Thoughts and ideas about riding and training horses 2012-04-27T23:24:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/ Copyright (C) 2007-2012 Irina Yastrebova Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>May be wait couple weeks before riding her. Her hip joints and stomach muscles need to return to normal position. You can ask your vet if she is healthy enough to ride already.</DIV> 2012-04-27T23:24:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment45 Amy Benham

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Amy Benham

<DIV>Hi, I have a mare who just had a foal on Sunday. We lost the baby on Wed. morning. I was wondering exactly how long I needed to wait to ride her safely. She seems fine with the loss of the baby as she was not very attached to begin with. We did not know that she was pregnant and she did not have any milk. We gave her meds to produce milk, and are drying her up now. Thanks.</DIV> 2012-04-27T11:17:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment44 Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Working with a youngster. Part II." by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>So true! I have a few students with older horses and they are wonderful confidence builders, forgiving and kind. Especially, if a person is lucky enough to find a well schooled one that done some serious work in his life. These school masters can teach so much! </DIV> 2012-04-09T21:06:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2012/04/12040501.htm#comment4 Jocelyn Davies

Comment on "Working with a youngster. Part II." by Jocelyn Davies

<DIV>I agree that inexperienced people should NOT BUY inexperienced horses/ponies unless they are in an environment where they can get CONSTANT help and assistance (ie.. full training program for both horse and rider). This happens way too often... hearing that a new acreage owner has bought a young colt to grow up with his kids! Talk about a recipe for disaster. Another BIG misconception is that a horse in their teens is an old horse. Horses can lead healthy and productive lives well into their 20's if taken care of well. I ride a 17 year old horse (Dillon) myself and he's better than ever, not old in any real sense. Gosh, he has so much to teach me and I've been riding since I was 12 years old (55 now :). I believe that the GOLDIE OLDIES are truly worth their weight in gold! Inexperienced riders can benefit from these horses training and their SAFETY value. Once the older horse has taught you enough that you are a competent and confident rider, then that would be a better time to buy a younger horse. </DIV> 2012-04-09T20:09:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2012/04/12040501.htm#comment3 Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Working with a youngster. Part II." by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>Thank you, Jocelyn! I really appreciate you shared with the readers these invaluable tips. You have such vast experience working with young horses. Jocelyn breeds and raises Connemara ponies. These ponies are wonderful horses for children or petite adults. </DIV> 2012-04-09T08:39:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2012/04/12040501.htm#comment2 Jocelyn Davies

Comment on "Working with a youngster. Part II." by Jocelyn Davies

<DIV>I have a fair bit of experience working with youngsters and what I would recommend is to "set the stage for success".... meaning, put the youngster in situations that they are challenged where you can control the situations.... if you do this a few times and have some really good sessions... they don't forget. and then when you have a day that you need to get something done and they are not willing, you have a foundation to go back to.. Another rule I have is if they come up to the barn to be wormed, or trimmed and they are not respectful and well behaved.. they do NOT get put back out with their buddies... they stay up at the barn go into a solitary pen and go into boot camp. When they are respectful again, they are aloud to go back out.. Keep things in BLACK and WHITE.. what is acceptable, what is not... reward quickly for good behavior :) Punishment is more the solitary pen and drilling until the right behavior is chosen... Another thing that I've realized over the years of having youngstock.. is that EVERY one of them is DIFFERENT... you can't train every baby and get the same result the same way. But, I've found that taking them into a controlled environment, like the arena and setting up obstacles to play with and work with, really helps establish trust and respect.. which is really the main goal for all future lessons.</DIV> 2012-04-08T19:34:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2012/04/12040501.htm#comment1 Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>Illegal means there is an actual law exists that forbids you to ride your mare until the foal is 3 months old. I never heard of a law like that. As long as you ride in a safe place and give your foal plenty of time to nurse you can ride your mare.</DIV> 2012-02-16T09:40:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment43 Emmy Brooks

