lingerie tips

Bareback riding (without the saddle) was always something kids did. You grabbed your pony from the field, hopped on and away you went.

Today we barely function without saddles. While saddles help us look pretty or be more functional, bareback riding has many benefits for both posture AND confidence.

Bareback riding allows you to feel the true movement of the horse, and sends the rider information that is imperative for higher training. It is this very idea that correlates to English saddles having as little leather between the horse and rider as possible, especially in dressage saddles, where the flaps are thin and flexible.

This style is not particular to any discipline, and all disciplines and levels of riders can benefit from it. I ride bareback one day a week, and it not only improves my riding performance, but also tends to tune up the horse as well, as he/she is able to feel softer, subtle cues instantly, without the interference of leather.

Bareback also allows the rider to improve balance, strength, posture, flexibility and a side benefit of added confidence. As the horse moves, you are able to feel the muscle groups respond, and you gain a sense of where the horses’ feet are placed in each movement. Part of being a good horseman is the ability to connect with the horses body and feet. Many great riders will tell you that they feel as if they become one, almost like a centaur.

Riders are athletes. Regardless of the amount of riding you do, you need strong muscle groups. And strong muscles must stretch to be fully functional. Stretching while riding bareback gives you more room to move and gives the rider a better sense of balance. It cannot be done while your legs are glued to the horses’ sides. You must be free of tension, sitting with balance and freedom.

Longeing

This is a great way to begin, and remember to use a safe horse! Some people like to use the reins, but I find it best to tie off any equipment and just concentrate. Should the horse make any movements that are uncomfortable or alarm you, get off. Too many accidents happen because the rider stays aboard. If you find the horse may be quiet but not suitable while longeing, have the handler walk you around. Also, perform this within the confines of a roundpen, arena or any fenced area with softer ground. Never push the experience with an unsuitable horse. And wear a helmet! Many falls will dump you very close to the horses’ feet.

A great exercise that will prepare you for emergencies and give you better coordination is to practice dismounting. While walking, place your hands on the horses’ neck, push up and swing your leg over and jump down. If you do this enough times, you will remember it instinctively when you really need to dismount in a hurry. If the horse stops when being dismounted, reward him. You want to teach the horse to stop in case you fall off.

The weight (fat) of the horse will either provide comfort or be a hindrance. Thin horses provide a direct relation to the muscles, while chubbier horses provide comfort. Both will give you results, and while the middleweight horse may be best, if you have access to different body types you will only improve your learning. Overweight horses do tend to throw the legs out improperly, and you will lose the truer sense of balance, so use the chubby horse less frequently.

When you first start out on the line at a walk, concentrate on feeling balance. Are you tipping to one side? Try shifting your weight until you feel centered. It also teaches you how to make contact with your seat bones. Try to ‘match’ the movements of the horse, as opposed to being stiff and tight. While walking, do stop/walk transitions, again ‘feeling’ the legs beneath you and the muscles around you.

If you have a quiet horse, close your eyes and ‘feel’ - this practice will fast-track information to the brain, and if you do this regularly, you will find your improvements will come faster.

The trot and canter

Move slowly, at your own pace through the gaits. Never let anyone move you faster than you are comfortable, as you may lose all confidence and never ride again.

Often when you begin the trot, you will be thrown forward and back, sending mixed signals to the horse. If you work consistently, your balance will improve faster than the horse can be damaged. Remember, everything you do with your horse is training, even trying to ride bareback! Perfect practice makes perfect.

Speeding up

If you find the horse trots slowly in a saddle, but speeds up bareback, it is likely because you are gripping and moving your legs around and back. If that is the case, go back to the walk and regain balance by stretching and doing more exercises. Whenever you have a problem, go back to the slower gaits and work it out there.

Don’t use the reins to balance

Another problem that comes up with bareback riding is the use of the reins for balance. If you start to lose balance, grab the mane instead of the horses’ mouth. A horses’ mouth is a sacred place that should never know abuse, so try not to get into the habit of reaching for the reins.

Jumping Bareback

Jumping allows you to experience one of the more thrilling aspects of riding without a saddle. Before you venture into this, make sure the horse is capable and confident over small fences and poles. Start with ground poles or Cavaletti, moving from a single pole and gradually adding as you gain confidence. You can eventually do gymnastics on the longe line, but if you have progressed enough to begin jumping, you may want to ride free of the longe line.

