Beginner: Where Should I Learn to Ride?

So you (or maybe your child?) wants to learn to ride, but you have no horse experience. What now? How do you find a good place? What should you look for? What should you watch out for? What questions should you ask?


So how do you find a place?

Ask! That seems so obvious, but really it's the best place to start. If you have friends, family, random acquaintances who ride, ask! I've never met a horse person yet who isn't happy to talk to somebody who might be interested in riding. Just have a good excuse ready for when you've heard too much and need to escape!

And/or call your provincial organization -- they can point you in the right direction.

Once you have those lists, google. I put google last because of course you'll get the very good with the very bad. But if you're starting with a list of "potentially good" then you can flip through their sites and see what you think.

Once you have a reasonable number of schools to consider, visit them! And time the visit so you can observe a lesson.

While you're there things to watch for:

- general organization - are things organized? Do people know where to go and what to do? Is there help in the barn for any who don't?

- cleanliness - while barns with a lot of people through them (as lesson barns tend to be) are rarely spotless, it should be clean and in good repair. If there's junk lying all over the place, you have to wonder if they might be as sloppy with care or safety.

- tack - does each horse have their own? Is it clean and in good repair? Tack doesn't need to be fancy, new or expensive, but it does need to be safe! There should be no broken leather parts or fraying elastics. Bits (the part that goes in the horse's mouth) should be clean.

- horses - do they appear to be in good health? A new horse-person won't be able to evaluate on sight, but things to look for: are they alert, do they have some weight and muscle on them (ie not a ton of bones poking out everywhere), is the coat in good condition (soft, thick, shiny, consistent -- obviously when they're growing a winter coat or covered in mud after coming in from the paddock the shininess goes away, but the overall health stays).

- safety - everybody mounted should be wearing helmets. Even the adults. If they're not, run.

- do students tack up themselves? Students should be expected to groom and tack up and taught to safely handle the horses and perform these tasks.

Ask to meet the beginner horses. Beginner horses will probably not be the flashiest ones in the barn -- they're usually older and are chosen because they are kind and patient. Flashy and athletic usually requires more skill to ride! Any horse used to teach beginners should stand quietly while you pat them or move around them. If they're flinch or appear nervous, they're not likely a good match for a new rider. The horse should pick up its feet easily when asked. It shouldn't be particularly concerned about what's going on around them (noise, dogs, kids, etc). It should be at least 5 years old, preferably older. Horses become teenagers somewhere between age three and five -- and new riders should not be dealing with them, no matter how quiet they might've been at two! Be aware that even the quietest horse can have a bad moment -- they're living beings, and no horse shy of a stuffed-toy is absolutely 100% reliable. But you can get to about 99% and that's what you want for a new rider. Young and excitable horses are for experienced riders only.

Find out if the coach is certified. Certification is not mandatory in our industry -- you could hang a shingle out tomorrow claiming to be a coach. If you've watched a couple dvds you might even trick someone into hiring you. And unfortunately there are those who do. Note that certification alone does not a good coach make, but it *does* help weed out some of the bad ones! And until you have some experience in the industry, you won't be able to make that call. About the only time I wouldn't require certification from a coach is if they are currently producing top-level competitive riders. And realistically, that's not who you're going to for beginner lessons!

You will be able to get a list of current certified coaches from your provincial organization (ie in Ontario: www.horse.on.ca). That being said, keeping "current" is a bit of a pita, so don't discount somebody just because their name has dropped off the list. If they're certified, coaching regularly, and producing good riders, that's a good start.

Watch a lesson. Preferably more than one (I'd like to see a beginner lesson and a more advanced lesson as the dynamic can be quite different). Is the coach in control? Does she seem aware of all the horses in the ring and is she able to keep them organized. This requires more skill than you might think -- not everybody has it.

Are the riders mounted on appropriate horses? Do they seem to be under control? Can they stop/go/turn? A horse that won't go is a challenge every beginner faces and not a reason to avoid a facility. A horse that won't stop is inappropriate for a beginner rider. Although keep in mind it *might* be ok if you're watching an upper level lesson; for example, if an advanced student is learning to retrain a race horse.

Are the horses sound? If a horse is limping and still used in the lesson I would consider that a warning sign. There is the odd exception in a beginner lesson -- older horses may be arthritic and a modest amount of movement will actually help them. But if it's an advanced lesson, stay away.

How does the coach teach? Does she treat all the students equally? How does she deal with problems? Is her coaching style one that would work for you? Does she encourage questions? How do her students react to her? Keep in mind that different styles work for different people -- a coach who's great with four and five year olds may have an awful time trying to teach teens and adults - and vise versa.

Talk to the students. Ask what they like and what they don't like. What is a huge issue for one may be a non-issue for another. Every place has its pluses and minuses -- the trick is to find one whose minuses don't matter so much to you. Ie, a barn that has a zillion little kids around is great if you're looking for a place for your own little kid but potentially less good if you're looking for adult lessons.

Ask about the lesson program. Cost? Teacher/student ratio (if it's over 1:6 you're wasting your time). Cancellation policy? Commitment requirements? Extra opportunities available?

When you think you've found the right place, go for a lesson! See if it suits you. And have fun :)
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Beginner: Colours

So just as the Inuit have some ridiculous number of words for "ice" and the English language has an equal number of words for "idiot" so too does the horse world have a variety of ways of describing "brown". And then a few other colours for good measure.

Before you can identify your horse's colour you have to know what his points are. The points are main, tail, and legs. These are part of how you identify your horse's colour.

There's the true brown horse, who's well... brown. Complete with brown points.

But be careful, because a horse who looks black, and has a gorgeous black mane and tail may well also be brown (true black is not entirely common). Check the muzzle or the hair by the flank -- if it's brown, the horse is brown. If it's black, you're good to go with black. Got that?


So if a black horse with brown points is brown, what's a brown horse with black points? That would be bay. A bay horse is brown with black mane and tail.


Ok now if you have a reddish brown coloured horse with no black on it and a mane/tail that is the same colour as the body or lighter, that'd be a chestnut.


How about that gorgeous white horse in the field? Yeah, it's probably not white, it's probably grey. True white horses are incredibly rare; a white horse will have white hair and unpigmented (aka pink) skin. These horses are born white, often with blue eyes, and remain white for life. Conversely, Grey's can be born any colour and the coat often starts quite dark (steel grey) and lightens with age - sometimes to completely white (just to confuse things!).


Got all that?

Ok now for some fun colours.

Buckskin - is a golden colour with black points.

Dun - is a buckskin that also has a dorsal stripe (black line running along his spine). May also sometimes have faint zebraish markings (esp on the legs)


Palomino - technically a chestnut horse, a palomino will have a yellow or golden coat with flaxen or white mane and tail.


Pinto - the horse who couldn't decide what to wear in the morning! Has large patches of either brown and white (aka skewbald) or black and white (aka piebald). Note that a Paint is a breed of horse with pinto markings, not a colour.


Roan - is when the horse has white hairs interspersed with the natural body colour. Unlike grey horses, their coat doesn't change colour as they age.



