*Horse Ownership, Horsemanship and fun activities to do with horses.*

Before Consider Horses You need to:

• Make sure YOU are SAFE around horses!!! 

• Make sure you and or your kids are into this for a long time and its not "just a phase."

• Make sure you have the $$$ Lessons are not free!! 

• Make sure you have the time (for lessons etc.) and space(if you want to own horses on your property) 

• Make sure you/and or your children are interested in horses and riding and that it will be a long-term interest/thing 

• RESEARCH!! (Make sure you know what you are getting into!) 

• Purchasing-Make sure you know what you are doing in horse ownership and horse selection to your/rider's ability  

• If purchasing a horse you need to know what horse conformation consists of, what is desirable and what is not 

• Purchasing-Make sure you ARE getting the RIGHT horse the FIRST time 

• Purchasing-Make sure there are no hidden vices (bad habits,) that the animal you are considering IS NOT DANGEROUS and does not have unsoundness issues

• Purchasing-Make sure you are getting what was described 

• Purchasing-Have a vet do a pre-purchase exam to ensure you are getting what the owner is telling you 

*Knowing basic horse terms and knowledge is essential in being or becoming a good horseman. 

*Horses like to be respected. *Make sure you give your horse plenty of space and to watch out for signs that he's uncomfortable.*

• Here is a list of horse body language: (Use it to decipher what your horse is thinking.)  

Pricked ears mean they are interested in something.  

Flattened ears mean anger or they are agitated. 

If one or both ears are back this could mean they are angry, listening to something behind him, afraid or sleepy. 

Facing forward ears mean they are listening, alert and or scared. 

With flopped ears you can assume they are calm and relaxed. It also can mean they are ill. 

Bared teeth means they are unhappy about something and if other aggression signals are not prevalent it could mean affection or nuzzling.  

A happy and relaxed horse may have half closed eyes.

Nibbling means they might be trying to groom you or they think you have a treat and want it. Can also be a learned behavior.  

A swishing tail could mean brushing flies off or most commonly agitation. 

A tucked tail means your horse is scared. (like in canines.) 

Stamping feet (lightly) means playfulness, agitated, exited or uncomfortable.  If they are stamping hard the horse is agitated, angry or nervous. 

Bucking means your horse may have playfulness, agitation, pain or is scared. 

Rearing means playfulness, a stallion fight, and or fear when they cannot get away. 

Upper lip up means the horse is smelling something.  

Running away means they are afraid. Horses are pray animals and don't hang around to see what might happen. Their instincts tell them to run. 

A wrinkled nose means disgust or irritation. 

A long nose may indicate the horse is longing grooming.

A sigh has many meanings like humans: 

A sigh with a shudder means relaxing of the muscles and denotes relaxation, contentment or relief. 

A sigh might be a sign of boredom.

Nickering sounds usually mean a welcome, recognition of person or horse they know, or a gentle way to get attention.  

Groaning sounds can indicate pain. 

Snorting means the horse could be excited, surprised, alarmed, indication of danger or when your horse is going faster. 

Neighing sounds need to be interpenetrated with other body language to know their mood. 

Flattened ears and a swishing tail means the horse is in a very bad mood. Use caution when approaching. 

http://www.wikihow.com/Understand-Horse-Communication

KNOW your riding ability before you purchase a horse!!! Too much horse results in lack of confidence in the horse or rider and the ruining of the horse. Evaluate your skill!! You don't want a beginner riding a green-broke horse!! Know thee horse's training level too. If you need help with your horse's behavior contact a trainer near you!!  

Fun to know Horsemanship links!!

• Clinton Anderson
• Pat Parelli 
• Double Dan
• Julie Goodnight  

*Horsemanship is key in understanding horses and becoming partners with them.*

There are tons of fun clubs you can be a part of and shows you can attend. The list below has links to these activities. 

• Pony Club -A club designed to teach children to be well-rounded horse people, with the opportunity to compete in shows. 
• NH Horse 4-H -A club that is an extension of U.N.H. and it teaches youth (from ages 8 until 18 years of age) how to care for horses by themselves and they have an opportunity to show. This club also has other activities like: quiz bowl, hippology(study of the horse), and they have horse judging. In judging you watch how the horse moves and inspect its conformation to see which animal is the most compatible for standards. 
• Horse shows are a fun way to compete and improve your skills. local show grounds: N Bar H Riding Club, Oak Rise Farm and to find more show grounds and other equine services go to http://www.equinesite.com/directory/nhmain.shtml. 
• New Hampshire High School Equestrian Teams(NHHSET)- Is a winter/spring school sport. Students in 9th through 12th grade compete against other schools to be the top team. It is designed to challenge and offer recognition to the dedicated students who are both physically and mentally pursue the equine sport. Kids who do not ride and or own a horse help the team by taking tests that help bring the school's points up. 

*Riding lessons are key to maintaining good riding seat, balance and mentality. They help riders' develop and maintenance of horseback riding skills. 

This site will help you look for an instructor that will help you polish your riding skills and make you a better rider near you.  http://www.equinenow.com/newhampshirelessons.htm, 

*If you want to purchase a horse and cannot keep the horse on your property you need to find a boarding stable. This site will help you find a stable near you. http://horse-stables.findthebest.com/d/l/New-Hampshire

Finding tack and feed stores near you is essential. Hardware/fencing stores are good to know about too. These websites will help you: http://www.equinesite.com/cgi/dirsearch.cgi?Category=Tack+Shops, http://www.equinesite.com/cgi/dirsearch.cgi?Category=Feed+And+Hay. For fencing you can ask hardware stores, vet, stable, and equine experts near you.