Trail Riding is one of the most fun activities you can do with your horse. It gets you both outdoors, it's great exercise for your horse and you both get to bond by spending time together. When you're trail riding with your horse, be sure to follow a few safety rules that will ensure that you and your horse have a fun and safe ride.

First of all, do not ride alone. Anything can happen on a trail, even a trail you know well. Always try to ride with another person when you trailride. If you choose to ride alone, make a map of where you're going to ride and stick to it, that way in the event an incident delays your return, you can easily be found.

Even the best trained horses can get skittish around other animals and ATVs. When you encounter an ATV on the trail, the other driver should turn off his engine until you pass on your horse, however not all ATV riders are that accommodating so you can either ask or take your horse in a wide berth around the ATV. If your horse begins to get skittish about another animal in the immediate vicinity, simply reassure him and try to distract him until the animal is gone.

Take along adequate water. Dehydration is dangerous, make sure it doesn't happen to you. Always pack along enough water for a day of riding and make sure your horse doesn't overheat either.

Just following these few tips will ensure that you and your horse have a great time every time you go trail riding.

Labels: exercise

Now that we've covered bad training techniques, let's cover some good ones.

When you're training a horse - you need to hold on the training until you establish trust. It doesn't take a lot of time, you just need to be consistent. Even the most profoundly abused and neglected horses will come around quickly when you show them through patience and frequent visits that you mean them no harm and you are to be regarded as a friend.

Once you have the trust of your horse, your training boundaries are limitless. You will have an equine friend that will enjoy working with you and will look forward to your training sessions.
Soft but firm is a good rule when working with a horse. When he challenges your authority (and it's not a question of "if" it's a matter of "when"); gently tell him, "No" to whatever he's doing and talk to him while you distract him by leading him in a circle. Usually one to two walks around in a circle will distract most horses from trying to see if you're still "top horse".

Distraction is another good technique to learn. When your horse is acting out like a naughty toddler and won't listen and won't follow commands. A simple distraction like walking around the pen is a good way to let him get rid of some nervous energy and also calm down.

Biting or kicking are the only times you should really raise your voice in training. Your horse needs to understand both are unacceptable behaviors and if you tell him in a strong voice,"No!". Nearly all horses will back down and discontinue the bad behavior.

Treats are a good way to get your horse to enjoy his training. Most horses will work for treats and praise and you can dwindle the treats and reward him with praise only as your training sessions progress.

Keep working with your horse on a frequent basis. The more you work with him, the more he will trust you and that's a win-win situation for you both!

Labels: exercise, horse-training

Training a horse isn't easy, no matter how good the relationship is between your horse and yourself, he will still have his days he will test you and push your patience to the limit - simply because he can.

A horse can be a wonderful companion and they can also be a one-thousand pound or better bag of mischief. Never let your horse get away with being disrespectful or downright rude to you. How you handle training and discipline of your horse will draw the line on whether you use good or bad training techniques.

First understand how your horse's brain works. Simply put, a horse is wired in his brain at the most primal level as a prey animal. He will consider almost any object or person a potential threat until he has a chance to taste, smell, and touch it and ascertain for himself that the object or person will do him no harm.

Yelling is a bad training technique. It spooks your horse and makes him unsure of you. Unless he is in immediate danger and need to move quickly; avoid yelling at your horse.

Hitting and slapping are another bad training technique that unfortunately many horse owners resort to get their horse's attention. You get his attention and you also teach him to be wary of human hands - they hurt!

Never starve your horse to get him to submit to your will. This is cruel punishment and although many owners equate it with sending a naughty child to bed without dinner - it often turns into days without adequate food and that can be life threatening to a horse.

Use positive training techniques when you work with your horse. You may force him to do something through yelling or slapping - but he'll never respect you and you'll completely miss out on having a horse/human companion relationship that can be fostered strongly through good training methods.

Labels: exercise, horse-training

When you have a horse, you'll find they need a good amount of exercise. Horses that have bowed tendons, which is a painful condition usually found in former race horses that have actually stretched the tendons in their legs, need gentle exercise while they heal. They can usually be reconditioned through light training to be fantastic riding horses but usually need to have been healed about six months to a year before doing so.

Never ride a horse that has had bowed tendons until the vet gives the all clear or you can aggravate the injury and prolong the condition. Exercises for these horses will consist of walking on a lead around eventually up to a good trot as they heal. Take it slow.

If you have a horse that is in good condition, most horses enjoy a good galloping run or a healthy trot through a local riding area. Horses enjoy going for rides in areas they know so they can relax. Try to have a regular place to work your horse out and he'll be a lot more relaxed if he knows beforehand the objects and people he's likely to encounter. Remember, a horse is psychologically wired as a prey animal and can get skittish in new surroundings.

Always cool down your horse after exercising. Just walk him until his breathing is normal and he seems to have cooled down. Working with your horse on a regular basis will give you a healthier and happier equine friend.

Labels: exercise, horse