Discover the expert in you.
Discover the expert in you.
Dahlias (Dahlia x hybrida) are single stem disbuds, meaning exhibition requires only a single flower at the tip of a stem. Judges rate dahlias in categories such as color, condition, cultural perfection and form. Issues such as Insect or disease damage, immaturity, over maturity, dull color, no foliage, weak stems and short stems may affect ratings. Select dahlias that have full blooms with a depth at least one-half the diameter of the flower and at least two leaves. To prepare dahlias for show, cut them a few days ahead. For example, cut dahlias on Wednesday for a Friday show.
If you're taking your horse on an overnight show, there are a few key things that you're going to want to make sure you pack. Get a list of things to take for your horse on an overnight show with help from an experienced equestrian professional in this free video clip.
Keeping a horse's braids safe until a show is very important towards the overall presentation that will be performed. Keep a horse's braids safe until a show with help from an experienced equestrian professional in this free video clip.
In the horse business, the term "wall eye" is often used interchangeably with the terms "glass eye" and "china eye." These phrases are used to describe a specific coloring of the eye and are merely a point of reference for the unusual appearance of a horse's eye when it lacks pigment.
Kissing spines syndrome is a back injury in the dorsal spinous processes (DSPs). The DSPs are bones on the spinal column that arise from the vertebra and project into the surrounding muscles and ligaments, acting as spacers to keep the soft tissues from becoming damaged. In horses with kissing spines syndrome, the DSPs are misaligned or overlap, and they impinge the surrounding muscles and ligaments. Some horses with the syndrome may exhibit symptoms that the horse owner can identify, although an equine veterinarian must provide a diagnosis and treatment.
A split or divided mane occurs when a horse's mane grows on both sides of the neck. While this condition is completely harmless, it is generally considered to be a flaw in the equine's appearance. If you plan on showing your horse in halter, showmanship or under saddle competitions, it is a good idea to retrain the mane to grow on the correct side of the neck for the discipline you will be competing in.
The American quarter horse, commonly just called a quarter horse, is named for its ability to outpace other horse breeds in quarter-mile races. Hundreds of years of selective breeding have established the quarter horse's solid temperament and unique behavior. Like other horses, it has several innate behavioral predispositions. However, horse owners should be aware that a horse's environment heavily influences her personality. Competent training and good socialization can help a horse overcome numerous problems, and a stressful environment will typically result in a bad temperament even in the normally unflappable quarter horse.
A beaded headband for a horse covers the bridle brow band at the top. You can add color-coordinating beads and ribbon to the bridle to match your riding clothes in competitions, parades or rodeos. Craft stores carry ribbon and bead strands in a vast assortment of colors and patterns. This method of making beaded headbands takes very little time and allows you to change quickly from one to another.
Muscle tremors in horses are almost always a cause for concern. Healthy horses do not normally experience tremors and, in most cases, the tremors often are a symptom of a more severe underlying health problem. Several different conditions affecting horses can manifest in the form of muscle tremors. If your horse is experiencing tremors, you should contact your veterinarian immediately for a proper diagnosis of the problem and to obtain treatment for the condition.
Showing your horse that you are the leader can mean the difference between a safe, fun relationship or one steeped in fear and defiance. Considering the fact that a horse weighs approximately 1,000 pounds, the horse's handler must maintain confidence while working with the horse, or else the safety of the handler and the horse may be in jeopardy. From the moment you set foot in the barn, set the tone that will make your horse respect you and follow your cues.
A horse bridle consists of a bit that connects to reins and is used by riders to direct a horse where to go when they are moving. In order to place a bridle on a horse, it must be trained to lower its head on cue with a halter and a lead-rope. Once the horse learns to lower its head when you tell it to do so, you can get it to lower its head for bridling.
Bridles fit over the heads of horses and riders use them to control the horse’s direction. When the rider pulls the reins, the bridle exerts pressure on the sensitive areas such as the corners of the horse’s mouth. In order to relieve the pressure, the horse turns, thereby obeying the rider’s directions.
