Ok so I freely acknowledge it’s the wrong time of year for this one, but it’s Nanowrimo this month so we’re going with what I can write quickly, easily, and with no reference material, images, or photoshop work required.
So you want to show next year and need to know what to ask for for Christmas :) There we go, show article in November justified!
Note that if you’re in a riding school, some of this you won’t need to actually purchase (ie, while a saddle is very important if it’s your own horse, if it’s a school horse it probably already has tack!) Also, some tack etc is optional (ie breastplate)
Note two – bringing all this stuff is only half the challenge. The other half is being able to find it once you’re there and stressed cause you’re at a show and the “bomb-proof-might-as-well-be-a-stuffed-pony” horse you loaded on the trailer has suddenly become a fire-breathing monster! We have a rule at GRS that the rider is responsible for packing their own vehicle and nobody else is allowed to touch it once it’s packed! This saves all sorts of blame and stress at the show. Everybody can help toss things back in the vehicle at the end of the day or unpack the trailer at home, but getting ready each rider needs to organize their own stuff in a way that makes sense to them.
Note also that some of this is eventing-specific and/or Ontario-specific. Feel free to alter/add/amend. Obviously if you’re on your way to a dressage show you can probably skip the xc vest and jump saddle >;-P Use some common sense people!
Suggestions very welcome :)
So with all those notes noted, happy packing!
Show Packing list:
Paperwork:
- Memberships (OHTA, OEF, EC)
- Medical armband
- Proof of qualifications
- Passport
- Coggins
- Jr/Am card (if appropriate)
- Copy of entry form
- Chequebook (just-in-case!)
Horse (believe it or not I know one poor girl who packed everything in the trailer and left the horse behind! Never to live it down :) Note that the horse comes after the paperwork; without the paperwork it doesn’t matter whether or not you have a horse!
Tack:
- Jump saddle
- Jump girth
- Dressage saddle (optional)
- Dressage girth
- Extra stirrup leathers (I usually just leave these in the truck)
- Extra girth for each saddle (as above)
- Dressage bridle
- Jump bridle (may be same as dressage bridle)
- Running martingale
- Breastplate
- Jump saddle pad
- Dressage saddle pad
- Horse boots
- Tape to extra-secure Velcro on said horse boots
- Extra halter (this is not optional – consider if either halter or lead break or go missing, how is the rest of your day going to go...? How are you going to get your horse home?)
- Extra leadrope (also not optional – see above :)
- Stud kit (esp if weather/footing is dodgy)
- Any necessary blankets, fly sheet, rain sheet, cooler, etc depending on weather
- Tack cleaning kit (little bucket, saddle soap, sponge, cloth, polish)
Rider Necessities:
- Jacket
- Gloves (black)
- Helmet
- Helmet cover
- Boots
- Breeches
- Belt
- Show shirt
- XC vest
- Medical armband holder
- Pinny holder
- Rain jacket (always. Trust me.)
- Hairnet
- Crop
- Spurs
- Watch (or good friend with watch. When they say you start at 7:53, they mean it. At 7:54 you’re eliminated.)
- Stock tie
- Stock pin
- XC watch (this depends on level and location! In ON it’s currently illegal below T level.)
- Boot pulls
- Boot jack
- Safety pins (you’d be amazed how often you need to pin a number on)
Trailer items:
- Buckets (at very least one for bathing and one for drinking)
- Hay net(s)
- Enough hay/grain/supplements for one day longer than you plan to be there
- Mounting box
- Broom
- Manure fork
- Shipping boots or bandages
- Tail wrap (I personally have never used one, but I have a friend who would disown me if I didn’t put it on the list :)
- Saddle rack
- Bridle hooks
- Duct tape, binder twine and WD40. With these three items, you can fix just about anything!
- Scissors (to aid in above repairs :)
- Horse 1st aid kit
- Water
- Gas in truck
- Bedding (if stabling)
Grooming Kit:
- Hoof pick
- Extra hoof pick (they walk!)
- Curry comb
- Dandy brush
- Soft brush
- Show sheen
- Corn starch/Baby powder (if your horse has white markings)
- Braiding kit (mane comb, string/elastics of appropriate colour, if string also bring: latch hook & stitch ripper)
- Scissors
- Dry swiffer (ok my students and I might be the only ones who do this, but fastest way to get dust of a dark horse after a dusty warm-up ever! Works equally well on boots)
- Sponges (at least one horse-sized for bathing after, good plan to have a small one for grooming touch-ups too)
- Towel
- Sweat scraper
- Fly spray
- Rubber mitt or cactus cloth
- Poultice (and paper to wrap around it)
- Tail comb
- Safety razor
- Hoof polish
Miscellaneous things that have been known to save the day:
- Like minded friend/groom/accomplice...
- Folding chairs
- Hard copy of rule book
- Tim Hortons
- Extra leadline
- People flyspray
- People 1st aid kit
- Umbrella (please be careful where you open it!)
- Drinks (age appropriate please people! And fruit juice or water for all till you’re DONE riding :)
- Food (esp of the light and healthy variety)
- Cash (don’t ever count on being able to use plastic at a horse show)
- Camera
- Change of weather-appropriate clothes for after riding
- Extra socks
- Warmer clothes than you expect to need
- Baseball cap (or some other form of sun-hat)
- Mirror (esp if you’re in a sport where you have to tie a stock tie!)
- Hair brush
- Toilet paper (you can thank me later)
- Sunscreen
- Plastic bags
- Towels/cloths
- Baby wipes
- Deck of cards
- Sense of humour
Read more...
Showing posts with label Advanced. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Advanced. Show all posts
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Advanced: Nutrients
Alright so it’s been a while since I’ve done a really good advanced level TheoryThursday so I figured I’d do about a month’s worth in one :) Enjoy!
As always note that this is simply an FYI. Your horse’s diet should be discussed with your vet and equine nutritionist – not concocted off the Internet. This is just so you can sound intelligent when you go to talk to the experts!
There are six types of essential nutrients:
Vitamins are organic substances needed in small amounts by the body. There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble (which is carried in water, and tends to exit the body fairly rapidly) and fat-soluble (which is carried in fat and can be stored for when the body needs them).
The fat-solubles are Vitamins A, D, E, and K. This is why it is important to have at least a certain percentage of body mass as fat -- if your horse doesn't have enough fat, she can't utilize these correctly.
Vitamin A:
Is made from carotene which is found in green pasture grasses and good quality hay. Is responsible for night vision, important for reproduction and embryo creation, helps improve the immune system, and keeps eyes/skin/hair/nerves/hooves/etc healthy. Vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness; toxicity can cause fragile bones or overgrowth of bones and/or pregnancy issues (ie malformed foetus).
Vitamin D:
Found in sunlight or a little bit in sun-cured hay. Helps regulate calcium levels (hence why most calcium supplements include Vitamin D :). Vitamin D deficiency is rarely a concern due to the fact that horses need very little of it but in extreme circumstances can cause rickets (as w/ people, causes bone deformities). Vitamin D toxicity is incredibly rare since the body only makes as much D as it needs; were it to happen it would result in calcification of soft tissues.
Vitamin E:
Found in forage – note that Vitamin E is lost when feed is heated during processing or over time. Older plants have less E than younger ones. It is necessary for fertility, production of red blood cells and ability to carry oxygen in teh blood. Deficiency will result in muscle issues (esp when combined w/ selenium deficiency -- hence why vit E and Selenium supplements are often sold combined). These issues would display as constant shifting of weight or lying down, no ability to keep muscle tone, trembling, etc. Vitamin E toxicity is essentially a non-issue. In people it can cause impared bone calcification, but doesn't seem to happen in horses. Note though that too much selenium (see minerals) which is often combined with the E supplement IS a concern.
Vitamin K:
Found in forage, vitamin K helps with blood clotting. Deficiency is very rare, usually only caused if mouldy hay is fed (as it actively works against vitamin K) and would result in blood not clotting properly. Toxicity is also very rare (the "safe" rate is something like 1000 times the daily recommended intake) although has occasionally be caused by injection resulting in renal/kidney failure.
Ok so those are the ones that can be stored in your horse’s body. The water soluble vitamins include all the B vitamins (cause it’s easier to remember a bunch of Bs then to give them each their own letter!) as well as C. These are usually flushed out of the system through the horse’s urine and so are rarely toxic, but by the same token, deficiencies are noted much more quickly.
Vitamin B6:
Is required to allow the amino acid tryptophan to be used. This is found in most feeds and has no known deficiency or toxicity issues.
Vitamin B12:
Is created in the horse’s digestive tract (and requires the mineral Cobalt for this to happen!) B12 is used in the metabolism of faty acids, carbohydrates, and proteins. Also helps prevent anemia. It has no known deficiency or toxicity issues.
Vitamin B3 - aka Niacin
Found in forage and produced by the horse's digestive system, Niacin is required for metabolism. It has no known deficiency or toxicity issues.
Vitamin B1 - aka Thiamine
Found in cereal grains, Thiamine aids in carbohydrate digestion and is required for appetite. Toxicity is a non issue but deficiency can cause:
- nervous system issues (incl pain, swelling and lethargy)
- loss of appetite
- muscle twitching
- slow heartbeat
- lack of coordination
Note that deficiency is usually not an issue due to it being so available in the horse's diet. However, should the horse eat a large amount of Bracken Fern, it will block the B1 resulting in the deficiency.
Vitamin B2 - aka Riboflavin
Found in leguemes and grass hays; a moderate amount can also be produced in the digestive system. Riboflavin helps make coenzymes which are essential for energy release and the proper functioning of the nervous system. Toxicity is very rare and would cause weight loss. Deficiency is a non-issue.
Vitamin C
Is generally synthesized from glucose in the horse’s intestines. This is an anti-oxidant with no known deficiency or toxicity issues. (Although in people vitamin c deficiency produces scurvy)
Alright – you got all that? You’re half way through now! Hahaha I did warn you it was an intense one :) So we’ve done water, proteins and vitamins. And the vitamins are divided into fat soluble (A, D, E, K) and water soluble (various Bs and C).
And now we’re on to...
Minerals are inorganic substances (as opposed to the organic vitamins we just discussed) that are required in tiny amounts but are absolutely critical for a healthy horse – 90% of the skeleton is made up of minerals. Note that overfeeding minerals is likely to cause more harm than overfeeding vitamins.
There are two types of minerals, macrominerals (aka major minerals) and microminerals (aka trace minerals).
Macrominerals
Microminerals
No less important than macrominerals, but required in tiny amounts.
Note that there are two ratios you must be aware of for minerals:
Carbohydrates are plant starches that your horse uses for energy. They are found in hays, grains and grasses and are the most usual source of energy. Note that excess energy will be stored as fat so be careful to feed the right amount for the amount of work he’s doing!
Fatty acids are used to carry certain vitamins through the bloodstream and are essential for metabolism. They also affect skin and hair condition and the rate of growth of young horses. Fats provide roughly 2.5x the amount of energy as carbs and are an “emergency backup system” for use when your horse’s body is stressed (be it from too much work, illness, or missing his weekly trip to the psychiatrist!) The best source for these are wheat-germ oil (or if you’re on a budget, corn oil :) Note that high-fat feeds tend to spoil quickly so be careful if you choose to feed them.
And now you know far more than you ever wanted to about nutrients :) Congratulations.
Read more...
As always note that this is simply an FYI. Your horse’s diet should be discussed with your vet and equine nutritionist – not concocted off the Internet. This is just so you can sound intelligent when you go to talk to the experts!
There are six types of essential nutrients:
- Water – essential part of every cell
- Protein - building blocks of cells, for growth, repair and maintenance of body
- Vitamins - support vital body functions
- Minerals - build and maintain tissue
- Carbohydrates - used for energy and digestion
- Fatty Acids/Lipids - produce extra energy (backup system for carbs) and used to digest vitamins.
Water
is the most important nutrient in the horse's body. The horse should drink about 12 gallons of water daily -- obviously more in the very hot weather or when in serious work. Water makes up 65% of the horse’s body weight (closer to 80% for foals). Among other things, their bodies use water for:- Digestion: aids swallowing, provides fluid for food to pass along digestive tract, basis for digestive juices.
- Blood: fluid containing blood cells and nutrients, carries waste from tissues
- Lymph: drains tissue and maintain balance of body fluids
- Urine: excrete waste, regulate levels of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes
- Faeces: supply fluid to aid excretion
- Body – regulate body temperature
- Skin – regulate body temperature (ie remove excess heat as sweat)
- Eyes and nostrils: tears and mucus as a lubricant
- Joints: lubricate
- Milk: 91% of milk of lactating mares.
Proteins
are the building blocks of the cells, and as such are particularly critical for young, growing horses. They create new tissue and repair the old. These are found in oilseed (esp soybean oil – which is about 50% protein), oats, barley, corn and alfalfa. Proteins are made up of amino acids, whose job is to translate plant protein (that the horse has just eaten) into animal protein (that his body can use). There are a whole variety of these amino acids (24 actually :) – of which the two most important are lysine and methionine. They are the most important because the horse needs those two to make use of the other ones.Vitamins
Vitamins are organic substances needed in small amounts by the body. There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble (which is carried in water, and tends to exit the body fairly rapidly) and fat-soluble (which is carried in fat and can be stored for when the body needs them).
The fat-solubles are Vitamins A, D, E, and K. This is why it is important to have at least a certain percentage of body mass as fat -- if your horse doesn't have enough fat, she can't utilize these correctly.
Vitamin A:
Is made from carotene which is found in green pasture grasses and good quality hay. Is responsible for night vision, important for reproduction and embryo creation, helps improve the immune system, and keeps eyes/skin/hair/nerves/hooves/etc healthy. Vitamin A deficiency can cause night blindness; toxicity can cause fragile bones or overgrowth of bones and/or pregnancy issues (ie malformed foetus).
