Emma=)

My first show of the season is in about 2 weeks and I'm so excited!! I've shown before and I have a few of my own tricks up my sleeve, but I'm wondering, what are yours? Have fun with this question! You can list all of them, some of them, or even just one! English or Western (I'll be competing in pleasure/equitation and showmanship at halter)!

Thank you!!

LOL! I totally forgot what my trainer said, but this year, I'm planning on competing in english pleasure/equitation. I've ridden english before, but this will be my first season competing in it. I need to pick up some 'show breeches' and I forgot whether she said to buy darker tan ones or lighter ones? She told me to buy whichever shade because it makes it harder for people to see your knees off of the saddle when you're posting. But which shade is it?

Thank you!!

So, I bought my first pleasure mare back in September. The prior owner said she was just the sweetest little thing and she is...until she goes into heat!! I guess there's a catch in every horse and I guess that's hers lol!! When she's not in heat, she's easy to work with, she's focused, and she's willing. I'm getting really frustrated since she goes into such bad heats-especially since show season is coming up fast on us and we've done little training!!

When she's in heat, she gets extremely unfocused. That's the main problem. I can't do anything with her and if I do (which I try really hard to deal with it), we get no where. The one time, she actually tried to kick me when I was passing behind her (and yes, I was passing around her correctly). At this point, I don't feel comfortable using Regumate on her-I just don't know who to believe (the vet, or other users). If there are any other 'medications' (I guess? lol) that are more natural that she can be on every day or on consistently that you know of, I'd greatly appreciate you putting them down!! So, I have a few questions...

Would it be easier to ride her inside in the indoor arena where I can close doors to the outside (and to other horses) or should I ride her outside where she'll be exposed to other horses and wind (it's always windy here)? The bad thing about riding her inside is that the arena is super small. The good thing about riding outside is that the arena is big and much resembles a show ring (which we need right now). Any suggestions?

Also, should I just work through it with her or what? I'm at a point where I don't know what to do! And I don't give up too easy (as those of you who know me on here know=). I'm planning on talking to my trainer and my vet within this next week.

And any suggestions on the 'medications' lol!!

Thank you so much everyone!! All answers are greatly appreciated!!

So, I bought my first pleasure mare back in September. The prior owner said she was just the sweetest little thing and she is...until she goes into heat!! I guess there's a catch in every horse and I guess that's hers lol!! When she's not in heat, she's easy to work with, she's focused, and she's willing. I'm getting really frustrated since she goes into such bad heats-especially since show season is coming up fast on us and we've done little training!!

When she's in heat, she gets extremely unfocused. That's the main problem. I can't do anything with her and if I do (which I try really hard to deal with it), we get no where. The one time, she actually tried to kick me when I was passing behind her (and yes, I was passing around her correctly). At this point, I don't feel comfortable using Regumate on her-I just don't know who to believe (the vet, or other users). If there are any other 'medications' (I guess? lol) that are more natural that she can be on every day or on consistently that you know of, I'd greatly appreciate you putting them down!! So, I have a few questions...

Would it be easier to ride her inside in the indoor arena where I can close doors to the outside (and to other horses) or should I ride her outside where she'll be exposed to other horses and wind (it's always windy here)? The bad thing about riding her inside is that the arena is super small. The good thing about riding outside is that the arena is big and much resembles a show ring (which we need right now). Any suggestions?

Also, should I just work through it with her or what? I'm at a point where I don't know what to do! And I don't give up too easy (as those of you who know me on here know=). I'm planning on talking to my trainer and my vet within this next week.

And any suggestions on the 'medications' lol!!

Thank you so much everyone!! All answers are greatly appreciated!!

I think that's what it's called~Regumate, but I'm not sure!! I've gotten it mixed up before! Anyway, when I bought a pleasure mare in September, she was on Regumate. Her owner was feeding her a squirt of it every day. Later, when I took her off of it in October, she had major heats that just kept coming like every other week and they were bad! I'm wondering if since she was on the Regumate for so long backing up her cycle, the major heats later were making up for the months she was on Regumate. I've been told multiple times by experienced horse people that Regumate should not be used everyday~only before shows.

