Friday, August 28, 2009

Horselife Treeless Saddles;comfort for you and your horse.


Why ride Treeless?
There is no shortage of information about treeless saddles and the benefits and features they offer to horse and rider but I will try to summarize it up for you in one word, “Comfort”. When I mean comfort, I mean for both you and your horse.
Every horse’s back and every person’s body is different. It can be very hard to find a saddle that will fit your horse and your body type. Because treeless saddles do not have a tree (usually trees are made of wood, fibreglass or steel) they are able to conform and bend to the shape of both the horse and rider. The more you use a treeless saddle, the more it has that “fits like a glove” feel. It is like having a custom made saddle for you and your horse.
The benefits of this comfort fit can be seen in the way you and your horse perform. The flexibility of a treeless saddle allows you and your horse to move more freely and not be inhibited by a stiff tree. You and your horse will move more naturally - free to find your seat more easily then in a treed saddle.
Over time we all start to change shape, including our horses. Unlike a conventional treed saddle a HorseLife treeless will change with you both. Saving you from having to add or take away pads to fit your ever changing horse.
With Treeless saddles sizing is not a big an issue, the flexibility of the saddle allows for many different shapes to fit in it.
Do you and your horse a favour and start enjoying the comfort and flexibility of a HorseLife Treeless saddle.

Thursday, August 27, 2009

Wild Horse Redemption, Watch it!

I was giving a riding lesson the other day and I heard a couple of the boarders talking about a movie called Wild Horse Redemption. Being the horse nut I am I'm always looking to watch a good flick involving horses. Actually my wife jokes that the only way she can get me to go out to a movie is if it has a horse in it. Luckily for me they had the movie with them and were good enough to lend it to me. Turns out the movie is about the rehabilitation of prisoners through the breaking and training of wild BLM mustangs.
The documentary takes you through the journey of 5 prisoners and their assigned wild mustangs. Without giving too much away I'll tell you a bit. Through natural horsemanship training methods the mustangs are transformed from wild dangerous animals into gentle trusting saddle horses. The transformation of the prisoners is just as spectacular. It is informative and really nice to see how both horse and rider learn from each other and go on to become valued members of society.
Check the links below for more info on the movie and the BLM mustang adoption program
http://www.horselife.ca/
www.pointgreypictures.com/wildhorse/wildhorse.htm
www.wildhorseandburro.blm.gov/
www.mustangs4us.com/prisonhorses.htm

Monday, August 24, 2009

Burrs in your horses Tail? Get them out easliy

There is one thing that I am not crazy about when it comes to horseback riding; it 's grooming. What makes this necessary task even more arduous are those annoying burrs. In southern Ontario burrs are in full force. These days I am always wondering what sort of state I am going to find my horses mane and tail in.
Here's a little tip for those of you who are faced with the daunting task of removing big clumps of burrs from your horses matted manes and tails. Baby Oil! Spray or work in some baby oil directly into the area and let it sit for a minute or two. Don't use a comb or brush right away, begin by separating the burrs from the clump with your fingers. Add more baby oil as you go along. Once you have the hair separated from the clump simple pull the burr out. If you have to pull it down along the hair to remove it do that. This will keep the mane and tail from getting fuzzy looking. When you removed the larger pieces use a wide tooth comb then a brush to remove the smaller pieces.
This tip can save you a lot of time and leaves your horse smelling nice.
One last tip wear gloves .

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

When to use a Back Cinch

This is for all who ride in a western saddle. The majority of the trail rides I go on are made up mostly of people in western saddles. Every one of those riders have a different looking rig, but the biggest variation amongst the riders comes in regards to a back cinch.
Some saddles have D rings for back cinches others don't. Some have D rings but no billets , others have the billets but no back cinch. If they do have a back cinch some have it loose others have it tight, some with keeper and some without.
So who needs a back cinch and how should it be worn. I believe the only time you need a back cinch is when roping, barrel racing or cutting. The back cinch is essential in roping because it keeps the saddle from catapulting you out of the saddle when you tie on to a steer and prevents the saddle bars from pushing into the horses shoulder after you have dallied. Basically the back cinch comes up and hits the horse in the under belly limiting how far the saddle can move from the force of the steer.
When barrel racing and cutting the horse changes direction very quickly a back cinch can prevent the rider from being knocked in the butt by the saddle if they are left behind the motion of the quick turning horse.
If you do use a back cinch always use a keeper. This is a strap that attaches the front of the back cinch the the back of the girth. This strap keeps the back cinch from sliding back towards the flanks and acting as a bucking strap.
A back cinch should be snug but not tight like a girth, it is there to keep the saddle from slipping so it has to fit snug enough to do just that. A word of caution to those who ride the trails and bush with a loose cinch; I have seen on more than one occasion where some branches have been caught up in a loose hanging cinch, needless to say a rodeo ensued.
thanks
Steve Wawryk
Horselife

Monday, August 17, 2009

Wind Rider Equestrian Challenge! Check it out.