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Beginner: Aids

This post started with position and was getting ridiculously long - even by my standards. So it's been divided into several weeks' worth of posts (losing the original topic entirely!) and consequently made much more reasonable :) Enjoy!

Aids are how we communicate with the horse. Much as we'd like to, just giving the horse the course map and saying "go there" usually isn't going to be entirely successful. So we use a variety of aids to communicate. The natural aids are: leg, seat, hand, voice. (sidenote -- sometimes people will add in weight or body to that list -- otherwise those are all lumped in with "seat"). Where and how you combine these things leads to everything from convincing your horse to stop and go, to tempi-changes and pirouettes. When you're first learning to ride you'll rely primarily on your leg and hand, with perhaps a little help from your voice. As you progress, this will change so that you rely mostly on your seat with a little help from the leg and hand.

When you're applying your aids, remember "ask, tell, demand" -- just like you wouldn't want to be shouted at without being asked first, nor is it fair to "yell" at your horse using strong aids before "asking" him first with soft ones. For instance, when you want him to go first give a gentle squeeze with both legs. Then if that doesn't work, a kick. And if that *still* doesn't work you might go to a stronger kick or use of a crop. This escalation has to take place within three seconds for the horse to make the connection and the aids MUST be given in order. If the first time doing an exercise, they don't get it on the softest aid, you should redo the exercise immediately after they've done it until they do get it from the soft aid. (so if the first time you have to kick to make your horse trot. Trot a few strides, then come back to the walk and repeat the transition. If you were quick enough in your aids the first time, the next time you should be able to get it from a squeeze. Most horses learn this very quickly when it's applied consistently.)

Your natural aids (remember: leg, seat, hand, voice) are always in one of three states: active, passive, or preventing.

• An active aid is one that is telling the horse to do something, for instance squeezing your legs to make your horse go faster.


• A passive aid is one that is there, but relaxed, such as a leg that is touching the horse, but not squeezing or telling him to do anything.


• A preventing aid is one that is stopping the horse from doing something they want to do (that you haven't asked them too!). An example of this might be pulling back on the reins when a horse is going to fast.

To supplement the natural aids are artificial aids: a crop (or a dressage whip) or spurs. These are not meant to hurt the horse but to enable the experienced rider to refine and clarify the natural aids. Spurs should never be used by a novice rider since if your leg slips (a normal thing when you're learning), you'll unfairly jab your horse. Also, if you happen to be studying for the EquineCanada exams, note that they consider the martingale (which could be either standing or running - see "tack") to be an artificial aid. Most other examination systems I'm aware of (BHS, PC etc) do not. So if you're writing a test, make sure you know whose book you should be reading!

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Beginner Blankets

Why do you have to put a blanket on her? Horses in the wild didn't have blankets. (post includes: why, how and types)

True enough, but horses in the wild also don't live the way my horse does. When you change their environment you must take responsibility for ensuring you do no damage. For one thing, there weren't too many wild thoroughbreds running around Canada. Ever. (not that there aren't a bunch who pretend to be!) The climate is just too
harsh. There are some breeds particularly well adapted to winter conditions (Icelandic, Shetland, etc) -- they tend to be of the short, stocky, hairy kind -- all items that dispose them well for winter. If the average domestic horse were permitted to get nice and fat, grow a thick fur coat that's rarely groomed so it maintains
all its weatherproofing-oils, have enough space to move around and keep warm, and shelter from the nastier elements, they'd probably be just fine outside, naked, in the winter.

BUT we tend to stable most of our horses. Interference number one. That means the temperature will change differently than it would if they were always outside (may be significantly warmer indoors than out) -- which the horses' bodies don't adapt to well. Remember when you or I walk into a nice warm room from the bitter cold outside, we take off half a dozen layers and are then good to go. Your horse doesn't have that option. So he either grows a think winter coat and then comes in and sweats and makes himself ill, or he doesn't, and then goes out and spends all day shivering -- making him more prone to various illnesses and serious weightloss. By blanketing him, you
remove the need to grow the winter coat and thus keep him comfortable indoors and out. Some people will start blanketing in late Aug or early Sept, before it's *really* necessary, so that the horse really doesn't grow any winter coat at all.

Some of us also *gasp* ride all winter! This means the horse is expending energy she wouldn't in the wild. Energy that could otherwise be used for keeping her warm. Before riding, the horse is usually groomed - for health and safety - but this removes natural oils from the coat that are essential to "waterproofing" her. And
while being ridden, she will likely sweat - requiring long cooling periods and messing around with the natural coat oils. Often, to avoid the long cooling out periods, people will clip their horses. If your horse is clipped, she must be blanketed. Period.

Just like jackets, blankets (or rugs if you happen to be in the UK or Australia :) come in all different types, sizes, styles, etc. Your basics are:

• Coolers: usually a big rectangular piece of fabric, with two strings that can be used to tie around the chest and a strap that goes over the ears. Coolers are only used under supervision. They are used on a wet (either from sweat or because somebody just gave them a bath) horse to allow enough air circulation for the horse to
  dry, but slows the rate of drying so the horse doesn't become sick. Picture when you work out in the winter: you get all hot and sweaty, then you stop and are fine for a couple minutes. But slowly you start shivering -- the wet from the sweat becomes cold, and if you don't do something about it you'll end up sick. Same goes for your
  horse. Walking them with a cooler on and making sure they are *never* put away wet will help. Also, do not just put on one of their other blankets while they're wet -- the blanket will get wet on the inside, thereby making it completely ineffective. (essentially like wearing a wet jacket). You can also now get coolers that
  actually have front straps and sometimes belly straps to help hold it in place while you're cooling the horse out. Just make sure it's of a fabric that is going to take the sweat away from the horse -- fleece does not work well!


• Sheets: usually cotton, these blankets are very lightweight and not waterproof. They are meant to be worn indoors by stabled horses -- particularly on cool fall nights when blankets are not *quite* necessary yet, but it still gets chilly in the barn.


• Rain sheets: lightweight blankets that are essentially a waterproof shell with no insulation. May or may not have a liner.


• Light-weight, Mid-weight, Heavy-weight blankets: the weight referenced here is the amount of insulation, not the physical weight of the blanket (which may be quite light even for a heavy-weight :)


• Quarter-sheet: this is used while riding to keep the horse's hindquarters warm. Particularly if they're going to have to stand still for any length of time. It has straps for the girth to go through and one at the back for the tail. These stop it from sliding backwards or sideways.

