Horse Riding Girths

Felicity Lightbody will try to inform us on "Applications & Types of Horse Riding Girths" in this article below. Lets hear what she has for us. Happy Reading!

Applications & Types of Horse Riding Girths

Used to make sure the saddle is correctly attached to the horses back, the girth sits around 10 cm behind the horses' front legs. There are a number of types of girth and styles online in the Anything Equine store. They are used for many different disciplines, as described below.

Balding Girths
Made from leather and cut into 3 strips.

Atherstone Girths
Shaped leather with a stronger strip of leather along the centre.

Dressage Girths
Also called a 'Lonsdale' girth. Not as long as other girths and used primarily with dressage saddles. The long billets on dressage saddles allow this girth to be fitted without the buckles interfering with the rider's leg aids. They can be made from leather, strong cotton or padded cotton and in Balding or Atherstone styles.

Unshaped Girths
Can be made from padded cotton or flat heavy cotton, both with webbing reinforcements, or they can also be made from leather.

Over girths
Mostly used when racing. Overgirths are used in addition to a regular girth to provide additional saddle security and are worn around the belly of the horse and across the seat of the saddle.

Stud Guards / Jumping Girths
These are commonly used when show jumping or eventing, they have a large protective pad that sits under the horse's belly, preventing studs or horse shoes from striking the horse's underside as they tuck their front legs up and under when jumping.

Tips
When choosing a girth it is essential that the correct size is chosen, for the horses comfort and for the rider's safety. The girth should spread even pressure across the belly of the horse. The measurement should be taken using a flexible measuring tape from the middle hole of one of the billets on your saddle, under the horse's belly in the position where the girth will sit, then to the middle hole of a billet on the opposite side.

Felicity is a intermittent scribe, writing infrequent pieces in the UK for anythingequine.co.uk who sell equestrian girths and saddlery products. Anything Equine specialise in horse rugs & riding boots in the UK.

How To Choose The Proper Horse Saddle

Are you thinking of owning a horse saddle then this article by By Justin Strader is for you.

Horse Saddles For Sale - How to Choose the Right One

The saddle is one of the most important pieces of horse riding apparel, so there are several things to keep in mind when deciding on horse saddles for sale. First, the riding style must be identified. Usually, this is either English or Western, although there are also specialty ones for activities like polo, dressage, jumping, and racing. In English riding, the rider holds one reign in each hand and tells the horse to turn by gently pulling one reign, which applies pressure to a bit in the horses mouth.

Western-style riders hold both reigns in one hand and tell the horse to turn by shifting their weight or laying the reigns against the horses neck. The western ones are larger and heavier than English saddles and were originally designed for hard-riding cowboys. The riders weight is distributed evenly across the horses back, which allows the horse and rider to be comfortable on long rides.

Dressage saddles allow the riders leg and the horse to have the most contact. The flaps are cut straight and narrow and these saddles have a different cut than an English saddle.

For jumping, a hunt seat saddle is used. This saddle was originally designed for fox hunting and it affords the rider a better position for jumping.

Horse racing requires a flat racing saddle. These are extremely lightweight and have very short stirrups so the rider can lean forward as far as possible.

No matter the activity, the next question is the type of saddle. There are leather saddles, suede saddles, and saddles made from synthetic materials. Leather saddles are the most well known, and a high quality leather saddle can last for years. Synthetic saddles can be lightweight and easy to clean, but may not have the longevity of a leather saddle.

The most important factor for saddles is comfort, for both the rider and the horse. A saddle that does not fit properly can cause back muscle bruising on the horse. Saddle sizes are measured in inches, from the pommel to the cantle. There should be two to three inches of space between the rider and the back of the saddle when seated. In addition, the saddle should stay firmly in place without slipping and it should fit the horse tightly across the shoulders and back without digging in.

There are many saddles to choose from, so it is important to remember your anticipated riding activities when choosing a horse saddle for sale.