Confidence

One of the best things you will walk away with is added confidence. Bareback riding involves a level of trust between you and the horse that riding in a saddle won’t teach as deeply. There is a sense of freedom, oneness and an exhilaration that’s hard to equal in any other sport. As you progress, you will find that your begin to learn balance intuitively, and I always state that in order to ride really well, you need to be able to move intuitively as opposed to mechanically. The only way to achieve this is to get out there and keep doing it. It’s like riding a bike: once you learn it’s with you forever.

April Reeves
Clinician, Instructor, Trainer
Horseman’s U.com

The American Quarter Horse is an American breed of horse that excels at sprinting short distances. Its name comes from its ability to outdistance other breeds of horses in races of a quarter mile or less. It is by far the most popular breed and currently boasts a population of about 3.2 million.

Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons - History of the American Quarter Horse

In the 1700s, colonists on the eastern seaboard of the United States began to cross imported English Thoroughbred horses with assorted “native” horses such as the Chickasaw horse (a breed developed by Native American people from horses descended from Spain, developed from Iberian, Arabian and Barb stock brought to the United States by the Conquistadors). What they got was a small, sturdy horse that was quick and nimble and showed signs of superior intelligence and a willingness to work.

Settlers in the colonies entertained themselves by match racing their horses. Since the main streets of their small towns were usually the only straight stretch of flat ground available, so this was where the races were held. The main streets were short, often a quarter mile or less; the settlers bred horses who were sprinters; they could start fast and sustain a burst of speed for a short distance. These horses were so adept at sprinting they became known as the “Celebrated Quarter of a Mile Race Horses.”

The settlers of the west bred their horses to the Spanish mares of the area, which were already known as tough, hardy, independent range horses unequaled for cow-sense and endurance. The crosses produced horses that were compact and heavily muscled.

As the quarter horse breed continued to gain popularity, its gentle nature led it to be used as a riding horse and due to its strength was soon performing other work on many of the early farms. The breed seemed to have a natural instinct for working around cattle as well. When the settlers began surging west in the 1800’s, the quarter horse breed was the horse of choice of the early cowboys, being used for cattle round-up due to their speed and agile maneuverability and quickly became the horses that cowboys counted on for their daily duties. As ranches grew in size and importance, the Quarter Horse became a fixture in the west.

The American Quarter Horse was also used for sprint races. As a result, more Thoroughbred blood was added back into the developing American Quarter Horse breed, as well as the addition of Arabian, Morgan and even Standard bred bloodlines.

The American Quarter Horse is best-known today as a show horse, race horse, reining and cutting horse, rodeo competitor, ranch horse, and all-around family horse. Quarter horses dominate rodeo events such as barrel racing, calf roping and team roping. Other stock horse events such as cutting and reining are open to all breeds but also dominated by American Quarter Horse. These horses are not only well-suited for western riding and cattle work; they have also been trained to compete in dressage and can be good jumpers. They are also used for recreational trail riding and in mounted police units. Their even temperament makes them a great animal for new riders learning about horses.

The modern Quarter Horse has a small, short, refined head with a straight profile, and a strong, well-muscled body, featuring a broad chest and powerful, rounded hindquarters. They usually stand between 14 and 16 hands high.

There are two main body types: the stock type and the hunter or racing type. The stock horse type is shorter, more compact, stocky and well muscled, yet agile. The racing and hunter type Quarter Horses are somewhat taller and smoother muscled than the stock type, more closely resembling the Thoroughbred. Their coloring varies from bay, black and brown and includes chestnut, palomino, buckskin and grey.

If you are taking Beginner Horseback Riding Lessons, I hope the information above has benefited you.

Sara D. loves to write and horses are one of her loves. If you’re a beginner horseback rider, and you want to know some horse stuff before taking lessons, then this book is for you! Replace some of the ‘fear factor’ with the confidence to know that you have done a bit of preparation and feel armed with some really helpful knowledge to help you enjoy that first horseback riding lesson more! Sign up for lots of FREE horse information here!

It’s estimated that about half of us have already cheated or will cheat on our partner. In fact, around 60% of men and 40% of women will have an affair.

Now, we’re not suggesting that all men are up to no good. Lots of us have ups and downs in our relationships and our interests in each other come and go, depending on how secure you feel as a couple.

But if you do suspect that your partner could be having an affair, how can you tell? What are the signs he’s cheating?

