Archive for August, 2009

Horse racing oddity

Newmarket, Suffolk in the UK is just sixty miles from north of London. It is famous for horse racing and known as The Home of Horse Racing. Some of the well known jockeys call Newmarket home and the racing grounds are one of the most expensive in the world.

It is located on Suffolk and Cambridge borders. It is a great place for shopping too. You can buy almost anything from antiques, animals to music. It is a vibrant town and the horse races add to the glamor. There are races that run all round the year and its all about the races here. There are summer races, races in July and even family races.

However, these figures are slightly misleading as a number of trainers have avoided the race with three-year-olds in recent years and you only have to go back to the mid-80’s, where seven of the eight winners between 1985-92 were from the minimum age group. Alamshar was the last three-year-old to win the race in 2003 and there could be a few younger horses turn up this time around.

A number of professionals believe the subject to be too complex to deal with all at once, so they choose to specialise in specific aspects of horse racing such as National Hunt, flat etc. This approach has a high degree of common sense attached to it as on some days there could be five or six different meetings of anywhere up to 40 races. Chances are that any type of horse racing system you encounter will have filtering mechanisms built in in the form of rules, for things like avoiding handicaps or two-year-old races which can cut your workload down to 15 to 20 races making the process more easily manageable.

In the past serious horse racing gamblers needed to pay a large amount of money for a good quality form book but nowadays this information can be found for free on the racing Post website. There is no reason why you should not be able to get all the information you require for free if you look around and put in a little bit of research and effort. This will pay off in the long term as you learn your skill.

If you treat horse racing betting as a hobby in which you get enjoyment from having a little flutter then you are not likely to succeed in any big way. Only when treating the subject seriously as a business can you ever hope to succeed. Most horse racing system out there are a load of rubbish and do not work. However if you do your research you will find there are a few systems which actually do work in combination with a good solid staking plan methodology

Resource Author Francisco Rodriguez Higueras
Understand How to Make Money Without Money Today
Todo sobre Juegos para gente que le gusta jugar
Encontrar un Trabajo – Empleo es fácil si sabe dónde buscar

It's My Life Equestrian Music Video

I find this a big topic with a lot of new horse owners and those thinking of becoming horse owners. Most experienced horse people will discourage doing this if you are new to horses, and with good reason. Though I won’t say its impossible either as I am one that was green & purchased learned how to train green horse, but I had a great teacher. Well if this is you and you want to in devour in the world of horse training and horsemanship. Then this article should be of some help to you.

Another important thing you need to do to protect yourself when you ride a horse is wear a boot or sturdy shoe with a good heel. This will keep your foot from sliding through the stirrups. You want to be sure you can get your foot free if an accident would occur. Never wear sneakers, sandals, or ride your horse barefoot. Toe Stoppers are great for keeping your feet in the right position. They also prevent your feet from getting stuck in the stirrups.

Jackets

Riding jackets in equestrian competitions should be fitted and not restrict the free movement of the arms. As you would expect, different jackets are available for men and women riders. Most jackets have a vent at the back that helps it to lie smoothly at the back and sit neatly over the back of the saddle. Broadly, there are three different kinds of jackets:

Hacking Jacket, which is a tweed style jacket in various colours navy, brown and green Hunting Jacket, which could also be a tweed style jacket or plain black or navy it could also be a red jacket meant for hunt masters.

Show Jacket, which is a single-coloured jacket, often black or navy blue.

Be careful not to let the buckles hit your horse’s legs. The girth or cinch needs to be secured once the saddle is situated correctly. Do this on the off-side first and be very careful the girth doesn’t hit the legs of your horse. Watch that your horse doesn’t kick you while you’re adjusting his saddle.

Gloves

As a part of competition clothing, a rider should own a good pair of original gloves as well as an everyday general pair of gloves:

Original leather gloves are to be worn while riding for competition.

Everyday general riding gloves are worn whilst hacking, schooling, training and yard duties they are usually made from cotton, crochet, artificial leather and breathable materials.

So I say to you beginners gather as much information as you can and prepare yourself, before you just go out and purchase a horse without any formal knowledge and think your going to train it

Resource Author Francisco R. Higueras
Trabajar desde casa es fácil si sabes como
Todo sobre Juegos para gente que le gusta jugar
Encontrar un Trabajo – Empleo es fácil si sabe dónde buscar

Which Horse Riding Style: Western or English?

