Equitation Queen

When I jump my horse I use Acavallo Vittorias which I love; there is gel on the inside which conforms to the leg and helps stabilize the tendons and ligaments, absorbs shock, and keeps the boots from slipping. I don't use anything to flat with because my horse doesn't interfere.

Here's my thing. I live in a place where it gets REALLY hot, and every single boot i try heats up my horse's legs. I've tried ones with vents and breathable liners, but the fact of the matter is, any kind of plastic outer shell, though it provides impact protection, is going to trap heat against the leg. My Vittorias are also at fault, however my horse's legs seem to be cooler for whatever reason when I use them than any other kind of boot I've tried. But they still heat up.

I've come to accept this, because at a show where I'm going to be jumping high at speed and doing tight turns, I want that hard plastic outer shell to protect my horse's legs, even at the cost of heat. But at home, the risk of impact injuries is reduced, and I'd like to keep her legs as cool as possible. I have Saratoga bandages which I also LOVE because they support the leg and they breathe, but I don't want to use them for jumping because they provide NO impact protection. So I'm thinking about investing in a pair of Equifit T-Foam half bandage liners, which are also supposedly breathable, to use underneath the Saratogas. This way I get some impact protection and stabilization of her lower legs, without any plastic shell trapping heat.

I would still show in my boots, and use my boots if I'm going to jump high or work on tight turns at home, but what do you think about the Saratoga/Bandage liner combination for slower work over fences? Has anyone used the T-Foam bandage liners before? How do you like them? What other ideas do you have? What do you do for your horses?

Thanks everyone... this was kind of a novel but thanks for bearing with me. I know I'm not the only person worried about this.

I am looking into Saratoga bandages for my horse because I don't like how hot polo wraps and splint boots keep her legs. Any opinions on them? I'm pretty good at wrapping with polo wraps and standing wraps, are the Saratoga bandages the same basic idea or different? And also, can you use them by themselves, or do you need something underneath like a porter boot?

I am looking into Saratoga bandages for my horse because I don't like how hot polo wraps and splint boots keep her legs. Any opinions on them? I'm pretty good at wrapping with polo wraps and standing wraps, are the Saratoga bandages the same basic idea or different? And also, can you use them by themselves, or do you need something underneath like a porter boot?

I am looking into Saratoga bandages for my horse because I don't like how hot polo wraps and splint boots keep her legs. Any opinions on them? I'm pretty good at wrapping with polo wraps and standing wraps, are the Saratoga bandages the same basic idea or different? And also, can you use them by themselves, or do you need something underneath like a porter boot?

I have a survey for people who have qualified for the North American Young Junior Rider Championships in Show Jumping. If you have, either this year or any year previously, please answer!

1) How were you at qualification?

2) How old was your horse at qualification?

3) How long had you been riding your horse before qualifying?

4) How long had you been showing your horse before qualifying?

5) How old was your horse when he did his first 1.40 meter class (Level 7)

Thanks so much!

He seems to be quite a bit larger than he was before he began the show. Anyone know how many pounds he's put on?

http://www.dkimages.com/discover/previews/927/1500...

Try to guess!!

I don't know what it is, but people seem to unwittingly think their horses are 2 to 3 inches taller than they really are. My horse we just measured is 15.2, we were guestimating 15.3 to 16 hands! My friend's horse is 16.3 when measured but they thought he was 17.1 or 17.2, and I've tried several horses like a 16.3-17 hand horse they said was 17.2, and a 15.3 horse they said was 16.1

Anyone else have this happen to them?

If you have a semi and trailer, about how long would it take to haul from Miami to Tucson (~1900 miles), counting the time for sleeping?

I ride hunter/jumpers. Is there anything I can do to grow and keep my horse's tail long, thick and healthy WITHOUT putting it in a tail bag? I know to handle it as LITTLE as possible, and leave-in conditioner is also a good idea. Right now I hardly ever brush it, and once a week I condition it with Ethnic hair care oil. But is there much else I can do? I would love my horse to have a tail I can show off a little.

We are looking at a very sweet, level-headed Welsh/Arabian cross. She has a slow cadence, low tail carriage, not at all what you'd expect an Arab to be like. Our trainer has said that she looks like a fancy pony from the shoulder back, meaning rated-show quality. She doesn't move like an arab, and doesn't jump like an arab. She moves very well and jumps very well. Her one downfall is that she has an EXTREMELY dished face. Would this count against her at rated shows, where Arabs are generally frowned upon in the Hunter/Jumper world, even if the rest of her is not Arabian-like?

I have a TICA registered Sphynx cat and I am taking her to a TICA show this March. Do you have any tips and information about going to your first show? Any information is welcome, thanks!

My bearded dragon is very old, and it's hard to get him to eat anything. We've been successful with baby food; he just spits out veggies. We were wondering if he can eat bread, or maybe oatmeal soaked in soy milk?

We are getting a Sphynx kitten with a nice build and pedigree, and my sister is planning on showing her. The kitten will come into our home spayed, however, and I was wondering if you can show a spayed cat, if even just at lower levels. Thanks for your information, and if you have any tips about preparing a Sphynx for a show, let me know!

My horse has a really nice tail and I want to keep it nice! I am going to start using an ethnic hair care product. But I was also thinking maybe mixing olive oil and water in a spray bottle and using that on the tail. Do you think this would promote hair growth, or at least keep the hair strong and soft? Just wondering, thanks!

I've been looking around for saddles, I'm growing out of my Rodrigo Pessoa, not in the seat, but in the leg (it's a pony saddle). I've tried the Antares, and I like them, but they pinch me and I hate all the thick leather under my leg; I can't put my leg on the horse without twisting my leg and lifting my knee off the saddle. I've tried the Butet, and I LOVE it, but we've been having trouble finding a used one.

I have long thighs, but a tiny butt (i'm like 15 1/2 inch to 16 inch). What other saddles might I try?

I have trouble keeping by back upright, with my shoulders down and back and in a powerful position. This affects me because a) I'm not as strong through my core as I could be, b) I tend to lean at the jump and my horse refuses because she is unbalanced, and c) it's ugly. My trainer wants me to use a "Shoulders-Back" so I can feel and build the muscle memory to ride in a more correct position. I'm gonna give it a go, but I just wanted the opinions of some people who have used it. Any words?

There was a calf born at my barn a few days ago, and I was thinking of names... I thought it would be cute to play the name off of beef dishes, like for T-Bone steak, there would be...

T-Bonfilia

T-Bonnie

T-Bonde

T-Bonola

T-Bonqueisha

That sort of idea... if it helps, it's a girl, who is brown with a white face and blue eyes. Tell me which of the above names you like or give your own ideas!

I ride horses four or five times a week, and two to three times out of those I jump. My quads and the insides of my thighs are almost always sore, and my knees are always achy when I squat down. Do you know exactly why, or what I can do for it?