Vitamin D:
Found in sunlight or a little bit in sun-cured hay. Helps regulate calcium levels (hence why most calcium supplements include Vitamin D :). Vitamin D deficiency is rarely a concern due to the fact that horses need very little of it but in extreme circumstances can cause rickets (as w/ people, causes bone deformities). Vitamin D toxicity is incredibly rare since the body only makes as much D as it needs; were it to happen it would result in calcification of soft tissues.
Vitamin E:
Found in forage – note that Vitamin E is lost when feed is heated during processing or over time. Older plants have less E than younger ones. It is necessary for fertility, production of red blood cells and ability to carry oxygen in teh blood. Deficiency will result in muscle issues (esp when combined w/ selenium deficiency -- hence why vit E and Selenium supplements are often sold combined). These issues would display as constant shifting of weight or lying down, no ability to keep muscle tone, trembling, etc. Vitamin E toxicity is essentially a non-issue. In people it can cause impared bone calcification, but doesn't seem to happen in horses. Note though that too much selenium (see minerals) which is often combined with the E supplement IS a concern.
Vitamin K:
Found in forage, vitamin K helps with blood clotting. Deficiency is very rare, usually only caused if mouldy hay is fed (as it actively works against vitamin K) and would result in blood not clotting properly. Toxicity is also very rare (the "safe" rate is something like 1000 times the daily recommended intake) although has occasionally be caused by injection resulting in renal/kidney failure.
Ok so those are the ones that can be stored in your horse’s body. The water soluble vitamins include all the B vitamins (cause it’s easier to remember a bunch of Bs then to give them each their own letter!) as well as C. These are usually flushed out of the system through the horse’s urine and so are rarely toxic, but by the same token, deficiencies are noted much more quickly.
Vitamin B6:
Is required to allow the amino acid tryptophan to be used. This is found in most feeds and has no known deficiency or toxicity issues.
Vitamin B12:
Is created in the horse’s digestive tract (and requires the mineral Cobalt for this to happen!) B12 is used in the metabolism of faty acids, carbohydrates, and proteins. Also helps prevent anemia. It has no known deficiency or toxicity issues.
Vitamin B3 - aka Niacin
Found in forage and produced by the horse's digestive system, Niacin is required for metabolism. It has no known deficiency or toxicity issues.
Vitamin B1 - aka Thiamine
Found in cereal grains, Thiamine aids in carbohydrate digestion and is required for appetite. Toxicity is a non issue but deficiency can cause:
- nervous system issues (incl pain, swelling and lethargy)
- loss of appetite
- muscle twitching
- slow heartbeat
- lack of coordination
Note that deficiency is usually not an issue due to it being so available in the horse's diet. However, should the horse eat a large amount of Bracken Fern, it will block the B1 resulting in the deficiency.
Vitamin B2 - aka Riboflavin
Found in leguemes and grass hays; a moderate amount can also be produced in the digestive system. Riboflavin helps make coenzymes which are essential for energy release and the proper functioning of the nervous system. Toxicity is very rare and would cause weight loss. Deficiency is a non-issue.
Vitamin C
Is generally synthesized from glucose in the horse’s intestines. This is an anti-oxidant with no known deficiency or toxicity issues. (Although in people vitamin c deficiency produces scurvy)
Alright – you got all that? You’re half way through now! Hahaha I did warn you it was an intense one :) So we’ve done water, proteins and vitamins. And the vitamins are divided into fat soluble (A, D, E, K) and water soluble (various Bs and C).
And now we’re on to...
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic substances (as opposed to the organic vitamins we just discussed) that are required in tiny amounts but are absolutely critical for a healthy horse – 90% of the skeleton is made up of minerals. Note that overfeeding minerals is likely to cause more harm than overfeeding vitamins.
There are two types of minerals, macrominerals (aka major minerals) and microminerals (aka trace minerals).
Macrominerals
- Potassium maintains PH and fluid levels in the cells. This is used every time your horse uses a muscle. Found in forage. May need to be supplemented (ie electrolytes) in a horse who is exercising heavily for a long period of time without eating (esp endurance horses) in hot humid weather
- Chlorine (salt ) is important for cell function. Found in salt.
- Sodium (salt) similar to potassium but arguably even more important. Hard to find in normal diet but a primary component of salt which is why it is recommended to have free choice salt always available (particularly loose salt as some have trouble with the blocks). If your horse is randomly licking odd things (esp your sweaty hands!) the odds are good he needs more loose salt.
- Calcium is important for bone development and maintenance. 90% of calcium in the body is found in the bones. Comes from legumes. Amount must be carefully balanced with phosphorus.
- Phosphorus is also important in bone formation and maintenance as well as creating cell energy (ADP/ATP). 80% of phosphorus in the body is found in the bones. Comes from plants. Amount must be carefully balanced with calcium.
- Magnesium is important in skeletal development, muscles, and nervous tissue. Lots of "de-stress" horse products use magnesium to help chill out the horse as magnesium deficiency can lead to being very tense and high strung. Found in most feeds, but often not sufficient to meet horse's daily needs.
- Sulfur is involved in just about every substance in your horse's body. Critical component of key amino acids (which make up protein structure) and important to both insulin (sugar regulator) and biotin (hoof growth) as well as many others. Found in forage.
Microminerals
No less important than macrominerals, but required in tiny amounts.
- Iron is important for blood transportation around the body; iron deficiency can result in a weak or anemic horse.
- Zinc is important in bone development, blood clotting, coat quality and reproduction.
- Manganese is important in cartilage and bone development and mineral utilization.
- Copper is important in bone and cartilage development and iron utilization. Molasses is particularly high in bopper.
- Iodine regulates thyroid activity and aids metabolism. Also particularly important for pregnant mares. . Iodine is usually supplemented by feeding iodized salt.
- Cobalt is important for blood cell formation and the synthesis of vitamin B12 (see above :)
- Selenium is important to reproduction, growth, and the immune system. Note that too much selenium can cause all sorts of problems from abdominal pain and lethargy to hair loss, blindness and laminitis.
Note that there are two ratios you must be aware of for minerals:
- Calcium: Phosphorus -- roughly 2:1. Should it drop too low, the horse won't be able to absorb the calcium, resulting in deficiency and weaker bones. Note that hay and grasses are high in calcium, low in phosphorus while grain is high in potassium and low in calcium.
- Zinc: Copper -- this one isn't set because it'll change dramatically from horse to horse, but it seems the higher the ratio, the more likely problems will occur.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are plant starches that your horse uses for energy. They are found in hays, grains and grasses and are the most usual source of energy. Note that excess energy will be stored as fat so be careful to feed the right amount for the amount of work he’s doing!
Fatty Acids/Lipids
Fatty acids are used to carry certain vitamins through the bloodstream and are essential for metabolism. They also affect skin and hair condition and the rate of growth of young horses. Fats provide roughly 2.5x the amount of energy as carbs and are an “emergency backup system” for use when your horse’s body is stressed (be it from too much work, illness, or missing his weekly trip to the psychiatrist!) The best source for these are wheat-germ oil (or if you’re on a budget, corn oil :) Note that high-fat feeds tend to spoil quickly so be careful if you choose to feed them.
And now you know far more than you ever wanted to about nutrients :) Congratulations.
Read more...
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Intermediate/Advanced Aids
So you know by now that your natural aids consist of legs, seat, weight, hand, voice. But how do you use them effectively?
There are five different type of rein aids:
Now you never use a rein aid without using a leg aid. And while the leg aids don't usually get names, consider the different ways you can use them:
Now consider the many possible combinations of these:
- One leg says go, opposite rein says "not faster", end result = lengthened stride. - Reins and inside leg say "go straight", Outside leg says "bring hindquarters in", end result = traverse.
- etc etc etc
This is, of course, all very simplified. But then, riding is really simple. It's just not always easy >;-P There are hundreds of "how-to" books if you want more about this... But the best thing to do would be ask your coach :)
Seat? What can I do with my seat? Seat is really a combination of your literal seat with your abs and back muscles (technically the back is controlled by the abs too, but for most of us non-anatomy-specialists it helps to think of the back as a separate entity :). Depending on how you choose to sit, you can shift your horse's balance significantly. Shift your weight forward, and his weight will be on the forehand. Sideways and he'll step sideways under you. Turn your hips left, odds are that's what direction you'll go.
You can use your seat with the motion -- your hips follow the movement and it encourages the horse to move freely, or against the motion - where you tighten your abs and back and tuck your seat under you a little bracing slightly. This has the effect of shifting the horse's weight back and will often slow or stop him.
Is your weight in your heels, your thighs, or your seat? It'll make a difference to your horse. Along with weight - where are you looking? This is important because your head is relatively heavy -- your horse can feel the shift in your weight. Note that in the beginning, the seat is rarely focused on -- beginner riders have enough to worry about figuring out their reins, legs and basic balance. But in the end, the top dressage riders will use their seat as their primary aid. It gets it's power out of its subtlety, but requires a great deal of skill to use.
And what's left? Oh yeah, the voice. Mostly a supplementary aid (and illegal in dressage) a cluck or a growl can be that little extra encouragement necessary to get a hesitating horse over a fence while a quiet "steady" or "woah" might help relocate the brain of a panicked bolting horse.
Now the tricky part to riding is to use only the aids you intend to use and none of the ones you don't! It's very easy to accidentally give the horse conflicting signals which can lead to a confused horse and a frustrated rider. When something's not working the first thing to do is stop and think through your aids -- what *exactly* are you asking him? Did your leg bump his sides (go) at the same time you closed your hand (stop)? Did your reins say turn left while your weight said turn right? Always remember your horse can feel a fly land on him -- he can feel what you're telling him, even if you don't *know* you're telling him something!
Read more...
There are five different type of rein aids:
- Direct: this is what you'll be most used to. Your hand comes straight back to your hip, and the horse turns their head in that direction. Used to create flexion, turn, slow down, stop, and reverse.
- Indirect (aka rein of opposition): Your hand comes toward the withers (but should never cross!) Mostly used to help take the weight off of the shoulder on the side you're using. Sometimes used on the outside to make a tight turn at speed.
- Opening: this is when you bring your hand off the neck to one side. Used to encourage the shoulders to move in a particular direction, esp when starting a young horse, introducing lateral work, and jumping. Also sometimes called a "leading" rein or a "guiding" rein.
- Neck: most often used in western riding, the rein lies against the neck on the opposite side of the intended movement (ie, so when you want the horse to go left, the rein lies against the right side of his neck) Usually both reins will go left to turn left, both reins go right to turn right (easily done in western where both reins are in one hand). In english riding you mostly see it being used to facilitate turns while jumping. Also occasionally (ummm mostly only in text-books and random exam questions :) called the bearing rein.
- Pully: an emergency stopping aid, one hand with a short rein gets buried in the withers, while the other the rein comes up and back quite sharply. This aid is very harsh and should only be used if you're being seriously run away with (and are about to go off a cliff or crash into something dangerous! Otherwise remember, you can ride as fast as they can run :) If you use this properly the horse *will* stop -- and often spin the direction of the rein you used, so be sitting back and prepared for that.
Now you never use a rein aid without using a leg aid. And while the leg aids don't usually get names, consider the different ways you can use them:
- one leg at the girth - Active: encourages the horse to move forward and to bend around it. Preventative: stop the horse from cutting that direction
- one leg behind the girth - Active: moves the hindquarters. Preventative: stop hindquarters from swinging.
- two legs together: asks the horse to speed up or move forward
- closing a thigh against the saddle - Active: encourages horse to bend correctly rather than lean. Preventative - helps stop the shoulder from dropping (esp out on a turn)
Now consider the many possible combinations of these:
- One leg says go, opposite rein says "not faster", end result = lengthened stride. - Reins and inside leg say "go straight", Outside leg says "bring hindquarters in", end result = traverse.
- etc etc etc
This is, of course, all very simplified. But then, riding is really simple. It's just not always easy >;-P There are hundreds of "how-to" books if you want more about this... But the best thing to do would be ask your coach :)
Seat? What can I do with my seat? Seat is really a combination of your literal seat with your abs and back muscles (technically the back is controlled by the abs too, but for most of us non-anatomy-specialists it helps to think of the back as a separate entity :). Depending on how you choose to sit, you can shift your horse's balance significantly. Shift your weight forward, and his weight will be on the forehand. Sideways and he'll step sideways under you. Turn your hips left, odds are that's what direction you'll go.
You can use your seat with the motion -- your hips follow the movement and it encourages the horse to move freely, or against the motion - where you tighten your abs and back and tuck your seat under you a little bracing slightly. This has the effect of shifting the horse's weight back and will often slow or stop him.
Is your weight in your heels, your thighs, or your seat? It'll make a difference to your horse. Along with weight - where are you looking? This is important because your head is relatively heavy -- your horse can feel the shift in your weight. Note that in the beginning, the seat is rarely focused on -- beginner riders have enough to worry about figuring out their reins, legs and basic balance. But in the end, the top dressage riders will use their seat as their primary aid. It gets it's power out of its subtlety, but requires a great deal of skill to use.
And what's left? Oh yeah, the voice. Mostly a supplementary aid (and illegal in dressage) a cluck or a growl can be that little extra encouragement necessary to get a hesitating horse over a fence while a quiet "steady" or "woah" might help relocate the brain of a panicked bolting horse.
Now the tricky part to riding is to use only the aids you intend to use and none of the ones you don't! It's very easy to accidentally give the horse conflicting signals which can lead to a confused horse and a frustrated rider. When something's not working the first thing to do is stop and think through your aids -- what *exactly* are you asking him? Did your leg bump his sides (go) at the same time you closed your hand (stop)? Did your reins say turn left while your weight said turn right? Always remember your horse can feel a fly land on him -- he can feel what you're telling him, even if you don't *know* you're telling him something!
Read more...