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Emmy Brooks

<DIV>Hi my mare had a foal 2 months ago. I haven't ridden her yet due to people telling me that it is illegal to ride them until the foal is 3 months old. We've tacked her up and walked her around a little bit and she did fine. Can I ride her now doing light work and giving her breaks so that the foal can feed?</DIV> 2012-02-16T04:23:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment42 Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Sudden Spooks" by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>Horses are usually very spooky during winter. Sometimes they are so bad it feels like riding a different horse. Indoor rings are very often have gloomy corners, shadows, things stored in corners, etc. All that makes horses spook more. Here are few exercises to help with this:</DIV> <DIV>Ride a spooky place in counter shoulder-in. If you do not know what it is simply ask your horse to bend outside and look right into spooky corner while you are walking, then trotting and even cantering. In such posture your horse cannot drop the inside shoulder and turn suddenly. She will be looking into the spooky corner and feeling like she is moving away from it. It will give her sense that you are on her side. She will start listening to your aids for counter shoulder-in.</DIV> <DIV>After a while ask for less and less counter bend, until you can ride through those corners almost straight. Start riding a 10 to 15 m circle in spooky corners every single time you are there. If your horse shows signs of fear, tenses up, or speeds up, repeat the same circle a few times. Again you can do it in walk, trot and canter. </DIV> <DIV>Spend some time working in walk near the spooky places. Movements to consider - very small circles, shoulder-in, counter shoulder-in, turn on the forehand, turn on the haunches, halts, reinback, combinations of these movements, etc. Be creative! </DIV> <DIV>Good luck! </DIV> 2012-02-12T22:07:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2008/04/08042901.htm#comment7 Sophie Scheiwiller

Comment on "Sudden Spooks" by Sophie Scheiwiller

<DIV>Hello, I have been researching on line about spooks, and sudden behaviors in horses. I found your site and have been reading comments. So here is my situation, just going to talk a bit about my back ground and then I will get to my situation. I have been riding since I was 5. My mom never wanted me to show, thou I wanted to so badly, anyhow I rode for fun. Fast forward years ahead I got married in my early twenties had 2 kids and stopped riding for 8 years. 3 years ago, at the age of 31, I bought my then 5 year old 17 hand Belgian/tb mare. She had basic training. I was afraid of her spunkiness, but had some sort of connection with her. I took lessons, fell a lot ( from some sudden spooks) but still determined that we were going to make it work as a team in the jumpers. I starting showing her 2 years ago, went from the 3ft3 jumpers to the 3ft6 jumpers racking in the ribbons! Finally last summer I thought we had that special connection and that we were past the spooking (she would rarely spook at shows). I have her at my place, so I look after her every day. She is the Alpha mare in the herd, but she has high respect for me on the ground.She is quiet, calm she listens she is good with everything on the ground, but for some reason this winter, riding her in the arena I go to is unbearable. She seems to spook at every corner of the arena, not only spook, but drop her shoulder and bolt. This is the worst she has ever been. I'm frustrated at her. I don't make a big deal when she does it, even thou inside I'm tense. I just try to make her work and ignore, but it seems she won't give up....this is a horse that has been to the champs on her circuit, with so many things going on, big scary jumps and she does not even blink an eye....I'm so disappointed, I don't know what to do....any suggestions? Thanks Sophie</DIV> 2012-02-12T11:01:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2008/04/08042901.htm#comment6 Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>I strongly recommend vetting your mare. The vet will tell you her true age, if she is pregnant, how the pregnancy is going? You can ride her everyday but do not ride for more than an hour. Until she is too big in a belly you can canter her a little bit. You can safely ride your mare up until one month left. Even then you can ride her without the saddle, walking on a loose rein. Good luck with the foal! </DIV> 2012-02-04T22:09:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment41 Ashley

