Horse Riding Articles
A is for Aids
An ‘aid’ is the name that is given to anything you may use to communicate with your horse whilst riding, driving or working with your horse from the floor. In other words the rider's aids are the language of horsemanship - the language used by the rider to let the horse know what is required of it.
B is for Bits
A snaffle bit is the most common type of bit used while riding horses. It consists of a bit mouthpiece with a ring on either side and acts with direct pressure on to the bars of the horse's mouth. These days there are literally hundreds of different bits to choose from but one should always bear in mind that a bit is only ever as good as the hands holding on to the reins!
A horse is said to be cantering when it moves forward at some speed in a three time beat. All horses canter naturally, most foals prefer this gait you will see them skipping and jumping effortlessly in canter as they run with their mothers. It is faster than trot (generally!) but slower than gallop.
D is for Donkey
Donkeys have been used for over 6,000 years as pack animals working the land. They are now used in the UK as pets, companions for other animals and for donkey rides on the beach.
E is for Equus
Read our article to learn more about the evolution of horses, Equus Ferus Caballus. 55 million years ago the Equus or horse was the size of a small dog with 3 toes. Through evolution this strange aminal adapted its life to become the horse that we all recognise today.
Frankel is thought to be the finest racehorse of all time, Equestrian Escapes pays homage to the equestrian world's answer to Usain Bolt! As he charged to victory in The Queen Elizabeth II Stakes the capacity crowd of 32,000 went wild and even the Queen herself seemed to offer a wave in the direction of Frankel and jockey Thomas Queally.
G is for Girth
Certain horses are very particular about the way their girth area gets handled resulting in a irritable and grumpy tacking up.
Here are a few tips on how to make both your lives a little less stressful resulting in a calmer relationship between you and your fussy filly.
H is for Hands High.
A horse or pony is measured in hands. A hand is a unit of measurement which is equilivent to 4 inches and was originally based on the breadth of a human hand.
I is for Islenki Hesturinn
The Icelandic Horse, is a breed of pony that has lived in Iceland since the mid-800s. They are described as small, hairy and highly addictive with a strong stature and an endearing personality.
J is for Jerez
Jerez de la Frontera is situated in the stunning provence of Andalucia. It lays home to a delightlful variety of culture and tradition adn is the most famous spanish region for horses, labelled the horse capital. It is an equestrian lovers paradise.
K is for Kings Troop
The King's Troop, Royal Horse Artillery is a ceremonial unit of the British Army, quartered at Woolwich. It is a mounted unit and all of its soldiers are trained to care for and drive teams of six horses pulling each of six First World War-era 13-pounder state saluting guns, some horses however posess interesting skills when off duty.
L is for Lazy Horse
As most riders know our four legged equine friends can be a little termperamental at times, and can sometimes slip into a lazy horse routine. There is often a simple explination, here are a few tips to reignite your horse's energetic demeanor and get his mojo back, making life easier for you and your horse.
M is for Miniature Horse
Miniature horses are found in many nations, particuarly America and Europe.While miniature horses are the size of a very small pony, many retain horse characteristics and are considered "horses" by their traits and character. Koda is a miniatures horse who was born just 59cm tall.
N is for Nautical the Horse with the Flying Tail
The Horse with the Flying Tail is a 1960 American documentary film by Walt Disney Pictures. The film won the Best Documentary award at the 33rd Academy Awards. The movie is about the palomino horse, Nautical, who won the team gold medal at the 1959 Pan American Games.
O is for Olympics
The Olympic games are an International event that cover a wide range of different sports, the equestrian sports held at the event are Dressage, Show Jumping and Eventing with both team and individual medals awarded for each discipline.
P is for Points. Here is an insight into the anatomic details of a horse and the lingo that accompanies the horse world and everyone in it. From points of the hoof to individual markings, there is alot more terminology to the four legged friends then meets the eye.
Q is for Quarter Horse
The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. It is the most popular breed of Horse in America with over 5 million registerd with the American Quarter Horse Association.
R is for Red Rum
Red Rum was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse who achieved an unmatched historic treble when he won the Grand National in 1973, 1974 and 1977, and also came second in the two intervening years. The world-famous steeplechase is a notoriously difficult race that has been referred to as being "the ultimate test of a horse’s courage".
S is for Stable
Often horses are kept in stables long periods of time, so it is imperitive that they are kept in a clean, spacious and comfortable environment.
U is for Unicorn
The unicorn is a legendery animal from European folklore.There's no doubt the unicron has become part of most mythologies and traditions. It's a marvelous, mystical creature of hope and possibilities.
V is for Vaulting
Vaulting is most often described as gymnastics and dance on horseback. It can be practiced either competitively or non-competitively. Vaulting has been an equestrian act at the circus from its early days and has now become a promising new equestrian sport.
So you would like to go horse riding. What should you consider when thinking of taking up horse riding? The two organisations that set standards for riding schools in Britain are the British Horse Society (BHS) and the Association of British Riding Schools (ABRS). Any riding school approved by one or both of these organisations should definitely be your first port of call.
Want to go to the World Equestrian Games in Normandy 2014? Look here for tickets, travel and accommodation.
X is for Xenophon
Xenophon, was a soldier, mercenary, and a contemporary admirer of Socrates. He wrote ‘The Art of Horsemanship’. The Art of Horsemanship is the earliest known work on the horse and how to ride it
Y is for Yellow Horse
Palomino is a coat color in horses, consisting of a gold/yellow coat and white mane and tail. Due to their unusual color, palominos stand out in a show ring, and are much sought after as parade horses.