Horse owners have different opinions when it comes to rugging your horse correctly for temperature, rain, humidity, sun and protection from insects. Horses actually handle the cold better than heat, and a common misconception amongst horse owners is that horses needs to be rugged at night as soon as it is getting a bit cooler at nights.
Areas to consider before rugging your horse: - Horses naturally move around in the wild and will get colder if stabled - The horse's natural insulation is removed if clipped, and will therefore require heavier rugging - Some breeds to better in the cold/warm weather than others - A horse that has got enough weight on them will handle the cold better than a skinny horse - It is important to remove heavy rugs during the day if the sun is out, as a rug disrupts a horse natural heat regulation. - Rainy weather can be very humid, and it is sometimes better to leave a horse unrugged in the rain rather than keeping it sweaty in a humid rainy storm.
Rugging Temperatures (Celsius) As a general rule, if your horse is not clipped and in healthy shape, the following temperatures may require rugging if your horse is stabled:
- Negative 10 to 0 degrees 1200Denier with 300gram polyfill rug with a quaity cotton or fleece rug underneath is recommended. Make sure you use a combo rug.
- 0 to 5 degrees 200gram polyfill, medium weight rug.
- 5 to 10 degrees LightWeight rug, 150gram polyfill. (No fill during the day if Sunny).
- 10 to 15 degrees Light cotton rug, nothing or zero fill.
- 15 degrees and up No rug required, mesh rug can be used for protection of sun or insects.
When asked to describe a lasso as well as what it is used for, most people would simply tell you that it is a piece of rope that cowboys and ranch owners use to capture horses and cattle. While this is technically true, there is so much more to the lasso than what most people associate it with. Continue reading for more information on different variations of lassos, their uses, history, and our best selling lasso ropes.
History of the Lasso
The word lasso derives from the Spanish word "lazo", meaning "tie". While lassos are mostly associated with America, specifically cowboys and Western America, there is evidence of lassos being used all throughout history; in fact, images depicting Ancient Egyptian Pharaohs using lassos have been discovered and recorded. In addition to this, lassos have been recorded to have been in use by the Asian Huns as well as the Persians as a critical tool in battle. Native Americans used them in battle against the Spanish conquistadors, and when Spain introduced horses to the New World, Native Americans quickly caught on to using the lasso from horseback. This is where the modern use of lassos in rodeo got its roots. It has also been documented that African slaves in Mexico were among the first individuals to use lassos (also referred to as "lariats") to round up loose cattle from horseback, bringing upon the very first "cowboys".
Variations of the Lasso
While most people may simply just assume that lassos are made from rope, used to round up livestock, and there isn't much more to consider, there are different variations of the lasso that have different uses. In fact, each year, as more studies are done on what works and what dosen't work for ranchers, rodeo stars, and cowboys alike, more types of ropes and lassos are being designed than ever before.
Initially, lassos were usually made of horse hair or cowhide. Hair ropes were often a favorite due to being lighter than cowhide ropes, but they often did not age or wear well, and were prone to kinks. Cowhide ropes, while producing better results, were quite heavy and clunky, and posed the risk of easily breaking once a few strands wore out. While these types of ropes are now outdated and often times not as useful as other types, it is not completely uncommon for older, more traditional ropers to prefer to use these classic types of rope.
After years of trial and error, new materials were introduced to produce a more useful lasso. The modern lasso is usually made of hemp or nylon, both of which have proved to perform much better than their predecessors. In some cases, ropes will be made up of a blend of different materials to produce a more superior product that combines the best aspects of different types of rope.
Hemp and nylon are some of the materials of choice for most modern cowboys and ranchers. The materials have proven to be substantially more durable and useful than both hair and cowhide ropes. For those who prefer a more classic type of rope that pays tribute to the lasso's roots, the Maguey lariat is often favored. Maguey rope is made from Agave strands, and the finished product is smooth and strong, known for its stiffness, which is great for holding a good noose.
