Issue No.1

9/21/2009

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3. Welcome!

4. Arabs-Looking at the breeds of

the world alphabetically

5. Arabs-Looking at the breeds of

the world alphabetically

continued...

6. Choosing a riding school

7. Choosing a riding school

continued...

8. Learning to tack up

9. Learning to tack up

continued...

10. New must haves for this

summer!

10. Saddle Exercises

11. The Horse Trust

13. Poster

14. Leona Lewis and Horses

15. Leona Lewis Poster

14. Walking and trotting

16. Competition

17. The competition continued...

18. Horse jokes

19. Horse shows

20. Fun page!

21. Answers and a look into the

next issue!

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Hello and welcome to Equiworld magazine as you

already know it is free and for absolutely anyone who is

interested in horses although is mainly aimed at teens.

Every issue will be packed with knowledge, quizzes and

plenty of fun and games to entertain you.

This issue will be the first of many so please email in

and give me your comments, stories, ask questions or send

pictures of you with your best pony pals, or your own

artwork. Send it in whatever it is and I'll be happy to read,

post, and reply to your emails. Contact me on

tara23_xx@hotmail.com. Thanks!

Go on what are you waiting for get

reading!

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Every week we shall be studying a different Breed of horse

or pony alphabetically this week the letter is A because it

is the first issue the breed is Arab.

The Arabian horse originates from the Middle East in a desert

climate. This is why they have thin skin, a thin coat

mane and tail, as well as being very finely and lightly

built. This composure helps them to cope in difficult

terrain and makes them fantastic endurance horses!

They are most easily recognised by their

distinctive tail carriage and finely boned head (dished.) The Arab

is thought to be one of the world's oldest breeds and we have

archaeological evidence that resemble modern Arabs dating

back to as far as 4,500 years , More scientifical evidence also

proposes the idea that they could possibly be older still.

Throughout history Arabs have remained the centre of most if

not all established breeds today, but most famously the

Thoroughbred. Arabs were spread around the world by boat

either for war, or trade they were used to enhance and improve

other breeds by refining and adding speed and endurance. And

today Arabian bloodlines are found in almost every modern breed

of riding horse, especially Hot and Warm bloods*.

They were though of very highly by their native

people (Bedouin's) and were often brought inside the

family tent for shelter, protection and warmth during

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freezing cold desert nights. This close relationship with humans has

helped to create a horse, that is quick to learn, kind natured,

Spirited, and eager to please, this is a fantastic combination and

they are perfect for a war situation- seeing as they are alert and

tractable*. Arabs nowadays are one of the most pleasured breeds

in the world particularly for endurance and cross country riding

and totally dominate the board! They are in the top ten most

popular breeds in the world.

Did you know that Arabs are the only breed in the world to

have an extra bone in the bottom of the spine just above the tail?

This is why Arabs have such high tail carriage.

Note the eccentric but naturally

high tail.

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When you first take an interest in horses you will

probably look for a riding school for you to take lessons, and

if you do not come from a horsy family you may not know where

to start.

Have you ever thought; I wish I could go riding but have no

idea where how to find a school

Have you ever wondered; how can I start riding

lessons? What will they be like? And where do I go?

If so then read below-Simple!

1. First things first talk to your

parents/guardian about horse riding

lessons show them that you can be both responsible

and sensible. Safety is the number one rule when

working with horses.

2. If your parents agree to let you ride offer to pay part or

all of the cost- Riding lessons are incredibly expensive!

3. Contact your local pony club as there will possibly be

the best place to talk to experienced people about the

school, what it has on offer, where it is and who runs it,

and give you the address .e.t.c. Failing that look on line,

or for advertisements in shops and newspapers.

4. Ask a parent or an adult to phone or email the Riding

school owner or manager.

5. If you go to look at the school make sure that it is

approved by a recognizable organization such as a

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national riding association. Remember; a good school is

neat and tidy, where the ponies look content and well

looked after. The people who work at the school should

be friendly, and willing to answer any questions, and all

the riders should be wearing riding helmets.

5. Ask if there is an indoor area of enclosed space where

you can have your first lessons safely. If you're at all

concerned then ask to look around it.

6. When you have chosen a school book a lesson. If you

have a friend or two it might be good to try to all go

together at the same time as it may give you a

confidence boost.

7. At your first lesson your instructor should find you a riding

helmet that fits, and then you will probably go to meet

your pony, and you may see it being tacked up- watch

carefully you will learn a great deal and you may have

to do this yourself in future.

