Thursday, February 24, 2011

What are some other groundwork cues I can teach my Paso Fino?

Training Tips:
Helpful groundwork cues include (1) touching with a crop where leg pressure would go, (2) teaching to back up and then to move forward afterwards, (3) getting horse to lower head to ground by teaching horse to yield to hand pressure over poll area; this teaches submission and relaxes the horse.

What are some pointers on flexing my Paso Fino from the ground or the saddle?

Training Tips:
Flexing your Paso Fino makes him supple or soft. Flex laterally only to the point of comfort to the horse; the higher the placement of the neck towards the saddle is preferred over the lower reach to the girth area. To stretch the poll, top of neck and back, flex vertically with head moving inward towards the ground and chest.

How do I start my young Paso Fino to train for halter classes?

Training Tips:
For halter, you should practice with your horse to stand square on all four feet, with its neck at its natural carriage. The Paso Fino should exhibit its natural 4-beat gait (eventually more collected if able to with more practice) when asked to move out from a standing position. Work on the horse to stand still and square for short periods of time ... 5 minutes, then ten minutes. This should help teach the horse to stand well in the showring, where it will no doubt be distracted. Also, trailer your green halter horse to local shows to get it familiar with a horseshow environment. You don’t want to travel a long distance to a Paso Fino show and pay all the fees, and then have your horse overwhelmed with the whole scene and misbehave.

How can I get my green Paso Fino started in training?

Training Tips:
Basically to start you need to earn this horse's trust and get her to relax around you. Start with alot of repetitive roundpen “reasoning" or training to help. Really until you have the horse's trust and it will relax with and without the saddle on and headgear, it would be best not to try to do much riding training. Sacking out can include a bath towel, nylon horse feed bag, plastic garbage bag, bag with aluminum cans inside to rattle, an attached short rope, and then a little longer rope (but not as long as a lounge line which could wrap around the horse’s legs). That should get you started for awhile!

Are Paso Finos Easy To Train?

Training Tips:
Paso Finos are as easy to train as most breeds. Training, as with any breed, should be built in steps or grades. It's best not to skip any grades to get a solid basic foundation for a long positive relationship with your horse. If a horse wasn't handled much when young, developing trust in people is a first requirement for a safe training experience. Alot of preliminary groundwork is important, such as lounging, sacking out, hobbling, flexing and suppling, long-reining, mounting and dismounting, and round pen work, all preceding the actual riding lessons. This ground training can be done before riding age lending to a smooth transition for mounted work. The first riding lessons should concentrate on turning, stopping, walking, and backing before asking the horse to move out faster. When the horse is accepting of all commands, let the horse move out doing what feels natural even if it means he is trotting or mixing gaits. Sometimes, Paso Fino horses may not be in gait due to their lack of balance with the rider's weight and lack of muscle conditioning and coordination. This will usually change with time as the lessons progress as well as a steadier four beat lateral gait. The training techniques of John Lyons and traditional dressage methods also work well with Paso Finos. There are many videos and clinics which discuss these methods in detail. Also understanding horse behavior helps the person to comprehend why the horse reacts negatively or positively when being trained. Furthermore patience is a virtue and a must for a trainer of horses. Attending Paso Fino and horse training clinics especially demonstrating different methods can help you decide what will be best for you and your horse.

Every Ride! Every Time! Equestrian Safety Helmets, by Lynn G.

Its never too late too start --if you're still able to -- to wear an approved equestrian safety helmet when you ride and then every time! Today's approved equestrian riding helmets are more lightweight, ventilated, comfortable, stylish (with many color choices), and more affordable then ever before. Certified equestrian helmets start in the $30-$35 range. There are helmet designs tailored to both English and Western equestrians ideal for training, trail riding, show, eventing, and ranch work.

Properly fitted ASTM/SEI certified equestrian helmets can prevent death and reduce the severity of head injuries such as concussion sustained with riding accidents. SEI approved helmets have a proven efficiency of preventing or reducing the severity of head injury. SEI’s program is a rigorous one which includes annual compliance testing of all SEI-certified helmets, and stringent annual quality assurance audits at the manufacturer’s plant to ensure SEI quality requirements are maintained. SEI’s certification program for equestrian helmets has provided an important contribution to the safety of persons participating in horse sports and horseback riding. When the SEI label appears on equestrian helmets you should have the assurance that the helmet not only conforms to the ASTM F 1163 standard, but that the manufacturer consistently turns out quality products. Such manufacturers have voluntarily made a commitment to quality, to ensure that only safe products make it to the marketplace. All approved and certified ASTM/SEI brands of equestrian helmets are listed online at www.SEInet.org.

As per horseback riding and children at events that don't require an equestrian helmet, it is often up to the parents and adults present on the scene at the time to oversee the situation and look out for the children's welfare. Adults have to weigh the risk and of the kids' safety when riding ponies and horses. Children are not capable of making those decisions, as they can't understand the consequences of an injury. It is the adults' responsibility to look out for the children's best interest.

All helmets are not alike, and the public must be protected from companies making false claims of compliance to a standard or claims that a helmet is SEI-certified, when it is not. When the SEI label appears on equestrian helmets you should have the assurance that the helmet not only conforms to the ASTM F 1163 standard, but that the manufacturer consistently turns out quality products. Such manufacturers have voluntarily made a commitment to quality, to ensure that only safe products make it to the marketplace. All approved and certified ASTM/SEI brands of equestrian helmets are listed online at: http://www.SEInet.org. 

In conclusion, no helmet can protect against every head injury. However studies show a great reduction in both the number and the severity of injuries in those who use helmets every time they do ride.    

Gracewood Farm Paso Fino Horses For Sale

Gracewood Farm has two mature geldings for sale: Galactico and Magico in saddle ground training.
Davina de Gracia is a Capuchino daughter under saddle that loves to go trail riding.

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Paso Fino Horses For Sale in NC

Welcome to Gracewood Farm's Paso Fino Equestrian Blog Site

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Gracewood Farm's horses training progress starting in March 2011.