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Intermediate/Advanced Blankets
So you bought your first horse this spring and had a great season with her. But now it's getting cold :( Time to think about blankets! Why? That's discussed in the beginner section of today's post -- feel free to read it :) In this post, what to know before you buy: size, weight, care, hoods, fit
So you realize you need a blanket and duitifully go to the tack store to purchase one... And are greeted with a whole wall of choices. And absolutely no idea what it is you should be buying. You randomly look at a tag. After cringing at the price you note some other information. Three numbers. No idea what they mean. Great. With Google's help, you end up here :)
I'm not going to discuss brands -- everybody has their own favourites and their own budget. However, there are some things that will be required throughout: size, weight, and care. And for those who *really* want the short version the numbers refer to size, shell and insulation. The end :)
For the long version...:
If your horse is going outside in it, it should be waterproof. Since most waterproof items don't allow sweat to evaporate either, it can lead to overheating which is almost worse than being cold. For this reason you should look for blankets that are both waterproof AND breathable. Harder to find and slightly more expensive, but definitely worth it for your horse's sake. You can always check your horse for overheating by putting a hand between the blanket and the chest or by the girth. If they're overly warm or sweating you've got them over-blanketed. This can happen even when it's cold out -- particularly if it's sunny.
Size
Size is the first number you'll usually see on the tag. It is measured in inches and will range anywhere from about 66" (smaller for foals of course - think baby-clothes) to about 88" (I'm trying to think if I've ever seen a 90" and I don't think I have -- but it doesn't mean they don't exist, it just means I don't work with many HUGE horses :) The usually go up in increments of 2" with always being even numbers, but not always since my ottb is currently wearing a 75" so clearly somebody felt the need to defy the rules *g* Or offer more variety :) Anyways - how do you know what size you'll need?
Now when you're shopping if you're on a half-size go up one. Also, as with people's clothing, different brands and styles fit differently, so while you may technically be a 74, for some brands you may need a 76 or a 72. Well trained sales staff will be able to tell you how the various blankets usually fit.
Weight
Just like you're not going to wear your heavy down-filled parka on a day that's 5deg (ummm that'd be about ..... to our US friends :) it's important that you dress your horse according to the weather as well. Other considerations include activity level, indoor temperature, the length of your horse's hair, and metabolism (a horse that's hard to keep weight on may need a warmer blanket). To this end we have not one but TWO numbers regarding the weight. The second number (after size) you'll usually see on the tag is for the shell (outter layer) and has to do with the weight of the fibers in the fabric. The lower the number, the finer and lighter the fabric (think silk). The higher the number, the coarser and heavier it'll be.
The last number refers to the insulation. Anything below 175 is considered a Light-weight. This could be anything from a rainsheet with no insulation to a stable sheet. A midweight will be in the 175-250 range. A heavyweight is 250+ (up to about 500). Note that realistically the numbers are just guidelines -- anything that's within about 50 of a boundary could switch levels based on the type of fabric used for the shell and the lining. Pretend you have a fleece vest for your "insulation" and you put it over a t-shirt and under a light spring jacket. Now take that same fleece but put it over a sweatshirt and under a heavy leather rain jacket. Technically you've got the same level of insulation, but to a very different result. So you have to consider the overall package not just any one number on its own.
Care
For me, care is once or twice a year making a giant pile of all the blankets and sending them to our wonderful blanket lady who, for a reasonable fee, returns them cleaned and repaired -- complete w/ smilie face stickers indicating all the repairs. However, for those who are a little more ambitious than I...
Most blankets now are made machine washable (yeah!) -- they do tend to be hard on the washers though (and most laundromats will kick you out :) so be forewarned (you might get away with it if you go to a city laundromat where they don't know any better :). They also make a lot of noise since the metal buckles fly around. Generally just follow the instructions -- can't tell you much more than that. Usually wash in warm, rinse in cold. Don't use bleach and don't dry-clean (the chemicals effect the waterproofing and are not particularly good for your horse). The big thing to remember is don't use the dryer as that will undo the waterproofing.
Obviously tears should be stitched, straps must be in good repair, and the inside @ least should be reasonably clean of mud, hair, dirt, etc.
Hoods
Some blankets come with hoods (essentially neck-warmers :) These add time and a bit of a pita to the daily routine, but if your horse has a full-body clip you should seriously consider one (if they have their natural coat on the neck, I don't worry about it). Note that there are some blankets now which do not have hoods but seem to have a little "extra" piece that comes over the withers and just a bit up the neck. These are great in theory. However, in practice I've noticed that since that extra piece doesn't really lie ON the neck so much as over it, there's a tendency for snow and other miserable weather elements to get in there (esp if the horse's head is down) ending with a very wet and very cold horse. Be aware though that's only my personal experience. It's enough that I don't use them any more, but there might be some out there for which that's not an issue.
Fit
Once you've bought your blanket (or blankets as the case usually is) bring them home, groom your horse, and then try them on. It should cover from the withers to the dock (most have little tail flaps now -- great addition!) It should fit reasonably closely -- anything that moves too much, or conversely is too tight, will rub, leaving bare patches on your horse's skin. Check particularly the points of the shoulder and hip as well as by the withers. The blanket should go just past the belly. If it's down near the knees it's way too long and the horse will risk getting tripped up by the straps that attach underneath. Anything that's too big will be subject to twisting and getting tangled. Straps are pretty well always adjustable. They should be loose enough to not be touching the horse (it's not a girth!) but not so loose that they dangle. The chest straps should be snug enough that the blanket is not moving around.
Read more...
So you realize you need a blanket and duitifully go to the tack store to purchase one... And are greeted with a whole wall of choices. And absolutely no idea what it is you should be buying. You randomly look at a tag. After cringing at the price you note some other information. Three numbers. No idea what they mean. Great. With Google's help, you end up here :)
I'm not going to discuss brands -- everybody has their own favourites and their own budget. However, there are some things that will be required throughout: size, weight, and care. And for those who *really* want the short version the numbers refer to size, shell and insulation. The end :)
For the long version...:
If your horse is going outside in it, it should be waterproof. Since most waterproof items don't allow sweat to evaporate either, it can lead to overheating which is almost worse than being cold. For this reason you should look for blankets that are both waterproof AND breathable. Harder to find and slightly more expensive, but definitely worth it for your horse's sake. You can always check your horse for overheating by putting a hand between the blanket and the chest or by the girth. If they're overly warm or sweating you've got them over-blanketed. This can happen even when it's cold out -- particularly if it's sunny.
Size
Size is the first number you'll usually see on the tag. It is measured in inches and will range anywhere from about 66" (smaller for foals of course - think baby-clothes) to about 88" (I'm trying to think if I've ever seen a 90" and I don't think I have -- but it doesn't mean they don't exist, it just means I don't work with many HUGE horses :) The usually go up in increments of 2" with always being even numbers, but not always since my ottb is currently wearing a 75" so clearly somebody felt the need to defy the rules *g* Or offer more variety :) Anyways - how do you know what size you'll need?
- Grab a tape measure and, if you have one, a friend :) Can be done with one person, but much easier with two.
- Make sure horse is standing square on a flat surface.
- Have your friend hold the end of the tape at the point where your horse's neck meets the center of his chest.
- Take the other end of the tape along the side of the horse all the way around to the middle of his hindquarters (will be usually a little less than 1' below where the tail meets the body). Make sure when you're doing this that the tape measure crosses the widest part of the shoulder or your blanket will be too small. Also make sure it's taut (if it's loose your blanket will be too big). Note the measurement. Multiply by 2 and you're good to go.
Now when you're shopping if you're on a half-size go up one. Also, as with people's clothing, different brands and styles fit differently, so while you may technically be a 74, for some brands you may need a 76 or a 72. Well trained sales staff will be able to tell you how the various blankets usually fit.
Weight
Just like you're not going to wear your heavy down-filled parka on a day that's 5deg (ummm that'd be about ..... to our US friends :) it's important that you dress your horse according to the weather as well. Other considerations include activity level, indoor temperature, the length of your horse's hair, and metabolism (a horse that's hard to keep weight on may need a warmer blanket). To this end we have not one but TWO numbers regarding the weight. The second number (after size) you'll usually see on the tag is for the shell (outter layer) and has to do with the weight of the fibers in the fabric. The lower the number, the finer and lighter the fabric (think silk). The higher the number, the coarser and heavier it'll be.
The last number refers to the insulation. Anything below 175 is considered a Light-weight. This could be anything from a rainsheet with no insulation to a stable sheet. A midweight will be in the 175-250 range. A heavyweight is 250+ (up to about 500). Note that realistically the numbers are just guidelines -- anything that's within about 50 of a boundary could switch levels based on the type of fabric used for the shell and the lining. Pretend you have a fleece vest for your "insulation" and you put it over a t-shirt and under a light spring jacket. Now take that same fleece but put it over a sweatshirt and under a heavy leather rain jacket. Technically you've got the same level of insulation, but to a very different result. So you have to consider the overall package not just any one number on its own.
Care
For me, care is once or twice a year making a giant pile of all the blankets and sending them to our wonderful blanket lady who, for a reasonable fee, returns them cleaned and repaired -- complete w/ smilie face stickers indicating all the repairs. However, for those who are a little more ambitious than I...
Most blankets now are made machine washable (yeah!) -- they do tend to be hard on the washers though (and most laundromats will kick you out :) so be forewarned (you might get away with it if you go to a city laundromat where they don't know any better :). They also make a lot of noise since the metal buckles fly around. Generally just follow the instructions -- can't tell you much more than that. Usually wash in warm, rinse in cold. Don't use bleach and don't dry-clean (the chemicals effect the waterproofing and are not particularly good for your horse). The big thing to remember is don't use the dryer as that will undo the waterproofing.
Obviously tears should be stitched, straps must be in good repair, and the inside @ least should be reasonably clean of mud, hair, dirt, etc.
Hoods
Some blankets come with hoods (essentially neck-warmers :) These add time and a bit of a pita to the daily routine, but if your horse has a full-body clip you should seriously consider one (if they have their natural coat on the neck, I don't worry about it). Note that there are some blankets now which do not have hoods but seem to have a little "extra" piece that comes over the withers and just a bit up the neck. These are great in theory. However, in practice I've noticed that since that extra piece doesn't really lie ON the neck so much as over it, there's a tendency for snow and other miserable weather elements to get in there (esp if the horse's head is down) ending with a very wet and very cold horse. Be aware though that's only my personal experience. It's enough that I don't use them any more, but there might be some out there for which that's not an issue.
Fit
Once you've bought your blanket (or blankets as the case usually is) bring them home, groom your horse, and then try them on. It should cover from the withers to the dock (most have little tail flaps now -- great addition!) It should fit reasonably closely -- anything that moves too much, or conversely is too tight, will rub, leaving bare patches on your horse's skin. Check particularly the points of the shoulder and hip as well as by the withers. The blanket should go just past the belly. If it's down near the knees it's way too long and the horse will risk getting tripped up by the straps that attach underneath. Anything that's too big will be subject to twisting and getting tangled. Straps are pretty well always adjustable. They should be loose enough to not be touching the horse (it's not a girth!) but not so loose that they dangle. The chest straps should be snug enough that the blanket is not moving around.
Read more...
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Advanced Conformation: Blemishes & Unsoundnesses
Ok so what's the difference? Both are ugly things, usually on the legs. The difference is blemishes are just ugly, unsoundnesses affect the horse's movement (ie painful!). In some cases an unsoundness can turn into a blemish (splints are a very common example of that).
What are these things and where are they found? I'm so glad you asked!
1. Capped Elbow (aka shoe boils).
- happens when the horse lies down in its stall and the shoe puts pressure on the elbow. Aggravated by insufficient bedding. Rarely causes unsoundness.
2. Capped Knees
- soft liquid swelling on the knee. Caused by insufficient bedding, kicks or falls.
3. Sore shins
- usually due to excessive concussion
4. High ringbone
- a bony growth on the pastern bone. If the growth is not near a joint the horse may become sound after rest. High ringbone is arthritis and calcification in the joint between the two pastern bones. If the bones fuse the horse may come sound. Low ringbone occurs between the pastern bone and the coffin bone, inside the hoof. This is more serious and the horse is unlikely to be sound. Caused by poor confirmation (upright pasterns), too much concussion, and horses who carry weight on one side of the foot.
5a. Sand cracks
- split into toe, quarter, heel. Cracks start at the bottom and go up or the top down. If sensitive laminae is involved horse will likely be lame. Caused by poor nutrition, poor hoof care, poor working conditions, feet too dry/moist, founder, fever, genetics, injury to coronary band.
5b. Abscess
- usually in the foot and can cause extreme lameness. Treatment includes poulticing and foot bathing. Once it pops (you'll see stinky gucky stuff) it heals quickly so long as it is kept clean. If the abscess is very deep the vet may need to prescribe antibiotics.
5c. Laminitis (aka founder)
- an inflammation of the sensitive laminae of the hoof. Usually caused by a toxin in the system -- when a horse overeats fresh grass in the spring, gets into the feed bin, eats grass clippings, etc. Exceptionally painful, the horse will stand with its front toes pointed out in front and all the weight on the hind legs. There will also likely be heat in the foot and a digital pulse. Call the vet immediately.
6a. Cracked heels
- have you ever had chapped lips or hands? This is essentially the horse equivalent. Found in horses that are out in the mud, snow or frequently bathed. Important to clean and dry the pastern area regularly. If untreated can be very painful and cause lameness.
6b. Navicular
- a degenerative change in the navicular bone; more common in middle-age + horses. Causes progressive lameness (can be intermittent); horse may also take shorter steps and seem to trip more often. Xrays to diagnose.
7. Bowed Tendon (aka tendonitis)
- inflammation of the tendon. Classified as high, middle or low, this is due to tendon strain. Can be from any number of things: a bad step, mud, too-tight or improperly applied bandages, poor conformation (calf knees, long sloping pasterns, low heels with long toes, etc), incorrect shoeing, etc. Care includes rest, cold packs, and potentially corrective shoeing.