What to Consider When Purchasing a Lasso
Keeping the different variations, as well as the different materials in mind is crucial when deciding which type of lasso works best for you. Some ropes will be more stiff than others, and every rope is different, just like every user is different. Take into consideration what you will be using it for and what you expect out of the lasso. Think about the type of movement and giveback you'd like to recieve from the rope while using it. Consider the weight as well; while this may not seem like a huge factor at first, the weight of your rope can be the factor that decides if you're going to rope in your target or not.
People tend to have different preferences for lariat ropes in terms of material and weight. As a general rule, we'd recommend one of the Neil Love ropes for a beginner as:
- They are Superior quality with non kinking material (easier to learn with)
- Rope material blend is made to be used in both cold and warm weather
- Its slightly heavier/thicker but still flexible, which makes it easier to use
- Design: Its available in 3 different colors, with a neater finish on the end (not a knot)
- Also available in 2 x sizes - we'd recommend the shorter one (30') for a beginner
Remember, this lasso is for you, and what works for someone else may not always work for you as well.
How to Throw a Lasso
The first step in throwing a lasso is to ensure that you have your lasso prepared. Take your rope and fashion it into neat, similar-sized circles. Take the smaller hoop at the end-the hondo/honda- and thread the rope through to form a hoop. Keep this close; this is the end that you will end up throwing!
Bring your hand holding the hoop forward at stomach level. Bring your hoop into a swing over your head and find your target. If your target is a live animal, wait until you have a perfect view between the ears or horns. When you're ready, bring your swinging loop forward and release, visualizing yourself actually reaching out and touching the spot you're aiming to rope. If you're aiming to rope the horns and you've gotten one of them, bring your hand steadily to the side to ease the rope on to the other horn as well. As soon as you've got your rope around your target(s), quickly reach out and tighten up any slack in the rope. And voila! You've got yourself a successful lasso throwing.
Photo: Blogspot
After using your lasso, you'll want to recoil it neatly and hang somewhere where it will not get damp. Dampness-whether it be caused by rain or water leakage-will cause the rope to become limp once it dries out. This makes it almost impossible to throw a good lasso, as the rope will not have enough integrity to stay intact while it is being thrown. For this reason, keep your ropes in a dry area whenever not in use.
Keeping all of this information in mind, you can now move forward towards choosing the lasso that works best for you and your roping needs. Remember that roping is a difficult sport, and it is important not to get discouraged when you are first starting out. Practice certainly makes perfect, and any expert roper will tell you that roping is all about taking the love you already have for the sport and integrating it into your skill set.
How to Ride a EA Dressage Test & Receive a good score
1) Prepararation
Make sure you sign up for a test within your abilities. Train with a dressage coach on a regular basis to get advise from an experienced trainer on the ground. Make a plan with your coach on how to prepare for your test, practice your weaknesses on a weekly basis. Even the easiest tests requires a balanced horse that can perform walk trot and canter in a relaxed manner.
2) Warm-up
A lot of riders get nervous on the day and warm up for too long. Make sure you familiarise your horse with the area, however don't warm up for too long to make the 'horse tired' as this won't benefit you in the show ring. A warm up between 20-40minutes is usually enough. Ride each gait and bring a cach or a friend that can keep a track of time and let you know how far off you are. It is usually a good idea to have a last canter and trot in each gait right before going in.
3) Relax
The overall impression is the most important aspect a dressage judge looks at, is there harmony between the horse and rider? Is the horse relaxed, calm and comfortable? A horse in a steady rythm with his head high and not collected will score better than a horse that works in a frame but looses rhythm is unsteady or unbalanced.
4) Work on Transitions
Transitions, transitions, transitions - you've heard it all before. There is a reason to why all coaches ask you to do lots of exercises with transitions. Transitions makes the horse carry themselves without leaning on the bit and helps them work through their back and hold them more through their back legs.
5) Match the horse with a suitable rider
Alot of people try to re-train young/inexperienced horses in a new discipline even though the rider does not have the knowledge and experience to do so. Do NOT buy a green horse just because its cheap and beautiful, go for an older schoolmaster that can teach you the basics before trying to train a green young horse.
