Dressage is a riding discipline that celebrates discipline, grace, elegance, and beauty. It is a riding discipline that is made even more beautiful by its simplicity.

When is comes to outfitting the dressage rider less is better. A rider competing in the lower levels should be wearing well polished black hunt or field boots. They should have invested in a pair of britches. A clean white shirt should be worn with a collar and ta stock pin. Covering the white shirt should be wearing a dark colored jacket. The riders hands should be covered in dark colored gloves that will help disguise the movement of the riders hands. If the rider has long hair is should be gathered up and tucked neatly out of sight. On the riders head should be a black helmet. If the rider is a junior rider, under the age of eighteen, many show committees require that the rider’s helmet should meet ASTM/SEI standards and have a fastened harness. Unless the rider is aboard a hot horse (high spirited horse with an excessive amount of go) the rider should have a pair of spurs which help dress up the rider’s leg.

A rider competing in the lower levels of dressage should make sure their horses tack follows the same simple guidelines as the riders apparel. Before entering the competition the horses coat should be clean and well groomed. Long before leaving for the show the rider should have pulled their horses mane and on the morning of the show they should have plaited the shortened, thinned mane into several tidy braids, if they have a horse with a nice steady head set they can wrap the braids with white adhesive tape, at the lower levels of competition braids are not actually required but they are a sign of respect.  The tail should be left upbraided. The horses hooves should be polished with either clear or black hoof polish. The horses bit should be a simple snaffle, curb bits are not acceptable in dressage competitions, the bit can not include any copper. The bit should be attached to a plain leather bridle. On the horses back their should be a leather saddle. At the lower levels of competition the rider can choose between a black or brown colored saddle and they have the option of using a dressage saddle or a dressage saddle. Under the saddle their should be a saddle blanket, the blanket can be black or white and be either a square cut or can be shaped to follow the line of the saddle.

Once a rider has reached the upper levels of dressage competition their are a few subtle changes in their show attire. FEI rules require that they wear a pair of white britches. Hunt coats are no longer allowed, riders are required to wear the longer, more elegant shad belly. Although their is no rule banning the wearing of a helmet most riders choose to wear a derby style hat. Black gloves are replaced with white gloves.

Just like the riders show clothing there are some changes made in the horses tack. The bridle must be made of black leather, in the horses mouth their should be two bits in the horses mouth, a snaffle bit and a curb bit. A whip is no longer allowed in competition. The horse must be braided. The saddle must be a dressage style cut and be made of black
leather. Some riders have chosen to add a jewel encrusted brow band to dress up a plain horses head.

Most horse owners have started out the same way… loving and caring for ponies. Former pony owners look back on their pony owning years and a distant far away expression comes over their faces. It is nearly impossible for a horse owner not to have a pony story, some good some not so good.

For the most parts ponies are tough. They seldom seem to be struck low by the illnesses and maladies that seem to strike their larger equine counterparts. Their toughness is one of the reasons that ponies are so often a good match for children.

Pony owners who live in northern climates that keep their ponies outside during the frosty winter months have to do a few things to make sure their ponies stay sound and healthy.

Snow can be dangerous. Each time a pony takes a step on the the snow they start to gather snow in the bottom of their hooves. Each time the pony takes a step the snow becomes harder pack until the pony is forced to walk on rounded balls of ice. Not only is walking treacherous on the ice balls, if the pony missteps or slips they can strain or twist their
legs, either on of the injuries could create a lameness that can plaque the pony for months. Smearing petroleum jelly on the bottoms of the ponies hooves every couple of days can prevent the snow from gathering on the ponies hooves.

Regular dental work is as important to ponies and horses as it is to their human caretakers. If you notice that your pony is suddenly loosing a great deal of weight have your veterinarian take a look at their teeth. If your veterinarian notices any sharp edges on your ponies teeth make sure the teeth are floated. Going into the winter months it is especially important to make sure that your ponies teeth are in good shape.

Make sure your pony has plenty of access to good fresh water. If you don’t have water heater for your buckets plan on breaking the ice several times a day.

