How-To

a horse rider's budget, are horses expensive? I can't afford my horse, how to pay for a horse

Nearly everything to do with horses seems to be continually rising in cost. Yet cutting corners in any way that might compromise your horse’s health and welfare is never the solution to saving money. So how can we add higher costs to what is already a tight budget, and how much further will our finances stretch?

Walking the Cross Country Course

One of my favorite parts of an eventing competition is that first course walk. I can't wait to see what the course designer has in store for us competitors! But walking the course is serious business - your course walking skills can mean the difference between success and failure out there on the course.

thinking while horse riding, less thinking better horse riding, horse rider psychology, april clay equine psychologist

Analysis does have a dark side: it can lead to the “thinking too much” syndrome. Most riders have experienced this trap. Why does this happen? What can be done about it?

Jonathan Field how do i get my horse to focus, get my horse's attention, help focussing horse, horse won't focus, horse won't pay attention, natural horsemanship

My horse is great in the arena, but easily distracted as soon as we go out of the ring. He’s good when he’s by himself, but when there are other horses around, my horse’s mind is not with me. My horse is fine when his herd-mate is nearby, but as soon as we try to separate he loses his mind! Sometimes he’s with me… and other times it’s like I’m not even there. If you can relate to any of these statements, the tips in this article will help you understand your horse – the ultimate tourist – and how to get his attention.

malnourished horse, rescue horses, helping underweight horse, starving horse, how to tell if horse is healthy weight, welfare horses

Horse owners are familiar with the tragic pictures shared on social media of the emaciated horse rescued by the authorities, or the one that could not be saved due to its poor condition. Malnourished horses are a reality even in our affluent Western world. Sometimes these horses are the result of well-intentioned people trying to “save” unwanted horses, only to find they are unable to do so because of cost or scarcity of feed.

running a horse barn, hiring horse people, keeping an equestrian facility, managing horse boarders, taking care of horses, nikki alvin smith

Whether you run a large horse business or a small private barn, finding good employees to help with the daily duties of horse care, training, and lessons is usually a difficult task. Some horse owners freely admit that their “horse resources” acumen is better than their “human resources” insight. In reality, good management of both takes similar talent and is easier to achieve than you might think. Here are some tips to help you along the way.

how to braid horse for hunter, how to braid horse for jumper, how to braid horse for dressage

The practice of braiding a horse’s mane and tail has a functional history dating back many centuries. One of the earliest reasons for braiding the mane was to keep it from becoming tangled in riding or farming equipment, or in the weapons of mounted hunters and soldiers. In ancient folklore, it was thought that fairies would sneak into the stables at night to tie “elf knots” in the mane, using them as stirrups to mount and ride the horses.

How to Take a Great  horse Conformation Photo, equine confirmation, selling a horse, how to sell a horse, all ears selfie app

Whether it’s for a passport photo, sales photo, or just for your own records, getting a great conformation shot has never been an easy task. But there are tricks to help get the job done as painlessly and efficiently as possible. A little bit of planning goes a long way and will result in a much better quality photo. If taking photos for a passport, make sure to look up the requirements beforehand. For example, Equestrian Canada requires a side-view, 4x6-inch, colour photograph of the horse, untacked except for a halter or bridle. These requirements are pretty basic and fairly standard across the board.

obtaining capital for Horse Sports, getting money for Horse Sport, gathering money for Horse Sport, Crowdfunding for horse sports

Finding the money for horse sport can be challenging, but with ingenuity, riders can discover funding in unusual places. Cash with minimal strings attached is available through grants, bursaries, awards, and scholarships.

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Creating and keeping a budget for your horse-related expenses can be a daunting exercise, but once you break it down it’s not so scary, and it’s part of responsible horse ownership. Without a budget, it’s difficult to manage your money and balance your expenses. Creating one will help you set a realistic limit on spending for your horse and horse-related activities, and may even help you find a way to reduce costs.

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