Friesians

 Friesians

Friesians are always back. The friesians has remained physically unchanged for centuries and its origins can be traced all the way to the medieval horses of the Crusaders. Apart from the period of time in the 80 year war when it was crossed with the Andalusian, the breed has remained pure. It is said that William the Conquerer also used Friesian stallions in the battle of hastings in 1066.

The Friesians were mainly used as draught horses, therefore advance in farm technology led to reduction in numbers. The result was that only 500 mares remained by 1965. Fortunately obstinate owners of the breed managed to afford studs. The fortune of the Friesians has changed since them, for they are now used for carriage driving, dressage and as a show horse.

They are beautiful, lively and reliable with an amazing temperament.

Shergar

SHERGAR

Shergar,  (1978-unknown) was a very famous Irish racehorse. Winner of the 1981 Epson derby by a record of 10 complete lengths, The Longest winning margin in the race's 226 year's history. This victory earned him a spot in "The Observer" newspaper's 100 most memorable sporting moments in the 20th century. This same bay colt with a white blaze down his face was named EUROPEAN HORSE OF THE YEAR in 1981n and retired from racing that  september.

2 years later, in 8th of February1983, he was stollen from a stud farm by masked gunmen. The thieves requested Lots of money for his release, yet the owners refused. The Big horse was never seen again, and his whereabouts will remain a mystery. Had they paid the money, Shergar Would have lived a calm tranquil life of many years to come siring many more winning racehorses.

Now, There's a Race in his Honour. The Shergar Cup at Ascot.

Riding styles

Let's Talk about Riding styles...

There are 2 main riding styles; English and western. Today I'll talk about both.

This is the English Saddle

English riding is  a very popular way of riding. It consists on mainly 3 areas. Dressage, show jumping and Cross country. But there are many more, like Hunter classes and Pleasure classes. This saddle is designed to allow the freedom to move an successfully carry out the Task ahead, ranging from classical dressage to Horse racing. English bridles also vary in styles based on the Discipline but most feature a cavesson nose band and closed reins buckled together at the ends ( this prevents them from falling to the ground if the rider becomes unseated).  Riders are needed to have great balance and seat in order to control the horse properly without putting him or the horse in any kind of danger.


Western styles evolved from ranching in the U.S.A Brought by the spanish conquistadors. This riding style is equipped to meet the need's of a Cowboy in the american West. Cowboys needed to work long hours over rough terrain, sometimes needing to rope cows with a lasso. Because of the necessity of controlling the horse with one hand and roping the cow with the other, western horses are trained to neck rein ( meaning they will change direction from a slight touch on their neck from the outside rein). The horses were also trained to follow the movements of the cattle therefore producing a saddle that is deep and securely seated with a horn to tie the lasso. Though there are significant differences in equipment, there are fewer differences between English and Western riding than appear at first glance. Both styles require riders to have a solid seat as to avoid jerking the horse in the mouth and interfering with it's performance.

This is a Western style tack.

How to Decorate a Horse Shoe

Merry (almost) Christmas !!!!

Today is going to be a special post. Have many of you out there have a Horse shoe at home?? well, ever thought about decorating it??!! here's how:


what you will need:

* anti rust paint  (metallic colour)
* Different colour beads
* beading wire
* wire cutters

1. clean your horse shoe and spray it with the anti rust paint. This works best with a metallic colour like copper, gold or silver. Follow the labeled directions and let the paint dry completely.

2. Gather your decorating supplies. Nip off bout 12inches of wire (30cm). Insert  one end of the wire into the first nail hole of the shoe and wrap it tightly around the shoe to hold the wire in place. Then, begin wrapping the strand of wire and pull the wire through the next nail holes. Keep wrapping.

3. Start threading beads into the wire when you get to the last nail hole on the left side. Use the smallest beads on curves and the back side, leaving the big ones for the flat part at the front.

4. When you get to the first nail hole on the right side stop beading and go back to making wire loops. Try to do the same number of loops you did on the left side of the shoe. If you happen to run out of wire, tie it off on the back and just twist in another strand and continue. At the final hole twist one last time at the backside juts like you did at the start, cut off any extra wire.



And that guys is how you bling out your horse shoe for Christmas!!!!

Grooming a Horse

Grooming a horse is a very important process. Apart from keeping your horse clean and beautiful, its also a chance for you to check for any injuries that might go un seen on a normal basis. Also grooming can act as a reward for your horse after a long day of work. Grooming relaxes your horse's muscles as well as their brain. Grooming a horse is a great way of building a bond between horse and rider, the horse will soon learn to trust you while grooming and eventually in riding. For those of you who don't know how to groom a horse, here's how to do it :

Step 1:
tie your horse on the cross ties or hitching posts. Remember to always use the quick release knot, so you can untie it with one swift pull.

Step 2:
Pick your horse's hooves. Using a hoof pick, start at the heel of the toe picking your way to the toe, carefully removing any rocks, dirt or any other objects. The frog ( the V- shaped squishy part of the hoof) is extremely sensitive, so don't hit that. By picking out the fee first It will be more likely for you to notice any signs of lameness or un soundness in your horse.

Step 3:
Use the Curry comb on the coat first. It helps allot if your horse is shedding his winter coat (molting)
or has very thick long hair and is muddy. it should always be done before brushing for its loosens the hair and brings out mud. use the curry in small vigorous circular motions across your horse's muscles avoiding bony areas like the face,spine, or legs. Work you way from the neck to the barrel to the rump. repeat on the other side.

Step 4:
Use the dandy brush. the dandy brush is a hard bristled brush used to remove the dirt and hair the curry comb left. Use the brush in short flicking motions to allow the bristles to take all dirt away. do not use this on the face, ears, belly, mane and tail or any clipped areas as it will cause a horse discomfort.

Step 5:
Use a Body brush next. A body bush is a soft bristles brush that can be used on any part of the horse. if you have a very soft bush you can brush the face and legs too if you are very careful. Do not use it on the inside of the hind legs. This brush is used to remove any remaining dirt on the horse's body. make sure to avoid cuts.

Step 6:
Take a wet sponge and gently clean out his eyes, nose and dock. Make sure to use different sides of the sponge for each eye or nostril, also different sponges for the dock and the eyes to avoid spreading infections.

Step 7:
Use a wide bristled mane and tail brush to remove any tangles in the Mane. First remove any knots with your fingers to make the combing easier. Like us humans horses do not have nerves in their hair, so don't worry if you pull on it. In fact you could pull the horse's hair all day and it wouldn't feel a thing, but either way be gentle with your horse. Make sure when brushing the tail, to never stand directly behind the legs, stand on one side and pull bit by bit the tail to you because the horse might kick.


Well, That's how you groom a horse. Once you get the hang of it, Its easy!! Check this link out to see how to do it.           http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHtyy0tAPpA