8. Splint
- usually due to concussion, usually in young horses, usually in the front legs. Ok that's enough of the usuallys. Heat, pain, lameness, and a hard swelling near the splint bones. Rest (usually - sorry couldn't resist - 4 to 6 weeks) and cold. Usually full recovery although the bump may always remain.
9. Sesamoiditis
- an inflammation between the seasmoid bones. Generally caused by concussion (esp in high-speed, high-impact events: racing, steeplechasing, etc) or poor conformation (long pasterns, low heels)
10. Sidebone
- the calcification of the lateral cartilages of the coffin bone. hahaha I'll never forget my pony-club coach chanting that at us. But then, more credit to her -- it worked :) Memorize that phrase and feel intelligent forever. Or at least 30 seconds or so. Usually just a blemish. Found primarily in older heavy horses.
11. Throughpin
- the creepiest and or coolest of the squishy issues, throughpin is caused when the tendon sheath produces extra fluid and stretches. So at the back of the upper part of the hock you get a squish bulge that you can push through to the other side (that'd be the cool/creepy part of things). Usually caused by stress combined with poor conformation (esp sickle hocks).
12. Bog Spavin
- a distension of the joint capsule of the hock. Yeah doesn't that sound impressive? Otherwise known as a squishy swelling on the front of the hock. Usually does not cause lameness. Caused by trauma (when the joint is stressed it produces too much fluid which makes it puffy and squishy) or poor conformation (straight hocks).
13. Bone Spavin
- arthritis in the small bones of the hock. You'll see a hard swelling low on the inside of the hock. Painful until the bones fuse, then horse may be sound. That being said, if the arthritis is in the upper part of the hock, when it fuses the hock cannot move correctly and the horse will still be lame. Caused by poor conformation (cow hocks, bowed hocks, and very straight hocks).
14. Capped Hock
- soft liquid swelling on the hock. Caused by insufficient bedding, kicks or falls.
15. Curb
An inflammation of the plantar ligament of the hock. Generally causes lameness and takes a long time to heal. Caused by trauma or poor conformation (sickle hocks).
16. Windpuffs (aka windgalls)
- firm squishiness (does that make sense to anybody other than me) usually found in the fetlocks; technically a distention of a tendon sheath, bursa, or joint capsule. Feel smarter yet? Caused by concussion (esp seen in horses who start hard work too young) or poor conformation (upright pasterns). A horse who is prone to them will be throughout its life; they'll usually be worse after hard work. Should be cool to the touch -- if there's heat, it's a sign of something more serious.
So I realize that's a fair amount of information, but some of it you can remember just by thinking it through. For instance, front legs tend to take a lot more concussion than the hind legs, so that's where you're more likely to find concussion-based lamenesses. Conversely, the hind legs need to use a lot more power and so are more prone to strain related issues. "Capped" anything is likely squishy and not too serious.
Read more...
What are these things and where are they found? I'm so glad you asked!
1. Capped Elbow (aka shoe boils).
- happens when the horse lies down in its stall and the shoe puts pressure on the elbow. Aggravated by insufficient bedding. Rarely causes unsoundness.
2. Capped Knees
- soft liquid swelling on the knee. Caused by insufficient bedding, kicks or falls.
3. Sore shins
- usually due to excessive concussion
4. High ringbone
- a bony growth on the pastern bone. If the growth is not near a joint the horse may become sound after rest. High ringbone is arthritis and calcification in the joint between the two pastern bones. If the bones fuse the horse may come sound. Low ringbone occurs between the pastern bone and the coffin bone, inside the hoof. This is more serious and the horse is unlikely to be sound. Caused by poor confirmation (upright pasterns), too much concussion, and horses who carry weight on one side of the foot.
5a. Sand cracks
- split into toe, quarter, heel. Cracks start at the bottom and go up or the top down. If sensitive laminae is involved horse will likely be lame. Caused by poor nutrition, poor hoof care, poor working conditions, feet too dry/moist, founder, fever, genetics, injury to coronary band.
5b. Abscess
- usually in the foot and can cause extreme lameness. Treatment includes poulticing and foot bathing. Once it pops (you'll see stinky gucky stuff) it heals quickly so long as it is kept clean. If the abscess is very deep the vet may need to prescribe antibiotics.
5c. Laminitis (aka founder)
- an inflammation of the sensitive laminae of the hoof. Usually caused by a toxin in the system -- when a horse overeats fresh grass in the spring, gets into the feed bin, eats grass clippings, etc. Exceptionally painful, the horse will stand with its front toes pointed out in front and all the weight on the hind legs. There will also likely be heat in the foot and a digital pulse. Call the vet immediately.
6a. Cracked heels
- have you ever had chapped lips or hands? This is essentially the horse equivalent. Found in horses that are out in the mud, snow or frequently bathed. Important to clean and dry the pastern area regularly. If untreated can be very painful and cause lameness.
6b. Navicular
- a degenerative change in the navicular bone; more common in middle-age + horses. Causes progressive lameness (can be intermittent); horse may also take shorter steps and seem to trip more often. Xrays to diagnose.
7. Bowed Tendon (aka tendonitis)
- inflammation of the tendon. Classified as high, middle or low, this is due to tendon strain. Can be from any number of things: a bad step, mud, too-tight or improperly applied bandages, poor conformation (calf knees, long sloping pasterns, low heels with long toes, etc), incorrect shoeing, etc. Care includes rest, cold packs, and potentially corrective shoeing.
8. Splint
- usually due to concussion, usually in young horses, usually in the front legs. Ok that's enough of the usuallys. Heat, pain, lameness, and a hard swelling near the splint bones. Rest (usually - sorry couldn't resist - 4 to 6 weeks) and cold. Usually full recovery although the bump may always remain.
9. Sesamoiditis
- an inflammation between the seasmoid bones. Generally caused by concussion (esp in high-speed, high-impact events: racing, steeplechasing, etc) or poor conformation (long pasterns, low heels)
10. Sidebone
- the calcification of the lateral cartilages of the coffin bone. hahaha I'll never forget my pony-club coach chanting that at us. But then, more credit to her -- it worked :) Memorize that phrase and feel intelligent forever. Or at least 30 seconds or so. Usually just a blemish. Found primarily in older heavy horses.
11. Throughpin
- the creepiest and or coolest of the squishy issues, throughpin is caused when the tendon sheath produces extra fluid and stretches. So at the back of the upper part of the hock you get a squish bulge that you can push through to the other side (that'd be the cool/creepy part of things). Usually caused by stress combined with poor conformation (esp sickle hocks).
12. Bog Spavin
- a distension of the joint capsule of the hock. Yeah doesn't that sound impressive? Otherwise known as a squishy swelling on the front of the hock. Usually does not cause lameness. Caused by trauma (when the joint is stressed it produces too much fluid which makes it puffy and squishy) or poor conformation (straight hocks).
13. Bone Spavin
- arthritis in the small bones of the hock. You'll see a hard swelling low on the inside of the hock. Painful until the bones fuse, then horse may be sound. That being said, if the arthritis is in the upper part of the hock, when it fuses the hock cannot move correctly and the horse will still be lame. Caused by poor conformation (cow hocks, bowed hocks, and very straight hocks).
14. Capped Hock
- soft liquid swelling on the hock. Caused by insufficient bedding, kicks or falls.
15. Curb
An inflammation of the plantar ligament of the hock. Generally causes lameness and takes a long time to heal. Caused by trauma or poor conformation (sickle hocks).
16. Windpuffs (aka windgalls)
- firm squishiness (does that make sense to anybody other than me) usually found in the fetlocks; technically a distention of a tendon sheath, bursa, or joint capsule. Feel smarter yet? Caused by concussion (esp seen in horses who start hard work too young) or poor conformation (upright pasterns). A horse who is prone to them will be throughout its life; they'll usually be worse after hard work. Should be cool to the touch -- if there's heat, it's a sign of something more serious.
So I realize that's a fair amount of information, but some of it you can remember just by thinking it through. For instance, front legs tend to take a lot more concussion than the hind legs, so that's where you're more likely to find concussion-based lamenesses. Conversely, the hind legs need to use a lot more power and so are more prone to strain related issues. "Capped" anything is likely squishy and not too serious.
Read more...
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Review Int/Adv Teeth
When is your horse said to have a full mouth? What does that mean?
How do deciduous teeth look different from permanent teeth?
When does Galvayne's Groove appear? Where does it appear?
What age do the middle permanent incisors come in?
How does the shape of the horse's teeth change over time?
When does the dental star first appear?
Read more...
How do deciduous teeth look different from permanent teeth?
When does Galvayne's Groove appear? Where does it appear?
What age do the middle permanent incisors come in?
How does the shape of the horse's teeth change over time?
When does the dental star first appear?
Read more...
Int./Adv Teeth
Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. But why? Well because you're likely evaluating it's age -- the ancient world's equivalent of checking the price tag of a gift you've received :)
But what would you be checking for? Well you know (since you either already know OR you read the beginner section :) that a horse's teeth never stop growing. So it stands to reason that they change shape over the years and with practice you can learn to judge the horse's age. Now this is unfortunately never really accurate beyond about age 7 -- but it can, at least, put you in the right ballpark. Why not accurate? Because as we know, wear changes based (among other things) on diet. So every horse's teeth will change at a slightly different rate.
So the very first thing to check -- does your horse still have baby teeth (if so, they're under the age of five). If they do, how many do they have?
Incisors
Note, while it's a lot harder to check the molars, they also come in on schedule:
Premolars (the set at the front of the mouth, meets the bars)
Molars (the set at the back of the mouth)
Note for both molars and premolars the count goes from front to back. PM1, the wolf teeth, are closest to the incisors, PM2 the next tooth back, etc.
Your horse is said to have a "full mouth" about age 5 when all permanent incisors, premolars and molars are in. How to tell? Deciduous teeth tend to be smaller (I know, big surprise eh?), whiter, and have several grooves on the surface. If the teeth are big, yellow, and rectangular in shape, they're probably permanent. A good thing to do is find a horse who you know is 3 or 4 years of age and look at their teeth to see the difference between the baby teeth and the adult teeth. Ummmm find either a very patient horse or get somebody to help you do this the first time ;) Just a suggestion.
Note that if the gelding or stallion has canines it means they must be at least 4 years old (often these don't come in till 5).
After 5 things get a little trickier, but there are things you can specifically look for:
Then the other thing to evaluate (requires more practice) is the shape of the teeth:
Read more...
But what would you be checking for? Well you know (since you either already know OR you read the beginner section :) that a horse's teeth never stop growing. So it stands to reason that they change shape over the years and with practice you can learn to judge the horse's age. Now this is unfortunately never really accurate beyond about age 7 -- but it can, at least, put you in the right ballpark. Why not accurate? Because as we know, wear changes based (among other things) on diet. So every horse's teeth will change at a slightly different rate.
So the very first thing to check -- does your horse still have baby teeth (if so, they're under the age of five). If they do, how many do they have?
Incisors
- Deciduous central incisors - come in at birth or within the first two weeks
- Deciduous middle incisors - come in at 4-6 weeks old
- Deciduous corner incisors - come in at 6-9 months
- Permanent central incisors - come in 2.5-3 years
- Permanent middle incisors - come in 3.5-4 years
- Permanent corner incisors - come in 4.5-5 years
Note, while it's a lot harder to check the molars, they also come in on schedule:
Premolars (the set at the front of the mouth, meets the bars)
- Wolf teeth (technically PM1) - no deciduous set, permanent ones at 5-6 months (if ever)
- All three other deciduous sets: come in at birth or within the first two weeks
- Permanent PM2 - 2.5 years
- Permanent PM3 - 3 years
- Permanent PM4 - 4 years
Molars (the set at the back of the mouth)
- There are no deciduous molars. The horse gets permanent ones as they get older.
- 1st - 9-12 months
- 2nd - 2 years
- 3rd - 3.5 years
Note for both molars and premolars the count goes from front to back. PM1, the wolf teeth, are closest to the incisors, PM2 the next tooth back, etc.
Your horse is said to have a "full mouth" about age 5 when all permanent incisors, premolars and molars are in. How to tell? Deciduous teeth tend to be smaller (I know, big surprise eh?), whiter, and have several grooves on the surface. If the teeth are big, yellow, and rectangular in shape, they're probably permanent. A good thing to do is find a horse who you know is 3 or 4 years of age and look at their teeth to see the difference between the baby teeth and the adult teeth. Ummmm find either a very patient horse or get somebody to help you do this the first time ;) Just a suggestion.
Note that if the gelding or stallion has canines it means they must be at least 4 years old (often these don't come in till 5).
After 5 things get a little trickier, but there are things you can specifically look for:
- The cups - in young horses you can see a cup in the incisors (essentially an oval shaped concave area that will eventually be worn away). By 9 the cups are gone (usually leave central incisors about 7, middle around 8, and corner around 9).
- The dental star - this appears at about 6 years of age (in the central incisor - other incisors to follow in the next year or two). If you look at the top of the incisor, you'll see a dark yellow/brown circular/star shape (technically what you're seeing is a dentin-filled pulp chamber -- don't you feel smarter now?). At this age it starts out as a narrow line and morphs into a rounder and bigger shape with age - most dramatic around age 10 (and then usually disappears entirely between 15 and 20). It's toward the front of the tooth.
- The hook - at about 7 years of age (and sometimes again at 9) a hook will appear on the upper corner incisor.
- Galvayne's Groove - a dark line that runs longitudinally on the upper corner incisor. This shows up about 10 years old, is half way down the tooth at 15, all the way down the tooth by 20, gone by 25. Useful if it's there but not all horses show this.
Then the other thing to evaluate (requires more practice) is the shape of the teeth:
- On a young horse the shape will be oval, then it will square off to become more rectangular. In old age the corners are worn and you end up with an almost triangular shape.
