter, and large pleasure pony. I got a red merit in low large hunter and large pleasure pony (7 points total). And I also got 5th place in long stirrup hunter. I only did 6 shows in long stirrup hunter, but I got at least 5 ribbons every show (7 classes each jumping 2’3”). Also, I only showed once in the other two so yeah. I got 47 points total out of 7 shows. And that was my first time ever showing
5. I know all the stuff around the barn. I know how to muck, feed, clean buckets, water buckets, turn in/out, how to catch a run-away horse, clean area, give hay clean tack etc….
6. I know how to give a full groom, bath, braid
7. I know how to take care of a horse when sick, ie take temperature, give syringe (well I’ve never done it but I have watched MANY times and I could do it easily), when to call vet/Ferrier etc.
8. I know all the parts of the horse, all parts of English tack (bridle/girth/martingale/breastplate/sad… etc), horse colors, horse breeds, horse terms, vet facts to know about horses, random Horse facts etc.
9. I know how to tack up and everything. I also know how to get on WITHOUT a mounting block
10. I know how to steer/walk/trot/canter/gallop/jump up to 3’ (would jump higher but my pony is only 14.1 and has health issues and is old)
11. I know diagonals, leads, simple and flying lead changes by heart. And any other things with riding
12. I know what to look for when critiquing people and am always willing to give advice
13. I’ve ridden English hunter and I do a tiny bit of dressage with my trainer (bending etc)
14. I’ve fallen off 18 times, from a standstill/walk/trot/canter/gallop/jump/… and gotten right back on EVERY time and redid what I had to do.
15. I’m always willing to learn new things, read new things, read books/magazines/websites (horse, young rider etc)
Needed to improve:
1. I have bad habits while riding. I have issues keeping my heals down because of medical issues (I have bad feet/ankles/thighs)
2. It is hard for me to relax sometimes because my back/shoulders/legs are ALWAYS stiff. But I do ignore it and get on with things.
3. It’s hard for me to lift heavy stuff/lead stronger horses because I’m not that strong. I only weigh 100 pounds and am kind of wimpy but I learn to work around it.
4. I tend to stall at times. I mean like sometimes it takes me awhile to get ready because I’m sort of slow. I also have ADHD/OCD so it’s hard for me at times. I have a bad memory and tend to forget my course or where I’m going at times.
That’s all I can think of. I’m sure there’s more I just can’t think of it.
thanks for answering.
yeah. i have ridden other horses. i haven’t lately because i have my own horse and take care of her, but whenever someone asks me, i do. it’s just that some of the horses at the barn are tbs and quick snobby horses or haven’t been trained much. they’re sweet, but i don’t really want to get on a horse i don’t have permission to ride and don’t know…
also i am ALWAYS reading horse books. i must have about 20 horse books and every time i go to the tack store/book store i get more (which is why i don’t always go haha) but yeah i love to read and find out new things so its all good
yeah i’m always stiff when i ride. that’s only because my shoulders don’t become unstiff. but whenever i ride i’m always trying to loosen them up by rolling them and stuff, but it never works. that’s the only reason i like the winter because my trainer can’t yell at me because he can’t see how stiff i am under my jacket and three outfits haha…
and yes i know i’m not the best. i’ve been at a REALLY FANCY barn where people have gone to the olympics there and yeah they can like jump 7 ft amazingly. so i know i’m not the best rider, but i always like to improve
i have shortened my stirrups. that was back in september and i have shortened them a hole. now i’m at 14 and back then i was at 13. my trainers have helped me quite a bit. the sad thing is that i think my trainer is moving back to peru next year. he is an amazing trainer and extremely nice. he’s been my trianer for like 2 years now and has helped me so much. he knows that i have illnesses, and works around them. i also have a hearing loss and he kind of has a soft voice but i’ve gotten used to it and he’s learned to scream.. haha but i’m going to search for a new trainer when he leaves. plus i won’t be riding as much because i’ll be busy in college. i’m thinking of mabye putting my pony on field board and leasing her out idk. but yeah i’ve learned to work around my illnesses. i know i have them for i do go to a special ed school but horses help me know that i can do stuff and i am IN LOVE with horses (if you read my pro you will see.. lol)
Well i would say your intermediate but you should be proud of what you have achieved. An its good to know people are still willing to learn more a bit like myself. With the riding videos your very good altho i think if you worked on a few things it would be a BIG improvement to how you ride like loosening up a bit more in your upper body as you were very stiff , bending your elbows more , sitting back and deeper in your seat which no stirrups is a very good way to help balance but also your seat and core stability. And i agree with a few people who have said you should put your stirrups up a bit more for jumping and maybe if it was just me that if that is the length you ride on the flat or if there longer you will bbenefitby popping them up a few more holes. An you deffoo know a horses stride , and strengthening your legs will also help you be more secure in your jump ppositionand your leg wont go so far back. But other that that your really good , i always enjoy teaching people who are willing to learn more and like you said you like to give advise on riding , well why not get some experience and have a go at teaching , its would be something new for you to try and i think you would love it. Ohh and your horse is beautiful
Posted by admin | Under facts on horses
Tuesday May 18, 2010
I asked a similar question a few days ago, but I now have more specific details and wanted to ask again.