During the Middle Ages, the Welsh cob was primarily a farm animal. Nowadays, it's commonly raised as a show horse. Properly showing a Welsh cob horse can make the difference between placing high and not placing at all. Aside from the horse's presentation, it's also essential that the person showing the horse can keep up with it. The rider must be fully trained and know how to best display the horse's temperament, conformation and movement.
Arabian horses are a breed well-known for showing off their luster during horse shows. Arabian horses are presented to judges at a walk or trot. During judging, Arabian breed standards, quality, movement, presence, muscle tone, bone structure, grooming, skin quality and weight are all taken into consideration. Best grooming practices must be followed to compete in an Arabian horse show.
Miniature horses cannot be ridden by an adult, however they are strong enough to pull a one or two seat mini horse cart. These little horses have great temperaments and want to please their owners, so adjusting them and training them to accept harnesses is not a difficult task. Making certain that the horse is comfortable in its harness and that the cart leads fit securely is very important to successfully harnessing your mini horse to a cart.
After crocheting a horse, you will want to make it look complete with a long, beautiful mane made of yarn. Knowing the right way to crochet the horse mane makes the difference between and odd-looking mane and a neat, good-looking mane. While there is no complicated needlework needed to crochet a horse mane, the right technique must be used to ensure the mane will be secure for years to come.
A quarter horse is a small horse that is used in some types of rodeos. Draw a quarter horse with help from an artist with many years of drawing training and experience in this free video clip.
In English horse shows, the horse's mane is often braided to show off the horse's neck and make it look slender and neat. Western riders band their horses' manes for the same reason. Banding is a time-consuming and challenging occupation for beginners, and it may take hours of practice to get it to look perfect. It is also important to practice on your horse as often as possible to familiarize it with the process. Band the mane the day before the show to save time and anxiety.
Learning some techniques for announcing at horse shows helps the show run smoothly and cultivates a positive and fun atmosphere. Announcers at horse shows are responsible for keeping the audience aware of what is going on and often have to deliver important commands for the riders. It is important that announcers have a clear idea of the rules of the show and be able to present all information in a positive and informative tone.
If you are new to the world of riding and horse ownership, you may be taken aback the first time you see your reliable mount running, bucking and acting wild in the pasture or the paddock. The good news is that all of these behaviors are perfectly normal, as long as they do not continue once you have put on the saddle and head out on the trail.
Grooming your Arabian horse should be a part of its routine care but grooming for the show ring requires a little more work. Arabians are bold, beautiful animals that stand out in any crowd, especially when they are properly clipped and groomed. They excel at English and Western competitions, thereby making them an all-around horse.
The thoroughbred and quarter horse share the same purpose, but differ in speed. To be sure, both are fast, but only one is faster. The long, striding legs of the thoroughbred horse give it a traditionally taller stature over the quarter horse, but both can reach heights of about 65 inches tall. Still, longer legs do not necessarily mean a faster speed.
High-income individuals can have marginal income tax rates approaching 40 percent. Therefore, they frequently seek tax-sheltered investments to reduce their tax burden. Tax-sheltered investments are usually involve in areas in which Congress wants to encourage investment. The argument is almost always that these industries, such as farming, timber, oil production or thoroughbred horse breeding/racing, require additional private investment capital as a boost to return to a healthy economic state.
Making accessories for your toy horse is simple and satisfying. You can create realistic-looking accessories for a scale model or fantasy items for a less realistic toy. This basic but realistic bridle is made from strips of soft leather and consists of a headstall, noseband, browband and reins. Use colored ribbon to make a cute version of this bridle for a child's toy, and decorate it with beads, sequins or miniature tassels.
It can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars to raise a horse and get it to show, but you might be able to deduct horse showing expenses and treat the horse like depreciable property. However, this assumes that you earn some money off of your horse. Unless you can prove some income, you probably cannot deduct anything.
Flat shod walking horses are a specific type of walking horse, and are regularly shown by riders in both domestic and international show competitions. Tennessee walking horses were originally bred in the deep south. Primarily used for transporting plantation owners across the breadth of their massive estates, these horses are most recognized for their smooth walking gait and calm demeanor around people.