For more free tips and advice on Horse Saddles For Sale try visiting http://www.horse-saddles-for-sale.com/.

Some Horse Riding Safety Lessons

So many people will agree with me that horse ridding though a fun activity can also be a very dangerous activity as such there is the need for a horse rider to observe some safety tips. Below are some horse ridding safety tips provided by By Millie Chalk. Enjoy!

The Dangers of Riding Without a Safety Stirrup

Many years ago I had a superintendent of a local school district call me knowing I was involved with kids and horses. Seemed his district had a school sponsored riding program and one of the little girls had in a lesson been dragged to death by the horse she was on. In horror I responded to the news with the question; "why had the safety stirrup not deployed releasing the girl's foot?" His response to my question was; "what's a safety stirrup"?

I was shocked and after explaining the necessity of such precautions and shared with him the realization of how senseless the little girl's death was I warned him that he'd better hope that the parents didn't contact me regarding the tragedy because I would council them to go after the school district for blatant neglect and endangering children's lives.

Maybe it's because my Great Grandfather was dragged to death by a horse but I've always thought it reckless to be riding a horse without some type of safety stirrup. Although a typical western stirrup offers a little more protection against losing one's foot through especially when wearing a western boot it's just careless to ride in an English stirrup without it being equipped to release if a rider gets their foot hung up through a fall and being crazy enough to ride without a boot such as in wearing a tennis shoe is courting disaster.

There are many types of quick release stirrups on the market ranging anywhere from the most common "peacock" stirrup to those on hinges and other designs that are more elaborate. They start at prices as reasonable as $30 to $40 and go up from there depending on how camouflaged you want the safety features. I think the point is you still can be a slave to fashion and have the protection a safety stirrup offers so vanity is no longer an excuse. All of my students use some sort of safety "quick release" stirrup as well as helmets no matter what their age. Why take the chance of going without? In my mind it's just stupid!

My hope is that people will stop being ignorant about this and start realizing how important a simple safety feature can be and that I'll never witness again the sight of a little child being thrown from their pony only for it to be standing there at the jump still attached to the child by their foot hung up in the stirrup. As far as I'm concerned it should be a requirement for any junior just as is now the proper regulation helmets.

Wake up people and especially parents! Do the right thing and put you and your children into proper and safe equipment. Be determined to never ride again without those safety stirrups. I will guarantee there will be a time that you will be grateful you went to the expense and relative little effort!

Millie Chalk (White Star Woman)

Professional horse trainer for 25yrs. and author of historical fiction. Part Cherokee Indian I'm passionate regarding the current struggle of all the first nations feeling most akin for several reasons to the Lakota.

If you'd like to learn more regarding all phases of horseback riding along with horse care and training, check out my website... http://backyardhorseman.com/

How To Fit A Horse Riding Saddle Correctly

Do You want to learn how to fit a Horse Riding Saddle? Then read through this page to discover how.

Correctly Fitting Your Horse Riding Saddle

By Brian Wisz

One of the most important things you can do to ensure the health and comfort of you and your horse is not only to select the right horse riding saddle, but properly fitting that saddle to your horse. Having a bad fit can not only create back ache and muscle pain for the rider, but it also very uncomfortable for the horse. There are companies that will measure you and your horse and suggest a correct saddle size. I highly recommend this service to begin with.

Once you have purchased the correct sized horse saddle, it is also important to remember that the position of the saddle on the horse's back is very important in making sure that the horse is comfortable while being ridden. There are basically three main muscles in the horse's back which can be negatively affected by bad saddle placement. Please familiarize yourself with these muscles and their location on your horse before you attempt to position the saddle on the horses' back.

The first thing you want to do is place the horse riding saddle on the back of the horse forward of the wither. Once you have done this, slide it backward down the horse until it cannot go any further. Do not force it. You should see now that the lowest part of the saddle should correspond to the lowest part of the horse's back. In order to verify that you positioned saddle correctly, the saddle tree should not press on the scapula or shoulder of the horse. It should lie in the groove behind it. This is a common mistake when positioning a saddle. People have a tendency to place the saddle too far up and put pressure on the scapula of the horse. This can hamper the movement of the horse as well as create saddle sores.