The Basics of EA dressage tests
Dressage competitions involve a number of movements on horses that are already determined to be ridden in a chronological order. These movements are usually performed in a 20 x 60 meters area arena. Occasionally, an arena of area 20 x 40 meters is also chosen depending on the requirements. Throughout the arena - 12 letters are placed that are more like an indication of the starting point of the movements, the finish points, the points where the pace has to be changed, or the lead has to be taken. Every dressage competition, in general, involves a horse to display three different paces. These paces include walking trotting and cantering.
There are a number of tests in Australia that are set up by the Equestrian Australia national federation. These tests vary in difficulty and range from beginner level to an advanced level. Beyond that, the other tests that include the FEI tests are those that are conducted on a national level.
There is an official competition arranged by EA that hosts over 21 seniors, 10-21 young riders and about 10 pony riders. Every state hosts inter-school competitions that make use of the dressage tests as they are set by EA. Typically, there are three types of EA dressage types that include:
Dressage tests for beginners
Dressage tests for intermediate riders
Dressage tests for advanced riders.
Photo: Flickr
How often are the EA Dressage tests updated?
While there is no fixed date set for updates for these tests - they are constantly under review and do get updated quite regurarly. For instance, the last update for the EA Dressage tests was made on July 1, 2018.
What to think about before your first dressage test?
Competing in dressage can be quite daunting as it is a spectator sport where every single move is judged, and you are trying to perform at your peak while being nervous together with a 500kg live animal so there are a lot of things that can go wrong.
Make sure you study your test in detail and know it inside and out, there is nothing worse than forgetting your test in the middle of riding it.
Manage your time wisely and make sure you arrive early on the competition day to familiarise yourself with the surroundings and find out where your warm-up and competition ring is and whether there are any scratched riders. In short, you should be taking each and every precaution so as to let things flow smoothly.
Photo: Flickr
As far as the dress code goes, usually, you will be required to wear a short coat that is usually black or navy blue in color with white breeches or jodhpurs. Along with this, you will also be required to wear a tie and a stock. In summer however, coats are not always necessary to wear.
The term bombproofing is used to describe the process of training your horse by the use of a logical plan to make certain that it is calm in situations where their flight response usually kicks in - circumstances like the presence of scary objects or noises. When a horse is for sale is said to be 'bombproof' usually means it is more desirable as it is more suitable for kids and beginners. This type of training transforms your horse from shying, rearing or bolting when scared to being more confident, controllable, pleasurable and safer to use while riding and handling it.Majority of the aspects involving horses require a certain level of understanding of the horse's psychology and bombproofing is not different. All horses are different and diverse so some might be easy to train while some might prove to be such a hard task. The training difficulty or ease on different horses might be impacted by factors such as their background training, how early they were handled as a foal which might still have a huge impact on how they behave even as adults. Recommendations
Make sure you use an experienced trainer if you are inexperienced with horses.
Don't rush through the training. Repeat, repeat and reward.
Keep the training short, 10-20 minutes per day is ok.
Use Tools around the stable - You can use a plastic bag for desensentising the horse. Cheap and effective!
Horses learn when they are calm, curious and are having fun. So make sure you keep your horse's anxiety level low in a clam environment.
The personalities of the different horses might also play a part in the training. There are horses that are confident and full of themselves hence tend to pushy while others are always nervous hence a timid nature. The nature of the horse will impact how effective the bombproofing training will be and whether it will be easy or tough to do the training. Be patient and try to understand how the horse works and time when it is most energetic. Both the trainer and the horse need to have some level of connection in order for the training to be effective. Shouting or beating the horse in order for it to become submissive will only make the training much harder and can cause a lot of nasty habits. The trainer needs to demonstrate what they want the horse to do in a very clear way. Just like in all languages both parties have to understand the message in order to communicate. Horses will read your body language and will sense if you are tense or angry.
