Home | List of Articles | Submit an Article | Contact Us

How to Groom Your Horse

My love of horses began at the age of 11 when I worked every summer at a ranch. My twin brother and I would walk about ten miles a day in circles taking children on pony rides. I had never really thought much about horses before that but I was soon hooked for life.

Interestingly I found out years later that my husband’s name, Philip, actually means ‘love of horses’ in Greek.

I, like so many others, discovered the beauty and intelligence and strong connection you can have with horses. They have their own personalities like we do, and if you care to really look, you’ll see they convey a wide range of emotions. They can be happily prancing, angrily stomping, they can demonstrate sadness, and even apathy and defeat. How a horse reacts is determined by how we treat and care for them.

During one of my summers, there was one pony in particular that was docile with people riding him when he had a saddle on his back, but woe be it to anyone who would try to ride him bareback. I found out the hard way when at the end of the day, I took off his saddle and hopped on. Before anyone could say anything, he was off, bucking wildly and trying to bite my legs. I hung on for dear life (it was my first experience being bucked). Of course in the end, he got me off by slamming me into a tree. I had a bruised leg for weeks. That same week I realized he was out to get me! He demonstrated quite a bit of slyness and would suddenly strike out and kick me as I walked past or if I got near he would try to bite me. I realized for the first time that horses were not just work animals and that he was expressing his displeasure with me. I was amazed and developed a new- found respect. I resolved to establish a relationship, and by the summers end, we were working as a team. There was no more kicking or biting.

Throughout history, horses have been loved and revered by pharaohs and kings alike. There is evidence of domesticated horses going back thousands of years. In fact, in ancient Egypt, it is thought that horses were treated better than the Egyptians and that they would even be fed before the Pharaoh himself. This was due to the ancient Arabian horses incredible beauty, speed and endurance and having saved many lives during war. This animal could withstand the harshness of the desert and maintain its beauty and strength.

The Lipizzan Stallion is another incredible beauty, powerful, yet docile horse. It was said that this was the horse Napoleon choose to ride during war. He was not a large man; therefore his stallion was bred to jump straight up in the air so that he could get a better view of what was going on in the field below.

There are so many different breeds of horses, and they are being bred for different things, speed, beauty, work etc. To me they are beautiful, even spiritual and I know there are so many others out there that feel the same as I do. There are even many beautiful horse posters available to adorn ones walls. I think this relation of man and horse will always be there. Enjoy them! I sure do.

Willie Jones

Willie Jones is a freelance writer, researcher, floral designer, and artist. “When Art Inspires, Dreams can Become Reality”. http://www.artinspires.com “Make sure you enroll in the free motivational poster drawing. All winners receive a free framed print.”

Related Articles:

Testy Horses and the Art of Speed Waiting - "What are you waiting for?" said Nelson, looking at me impatiently. "Well? Go on. Get saddled up!" I was eighteen years old and had just entered my first rodeo. However, the horse I expected to ride in a roping competition had taken ill. The one I was about to ride instead had an "attitude". He was known to become testy when his riders lea ...

Horse Trailer Safety - Do you own a horse trailer? If not, do you sometimes use another person’s horse trailer to transport your animals to the vet, to riding arenas, or to shows? If so, you will want to be sure the trailer is in top-notch condition before loading your horses or ponies for a trip. Although you may have to make discreet ...

Salmon Steak with Apple and Horseradish Garnish - Do you own a horse trailer? If not, do you sometimes use another person’s horse trailer to transport your animals to the vet, to riding arenas, or to shows? If so, you will want to be sure the trailer is in top-notch condition before loading your horses or ponies for a trip. Although you may have to make discreet ...

Types of Horse Races - Horse Races come in several types, namely, stakes, handicap, allowance, claiming or maiden races. Each one of these have important differences in terms of the types of horses entered into the race, as well as how horse owners and trainers will decide to run their horse in the race. Stakes races are those whi ...

An African Adventure on Horseback - Horse Races come in several types, namely, stakes, handicap, allowance, claiming or maiden races. Each one of these have important differences in terms of the types of horses entered into the race, as well as how horse owners and trainers will decide to run their horse in the race. Stakes races are those whi ...

How To Use Horse Training Thinking To Solve Dang Near Any Problem With A Horse - Horse training can be a relatively mysterious subject to people who have not studied it. Even more mysterious is a behavioral problem a horse has that causes his owner stress and frustration. What many horse owners don't understand is often the handler, not the horse, is causing the problem. That being said, that is the first consideration in ...

For a Complete list of Articles with summaries Click Here