Indholdsfortegnelse for November 2018 i Horse & Rider

Why Won’t He Move? Most of us have encountered a balky horse or two in our riding careers. But when it happens, do you know what’s causing this behavior and how to handle it? Go online to learn how to recognize the root causes of balkiness and how to work your horse past it. Ace Your Speed Transitions In the show pen, accuracy is everything. This month learn how Trevor Dare stays out of the penalty box and nails the shutdown to his spin starting on page 52. Then go online and see how he goes from his large, fast circle to his small, slow one. The Thinking Rider On tap for November: Go-to exercises! A collection of our best training drills. Follow Horse&Rider on Facebook for alerts on new…

Don’t Miss This explore. This is the only time of year you can ride your horse past the popular Myrtle Beach 1. Boardwalk and SkyWheel. The 20-mile ride takes you right under the famous fishing pier. family fun. 2. Lakewood Camping Resort, host of the annual AHA Beach Ride, is a square, half-mile of oceanfront property. Featuring a waterpark, indoor and outdoor pool, basketball court, and mini-golf, there’s plenty to keep any non-horse people busy. This is the only week of the year they allow horses on site. 3. Myrtle Beach State Park is a short drive away and allows visitors to explore nature in a pristine coastal setting. do. The city of Myrtle Beach is also rich in a variety of fun and adventure. It’s known as a golfer’s paradise,…

Horses live longer these days, so their teeth must keep working longer, as well. For that to happen, your horse needs proper dental care throughout his life. Here’s what to know. What Can Go Wrong? We used to think the sharp enamel points that can develop on the cheek side of the top teeth and the tongue side of the bottom teeth were the only dental issue to worry about. These points make chewing painful and can create ulcers in the cheek and tongue. Though points are still the most common problem, we now know the overall proper function of the teeth and soft tissues of the mouth are also of vital concern. Horses’ teeth continue to grow and wear down most of their lives, and abnormal wear patterns can…

With horses, safety is paramount. A key part of being a confident, effective rider is knowing your horse guides willingly on command. If he does, you’ve established one of the foundations for both horse-and-rider safety and effective horsemanship. My Crazy Cones exercise will boost that guidability. By keeping your horse listening and guessing, it renders him lighter and lighter to your rein cues. As you weave him in and around the cones, the lateral bending creates suppleness. The back-and-forth motion loosens his jaw, neck, shoulders, and ribs as you drive him forward. Your commands in this exercise must be clear and timely. You must use your brain to decide where and when to switch back and forth, your hands to direct your horse’s head and neck, and your legs to…

LATELY, I’ve been asking people what the horse means to their lives. Some answers were surprising, some simple, and some expected. Some have answered that horses “have meant everything” to their lives. I can’t claim that. Despite my love for the equine, people and things more eternal outrank the horse. Without question, though, horses have been a significant part of my life. Growing up on a ranch, we did all the work we reasonably could horseback. In adulthood, they became more of a hobby. Transitioning from a desk job back to managing cattle, I find the horse has once again become a partner in business. Horses have always been a part of my life, but to characterize them simply as “partners” or “hobbies” doesn’t do the relationship justice. Connectivity Perhaps…

Stereotypies (once called stable vices) are repetitive behaviors that serve no discernible purpose. They include cribbing and windsucking, weaving, stall- and fence-walking, and self-mutilation. They begin when horses attempt to relieve the stress caused by negative environmental factors—such as confinement, isolation, sweet feeds that cause gastric distress, etc. To prevent stereotypies from developing or to minimize their expression, attend to your horse’s behavioral needs (see below). Also avoid high-carb feeds in favor of pasture grazing or low-calorie grass hay fed in amounts to keep your horse busy with extra “chew time.” Behavioral Needs turnout Maximum pasture turnout with other horses mimics nature and is the ideal for reducing stereotypy risk. companionship If your horse can’t at least see and hear other horses, give him a non-equine friend to keep him…