While you can thin a horse's mane in several ways, pulling by hand is the most effective method. Pulling involves using a comb to brush the horse's hair while pulling out the long strands with your hands. This practice ensures the mane will lay flat and even. Using scissors on the mane will make the hair fall out in clumps, and using a pulling comb to remove the hair will irritate the skin and teach the horse to fear grooming. Pulling by hand will keep your horse's mane looking tidy while providing your horse with a peaceful grooming experience.
Many horse rescues are nonprofit groups that provide living facilities, rehabilitation and care for neglected, abandoned and abused horses. Taking care of these special needs animals can be costly and time-consuming. Horse rescues need to find donors for horse feed, medical care and stable costs. If you are in charge of planning a horse rescue fundraiser, many activities and events will help you earn money.
Wild horses (Equus callabus) exist on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management in western states, such as Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oregon, Utah and Wyoming. They live within an ecosystem that's a combination of herd groups, their native state's habitat, terrain, climate, plants and grasses and other wildlife species, which include elk, deer, wolves, bears, raptors and mountain lions.
The Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) on the virtual horse adoption and breeding site "Howrse," is a genetic indicator that helps users predict the breeding potential of a horse. The higher a horse's BLUP, the higher the chance it will produce a foal with a higher genetic potential and certain traits. On "Howrse," you improve the outcome of the prediction by caring for, training and aging your horse, as the BLUP calculation is based on the level of training in three best skills, competition wins and age. To see this tool, you must check your horse's "Genetics" information area.
The Appaloosa horse features small spots, especially on its hindquarters. Many American Indian tribes rode Appaloosa horses, although these rugged saddle horses are most often associated with the Nez Perce Indians. Today, breeders carefully breed Appaloosa horses so that their distinctive spotted appearance remains prominent. These horses have seven taxonomic categories that scientists and breeders use to classify them.
Checking a quarter horse's pedigree is important when considering breeding your mare or stallion. Bloodlines, which are essentially a horse's genetic history, offer insight into the potential conformation, disposition and performance of any offspring a horse may produce. The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) is the world's largest quarter-horse-breed registry. Through its AQHA Records website, you can obtain a quarter horse's general pedigree and four-generation color pedigree report; performance, ownership and grandsire records; and summaries for the sire, dam and foals. Pedigree Online's All Breed Database consists of more than 1,400,000 horses from around the world and includes pedigree reports…
A dressage test employs a series of movements that challenge the horse's flexibility, endurance, impulsion and consistency. Each movement is separately rated between zero and 10 based on the pair's performance. Dressage tests are only effective when they include movements that the horse is physically capable of completing. Pushing a horse too fast for his training level can result in injury and disobedience. However, creating a dressage test from scratch allows the rider to advance the horse at his pace.
Miniature horses are cute and make wonderful pets. However, they can also prove useful if they are hitched to a small wagon. They can pull light loads such as garden tools, lawn clippings, and even dirt or sand. You can make a wagon for your miniature horse with a little time, patience and some basic woodworking ability.
Horses' ears can be a target for lice and ticks but seldom ear mites. Lice are small, flat-bodied, wingless insects that are only 2 to 4 millimeters long when fully grown. Because of their small size and the fact that they breed in the thick coats horses grow during cold months, lice can be difficult to detect. Lice reside on many areas of a horse's body, including the ears, mane, tail and around the hoofs.
Horse manes come in varying thicknesses and may have cowlicks and other growth patterns that prompt the mane to fall on one side or the other. Some horses have thick manes that naturally part in the middle and fall on both sides of the neck. Domesticated horses with manes that do not fall consistently on one side will typically have their manes retrained at an early age. In the wild, a horse's mane will grow however it pleases. If you adopt a wild horse, you may want to re-train its mane to give it a more conventional grooming appearance.
Vaccinations are an important part of every horse's health, but the type of vaccine, when it should be administered and how often varies depending on risk of infection, age, health history, exposure to other horses, climate and location. A veterinarian can help you determine which specific vaccines are appropriate and necessary for your horse. According to the Equine Medical Center in Chesapeake, Ohio, core vaccines that most every horse should receive include those that cover Eastern and Western encephalitis, tetanus, rhinopneumanitis, strangles, rabies, West Nile virus and influenza.
