Indholdsfortegnelse for Fall 2024 i Horse & Rider

HEADING TO YOUR FIRST HORSE SHOW can be an intimidating experience. While a seasoned competitor might pull into the fairgrounds and not even bat an eye at the chaos that’s happening around them, a rider who is attending a show for the first time might become overwhelmed with what’s going on around them. The barn I’m at has a lot of riders who are new to the world of showing. Here’s some of the advice the more seasoned riders offer our barn’s newer riders, who might feel nervous or overwhelmed heading into their first show. Have a Plan Your plan should start well before you pull into the parking lot of your show. It’s something that should start weeks, even months, before you attend an event. First, you’re going to…

1. Style doesn’t matter around horses if you aren’t safe. That’s why having your kid wear a well-fitted helmet is a must ($79.99; troxelhelmets.com). With two different designs to choose from, your little boy or girl can choose from a dinosaur-themed helmet or go for the pink unicorn helmet. While the design will have your child excited about wearing a helmet, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your child is safe since the helmets are ASTM/SEI-certified, have a dial-fit system that provides a customized fit, and a headliner that can fold over to adjust the helmet’s width to accommodate different head shapes. 2. Saddle Up This saddle is made with the youth rider in mind and tailored for those wearing girls’ or boys’ Western jeans from size four to 14.…

THIS IS A NICE CLASS of performance geldings. Whether the class is halter or performance halter, the first things I look for are overall balance and correctness. I’ll be judging these geldings on the four categories of balance, structural correctness, breed and sex characteristics, and muscling, and assess each horse’s pluses and minuses within those categories. Overall balance and correct structure can benefit athleticism and help a horse stay sound. General attractiveness helps, too, as some horses have a natural presence that stands out. I like to see good-bodied horses with enough substance and bone to hold up to athletic work. I also like to see soft eyes and well-set ears, even in geldings, as their heads are an indication of their overall quality and trainability. Gelding C This athletic-looking…

LIFE TAKES US DOWN different paths, but I seem to be on just one, which is with the horse. Because of the horse I have experienced success, failure, memories, and life-changing circumstances. Each day I wake up and know I am the luckiest person in the world to have experienced the things I have. Growing up on a working cattle ranch in north-central Arizona, my parents were both horsemen and cowmen. As a result, I was coached by the very best trainers of the day and was exposed to the most talented horses. My parents took me across the United States showing Quarter Horses. I have shown horses in most states, plus Canada. Myself, my parents, my dogs, and my five horses hauled thousands of miles. It was quite the…

While the test is done primarily for American Quarter Horses, several genetic diseases detected by the six-panel test occur in other breeds. For AQHA breeding stock, the results are required for a horse’s record and certificate of registration. Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency Disorder (GBED) What is it? GBED is an autosomal recessive disease caused by a mutation of the GBE gene, which reduces the function of the glycogen branching enzyme. As a result, cardiac and skeletal muscle, the liver, and the brain cannot store or mobilize glycogen. Glycogen’s primary function in the body is to provide energy to the muscles so without the ability to use it, a horse will experience muscle weakness and death. Since it’s a recessive mutation, a horse must inherit two copies of the mutated gene,…

Whether your child started out with a goal of competing horseback when they first started riding or it became a goal once they’d logged many hours in the saddle, the simple idea of attending your first show can be paralyzing for both parent and young rider. The feelings of excitement can quickly turn to anxiety due to the great unknown. In my work with youth riders of all levels, as well as my lifelong experience as a competitive horsewoman, I see this happen all the time with first-time competitors and their parents. I’m here to dispel the myths—and tell you the truths—about attending your first show, including how to prepare to ensure that you and your child feel ready to hit the show pen, jackpot, or playday and have the…

When you think of body control in your riding, you might consider it a more advanced skill. While many elements of body control do require deeper knowledge and experience than your child rider might have, there are aspects of it that you can help develop early in their riding years. This way, they’ll be more prepared to tackle the tougher exercises as they mature as a rider. Working with all-around and ranch-event horses, we have many opportunities to execute ground poles/logs in our classes. We take elements of these obstacles to work on at home, especially with our developing riders. Learn more here. Single-Pole Drill To help a young rider get in tune with the horse, they must understand which foot is where and which foot crosses a pole first.…

The day has finally come, and the search has paid off. Now there are no more ads to read, no more drives to arenas to see if your high hopes will be dashed, no more anxiously awaiting the results of a pre-purchase exam. You’ve found the perfect horse for you, the paperwork is signed, the money has exchanged hands, and today you bring him home. It’s all sunshine from here … right? Whether he’s a show horse that will take you to the next level, a dependable trail mount that can carry you to new country, or just the sweet, solid horse that will give you back your confidence, a new horse brings new energy to the barn. However, a new horse can also bring new problems. This Isn’t the…

Patrick Metzger showed up for his first volunteer shift at This Old Horse looking for two things: an opportunity to volunteer for a cause he supported and a hope to become part of a welcoming community that shared his interests. What he was not seeking—or expecting—was love. By his own admission, Patrick was struggling with feelings of depression and felt doing something physical and useful might help. On his first day joining the crew for morning chores at This Old Horse’s flagship barn, Wishbone Ranch in Hastings, MN, he was warmly welcomed, fondly embraced and made to feel his help was highly valued and appreciated by the other volunteers. After chores and the post-chore social ‘gathering’ for snacks and beverages, he was introduced to an old mare named Gypsy and…