This is the second in a series of five articles on horse grooming. This article deals with grooming tails and gives you the step by step on achieving the perfectly groomed tail. Regardless of whether your you're grooming a show horse, polo pony, or a working horse, this article will provide the

There are many considerations to keep in mind before you breed a horse, including your horse's disposition, breed, and conformation, and intended use of the foal. Follow these steps when considering breeding your mare.

Whether your goal is to become the next Roy Rogers or just chase some cows around the pasture, teaching your horse to rope can be a rewarding experience. Roping is a great sport, and knowing you had a hand in training your own roping horse can make it even better.

I've had a few horses lately in my shoeing rounds that have been lame as buggery in one foot, and it seems to have just happened over night. The owners have understandably panicked because the horse can barely walk on one foot and have called the vet over immediately. The vet then puts the hoof

The wooden base of a saddle, whether English or Western, is called the tree. The second step in saddle construction is covering this tree with rawhide, to protect the wood. Later, the rigging, padding, and stirrups will be added, but the rawhide covering must be installed first. Compared to the a

Cavaletti, also called ground poles, are the unsung heroes of horse training equipment. Cavaletti, the Italian word meaning "little horses," are traditionally poles stabilized by X-shaped supports at each end. The word has come to refer to any ground poles used in horse training, supported

Halter classes are popular events for horses of all breeds. In a halter class, the horse is judged on its conformation and its movement on a halter and lead line. Since the judging criteria for a halter class are different from those for riding classes, horse owners need to train their animals diffe

Often when a pet is sick or injured the cause may not be readily apparent. Since an animal can't tell the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine what the problem is, the veterinarian will use a number of tests to help narrow down and determine what is wrong with the animal. Many of the tests used on animals

Some people believe that artificial aids in training are bad for horses since they are abusive and cruel. So what is the difference between the natural aids and artificial aids? By common definition, natural aids are the human body parts such as our hands, feet, voice, and legs. Artificial aids incl

Western Pleasure is a type of Western riding competition that focuses on encouraging the horse to move in a calm, relaxed manner; any breed of horse can compete. The horse is evaluated on its balance, calmness and ability to give a rider a "pleasurable" ride. The rider should maintain as light a rei

A horse trailer is a small confined space, and it can be dangerous if a horse panics and pulls back in that environment. That is why many trailer ties are designed with breakaway snaps that give way if the horse panics and pulls back hard. When the horse is just standing or leaning against the bunge

Properly fitted tack is vital to a safe and enjoyable ride with your horse. Tack that is improperly fitted can cause behavioral problems with your horse as well as an accident for you. Both English and Western saddle girths and cinches are measured in the same manner.

Horse photo gallery of About Horses and Ponies readers' horses and ponies. This online album contains photos of readers horses and ponies. Horse pictures and digital artwork. Submit your horse photo for inclusion in the My Horse Photo Gallery. Enjoy these horse photos and stories. Photo of Pati

It was brought to my attention recently that there are many people "training" horses and calling themselves professionals on a resume full of RFDTV. Don't get me wrong, I think all horse owners should learn as much as they can about their equine partners, however, when it comes to tra

Massage is an excellent way to improve a horse's recovery.horse image by Dragomir Uzunov from Fotolia.comCompetitive equestrian sports can take a toll on both the rider and horse, psychologically as well as physically. While riders have more access to physical therapists and psychological...

Western saddles can be purchased with either a hard or soft (i.e., padded) seat from a variety of saddle manufacturers. In some cases, the same saddle will come with the option to select a hard seat or a regular seat.

A bridle path refers to a trimmed area of mane behind a horse’s ears. The bridle path is trimmed on different riding horses to prevent it from getting twisted in the mane hairs. Cutting a bridle path also keeps the horse looking neat. It is trimmed to prevent discomfort when it gets tangled in

When you bring your new horse home, you aren't the only family member that it will get to know. Here's what you need to learn about introducing your horse to four-legged companions like cats, dogs, goats and pigs.

Taking care of a pregnant horse is not like taking care of a pregnant human. Read this article if you may encounter such situation.

There are two main ways to approach building a horse barn with an upstairs apartment. You can erect a building that largely replicates a traditional domestic block and brick dwelling. Alternatively, you can create a lighter building using engineered trusses. These are strong but light, pre-formed wo