8. Your instructor will explain to you what to do-don't worry

you'll soon get the hang of it. You'll have

great fun and make new friends too!

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Most riding schools will expect you to tack up your pony

as it is general horsemanship and key knowledge for anyone

aspiring to become a good rider.

How to put on a bridle;

1. Firstly make sure the cheek piece, nose band, throat latch

are all undone and are not in the way of anything.

2. Next take the bridle in your right hand, by slipping your hand

under the brow band/headband, put your left hand on the

bit ring that is closest to you.

3. Carefully slip your thumb into the horse’s mouth at the back

where he has no teeth the horse should open his mouth for

you. (However some horses will open theirs straight away

without you having to do so.)

4. Gently slip the bit into your horses’ mouth taking care not to

bang his teeth and as you do this pull the rest of the bridle

over the horses head, and push the ears through the brow

band. It should not be sitting firmly on the horse and the

headpiece should be behind the ears.

5. Buckle up all of the undone straps. (The throat latch should

be loose enough for you to fit at least 3 fingers lengthways

into it; the nose band must be at least 2 fingers length wide.)

How to put on a saddle;

1. Rest the stirrups and girth on top of the seat of the

saddle. (Either place the numnah/saddle pad on the

horse’s back first or if it has special fastenings then

attach it to the saddle before you begin) Carefully slide

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the saddle down the withers until it is settled behind

them.

2. Take down the girth from the top of the saddle and pull

it underneath the horses’ stomach whilst still holding the

girth pull up the saddle flap and then attach the other

side of the girth to it securely by bucking the first and

the last buckles together. (Most saddles should have a

third buckle encase of an emergency.)

3. Pull down the stirrup leathers and measure them by

placing your fingers at the tip of the leathers under the

saddle, pull the leathers down to your elbow and

buckle them up. (Your stirrup leathers should be as long

as your arms.)

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Available in Lilac/purple sky-blue/ navy and

rose/pink these Harry Hall Jodhpurs' are so comfy a

must and look fantastic! With Shaped Side seams,

stretch cotton self strapping Seat, ankle cuffs, zip fly

and hook fastening, front money pocket, belt loops,

machine washable they are great value for £25.00

A show jacket is a necceity for the showing season and

you can't enter a show without one. This Dublin Hobart

Riding Jacket is a Twill weave fabric featuring a single rear

vent .machine washable (silver button versions and plain

black - please allow 7 to 10 delivery on these) for only

£39.99 from www.castlecampsaddelry.co.uk

These cool silks come in a range of colours and

styles and can be easily jazzed up and

accessorized, with scraps of colourful material or

pom poms e.t.c. They are made with silk and

cotton, so they are not colour fast you can buy

them from most tack shops and

on line at www.treehouseonline.co.uk from £14.00

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It’s important for you to feel confident on your pony as you two need to work

together as a pair and trust each other in dangerous activities such as cross

country etc. Having confidence effects the way you ride, and how your pony

behaves if you are not confident then you are likely to be a passive rider, and

some ponies will misbehave whereas if you are confident then you will

become more active and able to get the most out of both your pony and

your riding lessons. There are many that you can do

some of these are;

Toe Touching.

Sit up straight and bring your right arm

across your body over to your left leg lean

down as far as you can to touch your

toes, then do the opposite with your other

hand on the other side of your body.

Leaning back

For this exercise sit up straight and then lean

back like this, lean back as far as you can try to

rest your head gently on the horses' quarters.

Round the world

First take both feet out of the stirrups

and tie a knot in your reins. Hold the

back of the saddle with both hands

and swing your right leg over the

saddle taking care not to kick the

horse. You should now be sitting

side saddle adjust your hands so

that it is easier for you to move

around and do this repeatedly until

you reach the front again

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The horse trust is the oldest surviving charity and was founded in 1886 to help

and house working horses in London once they were redeemed to old to be

pulling carriages and traps.

Seeing as the only means of transport until around 100 years ago were;

walking, cycling and travelling by horse many of them were abused and

treated as machines. They were the Modern day taxi service and the city

streets became littered with horses and carts. Their owners often did not feed

them properly and horses that are not native to this country (some hot blood

and warm blood horses have to be stabled because they are not used to this

climate are and made for different terrain etc. Arabs are a prime example)

were not stabled, or rugged up as a result they often got diseases. This

combined with hard work and the filthy streets resulted in them getting

respiratory diseases.