I am doing a two day horse camp in June, 9am-4pm both days (I’m a professional and give lessons on a regular basis with 25 years of equine experience).
The camp will be open to kids ages 7-12. Kids would learn the basics of safety, feeding, grooming, saddling, riding, and other general care. They would also learn a little about different breeds, colors and markings, and other interesting horse facts. We will work in a craft or two as well and are providing snacks and drinks. Kids would need to bring their own lunch.
So, in your opinion, how much would you pay for a camp like this? Or what have you paid in the past for other special interest camps (cheerleading, soccer, etc.)?
My original thought was $150 (that would break down to $10 an hour), but I’m considering going less as I want it to be affordable in this crummy economy.
If it matters – our barn is a pretty, a little above average, 8 stall barn. Lots of trees, riding areas, and a pond. It’s not top of the line, but it is a lovely, serene place to be. We don’t have expensive show horses, but we have a variety of kind, kid-friendly, well-cared for horses. We have an indoor facility with a bathroom and kitchen – a place to get out of the heat and take a break if necessary.
As a parent, what do you think would be an appropriate price?
I think $150 is actually a very good price. Stick with that, IF the kids are going to be doing lots of riding. It is really the perfect price based on how you and your facility sound, and based on what you will be doing.
I used to do a day camp for horseback riding, it was 5 days a week, 8am – 5pm and it was $500 (that’s $100 per day). But that wasn’t a very fair price based on the type of activites we did. We got virtually no riding instruction…just riding…in a big group.
Seriously your price is perfect. Don’t bring it down any more than $150 so long as the kids will be doing a lot of riding and you will be giving them lots of instruction and allowing them hands-on experience with the horses.
If you will not be teaching them to ride as much as you will be teraching them the basics, like grooming, etc. then I would put it down to like $95 – $100.
So what I really want to find is a place that boards trains, ect, and has lessons that will hire me… I want this to be a place that I can work at, and take lessons from at least once a week. I don’t care if it’s just cleaning stalls… a job is a job, and it’s something to start with.
I would like to write a résumé, but I’m unsure of where I should start, and everything to include… Just the whole job business makes me very nervous…And I’m so unsure about everything, because I’m too critical of myself, and a pessimist so I see everything going wrong…
But I know how important a job is, especially since way too many things ride on ‘When I get a job’
I want to get into dressage *when I get a job*
I want to talk to a doctor about getting on adhd meds to see if they would help *when I get a job*
Too many things cannot happen until I get a job.
What all should I make sure I remember to add?
Is mentioning my ADHD important?
How about the fact that I also want to take lessons?
So far, all I can think of is…
Years of experience with horses.
The fact that I own my own horses.
Point out that I’m very passionate about horses?
I can lift heavy things. I have no problem moving bags of feed, and bales of hay.
I’m twenty years old.
And now, everything else is kind of flying out of my head… (Again, with the ADHD…I’ve been horribly distracted these past few days, and I’ve been finding it pretty hard to concentrate on things…)
Also, online, I can find some places that look potentially great, like they’re what I want…but they don’t have any employment information on their website. Should I email them and just ask if they have any openings? If I do, should I just ask, or should I also include my résumé, or send that in a second email after they respond?
Should I also post a Job Wanted ad on Craigslist, with like a mini résumé? What should I make sure I mention for that?
Or do you know a better *free* place I could post an ad on, to find a job?
Oh, and these people deserve a Best of Craigslist for this post, so go and give them a vote, and enjoy their cleverness. :O http://lexington.craigslist.org/grd/1653571001.html
I would suggest emailing/calling the places you’ve found and asking them if they’re looking for any help. My twin sister is now working full time at a super fancy h/j barn, teaching lessons and working with horses (and is the assistant IHSA coach). She started several years ago when she was home for the summer and emailed them to ask if they were hiring help for their summer horse camps. They were, so she helped. She kept coming back to help, and they eventually hired her as regular part-time. When she graduated this past December (with a degree in business), they hired her full time. She still keeps her own horse there and takes lessons as well.
