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Great article!!!
By Bayard Fox
Horseback riding is a sport at which women excel. One can try to explain their success because they are lighter than men and have obvious anatomical advantages for the saddle. This is certainly not everything. After 70 years of riding and close association with riders, I am convinced that the most important reason for feminine preeminence in the sport is their ability to relate to horses. It is partly a matter of sensitivity and patience. It is also a matter of willingness to trust in a real partnership where the whole is far more powerful than the sum of the parts.
Men are often too preoccupied by the need to show their macho strength in dominating a horse and are less willing to seek a harmonious relationship. They often seem to feel they must overpower a horse and make it totally subservient to their will. Many of them would be pleased if a horse reacted in the same insensate way as an automobile to a turn of the wheel, a foot on the brake or a push on the accelerator. Some people are just more at ease with machines which will always obey even suicidal commands unquestioningly.
For 25 years I have owned one of the world’s largest riding tour companies and we have found that about 70% of our clients are female. They tend to find an easy rapport with horses which most men have more trouble achieving. At our own dude ranch the majority of our wranglers are women. They love working with horses and are invariably patient, friendly and understanding to both horses and guests without showing off. They have taken the time to study equitation and horses in depth and many hold degrees from the British Horse Society or similar American institutions. Our wranglers care passionately about the physical and psychological welfare of their horses and are extremely conscientious. We have seen few situations where great strength is an asset although men do have an advantage with shoeing.
For 20 years Linda Tellington-Jones has been doing a clinic at our ranch each year to teach people how to start young horses. During the week she starts our four-year-old Arabians who have not yet been backed although they are used to being around people from the time they are born. These clinics using non-confrontational techniques have been immensely successful with clients (90% women) and they have given our horses a wonderful start. During the week the young horses are slowly prepared for a rider without being pushed too much. It is a long process demanding considerable patience which few men seem willing to offer. They prefer crash programs, much in vogue these days, which overwhelm the horse in a short time and give quick results, but do not work so well to make a trusting partner out of the animal in the long term.
Women are also frequently the leaders of the riding tours we handle around the world so our own ranch with its 180 horses is not an exception internationally. From Botswana to Argentina there are women leading rides and doing a first rate job. It does seem to be true, however, that most Western dude ranches still adhere strongly to the masculine cowboy mystique with Marlboro hats, coiled ropes and jingling spurs. It depends on one’s priorities and many of these ranches are focused more on the trappings of a Western experience with barbecues, hay rides, square dances and sing-along’s rather than riding in the equestrian sense.
Many patriarchal societies of the past in the days when horses were such a symbol of power (it was not so long ago) tended to keep a near male monopoly on riding. It appears that this has not always been the case. The ancient Greeks, who knew a lot about human nature, have such a rich mythology about women riders that it seems to me there is very likely some reason to believe in the existence of early women equestrians. Certainly the image of the fierce Amazon horsewomen belonging to a matriarchal society is a powerful and pervasive tale. These fearsome equestrian warriors were reputed to have cut off a right breast so that they could better handle their bows and spears. If so, they must have been mighty serious about what they were doing. It is interesting that in Mongolian society today women participate in riding for work and sports right along with the men.
Women have come into their own with horses in much of the world now that men no longer monopolize them. They find enjoyment and fulfillment in achieving a harmonious relationship which empowers both horse and rider. One can find somewhat the same kind of pleasure in teamwork with a working dog. Herding cattle with a willing horse is a good example of the kind of thing people and horses can do together. Whatever it is that makes women and horses such a good match, it has been a great delight to me over the years to see the happiness which this relationship has brought to both and I celebrate this partnership.
http://www.ridingtours.com/equestrian-articles/women-and-horses.cfm
Go Horseback Riding in Ireland
The magical charm of the Emerald Isle makes Ireland an ideal destination for horseback riding. Equitors has a wide variety of riding vacations from jumping to trail riding which have been well tested and proven over the years. Hundreds of their clients have enjoyed them. Few countries revere the horse as much as the Irish and horseback riding is deeply woven into the culture. The Irish usually like their American cousins anyhow, but a common love of horses adds an additional bond. Irish horses like the Connemara are world famous and much sought after.
The rural countryside with its stone walls, green fields and rolling hills is very pleasant to explore trail riding in company with a good horse. There are miles and miles of open beach which are ideal for a gallop and the horses seem to love it. Of course the rich history of the country is everywhere to be seen dating back to very early times of St. Patrick and before when Ireland saved our Western Civilization. Try to read Thomas Cahill’s wonderful book, “How the Irish Saved Civilization” before you go.
EQUITORS
http://www.ridingtours.com/horseback_riding_destinations/ireland.cfm
Many experienced horsemen and women will tell you they see this too often. Because untrained horses are often cheaper, or for whatever other whim, beginner riders will choose untrained horses. Don’t buy a horse that you plan to train yourself or even send to a trainer. Training can take months. It can be dangerous if not done right. Young or inexperienced mature horses are not reliable. Beginners will be safer and happier with a horse they can enjoy the moment it gets off the trailer.
