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Keep it in the Box
Proper hand position is tough not only for beginners, but
sometimes for intermediate and advanced riders too. While
beginner riders typically have their hands way too high, sometimes
more advanced riders tend to ride with their hands too low.
All riders tend to occasionally have their reins too long
and then find their hands in their laps. Using the concept
of "riding in the box," it is easy to teach riders
where their hands should be. Imagine a 8-12" box in front
of and centered on the saddle horn; the rider's hands should
always be within this box. When riding English, the hand position
is the same, you just do not have the convenient landmark
of the horn, but the hands should always stay in front of
the pommel. When the hands come outside the box, either the
rider is excessively cueing the horse or the rider's reins
are too long. When the hands come very far outside the box,
the rider's balance is seriously compromised. Riders must
also be taught how to shorten and lengthen the reins and should
practice this maneuver a lot, since shortening and lengthening
of the reins is a constant process when riding.
Julie Goodnight
Clinician and Trainer
www.JulieGoodnight.com
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Snaffle or Curb?
The Tom Thumb bit, commonly called a Western snaffle or shanked
snaffle, is not a snaffle bit at all. Because this bit has
a jointed mouth piece, people often confuse it with a snaffle.
If a bit has shanks and a curb chain, it is a leverage or
curb bit, no matter what shape of the mouth piece. Furthermore,
the Tom Thumb is often misunderstood to be a mild bit for
the same reason (because it has a jointed mouth piece). In
fact, the Tom Thumb is quite harsh as it has what is called
the "nut cracker effect," when the shanks squeeze
the horse's jaw bone like a nutcracker, while the joint pokes
un into the palate of the horse's mouth. This effect generally
causes horses to gap their mouths open whenever rein pressure
is applied. A bit is considered a snaffle, or direct pressure
bit, when the reins are attached directly opposite the mouthpiece.
Conversely, in a curb, or leverage bit, the reins are attached
below the mouthpiece and the curb strap and shanks provide
leverage.
Ardith Turpin
Equestrian Director, YMCA Camp Manitou-Lin
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HERD MANAGEMENT
Wound Wipes
A handy item for cleaning superficial wounds or sensitive
areas on the horse (mucus membranes) is hygienic wipes. You
can purchase a jar of medicated wipes, used by humans for
vaginal and hemorrhoid cleaning, for not much money (if you
buy the generic version). These wipes are medicated with Witch
Hazel, which is a mild, soothing astringent. These wipes are
good for cleaning abrasions, mild saddle sores, noses, etc.
Julie Goodnight
Clinician and Trainer
www.JulieGoodnight.com
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Tying-Up
This is not just something you do when you want your horse
to stay put, it is also a very painful and debilitating condition
in horses, sometimes known as Monday Morning Sickness. The
medical term for this condition is Azoturia and it is characterized
by painful movement when all the horse's large muscle groups
begin cramping at once. Azoturia is believed to be associated
with forced exercise after a period of rest during which feed
has not been reduced. The term "Monday Monrning Sickness"
stems form the days when draft horses worked hard all week
long but then had Sunday off, but then went back to work on
Mondays. To prevent a horse from tying-up, it is advised that
his rations are cut on the days he does not work. Tying-up
is very common at the race track and for that reason, horses
on the track are kept moving, even for dismounting and unsaddling,
so that the muscles do not have a chance to cramp. Azoturia
is not fully understood and it is possible that genetics and
diet can also play a role in the condition.
From the Dictionary of Equine Terms, compiled
by New Horizons Equine Education Center
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