If you are anything like me and are interested in developing a well rounded versatile horse regardless of your discipline you will want to check this out. The Wind Rider Equestrian Challenge gives competitors from any discipline or breed type the chance to showcase the versatility and willingness of their horse to tackle a variety of challenges and obstacles within a given time frame. The last part of the competition involves the finalists who complete an all-new set of obstacles and also perform a musical freestyle presentation of their own making that highlights their horses’ unique talents. A panel of judges will be scoring horse and rider on the:
Wow factor: How daring was the routine?
Teamwork: Did the horse/rider team help or hinder each other?
Horsemanship: Did the riders work with or against their trusty steeds?
Equitation: How good was the riding?
Attitude of the horses: Were the horses willing, even if they were afraid?
A series of these competitions will be taking place throughout Ontario over the coming months and the winner of each division will have a chance to compete in the Finals at Can Am Horse show in Mar 2010. The competitors will be competing for money and great prizes which include 2 of my very own HorseLife treeless saddles.

The first contest will be held in Clinton Ontario on August 22-23. I will be one of the guest judges at the contest and will also be hosting a clinic on treeless saddles. So come on out and check out this exciting new Horse sport sweeping across North America
For more info check out these sites
www.horselife.ca
www.canamequine.ca
www.twoasonehorsemanship.com
Hope to see you there.

Thursday, August 13, 2009

English or Western? Not your only choice.

It is usually the first question out of someones mouth after they find out you ride. "Do you ride English or Western"? It is the majority that think you have to be one or the other but that simply is not true. You are only limited by your willingness to try new disciplines. Over the next couple of weeks I hope to talk about the variety of riding styles and disciplines available to use. I hope to talk about everything from Buckaroo and Florida Cracker horseman to the riding styles of the Charros and Gauchos of the pampas.
I personally find learning about different horseman from all reaches of the world very interesting and always seem to find some useful tidbit of info to help me improve my horsemanship. People often say my horse goes English but not Western. For the majority of us horse owners we don't have the option of having an English horse or a Western horse. In my case my horse had to learn to fox hunt, team rope, trail ride, play polo and do skijoring. He had to learn this because I wanted to try all these things but only had the one horse. Some people might say well my horse isn't suited for that and there is some merit to it. Not every horse has the mental or physical capability to be a three day eventer then turn around and rope a steer but I have never met a horse that could not figure out neck reining and direct reining or pop over a little jump or do a rollback. If you find a riding discipline you think looks interesting read up on it and give it a try, I am sure if you give our horse the chance they will put in an honest effort and appreciate the change of scenery.
Thanks
Steve

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

The Tie Down, Does my horse need it?

I often see people out for a pleasant trail ride and the have the horses head cranked down with a tie down. For those of you who are not familiar with a tie down ( standing Martingale for the English set) it is a strap which is attached to a noseband of either leather or stiff rope and connected to the girth on the other end. The purpose of this equipment is to keep the horses head down. I understand why they have it on; to keep the horses head from coming up too high and hitting them in the face or to keep them from evading the bit. All the tie down is doing in cases like this is masking a step in the horses training. It is a short cut and a way to handle a horse that hasn't learned to give to the bit. I would like to see more people work on teaching a horse to give to the bit then have to rely on the tie down to force the horses head down.
Riding with a Tie Down can also become a safety issue. Let's say you have to cross deep water and your tie down is left on your horse,there is a good chance you horse won't be able to lift his head above water.
There are times when a tie down is necessary, for instance in polo and standing Martingale prevents a horse from coming up with it's head and whacking your opponents horse or it's rider. I can also see in rodeo roping events. Horses often balance and brace against the tie down to help take the shock of stopping a calf or steer.
There is no substitute for teaching a horse to give but if you do need to have an aid out on the trail try a running martingale, it is safer and more effective in teaching your horse to get his head down where it should be.
Happy trails
Steve
www.horselife.ca

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Bitless Riding, is it right for you and your horse?

