All About Cats, Dogs, Horses and other Lovely Pets.

Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons - Read This Before Taking Lessons

August 19th, 2008

Read on for things that’s essential to know before you take Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons.

So you want to learn how to ride a horse? Well, there is something special about the human - horse relationship. No doubt about that. Here are some things you should know before you take Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons.

It’s a big plus if you can get to know horses - their breeds, colors, height and recommended uses. You’ll need to understand the differences between English & Western styles of riding. Also, before you start riding a horse, it’s best if you get to know the horse - they have personalities too! Likewise, the horse should get to know and trust you.

Learning to ride a horse can be a fun & rewarding experience for people of all ages. However, if the proper skills and safety techniques aren’t learned beforehand, you can end up taking many hard falls. That’s a big reason many beginner horseback riders end up quitting. Falls and injuries can be avoided if the beginning horseback rider takes the time to study the proper horseback riding techniques prior to riding a horse. Just like with learning to ride a bicycle; you first had to fully understand your restrictions, and what the bicycle is capable of. Same goes with learning to ride a horse. Did you know that 90% of falls and horse related injuries result from an inexperienced rider?

If possible, it is beneficial if you can read some horse-related books before taking beginner horseback riding lessons. That way, you know basic horse - related information. You wouldn’t want to begin taking lessons knowing nothing about these beautiful animals. Some of the basic things you need to know are before taking beginner horseback riding lessons are: What you should wear when riding and what not to wear, how to mount & dismount, the various gaits of the horse, understanding the mind of the horse, how to stay in control, etc.

Also, it’s good to know that it’s natural to be scared the first time you ride. But don’t let the horse know that. Horses are like children; they sense when their rider is insecure. So even if you’re afraid, act relaxed. Fake it till you make it!

Riding a horse can be one of the most thrilling experiences of your life. Stick with it. Learning to ride a horse can be slow & hard work. Don’t give up. Knowing that lots of experienced horse riders did not grow up around horses and also took beginner horseback riding lessons can be reassuring.

About the Author

Sara Diamond likes to write about her interests. Horses are one of her loves. Read Horseback Riding - The Complete Beginners Guide to learn all the basics before taking Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons.

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Undernourished Horses

August 5th, 2008

It is important to monitor your horses weight regularly, especially if he is prone to weight loss. A good way to monitor weight is with a weigh tape that can be purchased at most local tack shops or feed stores. If you use this tape at the same time each week it will be about 90% accurate and will let you know if there is any potential problems with your horse with weight loss being a symptom. There is also a thing called a weighbridge that your horse can walk up on to get an accurate weight, however these are not owned by most people as they are very expensive and only the large horse breeders can afford to install them.

When a horse looses weight, he looses his fat first and then the muscle tone. In this way he is just like humans. Usually a horse has a good amount of fat in reserve that he has stored during warm months to prepare for lean winters. It is inherent in their nature to store this fat. By the time weight loss can be seen on a horse, there has been a significant loss of weight already so it is important to keep track of any changes.

One way to put some weight back on your horse is to feed him “conditioning” cubes or feed. There are many varieties on the market such as Spillers Condition Cubes. You should see results fairly quickly in as soon as two weeks in most cases.

Feed more grain than your horses usual portion. Use a feed that is higher in fiber and lower in starch as this reduces the chances of your horse exhibiting bad behavior from his over abundance of energy. More protein and energy intake builds weight. Low energy feeds can be fed from 1kg to 6 kg without your horse going thru the roof with energy.

If you have no good grazing land, offer more hay during the day to provide extra roughage and nutrients. Of course fresh grass is much better, but the hay will still provide “gut fill” which creates heat from the process of fermentation. Try to stay away from large round bales as they can develop mold and are not suitable for horses.

Lastly, consult your veterinarian if you are unsure how to best feed your horse to get your horse back to the proper weight and health. If nothing else they can suggest a good nutritionist that will guide you to the proper diet and supplements.

If you have any questions on Horse supplies or Posh Pampered Pets, please call 979-221-7251 or email info@poshpamperedpets.com. Our home office is located in Waller, Texas, with warehouses located throughout the United States such as Dallas TX, Houston TX, New York NY, Denver CO, Chicago ILL, Seattle WA, Kansas City MO, Miami FL, Raleigh-Durham NC, Washington DC, Los Angeles CA, Fayetteville AR, Philadelphia PA, Phoenix Arizona, San Antonio TX Texas.

About the Author
This article was written by Janine Carter, owner of Posh Pampered Pets. If you have any questions regarding Horse Supplies or Posh Pampered Pets, please feel free to call 979-221-7251 or visit us at “http://www.poshpamperedpets.com”.

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