So you get to the barn for your weekly lesson and discover your horse is wearing a blanket. Great! But ummmm.... How do you get it off to tack him up??? When taking a blanket off, the first thing you need to do is undo all the straps. Start at the back end of the horse; this is an important safety issue -- if something should
happen that resulted in sudden movement and gravity, you don't want the blanket on the ground tied around the horse's legs. The chest straps must always be done up if any leg straps are -- therefore, leg straps get undone first. There may be straps between his hind legs (these are optional, but common), if they're there, unclip them.
Then move to the side (almost always the left side) there will be one or two buckles. These straps may be straight (perpendicular to the ground) or on an angle. Undo these (be careful not to let them hit the horse's legs as they fall!) Then go to the front of the horse and undo the chest straps. Now that all buckles are undone, hold
the blanket where it crosses the withers, and fold it back to the tail (so the blanket is now folded in half). Do that once more from the middle to the back (blanket now folded in quarters, sitting on the horse's hindquarters). Then slide the whole thing off the back and fold it width-wise and hang it up or put it somewhere out of the way. It is important to take it off this way for a couple reasons:

• when folded like that it's much easier to put back on


• much safer as it avoids spooking the horse and there are no random straps flying everywhere as you try and pull it off


• much easier to manipulate (these blankets are big and oddly shaped!)

Now of course there IS an exception. Some blankets don't have chest buckles -- the chest area is sewn shut. In this case you fold backwards (butt to withers) and then slide the whole thing up and over his head. These blankets require care when using and are a bit of a pita to deal with so I'd recommend avoiding unless absolutely
necessary. Why would it be necessary? Sometimes for fit and sometimes because you own an escape artist who undoes the buckles :)

And putting it back on? Well that's just the reverse process. Lay the blanket on the hindquarters, unfold it up to the withers. Do up the chest straps FIRST (note this is the opposite of taking it off when they're the last thing done. Remember the reason for this is that if only one thing is done up, it should be the chest. That way,
should the horse bolt or shy or any other horse-type behaviour, the blanket won't end up tied around his legs. Never have leg or belly straps tied when the chest straps are not done up!) After that the belly straps. If the straps are perpendicular to the ground, they do up straight (ie the strap at the front on the right, buckles to the
strap at the front on the left). If the straps are on an angle, they cross when you do them up (ie the strap at the front on the right does up to the strap at the BACK on the left). Then the leg straps -- two options here, either cross them (left strap attaches to right buckle). Or do them up each to their own side, but when you do up
the second strap loop it through the first one. The reason for this is two fold -- first it's a little more effective at stopping the blanket from twisting and second it stops the straps from rubbing on the horse's hind legs.

And after all that, why do you sometimes see horses wearing blankets in the summer??? These are actually fly sheets -- meant to keep the flies off, deflect sunlight to keep the horse cool, and stop the horse's coat from bleaching (which matters in some sports).

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Beginner Conformation

Conformation is how the horse is put together. The horse should be well balanced and look like it's well put together. This makes for a more attractive horse, but more importantly it makes for a sounder horse who's muscles and joints can work correctly. Different types of conformation will be more appropriate for different sports. The best conformation for olympic level dressage is quite different than the best conformation for plowing a field. The basic ideals though remain the same and good conformation helps the horse move well.

Here are some of the basics:

Head - proportionate with the rest of the body, wide at the forehead tapered at the muzzle, refined. Eyes should be large and alert. Face can be slightly dished ("farmer's wisdom" has horses w/ a Roman nose - bulging out - being stubborn). The nostrils should be large and wide (allows more air in). Avoid a large and heavy head.

Neck - should be proportionate to the head and body. It should go straight from the throat to the shoulder.

Back - should be straight, strong, and short; avoid a sway back

Loins - should be short strong and wide. Avoid too long.

Croup - well defined, rounded.

Chest - should be deep and full with a deep girth.

Legs - properly aligned and proportioned (see intermediate).

There is LOTS of literature out there about how precisely to analyze all of these. There are all sorts of lines and angles to memorize. See the reference section for these. For the easiest understanding check out the Threshold Picture Guide. It's little but useful :)

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Review Beginner Teeth

Label the diagram. Which is the upper jaw? How do you know? Is this a mare or a gelding? How do you know?

What is floating the teeth?

What are four signs your horse may need his teeth floated?

Which teeth are usually pulled? Why?

How many teeth does your horse have?
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Beginner Teeth

So in the Intermediate section of Preventative Care, I promised more info about teeth. Without further ado, all you never wanted to know (and then some!)

So you know your horse has teeth. Big ones. Sharp ones. You may even have had the misfortune of having felt them before! Do you have any idea how many teeth your horse has? And did you realize that they are *always* growing?




So your horse likely has between 36 and 40 teeth depending on whether it's a mare or a gelding/stallion (mares usually don't have canine teeth) and whether or not the wolf teeth come in (wolf teeth, if they appear, are almost always pulled as they can be painful and may interfere with the bit).

• The incisors (officially I1, I2, I3 from the middle out) are the central incisor (1), the middle incisor (2), and the corner incisor (3). Creative eh? These are used for biting the food -- just like yours!
  
• Then there is a gap, technically the "interdental space" but more commonly known as the bars, this is where the bit rests.
  
• At the far back, again as in your mouth, are the molars (6). These are the chewing teeth, used to grind the food for digestion. The three molars closest to the front are referred to as the premolars.
  
• Wolf teeth (5), if they appear, are found right in front of the molars and tend to be short and pointy. They provide no real benefit to the current domestic horse. These usually only come in on the upper jaw.
  
• Canine teeth (4), aka Tushes, in the boys, are in the space between the incisors and the molars (called the.... ??? that'd be the bars -- look up a couple points!). They usually don't exactly line up with each other -- the lower jaw canines are closer to the incisors than the upper jaw. These tend to be super sharp. You do very occasionally see them in mares, but usually they're unerrupted (a bump under the gums) or tiny.

By 9 months a foal will have a full set of 24 baby teeth (called deciduous teeth - like deciduous trees, they shed). These will eventually be replaced by permanent teeth -- usually by the age of 5. They will also pick up 12 new molars, possibly wolf teeth, and for geldings and stallions the canine teeth (four).

Got all that?

Ok so now you know how many teeth your horse has and where they go, but what about the idea that they're always growing? This is why somebody who's really old might be said to be "long in the tooth". They also form a much sharper angle as they get older (young teeth, the top incisor meet the bottom like | Old teeth the top incisors meet the bottom like < -- in a horse looking left that is Gotta love ascii illustration!). Now while they are always growing, they are also always wearing down; and in a perfect scenario, at about the same rate. It's that whole "perfect scenario" thing that causes problems.

Your horse's top jaw is wider than the bottom. When he grazes in the wild his jaw moves from side-to-side as he munches - for up to 18h a day! What a life :) This helps keep the wear on the teeth even. But when the horse eats hard feed (ie pellets, grain, etc) the jaw moves much less, which means the teeth do not wear evenly. The stabled horse is also far less likely to spend all day grazing. This combination of less grazing and less jaw movement causes very sharp points appear on the outside of the upper molars and the inside of the lower ones. To help with this we "float" or rasp the teeth -- usually needs to be done about once/year, but they should be checked every six months, just in case. This basically files the sharp points off so your horse can be comfortable.



Some signs that your horse may need his teeth done include:

• Head shaking or tossing, esp when riding.
  
