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Basic Horse Facts
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Horses are measured in hands.A hand is four inches. |
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A horse is generally over 14.2 hh (hands high). |
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Anything under 14.2 hands high is a pony. |
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A horse is considered adult at age four. |
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A female horse over 4 years old is called a mare. |
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A male horse over 4 years old is called a stallion. |
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Horses can drink up to ten gallons of water a day. |
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The average horse's HEAD WEIGHS 11.84 pounds |
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A horse's "HEART WEIGHS" about 9-10 pounds. |
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The scientific name for the horse is equus caballus. |
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The Clydesdales became the Anheuser-Busch symbol on April 7, 1933. |
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Adult male horses generally have 40 teeth while the females only have 36. |
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Horses cannot breathe through their mouths. |
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Horses can see color. |
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Horses have two blind spots. One is directly behind them,the other is directly in front of them. |
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Horses expend more energy lying down than they do when they are standing up. |
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Horses can communicate how they are feeling by their facial expressions. They use their ears, nostrils, and eyes to show their moods. Beware of a horse that has flared nostrils and their ears back. That means it might attack. |
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You can tell how old a horse is by how many teeth it has. A horse gets all of its teeth by the time it is five years old. After that, they just grow longer. |
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With his long limbs and large heart and lungs, the horse is designed for galloping. Jumping is not a natural activity for horses and left to their own devices most will go around obstructions. |
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When spoken to, horses distinguish tones rather than particular words. |
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A horse of average size has approximately 50 pints (28 litres) which circulate through his system every 40 seconds. |
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The top speed of a of a Horse is about 45 Mph (70 Kph). |
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The smallest horse ever recorded was a Falabella (miniature pony) which stood 48cm (19 Inches), or just under 5 Hands and weighed 14Kg (30 Lbs) |
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The largest horse ever recorded was a Belgian that stood 1.8M (6ft) tall, or 18 Hands, and weighted 1400Kgs (3200Lbs) |
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Horses have the largest eyes of any land animal. |
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While walking a horse consumes 1 Litre (.25 gallon) of oxygen a minute but at racing gallop the horse takes exactly 1 breath per stride and consumes nearly 60 Litres (15 gallons) of oxygen per minute |
Fun Facts
Riding Apparels
most useful information from:
http://www.horses-and-horse-information.com/
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Hats / Helmets
Your riding hat is the single most important piece of equipment you will buy while riding horses. Never get on a horse without one as they can quite literally be a lifesaver. When learning to ride you can borrow one but it is always better to buy your own. Always make sure the hat fits properly. Not only does it protect your head in a fall from the horse, but it also gives you protection should the horse kick you while you are on the floor.
Types of Headgear
There are several different types of protective headgear for riding horses but they fall largely into two broader categories riding helmets and skull caps.
Riding helmets are the traditional type of hard hat. They are sometimes covered in velvet or may be plastic. They usually come in dark colours.
Skull caps are like the type of headgear which jockeys wear. They can be personalised with coloured silks peaked covers in bright colours which fit over the cap.
Fitting
You should always buy your riding hats from somewhere with trained fitters. They will help make sure you buy the best hat for your head and that it fits correctly.
When trying a hat, adjust the integrated chin strap which all hats have before the strap at the rear of the hat. Once you have found a hat which feels right, leave it on for about 15 minutes so you can see if it is going to give you headaches should you wear it for long periods of time.
The measurements you will need will be your head circumference which should be measured above the ears. This measurement will correspond to a hat size. The hat should sit on your head and be secure but comfortable. Do not be tempted to buy one which is too tight it needs to be comfortable.
Safety
Never buy a second hand hat you do not know what has happened to it before you. Any hat that has been involved in an impact even dropped onto a hard surface must be discarded.
No hat will prevent serious injuries in some circumstances but the best hats will offer the highest levels of shock absorbency. Every country has its own set of safety standards and the British Horse Society will advise on the safest hat at any one time. Manufacturers are constantly updating their products to make them even safer. Some bodies will only allow riders to ride if they have the minimum standard hat and there is a legal requirement for under 14s to wear one on the road again the BHS will advise as to which hat they should be using.
A riding hat could save your life it is no exaggeration. Get the best one you can and never compromise safety. The standards will change regularly so always check what the latest is before investing in a new hat. Report any accidents you and your hat are involved in to the BHS so they can add it to their database of how hats perform to help with the future of safety hats. But most importantly, do make sure any damaged hat even if there is nothing visible is thrown away and a new one bought. |
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Riding Boots and Chaps
The importance of having the right footwear for riding cannot be underestimated. The rider does much of the controlling of the horse with their feet and, as such, must be comfortable and in control. The hold the rider has on the stirrups is also an important factor to consider in riding footwear and the last thing a rider wants is to fall off because of incorrect attire. Riding can also be a messy business, especially in the winter, and good footwear will help to keep you safe and clean.
Riding boots are boots made to be used for horse riding. The classic boot comes high enough up the leg to prevent the leathers of the saddle from pinching the leg of the rider, has a sturdy toe to protect the rider's foot when on the ground, and has a distinct heel to prevent the foot from sliding through the stirrup. The sole is smooth or lightly textured to avoid being caught on the tread of the stirrup in the event of a fall.
The modern riding boot is relatively low- heeled, with a heel of less than one inch, though historically a higher heel was common, as it has always been critically important for riding boots to prevent the foot from slipping through the stirrup.. Today, only some styles of cowboy boots retain a higher heel than other modern riding boots. Beginners
Beginners will not need to invest in proper riding boots immediately, until they know whether they are going to enjoy riding and take it up properly. But what you do need is to make sure you are going to be safe from the outset, even if you never get back on a horse again. In fact, if you fall during your first lesson because of the wrong shoes then it will probably put you off riding for life anyway.