I can’t remember how old you are or how far along you are in school (or if you’re even in school anymore), but my first step would be to contact those people, tell them who you are, mention your love of horses and your desire to gain more experience by working around them, tell them a basic description of your experience (riding for X number of years, show in ___ classes/shows, have ridden with such and such trainer), and ask if they’re looking for anyone to work in or around the barn. Tell them you can send a complete resume, more information, or references if they would like.
If and when you do send a resume, list all of your education on there as well as notable achievements in school (I’m assuming you’re still school age?). List your horse experience as well–trainers you’ve taken lessons from, clinics you’ve attended, seminars you’ve been to, shows you’ve won/done well in (if it’s really big show, list it even if you didn’t place that high), etc. List all of your previous jobs, and make special note of any that include responsibilities you might have in a barn (social skills, organizational skills, management, etc.).
If you post on Craigslist, I’d list your age, experience, achievements, and anything else that makes you stand apart–you’ve worked for a certain trainer or attended a certain show circuit. List what you’re willing and able to do (groom, clean, prepare horses for shows, manage office duties, schedule clients, etc.).
I wouldn’t mention the ADHD at first–like, "Hey, my name is ___ and I have ADHD, will you hire me?" Unless your ADHD affects your performance so that you couldn’t perform the way you said you could, then go with what you have right now and later you can mention that if it’s going to be a factor. For instance, after they’ve already talked to you and gotten to know you and you’re doing an interview or something, you can mention it: "Yes, I can clean stalls, groom horses for shows, and tack up horses for lessons. I have ADHD, but I can multitask well (if you can! Don’t lie if you can’t, but think of something positive) and it does not affect my ability to perform these duties."
Ok, so I’ve just got this horse, and even though I love him like crazy, I hate getting him from the field as I’m so freaked out about the other horses.
Basically, I’ve been at this yard for like 2 years, and a friend was selling her horse so I’ve decided to buy him. So He’s in the same field with the same horses he’s been for more than 2 years.
When I got up to the field, all the horses crowd round me, and I have like a bit of a freak because I keep on thinking they’ll kick or bite the horse which’ll cause him to kick out or something similar. They just get so close and I can’t get them to back off enough for me to open the gate. It takes me like 10 minutes to do a 5 minute trip.
please give me some advice, I can’t move fields or anything and I don’t know who the horses in the field belong to.
x
btw, i’m not normally scared of horses, in fact I’m usually really confident, but when they crowd around me i panic due to something that happened a couple years ago
thanks x
I was taught to tie a grocery bag to the end of your whip or crop. Put a hole in it so the wind, air just flows right through it. When you shake the bag at the horses it usually makes them back right up so you don’t have to worry about hitting them or anything. It’s how I got my mare to stay out of my space. She doesn’t crowd me anymore.
I am doing a prosaive essay for school on The Horse facts Guide Amazon’;return true;” onmouseout=”self.status=””>Fact that horse abuse is wrong and I need to know the different types of horse abuse.
well the most common type of abuse is neglect. unfortunately everyone and their mother think that owning a horse is easy and affordable. so there are the inexperienced people who don’t know how to care for horses, and then there are the people who can’t afford them so they dont trim their feet, or even feed them. Both can be very serious and possibly deadly.
then there is abuse in competition horses. for example, tennessee walkers are sometimes forced to wear metal chains or some people put chemicals on their feet to get a higher stepping action.
And then there is the more common abuses, like owners hitting their horses and stuff like that. But that is hard to prove and even if you do, unless the horse is dying or something, usually animal control can’t do anything about it.
Its a little known Horse facts Guide Amazon’;return true;” onmouseout=”self.status=””>fact that horse people are a little eccentric when it comes to buying stuff for their horse, they will go without before their horse has all the blankets and toys that he needs. Im about to buy a expensive showmanship outfit just because I want the best when i show. I was just wondering what other expensive things people have brought for their horse that they dont really need but brought it just because its their horse ofcourse!
What about a horse isn’t expensive? ha .
I show Western Pleasure/Horsemanship, and you know how expensive those outfits get. Fortunately, I’ve found some great deals on Ebay and my mother is capable of making the tops–so that’s worked well. These are some of the shirts she’s made:
http://s629.photobucket.com/albums/uu17/LopeSlow/?action=view¤t=2009State4-HHorseShow173.jpg <–a Showmanship tunic
another top: http://s629.photobucket.com/albums/uu17/LopeSlow/?action=view¤t=2009StateHorseShow009.jpg
again: http://s629.photobucket.com/albums/uu17/LopeSlow/?action=view¤t=Zip-nolocation.jpg
and another: http://s629.photobucket.com/albums/uu17/LopeSlow/?action=view¤t=P10200182.jpg
I don’t have a picture of all of them, including my favorite.
For English, I just wait until it goes on sale–only splurges I made were on my tall boots and my helmet.