Properly fitting your horse saddle to your horse will come easier after the first couple times you do it. It is worth taking the time to learn the correct way to do this in order for your horse to remain happy and healthy.

Brian has been providing online content now for over 5 years. Please visit his latest website at http://www.candlemakingexpert.com to sign up for a free e course on candle making and learn the latest techniques about Candle Making Molds

How To Ride A Horse In A Circle

Do you want to learn how to ride a horse in a circle? Then read on as Carolina White explains how horses are ridden in circles.

Easy Guide to Riding a Horse in a Circle

The simple steps can be broken down into basic riding "seat" position, finding your balance in the saddle. Hand position and the feeling of a soft, but connected feeling in the riders hands. Make a straight line from the horses mouth to the riders elbow. Ask the horse to walk forward by the squeeze and release of your inside legs gluteal and thigh muscles, and the constant pressure of the outside leg.

Continue in the circle with the squeeze and release with the inside hand as well, while keeping the outside hand at a light, but connected contact. Continue around the circle by repeating the steps above. It is important to keep in mind, that these individual steps will be all put together in more of a fluid, repetitive movement. To carry out the cognitive stage of learning presented by Fitt's and Posner's, it would be fit to add in verbal cues. This is a big help to those who are just starting to learn a skill. Verbal cues will be added in order to help the rider connect with the horse by asking him/her what to do verbally.

This can be broken down into a number of different verbal commands, depending on what the horse you are riding was trained to understand. Clicking your tongue on the roof of your mouth will create a clucking noise that is normally the cue for a horse to walk. Another verbal command is simple saying "walk on," if the horse is trained he/she will walk forward. These verbal cues are important because with each click, or verbal cue, it will remind the rider that they must apply a squeeze to the horses side for them to move as well.

Check out Carolina's new sites on Rocky Mountain Hardware and Modern Fan.

Coping With Nervousness When Riding A Horse

Nervousness can be a serious problem for so many people. Learning how to cope with it is one quality a lot of people would want to posses. Read the article below and you will discover some tips that could help you cope with uneasiness when riding a horse.

How to Cope With Nervousness During Horseback Riding Instructions
Written By Jim Milton

If you are a horseback riding student, your trainer will adjust your lessons specifically to you, and as part of your horseback riding instructions, you will need to be prepared to attempt things that are new to you. If this did not occur, your riding skills would not advance.

As your lessons progress, you may find yourself in a situation where you feel uneasy about something that your trainer has asked you to do. This situation is exaggerated further when other riders in your group are able to easily perform the maneuver that is causing you so much anxiety.

What should you do when this occurs?

Take an introspective look at your situation.

You need to confront the true reason that this maneuver makes you nervous.

We can take a look at your first trot to examine this situation. During this task, does the unpredictability of what your horse will do make you anxious, or are you more concerned about how others may look at your inferior riding skills?

If the latter is your main worry, this would be the ideal time to gain the ability to laugh at yourself. Learning to ride is a process that will afford many opportunities to laugh at yourself, so there is no need to take it so seriously. Other individuals in your group will tend not to laugh if you are able to laugh at yourself.

The circumstances are completely different if a sincere fear of becoming injured, is what's bothering you.

Talk Openly With Your Trainer About Your Feelings

Explain exactly how you are feeling to your instructor. By sharing your anxieties with your instructor, they will be able to offer support in helping you get passed them. Many riding students experience fears when learning to ride, and your safety should take precedence over your pride.

Two Alternative Answers:

We would like to share two possible solutions with you, in the event that the trainer's efforts to put you at ease, are unsuccessful.

1. Try riding a different horse

Let's continue to use the example of trotting. If you are concerned about your horse acting up when you attempt to have him trot, you may ask if you can switch horses for a short time, with another rider who is having success trotting with their horse.