Learning how to ride is a very rewarding experience, but it can often be a bit confusing as to which type of riding is most suited to your goals with regards to what you want to do with your horse. A good place to start is by talking to experienced riders. Find out what they like about each style and see which fits you the best. You’ll find that whichever style you choose, you’ll have to comit a good amount of time to learning the basics, and even more if you want to be a competitive rider.

If you are going to compete, knowing what you want to do in the competition is essential before choosing a riding style. If you like the more formal style of dressage, hunt seat and saddle seat, than your choice will be the English riding style. But if you’re the more casual type who prefers a comfy pair of jeans, a cowboy hat and loping the trails or competing in the myriad of western competitive events, then the western riding style is for you. You can ride for pleasure on the trails with either style of riding.

Besides just what events you can compete in there are also differences to the actual riding styles. Western riding tends to be more casual with the rider somewhat relaxed on the back of the horse, longer stirrups with less posting during riding and more firmly affixed to the back of the horse to maintain balance. Western riding also has the reins held in one hand, leaving the other hand free for using a rope. With English riding the rider has shorter stirrups that keep the rider erect and forward in the saddle with reins in both hands. Some English riding will require double reins, one set to direct the motion of the horse and one set to control the head position. English riding also has several different styles including hunt seat, dressage, saddleseat, and endurance. Each of these disciplines has their own style of tack – a dressage saddle, jumping saddle, all purpose saddle, and so on.

Once you make a decision on which style you prefer, make sure you are wearing proper safety equipment, including a riding helmet. This is a must for all junior and novice riders. When you select a style you can always decide to learn the other style at a later date, after all your horse can certainly learn another style, but learning both at the same time is overwhelming and can lead to confusion.

Horses - Wild horses

For most of us, one of the big factors affecting our answer to the question “Do you really want a horse?” is money. What is the average cost of owning horses? Well the fact of the matter is I can’t give you a definite answer due to the fact that cost depends on many different things. Owning a horse can be a very expensive hobby or be managed on a very modest budget. It not so much the initial cost as it is the cost for upkeep

Owning horses or a horse can be a very enjoyable, exciting, educational experience, for the young and old. Or it can also be a dangerous unpleasant experience if the proper knowledge of horse keeping in the suburbs is not pursued previous to buying a horse.

To many people, horses are simply beautiful creatures. But prospective horse owners should look beyond the appearances and know that there are many differences to horses many different responsibilities to owning a horse in urban areas as opposed to rural & agricultural areas.

-You need to learn about buying and how to buy a horse.
– Horse care & handling
– You also need knowledge of horse equipment.

You must also have the proper facility or accommodations for your horse if you have a small piece of land. You’re going to need a proper horse barn or shed, proper turnout area or run, also how are you gonna keep your horse or horses exercised?

It depends on whose trimming and shoeing your horse, once again you get what you pay for. Lastly if you want to supplement your horse the cost can be anywhere from $10 – $30 for a 50lb bag of grain or feed. If you decide to keep your horse at home, all these things you have to consider and more. I hope I have been somewhat of a help to you, because there is so much more to consider depending on your needs

Resource Author Francisco R. Higueras
Trabajar desde casa es fácil si sabes como
Todo sobre Juegos para gente que le gusta jugar
Encontrar un Trabajo – Empleo es fácil si sabe dónde buscar

Learning How To Saddle

Learning to tack a horse can be challenging at first. But with an established routine, both you and your horse will quickly know what what to expect. Having your horse secured with a set of crossties that fasten to the halter from opposite sides at about normal head height is really helpful as this leaves the rider with both hands to work with the tack.

Don’t be in rush to tack up. Take the time to check your horse over first to make sure he hasn’t incurred any injuries or other problems. Slide your hand down each of the legs, pick up the hooves and be sure to pick out all the dirt, mud or debris using a hoof pick. This will give you a chance to check over your horse’s foot for any problems that could cause lameness under saddle. Now that you’ve checked your horse’s legs and hooves, it’s time to give a good brushing to his back and body. Ther are a variety of brushes you can use, but the goal is to get rid of all of the loose, dead hair and any dirt or other debris that could irritate your horse when you place the saddle and saddle pad on.

Since the halter is securing the horse to the crossties, you may want to start with the saddle. Place the saddle pad or blanket straight down on the horses back, just on the highest point of the withers and slide it straight back a fraction of an inch to position it. This ensures that the hair is all flat, if you have to reposition the blanket lift it off the horse, smooth down the hair again with a brush or your hand, then start over.