Could you give me some more information about it? I don't really know much about it. I'm curious...

Also, if you have any other recommendations for taking care of my mare's heats for shows, that would be great!!

Thanks everyone!!

I was wondering if I should look into buying some protection for my horse's legs. I've only ever used polo wraps and even then, it's only been once or twice.

For my one horse, I do a lot with him~pretty much everything. The main thing that concerns me is I use him for trail riding a lot (that's one of the reasons why I bought him). I've been on all types of trails-some easier, some more advanced. I hope to bring him out west to the mountains within the next few years. Should I be wrapping his legs with anything? Even just polo wraps to protect his legs from sticks, logs, etc. I also like riding him through cornfields on tractor roads where the grass is higher than a trail.

My other horse I use competitively for pleasure~western and english. During the summer, we're at a show every other weekend (maybe more). Soon I will be riding her about 3-4 times a week~2 training sessions per week. She's about 15 years old and I want to keep her joints strong and healthy. So would some sort of support wraps help? Is it even worth getting some? She's also getting on her front shoes pretty soon after having them off for about 6-7 months. Should I be using something to protect her legs when she first gets them on?

I'm just trying to do everything possible for my horses to be healthy. Is any of this worth it or are they fine?

Thanks everyone!!

NO BASHES!!

This winter, I didn't do a lot riding-not as much as I've done in the past. Training started way later than I expected this year (for getting ready for competitions and shows) plus I really want to make up for the time I lost in the saddle throughout the winter (it's kind of like an urge, you know?).

But, I'm having some difficulties figuring out how I'm going to ride more. We just started the last trimester in school and it's crunch time. The teachers are pounding us with homework and projects and tests. Plus, April and May are always the busiest months for my family (all of the birthdays seem to be during then and there's like, 2 weddings during May that my family is a part of). The boarding facility that I keep my horses at is about 15-20 minutes away (so not too bad) so it'd be a 30-40 minute drive all around.

Do you have any tips on how to make more time so I can get my butt out there and ride? I was thinking about maybe talking to my teachers and seeing if I could get my homework done earlier in the week or earlier in the month (for larger projects). Do you think that would make sense? I'm just kind of panicking since it's getting so close to the beginning of show season and it's finally starting to warm up.

Thanks everyone!! Sorry for the length!

I'm pretty sure it's the 3 beat lop,e right? If so, than what was the other lope that horses used to be trained to do but now it's not recommended (someone said it was actually illegal for most shows)? Either that or is it the 3 beat lope that you don't want that was trained in horses? I can't remember and it's driving me crazy!! Once I hear it, it'll immediately come back to me.

Definite 10 points to first answerer who gets it correct!!

Thanks!!

I just wanted to see what kind of answers I get!! I've shown before at open shows and 4-H (and of course the occasional fun show!)~last summer was my first summer competing. But, anything helps right?

Have fun with this!! Thanks!!

This may sound kind of stupid but I'm really struggling with this. For a lot of people around here, show season begins sometime in May, but there are already shows coming up in April. Back in September, I got my first pleasure horse and was just able to catch the last two shows of the season (there were other shows but the last 'big' shows). So, this season, I wanted to get a full season of showing in. My plan was to start training back in January and that happened but the trainer I was with was really rushing things and skipping over some important steps. I took a month off because I was so busy with school and to look for a new trainer. I found one and she's great but I've only had one training session with her and it's already half way through March!! I won't be having another training session until 2 weeks from now. My horse is good at what she does, but these last few months, I haven't been getting her to collect up or go through show steps because I've been doing the small training steps.

So, my question is, should I just wing it and go into the shows? Or wait until the end of May or beginning of June to start showing?

Sorry, this may sound like I'm venting and it's sort of long (I know, too many details lol), but I'm just really frustrated because nothing seems to be working out.

Thanks everyone!!

I just purchased a show horse recently about 5-6 months ago. I'll mostly use her for western pleasure, showmanship at halter, and english pleasure. I know pleasure riding can really strain a horse if the horse is not treated properly.

