Tuesday 31 May 2011
Monday 23 May 2011
Wednesday 11 May 2011
Trail Riding Tips
Do you want trail riding tips?
Horse trail riding is full of fun and adventure. However, it can go bad quickly when you or your horse suffer injuries and other problems on the trail that could have been avoided with proper horse training. Trail riding with your horse can be pleasurable for you and your equine, but it requires preparation and alertness. You must be extremely aware of every detail so your trail ride will go as smoothly as possible. Max the potential of fun and adventure by following these three important guidelines in horse trail riding.
Tip No. 1 – Preparation
Prepping for the trail ride is perhaps the most important procedure. Good fortune comes to those who are prepared. Prior preparation prevents poor performance.
- Preparing the horse includes cleaning the horse's feet with the ever-useful hoof pick. After cleaning and maintaining the feet, make sure that the shoes are tight and comfortable.
- Groom the horse thoroughly particularly on the areas where the tack will touch him. This is to prevent discomfort on the part of the animal.
- The saddle pad should be clean and pulled forward and up over the withers to create air space over withers and back . The saddle pad should perfectly fit the horse.
- Adjust the bridle properly. Make sure that there are no loose straps or pinching. The leathers should be always oiled and in good condition. The halter should be fitting as well.
- If using a halter under the bridle, the lead rope should be coiled and fastened onto the saddle so the horse has room to move it's head. – Hydrate the horse before starting on the trail.
- You should dress accordingly. It is best to dress in layers, or to bring appropriate gear for any weather. Wear a hat or at least, bring one and apply sunscreen.
Tip No. 2 – What to bring
Trail riding is almost like camping. Here are some things that you should bring with you:
- Current Coggins / health / brand inspection
- Pocket knife – Insect repellent – Jacket – Water – Hat
- Lip balm – First aid kit for horses and riders
- Gloves
- Cell Phone in case of emergency
- Form of identification
- Hoof pick
- Fly Spray
- Compass
- String or leather for tack repair
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Snacks
- Rain gear
The things listed are self-explanatory. You should be able to know their purposes, or be riding with an experienced person who knows how to use each piece of equipment.
Tip No. 3 – Rules on the Trail
Last but not least you should know what to do and not to do when on the trail.
- Even the most trained of horses can get spooked if startled. Therefore, make sure that you are aware of your surroundings. Less surprises, the better.
- A kicking horse should be tied with a red ribbon in the tail.
- Maintain space between you and the next horse.
- Make sure that the horse you are riding is suitable for you in terms of riding skill level and the degree of bond or connection.
- Stay on the trail and never separate with the group. If you want to leave, make sure to inform the group.
- When making a rest stop, loosen the horse's cinch and lift up back of saddle and pad so air can get to his back and cool it.
- Always pay attention to your animal and your surroundings.
- Make way for fellow users of the trail. Be respectful of space and clean up after yourself and your animal.
- Bring a highline or picket for your animals so as not to damage trees.
Horse trail riding is full of fun and adventure. However, it can go bad quickly when you or your horse suffer injuries and other problems on the trail that could have been avoided with proper horse training. Trail riding with your horse can be pleasurable for you and your equine, but it requires preparation and alertness. You must be extremely aware of every detail so your trail ride will go as smoothly as possible. Max the potential of fun and adventure by following these three important guidelines in horse trail riding.
Tip No. 1 – Preparation
Prepping for the trail ride is perhaps the most important procedure. Good fortune comes to those who are prepared. Prior preparation prevents poor performance.
- Preparing the horse includes cleaning the horse's feet with the ever-useful hoof pick. After cleaning and maintaining the feet, make sure that the shoes are tight and comfortable.
- Groom the horse thoroughly particularly on the areas where the tack will touch him. This is to prevent discomfort on the part of the animal.
- The saddle pad should be clean and pulled forward and up over the withers to create air space over withers and back . The saddle pad should perfectly fit the horse.
- Adjust the bridle properly. Make sure that there are no loose straps or pinching. The leathers should be always oiled and in good condition. The halter should be fitting as well.
- If using a halter under the bridle, the lead rope should be coiled and fastened onto the saddle so the horse has room to move it's head. – Hydrate the horse before starting on the trail.
- You should dress accordingly. It is best to dress in layers, or to bring appropriate gear for any weather. Wear a hat or at least, bring one and apply sunscreen.
Tip No. 2 – What to bring
Trail riding is almost like camping. Here are some things that you should bring with you:
- Current Coggins / health / brand inspection
- Pocket knife – Insect repellent – Jacket – Water – Hat
- Lip balm – First aid kit for horses and riders
- Gloves
- Cell Phone in case of emergency
- Form of identification
- Hoof pick
- Fly Spray
- Compass
- String or leather for tack repair
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Snacks
- Rain gear
The things listed are self-explanatory. You should be able to know their purposes, or be riding with an experienced person who knows how to use each piece of equipment.
Tip No. 3 – Rules on the Trail
Last but not least you should know what to do and not to do when on the trail.
- Even the most trained of horses can get spooked if startled. Therefore, make sure that you are aware of your surroundings. Less surprises, the better.