With the saddle pad or blanket in place, pick up the saddle with your left hand on the horn or pommel and the left hand under the back skirt or the cantle, depending on the saddle type. Make sure you’ve secured the stirrups before placing the saddle. Then place the saddle in the center of the pad just back of the withers. The saddle should be placed in the natural depression that occurs on a horse’s back. If you have a western style saddle, reach under the horse’s belly and grasp the cinch, make sure it is straight and tighten the saddle from the left side. With an English saddle you may need to walk around to the right side and affix the cinch, then move back around to the left to tighten it.

Because of prior bad handling, many horses can be challenging to bridle. Moving quietly, slowly and gently will correct this problem. Don’t become agitated or irritated. Unbuckle the throatlatch and noseband if there is one, then standing in the same direction as the horse on the left side, hold the bit in your left hand and the top of the bridle in your right. Gently bring the top of the bridle up to the top of your horse’s head. This will position the bit just below his lips. Lift the top up and over the ears while gently inserting the bit. Position both the bit and the headstall in the right place, then latch the throatlatch and noseband. Banging your horse’s teeth with the bit is no way to create a willingness to be bridled.

Mounting the horse is the opposite of dismounting and should be done in one fluid movement. Hold the reins in your left hand while grabbing a hanful of mne in your right hand. Using the right hand to hold the stirrup, place your left foot in the stirrup, swing your body up and your right leg up and over the back of the horse, gentle sitting down into the saddle. Put the right foot in the right stirrup and you are all ready to go.

Best horse racing betting handicappers have knowledge that ensures a high profit every time a bet is placed. Bad accommodation can change your winning streak into a losing one. If you really don’t want your profits to vanish in a flash of bad luck, be sure you have the right skills about how the system really work!

No matter what style or method of handicapping you use, make sure it is a systematic one or you will end up in failure every time! The main thing is – don’t let your emotions get in the way. Make sure you can identify your strengths and weaknesses. The trick is to use your emotions to goad you on to victory not failure. Think rationally before you place a bet. You should be able to judge the ability of a horse to compete in the race without being sidetracked by emotions.

Making a bet based on a “liking” or “special fondness” for a particular horse that thundered down the finish line, making you a fine profit in the past, is a mistake! Bear in mind nothing persist consistent in the horse race betting handicappers world! This type of “nostalgia” bet will cost you dearly.

If you apply logic, you can clearly see that each time a horse wins, its burden is bound to increase, thus reducing its chances to win. So it is best to judge a horse on its present form, favorite distance, and handicaps rather than just a fondness for it!

The need to have expert advice on how to make accurate horse racing picks as well as handicapping techniques is obviously on the top of your lists. You can avail of this information in horse racing guides and today it is possible to pour over racing forms and place your bets online at various sites in the USA and Europe. But just picking a winner that is a favorite is not as great a thrill as picking a longshot and seeing it win! Today horse race handicappers are constantly trying their best to find longshots that win the race. Favorites hardly require any skill to pick and then when they do win, they do not pay well.

Handicappers look for longshots whenever provided with an opportunity like the “hidden entry”. This happens when the race track does not couple more than one horse entered by the trainer, in the betting. Often if this is the case, the horse with the higher odds wins and a smart handicapper watches for these horses and bets on them.

Publications on horse racing provide articles and  detailed explanation on the performance statistics of trainers, as well as information about whether the horse is running for the first time with blinkers, or is a first time ‘turf runner’ etc. This type of “trainer moves” or “angles”, are used by handicappers who are savvy enough to play it smart and pick a winning percentage that is high, combining it with the history of the particular trainer making the move.

Best horse race betting handicappers therefore have an idea of the kind of race they are betting on – whether it is a handicapping race or a conditions race. It is important to know this because the amount paid by bookies on each-way bets is different for both these types of races.

animal bedding

Why use recycled-cardboard horse bedding? Largely because of the great benefit to horses, it’s Green, and quite practical for the owner. In our individual attempts to consistently take the high road remaining conscious of our actions and how we affect one another, recycled-cardboard horse bedding and animal bedding is a win-win-win.

There are multifarious advantages of horse bedding and your horse receives them all. Horse bedding supports overall health, cleanliness, and comfort. The same holds for animal bedding meant for pets and other farm animals as well.

We have found the greatest health benefit with horse bedding to be the impact on the respiratory system. Actually, because our recycled cardboard is dust-free you and those in contact with the horse will experience respiratory relief as well. A conservative fifty percent estimate indicates British horses experience respiratory issues in good part because of the dust and mould spores found in traditional bedding materials of wood shavings and straw.

If your horse is affected by Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (C.O.P.D.) or displays symptoms of coughing, discharge of mucus from the nasal passages, labored breathing, or sluggishness, trying recycled-cardboard horse bedding would be a prudent decision.

