Virginia Arabian Horse Association

09/21/2024

The movement of your horse’s hind legs can be broken down into the following three phases; thrust, reach, and carry.

Each phase is important and each one impacts the next, e.g. the more weight the horse takes during the carry phase, the more power he can produce in the thrust phase.

This knowledge is useful because it helps you in timing your aids and influencing the horse.

👉 EXAMPLE 1

During a leg-yield, the horse’s inside legs are required to step in front of and across his outside legs.

Therefore, if you apply your inside leg aid at the same precise moment as your horse lifts his inside hind leg (into the reach phase), then you can encourage the horse to step further under and across with that leg.

This will give you a greater degree of crossing during the leg-yield and a more sweeping stride.

👉 EXAMPLE 2

If you want to encourage your horse to take more weight behind, then apply your half-halt just as the horse’s inside hind leg is coming down to the ground (the carry phase).

At this moment, you can encourage your horse’s inside hind leg to take more weight.

👉 EXAMPLE 3

The horse’s canter stride starts with the horse’s outside hind leg. Therefore, to make a smooth transition from trot or walk into canter, apply your canter aids as your horse’s outside hind leg is in the reach phase.

This means that as that hind leg touches the ground (the carry phase), instead of it being another step of trot or walk, it will be the first step of canter.

This also encourages the horse to reach further under with that hind leg, producing a more uphill transition.

Give it a go!

09/19/2024

09/14/2024

🏆 Tomorrow is the Deadline: Nominate Your Horse! 🏆
Celebrate the achievements of exceptional Arabian and Half-Arabian horses with the Ambassador and Open Competition Awards! 🐴✨

Follow the link to learn more ⤵️
https://conta.cc/46BSHFL

09/14/2024

😊❤️🐴

09/06/2024

09/05/2024

UNDERSTANDING PROUD FLESH ✍️

Wounds on the bodies and limbs of our equine companions are exceptionally common. In particular, wounds on lower limbs can be especially difficult to manage. There is little extra skin in these areas, making large wounds difficult to close via suturing.

In addition, wounds on the lower legs are contaminated easily with bacteria since they are closer to the ground, bedding, and manure. The constant movement of an animal's legs as it walks, turns, and bears weight can also greatly impair healing, especially if the wound occurs over a joint. All of these factors can often halt the normal progression of the healing process and result in a chronic wound.

Persistent inflammation, along with infection, is a major contributor to exuberant granulation tissue (or proud flesh) formation in a wound. Proud flesh is not conducive to wound healing as it prevents the wound from epithelializing (the process of the skin cells covering the wound), and sometimes it can become so large that it appears to be a tumor, usually obliterating the original wound.

Prevention of proud flesh involves good wound management. For the best healing, wounds should be identified and treated quickly and properly — especially on the lower limbs. Consult your veterinarian about any wounds that appear deep or extensive, that lie over important structures (like joints and tendons), or that already show signs of proud flesh development. Rather than waste time and money in trials and errors that could delay your equid's healing, ask your veterinarian what products are best for your situation.

09/04/2024

Own an older Purebred, Half-Arabian, or Anglo-Arabian that’s never been registered? Now’s your chance! 🏇💥 Get discounted registration fees for horses over 2 years old—offer ends March 31, 2025! Don’t miss out! ⤵️

https://2link.in/L2XzG

Don't let another horse leave your barn without its Certificate of Registration. Your breeding program deserves it! National Horseman Arabian Arabian Horse Times Arabian Horse World We LOVE Arabian Horses

*Amnesty prices shown are active-member fees.
Fees must be paid at time of submission.

09/04/2024

😆

09/03/2024

We hear this story pretty often, and we are always disappointed, as it comes down to humans misunderstanding horses.

Horses end up paying the price.

It goes like this:
Person meet horse.
Person likes horse in the setting they are trying the horse out in.
Person bring new horse home, full of hope.
3 days later, person suspects horse was misrepresented.
Horses is confused.
Person says seller, rescue or trainer misrepresented the horse.
Horse begins to learn new bad habits or revert.
Person is more sure horse was misrepresented.
Horse continues to deteriorate
Person sells or gives horses away.

— Person does this again and again —

To be fair to the horses this happens to, how often do those having this thought process pause to consider:

“Aren’t people different based on their environment?”

You (or your child) are a particular way with your best friends, your family, at school, in the work place, while traveling, with a new group, in front of an audience, when you first move to a new area. . .

Each setting has a different set of factors, and the more familiar you become with each, the more you set in your mind the way you will behave in each. As the players in the settings change, so might how you behave, to a degree.

Horses are no different in this way.

Further, think of how grandparents, aunts, uncles or sitters may comment how your children are much easier (or harder) with them than they are when you have them on outings.

It is the nature of creatures to adapt to a setting, and this takes time, and various factors may shake things up as time goes on.

When we first meet a horse we think we want to bring into our lives, we choose to do so from a setting that isn’t identical to our personal one. The horse knows his current barn, routine, herd-mates and person, he doesn’t know the newvone. He knows what is expected, allowed and not allowed where he was. His behavior there has AS MUCH to do with the people and environment, in some cases, as it does his nature and training.

In your barn (or pasture) virtually Everything is unfamiliar. Additionally there may be multiple people bringing excitement to the barn over the new horse and for some horses this translates into a lot of pressure.

So when you bring a new horse home, understand that there is always a bit of a clean slate, and this can be a mixed bag, and how you proceed from the moment has everything to do with your success with that horse.

Please don’t blame the trainer, the seller or the horse. You are the new owner, the rider, the guide for the horse now, and you can make the transition work if you’re dedicated, patient and understanding of the fact that it's going to take time.

Horses aren’t cars – they are partners.

09/02/2024

A study from Ohio State University suggests that horses need a minimum amount of space to derive all the benefits of turnout—and to stay out of each other's hair.>>>https://bit.ly/EQHerdSpace

08/22/2024

Just 1 day until Distance Nationals!

Did you know that mental stamina is as important as physical endurance in these rides? Riders need to stay focused, make quick decisions, and maintain a positive attitude throughout the long hours on the trail.

Who's ready to ride?

08/18/2024

Arabian Horse Association members enjoy an exclusive 30% discount on the entire STS Ranchwear website!

Use code ARABIAN30 at checkout.

This special offer is available from August 18th through September 8th. Don’t miss out—shop now and elevate your wardrobe with premium ranchwear.

Shop now ⤵️
https://stsranchwear.com/

08/13/2024

Today is the entry deadline for Distance Nationals in Cripple Creek, VA at the Iron Mountian Jubilee!

Be sure to enter today! Entries will be accepted at the ride but will be subject to a late fee.

Enter Now ⤵️
https://www.arabianhorses.org/competition/national-events/distance-nationals/