What Horse Supplies Do I Need To Enjoy Riding? By Candice Sabrina

If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride. Or so the old saying goes. However, wishes were horses but not horse supplies as well, then the beggars in question would not be riding.

To begin with, anyone who wishes to ride a horse, will need horse supplies in the form of tack. Even the roughest rider who enjoys bareback riding will require a bridle, and most of us would prefer to have a saddle between us and the horse's spine.

Most saddlers will stock a variety of bridles and saddles, along with a selection of different types of bit, depending on the needs of you and your horse. Other tack items available at a good retailer of horse supplies should include halters, cruppers and breastplates. Other horse supplies are more concerned with the horse’s comfort and well-being.

A horse kept stabled will require good quality food, ranging from the traditional hay and oats to more modern pellets and grain mixes. Racehorses and show horses in particular will require very high quality, high energy feed and supplements in order to perform at their peak.

A horse kept outdoors in pasture will also require hay and other feed supplements, especially over winter. A horse kept in pasture will also require a cover to protect it from the elements, and occasionally an additional neck rug.

Even if you are using your horse for everyday hacking rather than competitions, you will still require a few more items in the way of horse supplies. Grooming is a pleasure for both horse and rider, and for this you will require a body brush or dandy brush at the very least.

A hoofpick is also a vital piece of equipment in order to ensure that your horse's hooves are in good condition and to make sure that the sensitive frog of the hoof is not being damaged by stones or other hard objects.

If you choose to leave your horse 'barefoot', you will still need to care for your horse’s hooves, which sometimes means filing them - which in turn means a specialized file. Stables and fields alike need to be kept clean from droppings, so a good set of implements such as a shovel, a rake and a wheelbarrow are vital, although you do not need to buy these at a specialist horse supplies retailer - any good garden or hardware shop should stock these.

If you wish to use your horse in competitions, you will need further equipment, and extra grooming equipment such as curry combs and hoof oil are just some of the items on your list. A horse trailer is vital for transporting your mount to the location of the competition.

The feet and legs of your horse will need to be protected with brushing boots and/or bandages. As turnout is an important part of many shows and gymkhanas, you will also require a collection of ribbons for braiding into the mane according to competition standards. Western riding, of course, has its own set of equipment and requirements, chief of which is the specialized Western saddle.

Other supplies could be better referred to as 'people supplies.' These are the essential items for the rider. The most important of these is the hard hat or helmet, which comes in a range of styles and types, depending on your needs and any showing you hope to be doing.

Jodhpur boots are robust enough to work outdoors in or if a horse accidentally treads on your foot, but are also shaped to slide in and out of the stirrup easily - hiking boots and Wellington boots run the risk of being caught in the stirrup, which can lead to horrific consequences in the case of a fall. These items of protective clothing, plus others, can easily be bought at a good horse supplies retailer.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=156190&ca=Pets

Miniature Horses, Ponies - What's The Difference? By Candice Sabrina

When most of us start out learning about horses, we are told that a horse is a member of Equus caballus that is over 14 hands high (a hand, we quickly learned, is 10 cm). A pony, on the other hand, was defined as a member of the same species that was less than 14 hands. Now, miniature horses are always much smaller than 14 hands, so why are they called miniature horses rather than ponies?

The answer lies in the proportions. Most ponies are cobby in build (rounded and stocky - think of drawings by the cartoonist Thelwell), while many breeders of miniature horses (often affectionately referred to as 'minis') prefer to breed for proportions that are more like that of a 'regular' horse. The American Miniature Horse Registry (AMHR) suggests that a 'mini' is ideally 'a small, sound well-balanced horse' that, if photographed without anything to give a sense of size, should look identical to a full-sized horse.

As expected, size matters. The AMHR recognizes two categories of miniature horses: those in the 'A' division are less than 82 cm (34 inches) at the withers, which is defined as being the last hair of the mane, while the “B” category covers horses 34–38 inches at the withers. The American Miniature Horse Association, however, does not recognize horses over 34 inches. A miniature horse is always measured in centimeters or inches, but never in hands.
If they were measured in hands, the largest 'minis' would be around 8 or 9 hands (by way of comparison, an average Shetland pony measures 10 hands). 'Minis' come in all color types, including the more exotic types like pinto and palomino as well as the more mundane bays, greys and chestnuts. Whatever size of color they are, miniature horses have been in the world for a surprisingly long time.

In the Renaissance and Restoration periods, they were occasionally found in private menageries as curiosities. At the other end of the economic spectrum, miniature horses also had their uses as pit ponies hauling coal in the mines.
There are also some who hold the view that some of the fossilized horse remains classified as ancestors of Equus caballus are actually the fossilized remains of 'minis.' There may be some uncertainty about the dating, but the fossils certainly have the right size and skeleton structure.

Since the 20th century, miniature horses have been developed as a breed and refined to the animals that they are today, and this work is ongoing. The most widely known breed of miniature horse is the Falabella, which originated in Argentina.

'Minis' are still kept as curiosities in petting zoos and farm parks, but they also have a wider range of roles. They are, of course, unsuited as riding animals, because of their size, but are often shown competitively and can be used for light harness work. Their most noteworthy work is therapeutic, as they are often used to provide interaction and comfort to the elderly, and in working with autistic children.

Resource: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=154684&ca=Pets