- Similarly the angle (when viewed from the side) at which the incisors meet changes. A young horse the teeth meet almost straight up and down like | (technically about 135deg for those who like those things - it's hard to show that accuracy in ascii art :). In an older horse though (age 20+), the angle has changed dramatically so that the incisors meet at almost 90deg (looks like < then).
Read more...
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Advanced Grooming: Clipping
If you're riding through the winter you may need to clip your horse. Why?
So you've decided to clip your horse (probably right after walking for over an hour after a lesson). What clip will you choose?
There are, of course, variations of all of the above. A particular favourite is the "I wish I were somewhere warm clip":
When clipping some important things:
Read more...
- to allow the horse to continue working without distress caused by excessive heat or sweating.
- the horse will cool and dry off more quickly after work. Helps prevent chills and saves walking time :)
- easier to keep a clipped horse clean; therefore easier to quickly discover any signs of heat, swelling, etc.
So you've decided to clip your horse (probably right after walking for over an hour after a lesson). What clip will you choose?
- Full clip: all the hair is removed. Looks very impressive when well done. Horse must be stabled and blanketed. Used for fit horses in regular work.
- Trace clip: hair is clipped under the neck and straight across from the point of the shoulder. Hair is left on the legs. Some leave the hair all the way up the hind legs and end the clip at the flanks. This horse may not need a blanket.
- Blanket clip: hair is left on the legs and in a quarter-sheet shape over the back and hind-quarters. This is for a stabled horse who feels the cold.
- Chaser clip: a variation of the blanket clip and used for the same reason.
- Strip clip: this is the most minimal clip -- the equine equivalent of unzipping your jacket. A horse with this clip may not need a blanket.
- Hunter clip: so called because is often used on field-hunters. Hair is left to protect the saddle are and the legs. A horse with this clip should be blanketed.
There are, of course, variations of all of the above. A particular favourite is the "I wish I were somewhere warm clip":
When clipping some important things:
- make sure the horse has been exposed to clippers and is ok with the noise first!
- clippers must be clean, sharp, and working correctly
- make sure there is a circuit breaker where the clippers are plugged in -- rubber soled shoes are also a good "just-in-case" idea.
- you will be covered in hair by the end of this so wear appropriate clothing.
- draw the clip on the horse (chalk, saddle soap, bright lipstick -- all possible options for drawing materials :)
- turn on the clippers and let them run for a few mins.
- clip against the direction of the hair (when the hair changes direction, so must the clippers!)
- it's a good idea to start at the shoulder as its less sensitive, less scary for the horse, and farther out of range of the hindlegs.
- long smooth strokes
- use your other hand to smooth the horse's skin so you don't pinch him
- when doing around the elbow, it's helpful to have somebody hold the leg forward.
- every 15 mins or so test the flat blade against the back of your hand -- if it's hot, you could burn your horse. Turn the clippers off for a few minutes (lots of cooling solutions available to accelerate this process). This is also a good time to clean and oil the blades.
- when you are done make sure to blanket the horse!
- clean your clippers before you put them away.
Read more...
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Advanced Jumping: XC
So a huge part of the fun of XC is the variety of things you get to see:
you've still got your standard verticals (usually stone walls, fencelines, or something like that) and oxers (esp logs. You will get to jump lots and lots and lots of logs throughout your XC career).
banks: up and down, and of course steps -- which are really multiple banks on a related distances. Up banks tend to be very easy. They require a lot of power on the part of the horse, but for the rider all you have to do is keep your leg on and your upper body out of the way and you're good to go. The key to jumping down is balance. Both for the horse AND the rider. Keep in mind also that young horses will tend to launch out as much as down when going off banks for the first time.
table: essentially a solid oxer that's wide and flat.
corner: this is a table that is super wide on one side and very skinny on the other. The trick to riding this is accuracy -- if you drift too far one way the jump becomes impossibly wide, while if you drift too far the other way it invites an easy runout.
ditches: technically the most easy thing out there. It's literally a canter stride. Nothing to it. Except that ditches house horse-eating monsters. Really scary ones. In the wild, a running horse who steps in a ditch is likely to end up dinner for the lion that's chasing them -- do you see now why your horse might not be overly inclined to jump it when they could so easily go around? As with everything else, this should be introduced gradually and in a non-threatening fashion. Make sure your horse doesn't see a ditch for the first time ever in competition. Or you may very well end up in it! Keep your nose behind the pommel coming into this!
coffins: just the name alone inspires fear. Gotta love xc! A coffin is a combo of fence, ditch, fence on related distances, usually with the ditch down lower than the two jumps (so jump at top of the hill, down two strides to a ditch, up two strides to another fence). The fences are also often both skinny. This is all about technical riding. The horse gets to the first fence, sees the ditch on the landing side and quits. Or jumps that fence and goes around the ditch. Or manages the first two but then runs out of the third. The possibilities are endless. The key to riding coffins successfully is to have all the pieces well schooled to begin with. Is the horse cool with ditches? Jumping up and down hill? Holding a line? Triple combinations? When you can do all that, the coffin will be a non issue. Theoretically >;-P These are usually ridden with a nice bouncy reasonably collected canter (recognizable to all eventers as the "coffin canter" -- creatively named eh?). Flying at something this technical at top speed would be a very bad idea.
ski-jumps: look pretty much like, well, ski jumps :) An angled fence at the top of the hill where you land significantly lower than you took off. These are tricky in that you jump the first part like a normal fence and then you have to bring your body back a bit as per a drop fence to survive the landing. If you jump ahead on these you will, at best, land alone. The trick for the horse is regaining their balance after the drop -- esp as you're usually going downhill at that point.
brush fences: these are good gallop fences. They're sloping and are stuffed with brush which sticks out the top. These can be higher than competition height because theoretically you can go through the brush.
water: horses often don't like jumping into water because they can't judge either the depth or the footing for the landing. As with ditches, introduce the concept easily in a confidence building environment so that by the time they actually have to do it in competition it's all fun :) Keep in mind that the horse will feel the drag of the water when they jump in and be prepared for that as you ride it. At the lower levels you usually get to run in and just jump out. And even that can be exciting some days :) Keeping up the impulsion through the water can be more difficult, so remember that any out jump will ride as though it were bigger than it actually is.
Everything you had to consider while walking stadium, also applies to XC:
Now when you're actually out on course, not only do you have to remember where you're going, how you're going to navigate the various terrain and obstacles, but you also have to be aware of pace. Every course will have an optimum time -- you must come in within 30 seconds of that time. If you are more than 30 seconds earlier than the time, every second is a penalty; slower than the time you have a then .4 penalty for each second. (ie, if the stated time is 5 minutes, you must come in somewhere between 4:30 and 5:00. 4:29 will have 1 penalty added, 5:01 will have .4 of a penalty added -- make sense?) And to make this even more challenging at the low levels (@ least in Canada) you cannot wear a watch. So you need to know, by feel, how fast you are going AND how fast you *should* be going :) The easiest way to learn this is to measure off set distances, and time it. Gallop the distance and figure out how fast you were going. (ie if you're aiming for 400 mpm - meters per minute - and it only takes you 45 seconds to go 400m, you're going too fast! Likewise if it takes you 90 seconds to get there, you're too slow.) Adjust until you get the pace you should be doing. Then practice till it feels normal and you can accurately hit the time regularly. Keep in mind when you're riding the actual course though that there will be places that you'll have to slow down, so that time will have to be made up elsewhere. Always remember though that safety outweighs time -- if it's not safe to go fast enough to meet the time, don't.
And now the fun part -- some of the masters from a couple decades ago. First, just watch it and enjoy! Then watch it again. Look for the different types of fences. Watch which fences they take at speed, and which fences they balance and slow down before they jump. Note also how they change their body positions based on whether they're going up or down hill and how they slip and regain their reins as necessary to allow the horse to jump freely.
Read more...
you've still got your standard verticals (usually stone walls, fencelines, or something like that) and oxers (esp logs. You will get to jump lots and lots and lots of logs throughout your XC career).
banks: up and down, and of course steps -- which are really multiple banks on a related distances. Up banks tend to be very easy. They require a lot of power on the part of the horse, but for the rider all you have to do is keep your leg on and your upper body out of the way and you're good to go. The key to jumping down is balance. Both for the horse AND the rider. Keep in mind also that young horses will tend to launch out as much as down when going off banks for the first time.table: essentially a solid oxer that's wide and flat.corner: this is a table that is super wide on one side and very skinny on the other. The trick to riding this is accuracy -- if you drift too far one way the jump becomes impossibly wide, while if you drift too far the other way it invites an easy runout.ditches: technically the most easy thing out there. It's literally a canter stride. Nothing to it. Except that ditches house horse-eating monsters. Really scary ones. In the wild, a running horse who steps in a ditch is likely to end up dinner for the lion that's chasing them -- do you see now why your horse might not be overly inclined to jump it when they could so easily go around? As with everything else, this should be introduced gradually and in a non-threatening fashion. Make sure your horse doesn't see a ditch for the first time ever in competition. Or you may very well end up in it! Keep your nose behind the pommel coming into this!coffins: just the name alone inspires fear. Gotta love xc! A coffin is a combo of fence, ditch, fence on related distances, usually with the ditch down lower than the two jumps (so jump at top of the hill, down two strides to a ditch, up two strides to another fence). The fences are also often both skinny. This is all about technical riding. The horse gets to the first fence, sees the ditch on the landing side and quits. Or jumps that fence and goes around the ditch. Or manages the first two but then runs out of the third. The possibilities are endless. The key to riding coffins successfully is to have all the pieces well schooled to begin with. Is the horse cool with ditches? Jumping up and down hill? Holding a line? Triple combinations? When you can do all that, the coffin will be a non issue. Theoretically >;-P These are usually ridden with a nice bouncy reasonably collected canter (recognizable to all eventers as the "coffin canter" -- creatively named eh?). Flying at something this technical at top speed would be a very bad idea.ski-jumps: look pretty much like, well, ski jumps :) An angled fence at the top of the hill where you land significantly lower than you took off. These are tricky in that you jump the first part like a normal fence and then you have to bring your body back a bit as per a drop fence to survive the landing. If you jump ahead on these you will, at best, land alone. The trick for the horse is regaining their balance after the drop -- esp as you're usually going downhill at that point.brush fences: these are good gallop fences. They're sloping and are stuffed with brush which sticks out the top. These can be higher than competition height because theoretically you can go through the brush.water: horses often don't like jumping into water because they can't judge either the depth or the footing for the landing. As with ditches, introduce the concept easily in a confidence building environment so that by the time they actually have to do it in competition it's all fun :) Keep in mind that the horse will feel the drag of the water when they jump in and be prepared for that as you ride it. At the lower levels you usually get to run in and just jump out. And even that can be exciting some days :) Keeping up the impulsion through the water can be more difficult, so remember that any out jump will ride as though it were bigger than it actually is.Everything you had to consider while walking stadium, also applies to XC:
- terrain is likely to be far more dramatic on XC and also more likely to change. Uphill, downhill (sometimes both in the same combination!), water (be sure you walk *through* the water yourself so you know what the footing is like), changes between dirt, gravel, wood chips, grass, and anything else!
- shadows often play far more of a role on XC, especially when jumping in/out of tree-lines or in the woods. Be aware if the shadows will cast a false groundline or make the landing seem inhospitable -- either of those things can lead to a stop at an otherwise easy fence.
- jump judges will be found in the vicinity of every fence. The best ones manage to blend in to their surroundings or be far enough away not to matter, but every once in a while they'll be right before or right after a fence and your horse could well be startled by them so make sure you ride accordingly and keep the horse focused on the fence.
- cows and other related monsters. Suffice to say if you have a city horse, cows are equivalent of alien beings; and decidedly unfriendly ones at that. Llamas and sheep are also in that category. So if the farmer next door has any of these turned out, consider how your horse may react to jumping next to the fenceline!
- fencelines: we spend all our lives teaching horses to stay inside fences, so asking them to jump one often leads to a very confused pony.
Now when you're actually out on course, not only do you have to remember where you're going, how you're going to navigate the various terrain and obstacles, but you also have to be aware of pace. Every course will have an optimum time -- you must come in within 30 seconds of that time. If you are more than 30 seconds earlier than the time, every second is a penalty; slower than the time you have a then .4 penalty for each second. (ie, if the stated time is 5 minutes, you must come in somewhere between 4:30 and 5:00. 4:29 will have 1 penalty added, 5:01 will have .4 of a penalty added -- make sense?) And to make this even more challenging at the low levels (@ least in Canada) you cannot wear a watch. So you need to know, by feel, how fast you are going AND how fast you *should* be going :) The easiest way to learn this is to measure off set distances, and time it. Gallop the distance and figure out how fast you were going. (ie if you're aiming for 400 mpm - meters per minute - and it only takes you 45 seconds to go 400m, you're going too fast! Likewise if it takes you 90 seconds to get there, you're too slow.) Adjust until you get the pace you should be doing. Then practice till it feels normal and you can accurately hit the time regularly. Keep in mind when you're riding the actual course though that there will be places that you'll have to slow down, so that time will have to be made up elsewhere. Always remember though that safety outweighs time -- if it's not safe to go fast enough to meet the time, don't.
And now the fun part -- some of the masters from a couple decades ago. First, just watch it and enjoy! Then watch it again. Look for the different types of fences. Watch which fences they take at speed, and which fences they balance and slow down before they jump. Note also how they change their body positions based on whether they're going up or down hill and how they slip and regain their reins as necessary to allow the horse to jump freely.
Read more...
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Review Int/Adv Preventative Care
What are three things you can do other than deworming to help control parasites?
What are four signs your horse may have a parasite infestation? How can you find out for sure?
How often should you deworm your horse? Why is it important to rotate dewormers?
What are three things you can vaccinate against?
What do you need to prove your horse is not a carrier of EIA? Why does it matter?
What is quidding? What causes it? How can you fix it?
Read more...
What are four signs your horse may have a parasite infestation? How can you find out for sure?
