Horsetraining- Taking Care of Your Horse

Horsetraining is not just about training your horse, it is also about taking care of your horse. In this blog you are going to learn how to properly feed your horse as well as some maintenance things for your horse. In order to insure that your horse is getting everything out of its training, it needs to have a good diet. Alfalfa or hay is a must have. Make sure your hay is not musty or moldy. Before you purchase any hay, smell it. If it smells musty or moldy do not buy it for your horse.

You want your horse to be at a good weight. You do not want to over feed or under feed your horse. If you over feed your horse you may get a very excited horse, this is what I call "full of their oats". They will have a lot of extra energy which you do not want. If you underfeed your horse, he/she may become crabbier than usual. But if I am underfed, I get crabby too. You have to start off with about a couple flakes a day. Depending on the quality of your hay you may need to add or take away its portions.

If you have an older horse like I do, you have to make sure they get all of the nutrition they need to stay healthy. I recommend a senior feed. It is based on older horses and gives them what they are missing in their diet. If they loose weight, they will loose it fast and it will be harder to get that weight put back on. For your younger horses you can give them oats, or something similar to that. But do not give them too much, they only need about half a coffee can once to twice a day, depending on their weight at the time.

With all the feed they eat, they will need to have their hooves trimmed. It is important to do this about every 6-8 weeks. If you do not do this, they can founder and you will not be able to ride or do anything with them. This goes hand in hand with your feed. Do not overfeed your horse, it can cause founder to happen to your horse. It is very painful to horse and is inhumane. Farriers are not that expensive and will keep your horse happy and healthy for many years to come.

Horsetraining- Correct Clothing

In all of my blogs so far I have talked about training, curing bad habits, and the equipment you need for your horse. In this blog I would like to touch on the equipment you need for yourself. Correct clothing during horsetraining is very important. You want to be prepared for whatever may come up. You do not want to wear shorts and flip flops. They are hard to maneuver in, and they do not protect your body if you were to fall.

All people working with horses wear jeans. These jeans are not tight, nor are they too baggy either. You want them comfortable where you can move quickly in them without have any constrictions. Popular brand for the correct clothing are cinch, wrangler, cruel girl, 20X, and Cowgirl. They come in many different styles, so you are sure to find one that fits you perfectly.

Correct Clothing also pertains to your feet. When dealing with horses, it is possible that they may step on your foot a time or two. When this happens you want to be prepared. Always wear a boot. I recommend the lace up boots, then if something happens all they have to do is cut your laces and not your boot. They will protect your feet and give you extra support to your ankles.

Horsetraining- Equipment

Horsetraining equipment is very basic. To start off with, you always need brushes. Usually three different brushes are used. The first brush is the round rubber brush. It will work deep into your horses hair. It loosens up all dirt and extra hair on the horse. The second brush is the stiff brush. It will remove all of that unwanted hair and dirt and make sure there is nothing stuck on your horse that may hurt you horse when putting the saddle on. The last brush used for horsetraining equipment is the soft brush. It puts a shine back in your horses coat and they love it when you brush their face with it!

Out of all the horsetraining equipment, the saddle can be the most complex. When picking out a saddle, you don't just want to pick out the prettiest or flashiest one. You need to pick a saddle that will fit your horse. If it is not comfortable for your horse, it will show when you ride. The second thing to consider is finding one that also fits you. There are different size seats for all sizes of people.

For the last horsetraining equipment you will need a bridle and a blanket for your saddle. The blanket should be consistent with the weather you are riding in. If you are riding in the summer time, you want a very light blanket that also has support for your horse. For winter riding, you will want something thicker for the cooler weather. Bridles are pretty basic. There are different layouts for a bridle. You can get a bridle with one ear, or two, or a whole brow band. They come in many different colors and they are all adjustable in length. When getting a bit with your bridle, all you need is a snaffle. It is kind to your horses mouth.

Horsetraining- Techniques to Cure Bad Habits

With all the techniques out there on horsetraining, it is hard to pick the right one for you and your horse. Remember you want a technique that will not hurt you or your horse. You always want to be safe when horsetraining and picking the right technique. That is the most important tip you can get on horsetraining.

Research your technique and see how you are horse succeed with it. If your horse is not responding to that technique of horsetraining, try another one. Be sure to read books, search on the Internet and talk to people who do own horses to help you with your horsetraining and curing those bad habits. The Internet can be very resourceful and give you many ideas on horsetraining your horse.

Depending on the bad habit, there is usually an easy fix. Horsetraining is complex but to find the right way to approach your horse on these bad habits can be an easy one. Try to find a book on horsetrainng that is just for bad habits. You will more than likely find a book that will have many techniques on horsetraining and correcting those bad habits. It is a one stop shop!