Horse Sports

In the show ring, you need riding skills, but you also need to look good and so does your horse. Follow these steps to success and your horse will be looking amazing!

Polo is played on horseback. Players wear knee-high leather boots and not shoes. The boots are part of the players' protective clothing, which includes helmets, some with face guards, gloves and...

Equestrians, like any other athletes, should do exercises to strengthen and stretch the major muscle groups that they use most in their sport. The abs, thighs and calves are the most important...

The feeling of gently guiding a horse and flying over the landscape while in the saddle is one of exhilaration. At least, that is what it is supposed to be. For horseback riders who experience...

Handicapping a horse race is far from an exact science. There are a number of variables that come into play, including the ride a jockey gives a horse, weather conditions, the quality of the...

Standard saddles have a "tree"--a rigid core that gives the saddle its structure. All other parts of the saddle are built around the tree. Treeless saddles can look very similar and have many of...

Every horse enthusiast has heard it: "No hoof, no horse." When a horse becomes lame, he can't do his job. That's why proper care for hooves and legs should be a top priority for horse owners.

A bit is a metal contraption that sits inside a horse's mouth. It is attached to a leather bridle that fits around the horse's head, and to reins. The bit allows a rider to guide the horse by...

Tacking up a horse can be complicated, and it is important to familiarize yourself with your tack for multiple reasons. For one thing, knowing how everything is supposed to look when it is working...

Jodhpurs and breeches are horse-riding trousers designed to provide a more comfortable and safer ride. There are not many differences between the two types of trousers, but the choice between the...

Bitless bridles work by applying pressure to different areas of the horse's head to steer and stop. Rope halters, rope hackamores and sidepulls put pressure on the nose. Other bitless bridles...

Leather chaps come in many different types. They are popular as western wear as well as for motorcycle wear. They are not all style and can be very functional for people who commonly wear them.

Whether you are practicing for stadium jumping or cross-country, it is helpful to have your own jumps, and they should be constructed in a safe and practical manner suited to the competition....

Horse jumps have to be set exactly. Horse shows are judged by the number of faults collected. By the end of the competition, the horse and rider with the fewest faults and the best time walk away...

It is very easy to become burned out in the equine industry—long, hard hours of physical labor for very little profit, dealing with the public—it can all lead to you to feel downhearted and...

This is a very effecient way to clean and condition all your leather goods: bridle, saddle, boots, etc.

Leading a horse could potentially be very dangerous if you do not know how to do it correctly. Hear are some easy tips that may help!

Harness racing is when the horse is pulling a light two-wheeled cart and a driver rather than having a rider. The horse usually is not galloping, but performing at a trot or a pace. Pacers and...

Reining is a horse sport that grew out of daily tasks performed by a ranch horse. Rider and horse compete singly, and perform a set routine of very difficult maneuvers before a judge. The horse...

Santa Anita Thoroughbred Racetrack is located in Arcadia, California. It is one of the most famous race tracks in North America. One of the more noteworthy attributes of the track is a large...

Many horse racing fans will tell you that there's nothing like winning a wager on a race. However, many of these will tell you that wagering on horse racing is one of the hardest ways to make...

The number one step you can do to keep you--and the horse in question--safe is to use common sense when working with the animal. If something looks like a bad idea, like trying to mount him when...

Lunging is a good exercise for the horse. Not only does it allow the horse to move its limbs in an active fashion, it helps you teach the horse how to move in a controlled fashion--even on the end...

Harness racing is one of two forms of horse racing. In harness racing, a driver sits on a two-wheeled device called a sulky and it gets pulled by the horse. The sulky is often referred to as a...

Horse riders typically wear tall riding boots that are made of stiff leather. Tall riding boots are purposely fitted uncomfortably tight when they are first sold in order to leave additional room...

Before mounting a horse, take a look at the saddle to make sure that it fits properly so that you and the horse will have a safe and pain-free ride. For proper saddle fit, focus on four key areas...

Polo boots have to serve a variety of functions for the rider. They not only help keep the leg in position, but keep the foot from slipping dangerously all the way through the stirrups. They also...

Unlike paddock boots or regular shoes, tall boot laces don't tie at the opening of the boot. Someone, probably hundreds of years ago, decided tall boots should tie in the middle of the row of...

Whether you are showing your horse or simply enjoy trail riding, building a practice trail course is a good way to introduce your mount to situations you may encounter while riding outside the...

Equestrian drill teams and quadrilles are a fun mounted activity for riders of all ages. They can range from small, very formal quadrilles--with four to eight riders performing at the walk, trot,...

The small version of a dressage arena is most often used for practice or for non-sanctioned dressage shows and one-day events. Most private indoor arenas will accommodate the 20 by 40 meter...

Dressage letters are essential to proper training of both horse and rider to perform correct dressage tests. They are used with both small and standard dressage arenas. A small arena has eight...

A standard-sized dressage arena is used for most sanctioned dressage shows and three-day events. To train your horse for the correct distances used in dressage tests, practicing in a standard...

You will learn to ride the trot both sitting and rising or posting

To keep saddles in good repair, with nice straight trees and evenly distributed padding, you should keep them on some kind of saddle stand or rack. While this can be as simple as a padded...

Western horse speed events typically begin with pole bending. Learn how to teach a horse pole bending with tips from an expert horse trainer in this free equestrian video.

When jogging a horse through pole bending, check its aptitude. Learn advanced pole bending for equestrian speed events with tips from an expert horse trainer in this free equestrian video.

A good horse will enjoy the opportunity to show off in an equestrian. Learn how to increase speed in pole bending with tips from an expert horse trainer in this free equestrian video.

Be sure to take a horse into a quiet introduction to a new pattern. Get tips for introducing a horse to barrels from an expert horse trainer in this free equestrian video.

A high energy horse is a good horse for barrel racing. Learn how to increase speed for barrel racing with tips from an expert horse trainer in this free equestrian video.

The flag race has a number of different rules that can be applied. Learn about introducing a horse to the flag race with tips from an expert horse trainer in this free equestrian video.

Use a performance bit on a horse when running the flag race in a competition. Get tips for teaching a horse to run the flag race faster from an expert horse trainer in this free equestrian video.

One version of keyhole is setting up cones and having the rider go through the cones. Learn other ways of playing keyhole with tips from an expert horse trainer in this free equestrian video.

Straightaway barrels is a very popular equestrian speed event. Learn how to do straightaway barrels on a horse with tips from an expert horse trainer in this free equestrian video.

Use your outside heel only when loping a horse. Learn basic horsemanship from a ranch owner, trainer and instructor in this free video.

There is probably nothing more important than having confidence that a horse is going to stop when you need it to stop. Learn basic horsemanship from a ranch owner, trainer and instructor in this...

Everything that you do with handier western horses, all that fancy footwork, comes from the basics of dressage. Learn basic horsemanship from a ranch owner, trainer and instructor in this free video.

When we ask a horse to back up we have to recognize that it is an energy filled kind of an exercise. Learn basic horsemanship from a ranch owner, trainer and instructor in this free video.

Lead a horse in the same fashion that you would walk side by side, maybe holding hands with a partner. Learn basic horsemanship from a ranch owner, trainer and instructor in this free video.

You can use a western style thick felt pad when saddling a horse. Felt is good for when a horse may be getting into a sweaty situation; it will help wick that off. Learn basic horsemanship from a...