• Feed packing (you may see bumps on the outsides of the molars because of accumulation of feed)
  
• Quidding (opposite of feed packing, the food basically drools out as he eats)
  
• Bitting problems
  
• Reluctant to eat
  
• Pulling/tilting the head to one side when being ridden
  
• You might find large particles of straw and oats in the manure
  
• Colics and impactions of the throat.
  
• Losing weight and condition, dull coat
  
• Frothing and excessive salivation (again, esp with the bit in)

Copious amounts of information today. Did you get it all?


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Beginner Grooming

It's spring! Woohoo! Except that with horses Spring = Mud. hmmmm less good. So what are you going to do about it? First step, get out your grooming kit:



1. Dandy brush: aka the hard brush. This along with the curry comb (see 9) are what is going to get most of the mud off. Used in a short flicking motion in the direction of the coat, this brush is used on the well-padded areas of the horse (neck, back, barrel, hindquarters, etc. Not legs/face.)

2. Sponges: just normal every-day sponges. You don't need the tack-store (read expensive!) version. Used for cleaning the nostrils and under the tail/between the hind legs (best if you have two separate sponges!) Giant-sized sponges used for bathing.

3. Mane comb: really, I think it's pretty self explanatory :)

4. Hoof oil: there are varying beliefs on how useful this is. Certainly makes the hooves look good right before you go in the ring, but for daily use most farriers I've spoken to do not recommend it. Various types advertise strengthening factors while others suggest moisturizing. If you're trying to encourage growth, Cornucrescine would be a better plan. Also not an every day thing though -- follow instructions carefully!

5. Body brush: aka soft brush. This is used in slightly longer flicks after you're done with the dandy brush. Helps get out that last layer of dust and oil and leaves the horse shiny. The body brush can be used on the face and legs as well.

6. Towel: traditionally anyways, but I gotta tell ya, dry Swiffers are amazing for this :) Used after the body brush to add a last shine. Particularly if it's a hot, dusty show day and you're on a black horse that shows every speck of dust.

7. Cactus cloth: absolutely amazing for getting sweat stains out! These are often sold now in a mitt with fleece on the other side. Favourite "extra" grooming tool ever. Use the cactus cloth then turn over and the fleece works like the swiffer :)

8. Hoof pick: should be used first. Before any brushes. If your horse has a stone in his shoe it's far more important to get that out then to get some mud off. After all, she went to a lot of effort to get that mud ON, let her enjoy it a moment later :)

9. Curry comb: comes in rubber or metal -- metal curries are too harsh for the horse, so make sure you've got a rubber one. The rubber curry is what's going to help you tackle the mud! Used in small circles against the direction of the hair it is used first and breaks up the much and raises the hair, so the dandy brush can do its job. This is not for use on the face or the legs and be considerate in the sensitive areas!

There are, of course, lots of variations on all of the above :) Otherwise it'd be boring. Now the order makes a huge difference:

• hoof pick - pick out all four feet :) You should make sure to pick from heel to toe - always away from you -- if you pick towards you you run the risk of digging any stone in deeper or digging into the frog or heels. Avoid picking the frog. Get somebody who knows what they're doing to show you how to do this properly.
  
• curry comb - small circles with some strength behind them to raise the dirt and hair.
  
• dandy brush - short flicks in the direction of the hair to remove the hair and dirt you just raised :)
  
• body brush - longer flicks in the direction of the hair to remove any leftover dust and raise the oil - makes the horse shiny. Don't use this on an outdoor horse because they need the natural oil for protection.
  
• sponge - in the nostrils and under the tail
  

If your horse has sweat marks that won't come out with the curry comb give the cactus cloth a go. Have fun!

Keep in mind that even when your horse isn't obviously muddy, you should still groom. Why?

• to make her look good :) Cause that's important of course
  
• to condition the skin and make the coat shine
  
• to prevent sores from dirt rubbing under the saddle or girth areas
  
• to check for injuries or skin problems (esp important around the legs)
  
• to promote good circulation

Note that the best time for a thorough grooming is AFTER you ride as the pores will be more open after he's warmed up and he's likely to be more relaxed.

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Review Beginner Jumping: Gymnastics

What's it called when you do gymnastics on horseback?

What are three reasons you might choose to school gymnastics?

What is the standard distance in this gymnastic:

. . . X | ||


Which would you rather jump:
| 21' | 24' ||

OR
| 21' || 24' |

OR

|| 21' | 24' | Why?

My answer to that last question here :)
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Beginner Jumping: Gymnastics

Ok gymnastics. No I don't mean handstands on your horse -- that would be vaulting, which is a sport all in itself and is an absolute ton of fun, if you ever get the chance try it :)... But that's not for today.



Today's gymnastics involve a series of jumps or poles in quick succession (often, but not always, in a straight line).

Here we have the most traditional gymnastic ever; I suspect you've seen it before:

. . . X | ||

Three trot poles, an X, one stride, a vertical, one stride, an oxer. Numbers, cause everybody loves numbers: 4'5" between each of the trot poles, 9' between the last pole and the X, 18' between the X and the vert, and 21' between the vert and the oxer. That's your text-book basic gymnastic. Learn those numbers. Esp if you're ever planning to jump without a coach present OR take any of the RiderLevel/PonyClub exams. It's a pretty standard question.

Now that you've made the effort to learn what it *should* be, you have to know the types of fences and the striding between them can vary in endless ways depending on:

• your riding ability
  
• your horse's level of training
  
• your horse's strength
  
• the purpose of the gymnastic/the effect you're trying to achieve
  

So why bother? Gymnastics are good for all sorts of things:

• focus on the rider. An experienced horse will jump through a well set gymnastic like there's nothing to it. It basically idiot-proofs the whole jumping concept; just get to the first fence and let the horse do the rest. This enables the rider to focus entirely on their position and their body's response to jumping. It's also good for learning to fold and go with the motion of a jump, because while you may be able to fake it over a single fence, multiple in a row will clearly show if there's a lack of stability of timing.
  
• to teach the horse to think. The horse has to figure out the striding, what to do with their feet, and to jump, land, balance, and jump again. When they're good at this, there's a much better chance they'll be able to help you if you get to that less-than-perfect distance on course.
  
• to try going a little bit higher. Because the gymnastic, set properly, will ensure the horse gets to the right take-off spot, this is often used as a method for having either horse OR rider jump "a little higher" successfully. Higher than what? That'd be higher than whatever's easy.
  
• to build strength in the horse. This is the equine equivalent of running hurdles. It takes a LOT of power and is good for building hind-end muscles.
  to slow a rushing horse down. Used with caution by an experienced trainer, a gymnastic can be used to back a rushing horse off a bit and get them to think about what they're doing.
  
• to improve jumping form -- particularly for the horse who prefers to jump long and flat, strategically place poles on take-off and landing can encourage the horse to get closer to the base and jump rounder. Again requiring strength and balance. The pole on the landing side also conditions the horse to think about the landing (useful for that bounce into water!)
  

What gymnastic you'll use, depends on what you're trying to achieve. If you're fixing the rider, set a very simple one (like above) and adjust the striding to be easy for the horse. Then away you go :)

Bounces (where the horse lands and takes off again with no striding inbetween) are good for teaching coordination. These (especially if you have multiple in a row) get tiring fast so be sure to be aware of what your horse is telling you.