Ponies who are kept outside must have access to shelter. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, a simple three sided lean-to facing away from the wind is enough. The most dangerous condition is if the weather is both wet and cold.

Although many people tend to take the cold blustery winter months off, preferring to stay inside to riding. That doesn’t mean that there is anything wrong with riding during the winter, riding through snowdrifts can be almost as good for conditioning as riding in a deep sand arena. If you choose to work your pony it is important to make sure its dry and free of sweat before you put it out in the field. A heavy dense winter coat can sometimes make this difficult. Some pony owners opt to body clip (remove all the long winter hair). Ponies that have been body clipped can not be turned loose in the elements without some form of protection. Pony owners who decide to keep a body clipped pony outside should use a warm turnout rug to protect the pony from the elements.

If you are a pony owner who uses a turnout blanket make sure the blanket is well fitted and clean. Check underneath the blanket for rubbing and chaffing on a daily basis.

The year was 1975, almost a quarter of a century ago, and catalog sourcebooks were still very much a force in book publishing. To that point, however, no one had compiled one on equestrian products, services, and organizations something that would present the basics of owning, looking after and using horses, together with leads as to where to find more detailed information.

Well, I asked myself, why shouldn’t I put such a book together. After all, I was a writer by profession and a recreational rider by avocation…. why not combine the two.

In those days (and now, too) anyone in search of intelligent feedback on any horse-book idea could do no better than to ask Bill Steinkraus, the United States Equestrian Team mainstay and all-around polymath.

Bill, who had just moved to Simon Schuster as an editor, responded in something of a good news bad news way. The good news was that he found the concept eminently viable. The not-so-good news (or so it seemed to me) was that the project was far too massive for one person — namely, me — to do alone. Fortunately, help was close at hand.

A number of New York book-publishing types who were also avid riders thought the idea was worth getting involved with — and so they did.

Barbara Burn had introduced herself several years earlier as the girl who outfitted the shed in the backyard for the horse my parents never bought me. Barbara, who had edited two of my books, chose the areas of apparel and horse health, the latter as if anticipating her marriage to a veterinarian who, among his other duties, looked after New York Citys Mounted Police horses.

Gail and Werner Rentsch were and are, respectively, a publicist and an artist. They kept horses on their farm in upstate New York, so who better to compile the chapters on stable construction and management and tack (Gail) and to provide the books illustrations and layout (Werner)

Although a stockbroker by profession, David Spector had written several books on horse-related subjects and was active in equestrian organizations. David chose equestrian activities as his area of primary responsibility.

Since I was involved in equestrian tourism, I chose to write the chapter on horseback holidays. I also picked organizations and, even though Id never had the occasion to buy a horse, I knew where to find out about the selection process. So we rolled up our sleeves and set to work.

Fade out 1975…fade in 1997… As you might deduce from the volume you hold in your hands, The Whole Horse Catalog remains very much alive and well. Strong initial response was followed by steady annual sales, to rank the books among the all-time best-selling equestrian titles worldwide.

The Whole Horse Catalog The Complete Guide to Buying Stabling and Stable Management Equine Health Tack Rider Apparel Equestrian Activities and Organizations…

Let us say winter is here and you’re warm and cozy by the fireplace, drinking the hot chocolate and reading a good book.  Maybe you are enjoying some soothing music while ensconced in your favorite pajamas; all wrapped up comfortably in your soft blanket while the snow falls lightly outside.

What about your horse?  Is your horse in a clean, warm stall in the barn, with fresh hay and clean water, protected from the elements?  Did you remember his horse blanket?  It’s not as though he can waltz over to his little closet and take it out of the drawer!  Your precious investment is depending on you to remember the particulars of his care.
A cold horse in winter is a pitiful thing indeed.  If you decide to buy a horse, even if it is just for the sake of saying you own one, please take the time to provide proper care and housing, medical attention, and the right equipment.  Part of that equipment and proper care involves the horse blanket.

A horse blanket is particularly needed in the cold, hard elements of the winter season.  The horse has no way of actually saying, “Hey, could you hand me that blanket, please?”  It is a living, breathing creation and is counting on the master of the estate to give it what it needs to survive.