We’ve come up with a list of the most common signs and explained what the innocent explanation could be and the reasons why it could be a sign of cheating.

Have a look, think about your own relationship and then make your own mind up…

1. Your intuition
His behaviour: Suspecting that something’s up is often the first sign for many women. Admittedly intuition isn’t anything that your fella is actually doing, but you know that something doesn’t feel quite right - often you’ve spotted some of the other signs sub-consciously.

The innocent explanation: Quite simply, your intuition could be wrong. Do you talk to each other enough? Perhaps he’s going through a stressful time.

The guilty reason: Hunches have been proved to be correct more often than not. If instinct is telling you that he could be playing away, then keep your eyes and ears open for some of the other signs.

2. He’s over-attentive
His behaviour: He spends more time being interested in you than normal. Perhaps, he buys you gifts unexpectedly or starts helping look after the children more than normal. He may even start doing more around the house, ironing, washing, or those niggly DIY jobs that have been left unfinished for months.

The innocent explanation: Have you been going through a bad patch recently? Your fella could have decided to make more of an effort in order to get things back on track - positive thinking is important in relationships.

The guilty reason: He’s feeling guilty and wants to make up for the fact that he’s having an affair. This sort of thing often happens in the early stages of an affair.

3. Technology changes
His behaviour: Now that technology makes it easier to contact people, this not only means that it’s easier to have an affair, but there are also more places to be caught out. You may discover that your man has an email account you never knew about, or perhaps he has two phones and you only know one number.

Another common sign is when he starts taking calls and walking out of the room, often telling you it’s work, and gets defensive when you get near his phone.

The innocent explanation: His boss has asked him to be on call when he’s at home, given him a work phone and your partner doesn’t want to interrupt whatever you’re doing.

The guilty reason: His mistress is sending him naughty texts or emails while you’re at home and he’s trying to cover them up. We’re not suggesting you actually snoop because if there is nothing going on then it could you look bad and in the wrong - just be aware.

4. You don’t talk any more
His behaviour: This is almost the opposite of him being over-interested in you. Maybe he’s stopped being interested in what you got up to during the day, or he no longer says ‘I love you’ or doesn’t even want to kiss or hug you any more.

The innocent explanation: Could he be stressed or maybe even suffering from depression? This can often explain mood swings or disinterest and possibly he won’t realise he’s suffering.

The guilty reason: If he starts becoming less interested in finding out what you’ve done during the day and how you’re feeling, then it’s often an indication that he’s getting his emotional fix elsewhere. When kissing stops in a relationship, it’s often seen as a big warning sign.

5. He’s hotter than ever in bed
His behaviour: Your husband suddenly starts doing something new and amazing when you’re in the throes of passion. It could be a new foreplay technique, or maybe even a new sex position you’ve never even heard of before.

The innocent explanation: He could well be looking at websites like goodtoknow and discovered some new sex tips and thought he’d give them a go. Don’t knock the guy for trying!

The guilty reason: If it happens more than once, then it could be because someone is teaching him something new in another bed!

6. He gets irritated quickly
His behaviour: When you ask him questions about what he’s been up to, he starts to act all defensive and jumpy.

The innocent explanation: He could be planning a surprise holiday or romantic break and doesn’t want you to ruin the surprise.

The guilty reason: He’s worried that you’re checking up on him and will discover his cheating ways.

7. Your friends notice something’s up
His behaviour: This isn’t anything he’s done, but often friends and family will notice that things aren’t quite right between the two of you and start asking questions.

The innocent explanation: You’re going through a tough time or you just tend to be a little more on edge when you’re in other people’s company.

The guilty reason: If more than one best mate starts asking if everything’s all right between you, maybe it’s time to stop and think - especially if you hadn’t noticed anything was wrong!

8. He’s a changed man
His behaviour: Has your partner started wanting to watch new TV programmes, listen to new music or even bought new clothes or a new aftershave?

The innocent explanation: He could be having a mid-life crisis and feel that he needs to be ‘young and hip’ again, or maybe he’s discovered a new website or magazine that’s giving him new recommendations.

The guilty reason: A new woman often means he experiences new things (other than sex) that you have no hand in.

9. He accuses you of cheating
His behaviour: This will probably come as a bit of a shock, but he’ll possibly ask outright if you’ve been seeing someone else. Men tend to be more direct than women.

