Riding Without Stirrups

Posted on December 1, 2020 by blogeditor

Did you know that riding without stirrups can benefit you? Riding without stirrups builds leg strength. It will be even easier to stay in position with stirrups, if you can hold your position without them. Likewise, riding without stirrups boosts your stamina in the saddle. The following are some tips on how to practice. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Tips On Riding Without Stirrups

Just like any other form of practice, before taking your feet out of the stirrups, make sure to do a warm up. Going straight into a ride without your feet in the stirrups can be dangerous if you are not an experienced rider. Warming up and working up gradually to this is the safest way to go. Warm up at different gaits to capture your horse’s attention and fine-tune your body position while your feet are still secure. The more you warm up the more confident you’ll be and your horse will be focused on what you want to work on.

Gently slide your feet out of the stirrups while your horse is standing still. Ride slowly at first and then work up to a gait. If you’ve been practicing this a lot, challenge yourself by standing in the saddle. Push your hipbones forward toward the pommel of the saddle and use your inner thighs to lift your seat. Be careful not to lean forward. You can only do this if you’ve built strength by regularly practicing these exercises. Novices should work with someone watching from the ground. Working with a trainer from one of Colorado’s many horse training centers, is also a great way to improve your skill.

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Rein Positions You Should Know

Posted on December 1, 2020 by blogeditor

One of the first things novice riders must learn is how to hold their reins or their rein positions. Pressure from reins leads to different reactions from the horse and keeps riders in control. With proper control over their horse, riders are more confident and can gain the skills to advance their horsemanship. The following are some beginner’s rein position you can practice with your horse. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Rein Positions To Practice

Remember, the right rein is responsible for the horse’s right front and left hind feet. Likewise, the left rein controls the horse’s left front and right hind feet. On average, 60-percent of the horse’s weight is on the front legs, and about 40-percent is on the hindquarters. This means that moving the hindquarters is a little easier because it carries less of the horse’s weight.

Use a direct rein to draw the horse’s front feet. Any slight movement and the horse’s nose and front feet move in the direction they’re being led. The rein position that moves the horse’s hind feet is called an indirect rein. Practice lifting your rein across the horse’s withers and then rotates your pinky toward your shoulder, with your fingernails turned upwards. This puts a different sort of leverage on the bit that holds the front end in place and moves the hind end away. If you are a beginner, always practice with a more experienced rider. Also, there are a lot of great horse training centers in Colorado that can help you with your rein positions.

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Taming The Spoiled Horse

Posted on December 1, 2020 by blogeditor

The role horses have played in our development has certainly changed over the years. Historically, horses shaped the way we used to farm and travel. However, modern horses are more recreational. Modern horses are very well cared for, which is great, but it can also lead to a spoiled horse. This could lead to negative behavior and even a dangerous riding partner. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Tips For The Spoiled Horse

The term Princess Complex refers to horses that are coddled and allowed to get away with bad behavior. A spoiled horse is more likely to injure someone, depending on how much they are used to being handled. A horse with little or no handling is more easily spooked. Attempting to handle a spooked horse is what leads to injuries. On the other hand, a horse with good handling and a disciplined daily routine is far less dangerous.

Don’t worry if your horses have established princess complex. Though it can be a slow and sometimes difficult process to bring them back, it is definitely possible. Horses can be taught that their life is more rewarding when they behave, which will reinforce good behavior. This will take training and praising your horse when they’ve done a good job. The only way to defend against a spoiled horse is to decide on a set of fundamental rules for both of you early in the horse’s development. Remember to establish rules that you can consistently enforce and reinforce if your horse challenges you. For more help, talk to a professional horse trainer.

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Horse Treats For The Holidays

Posted on December 1, 2020 by blogeditor

Horses owners know that their horses are just as much a part of the family as uncle John and Aunt Jane. This means that they also deserve a gift for the holidays. Though your horse will no doubt appreciate a new harness or winter blanket, there might be something they’ll like more for the holidays. Homemade horse treats! Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Homemade Horse Treats

Before making equine holiday snacks, take this into consideration. Though some horses can have a few daily snacks, others gain weight easily. This takes knowing your horse’s temperament and habits. Therefore, only give snacks in moderation so it doesn’t interrupt a normal, nutritious diet. Try breaking down the horse treats into very small amounts at first to gauge your horse’s reaction. This way if your horse has a negative reaction, like becoming too hyper, then you can stop giving it to them.

