The Equinest archives

Horse Breeds Beginning With U

Horse breeds that start with UIt’s horse breed Thursday again and time to meet another letter of the equine world. Make sure you visit the breeds section where I’ve written pages about every breed I can find.

If you haven’t met the rest of the alphabet, be sure to do so A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T. Today it’s about breeds that start with U, from the handsome Ukrainian Riding Horse which was almost destroyed in 1931 to the hard to pronounce Uzunyayla recently developed in Turkey.
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Mules, Mules and More Mules By Rose Miller

Rose Miller is an author I’ve interviewed in the past and I’m delighted to announce that she has published a new book Mules, Mules and More Mules and provided the write-up below to share about it.

Rose & Susie QMules. A most unique and captivating equine. Are mules really sure-footed, stubborn, opinionated, “bombproof,” or more “dog-like” in their bonding? Are mules different from horses?

Enthralling Mules

After a trip down and back up the side of the Grand Canyon on a mule, Rose Miller becomes enthralled with these splendid creatures and has a burning desire to own a mule of her own. Thus begins a fascinating love affair with those long-eared equine hybrids.
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FEI EquiTests iPhone Apps from iTunes

FEI EquiTest Apps on iTunesThe horse world is quickly getting themselves online and EquiApps.com has really done a great job of keeping up with technology. Recently I posted about their USEA iPhone Apps and today I wanted to share the equally as handy FEI EquiTest Apps.

FEI Roundup

I’ve collected them all here so they are easy to find and grab – they are all current for 2011 and can be downloaded through iTunes (I’ve provided a link to each below).
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How to Hold the Reins

Click to see VideoWhile it may sound simple for those of us who ride, for newcomers it can be a source of frustration. Understanding the best way to hold on is an important task and not to be taken lightly.

English Specific

Yes, this is an English specific video, as the western discipline holds their reins very differently. It’s important for any rider to understand that the reins are attached to a very sensitive part of their mount and not to use them for balance.
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Solve The Saddle Mystery

Saddle Mystery
Recently I had a reader send me photos of a saddle that she wanted to learn more about. Unfortunately I couldn’t help her, but I offered to put it to my readers and see if there are any tack experts out there who can help.

So Here Goes

Here are the pics she sent over and I sadly this is all I have to offer. Here is hoping that an enthusiast sees this and has an answer. If you can solve the mystery, please leave leave it in the comments below. Thanks!
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First Impressions of Horse Riding

This fun post is curtesy of Louise Baker, a freelance writer who writes over at Zen College Life and wanted to share her first impressions of riding with us.
Picking Hooves

Image from wildeharen

Those First, Scary Impressions

My first impressions of horse riding will forever leave a lasting impact on my memory. Initially, upon seeing Zephyr (the horse I was going to ride), I was very intimidated. She was a beautiful and statuesque horse and I can still recall how warm she felt. However, facing such a large and impressive animal at the tender age of fifteen, I very much afraid of falling.

My instructor walked me through applying the saddle blanket, placing the saddle on the horse appropriately and how to adjust her girth and cinches. As I was doing this, I could not help thinking about what it would be like, high up on this magnificent animal – and that prospect was a bit frightening.
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