The innocent explanation: Although statistics show that men cheat more than women, that doesn’t mean he won’t have his own suspicions. If your relationship is going through a rough patch, it’s not an unreasonable explanation - especially if you’ve stopped talking as much.

The guilty reason: It’s common for cheaters to suspect their partners of cheating simply because they believe that if they’re getting away with it, you can too. This is also how many people who cheat deal with their guilt - they try to make themselves feel better by turning the tables. Once you’ve got over your initial shock at being accused, it might be worth looking a little closely at what he’s up to!

10. Things don’t add up
His behaviour: Has he started changing his daily routine for seemingly no reason? Maybe his actual job hasn’t changed, but he starts leaving earlier in the morning and getting back later. Or perhaps he told you he was out with Steve last week, but you later discover that Steve was away at a conference.

The innocent explanation: Work could be getting more stressful - perhaps someone has left, leaving him with more work than normal. Alternatively, he could be arranging some sort of surprise party and he doesn’t want you to know what he’s up to.

The guilty reason: Once someone starts lying, it becomes more and more difficult to keep up the act, so when small unexplained things start happening or you notice inconsistent things, there could be something not-so-innocent as an explanation.

11. You’re not invited to work dos any more
His behaviour: Remember the days when you always used to go to his Christmas parties or summer balls? He always asked you to come for a drink with his work colleagues if you were free, but all of a sudden there’s been a ‘change of policy’, or maybe he just doesn’t even suggest it any more.

The innocent explanation: Well, the credit crunch is more than just a buzzword. Companies really are cutting back on non-essential things and if that means not inviting partners to anything any more, that’s what they’ll do.

The guilty reason: If the work invites start drying up, it could well be because he’s seeing someone at work and doesn’t want you to meet them and create an awkward situation… for him, obviously.

12. He starts taking showers
His behaviour: We hope that your man’s personal hygiene is up to scratch, but he may be diving into the shower the minute he comes home.

The innocent explanation: If he comes home drunk a lot, he could well be covering up drunken injuries or something similar.

The guilty reason: He wants to get rid of the smell of another woman’s perfume or sex.

And finally… remember!
None of these signs is proof enough on its own that your man might be cheating on you, but together they’re often a pretty good indicator.

What you do next is up to you, but at least you can talk to him knowing that you’ve weighed up the signs and options.

Kate Corr
Good to know
Relationship Advice, sex tips and online dating.

A list of the top ten “must do”  things for a man to do on a first date, so that there will be a second date. Some of these things may sound very basic but they are crucial to remember for that all important first date to go well.These are not in any order whatsoever, as they are all important to impress the woman you are meeting, especially if you have only met her once, or more likely in this day and age, you have not actually physically met her at all.

1) DRESS APPROPRIATELY FOR THE DATE.- If you are going to the theater, or for a nice meal then wear a suit, with either an open neck shirt or a tie, depending on your own style. If you are wearing a plain colored suit then wear a striped or patterned shirt. If you are wearing a pin striped suit then wear a plain shirt. If the date is less formal and it’s just a casual drink or the cinema then go for nice jeans and either a nice shirt or a stylish t-shirt.

2) WEAR GOOD SHOES - Apart from possibly personal grooming, it’s the first thing a woman will look at. Good shoes are a must! Modern, trendy and clean. They don’t have to be designer, just look good. Whether it’s trainers, casual or formal, choose the right ones very carefully and make sure that they go with your outfit. Don’t, and i mean don’t ever wear training shoes with formal black trousers as you would be as well just not going on the date!

3) ALWAYS HAVE A SHOWER OR BATH BEFORE YOU GO ON THE DATE - Sounds really obvious doesn’t it? Well i have known some men not to bother, and that is just a no no believe me! Don’t forget to wash your hair as well, even if you washed it that morning, WASH IT AGAIN!

4) PERSONAL GROOMING - Clean nails, clean shaved, brushed teeth are all essential to make a good impression

5) SMELL GOOD - Right guys, this is a must.You must never go out without putting on some deodorant and a nice aftershave but don’t overload it with the aftershave. If you smell better than her then you’ve got problems guys. Smell nice, but just enough for her to notice.

6) ALWAYS BE EARLY, TURN UP AT LEAST 15 MINUTES BEFORE THE ARRANGED TIME. It does not matter if she is late and in my experience that could be up to 30 minutes. That’s a woman’s prerogative, so be early guys it always impresses.

