Horseback riding and grooming.

Horseback Riding:

There are two types of commonly used saddles. Which are also the names of  two common  disciplines: 

English: a style of riding using methods and equipment developed in Europe. http://horses.about.com/od/myfirsthorsee/g/english2.htm

http://www.boothandco.com/img/saddle.jpg

Western: a style of riding that evolved around ranching. 

http://www.dailyequine.com/horsesaddleshop/cordura-saddle-synthetic.jpg

*There are many types of disciplines within English and western riding.*

Here is a list of English disciplines:

• Cross-Country: Riding horses across country over obstacles to demonstrate horsemanship.  
• Dressage: Maneuvers of a horse in response to body signals by the rider ("ballet for horses.") 
• Endurance: Riding a horse over long hours and distances (stamina is key.) 
• English Pleasure: Out of the show world it refers to any type of riding people do for enjoyment. In the show world it refers to a judge judges the horse's performance rather than the rider's abilities.Gaits: walk, trot and canter. http://animals.pawnation.com/definition-pleasure-riding-3316.html
• Equitation: Similar to pleasure, a judge judges the rider's abilities (i.e. form, hands and seat.) 
• Equitation Over Fences: Like equitation, but you're jumping over fences. 
• Hunter Over Fences: Judges look at the horse's movement while jumping. 
• Hunter: Horse's movement, manners and way of going. 
• Jumper: A course of jumps that is timed, the fastest time with minimal penalties is the winner. Penalties include and are limited to: refusals and knocking down poles. Disqualification: 3 refusals and rider falls (any jumping class.)
• Side-Saddle: Allows riders (particularly females) to ride with both legs on the same side. 

Here is a list of western disciplines: 

• Equitation and Pleasure-Similar to the English style, but different gaits: walk, jog and lope. 
• Cutting-Horse and rider select a cow or steer out of a 10-20 animal herd. When the cow or steer tries to go back the rider relaxes the reins and leaves it up to the horse to keep the cow from returning to its herd. 
• Team-Penning-A timed event with teams of 3 riders and must select 3-5 marked cows or steers out of a herd and drive them to a pen. Must have only the selected animals in the pen. Fastest team wins. 
• Reining-Riders guide their horses through a precise pattern consisting of circles, spins and stops. 

Grooming:  
When you groom your horse(s) you are forming a bond and cleaning them. This keeps their coats healthy and you detect problems when grooming.       *You also NEED to groom before riding to remove dirt and derbies, so the equipment doesn't make sores on the horse's skin.   Tools needed:

• Hoof pick-curbed metal tool used to remove dirt and debris from the horse's hooves.  
• Curry Comb-a metal handled device with serrated ridges used to remove dirt and debris out of a horse's coat. 
• Body Brush(Hard Brush)-a stiff bristled brush used to clean debris from a horse's coat. 
• Soft Brush-a soft bristled brush used to make the horse's coat shine and to remove what has been dislodged by the curry comb and body brush. 
• Mane and Tail Brush(or comb)-like our hair brushes and combs this is used to brush out the horse's mane and tail. 
• Sweat Scraper-made of metal or plastic that is used to scrape off access water or sweat. It is similar and used in the same manner as the window scraper. 

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/10028/grooming-your-horse-deep-down-clean



 The order in which the tools are used:

1. Curry comb
2. Soft brush 
3. Dandy/hard brush
4. Mane and tail comb/brush 
5. Hoof pick 

http://www.equusite.com/articles/basics/basicsGrooming.shtml

*Riding horses is a lot of fun, but grooming and care comes first!! The fun later.... 

Photographs of grooming tools and riding disciplines