I just met with a trainer today (I'm looking for a new one) for the first time and she said after the session that she thought my horse was about 9 years old since she had so much spunk and 'bounce' but really she's about 15~16 in May. My (new!) trainer said that she thought I would have 10 more good years of showing this horse in pleasure.

Basically, I want to do the best things possible for my horse to make her comfortable and to make her able to do what she loves-which is competing. I'm planning on talking to my vet about what I can do as far as supplements for joints next month. What else do you think I could ask him? Honestly, just give me anything you got! Massaging, stretching-do those help? Anything!!

Thanks!!

Okay, so I've been looking for a new trainer and I just found one in my area that I really like (so far through talking on the phone). I want a trainer to help me with my pleasure horse (western/english/showmanship) and help me learn the ropes of showing more if that helps any.

Anyway, the last trainer that I had out wanted to watch me ride and see how I did things and just to see what level I was at. I didn't have a clue what to show her!! It was pretty pathetic lol! I really want to make a good impression on this trainer-I really like her from her background (of course, I won't know until I meet her in person). The plan is that she's going to work with the horse first for an hour, and then I'm going to ride. So, what should I show her? I'm not planning on showing her english today (we're mainly focusing on western pleasure and showmanship at halter right now).

I already know to show her the walk, trot/jog, lope, and transitions. I think I'm going to show her some side passing and of course backing. What else should I show her? I'll be picking the best answer either by tonight or by tomorrow. Please give me details and some options! I'll have this up until about 2 this afternoon so that's as long as you have...no pressure lol!

Thanks so much for your answers! All are appreciated!!

(please no bashes)

Okay, so I know this isn't exactly the right place for this but I trust the horse section more than any other section lol! And it does have something to do with horses!!

So there's this girl and I've known her since forever (we live in the same neighborhood) and over the last couple years, she's been being a real brat!! I seriously can't stand her anymore! She started getting obsessed with horses when I got my first horse (and I was riding 6 years before that) just because I took horseback riding to the next level-so to speak lol. So she did everything she could to be better than me by taking lessons at a really nice, well known training center with top national horses and right away she started leasing a big, nice show horse (she'd only been taking lessons for about 3 months). And the whole while she bragged. I'm not saying that she was just excited to tell me everything, she was trying to make me jealous! So, I started giving her the cold shoulder when things got worse. Then, she told my best friend that she thinks I'm jealous of her riding (which I've been riding for about 8 years-well 10 but I started lessons when I was 6-and she's been riding for barely over 2 years now. And she's getting worse and she's starting to talk about all of us behind our backs to people that we've never met.

Okay, so I pretty much just wanted to vent lol.

So, to actually have a question here that's not about someone else's social problems (annoying).

Tell me about your horse! Anything and/or everything-breed, name, what you do with him/her, age, what your fave thing about him/her, ANYTHING!! Have fun with it!

My friend and I went to a MQHA (Minnesota Quarter Horse Association-pretty much the same thing as AQHA only it's a Minnesota club) yesterday to get a feel for what it's like (this past summer we've just been doing local open shows) and to just check it out. As we've figured out, it's very different!! I'm hoping to compete in the near future in the AQHA shows with my pleasure horse. So here's the issue:

I noticed yesterday how at the lope, almost all of the horses were 'bobbing.' Their necks weren't still at all. When I asked my trainer this, she said that that was because they were 'deep in the hock' or something like that (she might have said something else...not sure lol). Their necks stayed level but I guess their front end was moving so much. I honestly thought that that wasn't what you wanted for western pleasure.

Now, a close friend of mine that has been competing within AQHA for years (and has done really well) makes sure that her horse's neck is level and very still (unlike what I described above). That's how I've been taught that it's supposed to look like.

Honestly, I don't really like the look of the look I described first. My trainer is starting to introduce that to my horse. When my horse used to lope, she'd lope with her neck level with her withers and very still. If that's what you want, than I don't want to start teaching her the other way. I just, don't know which way is more 'correct' and will put us in the ribbons or earn us some points (especially now that I'm entering the 14-17 age group-I've heard that that's the most competitive group).