How often should you deworm your horse? Why is it important to rotate dewormers?
What are three things you can vaccinate against?
What do you need to prove your horse is not a carrier of EIA? Why does it matter?
What is quidding? What causes it? How can you fix it?
Read more...
Int/Adv Preventative Care
Preventative care includes the things we do to avoid the horse getting sick in the first place. There are four important preventative care considerations: parasite control, vaccinations, teeth, and introducing new horses.
Parasite Control:
All horses have parasites. Let me repeat that: All horses have parasites. Since most cause problems and we do everything we can to eradicate them. There are a few things you can do to help control parasites:
So deworming -- horses should be dewormed every 8-12 weeks (most people seem to do once/season). Different dewormers kill off different parasites in different phases of their life-cycles. It is important to rotate dewormers so as to eliminate a wide variety and to help prevent any of the worms developing an immunity to the dewormer. Some of the common worms include:
You'll notice the signs for most of these are similar. In general, any combination of inexplicable weight loss, poor coat condition, rubbing the tail, lethargy, and constipation or diarrhea should have you de-worming your horse or at very least having a fecal test done. Colic is also a sign of parasites gone horribly wrong (really you should catch it before then), but since it can be caused by so many other things may not be a sign in itself.
In areas with winter, the only things you'll really be able to kill after the frost are small strongyles -- so a Moxidectin based dewormer is best used in the winter months. This should be followed with an Invermectin based wormer in the spring to kill off any adult strongyles that survived the winter. Through spring/summer/fall you can alternate between Ivermectin-based and Pyrantel-based. There are multiple brands and types of each of these. Twice a year a Praziquiantel (which is a relatively new super-wormer) is a good idea.
So just for the curious, here's a sched for one horse as an example for the year. This is a 5yo TB mare in good health who lives in Ontario and will be competing from May though Sept. Keep in mind this is just a sample -- your plan should be created in consultation with your vet.
Vaccinations
Like people, horses can be vaccinated against common diseases. Most vaccinations need to be boosted -- some annually, some more often. What you vaccinate against will depend, among other things, where you live and how much contact your horse has with outside horses. If you have a private farm with two back-yard ponies who never go anywhere, they're far less likely to catch something than a competitive horse at a large boarding barn where they get shipped to multiple shows, all obviously with other horses, AND all the ones they live with at home are doing the same thing. Anybody could bring something home and spread it.
Some of the common ones include:
As always, check with your vet about what they would recommend in your area.
Teeth:
Horses teeth continually grow. A horse's upper-jaw is wider than his lower-jaw. When they graze, the jaw moves in a side-to-side motion, and the molars wear out unevenly causing sharp points ("hooks") to appear on them. These can hurt. So every six months they should be checked and the sharp points need to be "floated" or filed. This is not a painful procedure but it is awkward and some horses really don't like the noise.
If a horse's mouth seems sore (particularly evident when the previously accepting horse starts flipping their head with any bit contact), or if they start quidding (which is when food dribbles out the side of their mouth as they're eating) they should absolutely be checked.
More on teeth another Thursday :)
New Horses:
When a new horse comes to a facility, proof of negative coggins should always be required. They should also be quarantined until their health is assured and introduced to the other horses slowly. Similarly, when bringing your horse away (ie to a show) it is important to keep them from the other horses. No rubbing noses, no sharing water buckets, food, or brushes. Little things that will keep your horse much healthier in the long run!
Read more...
Parasite Control:
All horses have parasites. Let me repeat that: All horses have parasites. Since most cause problems and we do everything we can to eradicate them. There are a few things you can do to help control parasites:
- De-worm your horse (more on this next paragraph :)
- Avoid overgrazing pasture
- Avoid keeping too many horses in one pasture
- Rotate pastures (horse parasites won't live in cattle and vise versa)
- Keep hay and grain away from manure
So deworming -- horses should be dewormed every 8-12 weeks (most people seem to do once/season). Different dewormers kill off different parasites in different phases of their life-cycles. It is important to rotate dewormers so as to eliminate a wide variety and to help prevent any of the worms developing an immunity to the dewormer. Some of the common worms include:
- Large Strongyles: these can cause serious damage. A blocked mesenteric artery (which supplies the intestine) can lead to severe colic, or a blocked iliac artery (which supplies the hind legs) can cause lameness or paralysis.
- Small Strongyles: also cause serious damage. Signs include weight loss, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and colic.
- Ascarids: most common in foals. These are disgustingly large worms. Signs include: poor coat, coughing, diarrhea, lack of appetite, pot belly, apathetic behaviour, and stunted growth.
- Bots: these are less harmful and among the easier to avoid. They lay their eggs on the horse's legs, chest, etc where they get licked off and swallowed. They look like little yellow dots, and if you make a point of removing them when they appear you'll help cut down significantly on the bot population. They can cause sores in the mouth, and sometimes stomach ulcers.
- Pinworms: not overly harmful in itself, but a sign that your strongyles dewormer probably isn't working overly well since they're killed off by the same thing. Pinworms lead to the horse rubbing its tail and sometimes you can see gray or yellow eggs around the anus. Pinworms are very rare in horses that live outdoors 24/7.
You'll notice the signs for most of these are similar. In general, any combination of inexplicable weight loss, poor coat condition, rubbing the tail, lethargy, and constipation or diarrhea should have you de-worming your horse or at very least having a fecal test done. Colic is also a sign of parasites gone horribly wrong (really you should catch it before then), but since it can be caused by so many other things may not be a sign in itself.
In areas with winter, the only things you'll really be able to kill after the frost are small strongyles -- so a Moxidectin based dewormer is best used in the winter months. This should be followed with an Invermectin based wormer in the spring to kill off any adult strongyles that survived the winter. Through spring/summer/fall you can alternate between Ivermectin-based and Pyrantel-based. There are multiple brands and types of each of these. Twice a year a Praziquiantel (which is a relatively new super-wormer) is a good idea.
So just for the curious, here's a sched for one horse as an example for the year. This is a 5yo TB mare in good health who lives in Ontario and will be competing from May though Sept. Keep in mind this is just a sample -- your plan should be created in consultation with your vet.
Vaccinations
Like people, horses can be vaccinated against common diseases. Most vaccinations need to be boosted -- some annually, some more often. What you vaccinate against will depend, among other things, where you live and how much contact your horse has with outside horses. If you have a private farm with two back-yard ponies who never go anywhere, they're far less likely to catch something than a competitive horse at a large boarding barn where they get shipped to multiple shows, all obviously with other horses, AND all the ones they live with at home are doing the same thing. Anybody could bring something home and spread it.
Some of the common ones include:
- Tetanus -- aka Lockjaw. Just as with people, this disease affects the nervous system. Usually caused by a dirty would, signs include stiffness of the head, neck and hind end, muscle spasms of the jaw, and the appearance of a third eyelid. There is an 80% mortality rate. Annual boosters are required. If you are working on a farm you would be smart to make sure YOUR tetanus vaccination is also up-to-date (although requires far less often booster).
- Rabies -- affects attitude and behaviour. Rabid horses will become violent -- biting, striking and rolling. It is almost always caused by a bite from an infected animal. This is also one of the few diseases that is transmissible to humans. Usually fatal.
- Encecphalitis (Eastern: EEE, Western: WEE, Venezuelan: VEE) -- a viral disease often transmitted by mosquitoes. 50-90% mortality rate. Booster shots annually if you have winter, every 6 mths if not.
- Influenza -- same concept as with people. Highly contagious but rarely fatal viral disease characterized by a high fever, cough, nasal discharge, depression and loss of appetite. Bi-annual vaccine, usually given spring and fall.
Rhinopneumonia -- a highly contagious viral infection with signs much like flu. This is most common in young horses. - Potomac Horse Fever -- believed to be carried by ticks (uncommon in this area). Signs include depression, loss of appetite, profuse watery diarrhea, distended abdomen, severe colic and sometimes laminitis. May be fatal. Annual vaccination.
- Strangles -- highly infections viral infection which affects the lymph nodes in the upper respiratory and cheek mucous membranes. This has been going around Ontario for the last few years, so be very aware if you're in this area and showing at all, you might want to consider this vaccination seriously. Signs are inflammation of the throat and cheeks, a fever of 39.5-41C (103-106F), reluctance to eat, and a moist cough. Annual Vaccination.
- West Nile -- a mosquito-spread neurological infection. Symptoms include listlessness, muscle twitching, weakness or paralysis in limbs, sometimes a fever. Can be fatal or have permanent complications. Annual booster.
- Equine Infections Anemia (EIA) -- aka Swamp Fever. Very serious, and any horse who survives it could become a carrier (who looks and acts normal while infecting the rest of the barn). Highly contagious, signs include a really high fever (40.5-41.2C, 105-106F0, rapid weight loss, anemia and hemorrhages of the mucous membranes. There is no cure, and most provinces require any horse that tests positive for EIA to be humanely destroyed. Most farms require proof that a horse is EIA negative before allowing any horse on the property. This proof is in the form of a Coggins test -- a simple blood test done by your vet. An annual coggins test is required for horses showing on most recognized circuits. There is no vaccination or cure for this disease.
As always, check with your vet about what they would recommend in your area.
Teeth:
Horses teeth continually grow. A horse's upper-jaw is wider than his lower-jaw. When they graze, the jaw moves in a side-to-side motion, and the molars wear out unevenly causing sharp points ("hooks") to appear on them. These can hurt. So every six months they should be checked and the sharp points need to be "floated" or filed. This is not a painful procedure but it is awkward and some horses really don't like the noise.
If a horse's mouth seems sore (particularly evident when the previously accepting horse starts flipping their head with any bit contact), or if they start quidding (which is when food dribbles out the side of their mouth as they're eating) they should absolutely be checked.
More on teeth another Thursday :)
New Horses:
When a new horse comes to a facility, proof of negative coggins should always be required. They should also be quarantined until their health is assured and introduced to the other horses slowly. Similarly, when bringing your horse away (ie to a show) it is important to keep them from the other horses. No rubbing noses, no sharing water buckets, food, or brushes. Little things that will keep your horse much healthier in the long run!
Read more...
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Advanced Shoeing
Ok so first off, Keg shoes are your standard "off the rack" shoes that can be heated, shaped and modified. (see Beginner for parts of :) These come in a variety of sizes and styles and can be used for many horses.
However, horses with movement related issues may need therapeutic shoes. Changes to the shoe (ie weight, shape, angle, etc) can make a critical difference to how the foot breaks over (by adding a roll), it's flight pattern, and how it lands. Here are some of the more interesting shoes that can be used for corrective purposes:
1. Trailer Shoe - this has one heel extended; used to help a foot that naturally twists land straight.
2. Square Toe - these are sometimes used on hind feet to limit forging and over-reaching (see Movement)
3 and 7 Rolled Toe - used for horses that stumble or trip often as it aids in the breakover phrase of the stride (see Movement). Aka Rocker toe.
4. Bar Shoe - therapeutic shoe used to remove or apply pressure to different parts of the foot.
5. Heart Bar Shoe - particular bar shoe often used for horses with laminitis (more on this another Thursday!).
6. Egg Bar Shoe - another standard therapeutic shoe, often used for horses with navicular (more on this another Thursday!)
Other Shoe-Related Items:
Pads - these are often added between the foot and the shoe. Can provide protection to the sole (esp if your horse has super-sensitive feet), help reduce concussion, and help treat some issues. There will be oakum (traditionally - less common now) or some other substance (the blue foamy stuff is particularly entertaining) packed between the pad and the shoe.
Studs are used for added traction. The shoes must have holes tapped into them and then a variety of studs are available to screw in based on footing. Generally pointed studs for hard footing and rounded for muddy.
Road studs - are small (usually square) and used for hard surfaces (including firm dry grass footing)
Bullets - are used for ground that is reasonably firm but has loose footing on top.
Blocks - these tend to be quite substantial and are used for deep muddy footing.
Others - as with everything in riding there are many "specialty" items for everything you can imagine.
Studs can do serious damage if incorrectly used. Remember these basics:
Read more...
However, horses with movement related issues may need therapeutic shoes. Changes to the shoe (ie weight, shape, angle, etc) can make a critical difference to how the foot breaks over (by adding a roll), it's flight pattern, and how it lands. Here are some of the more interesting shoes that can be used for corrective purposes:
1. Trailer Shoe - this has one heel extended; used to help a foot that naturally twists land straight.
2. Square Toe - these are sometimes used on hind feet to limit forging and over-reaching (see Movement)
3 and 7 Rolled Toe - used for horses that stumble or trip often as it aids in the breakover phrase of the stride (see Movement). Aka Rocker toe.
4. Bar Shoe - therapeutic shoe used to remove or apply pressure to different parts of the foot.
5. Heart Bar Shoe - particular bar shoe often used for horses with laminitis (more on this another Thursday!).
6. Egg Bar Shoe - another standard therapeutic shoe, often used for horses with navicular (more on this another Thursday!)
Other Shoe-Related Items:
Pads - these are often added between the foot and the shoe. Can provide protection to the sole (esp if your horse has super-sensitive feet), help reduce concussion, and help treat some issues. There will be oakum (traditionally - less common now) or some other substance (the blue foamy stuff is particularly entertaining) packed between the pad and the shoe.
- Pads are leather (traditionally) or synthetic (more often). Regular ones are of an even thickness and cover the whole hoof.
- Cut-out pads (aka rim pads) have a hole cut-out of the middle, so they go around the rim of the hoof. We're back to the creative naming system. These cover the heels and the edge of the foot, but some of the frog and the sole are still exposed. These are used to help adjust the angle of the hoof.
- Wedge pads (aka degree pads) raise the heels. They are used to change the angle of the hoof while providing the same protection as regular pads. Used for horses with iffy confirmation (ie low heels). They are also often used for horses with navicular.
Studs are used for added traction. The shoes must have holes tapped into them and then a variety of studs are available to screw in based on footing. Generally pointed studs for hard footing and rounded for muddy.
