Equestrian Olympic Games – Three-day Eventing

Equestrian Olympic Games €“ Three-Day Eventing:

Equestrian and equine enthusiasts world round consider three-day eventing as the most complete test of the horse and rider. This testing covers all of the aspects involved in training and horsemanship. Calmness and obedience in and throughout the dressage phase, to speed and boldness in the excitement of the across country endurance phase, stadium jumping and the stamina taxed in the stadium jumping phase. The same horse respectively must be used in all phases of this three-day event.

Phase 1: Dressage Test

In the first day and phase of this test is the dressage stage. The main objectives of the dressage stage is to test and demonstrate harmony and development between the horse as well as the rider. This is a very difficult task of the three-day event., usually because the event horse in itself is particularly keen, they are athletic individuals, in this they are more anxious to get going on the cross country course part of this vigorous test. The riders main objective is not to get to anxious, after all this is just the beginning of the games. He need to demonstrate that his horse is fit to carry out the task at hand, but has to also show that his horse is obedient to the rider, in this he cannot show impatience or resistance as any sign. Here the rider needs a good score, this here can place him among the leaders, This will give him a big advantage when taking the second phase into consideration.

Phase 2: Endurance Phase

Into the second day we move into the this test of endurance. Here the main objective is to show endurance, speed, and important of these cross country jumping ability. This will also test the rider’s timing knowledge and of course, pace control. Certain penalties are incurred, these include falls or refusals at obstacles, going off course is not allowed, and the time alloted for exceeding.

As you will see, the endurance competition has four parts:

Roads and Tracks

Steeplechase

Roads and Tracks (again)

Cross Country

In each of these parts there is an “Allowed Time”, This means that the rider’s goal is to complete that part of the competition in a timely manner. They also must do so, without excreting the horse in any way. Timing is of utmost importance in this endurance phase of the competition. The rider defiantly does not want to ask to much of his horse at this stage, after all the horse has to have enough energy to complete the full competition. Its also to note, Veterinarians do check the horses at regular intervals. If a vet feels a horse is getting to tired, the vet can order a rest period to the horse and rider. At this point the vet will designate a time period, if the vet feels the horse is not ready to continue or the horse is unfit, he can order the full withdrawal of that animal from further competition. So you can see why it’s so important for the rider to have patience in practicing pace control and timing, the rider has to make the most use of his horses energy and ability and practice good horsemanship at all times.

Phase 3: Stadium Jumping

As the third day and final day is entered, this is where the stadium jumping phase comes into play. In this part, unlike the endurance phase of the test, is taken part usually in an arena. So you can see where the term “Stadium Jumping” comes to play. The main objective here is to test how the horse bounces back from what was the endurance phase. Its not uncommon at this point, for the riders to be tied in numbers of points from the end of the endurance and dressage phases. The Stadium jumping phase of these events almost always decides the winner.

.

Technorati Tags: Equestrian, eventing, Games, Olympic, Threeday

Gimme More – Equestrian Jumping

**I CLAIM NO OWNERSHIP OVER THE SONGS OR VIDEOS USED IN THIS VIDEO** My first completed video in SV7. Its ok but I like my second completed video [the one for Rebel] better. 7 hours, 8 layers, 20 minnutes rendering. My favourite clip is probably about 3 minutes in, its a slower motioned red roan jumping a natural looking jump. Gimme More by Britney Spears. I think the clips are from Horse-Gate.

Technorati Tags: Equestrian, Gimme, jumping, More

Arabian Horses

The Arab or Arabian horses name is derived from the area from which the Arabian horse originates, the Arabian peninsula in south west Asia.  

Summary

The Arabian horse is a member of the “hot blooded” group of horses.

Hot blooded horses have a more refined body and are of a smaller, lighter build compared to their warm and cold blooded counterparts. Hot blooded horses are exceptionally agile and posses’ great speed, this is due to their lightly muscled body.

Arabian horses are incredibly versatile; they are used for various equestrian pursuits from dressage to the western sport of “cutting”. Arabian horses excel at endurance and dominate the sport at the highest levels. The Arabian horse is renowned for its outstanding good looks and extreme stamina.