The use of recycled-cardboard horse bedding also makes cleaning the stall a much easier and more pleasant task. Water seeks its own level, as does horse urine. This being so, the liquid flows from the top layers of the horse bedding to the bottom leaving the upper-most layers of the horse bedding dry and virtually odour free.

To muck out the stable, throw the top layer of dry horse bedding up onto the walls until you reach the saturated layer. This layer needs to be removed and bits of food, hay, and the like that get stuck in here need to be taken out. To freshen the stable, add a bit of new horse bedding to the floor. You would need about one or two bales of new horse bedding per stable each week.

What shall you do with the collected muck? The used horse bedding decomposes at a greater rate than wood shavings or straw. Depending upon your property, you may want to till it into the soil where it will complete breaking down or use it as mulch. The Green aspect of our horse and animal bedding material is an added bonus to an almost perfect product further reducing the carbon hoof print.

Another point worth mentioning is that the recycled-cardboard in the horse and animal bedding passes through high levels of quality check for cleanliness and consistency of end product. The cardboard cutting process leaves the bedding in irregular shapes trapping air leaving the bed warm and comfortable.

Horse bedding can easily be laid from the bale onto the floor. It seldom sticks to the horses or to your clothing, or blankets. Because it is so dry, when a horse finds a piece in its mouth they spit it out. Last but certainly not least, rats and rabbits love animal bedding; and it’s been shown to almost eliminate feather plucking in poultry.

This is our individual attempt to take the high road remaining conscious of our actions and how we affect one another. Come, be a part of the movement.

 

For more information on horse bedding materials and animal bedding options, visit our website at www.eco-animal-bedding.co.uk .

Horse Tack: Saddling Basics

At first, tacking up can seem daunting, but if you have a set routine, you’ll quickly get the hang of it and your horse will to. Having your horse secured with a set of crossties that fasten to the halter from opposite sides at about normal head height is really helpful as this leaves the rider with both hands to work with the tack.

Before putting on the tack it is important to quickly examine your horse and make sure there are no injuries or leg or foot problems. Slide your hand down each of the legs, pick up the hooves and be sure to pick out all the dirt, mud or debris using a hoof pick. Doing this will prevent the chance of riding with a rock in your horse’s foot and risking lameness. It also a good opportunity to check out your horse’s hoofs and whether his shoes are secure. Now that you’ve checked your horse’s legs and hooves, it’s time to give a good brushing to his back and body. Give your horse a good scrub with a stiff brush to get rid of all of the built up hair and dirt, especially around the saddle area where it can cause particular irritation.

Since the halter is securing the horse to the crossties, you may want to start with the saddle. Place the saddle pad or blanket straight down on the horses back, just on the highest point of the withers and slide it straight back a fraction of an inch to position it. This ensures that the hair is all flat, if you have to reposition the blanket lift it off the horse, smooth down the hair again with a brush or your hand, then start over.

With the saddle pad or blanket in place, pick up the saddle with your left hand on the horn or pommel and the left hand under the back skirt or the cantle, depending on the saddle type. Make sure you’ve secured the stirrups before placing the saddle. Then place the saddle in the center of the pad just back of the withers. Horse’s have a natural depression in their back which is where the saddle should be placed. If you have a western style saddle, reach under the horse’s belly and grasp the cinch, make sure it is straight and tighten the saddle from the left side. With an English saddle you may need to walk around to the right side and affix the cinch, then move back around to the left to tighten it.

Most find bridling a horse the most challenging as many horses have learned to evade and throw their heads to avoid the bit. This can be corrected by slow and gentle movements, so always move with a purpose and don’t become excited or angry with the horse. Unbuckle the throatlatch and noseband if there is one, then standing in the same direction as the horse on the left side, hold the bit in your left hand and the top of the bridle in your right. Bring the browband of the bridle above your horse’s head with your right hand, thereby positioning the bit below the lips. Gentleness counts when inserting the bit. Lift the crown of the bridle over the ears and gently insert the bit. Position both the bit and the headstall in the right place, then latch the throatlatch and noseband. Avoid at all cost hitting your horse’s teeth with the bit. It’s painful and will cause him to be reluctant to be bridled in the future.

Mounting the horse is the opposite of dismounting and should be done in one fluid movement. With the reins in your left hand, grasp your horse’s mane in your right hand. Using the right hand to hold the stirrup, place your left foot in the stirrup, swing your body up and your right leg up and over the back of the horse, gentle sitting down into the saddle. Put the right foot in the right stirrup and you are all ready to go.