As for tack, I used Ebay to find a good show saddle. My western work saddle was old (but still great!) and then got stolen–so I still haven’t replaced it (and not looking forward to that, either).
But horses rack up costs with blankets, all the extra "show" stuff that’s so nice to have or even necessary(the sleazies and the fake tails and all that), etc.
And they deny this article
http://www.equinestudies.org/ranger_2008/ranger_piece_2008_pdf1.pdf
And the fact that heavy work on a young horse can be damaging.
This is like people denying that crack is addicting.
I don’t understand.
True. Young horses LOOK fully grown. And there is also futurities you can enter with horses under 5.
Don’t give yourself so much credit.
This is aimed at the hundreds of people I see every week, breaking, racing, jumping horses that are too young to safely do so.
And children don’t get euthanized when they break their arm.
I think it’s fine to break horses at 3 years old, I never said you have to wait til 6..
The racing industry, is one example.
Because so many people in the show circuits and racing circuits think that it doesnt matter.
I have seen a RIDICULOUS amount of so called "experts" in the AQHA, APHA, Jockey Club, etc…. say that it "encourages bone growth" to work them hard this early. They deny the facts to make more money.
So honestly it comes down to money.
EDIT***
Ok I dont think it is wrong to "start" a horse (by starting I mean ground work, sacking out, saddling, etc…)
I think its ok to put a three year old under saddle and do LIGHT workouts (meaning no 5 hour trail rides, no jumping, no 7 day work weeks) Workouts that are maybe an hour in length and teach them the basics. The short workouts are for their body AND mind (ugh 3 year old have NO attention span)
I think its ok to start to increase the workouts inbetween 3 and 4 and by 4 1/2 you can ride them like a normal horse (trail rides, Cantering in smaller circles, etc…) BUT you need to save the hard stuff for inbetween 5 and 6 (like full speed barrel racing, jumping, things that pound their legs)
The thing with horses is their legs and backs ARE slow to mature.
People whose horses are fully broke and riding by 3 may not have problems NOW (or even 10 years down the road) but they wont be sound and ridable into older years. There are horses at my farm that have been ridden into their early to late thirties and they werent put into "adult horse" work until AT LEAST 5.
How many of these horses broke at a really young age do you see still riding in their 30’s? You can probably name a few but trust me they are the EXCEPTION not the rule.
From the pony to the Percheron, there are 36 breeds and types of horses and ponies represented on this decorative chart. The skeletal structure and muscular system are accurately portrayed in action and clearly marked for identification. Along with informative Horse facts Guide Amazon’;return true;” onmouseout=”self.status=””>facts about horses, the top panel has the parts of the horse clearly marked. Wonderfully informative! Size: 36″ W x 25″ H
I know they say it is a proven Horse facts Guide Amazon’;return true;” onmouseout=”self.status=””>fact that horses are color blind. If that is indeed true then why when I’m training a young horse to jump different obsticals does it matter if I hang a blue shirt or a red shirt over the jump? Just when I get the horse going nicely over the jump with the blue shirt draped over it, I switch the shirt with an identical red one and its like they’ve never seen that shirt before in their lives and its back to the start? I can understand that different colors are different shades in black and white but that shouldn’t change the reaction that they have to the shirt that durastically? Should it? Just wondering your thoughts on the subject… have you tried any similar experiments?
Until a horse can truly talk, how do we really know for sure?? At one time scientists believed no animal saw color. This is no longer true, they have changed their statements because they have devised tests such as yours that prove to them that color is seen…. I have never quite trusted the scientist to know these things for certain. As I said, when a horse tells me it’s colorblind, then I’ll believe it. I know for an absolute FACT that they are biased as to coat color. I have a mare that detests to the nth degree any red horse she encounters. Browns, blacks, dark greys..anything but red..don’t bother her, but red gets her blood boiling in a hot flash. I have two distint herds. Coloreds and whites. The red horse now will only hang with nonwhite horses thanks to the mad mare. And I don’t think it’s "tones of grey" as some of the greys are toned the same as red and she likes them fine and the red mare likes them not at all.
Many people love the sport, but race horses usually die at very young ages because of it. I can give PLENTY of FACTS on horses that have died very young, for those who do not believe me. I for one am against it, but what are YOU for?
most race horse owners do not care about the horse just the race, they are invesments and not pets.
race horses are trained to only run full out and are not trained to be loving caring pets.
when they reach the end of there usfullness they are usualy not good for a riding horse so they are eather put out as brood mares or destroyed,
I am a horse lover, I own 23 of them and breed them, I also train horses, not brake them cuss I would not want to brake there spirt.
Yes I us my horses for work, roping, team penning, and other events but this is done as a team, me and my horse.
in a nut shell I do not like what horse racing has become.
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