Beginners should not wear trainers or hiking boots if it can be avoided. These shoes do not have a heel, which is needed to hold onto stirrups. In addition, the grip or tread on whatever shoes you do wear must not be too deep as if it is, it can catch on the stirrups and pull your foot in the wrong direction. Equally, a shoe with a slippery sole is no good, for obvious reasons, as the foot may simply slide all the way through the stirrup, trapping the leg.
Safety
Proper riding boots are the safest footwear to use, and once you have decided you are going to continue riding, you should purchase a pair. Safety is important in a number of respects. Firstly, and this can be overlooked, is that horses are heavy. They do not always look at where they are putting their hooves and if they tread on your foot, it will hurt. Therefore, look for boots with a reinforced toecap to protect your foot from pain, and even broken bones, if a horse does decide his four feet are not enough.
Ankles are a vulnerable part of the body, particularly when riding, when the foot can be twisted easily. Therefore, it is best to look for boots which completely cover the ankle to give it that added protection.
As stated above, the sole needs to be smooth without being slippy. This will ensure the foot does not get stuck in the stirrup nor slide off altogether.
Styles
There is a variety of styles of riding boots, and all should serve the same purpose, so many of the differences are simply aesthetic.
Boots are usually made from leather or PVC.
Jodhpur boots are, as the name suggests, designed to be worn with jodhpurs. They are ankle length boots which end just above the ankle and are usually elasticated to aid with pulling on and off.
Knee length boots can be worn with either breeches, which end at the mid calf or jodhpurs. With riding shoes, you will need to wear chaps as well, but these are commonly seen in Western style riding rather than English. Heels are usually made of leather or rubber.
If you are serious about horses, it is best to invest in a pair of boots for stable management and they should be sturdy and waterproof.
Boots are an important piece of kit for the recreational rider. Comfort and warmth are two more qualities to look for in a boot, and remember; you will be wearing them for long periods of time and to do physical activity in. Therefore, it is a good idea to wear them in before riding in them or the first time. Don't compromise on fit, if they feel too tight or too loose, go somewhere else for your boots. |
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Breeches and Jodpurs
Breeches and jodhpurs are two of the most distinctive items of riding clothing. If you see someone wearing a pair you can be fairly sure they are a rider. The trousers serve to enhance the riding experience by making the rider feel more comfortable and also safer. A good pair of jodhpurs or breeches will give the rider room to move whilst being tight fitting enough to allow them to feel the horse and know what he is about to do.
Jodhpurs
Jodhpurs are tight fitting trousers. They are usually made out of a flexible material which allows the skin to breathe common modern pairs often include Lycra or Spandex. The trousers allow the leg to bend when the rider is seated on the horse, but without cutting into the back of the knee as many trousers would do. They are usually, or rather traditionally, white or cream, despite this seeming like an impractical shade for riding horses through muddy fields. They can now, however, be seen in a variety of different colours and patterns, although sombre colours still predominate. Strictly speaking, jodhpurs end at the ankle. They may have an elastic strap, commonly called a stirrup, to fit below the foot to stop them from riding up. Jodhpurs are usually worn with ankle length riding boots which are also known as Jodhpur boots, but can also be worn with long riding boots. Breeches
The term breeches is often used interchangeably with jodhpurs, but strictly speaking they are not the same. Breeches are similar to jodhpurs but end halfway down the rider's calf. This means they can only be worn with long riding boots and not with Jodhpur boots. There are also types of breeches with a knee patch, similar to those found on jodhpurs, or a fullseat patch. Show jumpers tend to wear the former, to allow them to grip harder when taking jumps, while dressage riders prefer the latter, allowing them to remain in position when riding and showing the horse.
Anyone who is even vaguely serious about riding will need a couple of pairs of jodhpurs or breeches. Certainly when a rider progresses to entering competitions, the jodhpurs will be obligatory. Most competitions employ a fairly well adhered to dress code for horses and riders, and thus, it is not advisable to wear garish colours. For competitions, riders should aim for more conservative colours. As well as the cream and white shades, muted greens are also popular. Less conservative colours can be used for cross country riding, and most riders tend to match their jodhpurs or breeches to the colours of their team. To be on the safe side it is always best to check before competing. |
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Gloves
As the hands play such an important part in controlling the horse, riders need good quality riding gloves. It is impossible to grip the reins properly if your hands are cold, so in the winter gloves are a must. But ordinary gloves will be too slippy to hold onto the reins properly, so investing in a good pair of specialist riding gloves is a good idea.
The best riding gloves are usually leather. It is both hard wearing and warm, and looks smart and professional ideal for competitions. However, depending on the type of leather used, sometimes you may end up with a less than optimum feel of the reins. In order to combat this, many riders are now turning to Lycra or Spandex. These materials give you a close fit and are highly flexible. It actually will feel like you are not wearing gloves if they are a good fit. They should have lots of rubbery grip dots on the palm to avoid your hand slipping. Finally, many riders, especially beginners, choose a cotton or wool mix. These types of gloves can get wet and cold easily when it rains and are not particularly hard wearing. However, they can, at least, be washed easily. They will also have lots of grip dots on the palm to hold onto the reins. Whichever fabric you choose, make sure you break them in, especially if they are leather, as, like boots and shoes, they will become uncomfortable if they have not be worn prior to riding in them.
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