7) ALWAYS OFFER TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING - Oh yes i know it’s 2008, and a lot of women are earning more than men, but there is no way in this world that after the meal is finished that you should let the woman put her hand in her purse for any reason. It’s a first date and the man pays, simple guys, so please don’t embarrass yourselves by even considering anything other than paying the full amount. NO WOMAN LIKES A MEANIE.

DON’T TALK ABOUT YOURSELF ALL THE TIME - If a woman thinks that you are more interested in yourself than her, then forget it guys.Talk to her, find out what she likes. Find some common ground and don’t bore her with your big stamp collection or the latest computer components you have downloaded for your PC. She wont be interested, so instead, find out where she likes to go on holiday, what music, films and food she likes.

9) DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOUR EX PARTNERS AND HOW BAD THEY WERE, IT WILL JUST MAKE YOU LOOK SAD AND RESENTFUL. ENOUGH SAID !

10) COMPLIMENT HER - compliment her hair, eyes, what she is wearing and how she looks in general. Don’t go overboard, and don’t do it all night or she will just think you are being a bit overbearing. One or two nice compliments during the night (but only if you are sincere and mean it) will go a long way to securing that second date.

1. Trust your feelings

If you’ve got an uneasy feeling that something has changed in your relationship and that there is more going on than your partner is telling you then you might just have a cheating spouse on your hands. Surveys reveal that your gut feeling or intuition is very often right in these circumstances so it shouldn’t be ignored.

2. Unaccounted for Time

What does he do after work and before he gets home? He can’t spend every evening working late can he? Have you tried to call him at the office to find out when he will be home but he’s not there? If he wasn’t at the office then where was he? He will probably find it very difficult to explain where he was if you ask him about it and he might even get annoyed with you to try and cover it up. Has he accused you of spying on him lately?

3. Lip gloss on his collar

Lipstick on his collar is the old cliche and it’s still very true even today. It simply isn’t possible to be intimate with someone without exchanging something with them. It could be odor from perfume or after-shave or lip gloss marks on clothes. Of course it doesn’t mean that your spouse is cheating on you if you find these clues but if it happens often then you should start wondering why.

4. Sudden displays of affection

If someone is feeling guilty about something like cheating on their partner then they are likely to want to try and make up for it in some way. This is a subconscious knee jerk reaction of course as it can’t possibly make up for such infidelity. Making up often means showering you in gifts or make mad passionate love. An unusual level of affection all round.

5. Telephone calls that go click when answered

An unusual number of silent telephone calls, you know the ones where the caller hangs up just as you answer it. It could be your cheating spouses lover trying to call him but unexpectedly getting you instead. This could be significant if you’re getting more of these calls than you normally do.

6. Suddenly your boyfriend takes his calls in private

Does he walk out of the room every time his cell phone rings? If he seems to have become more private lately then you might have a cheating boyfriend.

7. Listen, observe and analyse what your spouse is telling you

Does everything he says make sense? It’s very difficult to lie convincingly and keep up the deceit for any length of time. Lying requires you to remember what you said and it’s so easy to forget and contradict yourself later. Really listen to what he tells you and observe what he does. If he’s lying to you then you may notice cracks in his stories after a few days.

8. Where does he go? Track a cheating spouse with minimal effort

If your partner is cheating on you then he must be doing more traveling than usual. A simple way for you to check for this sign of a cheating spouse is to make a note of the miles recorded on his car odometer. Check it again in a few days to see how far he’s traveled. If it amounts to more than trips to the office then he might be keeping something from you.

If you suspect that your partner is making regular visits to a secret lover there are some very neat spying devices available to help you catch him out. My favorites are discussed here: Cool Spy Gadgets To Catch a Cheating Spouse

9. What is all the money being spent on?

Have you noticed more money going out of your bank accounts but you are having trouble working out where it’s all going? Gifts and hotel bills accommodating secret lovers can cost significant sums of money.

10. Deleting emails a lot quicker than normal

Emails that get deleted as soon as read and empty computer desktop on his monitor whenever you take a peek are all signs of secrets being kept. Is the secret another lover and a sign of a cheating spouse.

You’ve seen the signs now take the next step and catch your cheating spouse in the act http://www.howdo-i.com/cheating-spouse. Tip: Go through the numbers on his cell phone and look them up How to do a reverse telephone lookup