Many cab drivers worked their horses to exhaustion with them often not

having shoes on, their feet would be cut up harshly on the uneven and

gravely city roads. They would be hot, tired and sweaty from a whole day’s

work and then abruptly stopped and made to stand. Just like us- horses need

warming up and cooling down because they were not treated in this way

many got arthritis and died young. The horses were then often put into a

slaughter house when they had diseases or were too old to work etc.

Eventually on 10th May 1886 a charity was founded by Miss Ann Lindo

and was used as a safe haven for the malnourished, diseased and often

dying horses. She was inspired by the Book Black beauty and was determine

to do something about it and hopefully put a stop to all the appalling

mistreatment. However the rest home is not just for horses and ponies alone

but Donkey’s and mules also. It is located in Sudbury, near Harrow to the

North West of London although its location has been moved a few times

stands today at Westcroft Farm at Cricklewood, with 20 acres of open

pasture just four miles from Marble Arch, for the just over 100 horses that live

there. To find out more information go to- www.horsetrust.org.uk

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Horse Kisses. By Gail Rein

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X-Factor star and singing sensation Leona Lewis has always been

interested in horses and ever since she was a child she has been riding. She

once said in an interview- “Mum really loves animals especially horses, I

definitely got that from her.” In another interview she once revealed- “I have

two passions in life one is of course singing and the other is horses, when I was

younger and used to have riding lessons I would prepare myself the night

before because I was so excited and couldn’t wait!”

She turned 24 on 3rd April this year, and as a gift her whole family,

friends, and Boyfriend Lou Al’Chamma took her to a Thai restaurant it was

they told her that they had sponsored her horse, In LA- the next best thing to

one of her own. It has been a life time dream of Leona’s to have a horse but

lack of funding seemed a prominent problem so after clubbing together they

managed to scrape up enough for the next best thing.

After the meal they then flew her out there to go and see it. “Leona

was overjoyed and so excited” said one of her friends present at the

celebration. “We’re all so happy for her!”

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There are four gaits walking, trotting, cantering and galloping but

however walking is the first gait that you will learn to ride in and is the Slowest

and most balanced one of all. Your riding instructor should teach you how to

do this in your first lesson If your horse is behaving then you should find it easy

if doing well then you're riding instructor may move you on to another stage

fairly quickly.

The walk has a four beet rhythm when you ride try to concentrate on

this it will help you to get into an active walk and get the most out of your

ride. It should sound like- 1,2,3,4. Whereas the trot has a two beat rhythm like

this- 12,12. (The commas indicate the rise and fall of the horse's body as he

moves and is the changing distance in-between the horses leg movements)

If you're confused think of it like this; for walking each leg is numbered-

1,2,3 and 4. So when the horse moves you get a simple walking beat and

rhythm, but when he trots the beat is quicker and more uneven. Think of it

like this- the horse's legs are still numbered but the diagonal pairs are the

same( so the near fore and the hind off side are 1 and the near off side and

the near hind are 2.) So instead the rhythm will be 12,12.

This is the Rhythm of a horse when trotting

1 1

2 2

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We have a new competition to finish the ending of the story

below. Only one ending will be chosen and this will be published

in the next copy of the magazine! You will also receive a further

prize by post. To enter go to our website-

www.equiworldmagazine.webs.com and go to the competition

page, there you can read more about the competition, and find

out about future ones also!(Please send the entries in by email

only.)

Beginning paragraph made by our Moderator Louise see If you

can finish it off.

"Not again." Beth moaned. She was on her way to the first show of

the season, when the gentle pattering on the windscreen started

again. "Why does it always rain when I go to shows ? Lauren never

gets rain. Besides Fly hates rain, she will be all tense now, and not

performing her best. Oh " Beth continued. "Um, Beth, Lauren is right

behind us, so she'll be getting wet too" Beth's mum informed her

daughter. "WHAT? Lauren didn't say she was entering ! She said

she was on holiday ! Ughh. " Beth wasn't at all pleased at this new

information and so, was very quiet for the remainder of the

journey.

"Hey Beth, how're you ? " Lauren asked cheerfully, as they pair

were getting Firefly (Fly) and Strawberry Fair (Berry) ready for their

first classes. "Amazing, before I realised you lied to me" Beth

mumbled too quietly for Lauren to hear. "Good thanks, quietly

confident too, you ?" She managed to say trying to sound

convincingly happy that Lauren was also here to compete

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together. "Fabulous! Berry is on top form, I'm entered into class 2 ,6,

and the dog show, the same as you, You better watch out coz

your gonna be thrashed ! " Lauren said laughing uncontrollably,

unable to hide her huge amount of enthusiasm. She thought she

was going to win, she didn't think about her best friend being put

down by her lies.

