In the second part of this blog, we will be continuing our discussion on how to properly care for your horse's mane and tail. 

Hello, trail friends! Welcome back to the blog! We are thrilled you decided to come pay another visit to our blogs and continue to learn more about the care and maintenance that your horse's mane and tail requires. The end of October is right around the corner, so make sure you come and learn more about the history of our beautiful trails and the land we are connected to. There might even be a ghost story or two lurking in the shadows waiting to be told! Make sure to schedule your rides with us ahead of time and get ready for the best horseback riding trail in Charleston! We can't wait to see you soon! 

As we mentioned in our last blog, caring for your horse's mane and tail comes with a huge responsibility. This is just one of the multitude of things you need to take care of and care for when it comes to owning a single horse. We urge you to remember this when thinking about purchasing your very first horse or perhaps even your second. Every horse deserves every moment of meticulous and well-planned care as the next. We hope that you take these two blogs and every blog dedicated to the care of your horse to heart. We want both you and your horse to have an incredible life together. Please remember too that a horse is going to be a full life commitment, many of them live to be 20 years of age if not older. They will need your constant love, support, and care for every single one of those years! So, let's hop back into the barn and talk more about the care and maintenance of our beautiful horse's manes and tails! 

• Braiding

The last tip for mane and tail care in our last blog talked about how to wash, how frequently to wash, and the best ways to wash your horse's tails and manes. One of the most important things you can do for your horse once both tail and mane have been properly washed, dried, and brushed is to braid them. This isn't just a fashion choice or for show purposes, although beautiful braids do help with both of those things. A good braid goes far beyond just looks. While a horse with a braided mane and tail does look stunning, it does more than just leave your horse looking pretty out on the field. Braiding helps keep your horse's mane and tails clean and helps prevent them from snagging, ripping, matting, or breaking. Also, according to US Equestrian, it protects the mane and tail from bleaching out in the sun, causing severe damage and change to their look and presentation. US Equestrian does recommend that you start with a loose braid at the base of both the hair of the mane and tail and grow into a tighter braid as you move down each section of hair. This helps relieve tension on the hair and from pulling on the roots. For the mane, you will separate the hair into one to two-inch sections and braid each section. For the tail, you traditionally only have one long braid, but you can do multiple if you so choose. Braids can also help keep your horses cool in hotter months, keeping the hair away from their skin and removing the extra weight it can cause off their bodies. You can secure the braids with either a rubber band or electrical tape, it is your choice. Either option won't tangle in your horse's mane or tail between cleanings. 
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• Frequency

We've mentioned a couple of times that to keep your horse looking and feeling its best, a consistent regime of care is necessary. This doesn't mean you should be washing, drying, and braiding their mane and tails every day. It's recommended by US Equestrian to wash and braid every 14 to 19 days. When it comes to spraying your horse's coats down, that will be done much more frequently but should be done and met with the same amount of importance, care, and dedication that you give to your horse's mane's and tails. All the tools you use for grooming your horse's manes and tails should be clean and up to date. If they're getting rusty and old, please replace them. After you use them, clean them, and leave them to dry for their next use. It is also recommended by Horse and Rider to use all-natural products. The more natural they are, the less likely they are to harm or strip the hair and the more likely to help nourish and care for your horse's mane and tail. Also, just like you do in training and daily care, be consistent in the bathing process. Once you find a system that works well for you and your horse, consistently stick with it and repeat it with every wash! Also, don't let your horse's manes and tails grow too long. You don't want them stepping on their manes and tails or allow them to become a danger to them. you want them to look great, but you also want them to freely be able to train, live happily, ride well, and do all of their tricks and maneuvers without harming themselves or their hair. 

Keeping your horse healthy, clean, and looking gorgeous is a multi-staged approach. It does take time and dedication that every horse deserves. Just caring for their mains and tails is complex, don't forget about every other aspect of caring for them too! This needs to be considered when you are thinking about buying a horse of your own, can you handle this kind of responsibility? Of course, as fellow horse lovers, you know they are worth the time and care and to look and feel their best, always! We hope this how-to guide was helpful, and we look forward to seeing you on the trails very soon! If you have any questions about the care of your horse between now our next blog, don't hesitate to reach out. We are here to help you care for your horses as best as possible. Until next time, stay safe and stay hopeful everyone!

It was such a joy to walk down the honored halls of some of the most famous horses of all time that we couldn't just limit it to one blog. It was hard enough to pick just a handful to celebrate, but it's been such fun to comb through their history and share their stories with you!

Happy November, Friends! Have you stopped by to enjoy the cool weather and beautiful foliage on our riding trails yet? It's starting to get chilly - so make sure you come to see us soon! While you are waiting for your next ride, we wanted to continue our history lesson with some of the most famous horses of all time. We are moving forward with Seabiscuit and Seattle Slew!

SEABISCUIT
This amazing horse was the grandson of Man O' War, one of the horses we discussed in our last blog. Ironically, Seabiscuit didn't show any racing qualities until later in life and was on the smaller side. He was born in Lexington Kentucky on May 23, 1933. Just two years later he made his racing debut at Hialeah Park in Florida on January 19, 1935. Thankfully he was purchased by Charles S. Howard after his first few unsuccessful racing seasons. He lost 17 races in a row before Howard found him with trainer Tom Smith. They found Seabiscuit 200 pounds underweight, exhausted, and in a terrible temperament. He needed rest, relaxation, and to heal before anyone raced him again. That's exactly what Smith gave him, and he came out of his vacation a brand new horse.