An older horse, who has seen the world, makes a great first time beginner horse. Beginners might shy away from a horse into their late teens and twenties. But many healthy, sound horses can be ridden well into their senior years. In fact, light daily exercise, such as a quiet hack or drive may be beneficial to both horse and rider/driver.
This is a romantic notion, but the reality is that young horses and young beginner riders or drivers are not a safe mix. Buy your kids a mature, well trained horse they can saddle or harness up the same day you bring it home. Buy a horse that knows how to handle itself when all the scary aspects of the world present themselves—because a young beginner won’t know how. On an older, well trained horse or pony kids will learn and have fun in greater safety.
It takes a keen eye to pull a good horse out of an auction. Horses can appear docile at auction because they are so confused they ‘freeze’. Horses can be drugged to make them look calm or healthy. I know of a pony that several days after being brought home, showed all the symptoms of ‘heaves’—similar to emphysema in humans. The indicators had been masked by strong drugs. The new owner faced constant expense helping the pony breath easier.
I have to admit I am guilty of this as any beginner and I should know better. Don’t buy a horse on first sight. Try the horse out, try it again, ask lots of questions. Go home and think about it for a few days. Look at other horses besides the one you’re smitten with and make comparisons. Be absolutely sure you’ve chosen the horse most suitable for you.
Don’t be afraid to ask the seller for a trial period. Most private owners want their horses to go to good homes, and are confident about the type of person they feel can handle the horse. Many dealers will agree on a trial period, or help you find another horse if the one you are looking at doesn’t work out. Just ask. And if you get a ‘no’ answer, ask why. There may be a valid reason. Or an unethical one.
Do you want to buy a horse so you can breed it and have a foal? Before you do visit an auction where horses are destined for rendering or meat. Pay attention to how many look like the result of backyard breeding experiments. Consider if you can live with this outcome for a horse you have brought into this world. Horses should be bred because they have outstanding qualities to pass on. The fact that you love it or think it would have a really cute foal is not an outstanding quality.
You may envision yourself jumping 5 ft. concrete culverts in a cross country event. But the reality is you’ve only been riding six months. The type of horse required for high performance sports may not be the one suitable for safe learning. Buy a horse to match your skill and fitness level, not one to match a dream that may not come true for 5 years or even vanish.
While it is perfectly reasonable to want to own a special coat pattern horse like a Paint, palomino or Appaloosa it isn’t wise to buy for color only. If you have a choice of several horses, and all are of the same sane mind, and good training, of course buy the color you like. But don’t base your decision on the color if the mind and training aren’t suitable. When buying a car the adage is ‘you don’t drive the paint’. With horses, you don’t ride/drive the color.
Horse ownership is a big responsibility. Horses don’t stop eating and drinking on the weekend when you want to go away. The expenses don’t stop because you want to spend the money elsewhere, or you’ve been unable to work. Be honest about the time and money you are able to spend on a horse. It’s okay to admit you love horses, but would rather spend $30 on trail ride or riding lesson occasionally and leave all the other expense and fuss to someone else.
ABOUT.COM: HORSES
http://horses.about.com/od/buyingyourfirsthorse/tp/buyingmistakes.htm
Safety should be your primary concern whenever you are near a horse. The majority of horse-related accidents can be prevents by following some basic rules.
- Don’t walk up behind a a horse, unless you know it sees you out of the corner of its eye. Talk as you approach the horse.
- when walking around a tied horse, talk, put your hand on the rump, and walk close to the back legs. If you walk 4-6 feet (1-2 m) away, you may get the full impact of the kick. Ouch!
- Don’t walk under a horse’s neck when directly tied to a rail or wall. It may startle the horse, while you’re in a vulnerable position.
- Lead a horse with it’s neck at your side.
- Don’t stand directly in front of a horse. They have a blind spot and can spook.
- Be careful about galloping on teh trails with a group of riders. Horses are herd animals, and some may panic, or get mischievous, when the group starts running.
- Always where a helmet.
- Never tie or loop the rope around your hand or arm. That is how bones get broken.
You can burn a lot of calories by riding horses.
Riding horse keeps you slim
I don’t know about you, but I’d rather spend three days a week riding a horse instead of five days a week at the gym. Many horse owners give up their gym memberships because they burn so many calories walking and riding around the ranch.
Below are estimates of calories burned per hour for a 150lb person:
- saddling, grooming, and general riding for one hour = 238 calories
- Riding at the walk for one hours = 175 calories
- Riding at the trot for one hour = 450 calories and a great ab workout
- galloping for one hour = 550 calories (only gallop for that long on a horse that is physically fit for that.)
