Exercising horses on a lunge line is a good practice in many respects. It’s a great way to warm your animal up, work out a few bucks & squeals and to check for injury and lameness before getting on their back.
The video makes a point that the art of lunging should only be attempted by a professional. While it’s a great exercise for the horse, it can also be quite dangerous to someone who has no experience.
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Let’s face it, horses can be injury, illness or accident prone and some lucky individuals have problems with all three. It’s important that any horse owner know their mount and be able to recognize problematic signs.
Making sure you know your animal is step number one. Knowing their behavior and habits is essential to recognizing signs of trauma, lameness or illness. This video outlines some basics to look for when checking your horse over.
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Perhaps the most essential lesson to learn, stopping isn’t always an easy thing to do. Beyond that, stopping shouldn’t be a violent movement as it can do damage to the horse’s mouth.
Contrary to what you might think, stopping can be done by body language alone. Small signals and changes of posture should be the primary speed regulator, not yanking on the reins.
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While 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.
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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Not all of us have a need to travel with our animals, but it is a necessity for many horse owners. Beyond hiring reliable transport, it’s important to wrap them up & keep them safe while en route.
Here is a quick video which provides a few tips from the pros, people who transport horses for a living. This isn’t a how-to video but rather a good resource for someone who plans to hire a service for transport.
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Equipment is perhaps the most elemental need when it comes to horse care & leather is generally involved. Cleaning and maintaining your tack is an important part of using it as weakness & breakage can cause injury.
This quick video provides some information about how long leather goods last and the benefits of using leather in place of man made fabrics like nylon.
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Horses are fairly simple animals and when working with them it’s important to remember that they are animals of prey & will always behave as such.
This is an animal with strong instinct and a great deal of their behavior can be explained by understanding their nature. This video provides tips & tricks for recognizing horse behavior. Knowing what to expect is half the battle, the other half is dealing with it.
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Perhaps one of the most important elements of your horse ritual is grooming. From picking hooves to the curry combing each part is essential to your horse’s health & well-being.
This video provides a beautiful setting (all barns should look like that) for a great how-to video. Step by step instructions are peppered with advice & tips for giving your horse or pony the best (& most efficient) groom you can.
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The Andalusian horse is really one of the granddaddy’s of the horse breeds & their blood flows through the veins of most western breeds today.
Prized for their fluid movement and noble manner, this breed is recognized the world over. This video provides some interesting information about the breed, including mannerisms, temperament and colors.
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Dressage is often called an art instead of a sport because it can be simply breathtaking to watch. Although it looks effortless, it’s far from it and requires a well trained horse and hours of practice to get it right.
Today’s video provides a little history on this beautiful art form as well as some information for those who want to get involved. Whether you are a horse pro who is looking for something different or a beginner trying to decide your favorite area of the equine world, this video may be of interest to you.
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Lately I’ve been featuring brief how-to videos about some of the most basic of horse care. Although this is old hat for seasoned horse people, picking feet can be a daunting task for a beginner.
First & foremost it’s important to remember to be careful & gentle when you are dealing with the ‘business’ end of any horse. This video provides brief instructions for making an often unpleasant job a little easier.
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While I’m not a big believer in using soap on animals very often, (it strips their coat of essential oils) sometimes it’s unavoidable. When it’s bath time, it’s bath time.
Although it seems self-explanatory, sometimes it helps to know any tips & tricks before attempting to wash a horse for the first time. This quick video provides an overview of washing techniques with advice for the best ways to get your animal clean.
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