Arabian blood lines are evident in many of today’s modern light weight horses; they have been used to refine certain breeds to add speed and agility, intelligence and stamina.

Characteristics

The Arabian horse has particularly distinguishable features, which makes it easily recognisable. The Arabian horse has a defined head with a dished profile; some have a slightly bulging forehead, large eyes and large nostrils and a diminutive muzzle, a well arched neck, and a good sloping shoulder. You can find Arabian Horses for Sale with these characteristics on the Horsewizard website.

Arabian horses generally have compact strong bodies and a short back and a somewhat level croup and a high tail carriage. Arabian horses have short cannons good strong feet and dense bone. Arabian horses are well built tough light weight horses. Arabian horses can be of pony height but are still genetically horses.

Pure bred Arabian horses can only be bay, chestnut, grey, roan and sometimes black, although black Arabian horses are very uncommon.   

History

The Arabian horse is one of the oldest breeds of horse in the world. Rock paintings from as far back as 2500 B.C depict the ancient ancestors of the modern day Arabian horse. The Arabian horse’s origins are from the Middle East.  The Arabian horse was developed in desert environment, where food and water is scarce, thus making the Arabian horse a hardy animal. To view more pictures of Arabian horses and Arabian Horses for Sale click here

Technorati Tags: Arabian, horses

Does anyone know where to purchase a size 87” ANTI SWEAT SHEET or a warm blood horse?

I live in Millwood, Va, Usa. Thanks

Technorati Tags: 87'', Anti, anyone, blood, horse, know, purchase, SHEET, size, SWEAT, warm

The Principles of Riding: The Official Handbook of the German National Equestrian Federation

The Principles of Riding: The Official Handbook of the German National Equestrian Federation

Technorati Tags: Equestrian, Federation, german, Handbook, national, official, Principles, riding"

‘Accessible’ dressage format to be tested in Aachen

‘Accessible’ dressage format to be tested in Aachen
A simpler and more entertaining Olympic dressage format will be tested at the World Equestrian Festival in Aachen, Germany, this summer

Read more on Horse and Hound

Technorati Tags: 'Accessible', Aachen, Dressage, format, tested

Advanced Techniques of Dressage: German National Equestrian Federation

Product Description
This official handbook of the German National Equestrian Federation presents an instruction course in advanced dressage, describing in detail the criteria governing each stage of dressage training, from transitions to extensions to piaffe and passage, and giving the aids and training methods for each movement or exercise. Includes over 40 line drawings… More >>

Advanced Techniques of Dressage: German National Equestrian Federation

Technorati Tags: Advanced, Dressage, Equestrian, Federation, german, national, Techniques

The American Quarter Horse: Faster Than A Speeding Thoroughbred

The Quarter Horse is known as the All-American horse and as the world’s most versatile horse. Not only is it the most popular breed in the United States, but it is possibly the oldest horse breed in the US. Named for its amazing speed during a short one quarter mile sprint, the fastest galloping speed by any horse has been achieved by the American Quarter Horse which has been clocked at speeds near 55 mph (88 km/h) in a quarter mile or less. Their immensely powerful hindquarters can propel the horse into a gallop almost from a standing start, and Quarter Horse racing is becoming more popular. The average Quarter Horse usually lives 20 years, but 35 years is not uncommon when properly cared for.

It has been called by many names over the years: American Quarter Horse, Foundation Quarter, Standard Quarter, Racing Quarter, Running Quarter, Quarter Miler, Short Horse and the cowboy’s Cutting Horse.

While the breed originated in the United States and is now distributed worldwide, its ancestry dates back to the Arabian, Barb and Turk horses that were imported to America by early Spanish explorers, conquistadors and traders. These were combined into the Chickaswas breed by Native Americans to form one side of the bloodline, with English horses and Thoroughbreds on the other. Morgan and Standardbred horses have also been used in the breed’s development. But it is difficult to give the exact origins because the blending of bloodlines to produce a short-distance horse started in colonial regions prior to the Revolutionary War. The true beginnings are believed to have been in the Carolinas and Virginia but the principle development was in the southwestern part of the United States, in Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, eastern Colorado, and Kansas when in the early 1600s, settlers began importing English horses and breeding them to the native Spanish-based Chickaswas stock to create a tough all-purpose horse.

