About Horses Page 2
There many different breeds of horses which are broken up into 3 types: Hot Bloods, Cold Bloods and Warm Bloods.
Hot Blood horses have very old lineages and are more often pure breeds. Light of build, with fine skin and thin coats, Hot Bloods are known for being high spirited, fearless horses and ponies that often need a more experienced rider to handle them.
Cold Bloods are strong, heavy, large horses bred for pulling and farm work. Many Cold Blood breeds have existed for hundreds of years and come from European backgrounds.
Most horse and pony breeds are Warm Bloods. Their lineage come from the heavier Cold Blood breeds that have been bred to contain traits from the Hot Blood horses that warriors brought back with them during the Crusades. With the quickness of a Hot Blood but the milder temper of a Cold Blood, Warm Bloods make excellent horses for sporting events and light work.
More information about horse and pony breeds can be found here.
Domesticated horses and ponies are trained to do a variety of tasks. Police horses, for instance, have been trained to overcome their instincts and move smoothly through crowds with great confidence in the ability of person guiding them.
Owning a horse or pony takes a great deal of commitment. Its hard work, but very exciting and rewarding that is also a great deal of fun! Horses and ponies require: food and water; shelter from the weather; regular exercise; and companionship. When horses live in the wild, all these things are just part of their natural lives. But when we are caring for horses, we need to remember that they depend on us for everything they need to survive. Find out more about how to care for horses and ponies here.
There is more equipment than just a saddle needed to ride a horse. The equipment used on a horse or pony is called tack. Tack is often made with leather or nylon with stainless steel bits and stirrups. Some types of tack include halters, bridles & bits, saddles & girths.
Horsemanship and riding lessons are a must for anyone wanting to care for or own a horse. Horses enjoy the companionship and having a job to do that being being ridden offers them. Learning how to mount a horse, sit in the saddle and have the animal move takes time and patience best done with a friendly, knowledgeable instructor. After learning the basics of riding, most riders go on to learn English riding and/or Western riding styles.