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titleA Survey of Western Saddle Types/titlepstrongTrail Saddles/strong/ppThe most popular type of saddle, trail saddles are designed for comfort over rough terrain and many miles. Designed for comfort they are lighter than ranch or roping saddles which are designed for heavier work. New materials and features often appear in trail saddles first due to their popularity. Some features include an easy to hold thin horn, a higher fork for stability, a deeply recessed cantle for comfort, wider stirrups treads and padded seats. Rounded or cut out skirts may also be present to further reduce the weight./ppstrongRanch Saddles/strong/ppRanch saddles, also called buckaroo, cowboy or old time are heavy weight saddles designed for heavy work. Made for long hours in the saddle and for functionality around the ranch they may include comfortable deep seats, low swells to be out of the way when working and thick horns. Other features include plate rigging for better strength, a high cantle, double rigging and rope straps./ppstrongRoping Saddles/strong/ppDesigned for freedom of movement these saddles are made for heavy duty. Maximum freedom while roping and chasing cows is ensured by the saddle tree design and the strong horn. A wooden saddle tree covered with bull hide, a rounded low fork, double rigging and a deep suede or rough leather covered saddle all contribute to the ease of use while working. High cantles allow easy mounting and dismounting and the stirrups are forward hung to help the balance./ppstrongCutting saddles/strong/ppFor cutting out single cows from the heard, cutting saddles were developed. A cutting saddle needs to endure good balance for the rider during extreme turning, starting and stopping maneuvers. Features include easy gripping with a tall thin horn, long flat seats, slim stirrups, low cantles and forward hanging fenders for extra balance./ppstrongReining Saddles/strong/ppFor reining sporting events a purpose designed reining saddle is ideal. These saddles need very close contact between horse and rider for ease of execution of circling, spinning and sliding stop maneuvers. Subtle communication between horse and rider is ensured by the close contact which, if properly carried out will not be seen by the spectators. Because of the close contact reining saddles are also popular as training saddles./ppstrongEndurance Saddles/strong/ppFor competitions involving long rides of up to 100 miles, endurance saddles are needed. They must be light weight and well made to stand up to the long miles of riding. Bulk must be minimised while at the same time maximising close contact. In addition for the long hours in the saddle they must be comfortable for both rider and horse. Because they are designed for comfort they are also becoming popular for trail riding. They feature comfortable padded seats, no horns, lower weight short skirts, deep stirrups and multiple saddle strings for your gear./ppstrongShow Saddles/strong/ppShow saddles, unlike the other types are designed primarily for their looks in the horse show arena. Fashion is important and designs change frequently. Ornate and deep tooling and decorative silver ornamentation are used extensively on show saddles. Designed for good looks rather than work these saddles follow fashions and change accordingly. For show saddles the latest fashion is important! Other features include deep skirts for more decoration turned stirrups with silver trims, and padded seats./ppFor more information and some good deals in new and used saddles check out a TARGET=_NEW href=http://www.usedsaddlesale.com/Used Saddle Sale/a or a TARGET=_NEW href=http://www.usedsaddlesale.com/Store/Used-Western-SaddlesUsed Western Saddles/a/pbrbr

Many people are confused about the aid for the canter. What follows are some common questions about the canter and my answers.

Q. I know to ask for the canter it is outside leg behind the girth and inside leg at the girth, however during the canter is your outside leg supposed to stay back or do both legs then become neutral at the girth once the canter is achieved?”

A.Swing your outside leg back ONCE, and then bring it back to its normal position on the girth. Think of it as a spring-loaded action or a windshield-wiper-like action. If you wait for your horse to answer, he’s not listening to your leg aid. If he doesn’t canter right away, give him a little bump with your outside leg or tap him with the whip. (Carry your whip in the outside hand for the canter work so you can use it to reinforce your outside leg aid.)

As soon as he does the canter depart, reward him.

You can teach him to canter by holding your outside leg back, but when you start doing half passes in the trot, your horse might get confused. He won’t know whether to stay in the trot and go sideways for a half pass or to pick up the canter.

It’s easier to teach him to canter from an aid that ONLY means canter depart than to teach him to canter from that aid and then have to reschool him when you get to trot half passes.

Q. Are you saying that the canter depart is achieved with the legs only? Or, were you just addressing your reader’s concern about her legs? I thought the canter depart was achieved by a slight turn of the wrist on the inside hand, weight on the inside seat bone, AND the windshield wiper outside leg. Is that correct?

A. Yes! I was just addressing her concern about the legs…But you’re right about the rest of the aids. I also push that inside seatbone toward the inside ear and support with the outside rein so I don’t get too much bend in the neck.