Changing the distances around adds another level of both thought and elasticity required. To go from a short one to a long one the horse has to land, collect, jump, then have enough power to land stretch out and still clear the last fence. Arguably harder is the long one to a short one where the horse has to rebalance and shorten on landing or risk pulling the rail of the third fence. Changing between verticals and oxers will also have a similar affect -- a vert to an oxer (esp if the dis is long) is generally technically easier than an oxer to a vert (esp if the dis is tight).

Gymnastics don't have to involve fences. Poles flat on the ground (or cavelleti) can have just as powerful an effect. 4 canter poles each 12' apart is a great way to evaluate rhythm and stride length. The horse should be able to canter through those easily -- but you'd be amazed at how many tries it'll take the first time you try it!

There are hundreds of different types of gymnastics out there for all sorts of scenarios -- particularly when you get into jumping on a bending line or on angles. Check out the books in the Reference section for lots of ideas!

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Review Beginner Preventative Care: TPR

So what does TPR stand for?

Honestly, if you don't know the answer to that first question go back and reread. A few times. Then try again.

What are three "normals" you should know about your horse?

What should a resting horse's temperature be?

What should a resting horse's pulse be?

What's the next logical question?

What's the answer to the next logical question?

How do you check capillary refill time? What is the acceptable time-range?

Where are two places you can take the pulse?

Got all that? Great! Now go find out what all the normals are for your horse!
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Beginner Preventative Care: TPR

Not as many pictures today... Sorry about that. Hope you enjoy anyways! On the plus side, no diagrams to memorize :)

Preventative care includes everything we do to keep our horses healthy before they get sick. At the beginner level the most important thing you can do is know what is normal. That sounds so obvious, but it's the little details that count.

In order to judge if something's wrong, you must first know what is normal. For instance, if your gelding usually loves being groomed and is all happy when you brush him, and then one day is suddenly really snarky, nipping and pinning his ears when you brush him, there's probably something wrong. Or if your mare always pays attention to what's going on, comes over to see you when you open the stall door, watches people in the hall way, and then one day is standing with her head in the far corner of the stall not looking at anybody, odds are good she's not well. What's important here is knowing what is *normal*. Some horses are ALWAYS grouchy when they're groomed, so it's not a worry sign. Some horses ALWAYS ignore the world, again that's just fine. It's when there's a sudden change in behaviour that there's reason for concern. And to know the change, you have to know what is normal.

Some examples of behaviour you should know about:

• How does he react to people/horses/environment around him?
  
• Does she always eat all her food?
  
• How much water does he usually drink?
  
• Does she usually lie down in her stall?
  
• How much manure is normal in his stall?
  
• How clean is her stall?
  
• What are some you can think of?
  

Horse's are creatures of habit; when something changes in their habit, you have to be aware of it. A horse who is usually neat and suddenly has a messy stall has probably been pacing or kicking -- either she doesn't like her new neighbour or she's not feeling well.

Another series of important normals to know are your horse's TPR. TPR stands for Temperature, Pulse and Respiration and is one of the first things the vet will want to know when you call. A horse's temperature at rest (when they haven't been exercising) should be between 98.5 - 101 F or 37.5 - 38.5 C. You should know what normal is for your horse. To find the temperature (btw please do NOT try this on your own the first time -- make sure you have an experienced horse-person with you!) you need a rectal thermometer that has a string tied to one end. Dip the thermometer in vaseline. If you're using an "old-fashioned" thermometer (that'd be non-digital, mercury based) make sure you shake it a few times -- hold the top and flick your wrist down -- so the mercury is in the right place. Stand at your horse's hind end, slightly off to the side, tie the string to your horse's tail, lift the tail and slide the thermometer in. Be sure to pay attention as some horses (understandably!) don't care for this and may kick out! Leave the thermometer in for a few minutes then slide it out. Wipe it off on the towel (not running it under water!) and read the number. Make sure after you're finished you clean and disinfect the thermometer! A horse who has just finished exercising, is eating, or is stressed will have a higher temperature, so it's always best to take their temperature when they're at rest. A horse at rest with a temp around 39C (102F) has a mild fever, 39.5-40 (103-104) is moderate (call the vet), and above 40 (104) high (definitely call the vet now!). A horse whose temperature drops lower than normal is likely in shock. Also call the vet.

So TPR is Temperature, Pulse, and Respiration. The Temperature should be 37.5-38.5C (98.5-101.5F). Next in the list is P: Pulse. The pulse at rest should be between 32 and 40 beats per minute. This too will be elevated after exercise or with stress (just think of how fast your own heart beats if you're excited -- so does your horse's!) You should know what the normal resting pulse is. You should also for conditioning purposes take the pulse during and after work -- once you know what the normals are there, you'll be able to tell if your horse is working too hard or is stressed. For those who event, the vet will sometimes check your horse's pulse after XC; if it doesn't return quickly enough to normal, your horse will be deemed unfit and you'll be out. To take the pulse you use two fingers (not the thumb) and feel inside the lower jaw -- there's an artery there that you press gently against the bone. You have to press firmly enough to feel it and lightly enough not to cut off the pressure. Count the beats for 15 seconds and multiply by 2 (at least if you're doing the EC test. Everybody will give you a different number for their favourite counting methodology). The other place you can find it (harder with fingers, but easier with a stethoscope) is at the top of the front leg on the inside, right in front of the elbow. There is also technically a digital pulse (digit = limb... the digital pulse is felt at the back of the pastern. Remember where that is? If not, review Theory Thursday 1 - Anatomy) but if you can feel that it's a pretty safe bet your horse has laminitis (more on that another day!). So it's not a good place to be checking when you really just want the pulse.



So TPR is Temperature, Pulse and Respiration. The resting temperature should be 37.5-38.5 (99.5-101.5); pulse should be 32-40, and then we have the third item -- respiration. Respiration is breathing rate and should be 10-14 beats/minute (at rest -- just like when you run you end up huffing and puffing, so does your horse! And just like you, one of the signs of fitness is how quickly their breathing returns to normal. But for you to know how they're doing, you have to know what normal is!). The easiest way to check the respiration is by watching the horse's flanks. The breaths should be even and regular and at rest are reasonably shallow. Remember in and out counts as one!

The other random that a vet will often ask for along with TPR is the capillary refill time (particularly if you're calling about colic!). To check this you need to turn up your horse's lip and press on his gums (over the teeth). This will change them white where you've put pressure. When you let go they should turn back to pink in under 2 seconds. If not, circulation is not what it should be.

One other thing that doesn't really fit here, but is easy and important to know is the wrinkle test. Horses require a lot of water and dehydration can be fatal. The wrinkle test is a quick way of ascertaining if your horse is dehydrated. All you do is pinch the skin on the neck -- if it takes more than two seconds to snap back into place, it's not a good sign...