Regular dental exams should start when a horse is young, to avert issues with caps (baby teeth, sometimes retained too long) and wolf teeth (incisors, painful when unerupted). Indeed, throughout your horse’s life, prevention is the key to dental health. Having his teeth checked and floated (sharp points filed down) every six to 12 months will keep small problems from creating larger ones. He’ll need extra watchfulness over his teeth as he ages, too, as periodontal (gum) disease can also develop.…

You’ve decided it’s time: You need to upgrade your horse to reach your next-level riding goals. You feel as though you’ve elevated your riding skills and are ready for more, which is the goal if you’re an “achiever-type” rider. It’s an exciting stage, for sure. But before you run out and start looking for your next mount, take a minute to ask yourself these six questions to be sure you’re on a path to success rather than to disaster. Why Are You Upgrading? Riders decide to look for more horse for a variety of reasons. As is often the case, some reasons are good and others aren’t. Is your horse getting older and needs to ease up the intensity when you’re on a trajectory to more competitive riding? Then it’s…

IN A CONFORMATION CLASS, I look at the horses’ profiles for an overall picture. I’m searching for the one that looks like everything fits together smoothly, rather than the one made up of random parts. I won’t talk myself into choosing one contender or out of choosing another. When I walk around a horse, I’m looking at structural components. A horse can have a minor fault such as a little more common head or a foot that turns out just a bit, and that won’t change my placing based on my original assessment of overall balance. Overall balance overrides small flaws, as we can see in this class of mares. A major flaw, such as toeing out a lot, can take the best-balanced horse off the top of my list.…

New Youth Event Event name: Youth Ranch Horse Mentor Matchup. Where/when: Denver, Colorado, during January’s National Western Stock Show. What it is: The event matches each of up to 10 selected local riders, ages 14 to 21, and their horses with a professional mentor for the day. The riders work one on one with their mentors in the morning, and they compete for the title of grand champion that afternoon. The prizes: Grand champion earns $1,000, reserve champ gets $500, and each participant receives $100. More info: Visit nationalwestern.com. Millionaire Mama For the first time ever, a mare has reached a milestone in the National Reining Horse Association record books. Ebony Shines became the organization's inaugural Million Dollar Dam at the end of the summer. The 19-year-old mare is by…

It’s difficult to admit when you’re afraid of your horse. But fear is completely natural and justified. Horses are large animals, capable of hurting you if you’re not a careful, skilled leader/rider. New riders are often more comfortable acknowledging their lack of confidence, and as a byproduct are also the most likely to ask for help. Experienced riders who try a new skill or activity, such as the competitor who takes her horse on the trail or someone who’s come off a long break to return to riding, find they too struggle with confidence. But, unlike new riders, they’re less likely to ask for help. Both types of riders need to establish their confidence. When you’re in any riding situation, the more confident you are, the less likely you are…

A “plus” spin can be ruined by a poorly timed stop—and leave you sitting in the penalty box by the end of the maneuver. It could be that your timing was off and you didn’t ask for the shutdown early enough, or maybe your horse didn’t listen to your cues, leaving you past your intended mark. If you compete in events like reining, ranch riding, or horsemanship, chances are you’re required to perform at least one set of spins. Nailing your stop of those spins could be the difference between first and second place. Outside the show pen, having an accurate stop when you ask for a turn helps with overall guide and control. Here I’ll discuss what you might be doing wrong when you’re in the show pen and…

The Collector: Merrilee Doss Hurricane, Utah The Collection: A trove of bits—a century in the making—hang on a rack; each telling its own story of Doss’ father’s Western horse life. “It all started with the purchase of a used bit in 1936,” Doss shares. “It’s now a collection of more than 150 bits and bridles my father used, admired, and acquired during his 60-plus years of ranching in Nevada, Oregon, and California.” Some of the bridles photographed were used for everyday activities, while others were purchased because of their history. “My father, Richie Morgan, used many of these bits on his bridle horses on ranches, at brandings, or in local horse shows,” Doss explains. “Other bits were acquired merely because he knew they had a great story to tell.” SHARE…