Posts Tagged ‘sports’

Understanding Three Day Eventing

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

The relationship between man and horse can go back in time to the middle ages and farther. Horses were used in battle, in sport, and for transportation. Now horses are mostly used for racing or competing, and showing. For those of you who are confused about three day horse eventing, I will answer all your questions by breaking it down into each days competition.

Dressage

The very first day of competition is Dressage. No other day is more important when it comes to getting points that will put you in position for doing well in the next two days. In dressage, you are asked to do a number of movements in a 30 foot by 90 foot course. You do up to 20 different movements based on letter placements. You are then judged by the judge on each move, and are given a score to up to 10.

Show Jumping:

This is the second day of competition, cross-country jumping. This consists of jumping over all natural fences. It can be anything from a log, a river, or a hedge. You follow a course, usually jumping anything from 15-30 jumps over a span of 2-3 miles. You are judged on how many refusals(stops) made by your horse, and of course judged on how close you get to the optimal time. For every 10 second you are over the time a point gets deducted off your final score.

Day 3:

Your last day of three day eventing. The third day is Show jumping. Just like cross-country you are asked to jump over a number of fences, except now you are in an arena and are judged. If your horse stops at a fence four points will be taken from your score, and if your horse knocks off a rail, three points will be taken off. After all is said and done, the rider with the lowest score wins.

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Choosing The Best Riding Stables And Equipment

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

So, you have decided that you want to take horseback riding lessons, but you have no idea how to get started. Luckily, there are endless resources available and you should have no problem getting started.

The first thing that you should do is to find a horse back riding instructor. There are many resources that you can access to find the perfect instructor for you needs. You can start by looking in your local phone directory, going to a horse show, or by word of mouth (do you have a friend or know someone taking lessons). You can also contact national, regional, or local horse clubs, the United States Equestrian Federation, or breed associations (AQHA, APHA, Appaloosa horse breeders…). You could also stop by a local stable and ask if they have an instructor that gives lessons, and even if they do not give lessons, they will probably know of someone who does.

When you are looking for an instructor, do not be afraid to ask question. After all, you want to get the best possible instruction for your money. The first thing you should ask is if the instructor has any certifications or accreditations. You should also ask how long they have owned and ridden horses, how long have they been teaching, what is their specialty (you want to make sure that they teach the discipline that you want to learn), how many students do they currently have, and do they offer private lessons? Once you have found an instructor, it is also important to evaluate the stables that they teach at.

When you are visiting the stables it is important to make sure that the stables are clean, the horses look healthy, and that the stables main priority is safety for everyone. Here are some specific things that you can look for when you are visiting a stable. Is the riding area free from clutter, are the students wearing riding helmets and horse back riding boots, are the lesson groups to big, do the students appear to be on the same level, are the horses healthy, and finally does everyone appear to be happy and having fun learning?

You have found a good horse riding stables and a good instructor, now it is time to find all the proper equipment. Many times your instructor will have all of the equipment you will need for your lesson and you will not need to purchase any of your own equipment at first. After you have progressed in your lessons, you may want to have your own equipment. There are many ways to find good quality equipment with out spending a fortune. Your best bet is to ask your instructor or other students at the stable if they, or someone they know, have any equipment for sale, or you can check your local paper or tack shop. When shopping for equipment you want to make sure that nothing is torn or cracked and you want to make sure that all of the leather equipment (saddles and bridles) have been properly oiled and conditioned to prevent the leather from cracking.

You should now have the basic knowledge to find everything that you need to become a great horse back rider in no time.

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Swimming Pool Safety For Children

Sunday, May 9th, 2010

Owning a swimming pool in your house or garden is a fantastic way to have fun for yourself and indeed your entire family. However, despite that, it can also be very dangerous if you have children around. If you can, you ought to wait until your kids are at least five years old or more before you put a swimming pool in your garden. On the other hand, if you already have a swimming pool, there are ways that you can protect your family.

One thing you should always remember is to never, ever, allow your children to be alone near your pool. Children tend to be attracted to water and all it takes is a second for them to fall into the swimming pool. If you and your children are at your pool side and you have to leave the area for a second, you must always take your children with you.

To be completely safe, you should always ensure that you have loads of safety gear around your pool at all times. Safety items are a necessity to have around, as they could save the life of a child or in fact, anyone else who can’t swim.

You should invest in a shepherd’s hook too, as you can use it to pull someone out of the water. Having a phone at your pool is also a wise investment, as you can quickly call for help in the event of an emergency.

If you don’t already have a sturdy fence around your pool, you should think about getting one right away. A fence is a great way to keep children away from your swimming pool. If you have a protective fence up, you won’t have to worry about small children falling into the water, while you are away from the pool. When you put up your fence, you should always make sure that it’s at least six feet high with a locking gate. In this way, no one can get into the pool without a key, which you should keep on you always.

You should also learn CPR. Even though you may not ever have to use it. However, it is always great to know in the event of someone falling in your pool that is unable to swim. Whenever you have children or people you know can’t swim at your pool, you should always stay within reach of them, so you can react instantly if they fall in. A minute is all it takes to save someone’s life.

Always bear in mind that swimming is fun, although you have to always think in terms of safety first. Once you have finished using your pool for the day, make sure that you lock up the area well – and lock the gate up tight so no one can get in.

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