That was a reasonable amount of Very Important Information to take in. Did you get it all?
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Beginner Shoeing

My horse gets new shoes considerably more often than I do. Why? Because she wears them out. But horses in the wild don't have shoes, why does yours need them? Well, there's a couple reasons for that. Horses hooves continually grow -- much like your finger nails; in the wild, they wear out at about the same rate as they grow while the horse wanders around grazing. In a domestic environment though, a horse who's ridden is required to carry more than their natural weight (tack and rider!), and work on non-hoof-friendly surfaces than they would in the wild and so their hooves get worn faster. The other issue is that in the wild evolution kicks in and over time, horses with stronger feet are going to survive. People, however, have focused breeding on other traits (such as speed) leaving some breeds with less than ideal hooves. We put shoes on to counteract this issue. Shoes also allow us to add studs for traction when necessary. Note that shoes are *not* necessary for all horses. Some, particularly sturdy ponies, can go barefoot their whole lives.

Ok short version. Why shoe?

• Protection: work on hard surfaces will wear the hoof faster than it can grow.
  
• Traction: shoes with corks can help prevent slipping, esp on slippery surfaces.
  
• Improving Movement: changing the weight, shape, balance of the shoe can significantly alter the horse's movement.
  Soundness: horses with issues such as laminitis or navicular can be helped by special shoes.
  

If your horse needs shoes, you need to know about them! They'll need to be reset or replaced every 5-8 weeks. Resetting is when they take the shoes off, trim the hooves, and put the same shoes back on. You can usually do this once, sometimes twice, before new shoes are needed.

So how do you know when your horse needs the farrier?

• Regular appointment time - your horse should be on a regular schedule, usually once somewhere between 5 and 8 weeks.
  
• Missing, thin, bent or twisted shoe - particularly in the case of a bent or twisted shoe call the farrier right away as that can cause problems with their legs (by stressing tendons, ligaments, etc) and their feet (bruised sole).
  
• Shoe is loose - you'll hear a noticeable clicking sound when the horse walks and can wiggle or move the shoe.
  
• Toes are long - you can see this by looking; the toe seems to grow past the shoe. If they're really long the horse will start to trip as he travels.
  
• If the shoe rests on the soul of the foot.

And because I know how much you really want something to memorize... The parts of the shoe:



Not noted here but worth being aware of are clips. Clips stick up either one at the toe, or two - one on either side (think 10 and 2 position). These are called, not surprisingly, toe or quarter clips, and are used particularly for horses involved in high-impact sports, to stop the shoe from twisting or shifting.
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Beginner Movement

Most horses have four natural gaits (there are, of course, exceptions to this -- you can't be surprised about that! :).

The walk is a four-beat gait. Which means each foot hits the ground independently of the others. The order of the legs is: inside hind, inside fore, outside hind, outside fore.



The trot is a two-beat gait. The legs move in diagonal pairs. This is what gives the up-down rhythm that makes posting so successful :)



The canter is a three-beat gait. The horse version of waltzing. The important thing to remember in the canter is the outside hind is the one that strikes-off. The order of the legs is: outside hind, diagonal pair (inside hind with outside fore), inside fore.



The gallop is a four-beat gait followed by a moment of suspension (all four legs off the ground). It is essentially an accelerated canter, but the diagonal pair hits separately. The order of the legs is: outside hind, inside hind, outside fore, inside fore.


(note the moment of suspension and how the diagonal pair from the canter is broken)
And now, what you've all been waiting for, the exceptions! Not necessary to know these at this level, but they're arguably more interesting so I thought I'd include them. There are many exceptions which are found in specific breeds (collectively referred to as "gaited"). There are pacers (a two-beat gait like the trot, where the legs on one side move together), the "running walk" is a favourite of the Tennessee Walking Horse where the legs follow the pattern of a walk, but much faster and smoother. The Icelandic horses (whom I've not yet had the opportunity to ride, but I'd very much love to some day :), have the "tölt" which is a four-beat gait slightly faster than a trot.

Pacing
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Beginner Dressage

So you've got the hang of going up and down with the trot; you can canter -- and even ride a big circle at one end of the ring. And now your coach has told you you're going to be doing a dressage test. Test?!?! What? but it's riding. It's supposed to be fun! No tests.

Ok - let that go. Seriously. The far more important word in that statement was dressage. Scary, intimidating, and boring. Why would anybody want to do that? But it's not, not really. Not any more than XC is insane anyways :) Dressage is figure skating on horseback. Accuracy, grace, controlled power. Seriously impressive when done right!



Dressage at its most basic is training. Training your horse to respond to the subtlest of movements. The sport originated out of training horses for war. You can't fight well with a sword if you have to use the reins to steer! So soldiers trained their horses to respond to the slightest of leg cues. This is eventually what you want to be able to do. Well, minus the sword. I hope!



Less traditional dressage!

At the lower levels it's all about basics. Can you make your horse go, stop and turn. Can you do this seemingly effortlessly? Have you ever heard somebody tell you "riding's not a sport; you just sit there!"? This is because they've only ever seen the pros who are so good, it looks easy. Just like it looks easy to do a double back handspring on a balance beam. A little bit of common sense would tell you it's not. Sadly common sense is not all that common >;-P Have them watch any beginner rider trying to get their lazy horse out of the middle of the ring :)

Anyways, you want it to look easy. And once you've got the hang of stop/go/turn/easy then you'll get to refine it into GOOD stop/go/turn. And eventually IMPRESSIVE stop/go/turn. But really, the general concept never changes.

Dressage, which is the first of the three eventing phases (more about those another Thursday), is also a sport all in itself. It is ridden in an arena that's either 20mX40m (often seen in low-level eventing dressage, rarely in straight dressage) or 20mX60m (not until Training/Prelim in eventing, but at the beginning of dressage). Those arenas have letters around them:




Easiest way to remember the letters around the side:
All King Edwards Horses Can Manage Big Fences
For the ones in the middle: X marks the spot (dead center).
The others read: After Dressage Go CrossCountry.



The extra letters read RSVP (counter-clockwise). But most riding schools don't have these so I wouldn't stress about it!

Why are the letters in this order? Nobody knows for sure. They were randomly introduced for the 1920 Olympics. Two standard stories are:

* They were the first letter of the names of cities conquered by the Romans. I read this one and it amused me, but you'd think it'd be relatively easy to verify -- I just haven't had time yet *g*.
* My fav option: in the old German Court apparently the walls of the stable yard where the soldiers drilled were initially marked with letters indicating where each horse was to be parked to await its rider:
K = Kaiser/King
F = Furst/Prince
P = Pferdknecht/Ostler
V = Vassal
E = Edeling/Ehrengast/Guest of Honour
B = Bannertrager/Standard Bearer
S = Schzkanzler/Chancellor of Exchequer
R = Ritter/Knight
M = Meier/Steward
H = Hofsmarshall/Lord Chancellor.
And since the riders schooled and trained there, they began to use the letters and so set them that way when they hosted the Olympics.

