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10 Tips For Breaking And Backing A Young Horse.

When I started writing my tips for breaking a young horse I thought I must be mad, what did I know? There are loads of experts out there all offering advice and I was just a humble horse owner, not a trainer etc. Then I decided that if my story helps anyone to have the confidence to work with their own horse then I believe they will find it a rewarding experience and it will be beneficial to both the horse or pony and themselves.

Backing, Breaking and Training a young horse. Well its something that we are told is best left to the experts and to some degree I agree, as you can do a lot of damage to a horse at such a young age, but
with the right support and information I do believe you can make a good job of it.

Its easy to say leave it to the experts but for most of us our horses and ponies are part of our family. We are the one's who are with them every day and the one's who have built up mutual trust and a bond with them.

I took a break from owning my own horse for about 15 years. Then found myself, in my naivety, being the proud owner of a 2 yr old filly. I fell in love with her, what more can I say, but she was 16.1hh and very powerful. A lot could have gone wrong. I did contemplate sending her away when the time came, to have her professional broken, backed and schooled. There were several problems with this idea though. Number one was the cost, I just didn't have the money to do that as the quotes I had attained were extortionate. Number 2 was this was my horse, I had spent hours and hours in the stable with her, bonding, grooming and just sitting there gaining her trust. I didn't want to send her away and lose all that. I knew she trusted me, she would follow me around the paddock like a dog, if I ran she would trot after me. Quite scary when you have a 16.1hh thoroughbred chasing you. I had never read a natural horsemanship book, but I realised that this was just what we were doing.

I also discovered she had never been walked off the yard, boxed, lunged or had a bit anywhere near her. I figured it was going to be a long drawn out process.

In reality I couldn't have been more wrong. Although I did take things very slowly I found backing her to be extremely straight forward.

I used a lot of common sense, sought loads of advice from local tack shops and the people on the yard, and read as much information as I could find including everyone else's tips on breaking a young horse. A lot of the techniques and equipment had evolved from when I had had my last horse. So I had to learn what to do with it again.

The things I learnt and my 10 tips for breaking a young horse are:

1./ Spend time bonding with your horse or pony, don't just rush into breaking it. You will need time to build up mutual trust.

2./ Learn your horses moods. Learn their normal behaviour and pick up when something is wrong.

3./ Spend time before you try to back your horse getting it used to basic commands, both on the lunge and long rein. Stand, walk, trot will be invaluable once your horse is first backed.

4./ Introduce the bit slowly - don't just expect to put it in your horses mouth and leave it there for hours. Try a few minutes at a time over several week and get a bit suitable for a young horse. I used a copper key bit.

5./ Introduce the saddle without girth, stirrups and leathers to begin with and remove again after a few minutes.

6./ Before you even think of putting someone on your horses back get the horse used to wearing the saddle and bridle on the lunge or in hand.

7./ When lunging the first few times in tack make sure stirrups and leathers are not flapping around and spooking your horse.

8./ When you do introduce someone on their back ensure you are the one who is talking to your horse, after all you are the one who is built up the trust.

9./ Try to get someone light to be the person who first sits on your horse. Start with them just lying over your horse and then gradually sitting. Make sure every movement of the rider is slow a fluid. Again make sure this isn't rushed and is done over weeks.

10./ Take backing your horse or pony slowly, take the lead from the animal. If they are looking stressed or anxious or are really misbehaving stop. There is generally a reason.

It took me about 2.5 months to back my horse from only ever having a head collar on to gently hacking out with me on her.

I introduced everything bit by bit and talked to her constantly. It might seem a long time to some people but I was left with a well adjusted horse who doesn't get stressed or act up very often. She takes the lead from me and will attempt new things because I firmly believe she trusts me.

Make sure you are safe at all times and that someone is with you if necessary who is more knowledgable but don't be afraid and take the lead.

There is no excuse when horse breaking to be cruel, and remember animals including horses are not born bad, they react to what we as humans do to them.

By Rachel Harding
http://www.horsebitsandpieces.com

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In my opinion choosing a saddle has to be the most difficult and unpleasant task with relation to owning a horse or pony .

My current horse was the first horse I have owned where I had to buy a new saddle. Every other horse I have had before has already come with a saddle. Thankfully someone saved me this dreadful job.

You might by now be thinking I am very strange. Most people love buying new things especially for their horses and ponies, but not me in relation to saddles.

I must have clocked up more miles driving back and forth with different saddles to try to get one that was a good fit for both my horse and myself.

When we look at riding it mostly falls under one of two styles - Western or English and then can be broken down even further into what type of riding you'll be doing. For example do you need a specialty saddle designed for specific activities like dressage, polo or jumping or will you just be hacking out.

This has to be the first thing you think about before you buy a saddle and if at all possible buy one designed just for the type of riding you will be using it for.

Choosing a saddle is a very personal choice, what fits and is extremely comfy for one person will feel terrible to another. It is all based on riding style's, riding position, body shape, weight, fitness and experience in the saddle. That is without even thinking how comfy and suitable it will be for your horse or pony..

