Horse Facts and Equestrian Sports

• Horse Facts - Home
• Companion Sites
• Privacy Policy

Does Your Saddle Really Fit You And Your Horse?

March 20th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

To keep up with all that's new in the Equestrian Sport please subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Most professional trainers and riders will agree that without buying a custom made saddle for every horse you ride, the correct pad is your only salvation. Knowing that saddles are made for the average back we are faced with the frustrating task of accommodating it to the horse. The perfect saddle fit will reduce stress by putting uniform pressure on the horse’s back. The spine and withers, of course, should bear no weight at all. As simple as it may sound, it’s not. Horses come in different shapes and sizes just as people. The Pro-Tech closed cell perforated inserts in the Cush-N-Air pad act as shims, redistributing the weight over a large area, thereby reducing the pressure per square inch.

• Cush-N-Air: The greatest possible PROTECTION from soring & abrasion.
• Completely WASHABLE - Rinse off with hose.
• LIGHTWEIGHT
• Firm cushion SHAPES NATURALLY.
• This pad keeps a COOLER BACK using less energy in perspiration - will increase endurance.
• Contoured to fit the horse’s back for a more comfortable fit, keeping a CLOSE CONTACT.
• The Cush-N-Air Pad is a TOTAL PADDING SYSTEM, designed to be used without an over or under pad.

Find out more about the Cush-N-Air Pad

Darren Chiaccia

March 18th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Our thoughts and best wishes are with Darren Chiacchia who was badly injured following a fall last weekend at the Red Hills Horse Trials.  Following a misstep by his horse, Baron Verdi, Chiacchia suffered a serious head injury and other injuries including a collapsed lung and several broken ribs.  His condition is improving but he remains unconscious at the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital in Florida.

Thankfully such severe injuries are rare but following the response to the accident the Equestrian Aid Foundation in the US has set up an emergency  fund in Darren Chiacchia’s name.  The Equestrian Aid Foundation is a non-profit organization. Its mission is to build a membership-based organization to assist everyone in the equestrian world suffering from life threatening illness, catastrophic accidents or injuries by providing direct financial support for their medical or other basic needs.  Darren Chiaccia has been a member of the Board of Governors of the organisation and served on it’s Ambassador Committee.

Equine Social Bookmarking

March 13th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Social Bookmarking is a phenomenon that is sweeping the net these days, and thanks to Scott I cam across a social bookmarking site specifically for the Equine World!

NickerIt! is a site where you can vote on your favourite stories, or if you come across a site you like you can add it to the NickerIt directory. It’s quite simple and free to register so why not give it a try and help build a good resource for Equestrians everywhere.

To ‘Nicker’ this site - just click on the icon..

The Rider’s Pain Free Back - Book Review

March 11th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Back Problems bring many a Rider’s career to a grinding halt. As well as taking care of our horse’s health, we need to take care of our own, especially the structural wellbeing of your body. One of the most vulnerable parts of any Rider’s anatomy is his or her back. The Rider’s Pain-Free Back has been around for a few months now and is receiving some excellent reviews. The description reads:-

“Explaining the impact of horseback riding on the human back in easy-to-understand terms, this guide illustrates how various movements in the saddle affect a rider’s back and outlines straightforward steps that can be taken immediately to help keep riders ready to saddle up. Too many riders suffer from back injury, stress, or strain and consequently experience pain when in the saddle or are unable to ride at all. This indispensable guide has step-by-step exercises for strengthening the body for riding, guidance on horse selection and tack selection, and tips on which horse sports are appropriate for riders with various back problems. Traditional and alternative treatments for back pain are also discussed, as are the special considerations of pregnant and elderly riders.”

The writer, Dr Warson, is both a neuro-surgeon and a rider so he has full understanding of the issues involved - and doesn’t blame all your back problems on riding which makes a pleasant change! Full of practical advice with useful exercises and helpful comments I would suggest that a copy of The Rider’s Pain-Free Back should be on every Equestrian’s bookshelf.

Dressage Site - Take a Look

March 11th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

I came across this site today - Dressage Not Stressage

It’s a simple one page website which I would recommend you take a look at - it is a well presented site on various aspects of dressage.  The writer obviously knows her subject and writes with wit and humour as well.  It will only take you a few minutes - go visit.  It is an excellent introduction to one of the premier Equestrian Sports

Horse Health - Tying Your Horse

March 9th, 2008    Subscribe To Our Feed

Tying up syndrome can be a major health risk for any horse. Tying up syndrome, or Rhabdomyolysis, is found in horses that are often tied or do not get enough exercise. If you have a horse that will be tied up for any length of time, make sure that you talk to your vet about ways to prevent this and ways to treat it if you horse should develop this distressing condition.

There are three main symptoms you should watch out for, firstly your horse will walk very stiffly. Just think about how you feel after a lengthy journey - your legs will be stiff. Imagine being tied up somewhere and being forced to stay in that position for hours on end with very little scope for movement. The horse will have trouble walking and in severe cases, may not be able to move at all without help. Secondly, the horse will also probably have rear muscles that are hard to the touch and very painful. If you do touch them the horse will certainly react to demonstrate his pain. The last symptom is sweating, which will happen if the pain is very severe.

Tying up your horse for extended periods of time has additional affects on a horse’s health. You horse may develop the so called ‘Monday Morning Disease’ from eating too much when tied up (as he might be over a ‘weekend’) and could easily be injured when starting to exercise. Horses that are tied up too much are also are often unaccustomed to people or to being untied and may not be able to perform well in shows or cope well amongst a group of people or horses.

If the horse has a moderate to severe case of tying up disease, you would recognise it, but mild cases may seem similar to other medical conditions or simply laziness. Only your vet can properly diagnose your horse if there is a problem. Blood tests are most likely to help your vet determine if you horse has tying up syndrome. There are many courses to take if a horse has this medical problem. An Electrolyte imbalance may contribute to tying up syndrome, so it is important to work with a Vet to make certain that your horse is getting appropriate nutrition. If you horse simply has a mild case of the condition, walking him on a hand rein will allow him to loosen up. In more severe cases, medication can be used to relax the horse. If the horse seems to be in pain, the best thing you can do is call your vet promptly. Do not try and force the horse to move, as this can cause injury and extreme pain.

In a nutshell, make sure that you have the time to take care of a horse before you get one. If you don’t, he may spend a lot of time tied up. This is detrimental to the horse’s health and an act of cruelty. I have seen the tragic results of a horse being tied up far too often.

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Copyright © 2008 Horse Facts and Equestrian Sports

Credits: Make Money Online | Matteo Turchetto | Andreas Viklund