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I HAVE A PALOMINO QUARTER HORSE MARE nAMED NIXA BEST LITTLE GIRL EVER! HER CURRENT OWNERS LOST HER PAPERS AS A QUARTER HORSE BUT I WOULD LIKE TO REGISTER HER AS A PALOMINO TOO BUT WHAT STEPS DO I HAVE TO TAKE?

The AQHA will re-issue papers to the former owners if they’re lost. You’ll need to ask for a transfer report to submit to the AQHA, once the duplicate papers arrive;have the former owners sign off on the transfer sheet ….. once that’s all done then go for PHBA papers.

I’m ordering 3 books to help me along with my riding and horse skills. (I take lessons twice a week but my instructor doesn’t speak much english so I’m not getting the information and theory I’d like to)

1. A book to help me in general: I’ve heard only great things about Centered Riding by Sally Swift. What do you think? I know basic riding position but I think this book could really help my seat at a sit and trot and canter. Also to learn the why behind posture. Any comments?

2. A book on dressage. I’ve started basic dressage but don’t really understand it. What book is good for explaining dressage in english. Showing what the elements are and the aids to achieve them. As well as information about dressage in general and how dressage showing works. I was thinking about: Dressage School by Isabell Werth

3. A book on jumping. I know how to go over a jump and have jumped a few jumps in a row but I haven’t started courses yet and would like more advice on posture over jumps, controlling the horse over jumps, as well as information on how to jump courses and what show jumping/cross country jumping/ hunter jumping is and tips all around.

Thanks!

For a little bit of everything, get the USPC D Manual. You might want to follow up with the C manual once you’re past the basics.

I need a horse tack closet to keep my tack in and I need a storage closet to keep other horse supplies in! What did you use? Thank you in advance

I just use the lockable rubbermade or sterilite bins. They are big and hold plenty of stuff. My current one I have had for maybe 8 yrs now and itsnot cracked or broken. I paid maybe 15$ for it at walmart. They are also super for storing blankets/sheets etc. I have a whole room in my attic full of trucks with the horses extra stuff in them.

Im looking for a site that i can buy free horse stuff off that people recycle.
or just a recycle site that sells horse stuff
thanks!x

Im not sure if yu had a miss type when you said " buy free" Im not sure if you meant buy, or free. I know of no places where you can get free horse stuff but if you find one I sure would be interested!!! you can get used horse stuff on craigslist for good prices but I know of no places for free stuff

I found a coach reasonably close who teaches classical dressage, and can also teach at liberty riding and haute ecole. I haven’t met her yet or audited any lessons. The lessons are done on her aged but well-schooled andalusian gelding, who can be part-boarded for $120 per month. I have years of riding experience, and have had some instruction in dressage but I probably have to go back to basics.

She charges $60 for a one-hour lesson and $40 for a half-lesson.

Is this a fair price? Would my riding still progress even if I only did one full lesson per month in addition to co-boarding the horse and riding him twice a week? Maybe two half-lessons per month?

Working on the current exchange rate, I reckon that’s an incredibly good price.

I think your riding would improve more quickly by two short lessons rather than one long one, a month. The horse will teach you throughout the rest of the month if he is particularly good at dressage.

Maybe I just don’t know how to cue her?
I KNOW she is physically able to do it, because the horse in the picture is her.
This is her (allbreedpedigree page, look at image):

http://www.allbreedpedigree.com/miss+status+quo
I do a lot of lateral stuff with her, but she is still very extended! Maybe the real question, is how do I get her to collect?

She’s holding her head that way because she’s collected, moving freely and using her hind end properly. You don’t cue for headset, it’s just the outcome of riding her properly and with impulsion.

Do lots of lateral work with her and that ought to do the trick. Make sure you’re balanced, sitting deeply and quiet on her back. She looks like she knows what she’s doing, just let her do it!

Good luck.