Q. How do I use my hands and seat in the canter depart?
What rein aids, if any, should be used?
Do I stay centered with my seat or shift my weight to the inside or outside when I cue for a canter depart?

A.Your weight is on your inside seatbone. When you ask for the depart, push your inside seatbone toward your horse’s inside ear.
Ask for flexion at the poll to the inside with a slight indirect rein aid, but support with the outside rein to keep your horse from over bending his neck to the inside.

Q. How do I keep the canter depart from being hollow?

A. Your horse is perfectly justified in coming off the bit if all you do is give the aid for a transition. To do a transition on the bit, you need to give two sets of aids at once–the transition aid AND the aid to tell him to stay on the bit–the connecting half halt. When you give these two sets of aids at once, you’re telling your horse to “do a transition on the bit”.

* Essentially, you’ll superimpose the connecting half halt over the aids for a transition. That is, you’ll give the connecting half halt before, during, and after the transition.

* In this case, the connecting half halt lasts longer than three seconds. It might even last six, seven, or eight seconds.)

* Apply it lightly before, during, and after the transition so that you “bridge” the transition with your connecting half halt.

* Start the connecting half halt before the transition. (Close both calves as if you’re asking for a medium gait, close your outside hand in a fist to capture and recycle the power back to the hind legs, and vibrate the inside rein to prevent your horse from bending his neck to the outside.)

* Keep giving the half halt while you add the aids for the canter depart.

* AND keep giving the connecting half halt for two or three strides into the next gait.

Q. What aid do I use to go from canter to trot?

A. The primary aid for any downward transition is a “stilled” seat.

* Sit with equal weight on both seat bones, and stretch up tall so you have a gentle curve in the small of your back. I call this posture a “ready” back.

* Brace your lower back in a stopping, non-following or retarding way by tightening your stomach muscles like you’re doing a sit-up.

* When you brace your back, your hips stop following the motion of your horse. Your non-following hips signal him to drop down to the next slower gait.

* To learn the feeling of stopping your hips, simply sit on your horse at the halt. Focus on the immobility of your seat.

* When you ask for a downward transition, mimic the way your seat feels in the halt.

* To practice your stilled seat, pick a point in the ring or on the trail. As you pass this spot, make your body immobile.

Q. How do I keep my horse on the bit during the transition back down from canter to trot?

A. Let’s say you want to do a downward transition from canter to trot on the bit. Remember, if you want to do a transition on the bit, you need to give two sets of aids at once.

* Ask your horse to stay on the bit during the transition by giving the connecting half halt before, during, and after the transition.

* While you’re in the canter, start your connecting half halt.

* After giving the half halt for a couple of seconds, add the aid for the downward transition by tightening your tummy muscles.

* In the beginning, it may take a few seconds for your horse to respond to your seat.

* No matter how long it takes, keep giving the connecting half halt until he listens to your seat and drops into the trot.

* Maintain the connecting half halt until you’re trotting for at least two strides.

Note: If your horse does the downward transition from the half halt itself, you’re either using too much hand and not enough leg or he’s behind your leg. He should wait to do the downward transition until you actually still your seat. The connecting half halt is just for keeping him on the bit. It’s not the aid for the downward transition.

Q. When we’re cantering my lower leg and knee creeps up and my stirrups dangle on my feet (both left and right). What can I do while I’m working alone, which is most of the time, to improve my leg position at the canter? I realize lunge line lessons would improve my position, but that’s not an option right now.

A. It sounds like you’re gripping with your knees and thighs for balance. Think about relaxing your knees and thighs and letting your legs hang loose so that you feel your feet supported by the stirrups. Sally Swift has a great image for this. She says to imagine that your legs are so long that your bare feet are dangling on the ground, and you can feel mud squishing between your toes.

Q. I was initially taught to ask for the canter with the outside leg, as are most people. However, as I progressed in Dressage, I was taught that although my outside leg was behind the girth in the canter transition (to tell the horse which lead I wanted), I actually asked for the canter with my inside leg, at the girth. Is this right?

A. Absolutely. The outside leg tells the outside hind to strike-off. (The outside hind leg needs to strike off first for your horse to end up on the correct lead.)
Your inside leg at the girth tells your horse to go forward into the canter.
So, you do end up using both legs although the emphasis changes from your outside leg to your inside leg as you and your horse become more advanced.

Q. I unconsciously lean forward as I ask for the canter. Should I stay upright? Should I lean back?

A. Stay upright, but push your inside seatbone toward your horse’s inside ear during the depart. As Kyra Kyrklund says: Pretend there are arrows extending down from your seatbones. You’ll push your horse’s hind legs in whatever direction your seatbones are pointed. So when you lean forward, your seatbones point backwards, and that’s the direction you’ll send the hind legs. By pushing your inside seatbone forward, you bring the hind legs with you and underneath your horse’s body.