This will give you the opportunity to observe your horse working calmly with another rider, and you will feel more confident about asking a horse that you have already seen trotting calmly, to perform this task for you. You will be much more confident getting back on your original horse, after you have seen him behaving well for someone else.

2. Perform requested tasks on the lunge

It will be much less unnerving to attempt a new gait, if you are working on the lunge. This means that there is a long line attached to your horse, and the trainer holds the other end while standing in the center of a twenty meter circle.

This allows you to focus your attention on mastering your balance while sitting on the saddle, because your trainer is managing the steering for you. In the case of learning to trot, you will be going from walking quietly to a gait that is extremely bouncy, therefore, being able to focus just on balancing yourself is quite helpful.

Whenever you are learning new maneuvers on horseback, it is common to feel uneasy at times. The best thing that you can do, is talk to your instructor honestly about your concerns, so that they can help you deal with them.

Read more about horse riding by visiting Jim Milton's horse riding classes website. Milton is an international horse rider who will guide you to be comfortable on your horse with his horseback lessons with video instructions.

Finding A Used Dressage Saddle

Finding quality used dressage saddles isn't that easy as such we need guidance. Read the piece below by Beth Stefani.

Used Western Saddles: Finding the Right Saddle For the Right Price

Buying a western saddle that's been used is often a great choice. Quality saddles maintain their value over time, so you can often buy a top brand previously-owned saddle for the same price as you would a lower quality new one. Your dollar goes a lot farther in the used market and a good quality saddle fits both you and your horse better than something cheaply manufactured.

High quality leather western saddles are usually well cared for, so when they're sold they're often in great shape. Sure, most used saddles will have a scuff here and there, but that adds to their character. It shows they've been put to the test and they've held up to the rigors of riding, unlike some of the poorly constructed new saddles out there.

During your search, take the opportunity to try as many different types, brands, and models of saddles as you can. This will help you narrow down the choice of what will suit you best. Of course, a saddle needs to fit the horse too, so keep that in mind.

So where should you start looking? Start anywhere there are horses. Horse owners and stables may be thinking of changing a saddle they have or making space by selling one they're not using. You'd be amazed what you can find just by asking. If the place or person you visit doesn't have a used saddle for sale, they may know someone who does.

Look first for used western saddles in places where you can see, touch, and inspect them. Look in tack shops or stores selling western tack. Just because a store sells new items doesn't mean that they don't have used tack. Plenty of people upgrade their western saddles and many tack shops will take a used saddle in as a trade in. Some tack stores also have used saddles for sale on consignment. Local used tack sales can be a great source for used saddles. Keep an eye out for sale announcements by local horse groups and at horse shows and other events. Check the newspapers and the local classified publications.

The Internet is also a fantastic place to find a quality used western saddle. On the Internet you're not limited to just your local area which significantly opens up your potential choices. Online sales sites such as eBay, TackTrader.com, and Equine.com provide a wide selection in the used market. Many tack stores also have websites and list their used tack for sale online.

In the online world, a picture says a thousand words, reading the small print matters, and asking questions is a must. You usually won't be able to inspect the saddle before you buy, so make sure you have detailed photos and find out as much as you can prior to buying. Some sellers will give you a try-out period so make sure to ask. Watch out for shipping costs as well - you could get a great bargain on a top-of-the-line saddle but pay a pretty penny to get it from there to here.

When trying to track down the perfect used saddle, take your time. Figure out what you need and don't buy on impulse or because something is a bargain. Your main goal is to get a durable, solid quality western saddle that fits you and your horse the best. You'll save money in the long run, and your horse will thank you for taking the time to pick the perfect saddle.

Beth Stefani is the publisher of the http://www.Western-Saddle-Guide.com and the Western Saddle Blog. Whether you're just starting out with horses or a seasoned horseman, the Western Saddle Guide provides all the information you need to understand, choose, and care for the saddle that's right for you.