| Here are some useful horse facts that you might not | | | | line called a lunge line or longe line. Gradually, tack or |
| know: | | | | weight is added to his back, and he gets used to the |
| A hand is the unit of measure for telling how tall a | | | | feel of weight on his back. After a good deal of |
| horse is. A hand is four inches, and horses are | | | | ground work, the first rider of the horse will mount up |
| measured from the ground to the withers, which is the | | | | and let the horse walk around while he becomes |
| point where their neck joins their shoulder. Most riding | | | | accustomed to having someone atop him. Some |
| horses are between 15 and 16 hands tall. Drafters can | | | | horses never do get used to this, however - then you |
| be 18 hands tall. Ponies can be 13-14 hands or shorter. | | | | might see the cowboy/bronco riding show after all. |
| A Pony is not a small horse, it's a separate breed. | | | | After the horse is "broken", he learns the different |
| Baby horses are called foals when they are born. If | | | | cues and/or verbal commands that will be used when |
| the foal is a boy, it's a colt. If it's a girl, it's a filly. Once a | | | | he is under saddle. Walk, trot, canter and whoa are the |
| male is castrated, he is called a gelding. When foals | | | | most important verbal cues. These are reinforced by |
| are three years old, the female will be called a mare | | | | the rider's legs on the horse's sides, and his hands |
| and the male will be called either a stallion | | | | connected to the horse's mouth by means of a bit and |
| (uncastrated) or a gelding. | | | | reins. |
| Ponies generally only grow to about 13-14 hands, | | | | Horses spend a good deal of time under saddle |
| although they can be as tall as 14.3 hands, measured | | | | before they are taught more advanced maneuvers |
| at the withers. Ponies tend to be hardier than their | | | | like dressage moves or jumping. In dressage, the horse |
| larger counterparts, with more solid hooves. There are | | | | is trained to become supple, and very attentive to his |
| different breeds of ponies, just as there are in horses. | | | | rider's cues. In jumping, the trainer will start the horse |
| Some are larger and more sturdy, while others are | | | | out with ground poles to develop rhythm, and gradually |
| dainty, and may be more fragile of limb. | | | | move the horse along until he can jump small fences. |
| Before a horse or pony can be ridden he must be | | | | It's wise not to over-fence a young or "green" horse, |
| "started", a process that used to be called "breaking". | | | | as it may make them nervous and cause them to |
| You don't often see cowboys breaking bucking | | | | stop at the fence, or try to run around it. Neither one of |
| broncos anymore. Nowadays, most horses are | | | | these puts the rider anywhere he wants to be. |
| started by lungeing around their handler in a circle, on a | | | | |