Thanks everyone!! Anything and everything is appreciated!!

Oh and NO BASHES!!

I'm just getting into showing at this level and my trainer said that I'll probably never be able to do well at an AQHA show with my horse (even the smaller one that we went to over the weekend) and to not get my hopes up. That's why I'm wondering...

I've been looking back at this video a ton since I got my horse. Is this the way it should look and should I use this as an example?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stEgqgnbC4M

Again, thanks! And sorry, this is really long!!

My friend and I are going to an AQHA show next weekend for the first time! My trainer is competing in it so we were going to see her. We're not competing in it, just watching it (I've heard multiple times that it's way different than local shows) so that we can think about competing next season. My trainer wants me to come and see the stalls, see how the routine goes, how the classes are, etc.

Is there anything I should look at or really watch for? We're going to watch the western pleasure and horsemanship, and showmanship at halter. Keep in mind that we're going to learn the ropes and to be exposed to it before we start competing that circuit. Can you think of any questions I can ask my trainer?

Thanks everyone!!

I'm trying to come up with a riding schedule for the summer. I have 2 horses that I need to ride for sure and maybe others (depending on if anyone wants me to train their horses). I'm really trying to stick with a schedule this summer (last summer I was out at the barn so much that I got sick of going out there).

I want to ride the 2 horses for about an hour-give or take. I was planning on riding them everyday for an hour so...6 days a week. Would that be too much? The one horse I'll be competing with in pleasure almost every weekend and the other I'll be using for trail riding and other stuff (like fun shows, gaming, jumping, just for fun). Now that I think about it, the plan doesn't sound as logical as it did.

So, could I do this? And if not, what are some alternative schedules? My main worry is that it might be too much-I don't want them to be super worn down and suffer from it.

Oh and if this helps, the horse that I'll be using for competing is 15 years old-16 in May. I'll be competing with her in 4-H (hopefully state level at least) and WSCA and maybe some AQHA shows (although I don't think we'll go too far within that). The other horse is 12 and I'll use him for jumping and gaming-at fun/schooling shows or just for fun at home. And I trail ride with him a lot!!

Thanks guys!!

I just met this girl over the summer in August and we have so much in common! I haven't seen her since then, but we text each other all the time!! I really like her-she's one of my best friends now!! I'm inviting her to a horse show that's next weekend (that's how we met and we're very interested in horses and competing) and to get to this show, we have to drive about 2 hours. I've talked to her about the basics like her family, favorites, etc. So, what can we talk about on the way up there and back? It just might be a bit awkward since we haven't seen each other in soo long!

And I'm a girl and she's a friend-not a girlfriend! lol

Thanks!

Okay, so I'm starting to exercise everyday of the week. Not so much to lose weight, but to tone out my body. I come from a family of runners, but I hate running long distances after school (since I'm super tired and have homework to get done). So I've been running a half a mile instead of a whole mile. So my question is, will running a half a mile help knock off a few pounds (instead of running a full one)? And no, I'm not trying to be ultra skinny and I'm not becoming obsessed about weight (I'm already getting ready for bikini season and the summer, plus my family and I are heading down to Arizona in March)!

NO BASHES!!

Thanks ever body!

I'm definitely not an expert on bits. I mostly use 'soft' curbs (curbs that aren't as harsh as some). This girl at the stable that I board at said that Snaffle bits are super harsh. She said that she thinks that they shouldn't even be used in any horses. But, so many people use Snaffle bits in their horses. I've used them in my horses before and I'm using one right now on my pleasure horse (for some shoulder and hindquarter work and my trainer said that I should use it). I've never thought that Snaffle bits are harsh, but I could be wrong. Like I said, I'm no expert when it comes to bits. So, are Snaffle bits harsh?

NO BASHES!

Thanks everybody!

So, my hair is caught in between that wavy/straight look and it bugs the crap out of me (my hair used to be stick straight but now I'm starting to get curly cues in the front and waves on the sides). I've been straightening my hair a lot since school started in September so I was wondering

Does straightening your hair almost everyday damage it? Is there anything I can do help my hair stay healthy and still straighten it? And explain!

Thanks!