Riding a horse can be one of the best feelings in the world. The connection you have with your horse is so special and allows you to have an amazing experience while riding. Another important aspect is your environment. If your surroundings are just as beautiful as your horse, it will amplify your experience and make your ride far more enjoyable. Here are three of what we think are the nicest trails in Cheshire.

Firstly, we have the Delamere loop. This is a 35km or 22-mile route mainly for horse riders. The route follows bridleways, minor roads and permissive access through the countryside of Cheshire. 19km or 12 miles of the route is on surfaced roads. The rest of the loop is along public rights of way and permissive routes. Completing the loop in one day would be a challenge and so it is possible to stay at one of the B&B accommodations along the loop which allow riders and their horses to stay. The loop can be joined at any point. We enjoy being surrounded by Delamere Forest and the large bodies of water. These both make for a beautiful picturesque back dop for your ride.

You can also explore Cheshire’s spectacular parklands on horseback through Tatton Park. You can ride down the ancient bridleways that cross Tatton Park. You will be surrounded by wild deer and have the magnificent house in sight.

Lyme Park also offers fantastic horse riding. It is a spectacular estate on the edge of the Peak District National Park. Like Tatton the grounds are littered with deer and the impressive house will be visible during the ride. There are also stunning wild moorlands.

At Hive Equestrian, as part of our Pegasus Package, we take our members on days out. We organise spectacular days out varying from the beach to the forest to give you the best experience with your horse. If you would like to be a part of this community and improve the experience of owning a horse, click here now to find out more about our package. You receive many services for free and even receive a 10% discount of our additional services.

We are a small team based in Cheshire who help to make owning a horse as simple as can be. We understand how hard it can be to own a horse having to constantly arrange transportation, book vet visits and arrange a multitude of other problems. It can almost become a full-time job. That is why we started Hive Equestrian. It is the new way to alleviate the stress of owning a horse and managing your equestrian calendar, so that you can focus on spending as much quality time as possible with your horse.

That is why we created the Pegasus package. This is a monthly subscription service which gives you access to a long list of amazing services for free. We offer multiple services from free tuition to the arrangement of expert nutritional advice and periodic weight checks of the horse. We also offer exclusive discounts to our members on our additional services as well as with other equestrian suppliers.

There are two main requirements for the Pegasus package: owning a horse (includes having shares in one) and being located in or around Cheshire. A member of our team will travel directly to you and your horse to make the service as easy as possible for you. Our expert [Job description, qualifications and a line about Clare?] will travel to you. Travel is free within 7 miles of M19 9BT or a 10-minute drive of Greys. If you are outside of this area, you must pay a small fee based on our per milage calculator. This can be split across multiple riders on the day.

The Pegasus Package is perfect for you if you are a busy individual who wants to minimise the amount of time spent thinking and worrying about the more stressful side of owning a horse and focus on spending quality time with your horse. We will help you to have the best possible experience with your horse and to maximise the enjoyment that comes with owning this beautiful animal. If you have any questions about the package, feel free to contact us through the contact page. For more information on the Pegasus Package and how to join, click here now.

At Hive Equestrian we love horses. One of our main aims is to share that love with our clients creating the best experience for the owners of horses. In order to deepen your interest in horses, here are ten fen facts about horses that we found interesting:

Horse’s reflexes are lightning fast

As prey animals, horses fight-or-flight response systems were extremely fast. When they need to fight, horses can deliver an extremely powerful kick in just 0.3 seconds. This is significantly faster than the average human reaction time of 1.6 seconds. This is why it is so dangerous to stand behind a horse as if it is intimidated by you, it can deliver a lethal kick nearly instantly.

Horses can sleep standing up

Horses can rest/sleep while standing up or lying down. To avoid falling over whilst sleeping, the horses only doze while stood up. For REM sleep they lie down. Effectively they nap while stood up. This is an evolutionary trait as while lying on the floor, they are vulnerable to attacks from predators. They can doze while stood up due to their stay apparatus. This is a special arrangement of tendons and ligaments which allows the horse to lock its major joints in its leg for stability.