"Great, good luck then" Beth replied, as you would say to

your best friend on sports day. "I would say it back to you, but I'm

not that nice. hahaha... " Lauren taunted back, she was her usual

jokey self always laughing and the class clown. "Oh great , thanks

a bunch" Beth thought very disappointed. "What am I going to do

now," she sighed. But Lauren didn't notice she was already plaiting

up Berry's mane. " I've got to show her that I can win..." Beth

finished...

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1. A big Texan is walking down the main street of Ballinclashett and

encounters a man (Liam) standing beside a Chestnut horse. This

prompts the Texan to attempt to realise a lifelong dream and he

says to Liam, "Say Boy, that's a fine-lookin horse you got there, and

I'd like to tour this beautiful country on horseback so's I can see the

sights and hear the sounds of the countryside like they did in the

old days. I'll buy that horse off of ya, how much ya want?"

Liam says, "O sure and you don't want to be messin with this

horse he don't look too good these days."

" Hey, Boy, says the Texan, Don't you try to tell me what's a good

lookin' horse an' what isn't. I been tradin' horses all my life long and

there ain't nothin' a young country boy like you can tell me about

em. now you jus name yer price and wee'll get along fine." I'm

sayin' to ye that this horse is not a good lookin horse mister and ye

don't wan't any part of im." The Texan is getting angry now. Listen

up Boy, he says, you leave me be the judge of what's good lookin

and what's not and jes give me the price and I'll pay cash right

here and now. "Oh well" Says Liam "$2000.00US." Deal! says the

Texan and he hands over the money, Liam unties the horse and

the texan leads him off. The horse walks smack into the first

lampost in the way, and the Texan turns to Liam and says, Hey,

boy you a damn swindler didn't tell me this here horse was blind. "I

keep tellin' you he don't look too good," says Liam, "and you kept

saying that's none of my business, so in the end I gave up."

2. Q. Where does a horse go when its ill? A. to the horsepital!

3. Q. Why did the silly horse go to sleep with a rule? A. To see how

long her slept.

4. Q. What do you call a clean Appaloosa? A. Spotless

5. Q. What do you get when you cross a horse with the house next

door? A. A nei-ei-ghbor.

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Yay! The summers' here and so are the shows that

we've all been waiting for. Make sure your prepared and

ready to compete and win those rosettes! Here are some tips to

help you make the most of your show days spent with your pony;

1. Get everything ready and prepared in advance- you don't

want to be rushing around in the morning and then be late!

2. Read the schedule in advance to make sure you know what's

expected of you and you and your pony are suitable entrants.

3. Make a list of all the things you need before you go-shows are

very exciting particularly if it's your first so you may accidentally

leave something behind.

4. Practice makes perfect!- In the weeks building up to the show

why not build up your confidence by practicing some jumping

with your pony?

5. A few days before the show trim your pony's heels and pull his

mane if you have to.

6. The day before the show clean the tack, polish the metalwork,

and wash your pony so that he's squeaky clean for his big day!

7. It sounds corny but have a good breakfast even if you don't

feel like eating lots of riding is hard work.

8. Be polite to the judges, commentators, other riders and

spectators. After all if you are impolite and not considerate

you may not be allowed to come back again.

9. Always thank the judges they've given up there time for you.

10. And last but not least have fun and don't worry

if you don't win its the experience that counts!

Finish

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Horse quiz

1. A female horse over the age of three is called a _ _ _ _

2. What is a baby horse called?

3. English and western are both forms of _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _

4. Who is Pippa Funnel?

5. A horse is part of the _ _ _ _ _ _ family

6. What do you win at a show if you come first?

7. The instructions that you give a horse when you ride are called _ _ _ _

8. How long is the life span of the average horse?

9. This is often used to sweeten up chaff

10. A _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ is used to pick out mud and stones from the horses' feet.

11. What is often used to clean tack?

12. The BHS stands for _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _

13. What is a bit?

14. What is the second fastest pace of a horse?

15. Which side do you mount from?

Start

Finish

Can you find all seven horses?

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1.Mare

2.Foal

3.Horse riding

4.An Olympic eventer

5.Equine

6.A red rosette

7.Aids

8.20-25 years

9.Molasses

10.Hoof pick

11.Saddle soap

12.The British horse society

13.A metal aid in the mouth connected to the reins to

control the horse

14.The canter

15.The left

Look below for the answers!