Welcome To This Horsey World !
Take a look around and see if your ready and know the basic things you need to do to have a fun and exciting time with your new horse or pony ! I hope my pages help you :).
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
Correctly Fitting Tack
Tack is used to describe the bridle, saddle and accessories worn by a horse. There are many types and makes of saddles and bridles. It is essential that any tack used should be suitable for the purpose intended and fitted correctly. Damaged and ill-fitting tack can affect the horse’s comfort,causing behavioural problems when riding, and may result in serious injuries.
The Bridle
Bridles may be made of leather or synthetic material, and are secured by stitching, buckles and billets. They are available in three main sizes, these are pony, cob and full, and are fully adjustable. The standard cavesson nose band can be changed to a different style if required.
To check the fit of a bridle:
The headpiece, which forms the main part of the bridle, should lie comfortably behind the horse’s poll .The brow band should rest across the horse’s forehead with two finger widths between it, to prevent the headpiece from pinching the ears .It should be possible to place two fingers under the cavesson noseband if this is correctly fastened.The cheek pieces should be buckled equally and should allow the bit to lie comfortably in the mouth, creating only a slight wrinkle at the corner of the lips.The bit should lie flat in the horse’s mouth, with approximately one centimetre of clearance on either side of the mouth.
The Saddle
It is vitally important a saddle is both well-fitting and positioned correctly on the horse’s back. Fitting should be carried out by a qualified saddle fitter, although every rider should be able to position a saddle correctly for use and be able to identify signs that a saddle no longer fits and requires attention. If the horse’s shape alters, as a result of weight gain or muscle development, the fit of the saddle will need to be checked.
How to correctly position a well-fitting saddle:
The saddle should be placed on the back, over the wither, and then slid backwards into its natural resting place. Check that the saddle is balanced and level and not tipping backwards or forwards.The position of the point of the saddle tree should sit behind the horse’s shoulder blade, so that it does not restrict the horse’s normal movement. The tree-arches and points should not dig into the horse’s shoulder.The back saddle should not sit too far along the back and no further back than the start of the last rib.
Girths
Girths are a vital piece of tack, attaching the saddle to the horse and helping maintain its position. They are available in many shapes, types and sizes to suit a range of different saddles. Most general purpose saddles have three girth straps and it is correct to attach the girth to the first and third of these on each side. A correctly fastened girth should rest approximately one hand’s width behind the horse’s elbows
Rugs
In the interests of safety and comfort, a horse’s rug should be of a suitable type and correctly fitted. A rug that slips, has been on too long without being reset or does not fit correctly from the outset, will rub the horse and cause discomfort.
Checking the fit of a rug:
The size of rug required is calculated by measuring along the side of the horse, from the middle of the chest to the point of the buttock. Horses vary in both size and shape – the depth of their girth or neck and size of their shoulder can all affect how a rug fits. The cut of the different rugs can also vary, enabling the most appropriately shaped rug to be selected to suit an individual horse.The horse should be able to move freely and be able to lie down and roll without the rug slipping or causing restriction. An especially broad horse may require a size larger than measured.All fastenings should be secure and measures taken to prevent them from coming undone. In addition to chest straps, rugs are fastened either by cross-surcingles (straps which cross from one side to the other underneath the horse’s belly), by a pair of hindleg straps (that pass between and around the hindleg), or a combination of both.There should be a clear hand’s width between the horse’s belly and the surcingle, and leg straps should be similarly adjusted to allow a hand-width between the strap and the horse’s thigh on both sides. The leg straps should also be looped through each other to prevent rubbing, enabling them to work together and prevent the rug from slipping.Rugs should be cleaned and dried regularly, with outdoor rugs also being maintained in a waterproof condition. Straps, buckles and stitching should be inspected regularly for signs of damage and any necessary repairs made immediately.
The Bridle
Bridles may be made of leather or synthetic material, and are secured by stitching, buckles and billets. They are available in three main sizes, these are pony, cob and full, and are fully adjustable. The standard cavesson nose band can be changed to a different style if required.
To check the fit of a bridle:
The headpiece, which forms the main part of the bridle, should lie comfortably behind the horse’s poll .The brow band should rest across the horse’s forehead with two finger widths between it, to prevent the headpiece from pinching the ears .It should be possible to place two fingers under the cavesson noseband if this is correctly fastened.The cheek pieces should be buckled equally and should allow the bit to lie comfortably in the mouth, creating only a slight wrinkle at the corner of the lips.The bit should lie flat in the horse’s mouth, with approximately one centimetre of clearance on either side of the mouth.
The Saddle
It is vitally important a saddle is both well-fitting and positioned correctly on the horse’s back. Fitting should be carried out by a qualified saddle fitter, although every rider should be able to position a saddle correctly for use and be able to identify signs that a saddle no longer fits and requires attention. If the horse’s shape alters, as a result of weight gain or muscle development, the fit of the saddle will need to be checked.