EDIT-

Collection comes from suppleness in her jaw, poll, neck, back and ribcage as well as impulsion. If she’s still going with her head low and her hindend under her, you’ve got the impulsion and you just need to work on suppling. I’d work on bending and releasing to pressure. I’d do lots of bending and counter-bending on the straight and at a standstill. I would ask for her to bend her neck around to your foot at a halt, hold until she gives her nose and breaks at the poll, then release the rein and return to center. Do it the other way, and repeat until she breaks at the poll immediately. Next, I would get her moving out, trekking up, with her hind end under her, engaged and well off her forehand. Once you’ve got her going, either use the "constant pressure" or "massage" method to bring her nose in. Constant pressure is when you hold the reins with elastic contact and ride her forward into the contact. The massage method is where you squeeze each hand alternately (or if she’s really sensitive, you can move each ring finger to do the same thing) and drive her into contact. Which one you use depends on how the horse was trained, how you were taught.
You should only use these as a ‘reminder’ for your horse to bring her nose in, and not constantly or your horse could get confused or go behind the vertical.

You could always take a lesson or two with a hunter trainer (as your horse is obviously trained to go as a hunter).

I’ve done hunter/ jumpers for years, But I’m just starting to do events. I am planning to do Novice level this year. I was wondering if I’m allowed to wear a Shadbelly coat at this level for my dressage? I’ve herd conflicting answers . If not what level do they allow them?
Also I was wondering, for my Hunter I wear a Green plaid Hunt coat, is this acceptable for my Show Jumping phase? Or dose it have to be Black?
Thanks a lot!

No, a shadbelly is only appropriate at Intermediate or Advanced Level.

You are not judged on turnout in the show jumping phase, so by the rules you can wear pretty much what you want. However, a green coat would stand out. Most people use their (short) black coat from dressage again.

There are no horses in my price range and trained in my discipline currently for sale in my state. I’ve done searches and there are a lot of nice looking horses in other states though…so should I consider buying a horse that’s out of state (and driving out to test it) or is that too much of a hassle and I should just wait until the right horse is for sale in my state?

I’d go for it! There’s pros and cons for both. If you decide to look at a horse from a different state, that means that you’ll most likely have to drive a bit to check that horse out. And if you wait around, you could be waiting for a while! Whatever you do and no matter how far you have to drive to see a horse, make sure you check him/her out thoroughly. I like to check my horses out at least twice, but I understand if that would be a lot of hassle. It also depends on what type of horse you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a horse to train and/or to just be a companion, than you could probably get by with just a thorough "interview" and test run of the horse. If you’re looking for a new show horse than I’d recommend thinking about checking him/her out more than once just because show life can be demanding these days-lol and if the horse is more on the pricier side. Either way, you’ll find that horse! Hope this helps!

I am seriously considering starting to take riding lessons. I am not very coordinated sometimes so I am wondering which style is easier for a beginner?

With the right instructor either style is easy. Which style you should start with depends on what you want to do.

If you would like to learn to jump some day, then you should start riding English. If you’d like to barrel race some day, then you should start Western. If you’d just like to trail ride, then you can do either.

I personally like Western better, but both have a lot to offer and you can learn a lot from both. I think that in order to be the best rider you can be, you should ride both English and Western at some point. Which is what I do. I compete in both English and Western disciplines. (:

My trainer always starts beginners in a western saddle. That way they can hang onto the horn if they’re feeling nervous or scared. Once they have gained their confidence, and once my trainer knows they can stay on the horse she’ll gradually ask them to let go of the horn. Once they can walk, trot and canter in a western saddle, she’ll start teaching them in an English saddle. And from there, she lets them choose which they like better. It works very well at our barn, and my trainer gets a lot of compliments on her techniques.

Do a little research and see which you would like better. (:

And you probably know – there is nothing to hang onto in an English saddle. You can put a strap on the front to hang onto if you’d like. But I think it’s a good thing. Eventually you want to be able to ride at all gaits and without stirrups, and all that fancy stuff without needing to hang on at all! That is where a lot of people in the Western disciplines who are just starting out develope bad habits, they rely on the horn to keep them on the horse.

All breeds have the potential of being gentle or fiery though some are reputed to be more one or the other. Raising and training make much more difference than breed. Generally, and older horse is a bit more calm than a younger horse. A horse that has been ridden by armature/beginner riders will also be a bit more calm. If I absolutely must pick a breed or two, it would be quarter horse or morgan.