Horse Lesson
HORSE LESSON – A Guide
When giving a Horse Lesson I often explain to people that when you say you “ride horses” it is as meaningful as to say you “play ball”.
Obviously, basketball, baseball and football are vastly different sports. They each require a different size and shape ball, different rules, different goals and most importantly for my analogy, different kinds of athletes. Horse breeds vary just as much!
If you decide to learn to ride a horse, find out about ALL of them before you make a commitment of any sort.
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The Quarter Horse was bred to perform ranching tasks, which require short bursts of speed, quick turns and abrupt stops in order to herd cattle. In fact, this is where they get their name.
Quarter Horses are sprinters and are the fastest horse on a quarter mile track. Therefore, their muscles are short and bunchy, legs shorter and bodies closer to the ground.
You could compare the style of a Quarter Horse with the build of a football player, strong and quick, but not necessarily the best at a long term footrace.
Thoroughbreds, however, were bred to run distances on a race track. They don’t have to be the quickest out of the gate, but need to be the fastest over a couple of miles to win the race. Therefore, their muscling is longer and leaner, their legs long and their bodies stretchy.
“Thoroughbreds – Long Distance Runners”
Think of the body style we see in long distance runners. Long legs, longer yet strong muscling, with the ability to out run other runners in a reasonable footrace.
Arabians on the other hand are not the quickest at a quarter mile, nor are they the quickest at two miles. But, they are by far the most efficient and longest lasting horse over a long distance.
“Arabian Horses = Endurance”
Arabian horses are endurance horses and evolved that way after thousands of years surviving in the desert with very little food and water. Therefore, their bones are very dense, they have tremendous air capacity, large nostrils and eyes.
In fact, Arabian horses are called “drinkers of the wind”. As with human endurance competitions, they have incredible recuperative capabilities.
Of course there are many other breeds to compare and contrast. Depending on what you want to accomplish, you must select a breed that is best suited for the kind of endeavor you want to pursue. If you want to be a reiner, you will likely select a Quarter Horse, rather than a Thoroughbred.
If you want to be an endurance rider, you would be wise to select an Arabian. If you want to jump or race on an average track, you would lean more toward a Thoroughbred or a mix of some sort.
Just as their body styles differ, their conditioning regimen will differ as well. Their temperament often reflects what is required of their bodies as well.
Thoroughbred vs Quarter Horse?
Although individuals vary a great deal, generally speaking, a Quarter Horse may be more calm, able to carefully pick his way into a herd of cows without disturbing them, while a Thoroughbred will often be more high strung, always ready to race to the finish line.
Become familiar with all these differences before buying or learning to ride a horse or making any commitments toward a specific breed. Just because your friend likes Arabians does not mean that an Arabian is suited for you and what you want to accomplish.
Study the different breeds and find the one that will best perform the kind of riding you are interested in pursuing.
Also, within each breed, study the bloodlines of the horses you are considering. Although breeds are similar by definition, certain individuals will vary and certain bloodlines may produce certain characteristics that you prefer (or not!).
Horses are no different than we are when it comes to family traits! Yes, maybe you got your red hair from your grandmother, or your blue eyes from your mother. That’s easy to see. But, what about the gene that gave you a propensity for migraine headaches? What about the gene that made you farsighted in elementary school?
If you study the geneology of horses, you will find similar traits that you can just about count on! I know several horses that acted in a certain way….having a bad temper for example….that could be traced directly to a certain line in their heritage.
Here’s a great example: every year we had a crop of young horses that needed to be broke. One year we trained a group of two year olds and found that one did the strangest thing when in the surcingle. He would throw himself down and squeal like a pig! I am not kidding! I had never seen a horse act like that.
No matter how slow, how careful we were, he simply had an opinion about being trained and expressed it like that!
Well, that was worth a laugh. But, the next year, his full brother, in another group of two year olds being broke, did exactly the same thing!!! I have never seen a horse act like that and to this day, I haven’t seen it since! Now, tell me that’s not a wacky gene!
Anyway, my point is, there are many factors to consider before you start horse lessons! Read some horse riding books, visit different horse riding camps, go to different horse shows, and decide what you want to do with a horse.
What kind of activity do you want to pursue? Which breed would best suit those goals? Which breeding within that specific breed are best for you to have?
I have a website designed to teach you all these differences. Visit The Horse And Rider Club and you can watch videos and see pictures of all the different breeds and disciplines!
Don’t open your pocketbook until you know the answers!
Well… that’s is for this “Horse Lesson”. I hope this helps!
My Best Regards,
Lisa Blackstone
American Horse Association
www.AHAHelpDesk.com/support