How to correctly position a well-fitting saddle:
The saddle should be placed on the back, over the wither, and then slid backwards into its natural resting place. Check that the saddle is balanced and level and not tipping backwards or forwards.The position of the point of the saddle tree should sit behind the horse’s shoulder blade, so that it does not restrict the horse’s normal movement. The tree-arches and points should not dig into the horse’s shoulder.The back saddle should not sit too far along the back and no further back than the start of the last rib.
Girths
Girths are a vital piece of tack, attaching the saddle to the horse and helping maintain its position. They are available in many shapes, types and sizes to suit a range of different saddles. Most general purpose saddles have three girth straps and it is correct to attach the girth to the first and third of these on each side. A correctly fastened girth should rest approximately one hand’s width behind the horse’s elbows
Rugs
In the interests of safety and comfort, a horse’s rug should be of a suitable type and correctly fitted. A rug that slips, has been on too long without being reset or does not fit correctly from the outset, will rub the horse and cause discomfort.
Checking the fit of a rug:
The size of rug required is calculated by measuring along the side of the horse, from the middle of the chest to the point of the buttock. Horses vary in both size and shape – the depth of their girth or neck and size of their shoulder can all affect how a rug fits. The cut of the different rugs can also vary, enabling the most appropriately shaped rug to be selected to suit an individual horse.The horse should be able to move freely and be able to lie down and roll without the rug slipping or causing restriction. An especially broad horse may require a size larger than measured.All fastenings should be secure and measures taken to prevent them from coming undone. In addition to chest straps, rugs are fastened either by cross-surcingles (straps which cross from one side to the other underneath the horse’s belly), by a pair of hindleg straps (that pass between and around the hindleg), or a combination of both.There should be a clear hand’s width between the horse’s belly and the surcingle, and leg straps should be similarly adjusted to allow a hand-width between the strap and the horse’s thigh on both sides. The leg straps should also be looped through each other to prevent rubbing, enabling them to work together and prevent the rug from slipping.Rugs should be cleaned and dried regularly, with outdoor rugs also being maintained in a waterproof condition. Straps, buckles and stitching should be inspected regularly for signs of damage and any necessary repairs made immediately.
Correctly Fitting Tack
Tack is used to describe the bridle, saddle and accessories worn by a horse. There are many types and makes of saddles and bridles. It is essential that any tack used should be suitable for the purpose intended and fitted correctly. Damaged and ill-fitting tack can affect the horse’s comfort,causing behavioural problems when riding, and may result in serious injuries.
The Bridle
The headpiece, which forms the main part of the bridle, should lie comfortably behind the horse’s poll .
The brow band should rest across the horse’s forehead with two finger widths between it, to prevent the headpiece from pinching the ears .
It should be possible to place two fingers under the cavesson noseband if this is correctly fastened.
The cheek pieces should be buckled equally and should allow the bit to lie comfortably in the mouth, creating only a slight wrinkle at the corner of the lips.
The bit should lie flat in the horse’s mouth, with approximately one centimetre of clearance on either side of the mouth.
The Saddle
It is vitally important a saddle is both well-fitting and positioned correctly on the horse’s back. Fitting should be carried out by a qualified saddle fitter, although every rider should be able to position a saddle correctly for use and be able to identify signs that a saddle no longer fits and requires attention. If the horse’s shape alters, as a result of weight gain or muscle development, the fit of the saddle will need to be checked.
How to correctly position a well-fitting saddle: 
The position of the point of the saddle tree should sit behind the horse’s shoulder blade, so that it does not restrict the horse’s normal movement. The tree-arches and points should not dig into the horse’s shoulder.
The back saddle should not sit too far along the back and no further back than the start of the last rib.
In the interests of safety and comfort, a horse’s rug should be of a suitable type and correctly fitted. A rug that slips, has been on too long without being reset or does not fit correctly from the outset, will rub the horse and cause discomfort.
The Bridle
Bridles may be made of leather or synthetic material, and are secured by stitching, buckles and billets. They are available in three main sizes, these are pony, cob and full, and are fully adjustable. The standard cavesson nose band can be changed to a different style if required.
To check the fit of a bridle:
The brow band should rest across the horse’s forehead with two finger widths between it, to prevent the headpiece from pinching the ears .
It should be possible to place two fingers under the cavesson noseband if this is correctly fastened.
The cheek pieces should be buckled equally and should allow the bit to lie comfortably in the mouth, creating only a slight wrinkle at the corner of the lips.
The bit should lie flat in the horse’s mouth, with approximately one centimetre of clearance on either side of the mouth.
The Saddle
How to correctly position a well-fitting saddle:
The saddle should be placed on the back, over the wither, and then slid backwards into its natural resting place. Check that the saddle is balanced and level and not tipping backwards or forwards.
The position of the point of the saddle tree should sit behind the horse’s shoulder blade, so that it does not restrict the horse’s normal movement. The tree-arches and points should not dig into the horse’s shoulder.