Of course, naming horses after people was common practice back then and when the horses were sold their names were often changed. This led to confusion when attempting to verify pedigrees. Nowadays a horse’s name must be acceptable to the American Quarter Horse Association and must not exceed 20 characters. Quarter Horse names may be reused only if certain criteria are met as per AQHA rules.

And no particular attention was made to keep them as a distinct breed, either.  Fast horses were raced in any suitable open space with many races being run as “match races” after a private wager between owners or riders. Any of these fast horses that also made good cow horses were crossed to existing mares.  Many of these mares had Spanish, Arabian, Morgan, or Standardbred backgrounds. 

In 1889, Traveler, a horse of unknown pedigree, was shipped to Texas in a carload of horses but it is believed that he originated in Kentucky.  Traveler was apparently not considered valuable and at least once changed hands in a craps game.  He and his descendants were mated to some excellent mares, and many Quarter Horses today can trace back to him along the paternal side.

Currently there are two basic varieties of the breed. The Foundation Quarter, Standard Quarter or old-fashioned “Bulldog” type is the smallest, shortest, stockiest, most muscular variety, yet extremely agile and sure-footed. Used for ranch work, trail and pleasure riding, they average 14 to15 hands and weigh 900 to 1,100 lbs. The Racing Quarter, Running Quarter is taller, leaner and looks more like a well-muscled Thoroughbred due to the added Thoroughbred genes. These average between 15 to 16 hands, weigh 1,000 to 1,250 pounds and tend to be in solid colors with limited white markings.

American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA), the largest equine breed registry in the world, and founded in 1940, has registered more than 5 million American Quarter Horses with the current population estimated at 3.2 million animals.

The breed is usually recognized by a short muzzle, broad forehead with a straight profile and large jaws. It has small fox-like ears and large, wide-set eyes. The neck has a slight crest. Their backs are short with good withers and a sloping croup.  The barrel is deep with well-sprung ribs and the hooves are well-rounded, with deep open heels. The following 13 colors are accepted by the AQHA: brown, chestnut, gray, dun, red dun, bay, buckskin, black, grullo, red roan, blue roan, and palomino, with sorrel being the most common and limited white markings.

The walk, trot, canter, and gallop are the Quarter Horse’s natural gaits. Some individuals have long, leggy movements with a lot of knee action, while others take shorter steps.

As for disposition and personality, this horse is the most willing, laid-back, quiet and even-tempered of all the breeds, and has a gentle nature. They are quick and agile, level-headed and sensible, sure-footed and steady with good stamina. Their unflappable nature has made them suitable for mounted police units in cities. Intelligence, reliability, adaptability and willingness to please their owners make the Quarter Horse very easy to train in all ways. The breed seems to have an innate “cow sense” and can anticipate the moves made by cattle which makes them indispensable for herding and cutting.

There is one downside to the breed however, a genetic oddity known as Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis (HYPP). This is listed as a genetic defect in AQHA’s rules, along with Parrot Mouth and Cryptorchidism. HYPP is inherited as a dominant trait and is characterized by intermittent episodes of uncontrolled muscle tremors (shaking, trembling or twitching) or profound muscle weakness, and in severe cases, may lead to collapse and/or death. To date, HYPP has been traced only to descendants of a horse named IMPRESSIVE, #0767246.

They are indeed an all-purpose horse with uses ranging from racing, herding, and rodeo, to show jumping, dressage, carriage and pleasure riding.

Technorati Tags: american, Faster, horse, Quarter, Speeding, Than, Thoroughbred

Thoroughbred foal numbers continue to fall

Thoroughbred foal numbers continue to fall
T HE 2010 crop of thoroughbred foals will be the smallest in 33 years, according to the Jockey Club. Based on official reports of mares bred, which are filed by stallion owners, the number of foals expected for 2010 is about 30,000. Matt Iuliano, Jockey Club vice president of registration services, said the number of mares bred has declined annually since 2006, when the subsequent year’s foal …

Read more on The Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star

Technorati Tags: continue, fall, Foal, numbers, Thoroughbred

Can you spell a word for horsewoman that contains four e’s?

Technorati Tags: contains, Four, Horsewoman, spell, word