Horses and Ponies
Introduction
Horses and ponies are my favourite animals so that is why I picked them to write about on my web page. They have been on the planet for thousands of years. They are beautiful with their lovely gleaming coats, elegant bodies and flowing manes and tails. From the small but sturdy Shetland pony to the muscular Welsh Cob, horses and ponies come in an enormous range of sizes and shades. They can be a brilliant winner or just a faithful companion, but whatever they are, they're sure to capture your heart as soon as you see them!!!
Their History
Over 50 million years ago, the fierce sabre-toothed tiger and the massive woolly mammoth walked the Earth, but also Eohippus, the first ever horse, also known as Hyracotherium. It was only 0.4 metres long and 250-450 millimetres high, approximately the size of a fox. It had 44 teeth which were uneven and rough, and was an omnivore. It had to be very careful, as fierce creatures roamed at that time, and the Eohippus was constantly under threat of meeting one of these monsters. The Eohippus was present on Earth for a span of about 20 million years!!! It changed it's diet to fruits and foliage and it's teeth became more even
Eohippus evolved into a number of different creatures through the ages; such as Orohippus, who was a natural jumper, Epihippus followed Orohippus, then Mesohippus who ate grass, and Miohippus, who lived 36 million years ago.Hypohippus had stripes and later evolved into today's zebra. Kalibatihippus, Parahippus, Merychippus, Hipparion, Pliohippus, Dinohippus and Plesihippuswere true equines, evolving more and more to look like horses and ponies of today. Hippos are horse's cousins and the name 'hippo' means river horse.
How to Buy Them, Choosing the Right One For You
If you are quite small, a smaller pony will suit you better than a big pony. Always remember to buy a horse or pony that is the right size for you. It also depends on what kind of horse or pony you want. You might want a dressage horse, a jumping horse, a horse just to love or care for, or a horse to learn to ride on. There are lots of different kinds of horses and ponies to choose from and find the perfect one for you.They are quite expensive, especially pure-bred ones.
Brushes, Tack and Bedding
Saddles
The English saddle was designed to give the rider close contact to his/her horse. It is better for dressage.The Western saddle was designed to give comfort to the user because he could have been riding for a long time over deserted country-side.
Brushes
A dandy brush is used to get dust out of a pony or horse's coat. A curry-comb gets the dirt out. A mane comb gets knots out of their manes.
Bedding
Most of the time a pony will be out in the field, but when it gets cold a horse or pony would be better inside. Some people put down saw-dust for a horse or pony but you can put just straw down. They eat hay so a hay-net is good to keep them occupied with over-night and during the day.
Food and Health
Food
Bran mixtures are good for cold winter days when they have to keep their strength up.Salt licks and herb licks also occupy a horse or pony like a hay-net as an animal can keep licking it for a long time. Licks come in loads of flavours; herb ones, salty ones and occasionally, sweet ones.
Health
If a horse or pony gets very cold, it can catch a cold and cough just like us. If a horse does catch a catch a cold and cough, it will start coughing and sneezing and be a bit at loss for breath. The horse or pony's nose will be runny and smell a bit. A horse or pony can get lots of other illnesses and ailments. Some aren't that that serious, but some can be deadly and will need urgent vet attention. If you don't know what to do, don't try and sort the problem yourself, get expert help quickly.
English and Western Riding
Western Saddle English Saddle
English
English riders use a small saddle to ride as they find it comfier than big ones. Riding goes back ages ago and was used for hunting, fighting and tournaments. In the Middle Ages, in a tournament a man could win half another man's possessions and his horse.
Western
Unlike the English saddle, the Western saddle helps give comfort during a day riding over bare country-side. Cow-boys would have used the handle on the front to hold a lasso to catch the cows in the wilds of America.
Different Types of Riding
Some people wonder what the point of dressage is. The point of it is this: way back when countries were always away fighting each other, and an army was about to attack another army, it could use a dressage move to make it look like an army was coming towards