Road studs - are small (usually square) and used for hard surfaces (including firm dry grass footing)Bullets - are used for ground that is reasonably firm but has loose footing on top.Blocks - these tend to be quite substantial and are used for deep muddy footing.Others - as with everything in riding there are many "specialty" items for everything you can imagine.
Studs can do serious damage if incorrectly used. Remember these basics:
- Always use studs in pairs
- Use the smallest studs possible for the footing.
- Remove the studs as soon as you're done riding.
- Never turn a horse out with studs (could injure himself or another horse).
- Put protective boots on your horse when she's wearing studs
- Never trailer a horse with studs in
Read more...
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Advanced Movement
So you know how your horse *should* move, but one day, they're just not quite right. What could be causing the issue?
Pain - as you don't move perfectly when you're not feeling well, neither does your horse. Very serious lameness will have the horse's hooves seemingly glued, unable to move at all. If forced to move, the lameness will be brutally evident. Call the vet. However, far more common is the "maybe/maybe-not" lameness which is best evaluated at the trot. The lame leg will break-over faster because they don't want to put pressure on it. A horse who's very lame will be head-bobbing. As in, when he trots, his head bobs up and down (conversely, a sound horse's head moves very little). Front leg lameness is the easiest to evaluate -- the head will go UP when the lame leg hits the ground. Try this yourself -- pretend you have a sore foot and hobble around a bit (don't worry -- the Intermediate group had to make fools of themselves too!) As you avoid putting weight on the sore foot your head will go up. If the lameness is in the hind end, the head will go DOWN as the sore foot hits the ground (because they're using their head and neck as a counter-weight to avoid putting pressure where it hurts). Sometimes the lameness is more evident on corners or going one direction over the other.
Rider Imbalance - this one is often discounted, but if the rider is out of balance, it's hardly fair to expect the horse to move properly. Consider how you shift your balance when you're carrying a heavy backpack on one shoulder -- especially if it's the "wrong" shoulder.
Shoeing - shoeing can influence movement in both positive or negative ways. It can be used carefully over the long term to help correct certain issues, or incorrect shoeing can cause a previously sound and even horse to develop problems. More on shoeing another Thursday!
Footing - just like you would change the way you moved were you on pavement, in deep sand, or on ice, so too does your horse. If the footing is deep it requires significantly more effort. If it's slippery, the horse is likely to take a shorter stride or move more cautiously. If it's packing snow, the horse may get snowballs in their shoes causing them to walk very carefully (this is quite dangerous -- it's best to avoid riding when the snow conditions are likely to cause this condition).
Traction - this goes along with footing; if the horse is sliding every time her foot hits the ground, obviously her movement will be affected.
Age - young horses, like kids going through growth spurts, often don't seem to know exactly where all their limbs are -- especially at speed. Older horses, as with older people, may be stiffer or arthritic and their movement will be affected accordingly.
Training - a big part of training is building the strength and balance required to move straight and forward.
Tack - poorly fitting tack can restrict the horse's movement (more on fitting tack another Thursday). If it pinches it can stop them from reaching out fully through the shoulder. An unbalanced saddle will be have the same result as an unbalanced rider. Pressure points can cause pain for your horse, made worse with the addition of a rider's weight. A saddle that bounces when the horse moves will add stress to the horse's back. All in all, ensuring your horse has properly fitting tack will make things much easier all-round for the horse.
PMS - if your mare is seriously pmsy, talk to your vet. As with people, there are things that can help :) On a much lesser scale, this also applies to just having a stiff day (comeon, you know you have days like that, why shouldn't your horse? Mare, stallion or gelding). Esp if she's been stuck inside all day, or the extreme opposite of having been playing a *little* too hard out in the field, she may start out a little stiff or a little uneven. The difference is, usually they work out of this type of unsoundness by the time a normal warm-up is complete.
Read more...
Pain - as you don't move perfectly when you're not feeling well, neither does your horse. Very serious lameness will have the horse's hooves seemingly glued, unable to move at all. If forced to move, the lameness will be brutally evident. Call the vet. However, far more common is the "maybe/maybe-not" lameness which is best evaluated at the trot. The lame leg will break-over faster because they don't want to put pressure on it. A horse who's very lame will be head-bobbing. As in, when he trots, his head bobs up and down (conversely, a sound horse's head moves very little). Front leg lameness is the easiest to evaluate -- the head will go UP when the lame leg hits the ground. Try this yourself -- pretend you have a sore foot and hobble around a bit (don't worry -- the Intermediate group had to make fools of themselves too!) As you avoid putting weight on the sore foot your head will go up. If the lameness is in the hind end, the head will go DOWN as the sore foot hits the ground (because they're using their head and neck as a counter-weight to avoid putting pressure where it hurts). Sometimes the lameness is more evident on corners or going one direction over the other.
Rider Imbalance - this one is often discounted, but if the rider is out of balance, it's hardly fair to expect the horse to move properly. Consider how you shift your balance when you're carrying a heavy backpack on one shoulder -- especially if it's the "wrong" shoulder.
Shoeing - shoeing can influence movement in both positive or negative ways. It can be used carefully over the long term to help correct certain issues, or incorrect shoeing can cause a previously sound and even horse to develop problems. More on shoeing another Thursday!
Footing - just like you would change the way you moved were you on pavement, in deep sand, or on ice, so too does your horse. If the footing is deep it requires significantly more effort. If it's slippery, the horse is likely to take a shorter stride or move more cautiously. If it's packing snow, the horse may get snowballs in their shoes causing them to walk very carefully (this is quite dangerous -- it's best to avoid riding when the snow conditions are likely to cause this condition).
Traction - this goes along with footing; if the horse is sliding every time her foot hits the ground, obviously her movement will be affected.
Age - young horses, like kids going through growth spurts, often don't seem to know exactly where all their limbs are -- especially at speed. Older horses, as with older people, may be stiffer or arthritic and their movement will be affected accordingly.
Training - a big part of training is building the strength and balance required to move straight and forward.
Tack - poorly fitting tack can restrict the horse's movement (more on fitting tack another Thursday). If it pinches it can stop them from reaching out fully through the shoulder. An unbalanced saddle will be have the same result as an unbalanced rider. Pressure points can cause pain for your horse, made worse with the addition of a rider's weight. A saddle that bounces when the horse moves will add stress to the horse's back. All in all, ensuring your horse has properly fitting tack will make things much easier all-round for the horse.
PMS - if your mare is seriously pmsy, talk to your vet. As with people, there are things that can help :) On a much lesser scale, this also applies to just having a stiff day (comeon, you know you have days like that, why shouldn't your horse? Mare, stallion or gelding). Esp if she's been stuck inside all day, or the extreme opposite of having been playing a *little* too hard out in the field, she may start out a little stiff or a little uneven. The difference is, usually they work out of this type of unsoundness by the time a normal warm-up is complete.
Read more...
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Advanced Dressage
Ok so first of all, not at all theory, but if you have competed in any dressage ever you should seriously consider reading Dressage for the Rest of Us. This was put together on COTH when I still had time to lurk there (yeah I *might've* contributed to the list; not that I'd ever admit that of course :). Funniest dressage thing ever. COTH is one of the better Equine BBs out there. Worth a read.
The things I could write in this section could (and has!) filled many books. I've decided that for today we limit discussion to some of the basic lateral movements, but it'll be more of a "what is" than a how-to. Honestly, for the how-to, my advice is simple: find a qualified coach. I'm adamantly against arm-chair riding lessons. These are not things to be learned off the Internet. No matter how many horrendous videos are out there. The what, however, can be :)
Lateral movements are ones that require sideways movement in some way, shape or form. They encourage flexibility, obedience, and coordination (of both horse and rider :)
Shoulder-in: in shoulder-in the horse's front legs come to the inside, so that the outside front is directly in front of the inside hind. The horse is flexed and bent to the inside (approx the same degree as for a 10m circle). The inside hock is engaged and carries the most weight. The horse travels forward on a straight line maintaining the inside bend to create the lateral movement. In this situation the horse is moving away from the direction of the bend. The most common fault when schooling shoulder-in is to overbend the head and neck; this causes the horse to lean on the outside shoulder and thoroughly defeat the purpose.
Traverse: in traverse the haunches come in instead of the shoulders -- the outside hind moves just slightly inside of the inside fore. The horse moves in the same direction as the bend. As with shoulder in, the most common fault in traverse is to overbend the neck, this is compounded by bringing the quarters in too much so the horse is at too steep an angle.
Renverse: is a combination of the above two. The shoulders come in off the track as in shoulder-in, but the horse is bent in the direction of travel as in traverse. The legs also move on four tracks, as in traverse (think haunches out rather than haunches in). Wanna guess the main fault in renverse? You got it, overbending the neck. This leads to the horse having to step just sideways instead of forward and sideways. Loss of rhythm and activity are also very common in this movement. This movement is rarely asked for in dressage tests, but is an excellent training exercise.
Half-Pass: my favourite :) Half-pass is essentially traverse on a diagonal. The horse moves forward and sideways on a diagonal line, bent and flexed in the direction of the movement.
So there are more of course -- pirouettes, tempis, and not to mention all the longitudinal movements! hahaha see how many of them you can pick out in this example (one of the few tests I've ever watched multiple times; could do without the commentary but as it's appropriate to this Theory Thursday I figured it'd be a good one to use):
Read more...
The things I could write in this section could (and has!) filled many books. I've decided that for today we limit discussion to some of the basic lateral movements, but it'll be more of a "what is" than a how-to. Honestly, for the how-to, my advice is simple: find a qualified coach. I'm adamantly against arm-chair riding lessons. These are not things to be learned off the Internet. No matter how many horrendous videos are out there. The what, however, can be :)
Lateral movements are ones that require sideways movement in some way, shape or form. They encourage flexibility, obedience, and coordination (of both horse and rider :)
Shoulder-in: in shoulder-in the horse's front legs come to the inside, so that the outside front is directly in front of the inside hind. The horse is flexed and bent to the inside (approx the same degree as for a 10m circle). The inside hock is engaged and carries the most weight. The horse travels forward on a straight line maintaining the inside bend to create the lateral movement. In this situation the horse is moving away from the direction of the bend. The most common fault when schooling shoulder-in is to overbend the head and neck; this causes the horse to lean on the outside shoulder and thoroughly defeat the purpose.
Traverse: in traverse the haunches come in instead of the shoulders -- the outside hind moves just slightly inside of the inside fore. The horse moves in the same direction as the bend. As with shoulder in, the most common fault in traverse is to overbend the neck, this is compounded by bringing the quarters in too much so the horse is at too steep an angle.Renverse: is a combination of the above two. The shoulders come in off the track as in shoulder-in, but the horse is bent in the direction of travel as in traverse. The legs also move on four tracks, as in traverse (think haunches out rather than haunches in). Wanna guess the main fault in renverse? You got it, overbending the neck. This leads to the horse having to step just sideways instead of forward and sideways. Loss of rhythm and activity are also very common in this movement. This movement is rarely asked for in dressage tests, but is an excellent training exercise.Half-Pass: my favourite :) Half-pass is essentially traverse on a diagonal. The horse moves forward and sideways on a diagonal line, bent and flexed in the direction of the movement.So there are more of course -- pirouettes, tempis, and not to mention all the longitudinal movements! hahaha see how many of them you can pick out in this example (one of the few tests I've ever watched multiple times; could do without the commentary but as it's appropriate to this Theory Thursday I figured it'd be a good one to use):
Read more...
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Advanced Tack: Review
Name 3 parts of the horse that are affected by the bit.
You're watching an intermediate level lesson and your coach sends you back to get a pelham for one of the riders. There are these two bits hanging in the tack room. Which one do you bring? Why might she have decided on this bit?
Note - for answer to the bit question above, click the image :)
You've been given the opportunity to start a green horse. What sort of bit would you use when first starting him? Why?
What are four things to consider when deciding on a bit for a specific horse?
What is a combination bit a combination of? What are two combination bits? Which one is more likely to be used by a child? Why?
Give an example of a direct pressure bit.
Give an example of a leverage bit.
Name the numbered parts:
Did you ever know so much could be said about bits??? Well done!
Read more...
You're watching an intermediate level lesson and your coach sends you back to get a pelham for one of the riders. There are these two bits hanging in the tack room. Which one do you bring? Why might she have decided on this bit?
Note - for answer to the bit question above, click the image :)
You've been given the opportunity to start a green horse. What sort of bit would you use when first starting him? Why?
What are four things to consider when deciding on a bit for a specific horse?
What is a combination bit a combination of? What are two combination bits? Which one is more likely to be used by a child? Why?
Give an example of a direct pressure bit.
Give an example of a leverage bit.
Name the numbered parts:
Did you ever know so much could be said about bits??? Well done!
Read more...
Advanced Tack: Double Bridle and Misc Bits
At this level you should know about more interesting bits, how they work, and when/why to use them. Snaffles were covered at length in Intermediate. Now we have some of the other miscellaneous items: hackamores, leverage bits, gags, combination bits, and of course the double bridle.
A hackamore is a bitless bridle. It functions by applying pressure to the nose and the chin groove. Some horses, particularly those with really sensitive mouths, respond much better to a hackamore than a standard bit. The strength of this is determined by the length of the shanks to which the reins are attached. This is not legal in dressage, but is in the jumping disciplines. (random side note -- my spell check apparently knows what a hackamore is?!?! It doesn't know any other riding vocab, but it's got that one word. Gotta love it :)
Alright, so leverage bits multiply the pressure applied to the mouth; this means that however hard you pull, the horse feels 2,3,4x that amount. Generally, the longer the shanks, the greater the leverage.