The horse blankets need not be elaborate, expensive pieces of valuable art.  They simply need to be functional for the animal.  The function here is to hold in the animal’s body heat in the winter.  Of course, they are also used as cushioning underneath the saddles among other things.  Which, by the way, is also needed in the winter and the blanket helps the horse stay warmer while being ridden outside.

Miniature horses have their own furry horse blankets in the winter.  Even though all horses have thicker hair in the winter, the minis look woolly!  They sometimes enjoy running in the snow just for fun!  One type of miniature horse is the Falabella, which are said to be survivors of the Ice Age.  They must have been an extremely tough breed of animal to survive the harsh winters from that period of time.

Maybe you are wondering if the horses of the Ice Age needed blankets.  While I’m sure plenty survived without them, horses being gentled and tamed by mankind have also been bred somewhat spoiled or weakened, if you will.  I suppose you could compare it to a dog that has been kept inside with the central heat since a pup.  If you put the dog outside in the yard in the harsh winter, it will struggle against the cold.  Besides, just because a horse survived the Ice Age doesn’t mean he should be forced to endure the winter without a horse blanket now.  Humans survived living in caves with no electricity or modern amenities, but now we’ve spoiled and pampered ourselves and most would have a hard time surviving harsh conditions of nature.  So, care for your horse with the love and tenderness that is deserved.

Physically the horse is a thing of incredible beauty and unbelievable wonder. There are very few things in the world more beautiful then a well groomed horse in motion. It doesn’t matter if that horse is performing a complicated dressage test, running down the backstretch, sailing over a jump, or chasing after a calf, the horse is a thing of incredible beauty.

In addition to being structurally designed to steal your breath , horses have a hair coat that is designed to withstand the elements. As long as they have plenty of fresh water, lots of roughage and a good shelter there is very little reason to blanket a horse. Most breeds have skins that are fairly tough. In addition to a tough skin they are blessed with a wonderful hair coat. Their hair is designed to fluff and catch pockets of air, once the air is caught in the hair it is warmed with the horses body heat. A healthy horse with a good hair coat will stay warm, wrapped in their air pocket throughout the winter. If you don’t believe  drive past a field of unlamented horses in the winter, chances are pretty good that they will be completely ignoring any shelter they have been given. The only time the average horse has a real problem with staying warm is if they have gotten wet, or if their hair has been flattened by mud.

Just because the average horse doesn’t need a blanket in the winter doesn’t mean that they all don’t. Several breeds, including Arabians and Thoroughbreds, have thin skin that is easily chilled. Older horses can also have a difficult time staying warm. Horses that have had an injury or illness that caused them to loose hair. Horses that are underweight are another group of horses that should be watched carefully to make sure they don’t develop a chill.

There are a variety of reason’s horse owners might choose to leave their horse blanketed during the winter months. Some people who ride during the winter months choose to save time cooling out and waiting for their horse to dry after it has been worked by body clipping, horses that have been body clipped must be blanketed.

Several show barns might decided to leave their horses blanketed so they are able to attend shows in the early spring with a horse that is sleek and shiny as opposed to a horse that is covered in a thick winter fuzz.

In the summer there are three main reasons a horse owner might choose to blanket their horse. Some horses, especially light colour ones are prone to sunburn, wearing a light weight blanket allows these horses to be outside without burning. Some horses are highly susceptible to bug bites a turnout fly sheet prevents bugs from biting their sensitive skin. Horse owners who spend a great deal of time on the show circuit will use a light weigh sheet to prevent the sun from bleaching their show horses coat. A few horse owners will even resort to a heavy weight turnout rug in an attempt to help sweat off a few of their equine friends excessive pounds.

Horse blankets have been used at ceremonies and other special occasions.  The intention was actual use under a saddle, often with an added pad.  The blanket also served to cover the pad for a better look for riding or for show.  The blanket could be used when riding with no saddle or pad, serving as a barrier between the person and the horse.

Native American Indians wove their own horse blankets and still make them today.  Blankets were traded for other items, as well.

The Navajo blankets are an especially popular decorative horse blanket.  Found with bright inks or earth tones, usually with fringed ends.  They were also used as rugs by the early Indians, woven smaller for that use or for decoration on top of the saddle.