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Ashley

<DIV>I bought a said to be 4yo black and white tobiano mare a couple weeks ago who was said to be bred in May. From the looks of her she seems to be younger than 4. Maybe stunned growth? I was told she was skinny at one time before being bred. She is still not thick but kinda has a little belly like a grass belly or needs worming? Can you tell a difference? This is her first time being bred and she doesn't seem to be showing from what I've seen of other mares. Then again the other mares were bred numerous times so they had the big bellies and that mommy figure. With a first time mom this young will it take longer for her to show? I've heard their stomach muscles are tighter therefore they don't drop the same as a brood mare. I've also noticed her utters look a little bigger than a mare that's never been bred. I plan on palpating her but is it ok to ride her like normal up till she has the baby? By like normal I ride western and will be doing pasture riding just to teach her walk, trot, canter, etc. is there such thing as too much riding? How long a day? Everyday? THANK YOU!</DIV> 2012-02-02T23:28:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment40 Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>If the mare is well broken to ride then you can ride her very lightly, mostly walk, may be even without the saddle if she is too wide. 30 minutes will be OK with a few minutes of slow trot, no canter. If this mare hasn't been ridden much at all then it is better to wait until she foals and recovers from it.</DIV> 2012-01-26T21:43:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment39 Katie

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Katie

<DIV>I have a pregnant mare that I just bought from the nicest people ever. She is due in March which is in a month and they have not ridden her since shes been pregnant. I have yet to get on this horse but I'm wondering if I should just wait til after shes due or try light riding with her now? I know you can ride a mare through pregnancy. But she hasn't been ridden in about 6 months. Can she loose the baby if I ride her? </DIV> 2012-01-26T18:47:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment38 haynet

Comment on "More on imbalances of the seat" by haynet

<DIV>Great blog! Why not come and post it for more to follow at hay-net.co.uk an Equine Social Blogging Network!</DIV> 2011-12-18T09:45:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2011/12/11120901.htm#comment1 Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>Your mare is very young to be jumping often or seriously. And after she reaches 7 months of pregnancy you should not jump her at all. However, she can continue to do light flat work until she is so big the saddle does not fit her. After that you can ride her bareback, however, very lightly, no canter and mostly walk. Good luck with the baby!</DIV> 2011-12-15T21:52:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment37 Ali

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Ali

<DIV>My mare(TURKMEN) is 3 years old and I think 6 months pregnant. I train her to jump but not by hard work. I want to know what is the best way to have train without any dangerous for her and her foal?</DIV> 2011-12-14T23:06:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment36 Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>I do not think your weight will harm her. If she develops very big belly close to 8 months pregnancy then you may want to start hand walking her earlier, and/or you can lunge her a little bit on a very big circle. Your plan is good and your mare should benefit from light work by staying more fit and healthy in her pregnancy.</DIV> 2011-09-22T14:39:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment35 Mayur Patel

Comment on "Riding pregnant mares" by Mayur Patel

<DIV>Hi, I have a good healthy mare and she is 3 mths pregnant and very calm now a days I bought her 3 & half mths back I am plannig to ride her lightly till she is 8 mths of pregnant and then hand walk her for rest time but the thing I am concerned is my weight as I am 86kg will it harm her, she is 61 inch in height and strongly built. We ride single footing here. </DIV> 2011-09-22T09:25:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2009/02/09022001.htm#comment34 Irina Yastrebova

Comment on "Do not argue with your horse" by Irina Yastrebova

<DIV>I forgot to mention one important detail. No matter how much you work on your skills you will have situations where you will argue with your horse, get emotional, react too much, etc. Do not get too upset about it after it happens. Look at the incident calmly like you are watching it on TV. Go through it step by step and notice your emotional reactions during the incident and now while you are "watching" it. It will help you find where you went wrong and what to do next time to make it better. </DIV> 2011-08-02T08:43:00-06:00 http://www.balancedrider.com/blog/2011/07/11072001.htm#comment1