The one thing I found when I bought my last saddle was I could sit on it at the saddler's, then sit on it on my horse and it felt fine, but the real test was after I had ridden on it for a while. That's one of the biggest problem's with choosing a saddle. The best way to determine which one works for you and your horse is to ride on it for a while.

Saddle sizes are measured in inches and to get the correct size you measure the length between the pommel and the cantle. As with any type of sport in which your body has close contact with the equipment, a horse saddle should fit you and your horse- comfortably. Aside from your own comfort issues, an ill-fitting saddle can cause back muscle bruising on your horse. You will then start to get what is perceived as behaviour problems from your horse or pony including bucking. They are not really being naughty though . They are just trying to tell you something is wrong.

When you are seated in your saddle, you would want there to be about two to three inches of space between you and the back edge of the saddle. It is really difficult to fit a saddle and see if it is right for you and your horse on your own. It is easiest to fit a saddle to both your horse and your body if you have someone with you. Your helper then can either act as you in the saddle (so you can see how it fits on the horse), or he/she can do this for you while you're in the saddle. They can check your seat and make sure there is enough space between you and the back edge of the saddle. They can also make sure the saddle sits level on the horse's back, and that it fits comfortably on the horses withers with you sat on it and that it doesn't tip when you are riding on it.

In general, the saddle should not impede the horse's movements, and it should fit you comfortably.
You might need your saddler to alter a saddle for you that is a pretty good fit making it into a near perfect one. A good saddler will come out to your horse and take measurements then alter the saddle to fit.

Remember when you have your ideal saddle to periodically clean it with saddle soap and polish it with shoe wax to keep the leather clean, soft and looking nice.

You can get more information and advice regarding horses at www.horsebitsandpieces.com. At horse bits and pieces you will find all the horse and rider equipment you will ever need.

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Tips for Buying a New Horse

If you are considering buying a new horse, there are several issues of concern to you. Smart buyers and riders know what they want before speaking to horse sellers.

It is important to know everything you can about the new horse. Learn its history, blood lines, habits, preferences, skills and overall attitude. It is also important to find out about its inherent traits. All horses have their own unique traits. Know which ones are most desirable to you.

Traits to Consider

Some horses are better at certain tasks than others. When buying a new horse, pre-determine what skills you want the horse to possess. Some to consider are:

* English riding
* Showing and jumping
* Racing
* Western riding
* Trail riding
* Roping
* Team roping
* Barrel racing
* Endurance

Questions to Ask Before Buying a Horse

How much do you expect to pay? Look only at horses within your price range. What gender, color, age and size are you looking for? Weed out horses that don't fit within your requirements. Does the horse load and unload from trailers well? Will it tolerate shoeing and hoof trimming? Score your prospective horses on a scale of one to five for these items. The higher scorers will help you determine which horses are of the most interest to you.

When buying a new horse it is important to be sure it has been thoroughly evaluated. An initial inspection of the horse must be performed by someone capable and experienced. If you don't know what to look for, bring someone you trust who does. Here are the areas you need to check:

* Eyes. Make sure the horse can see out of both eyes. Do a flinch test by waving your hand quickly in front of each eye. Check for any differences.
* Ears. Check for excess ear wax or over-sensitivity when the ears are touched.
* Mouth. Check for any lesions or sores. Be sure the teeth are normal and aligned. Watch the horse chew to check for normal biting ability.
* Head, neck and chest. Check for symmetry and balance of muscles. Be sure the horse moves its head, neck and chest freely and without difficulty.
* Feet. Inspect all four feet for swelling and sensitivity to touch. Flex and extend all joints to look for pain, resistance or head lifting that indicates pain or discomfort.
* Rear end. Check for good tone, signs of discharge and signs of diarrhea.
* Lameness. It is imperative that you are able to observe the horse trotting in circles in both directions and in a straight line. Watch closely for irregular bobbing of the head, sloppy movements or skipping that may indicate pain in any of the legs.

If the horse has passed your initial evaluation, it is time to take it for a ride. Observe its stamina, nerves and whether or not it is alert and well behaved.

If you have any doubts, either walk away or arrange an agreement based on the findings during the veterinary examinations. This is common practice and a legitimate horse seller will agree to some reasonable terms.

Be sure the three required exams are performed by a veterinarian of your choosing or one that has a neutral opinion. The required exams are:

* Health certificate, which is usually for crossing state lines.
* Insurance exam, to satisfy mortality and other questions related to insuring the horse.
* Pre-purchase veterinary exam, detailing the medical status of the horse at the time of purchase.

When buying a horse, you want to find one that is healthy and has a good attitude. The horse's experience and dependability levels must closely match, or be above, that of the primary rider. A willing and intelligent horse can be trained to bring you years of pleasure and skilled work habits. Choose your horse wisely.

You can get more information and advice regarding horses at www.horsebitsandpieces.com. At horse bits and pieces you will find all the horse and rider equipment you will ever need.