Are you sick and tired of complicated and confusing training techniques? Are you frustrated by negative emotions like fear and lack of confidence? Would you like to be trained by a Three Time Olympic Coach? Learn how by going to: http://www.janesavoie.com/

There seems to be a widely held impression, past down from generation to generation, that potty training toddlers is arduous.

Follow this practical plan and you will be able to go from all those diapers to dry in days. But only if you are prepared not to be side-tracked by other distractions during this period and able to give your focus to toilet training.

1. Evaluating Your Child’s Readiness

Does your toddler have the required verbal understanding? This includes being able to understand and carry out simple instructions.

Does your toddler show signs of wanting to do more things for themselves such as pulling up their own pants?

Is your child’s bladder and bowel control adequately developed? For instance, can he or she go for two or three hours before wetting their diaper?

You really must not go on to item 2 until you are confident your toddler can handle being toilet trained.

2. Let’s Go Shopping

You want to make this trip to the shops as much fun as possible for your toddler. So what’s on that shopping list?

You should get:

• An anatomically correct doll (a boy doll if you have a son, a girl doll if you have a daughter);
• Potties (yes it’s best to have two or three around the home so there is always one close at hand when it’s wanted);
• Underpants, preferably vibrantly colored. It’s even better if there’s a picture of one of their favorite cartoon characters on them. Diaper or training underpants can be a practical solution for any trips out but make sure you treat them as real pants not diapers;
• a wall chart and stickers.

Remember to let your toddler have a say in the purchase choice.

3. Toilet Train The Doll

Silly as it may seem, you potty train the doll. The doll is a great teaching tool, it should not be seen as a toy. You will be using the doll to model correct behavior.

4. Celebrate The Doll’s Success

Each time the doll correctly uses the potty it is praised and a sticker is placed on the wall chart that records the doll’s progress. And when the doll has been potty trained it gets a party.
You want your toddler to realize that being potty trained is a happy, fun experience.

5. It’s Farewell to Diapers

Put your toddler in pants. There’s no retreating back to diapers even if there are two or three accidents along the way.

6. Give Your Toddler Plenty Of Fluids

The more your toddler drinks the more they will need to urinate. So they should get plenty of practice in using a potty.

7. Ask Your Toddler If They Need the Potty

If they say no that’s fine. With all those drinks they’ll soon need to go. Quiz them again a little later.

If they have a little accident you must not let your child see you are angry or disappointed. Just tell them they’ll do better next time. Take them to the potty and have them sit on it for two or three minutes. Give them fresh pants to put on. At short intervals take them back to the potty for a total of ten times. This will help to build muscle memory. Very soon they will urinate in the potty.

A little food for thought. It is not just what you say, it’s how you say it. This is certainly true when it comes to teaching a toddler new skills.

Find out how you can potty train even the most strong willed child in days.

Discover the right tone of voice and words to use when toilet training your toddler.

Learn techniques that will accelerate your child’s learning and potty training.

A lot of the time when you hear of someone getting divorced, they have an attorney – it’s really not necessary. The reason most people get an attorney is to ensure that they are protected and that the divorce is going to be fair for them as well as their spouse. However, attorneys are expensive and if you can avoid hiring one, you can save thousands of dollars. Here are some tips on how to get a divorce without hiring an attorney.
 
Do It Yourself
 
You can easily file for divorce on your own without the aid of an attorney. It’s as easy as filling out the necessary forms. You can obtain forms from your local civil court division. Just make sure you have the correct forms for your state so you won’t experience any problems or delays with your divorce proceedings. Another thing you want to check on is the filing fees. Although they are pretty inexpensive, you want to be prepared so that things go smoothly when you go to file your papers.
 
Have a Paralegal Draft Up the Forms for You 
 
Another great way to get a divorce without an attorney is to hire a paralegal or legal assistant to draft up the forms for you. This is a great option if you feel uncomfortable filling out and filing the forms yourself. He or she can ensure that you’ve covered everything and make the chances of a problem or hitch very low. You can ask friends for a recommendation or check your local phone book. If you use the latter method, call around and make sure you’re comfortable with the paralegal before you hire them to work for you. Also, keep in mind that the person you’re hiring isn’t able to render legal advice as this requires specific legal training.