There are, however, lots of fun ideas -- here are some of the less serious ones:

* After riding 500 20m circles in rapid succession, who can remember the alphabet?
* The letters are consecutive and in alphabetical order, in a now extinct language spoken only by early 18th century Hanoverian carriage horses.
* The very first dressage arena was designed by the lowest-bid contractor.
* The letters were originally laid out by beleaguered riding pupils to facilitate pranks on their instructors, in which the pupils would pretend to be schooling various movements and figures while actually spelling out slanderous curses, in German, against their cruel and heartless instructors, their diabolical horses, and whatever silly person invented this dressage thing in the first place.
* The letters are actually advertising billboards paid for by Sesame Street (This piaffe-passage transition was brought to you by the letter G!).
* Well, the letters are supposed to be in alphabetical order, but somebody's Trakehner keeps getting out at night and rearranging them.
* The other letters in the alphabet are there all right, they're just invisible--what do you think your horse has been spooking at all these years?
* What, you mean they're NOT in alphabetical order? Hey, that would explain why nobody else seems to understand how I've organized the office files...

And that's about all you need to know for now. But keep in mind, while many take dressage *very* seriously, there are still some who have fun with it:


Pas de Deux

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Beginner Tack: Review

Taking the time to review? Good for you! Well as important as it is to learn diagrams; it's even more important to be able to understand the real thing!

So -- what piece of tack is Rye modeling?



If you're not sure at all -- go back and read the lesson! If you think you know, but would like confirmation, hold your mouse over the photo to read the alt text.

Identify the numbered items (note: 10 refers to one of the "miscellaneous pieces of leather" -- but which?)



Now that you know all the parts -- your next challenge is to take a bridle completely apart and then put it back together again! Good luck :) (ummm two pieces of advice before you do that: write down what hole everything goes on so it will continue to fit your horse after you're done, and don't try this right before a lesson - it might take longer than you anticipate!)

Bonus points -- what type of bit does this horse appear to be wearing? (answer to that is in the alt tag -- hold your mouse over the image)

Since almost every shot I have of a horse with a saddle on it is either an unlabelable angle or includes a rider blocking much of the saddle, I thought we'd stick with a diagram for this one:



And what's the belt that holds the saddle on the horse called? And the things you attach it to (roughly directly underneath #8)...?

And lastly (but of course not least! Is anything ever least?) the bits:



What are the two types of martingales?

You see a child riding their pony down a hill; the pony stops to graze and both child AND saddle slip comically down his neck. What piece of tack would've prevented this moment?

If you've got all that down, you're good to go :) Congrats!
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Beginner Tack: Parts and Basics

I'm very much afraid it's more terms and memorization today -- I know, it sucks starting out. But just think how much more like a pro you'll sound when you know all this stuff!

Today we're doing tack -- you know, the stuff you put on your horse! At this level, I'd expect my students to know the difference between a halter and a bridle, they should know the parts of the saddle and bridle, and they should know at least the very basic snaffle bits. Really, that's not all that much is it? :)

So the halter and the bridle both go on your horse's head (usually not at the same time :). If it's got reins and/or a bit and/or a brow band, it's probably a bridle :) Now, for that explanation to make any sense whatsoever, you must know what at least one of reins, bit, or browband are! Let's see...



hmmmmm so it occurs to me that the text is a little light. Sorry about that -- if I have time I'll fix it later! It'll do for now though... Now we've discovered the reins are the things you hold in your hand when you're riding (comeon, you already knew that right?). The bit (in this case specifically an egg-butt snaffle bit) is the piece that goes in the horse's mouth. And the browband, not surprisingly, goes over his brow. Remember, horse people weren't terribly creative when it came to naming parts of the tack (they used that up on dressage letters! Tune in next week for more about that :). So the crown piece is where the crown would sit (particularly amusing image if you happen to have a diva of a horse), the noseband goes over . . . ?-- work with me here... That'd be the nose! The cheek pieces run alongside the... cheek :) Surprised yet? And where do you suppose the throat latch goes? That's right -- it's basically common sense rearing its ugly head. See now that wasn't all that difficult, was it?

Let's see, what else -- oh, the keeper is the little thing you tuck extra leather into to keep it still; the runner is the same little thing that's not fixed -- it runs up and down the length of the leather. Stupidly picky detail, but one examiners love, and again -- something to make you sound just that much more intelligent in conversation! Generally though "keeper" is used for both those little beasts.

Now, I pointed out the egg-butt snaffle bit. Snaffle is a category of bit, and the only category of bit beginners should be worrying about (other future items include things like curb bits and gag bits - but for now, the snaffle is enough!) Within that category there's a fair amount of variety -- you need only think about three: the loose-ring, the egg-butt, and the D-ring. Now, remembering the oh-so-creative naming convention of the other bridle pieces, you can imagine this is not particularly exciting. The loose ring, has a ring that's, well, loose. You can spin it around in circles. The d-ring, has a ring that looks like a D. Surprised? hahaha egg-butt is the only stretch; I don't think I want the omlettes that person's making. But even it's somewhat understandable. And just in case you're now totally lost -- a picture's worth a thousand words (or at least a paragraph!):



So a few items to note -- rubber is gentler than metal; bits for starting babies are often made of rubber, some of which is advertised to taste like apple even! Loose-ring bits let the horse play a little, which makes them slightly softer and encourages the horse to relax and salivate (a good thing, I promise!). The down side to them is they can pinch the corner of your horse's mouth (try it -- hold the bit between two fingers, right where it meets the ring and then spin the ring. You may find you get pinched. To avoid this you'll sometimes see a round rubber piece that goes between the horse's mouth and the ring). D-rings and Egg-butts are fractionally stronger as they don't rotate, and can give a little extra steering (pressure on the side of the mouth as you turn the head). And that's probably more than you need to know @ this point, but really, you're here to learn right? :) And better too much knowledge than not enough!

Ok saddles:



So pommel and cantle I got nothing. Sorry. I'm afraid they're straight memorization -- although depending on your coach, you may hear the terms in class often enough to know what they are anyway! The rest is a little easier... The seat, well comeon, we're back to the obvious. The knee roll is where your knee sits. The stirrup iron is attached to the saddle by the stirrup leather. The flap flaps :) Panels are another "just memorize it" moment I'm afriad... The keeper here isn't labeled cause I figured you'd already be smart enough to know that after studying the bridle! Under the flap, the only part you need to know right now is the billet straps or girth straps (UK and US respectively). They hold the girth (aka the belt :) on and are therefore rather important... There are other unlabeled parts (the waist --found not surprisingly above the skirt, the point-pocket -- the most useless part ever, the tree --found inside and rather critical to the whole saddle idea, etc) but these are enough for the moment!

A few other random pices of leather you should know about because you're likely to come across them in your travels:

Martingales: These are to stop the horse from raising his head beyond the level of control. If they get their head too high, there is next to nothing the rider can do about it; adjusted correctly, these prevent that. They do NOT tie the horse's head down. If the horse is behaving correctly the martingale should do absolutely nothing. There are a few types of martingales -- the most common seen in NA are running and standing. The standing runs from the girth to the noseband (now that you know what both those things are) and is the more effective of the two. The running goes from the girth to the reins and is the safer of the two. The running also has the added advantage of counteracting the effect of a rider who carries her hands too high.