The great thing about holiday horse treats is that you can make them using just about anything that is safe for horses to eat. The most popular ingredients are carrots, apples, oats, molasses and peppermint, but you can substitute what your horse doesn’t like for things that they do. There are a ton of cookies, bars and muffin recipes online that are simple to make and easy to feed. Here are a few horse treat recipes for the holidays that we’ve found popular among our community members. If you have a recipe that you’d like to share with the rest of the Colorado Horse Property community, then please share it in the comments below. And to all the horse owners out there, we wish you and your horse family a happy holiday.

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Colorado Horse Training

Posted on November 2, 2020 by blogeditor

With around 256,000 horses reported in recent years, Colorado has some of the best horse training centers in the country. If you are looking to improve your Colorado horse training between lessons, here are a few tips. Also, are you looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado? Colorado Horse Property has the largest database of horse properties in Colorado. We also have a staff of horse-person realtors ready to help. Contact Colorado Horse Property today!

Steps To Improve Your Colorado Horse Training

A common thing that beginners get wrong is the length of their stirrups. Obviously riders come in all shapes and sizes, but there is an easy rule to follow. The irons should hit your ankle bones when you sit in the saddle with your feet out of the stirrups. It also depends on the size of the horse. If you’re on a narrow horse, then you might need to shorten your stirrups. If you’re on a wide-barreled horse, you will probably need bring the stirrups out a few notches.

You may have already saddled up, but if you’re not sure if your stirrups are the proper length, you don’t have to take everything off and start over. Simply take your feet out of the stirrups and allow your legs to hang down by your horse’s sides. As we mentioned previously, the bottoms of the stirrup irons should be about level with your ankles. If you’re having problems seeing, ask a friend on the ground to analyze your leg position when your feet are in the stirrups. Your stirrup should be on the ball of your foot. Position your legs so that your heels are directly underneath your hips. With a proper stirrup length your balance will improve and you can practice what your trainer has taught you more efficiently.

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Easing Horse Tensions

Posted on November 2, 2020 by blogeditor

Just like tensions found in human athletes, horse tensions can greatly reduce their ability to train. In extreme cases, horses are so tense that they cannot perform certain maneuvers. This can lead to frustration and anxiety, which in turn leads to increased tension. Fortunately, there are some things horse owners can do to stop this cycle. Also, are you looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado? Colorado Horse Property has the largest database of horse properties in Colorado. We also have a staff of horse-person realtors ready to help. Contact Colorado Horse Property today!

Dealing With Horse Tensions

Depending on how bad the tension has become, dealing with horse tension is a long road. Tension can be physical and mental. Before you can deal with any tension, first figure out the cause. Start by evaluating your horse’s fitness and confidence. If these aren’t at a good level it could be due to the quality of training that they’re getting. Make sure your horse is not getting overworked and getting enough warm-up time before training. Equipment or tack that doesn’t fit on your horse properly can cause pain and tension. Sometimes it helps to get an outside perspective on things, so ask another skilled trainer to take a look at all the pieces.

Once you’ve pinpointed the cause, always tackle the mental tension first. There’s more work to do than just simply removing the physical cause. Fear of the problem returning will cause your horse to stay tense. When your horse tenses up, take the time to comfort them and slowly remove that fear. Your horse will learn that they can look to you to release pressure and will be more inclined to relax.

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Horse Care Essentials

Posted on October 30, 2020 by blogeditor

Horse owners will be the first person to tell you that taking care of an equine is no simple task. Thankfully there are commercial items that horse owners can buy that makes their lives a little easier. Below are some of the horse care essentials we’ve heard about over the years from the amazing horse owners that we’ve worked with in the past. Are you looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado? Colorado Horse Property has the largest database of horse properties in Colorado. We also have a staff of horse-person realtors ready to help. Contact Colorado Horse Property today!