If you are anything like me you are always looking for the perfect tool that will bring you and your horse closer in working harmony. Over the years I have tried all sorts of bits, saddle and to be frank some real gimmicks. About 5 years back I gave a bitless bridle a try and had some real success with it.
I enjoyed riding bitless so much that when I created the Horselife brand of tack I developed several styles of bitless bridles along with some treeless saddles, rope halters and leads. If you are not familiar with the premise of bitless riding it is basically riding your horse without a bit in it's mouth.
This is not a new concept horses were ridden without bits for a 1000 years before a bit was ever put in their mouth. There are several pieces of tack that qualify as a bitless bridle, some of the more common ones are bosals, hackamores, side pull, indian bosal and the cross over design bridle. The mechanics of these bridles basically work off the same principle, that is nose pressure, poll pressure and in the case of the Indian bosal curb pressure aswell. The cross over design works on nose , poll and some cheek pressure. The cheek pressure comes from the cheek straps being crossed underneath the horses jaw, when the right rein is pulled the left cheek strap is pulled and pushes against the horses left jaw teaching it to move away from pressure similar to a neck rein.
The benefit I have found from riding some horses bitless is a more relaxed horse, if a horse is comfortable they ride better and in some cases it has eliminated annoying tricks horses do like head tossing and lugging in order to avoid the bit. I also like the idea of having to rely on less gear to ride a horse. If you want to see the epitome of this go to you tube and search Stacey Westfall performing a reining pattern without any bridle or saddle.
Some bitless bridle manufacturers are making claims that all horses perform better in a bitless bridle. Even though I manufacture bitless bridles and often ride bitless I do not agree with such claims. Every horse is different and not all horses react the same to nose and poll pressure, some like it some don't. I have also found in speed events where other animals are involved like polo and team roping the bitless doesn't always give you the precision needed to quickly and safely cue the horse. For 95% of the riders who will try bitless this is not an issue. The majority of bitless riders are avid trail riders, beginners learning to ride on a good school horse or involved in arena work.
There is no substitute for good riding skills and good hands a bitless bridle in the hands of someone who is really pulling and yanking on a horse is going to cause more pain then someone who is quit with a bit, If you are heavy handed or have a horse that tries to evade the bit, tosses its head or a good all round quit horse bitless may be the answer.
You can check out my website for more info on Bitless and treeless riding
www.horselife.ca
thanks
Steve

Monday, August 10, 2009

How do I slow down my Horse

I have a lot of my students ask me how to slow their horse down in all gaits. Some horses are just more energetic then others, they move out more willingly and simply have a quicker gait. That doesn't mean that they cannot learn to wait for your command and slow down regardless if it's a walk, trot or canter. The method I use is the same for all gaits; Tight Circles. By using tight circles you are not only teaching your horse to slow down but you are also getting them more supple and staying out of their mouths by not asking for a stop.
Here's how I do it:
working in straight line ask your horse for a trot when they are moving at the pace you are happy with just stay out of their way but the very second they speed up without your asking direct rein them around into a tight circle, (be sure not to yank or jerk them around we don't want this to hurt or frighten them). Circle tight enough that your horse has to come down to a walk but doesn't stop. Once you completed your circle ask again for the trot again in the same direction. If you are riding in an arena or somewhere where their is a fence circle your horse towards the fence or wall , this will keep them from walking out big circles and forces them to turn tighter. Once they are going nicely at the trot you can ask at the canter. Use caution at the canter bring them down to a walk or trot so you don't turn your horse too quickly and throw them off balance or bang him into the wall.
When teaching your horse to slow down you have to be consistent, clear and work in both directions, this is often the hardest part because it can be tedious and boring but stay at it and in no time you will feel your horse waiting for you.
I am happy to answer any questions you may have.
Steve

Friday, August 7, 2009

Azteca Horse of the Charro


The Azteca is a new breed created by the Mexican Charro. The goal was to develop an all round riding horse for working cattle. It was developed by combining,Lusitano, Andalusian Quarter Horse and the Criollo.
The Azteca is a combination of both breeds, being not too tall and lean, nor too short and stocky.They range between 14.3 and 16h.h when fully mature.
The head has a straight or convex profile, small pricked ears, and bright expressive eyes. The neck is very muscular and arched. The Azteca has a good wither a straight, a fairly short back broad round croup with a low tail set and a deep girth. The cannon bones are well-muscled with good joints; however, the cannons are long and thin. The bone density should favor the Spanish ancestry rather than the Quarter Horse.
The horses have a naturally collected movement with medium high action and excellent tracking. They are spirited and proud.
Aztecas are brave horses that are easily trained and eager to work, making them ideal candidates for working cattle and bull fighting . The horses are very good at all sports which require agility, power, spirit, strength, and speed. They are used for everything from ranch work and polo to dressage.
The International Azteca Horse Association was formed in 1992 to oversee the breed. Affiliated associations in the United States and Canada soon followed. Currently, 1000 Azteca are registered with the IAzHA.

info provided by wikipedia

Thursday, August 6, 2009

Horselife Daily Dish on all Things Related to Horses

After a lot of coaxing and help from my wife I am ready to embark on some serious blogging on all sorts of horse related topics. My life long interest in horses has led me in all different equine directions and interests. It is my plan to share these tidbits of info with fellow horse crazed enthusiasts on a daily basis. Every day of the week I will have a different topic.
Monday: Riding tips and Horse Problem Solving
Tuesday: Book and product reviews
Wednesday: Tack and it's function
Thursday Riding Styles and Disciplines
Friday: Breed Reviews
Sat/Sun I will be out riding.
Once I get the hang of it I will be posting video blogs from a variety of locations.
I am really looking forward to sharing my passion for all things horses and look forward to hearing your comments and questions.
thanks
www.horselife.ca