Breastplates (of which there are several styles) go from the saddle (or the girth) around the chest and back to the saddle (or girth). These stop the saddle from sliding backwards -- a common issue particularly on horses with a very powerful stride.

Conversely, the crupper goes from the cantle (remember where that is?) around the tail and connects back to itself to stop the saddle from sliding forwards. This is almost exclusively used on round ponies who have next to no withers.


Crupper

Ok, I think that's about enough for the moment. If you don't agree, feel free to move on to Intermediate :)

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Beginner: Ring Rules

When you're very first learning to ride you may be lucky enough to have the ring to yourself, and hopefully even if you're sharing the ring, you've got an instructor present who's entirely capable of managing who's where at what time. But eventually you're going to want to ride is a less structured environment -- be it anything from a practice ride to a competition warm-up ring -- at which point you'll need to know some basics.

1. THINK. Really people, that's all it takes :) You can forget every other rule if you keep your eyes open and your brain engaged. It helps if you apply some common sense too, but just being aware of the world around you is a good start. That sounds so obvious, but it's amazing how easy it is to let your world shrink to just you and your horse and be completely oblivious of everybody else.

2. If somebody falls, halt. Do not continue your ride until such time as you're sure the person is ok (if they need help, put your horse somewhere safe and either help them or call someone who can) and their horse is caught.

3. Mount/dismount in the centre of the ring and out of the way of any jumps. And if you use a mounting box, make sure you position it where it too will be out of the way after you leave.

4. Pass left to left. This is the same way we drive. And walk. And ride escalators. Ironically when I was riding in Australia, where they drive and walk and escalate on the other side, I was amazed to discover they (at least the people I was with) still rode left to left.

5. Slower horses to the inside. If you're walking, get out of the way of those cantering. That being said, I've been informed that in the western world (about which I know very little) it's actually the opposite. Fast horses are on the inside. So be aware that when you switch disciplines some of the rules will change. In English though, if you're slower than somebody else, get out of the way.

6. Horses jumping have right of way. They have to be able to land, so avoid circling immediately behind a jump somebody's approaching. Likewise, don't ride between somebody and their jump. Even if there's enough space it's very disconcerting and can effect both horse and rider.

7. Horses doing lateral work have right of way (after those jumping). So if you're going straight and can easily steer away, do so and let those trying very hard to go sideways to continue. Note – if you’re in a dressage barn, the odds are good *everybody* has right of way over those jumping.

8. If you are riding around a lesson in progress, refrain from jumping.

9. When in doubt, call it. If you're really confused about everything else and have no idea where you're supposed to be, decide where you're going and announce it: "Inside" "Circling" whatever... The other rider would rather swerve around you than have you crash into them! Now this does not mean you need to announce every single thing -- that gets old very fast. Just if there's a chance the other rider might not understand what you're doing. This also applies to jumping -- don't just assume everybody knows where you're going.

But like I said – if you can remember number 1 the rest will work itself out! Have fun :)

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Beginner Anatomy: Review

So how many knees does your horse have?

What does FPC stand for?

What's the name of my very patient model horse? I'll give you a hint -- it means Theory in Galician (hey, I never claimed it'd be a *useful* hint!) . Yes it's a silly question, but it does show whether or not you were paying attention. What else might you have missed?

Can you identify the numbered parts of these diagrams?





Now, if you've got the hang of the diagrams, go try it on a real horse. With the sole exception being the "white line" (which is where again?) you should be able to find every part. Be aware that some horses have little to nonexistent chestnuts.
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Beginner Anatomy: Basic Parts

How many knees does your horse have?

If I ask you to watch his flank, where are you looking and what are you probably checking for?

If I tell you his poll is too low, what does that mean?

These are all very simple questions that any rider should be able to answer, but to do so you'd need at least a basic understanding of anatomy. Alas this is one of the more brutal theory lessons because it's *yawn* boring! When I teach it in the barn it involves a very patient horse, some taped labels, and lots of laughs. Online that's unfortunately less of an option, so we're left with the old-fashioned diagram route.

Let me introduce the ever patient Teoria:



Now already you know that Teoria has two knees; the joints in a similar location on her hind legs are the hocks.

If her poll is too low, her head is down.

And if you're watching her flank, you're probably checking to see how fast she's breathing (aka his respiration rate -- but that's for another day). It's kinda hard to tell from this diagram (I never claimed to be an artist!) but it's the area where the hair grows backwards.

Feel smarter yet? You should!

Now some things to make some of these easier to remember.

Between the forearm and the shoulder is the elbow -- just like on your own body. Easy!

The barrel, on some ponies I've met, seriously resembles a barrel!

The chestnut is an interesting creation; nobody knows exactly what it is, although theories abound. The one I hear most commonly is it's a Darwinian leftover; that is, once upon a time, before horses evolved into the creatures we know today (another Thursday Theory lesson), they had three toes. Legend has it that the chestnut is the remnant of an early equine toe-nail. As to the toes themselves? By the same theory, they became the splint bones (see intermediate anatomy). Huh!

The fetlock, pastern, and coronet, all being rather random names close together near the hoof, often get mixed up in order. The fetlock -- the joint which allows the foot to move, the pastern which gives you some idea how much spring will be in the gait, and the coronet which connects the hoof to the leg. But how to remember which is which? Well, you remember Cinderella? Sure you do. Well she had a long wait before Prince Charming finally smartened up enough to find her, and when he did she could say: "Finally, Prince Charming!". FPC. Or Fetlock, Pastern, Coronet. Yeah I know it's silly, but you're not likely to ever forget it now are you?

Critical to your horse's well being is their hoof. "No hoof, no horse." It's an ancient saying that's stood the test of time because it's well... true! How many of you have missed a ride simply because your horse pulled a shoe? Such a little thing, but a critical one. And so we have Teoria's hoof:



So the triangle part that's a little more sensitive than the rest is the Frog -- but don't bother kissing it, Prince Charming's already taken (see above). Note I hereby reserve the right to mix my fairy tales! The frog is critical to blood circulation -- it houses the pump that gets the blood to go back up out of the foot into the rest of the body. Every time the horse steps down, the pump is activated. So when we put shoes on them, do you think the frog should still touch the ground? Of course! But that's one of those tiny but critical things that might not occur to you till it was too late if you didn't know your theory...

The white line is literally a white line (all the creative part names were taken). If you see a barefoot horse who has just had their feet trimmed, you can see it. Very kewl.

The bars are on either side of the frog; the wall, made of material similar to your fingernails, is on the outside, and the sole (not the soul -- that's a religious debate I'm not qualified to lead!) is the rest. It should be long and slightly concave and tends not to be overly sensitive but can certainly still be bruised (again leading to unsound horse. No hoof, no horse) so don't be too harsh with that hoof pick of yours!

So now you know the basic parts of the horse! Congratulations! That puts you one huge step closer to being a horse-person rather than just a rider :) But how much did you remember?
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