Seek a Mediator
 
Mediation is another option for those who don’t want to hire an attorney. With mediation, you and your spouse are able to calmly and effectively decide who gets what and how the division of property and assets will work. Because you will need a trained mediator to help you sort things out, even the most bitter and hostile of spouses can work together to come up with a solution that will work for both parties. You won’t need a lawyer and you can avoid the circus of courtroom litigation. An added bonus is the fact that you decide where your stuff goes rather than some judge who knows very little about you and your situation. Mediation is a great way to get divorced without an attorney.
 
By using these methods, you are able to seek a divorce without the help of an attorney. Not only can this save you thousands of dollars but you have the potential of saving yourself a lot of heartache as well. Good luck.

If you’re considering low cost divorce or simply need some answers, visit http://www.xstilla.com today. We are a FREE resource site for people who are contemplating, considering or recovering from divorce. Visit our large database of articles and resources or post a message on our interactive forum. Either way, visit http://www.xstilla.com today and find the divorce assistance you need to secure a low cost divorce that won’t break your pocketbook or spirit.

Can anybody learn to be a hypnotherapist?

Complementary therapy is very much on the rise these days, probably because it is viewed by many as more ‘natural’ than the man-made intervention of medication. One of the most natural of all is hypnotherapy; it does not rely on any substances and uses simply the power of the client’s/patient’s own mind to effect an alleviation of symptoms which can be astonishingly profound.

Currently, hypnotherapy is an unregulated profession (though some would call it an ‘art’) which means that literally anybody could just start up a practice, whether or not they had carried out any formal study. The fact is, though, that they would be unlikely to survive for very long in practice without the proper resources to do the job – in order to be successful, recommendation from satisfied ‘customers’ is an essential facet of the hypnotherapist’s survival.

So, how do you set about hypnotherapy training, how do you know you’ve got good training, and what should that course teach you?

Well, obviously, how to take people in and out of hypnosis with total safety and confidence. That part of the job is so easy that anybody can learn how to do it – as long as they can have a sensible conversation with another, they can learn to be a hypnotist. But a hypnotist is not a hypnotherapist. And that’s where the quality of training is so important. In addition to hypnosis, a good course should:

- Teach you about the promotional side of the business

- Give you an understanding of the way the human psyche ‘works’

- Show you how to decide on what style of therapy is needed

- Teach you what do to if something unexpected happens

- Confer the ability for registration with a reputable professional association

- Offer total post-graduate support

As you might imagine, there’s rather more to it than that but any course worth its salt will be based around those criteria and because of this it should already be obvious that the ‘do it in a weekend’ course is going to fall far short of requirements.

A good course will comprise around 120 hours of practical and theory in the classroom (often spread over 10 months or so) and a further 450 hours of home study and assignments. Once this is completed and you have your hypnotherapy training diploma in your hand, there are ample opportunities for further study to take you to the very top of a totally fascinating tree.

Good luck!

Terence Watts makes hypnotherapy training easy with his own classrooms, consulting rooms and administrative offices at his hypnotherapy training school.

Can you feel when your horse’s hind legs are on the ground? This is an important skill to develop because you want to time your leg aids so that you give them when your horse’s hind leg is on the ground…specifically just as it’s getting ready to push off. That’s the only time you can influence a hind leg.

I feel where the hind feet are by business my horse’s hips. When a particular hind foot is on the ground, my horse’s hip is higher. It feels like my corresponding collection is being pushed forward.

Here are some tips to help you learn to feel when a hind leg is on the ground:

1. As you walk, close your eyes. Focus, let’s say, on your inside seatbone. Some people describe the feeling as their seatbone being “higher”. Others describe it as feeling like it’s being “pushed forward”. Each time you feel your seatbone being pushed forward or higher, say the words. “Now, Now, Now”. That way you can get into the timing of when that hind leg is on the ground.

2. Ask a friend to call out “Now” each time a certain hind foot is on the ground. Coordinate what your friend says with the feeling under your seat.

3. If you’re working alone, sneak a peek at your horse’s shadow or a mirror if you have one. Check that you’re feeling the right thing by calling out the footfall and then looking at the shadow or mirror to see if you’re right.

4. Watch other horses and riders and notice where both the horse’s hip and the rider’s hip are when a particular hind leg is on the ground.

5. Teach yourself how to feel when the inside hind leg is on the ground in the canter by watching your horse’s mane. It flips up during the second beat of the canter when the inside hind leg is on the ground. Say “Now” each time you see it flip up. Then you can coordinate what you’re seeing and the word “Now” with what you’re feeling under your seat.

Are you sick and tired of complicated and confusing training techniques? Are you frustrated by negative emotions like fear and lack of confidence? Would you like to be trained by a Three Time Olympic Coach? Learn how by going to: http://janesavoie.com/