They are a minimum of four foot and six inches during the Festival, differing in size as the course goes on. In the Grand National, held at Aintree Racecourse on the outskirts of Liverpool, the lowest fence is four foot Read more…
All National Hunt races are more than a minimum of 2 miles (3.2 km) compared with the minimum distance of 5 furlongs (1 km) on the flat, and the horses are at least 3 years of age. What’s the youngest Read more…
But for years, trainers have been pushing horses well past genetics to get that eye-catching step called the “big lick.” One banned practice is called “soring.” Trainers make tiny cuts on a horse’s ankles and splash diesel fuel or mustard Read more…
Soring is the unethical and illegal practice of deliberately inflicting pain to exaggerate the leg motion of gaited horses (such as Tennessee Walking Horses, Spotted Saddle Horses and Racking Horses) to gain an unfair advantage in the show ring. Why Read more…
Ask for an active walk. Mount up, and ask your horse for an active, vigorous walk, but don’t allow him to jump up to a faster gait. If he does, apply a light rein cue to check him, while simultaneously Read more…
In addition to being inhumane and unethical, soring is a violation of federal law. The Horse Protection Act of 1970 (HPA) made soring illegal, punishable by fines and imprisonment. Do people still sore horses? Soring has been a common and Read more…
Why we have to be careful walking behind horses. Horses are prey animals, and therefore are known to startle easily. Horses can be very reactive when startled or “spooked,” and depending on the horse, they may kick. This is why Read more…
bronco buster, broncobuster, buster. a person who breaks horses. What do you call a person who breaks a horse? broncobuster(in the western US and Canada) a cowboy who breaks in broncos or wild horses buster (US, Canadian)a person who breaks Read more…
What Does Breaking A Horse Mean? The phrase ‘breaking a horse’ refers to the process of training a horse to be ridden. What happens when you break a horse? Breaking a horse is the practice of training him to be Read more…
How Can Horses Hurt You? A Bite: Horses lash out with their teeth when they’re in pain, frustrated, angry, or impatient. A Kick: Similar to biting, horses may kick out when frustrated or in pain. Getting Stepped On: Horses weigh Read more…