Horse riding is one of the popular hobbies of people of all ages; to enjoy this hobby you need to maintain your horse equipment well. Horse riding equipment is mainly used to take care of horses, and make riding comfortable. Let us see what comes under these equipments one by one.

First and foremost is the saddle. It is the supportive structure used to sit on the horse's back which is secured by a girth. But when you buy a saddle you need to keep in mind certain things. It should fit your horse correctly; an ill fitting saddle can harm your horses back and be quite serious. Also, you should be comfortable sitting in the saddle. Saddles come in different types and are made according to the purpose of the rider like polo, showing, racing, dressage and many more. There are saddles that are suitable for all disciplines, and are made from leather or synthetic materials. Some saddles have a system that will allow you to change the width of the saddle; these are suitable for horse that changes shape a lot.

Bridles help you to control your horse, they have the bit and the reins attached. They are usually made of leather, and are long lasting, if cared for correctly. However, you can also get bridles made from synthetic materials, which are easy to maintain. When choosing a bridle for your horse you will need to consider the type of horse, the work it will be doing, the size of the horses head, and should be fitted correctly or can cause pain and long term problems to your horses head.

There are different styles of bridles ? snaffle, Weymouth or double, western, and in-hand. A double bridle has two bits, which allow a greater amount of control for the experienced rider. Snaffle bridles are the simplest of the bridles and customized according to the size of a horse's head. Endurance is a very flexible bridle that is suitable for long rides. A western bridle is lightweight and basic in appearance and therefore allows the inflow of air to the horse's skin in hot weather.

Bits are important riding equipment. These help the rider to control the speed and pace of the horse. Usually five different types of bits are available and each has an impact on different part of the horse's head and mouth. A rider should fit a bit comfortably it to the horse?s mouth but leave a little space free on each side of the mouth. Bits are generally made of cooper, stainless steel, iron etc.

Horse rugs protect these animals from extreme weather like extreme heat, cold, rain, wind and insects. A horse in a rug gets warmth and/or protection.

The rug of a horse varies greatly in size, and you should consider your horse weight, height, build. Different types of horse rugs are cooler, stable, travel, summer sheet, sweat, turnout and fly variety.

Riding whips are yet another type of equipment used for directing a horse. Different kinds of whips are Dressage, hunting, lunge whip and show cane. They are used for various purposes like polo, hacking, dressage, cross-country, schooling and show jumping.

Horse boots are worn by the horse on its front and back legs. They will prevent injury while travelling, exercising etc. They are available in leather, synthetic material or rubber. They either have Velcro fastenings or leather buckles.

If you are going to buy riding equipment you should check them out online as you might get good discounts on them.

Locate the riding equipment you need by looking online. With several choices of horse rugs and so much more that you can find. Go online now and find more.

Posted under Horses

An interesting form of an armor used by ancient warlords in old Japan to protect them from the arrows of enemy archers is the Horo. Usually made of a lightweight cloth like silk, it is worn at the back much like a cloak, and is worn by messengers of noble leaders with strategically designed light and colorful patterns to make it stand out in the battlefield. That way the messengers are easily visible when they arrive.

Horo means arrow catcher or arrow entangler in English. A lot of men are in doubt of the cloak's ability to stop a speeding arrow dead on it's tracks and its reputation as a life saver. Because it is just made of sheer cloth, it is quite hard to believe that it protected the wearer from the raining arrows of the enemy. Furthermore, the large colorful designs must have made the wearer a very visible and easy target.

A few weeks back, I was watching a show on the History Channel. It was a show about past warfare tactics and weapons. This episode talked mainly about the Horo. Like the doubtful lot, the researchers were also in doubt about the cloak's ability. They modeled a cape according to studies made, and printed a large colorful logo on it. The researchers tied it to a dummy and stood it against a blowing fan to simulate a messenger atop a horse.

The next scenes were very interesting. Contrary to what others thought that the designs would make the wearer a very easy target for enemy archers, what they saw was just the opposite. When the wind blew against the cape, it danced and moved around, making it a very hard target. It was a confusing vision and looking at it you really wouldn't know where behind the Horo the dummy really is.

The next experiment was proving the cloak's ability to stop an arrow in flight. When they tried to shoot some arrows at the dummy, amazingly the projectiles were not able to touch the dummy. As it hits the cape, it looses speed and falls off or gets entangled in the Horo.

After gathering the results, the next question was if a cape wearer would actually entrust her life on a piece of silk. They wanted to test how it would feel like to be atop a horse wearing a Horo and be pursued by enemy archers. They simulated the scenario but they dulled the arrows to protect the horse. They used professional archers and you could see the arrows raining on the cape wearer. Amazingly, the wearer came out of it unscathed.

After the simulation, the wearer related that he could actually hear the arrows hit the cloak but he can also feel them loose their speed and just drop dead to the ground without touching him. With the results they have gathered, they concluded that the cape's ability was no myth at all and they would trust their life on it if they were in battle.

Even though the cape's ability has been proven, it will still remain as a reminder of the past. Arrows and bows have ceased to be part of warfare. They are no longer seen as a threat to anybodies life so the Horo has lost it's significance in battle. Although archery has long been dismissed as an effective tool for warfare, the art of shooting an arrow is still very much alive.

In modern times archery is a sport with many enthusiasts. This sport of skill and discipline is one of the favorite recreation of many individuals. I guess man has a constant need of hitting a target.

Posted under Horses

Horse riding can be a very relaxing pastime and can make any special occasion that bit more special. If you are going on holiday to a beautiful area of the world, then one of the best ways to see it might just be by horse riding. It is a great way to see and experience the countryside and also does not require quite so much work and effort as hiking or cycling.

If you are really enthusiastic about trying out horse riding, or you have done it before, and would like to do it again, then you might want to consider booking a riding holiday. This exciting adventure could take you to one of many places in the world and will surely make for a unique and memorable holiday.

It is important that you take the time to do your research properly and find the right sort of place for you. There are trails in many countries all over the world and you can do something in Canada for example in the mountains or you can go on a safari trail or something different. Either way, you will find that there is plenty to choose from and something to suit almost anyone.

There even some travel agencies available which operates over the Internet which will be able to organise such holidays for you. I would personally recommend that one of the best ways to enjoyed horse riding to its fullest extent is by riding in the mountains.

Riding on the mountains gives you the best way to see them. It will also give you a tremendous feeling of liberty and you will also be afforded with some incredible views. Scenery constantly changes and youll be surrounded by a tranquillity that you never fought possible. While riding on the mountains will certainly provide some challenging terrain, the rewards will be enormous. Much of this sort of riding will also be at high altitude where you will be out of breath faster than you would be at sea level. Sometimes, it certainly wont be particularly easy on what is life without a challenge?

For riding holidays, mountains are possibly the most popular destinations and for a good reason too. While you do need to make thoroughly sure that you are properly prepared for such an adventure both in terms of the equipment you have, and your physical abilities, a riding holiday in the mountains may be just right for you.

Some are the most popular destinations include Chile, Canada and the United States, more specifically the Rocky Mountains. Certain holidays which are already pre-planned may be easier than others. The agency should be able to inform you about any potential complications or the possibility of any unforeseen challenges. If you have never been horse riding before, then it might not be a good idea to even think about this at all unless, perhaps, you are going with a group of people who are experienced and can help you out.

Posted under Horses