With the help of Smith and his jockey Red Pollard, Seabiscuit won 11 of the 15 races he entered in 1937. Pollard was a bit of a controversial jockey. He was much bigger than most and was blind in one eye. But both underdogs took to one another right away, and the pair became famous virtually overnight. His popularity soared during the Great Depression and gave the country something to hang on to. He was named Horse of The Year in 1938 and was the champion handicap horse in 1937 and 1938. One of his crowning moments, known as the "Match of the Century", was when he defeated Warm Admiral in 1939 at the Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. War Admiral was considered the fastest horse of his time, and no one saw this race turning out the way it did.  Seabiscuit retired in 1940 and went on to inspire many books, movies, and a major motion picture in 2003 with Toby McGuire, Chris Cooper, and a full star-studded cast.

In his six racing seasons, Seabiscuit won 33 of his 89 races with a total winning of $437,730. At the time this was a record for an American Thoroughbred.  Just a few days shy of his 14th birthday, Seabiscuit died of a heart attack and is buried at Ridgewood Ranch in California.

SEATTLE SLEW
This stunning horse was born on February 15, 1974. His owners were Mickey and Karen Taylor and Jim Hill of Tayhill Stable. His parents were Bold Reasoning and poker mare, My Charmer. No one expected much from Slew when he was born, but thankfully someone gave him a chance. The moment he hit the race track, he was a born runner.

When Slew was born he was described as ugly, He was an almost all-black bay, something that didn't catch the eye. He had big floppy ears and a very big personality. He was big for his age, and very clumsy when he first started. He needed time to grow into his body, and to learn how to become the powerhouse he was destined to be. He was bought by Tayhill Stable at a steal of $17,500 in 1975. He was then trained by Bill Turner, and under his tutelage Slew learned quickly and had great confidence in his skills. At three years old he made his career debut with jockey Jean Cruguet, who helped him make a 5 length victory at Belmont Park on September 20th, 1977. He went on to win the Triple Crown that same year.

Slew was the 10th Triple Crown winner for the United States and the first to complete the series with an undefeated career record. Through his career years between 1976 and 1978, his total earnings were $1,208,726. He had 17 starts, 14 first place wins, and 2 second place wins. Just two months before he was set to retire he defeated the heir to the Triple Crown, Affirmed, in the Grade 1 Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park.

After he retired, he sired more than 100 stake winners. He was the only stakes winner to sire a Belmont winner, A.P. Indy, who also sired a Belmont winner, Rags to Riches. At the tender age of 28, Slew passed away 25 years to the day he won the Kentucky Derby.

These amazing horses have such inspiring stories to tell. We are inspired by them daily and the legacy they have left behind. We have loved walking down memory lane with you and look forward to the next time we meet. See you at the stables!

One of the most important pieces you'll ever buy when owning a horse is its saddle. But with so many different types of riding, what saddle is right for you? 

When it comes to buying a saddle, it should never be something that you scrimp on. It is an item worth investing in since you'll possibly be spending a lot of time in it and it is a huge part of your safety while riding. But it can be daunting when it comes to buying a saddle knowing and deciding which one is the right one for you. The normal range you'll find on a basic saddle is between $100 and $500, but once it comes to custom saddles and custom needs, it could easily dip into the thousands. But when it comes to comfort and your safety, sometimes adding those extra zeros is worth it. Originally, a horse was ridden without a saddle, which was called bareback riding. Did you know the Chinese were the ones to invent the saddle? 

When you are in the market of buying a saddle, it needs to be fit to your shape, size, and style of riding you plan on doing. Have a saddle master inspect the horse you'll be using the saddle for too. The saddle master will need to know what disciplines the horse will be doing from general riding, to hunting, competition, and so on. There are so many options out there, but we hope this helps you narrow down your options! 

• General Purpose Saddle
  • This type of saddle is perfect for a beginner or intermediate rider. It can be used for various types of riding and helps a new rider balance well in the saddle. You will find these on farms where they offer trail rides and also at riding schools. These saddles can accommodate so many different people and different levels of knowledge. 

 

• Kids Saddle 
  • These saddles are used for young children riding small ponies. They are a very lightweight saddle and allows a young rider to be balanced in the seat and stay balanced. This saddle offers a handle they can easily grab onto and use for balance. These saddles are also made to fit a wide range of ponies. 

 

• Australian Stock Saddle
  • This saddle is one of the most popular saddles for riders that spend a lot of time in the saddle and plan on doing all kinds of disciplines. It has a deeper seat, with a higher pommel that comes with a horn. It also has extra padding for the knees too. There is padding under the seat and an additional form of safety with an over girt strap. It comes with long ions to support your legs and feet which is perfect for long trail rides, too. 

There are Western saddles, which are used by actual cowboys. There are sidesaddles which were designed to keep women ladylike while riding in the middle ages. Other saddles include dressing saddles, jumping saddles, hunting saddles, and racing saddles. There are also certain saddles made specifically for long hours in the saddle and are a little more expensive than your basic saddles. Some of these include the Abetta Saddle, the Allegheny Mountain Trail Saddle, and the Tex Tan Saddle. 

We promise that it is worth the time to research your saddle and taking the time to find the perfect fit. You should invest just as much time researching a saddle as you would a car, a house, and anything that would keep you safe and comfortable. The next time you visit us for a day of trail riding, ask your trail leader about the styles and types of saddles found in our barns. They will be impressed with your knowledge of what you learned here today!