- A kicking horse should be tied with a red ribbon in the tail.
- Maintain space between you and the next horse.
- Make sure that the horse you are riding is suitable for you in terms of riding skill level and the degree of bond or connection.
- Stay on the trail and never separate with the group. If you want to leave, make sure to inform the group.
- When making a rest stop, loosen the horse's cinch and lift up back of saddle and pad so air can get to his back and cool it.
- Always pay attention to your animal and your surroundings.
- Make way for fellow users of the trail. Be respectful of space and clean up after yourself and your animal.
- Bring a highline or picket for your animals so as not to damage trees.
Mobile Home
http://www.robertsaunders.co.uk/pages/frame.html
http://www.roughgear.co.uk/
http://www.roughgear.co.uk/Product.aspx?product=716
http://www.landmarkstores.com/departments/outdoor/outdoor-gear/gadgets-and-toys/Products/Grilliput-Grill-Portable-Bbq.aspx
http://www.landmarkstores.com/departments/outdoor/outdoor-gear/gadgets-and-toys/Products/Luger-MD-6x30-Spotter.aspx
http://www.wintec.net.au/products/endurance/endurancePro.html
http://www.roughgear.co.uk/
http://www.roughgear.co.uk/Product.aspx?product=716
http://www.landmarkstores.com/departments/outdoor/outdoor-gear/gadgets-and-toys/Products/Grilliput-Grill-Portable-Bbq.aspx
http://www.landmarkstores.com/departments/outdoor/outdoor-gear/gadgets-and-toys/Products/Luger-MD-6x30-Spotter.aspx
http://www.wintec.net.au/products/endurance/endurancePro.html
Saddle Bags & Comfortable Things!
http://www.performance-equestrian.com/cat/CatIndex.asp?d=2&s=1
http://www.burls.co.uk/shop/ortlieb-horse-panniers-saddle-bags-p-612.html
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/sentier-saddle-bag-133793464/
http://www.totally-tack.co.uk/acatalog/cottage_craft_merion_sheepskin_saddle_seat_saver.html
http://www.easycareinc.com/other_products/stowaway_packs.aspx
It is literally unbelievable how exciting this is!
Saddle Bag carrying plate
http://transylvanianhorseman.typepad.com/whitehorsepilgrim/2009/01/index.html
http://www.burls.co.uk/shop/ortlieb-horse-panniers-saddle-bags-p-612.html
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/sentier-saddle-bag-133793464/
http://www.totally-tack.co.uk/acatalog/cottage_craft_merion_sheepskin_saddle_seat_saver.html
http://www.easycareinc.com/other_products/stowaway_packs.aspx
It is literally unbelievable how exciting this is!
Saddle Bag carrying plate
http://transylvanianhorseman.typepad.com/whitehorsepilgrim/2009/01/index.html
BHS scores high!
Just been speaking to a very helpful lady at the BHS .... this site is amazing! http://www.emagin.org/ If you are planning a trip consider this vital.
Friday 6 May 2011
Boring Tips for Planning An Adventure
- Select and Research a Destination
- Establish Your Budget
- Design Your Itinerary and Make Your Travel Arrangements
- Travel With an Open Mind
- Share Your Adventure
The BFG
So, £4500 eh. That is what the BFG is going to cost. Hmmm, maybe walking or perhaps saddling up Maggie might be more cost effective. Mind you , you would n't scrimp on something that is going to carry you around the whole country surely? I have found one that I like Hillmoor Gambler. Could he have a better name?
With my extensive horse purchasing expertise I have decided with follow the Steph Law. Steph is a good friend of mine, she runs a riding holiday place on wild exmoor www.spiritofexmoor.com . Steph has been working with horses for years and still buys them on the basis on their mane and tail, how hard can that be?
Does Banshee's Hogan sound worrying to you? Lovely but unbroken, there is the line I will not cross!
I have decided I need a clydesdale about 16hh. With a calm nature and seriously sound. Right now I just need to find someone to give it to me.
With my extensive horse purchasing expertise I have decided with follow the Steph Law. Steph is a good friend of mine, she runs a riding holiday place on wild exmoor www.spiritofexmoor.com . Steph has been working with horses for years and still buys them on the basis on their mane and tail, how hard can that be?
Does Banshee's Hogan sound worrying to you? Lovely but unbroken, there is the line I will not cross!
I have decided I need a clydesdale about 16hh. With a calm nature and seriously sound. Right now I just need to find someone to give it to me.
RECON
So far I have spent an hour investigating the sort of things I might find useful/essential on the trip. Other than a horse, there are items such as saddle bags, weighted gel pads, electric fencing, high lines, low lines and spare reins. Perhaps rather than looking in the high performance endurance competition sites I might be better advised to look for advice from a tinker. Move, Eat, Sleep That is the mantra. I know there will be a few pieces of serious kit required because I am a gadget junkie and a virgoan packing fascist, also very tempting in a travelling companion I am sure!
