For many beginning riders, just sitting on a horse and staying on seems enough But as you progress, it becomes more important to have a correct, balanced seat as you ride

Understanding what all those Straps are for While most horse people are familiar with what parts make up a bridle, it is remarkable how few truly understand what goes into it With so many parts, it is no wonder that people don’t consider the reasons for them

While people are becoming more aware of the need for head safety, somehow the equestrian world has missed the boat Cyclists are wearing helmets, worrying about the potential impact should they fall or be hit by a car

When buying a saddle, be it new or used, it is very important that the saddle not only fit you, but that it also fits your horse While some saddles can be re-stuffed, only so much can be changed through the re-stuffing process

If you have been riding for any length of time, you will have seen it A rider is struggling with her headstrong horse, and the coach steps up and suggests trying a stronger bit

There are two basic types of martingales, the standing martingale and the running martingale Depending on your discipline and your purpose, both have their place in your training repertoire

It is not uncommon for someone used to horse shows and fancy facilities to wonder why so many horse people still use old-fashioned stock trailers for their animals With so many options available for slant load, rear facing, and other combinations of trailers, why would anyone want something as simple as an open-concept stock trailer

As we have previously discussed, horses have two basic color genes, black (B) and red (b) Bay horses happen because a special modifier gene called the agouti gene makes the black coat color fade into brown, leaving the points black

When shopping for a saddle, you will see that there is a wide range of options available to you Not only are there many different styles of saddle, there are also a range of materials from which the saddles are made

Horse trailers come in several different loading and shipping styles Each style offers advantages and disadvantages to the owner and the horse