The most popular horse blankets were the double blankets, which were used by folding in half before placing on the horse.
Although it wasn’t their only design, the Navajo woven horse blankets can be easily recognized by the diamond patterns woven into them.  An authentic Navajo horse blanket is to be admired for its simple, artistic quality.  It should also be a reason to respect the person who put his or her time and effort into its creation.

The double saddle blankets were woven with no art in the centers.  These would be covered by the saddles, making the extra effort impractical as they could be out-of-sight when used by the rider.

The horse blanket could be hung on a wall in a log cabin and bring out a surreal sense of its natural beauty.  Photographs and posters or wall paintings of these horse blankets could be added to the cabin to create a western theme.  Search for books bout the Navajo horse blankets, weaving, and inks made by the Navajo indians to cultivate knowledge and respect for the weavers and these beautiful works of art.  It will take the minds of your visitors back in time and help them appreciate the work that went into making these wonderful results.

What constitutes a fine piece of art is the beauty in the eye of the beholder.  The horse blankets are just as lovely when they have been used and have become worn as they were when they were new.  The usage seems to add character and may create some interesting stories from the riders.  The horse blankets have the ability to stimulate the three senses of sight, touch, and smell (which could be good or bad, depending on the smell it brings!).

The horse blankets that were woven could be washed in cold water with little or no detergent and hung to dry.  Although in the early western days, they were most likely wrung out in a nearby creek or river and laid on a rock to dry.  Now there are horse blankets made of other fabrics which most likely are better at resisting stains and other such improvements modernization brings.

Horse blankets have value especially to anyone interested in Western culture.

A lot of times when thinking about horse riding I think about horse saddles, horse blankets and the comfort of the horse I will ride. If you plan to ride your horse, you’ll need both a horse blanket and a saddle, in most cases.
Some horse saddles don’t require a blanket, but you’ll still want a horse blanket for other times. Think of it this way, would you want to be stuck in the cold without a coat to keep your warm. Your horse is the same way so you’ll want one when your horse is kept in a drafty stall, when your horse is waiting out in the cold weather for a show, when your horse is waiting in a holding pen for vet’s attention and it is cold outside.

When you think of buying a new horse saddle, consider the trial period in case you’ll want to return it for a better fit. Surely you didn’t think it would be as easy as just buying a universal saddle fit for any horse or rider?

No, my unsuspecting horse friend, it is, unfortunately more involved than that. Oh, but the journey for the proper saddle and blanket is well worth the efforts both for you and your equine partner. Buying a horse saddle that doesn’t fit the horse, rider, or the occasion will only cause regrets and soreness that could be avoided by a thoughtful purchase. Ask any horse enthusiast and you’ll find that buying the proper gear is a welcome investment!

You’ll want to consider what type of riding you’ll do. Saddles are basically wood or fiberglass in frame that is covered with leather. Although, you’ll find technical advances have allowed for the more modern synthetic material in lieu of the leather covering. Regardless of what your saddle is constructed of, the quality and purpose and fit are most important. You’ll want your money’s worth.

There are several different choices to make before purchasing a blanket as well. You must have a blanket under a western saddle for the horse and rider to be comfortable during the ride. Blankets are made for performance, for miniature horses, and for show. Although the Navajo horse blanket is a popular choice is the western style is a consideration, there are others available. There are quilted blankets, foal blankets, antisweat sheets, and cooling blankets.

For your added comfort, there are softee seats, suede seats, and even shock absorbers, which might be welcomed after a lengthy time away from riding because of medical reasons. Whatever type of horse saddle or horse blanket you’ll require be certain both will best benefit you and your horse.

The saddle must fit not only the size of the horse, but the size and shape of the rider as well. A poor fit can cause sure muscles, blisters, and bruising for you both. Not only should you consider this for yourself, but for children riders. The child will continue to grow, but the saddle should fit them at their current size.

Saddles used for other than pleasure riding include those bought for endurance, show, roping, barrel races, and ponies. There are many different brands of all these types of saddles. It’s a matter of choice, price, and availability. Happy hunting!