I have been researching gypsy caravans, which are comfy, traditional and secure. All great words for describing staying at home and not going on an adventure! In true business planning style, I pretty much owe Business Link, the free government support business planning training service, an empire after the amount of courses I did. I am sure they will be delighted to hear I am planning to use the strategising for success planning model to work out what to take on a camping holiday.
So key words include, freedom, flexibility and comfort.... and safety. The robbery was not that long ago.
So that sounds to me like I should be travelling light, be prepared for different terrains and have a very comfy sleeping set up. This obviously applies to both Horse and Dog. I would not be expecting them to pack for themselves.
I wonder if horse has any inkling that one day a borderline bi-polar overweight woman will be asking it to carry her around the whole country. It is going to need to be a special horse. A strong friendly beast, a bit like the BFG. I knew a horse called Prince once, he was a shire horse. His feet were as big as plates. Weirdly when he stood on your foot it hurt less than eddie. Possibly a physics question but more likely a stubborn shetland thing.
SO another question is, does this rite of passage need to be conducted solo? I have friends who would probably love to hitch for a while, and in the spirit of adventure is there anything to say that they should be on horseback? No. Kayak, Bike, Foot or even car!
Here is a list of some of the questions that have strolled past my consciousness this morning....
What if I need the loo in a busy town centre, what will I do with Dog and Horse? No idea.
How will I wash my clothes, and self?
Will it be possible to swim in rivers?
Will there be bandits? There was an english teacher at my school and she was stabbed in the middle of the yorkshire moors by her walking companion, perhaps I should re-think letting people tag along.
What will we eat? Mainly worried about horse and dog for this. I am reasonably confident I can find grub.
How much grass do horses need each day?
Can dogs eat grass?
Can dog carry her own food.
How much water should we have on board?
Should I be taking two horses, and a support team, and a mobile home?
Where do you park a horse in the supermarket car park?
Where do you park a horse in the pub?
Should there be rules about how many if any nights spent with a roof over my head?
What if we all contract crippling diarrhoea?
So in order to maximise my chances of success I am now going to visualise my ideal day on the trip. ….
Wake up refreshed, have a wash in the stream, bacon and eggs on the camp stove. Clean kit and pack up self. Healthcheck all team members, Tack up BFG and feed Maggie. Look at map, apply suntan lotion and put on hat. Check rations and plan supply pick up.
Ride for several hours, pass beautiful spots, valleys, hill tops, light breezes. Stop for a cup of coffee, draw landscape... and take a photo incase true beauty not captured fully in biro scribble.
Swim in a lake. Ride for two more hours stop set up camp, play guitar (nb learn guitar before trip) ((nnb. Learn ukele as BFG might think guitar is a bit cheeky)).
5 Things TO DO before you DIE
It began with a game of five things.... five things to do before you die. Build a house, trekking in Nepal, Visit the Shetland Isles, cannot remember one but the key one, ride a horse around the uk.
Inspired by the bloke that travelled hundreds of miles to visit his brother on a lawnmower in the states, The Straight Story http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1pKEI-Sv-8. What appeals to me about the notion of travelling around the UK on horseback is fact that unlike bicycle or car, horseback is a steadier pace, I could walk but I am intrinsically lazy. I am fairly sure I will be walking lots of the way anyway!
I have never attempted an epic journey but now feels like the right time to start planning one. In the future I might have kids or be busy building my house, or I might just die and seeing as I now have to do it before I die... perhaps now is as good a time as any, seeing as I am not actually dead.
I should add now that I am not a great rider. I am terrified of jumping, I look hideous in jodphurs, pony club camp was not a bonding experience for me. I love horses they are generally gentle friendly creatures who like being outdoors and that sounds like a good travelling companion to me. I should also make it clear that all things being well my dog Maggie May will also be tagging along.
So what is the point, the why of the plan. I love being outdoors, I like cooking on a campfire, I like to occasionally operate outside of modern day lifestyle constructs. I want to go on an adventure, one that requires endurance, adaptability, demands innovation and tests my resilience.
My hackney community project was robbed last year. I ran a small but lively acupuncture clinic that offered low cost treatment. A man walked in with a story about being a recovering heroin addict and out with the contents of the till. Ever since then I have felt less gutsy and outdoor escapes help me to regain a sense of my self and my tenacity.
I have no idea where to start with planning my trip a few things to note are... I don't actually have a horse, I have never camped with a horse and a dog, I have a history of back pain and a tendency to whinge. So while I know I do not sound like an ideal travel companion I am reasonably sure there will be a lot of laughing and some very intresting moments.
I grew up on a farm in warwickshire. I had a pony, his name was Eddie. He was a welsh mountain crossed with a shetland. He was made of stronger stuff than anyone I ever met and he lived on top on the dung heap. He was a palamino piebald. He used to be the pack pony for my mums riding holiday business. My brothers used to tell me that pritstick was made from ponies' hooves. They called it Eddystick.
I can ride, just not fast down hill or over jumps. I don't remember learning how. I have had some lessons but by and large I think I find a sort of middle ground with a horse and hope we will get on ok. I have no idea how I am going to find THE horse for the trip. I have a slight leaning towards a heavier horse but that is largely because I am generously proportioned, maybe not fat but heavier!
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