Miniature horses require a miniature hay feeder, otherwise known as a hay net. The advantages of using a hay net are that the horse eats more slowly and less hay is wasted. The hay net also is handy to take in the horsebox to shows and competitions as it can be tied to the side of the box while your miniature horse is resting. Making your own using only one key material will save you money and allow you to make it custom-sized in miniature.
"Howrse" is a browser-based game that allows you to purchase your own virtual horses with virtual currency, breed them and create a horse farm. Unicorns are a special rare species of horse in the game. You can only get a unicorn at first by purchasing it from another player. When you have a male and female unicorn of the same breed, you can mate the unicorns together at two specific minutes of the day, in order to have a chance to breed a unicorn foal.
Bridling a horse is a critical part of preparing him for a ride, and fighting with your horse over a bridle can quickly become an exasperating experience. It is difficult to force a horse to do anything he does not want to do, so you may find yourself giving up and finding another way to spend your time. If you are having trouble convincing your horse to accept his bridle, there are a few things you can do to make the process easier. Once you and your horse reach an understanding, you can stop fighting over the bridle and start…
No matter what type of riding you do or what kind of horse you ride, understanding what your bit and bridle do is important. Understanding the different types of bridles is particularly important if you plan to show your horse, since different styles of riding require different kinds of equipment.
Horses spend a majority of their time outdoors and, in some cases, out in the elements. They're constantly swatting their tails to combat flies or rambunctiously playing with their herd-mates. Growing a horse's mane and tail can be a long and painstaking process, but with a few tips and some extra attention to detail, your horse can have lustrous locks.
Horse owners and enthusiasts typically agree that a bracelet made out of the mane and tail hair of their favorite steed is a wonderful way to show respect and affection for the horse, and to keep a part of him near at all times. Horse hair bracelets are fun to make and also wonderful gifts. The most difficult part of this unusual handicraft is choosing which style of braid or twist you want to use. Often owners of more than one horse will take hair from each and make a multi-colored braided bracelet.
While black horses are renowned for their coats, often the elements of nature can dull them. This can deduct points from the horse during a show or put them in a different class altogether. To prevent this, coat enhancers should be applied before a show to make a black horse even blacker and provide a beautiful looking coat that displays your horse to its peak. This does not damage the horse's health, and will wear off within a few days depending on the product.
A horse's mane and tail can be beautiful physical assets when properly cared for and, more importantly, maintained. It is easy to improve unattractive or unhealthy hair with a few simple tools. Horse owners should begin by removing knots and dirt before protecting the hair from further damage; they can also apply products to further condition unhealthy roots. Supplements can also be added to a horse's diet to improve its mane and tail.
Horses kept outside are more susceptible to a dry, frizzy mane. The elements dry already fragile hair, causing it to break, frizz and fly away. There are several ways to keep your horse's mane smooth and healthy, despite these harsh influences.
The Paso Fino is a gaited horse breed known for distinct musculature and smooth ride. According to The Paso Fino Horse Association, it is not unusual for a well-cared-for Paso Fino to live well into its 30s. Paso Fino horses have a rich history dating back to the Spanish conquistadors, and require a certain level of specialized care to live up to their full potential.
Calf roping as a rodeo event evolved from the methods that cowboys and ranchers use when handling calves. The sport is also sometimes called tie-down roping. There are a number of different governing bodies for rodeos in North America and rules, and regulations may vary among them.
A sounding board is a long, wooden platform that Paso Fino horses are ridden down during competitions. The purpose of the sounding board is to allow judges and spectators to hear the smooth, even sound of the horse's gait. Paso Fino owners who plan on competing may want to construct their own sounding board at home to allow their horse to practice. If your horse has never been on a sounding board before, it may balk or become frightened by the noise during competition.
Deriving from the Greek language, "dermatitis" literally means "inflammation of the skin." Used on its own, dermatitis is a generic term that can refer to any number of conditions, including rashes, swelling or blisters. Dermatitis is almost always accompanied by itching. As with humans, dermatitis is a condition that may affect horses.