Curb bits are leverage bits (usually also used with a curb chain that applies pressure to the chin groove as the reins are used). Curb bits may also have a port (a bump) in the middle of them. If there is no or very low port, most of the pressure is on the tongue and the mouth. If the port is medium height it shifts the pressure off the tongue more to the bars. If it's high, there's a chance it may put pressure on the roof of the mouth, which in turn acts like a fulcrum to significantly increase the pressure on the bars. Some curb bits may look very much like snaffle bits, but all have extra rings for the reins to be attached lower than the bit -- this is what provides the leverage. The longer the shank, the greater the multiplying effect. Curb bits should very rarely be used alone; they are generally used with a bradoon (tiny snaffle) to create a double bridle.
Curb Bit
The double bridle is ridden in at the advanced levels to give ultimate sensitivity -- assuming the rider is capable of that. There is a standard curb bit and a bradoon (which is basically a super-small snaffle). The rider carries two sets of reins and uses them independently depending on the desired effect.
1. Bradoon Strap
2. Crown Piece
3. Browband
4. Curb Cheekpiece
5. Cavesson Noseband
6. Throatlatch
7. Curb Bit (low port)
8. Bradoon
9. Curb Chain
10. Lip Strap
11. Snaffle Reins
12. Curb Reins
For those not quite ready for a double bridle, the pelham is a combination of snaffle and curb bit; it also uses two sets of reins. The top one gives a snaffle effect while the lower one gives the curb and leverage effect. Kimberwicks (which are often seen on strong ponies being ridden by little kids) have a similar combo effect, but use only one set of reins. The severity of the bit is influenced by where the reins are attached (loose or in one of two slots).
Pelham
Gags are leverage bits which can also look an awful lot like plain snaffle bits (in fact some snaffle bits have the option of turning them into gags depending where you fasten the reins). Most gags should be used with two sets of reins -- one in the usual snaffle position and one on the leverage ring. These bits tend to be fairly strong and should only be used by those who know what they are doing. They are mostly seen on very strong horses in speed events.
Elevator Bit
This elevator bit is a pretty standard example. If the reins are on the big ring, it acts as a snaffle. By the time you're at the bottom ring, you've got some pretty serious leverage happening. You will often see people fixing two sets of reins to this bit so they can ride primarily off the snaffle, but have the leverage if they need it.
So now that you know all that -- how do you decide what bit to use? Well, there are a bunch of things to consider:
- Age, training level and temperament of the horse
- Experience level of the rider (remember even the softest bit can be inhumane when held by hard hands)
- Type of work (ie - often in eventing you'll see a horse going XC in a slightly stronger bit than they do dressage)
- Shape of the horse's mouth (a thick bit may be theoretically soft, but in a tiny mouth it'll be uncomfortable)
- Horse's preference (ie - some horses really don't like pressure on their tongues, others may not like the pinching feeling of jointed bits, etc)
Read more...
A hackamore is a bitless bridle. It functions by applying pressure to the nose and the chin groove. Some horses, particularly those with really sensitive mouths, respond much better to a hackamore than a standard bit. The strength of this is determined by the length of the shanks to which the reins are attached. This is not legal in dressage, but is in the jumping disciplines. (random side note -- my spell check apparently knows what a hackamore is?!?! It doesn't know any other riding vocab, but it's got that one word. Gotta love it :)
Alright, so leverage bits multiply the pressure applied to the mouth; this means that however hard you pull, the horse feels 2,3,4x that amount. Generally, the longer the shanks, the greater the leverage.
Curb bits are leverage bits (usually also used with a curb chain that applies pressure to the chin groove as the reins are used). Curb bits may also have a port (a bump) in the middle of them. If there is no or very low port, most of the pressure is on the tongue and the mouth. If the port is medium height it shifts the pressure off the tongue more to the bars. If it's high, there's a chance it may put pressure on the roof of the mouth, which in turn acts like a fulcrum to significantly increase the pressure on the bars. Some curb bits may look very much like snaffle bits, but all have extra rings for the reins to be attached lower than the bit -- this is what provides the leverage. The longer the shank, the greater the multiplying effect. Curb bits should very rarely be used alone; they are generally used with a bradoon (tiny snaffle) to create a double bridle.
Curb Bit
The double bridle is ridden in at the advanced levels to give ultimate sensitivity -- assuming the rider is capable of that. There is a standard curb bit and a bradoon (which is basically a super-small snaffle). The rider carries two sets of reins and uses them independently depending on the desired effect.
1. Bradoon Strap
2. Crown Piece
3. Browband
4. Curb Cheekpiece
5. Cavesson Noseband
6. Throatlatch
7. Curb Bit (low port)
8. Bradoon
9. Curb Chain
10. Lip Strap
11. Snaffle Reins
12. Curb Reins
For those not quite ready for a double bridle, the pelham is a combination of snaffle and curb bit; it also uses two sets of reins. The top one gives a snaffle effect while the lower one gives the curb and leverage effect. Kimberwicks (which are often seen on strong ponies being ridden by little kids) have a similar combo effect, but use only one set of reins. The severity of the bit is influenced by where the reins are attached (loose or in one of two slots).
Pelham
Gags are leverage bits which can also look an awful lot like plain snaffle bits (in fact some snaffle bits have the option of turning them into gags depending where you fasten the reins). Most gags should be used with two sets of reins -- one in the usual snaffle position and one on the leverage ring. These bits tend to be fairly strong and should only be used by those who know what they are doing. They are mostly seen on very strong horses in speed events.
Elevator Bit
This elevator bit is a pretty standard example. If the reins are on the big ring, it acts as a snaffle. By the time you're at the bottom ring, you've got some pretty serious leverage happening. You will often see people fixing two sets of reins to this bit so they can ride primarily off the snaffle, but have the leverage if they need it.
So now that you know all that -- how do you decide what bit to use? Well, there are a bunch of things to consider:
- Age, training level and temperament of the horse
- Experience level of the rider (remember even the softest bit can be inhumane when held by hard hands)
- Type of work (ie - often in eventing you'll see a horse going XC in a slightly stronger bit than they do dressage)
- Shape of the horse's mouth (a thick bit may be theoretically soft, but in a tiny mouth it'll be uncomfortable)
- Horse's preference (ie - some horses really don't like pressure on their tongues, others may not like the pinching feeling of jointed bits, etc)
Read more...
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Advanced: Conditioning Schedule
So show season’s coming! Woohoo. Your horse is still moderately fit because you’ve been all dedicated and have ridden through most of the winter, but he’s not *really* fit. Let’s be honest, rides have been fairly short and maybe four days a week instead of six.
You’re hoping to event at training level this summer – your horse has to be able to jump a 3’6” stad course, 3’3” XC @ 450mpm (courses tend to be <8 mins), and do 1 st level dressage. And really, the last few months, you haven’t done much more than lope around the ring and over a few cavelletti.
To compete safely without risking your horse, you’re going to have to properly condition him. There are many many books on this topic that can provide far more detail than I have room for here (see References – esp Conditioning Sport Horses). But in general, it works much the way you’d expect. Interval training for cardio (ie walk for ten minutes, trot for ten minutes, walk for ten minutes. Walk for ten mins, trot for twenty, walk for ten. Gradually increasing the trot and decreasing the walk. Then sub in canter.)
Now since we’re assuming your horse has been at least in quasi-work we’re going to skip the first few conditioning steps (such as the ones in brackets above :) The schedule below is just a sample, obviously it will need to be altered to fit you and your horse – and some of the activities will change order depending on where the shows are (ie it’s a good idea to school ditches/coffins before seeing them on course!), but this will give a basic idea… Remember too that you should be conditioning yourself as well! You should be able to jog @ least the length of the XC course you expect your horse to run. (This is particularly useful when you find yourself with insanely tight times and have to “walk” your course at a run! Not that I’ve ever had to do *that* before of course :).
This sched is based on two conditioning days, two jumping days, and two dressage days in every week.
(ok so my blogger is being very weird and putting a TON of blank space in here for no apparent reason. Please scroll WAAAAYYYY down to see the schedule -- n if you know how to fix this, feel free to comment that info! :)
Now my schedule ends here at champs, but realistically I'd probably do at least one more full HT (potentially an upgrade if all has gone well) and prob a CT or SC to wind down at the end of the year; then I would gradually bring my horse down with lots of fall hacking so that both of us are ready for winter.
Remember also that feeding should be adjusted along with conditioning (another Thursday's topic!) and that shoeing, shots and such should be timed appropriately.
Read more...
You’re hoping to event at training level this summer – your horse has to be able to jump a 3’6” stad course, 3’3” XC @ 450mpm (courses tend to be <8 mins), and do 1 st level dressage. And really, the last few months, you haven’t done much more than lope around the ring and over a few cavelletti.
To compete safely without risking your horse, you’re going to have to properly condition him. There are many many books on this topic that can provide far more detail than I have room for here (see References – esp Conditioning Sport Horses). But in general, it works much the way you’d expect. Interval training for cardio (ie walk for ten minutes, trot for ten minutes, walk for ten minutes. Walk for ten mins, trot for twenty, walk for ten. Gradually increasing the trot and decreasing the walk. Then sub in canter.)
Now since we’re assuming your horse has been at least in quasi-work we’re going to skip the first few conditioning steps (such as the ones in brackets above :) The schedule below is just a sample, obviously it will need to be altered to fit you and your horse – and some of the activities will change order depending on where the shows are (ie it’s a good idea to school ditches/coffins before seeing them on course!), but this will give a basic idea… Remember too that you should be conditioning yourself as well! You should be able to jog @ least the length of the XC course you expect your horse to run. (This is particularly useful when you find yourself with insanely tight times and have to “walk” your course at a run! Not that I’ve ever had to do *that* before of course :).
This sched is based on two conditioning days, two jumping days, and two dressage days in every week.
(ok so my blogger is being very weird and putting a TON of blank space in here for no apparent reason. Please scroll WAAAAYYYY down to see the schedule -- n if you know how to fix this, feel free to comment that info! :)
Conditioning and Show Schedule | ||||
| Date | Competition | Conditioning | Jumping | Dressage |
| March Week 1 | 10W, T10x2, C 400m/m for 2 min | leg yield in trot | ||
| March Week 2 | 10W, T10x2, C 400m/m for 2 min x 2 | individual fences, working on rhythm | 20m circles | |
| March Week 3 | 10W, T10x2, C 400m @ 400m/m x 4 + 2 min @ 400m/m | gymnastics - 4-5 fences. Low | 15m circles | |
| March Week 4 | Stadium Clinic off-site | 10W, T10x2, 2 min @ 400m/m x 2 | short course 6-8 fences, approx 3' | trot lengthening |
| April Week 1 | 5W, T12x2 2 min @ 400m/m x 3 - 1 gallop instead of canter on 2nd conditioning day | individual fences, rhythm, bigger: 3'3-3'6 | H/T and T/H trans | |
| April Week 2 | 5W, T15x2, 2 min @ 400m/m x4 | simple combination in&out | canter lengthening | |
| April Week 3 | CT | 5W, T15x2, 2 min @ 400m/m x2, 2 min @ 450m/m x 2 | XC school - ditches, small banks | |
| April Week 4 | maintain: 2 min @ 400m/m x 2 + 2 min @ 450m/m x2 | relax suppling | ||
| May Week 1 | Dressage clinic | 2 min @ 400m/m x 3 + 4 min @ 450m/m x 1 | Low jump < 3' on a circle. Rhythm, bending, leads | practice test movements improve movements from judging @ CT |
| May Week 2 | 2 min @ 400m/m x 3 + 4 min @ 450m/m x 2 | XC school - bending lines | W/C and C/W trans | |
| May Week 3 | SC | 2 min @ 400m/m x 3 + 6 min @ 450m/m x 1 | Related distances, particularly 2 strides | relax suppling |
| May Week 4 | First HT | Relax - hacking. Only 1 conditioning day, same as above | Gymnastics - bounces | 15m circles with directional changes |
| June Week 1 | 4 min @ 400m/m x 2 + 6 min @ 450m/m x 1 | banks and ditches | relax bending/ rhythm | |
| June Week 2 | shoulder-in, travers | |||
| June Week 3 | 6 min @ 400m/m x 2 + 6 min @ 450m/m | XC school -- steps | Review test movements. | |
| June Week 4 | 2nd HT | Same as above | stretching, lengthening | |
| July Week 1 | 6 min @ 400m/m x 2 + 6 min @ 450m/m x 2 | Rollbacks & Stadium courses, max height (3'6") | lateral work: shoulder-in/leg-yield/traverse | |
| July Week 2 | 3rd HT | 8 min @ 400m/m x 2 + 6 min @ 450m/m x 2 | XC water school, jump into water | bending/ relaxation |
| July Week 3 | Relax - hacking. Only 1 conditioning day, same as above | review lengthened stride in trot and canter | ||
| July Week 4 | 8 min @ 400m/m x 2 + 8 min @ 450m/m x 2 | XC Coffins | ||
| Aug Week 1 | 4th HT | Same as above | Combination school bending/ broken lines | W/H and C/W trans |
| Aug Week 2 | 8 min @ 400m/m x 2 + 8 min @ 450m/m x 2. Substitute 1 min @ 600m/m in last 8min set 1x on 2nd cond day | XC - steeplechase fences | Shoulder-in, Travers in walk | |
| Aug Week 3 | Same as above | stretching | ||
| Aug Week 4 | 5th HT | 8 min @ 400m/m x 2 + 8 min @ 450m/m x 2 + 2 min @ 600 m/m | Skinny fences | Review anything necessary |
| Sept Week 1 | Maintain: Same as above | Review anything necessary | stretching, transitions in canter | |
| Sept Week 2 | OHTA Champs | |||
Now my schedule ends here at champs, but realistically I'd probably do at least one more full HT (potentially an upgrade if all has gone well) and prob a CT or SC to wind down at the end of the year; then I would gradually bring my horse down with lots of fall hacking so that both of us are ready for winter.
Remember also that feeding should be adjusted along with conditioning (another Thursday's topic!) and that shoeing, shots and such should be timed appropriately.
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