Colorado Horse Care Essentials

Some horses tend to hold heat in the legs, that can make physical activity difficult. If you have this problem, Icetight should be in your tack room. This is a medicinal clay poultice that can help reduce the heat. Another great product to have on hand is AluShield. This is a liquid bandage. Accidents do happen and a one-size-fits-all bandage doesn’t always work for horses. Liquid bandages are great for wounds in hard to reach places. They keep the flies away and protects the area from getting dirty. These products are great, but not all horse care essentials need to be name brand.

If you train with your horse, a cooling liniment is great to use in between sessions. Similar to Icetight but not as strong, cooling liniments help horses heal after training. If you only take your horse on well-traveled trails, then your horse might not be shod (don’t have horseshoes). You should have a pair of horse boots around just in case you find yourself riding on rocky trails or pavement. Even shod horses can accidentally lose their horseshoes, so having horse boots on hand can help in emergencies.

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What Are Longe Lessons?

Posted on October 30, 2020 by blogeditor

Inexperienced riders looking for a way to work on their positions without pulling on the reins should ask their trainers about longe lessons. Though there are some great ways to practice skills without aid, you’ll need help with this one. You need to have an instructor who is skilled at longeing to help from the ground. You’ll also want to practice on a quiet horse who is experienced working on the longe line.

How To Perform Longe Lessons

Keeping a steady position in the saddle is an important skill of riders. Bouncing while riding or digging stirrups against the horse’s side will irritate them. It is easier to be thrown from a horse when you are bouncing and the horse is agitated. Practice by longeing your horse with the stirrups down. Begin at a walk and build up to a trot slowly over time. During a mounted longe session, knot your reins and loop them over your horse’s neck so they don’t fall down around their legs. To help you find balance in the saddle try putting your hands on your hips or holding them straight out to the sides.

Focus on keeping your back straight and your body centered over the middle of the horse. If you are having trouble getting it, try gently wrapping your legs around your horse’s sides. This will draw your seat down into the saddle. The more you practice the more you’ll find your balance. A lot of it comes with confidence, that only time and practice gives you. Are you looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado? Colorado Horse Property has the largest database of horse properties in Colorado. We also have a staff of horse-person realtors ready to help. Contact Colorado Horse Property today!

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The Growing Sport of Horse Archery

Posted on October 6, 2020 by blogeditor

Horse archery is a widely unknown horse sport. Because of The Mounted Archery Association of the Americas, there are horse archery clubs around the country. With organizations like this, this unique sport is growing. There’s more to this sport that just obtaining a bow and hopping on a horse. Here are some of the common equipment that horse archers utilize. Also, Colorado Horse Property has the largest database of horse properties than any other site and our team of horse-person realtors can help you find the perfect property for you.

Horse Archery Equipment

Originally, horse archery was done with a traditional recurve bow. Modern competitors use a fiberglass replica. A recurve bow is a bow with limbs that curve away from the archer when unstrung. Historically, horse archery was used as a unique form of combat. This type of bow was first used because they are shorter and easier to carry. The downsize to using a recurve bow is that it puts more stress on the limbs of the bow. Making bows out of fiberglass insures that this added stress will not bend of break the bow.

There are many different types of arrows depending on what types of targets you’re using. Horse archers also use a hip quiver as opposed to the normal back quiver. This makes restringing your bow less cumbersome and quicker. Another part of the horse archery experience is wearing traditional costumes to run the course in. It is not required, but a lot of participants do it to honor the history of the sport. Though it is a new sport, mounted archery has been practiced by many cultures and have identities based around them. Traditional costumes pay homage and respect to that history.

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Tips On Riding Without Stirrups

Rein Positions To Practice

Tips For The Spoiled Horse

Homemade Horse Treats

Steps To Improve Your Colorado Horse Training

Dealing With Horse Tensions

Colorado Horse Care Essentials

How To Perform Longe Lessons

Horse Archery Equipment

Share The Trails: Do’s and Don’ts