Horse Sports

Any old glove will not due for keeping hands warm when horseback riding. Most gloves are too thick to be of any use. Riding gloves are thin enough to keep fingers flexible and to prevent blisters.

Polo can be a fun but dangerous sport for a person to participate in. However, it would be impossible to play without his most important teammate---his horse. Horses play a vital role in polo and...

The first polo match recorded took place in 600 B.C. The match was conflict resolving, and was played between the Turkomans and Persians. Therefore, the rules and etiquette of polo have a long...

English and Western bridles are used for two completely different styles of riding. Western riding is based on signals through the rider's seat and weight. English riding is based on close contact...

Equestrian hunting, typically known as fox hunting, is a traditional sport for those who seek to enjoy the outdoors through a brisk horseback ride through meadows and woods.

A flex tree saddle is designed to provide more comfort for both the rider and the horse. The saddle tree, or the foundation from which the rest of the saddle is built, flexes for more freedom of...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Wintec produces a variety of synthetic saddles, from English dressage saddles to jumping, racing and western saddles. Cleaning these saddles is easier than cleaning leather saddles. You can often...

Although commonly seen pulling plows or wagons, draft horses (drafters) can also be ridden or shown in conformation classes just like any other horse. Therefore, the drafter would need a separate...

Although much heavier than military or English saddles, Western saddles are far more comfortable for the rider and for the horse. Western saddles spread the weight of a rider more evenly across...

Choosing a helmet for equestrian sports is a combination of fashion and function. Helmets should be comfortable, well ventilated and above all, safe. Knowing about helmet safety standards before...

The bond between horse and rider is unmistakable; there have been amazing stories of the lengths that both have gone to protect and serve each other. One of the most graceful displays of this...

Dressage is an old and elegant practice for aristocrats and modern horse enthusiasts. Not only is dressage appealing to those who enjoy looking at horses, but this sport is also much more humane...

Horse Racing, once the sport of kings is now accessible to most people via partnerships. By sharing the risk, share price can be very small and enjoyment can be huge. This article explains the...

Children who want to take up horse sports have several options when it comes to saddles. Although many children do ride in adult-sized saddles, they tend to feel insecure and their feet may not...

Equipoise is the brand name of boldenone undecylenate, a synthetic anabolic steroid used for racehorses to make their muscles build up faster and to make them train harder. However, it's become a...

Polo ("hockey on horseback") is played with four pony and rider combinations on each side. The polo grounds are at least 200 yards wide, although some games can be wider. The game is divided into...

Mastering horseback riding skills enabled people, such as the Romans, the British and Native Americans, to expand their territories, seek out new food supplies and alter their lifestyles. Today,...

One of my favorite ways of taking a break from the every day stress of life is to throw a game of darts. Cricket is one of my favorite games. Read on for an explanation of how the game works.

It is really important to have the right clothes for horseback riding. Horses are huge animals and wearing safe clothes while you are professionally riding them is truly important. You will need a...

Churchill Downs is one of the best tracks to watch horse racing in the country. It's as historic as it is beautiful. Every year in May, up to 20 three-year-old colts enter into the world's most...

Since 1936, the Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., has held live thoroughbred racing every April and October. The track is one of the oldest and finest establishments in the country, and the...

Churchill Downs is the most famous race track in Kentucky and Keeneland comes in right behind after it, but the state has a third track called Ellis Park. Located on the Indiana side of the Ohio...

Just outside of Los Angeles sits the track where all of the elite stars go for their horse racing fix: Hollywood Park. Drawing the best horses and horsemen on the western coast, Hollywood has been...

Every June for the last 140 years, thousands of people make the trek out to Belmont, New York to watch the third leg of horse racing's Triple Crown at historic Belmont Park. Located on Long...