The back saddle should not sit too far along the back and no further back than the start of the last rib.
Girths
Girths are a vital piece of tack, attaching the saddle to the horse and helping maintain its position. They are available in many shapes, types and sizes to suit a range of different saddles. Most general purpose saddles have three girth straps and it is correct to attach the girth to the first and third of these on each side. A correctly fastened girth should rest approximately one hand’s width behind the horse’s elbows.
Rugs
Checking the fit of a rug:
The size of rug required is calculated by measuring along the side of the horse, from the middle of the chest to the point of the buttock. Horses vary in both size and shape – the depth of their girth or neck and size of their shoulder can all affect how a rug fits. The cut of the different rugs can also vary, enabling the most appropriately shaped rug to be selected to suit an individual horse.
The horse should be able to move freely and be able to lie down and roll without the rug slipping or causing restriction. An especially broad horse may require a size larger than measured.
All fastenings should be secure and measures taken to prevent them from coming undone. In addition to chest straps, rugs are fastened either by cross-surcingles (straps which cross from one side to the other underneath the horse’s belly), by a pair of hindleg straps (that pass between and around the hindleg), or a combination of both.
There should be a clear hand’s width between the horse’s belly and the surcingle, and leg straps should be similarly adjusted to allow a hand-width between the strap and the horse’s thigh on both sides. The leg straps should also be looped through each other to prevent rubbing, enabling them to work together and prevent the rug from slipping.
Rugs should be cleaned and dried regularly, with outdoor rugs also being maintained in a waterproof condition. Straps, buckles and stitching should be inspected regularly for signs of damage and any necessary repairs made immediately.
The horse should be able to move freely and be able to lie down and roll without the rug slipping or causing restriction. An especially broad horse may require a size larger than measured.
All fastenings should be secure and measures taken to prevent them from coming undone. In addition to chest straps, rugs are fastened either by cross-surcingles (straps which cross from one side to the other underneath the horse’s belly), by a pair of hindleg straps (that pass between and around the hindleg), or a combination of both.
There should be a clear hand’s width between the horse’s belly and the surcingle, and leg straps should be similarly adjusted to allow a hand-width between the strap and the horse’s thigh on both sides. The leg straps should also be looped through each other to prevent rubbing, enabling them to work together and prevent the rug from slipping.
Rugs should be cleaned and dried regularly, with outdoor rugs also being maintained in a waterproof condition. Straps, buckles and stitching should be inspected regularly for signs of damage and any necessary repairs made immediately.
Feeding Your Horse
Feeding a horse can be confusing. There are a wide variety of different feeds available and no horses are alike. The amount and type of feed given will depend on the horse’s type, age, weight, health, workload, the climate and what is locally available.
To work out how much forage and concentrate your horse will need you will need to use this formula .......
BodyWeight/100x2.5=TotalDailyRation.
The horse’s stomach is small compared to its body size and cannot hold a lot of food so feeding little and often is always recommened. So your horse has something in its stomach all day provide your horse with plenty of forage all day. This helps prevent any problems and helps movement. It is very improtant not to give your horse food directly after it has worked. Leave at least 30 minutes. Moldy or poor qualtiy food can cause colic.
Thursday, 22 November 2007
Horse And Pony Colours.
Appaloosa - a spotted horse and can either be a coloured horse with white spots or a white horse with coloured spots. Appaloosa is also a breed of horse, but other breeds of horse can have appaloosa patterning.
Bay - the coat is completely brown, but can vary in different shades. The mane and tail are black. The legs are black from the knee downwards. Bay is the most common colour in the horse.
Black - the body, mane and tail is completely black. Some black horses often lighten during the summer and occasionaly show some brown tint.
Brown - the body is dark brown with the same coloured mane and tail.
Chestnut - the body and legs are golden or ginger although the shade can vary from very light gold to a dark brownish ginger. The mane and tail are the same colour as the body.
Grey - there are various types of grey. Some horses can be very pale, almost white with very little grey showing whereas others can be very dark and obvious grey. The mane and tail are grey. Grey horses are born solid coloured eg black, brown, etc and the coat develops into grey as it becomes mature.
Palomino - the body is golden although the shade can vary from very pale golden to a rich golden. The mane and tail are white.
Piebald - is a black and white patched horse. The amount of white and black can vary and the patterning on each horse is unique. The mane and tail may be either black, white or both black and white. The black patches on some Piebalds may lighten in the summer due to the sun.
Skewbald - is a coloured and white patched horse. The amount of white and coloured patches can vary immensely and the patterning on each horse is unique. The coloured patches can be any colour other than black.
Tuesday, 13 November 2007
Your New Pony Friend
Owning a pony is a very big responsibilty, what ever age you are. Whether your 13 or 30, owning a pony is a 365 day of the year responsibility. If you are going to have a happy horse and a strong relationship you will need to provide lots of time, money and commitment.
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