Horses nearly have a 360-degree field of vision

As horses are prey creatures, over thousands of years they have evolved to have an eye on each side of their face. Each eye is large and has a 180-degree field of vision. This evolutionary trait allowed horses to keep an eye out for its predators so that they could escape and survive.

Foals can walk and run within hours of being born

From birth, foals are already relatively mobile after just a few hours of finding their feet. This is because foals are very vulnerable to predators straight after birth and so need to be able to escape danger if necessary.

Horses can live to be more than 60 years old

Over the years, horse nutrition, care and veterinary medicine standards have all increased drastically. This has played a significant role in dramatically increasing the life expectancy of horses. Equine longevity has increased over the years with the greatest age reliably recorded for a horse being “Old Billy” who lived for 62 years.

Horses were domesticated around 6000 years ago

Evidence found at archaeological sites shows that horses were first domesticated around 6000 years ago in the western part of the Eurasian Steppe. This area today is modern-day Ukraine and West Kazakhstan. It is believed that the earliest ancestor of the horse lived 55 million years ago. This ancestor was much smaller and around the size of a large dog.

Horses are very social

Horses find a sense of safety and family in a herd and form very strong social bonds with one another. This bond can also be replicated with the owner/riders of the horse. Their senses can help recognise familiar horses and humans and they will then choose to spend time with those they have formed a relationship/friendship with if given the choice. In herds, one horse will stand guard and keep watch while the other horses are able to eat, rest and sleep. These behaviour patterns are often very similar to those of humans.

Horses are herbivores

This means that they only eat a plant-based diet. Their teeth are designed to have grinding molars which break down fibrous plant material. Other typical traits of a herbivore that horse have are the position of their eyes and the type of digestive system they have. For more information on a good diet for horses, click here.

Horses are measured in hands

Hands is the standard measurement for determining the height of a horse. One hand is equal to four inches. A pony is defined as a horse under the height of 14.2 hands. However, miniature horses are measured in inches or centimetres.

Horse’s resting respiratory rate is around 8-14 breaths per minute

This is an important figure to know. If the resting respiration rate of the horse is low, then it is usually comfortable and relaxed. If the rate quickly increases, it could be due to work/activity or distress. If you learn your horse’s resting pulse and respiration rate (TPR), then it can become much easier to spot when your horse is uncomfortable and so you can help to relax your horse and rectify the issue.

We hope that you found this article interesting. At Hive Equestrian, our main aim is to provide clients with the best possible relationship with their horse. In order to have a good relationship with your horse, it is extremely important that your horse is healthy and happy. It is good to know a little more about your horse so that you can provide it with the best home. Within our Pegasus Package, we arrange several services to provide your horse with the best life. This will in turn make riding more enjoyable as you can build a better relationship with your horse. We understand how amazing it is to have your own horse, but we are also experienced with what can seem to be an endless list of problems that always arise when caring for your horse. Our Pegasus package alleviates some of the stress and problems that come with owning a horse. We provide several services from lessons, to booking vet appointments to name a few. If you are interested in improving your equestrian experience and solving many of your equestrian related problems all in the same place, click here now. We also offer many other additional services which are easily found here. Our Pegasus Package members will receive a 10% discount on these services.

Providing your horse with the right diet is essential for your horse’s well-being. To maintain the best relationship between you and your horse, it is so important for your horse to be healthy and happy. Much of this well-being will stem from the horse’s diet improving both the horse’s physiological and psychological well-being. So how can you provide your horse with the best possible diet?

Water

This may seem obvious but is the most important part of any horse’s diet, without water, horses will not live long. An adequate and clean water supply should always be provided to horses in their stables so they can drink whenever they want. A water supply should also be provided to horses on rides longer than an hour or if it is a hot day. Horses typically consume two quarts of water for every pound of hay they consume. This consumption can spike to three or four time the normal amount when in periods of high temperature, during hard work, or when the mare is lactating.

There are a few signs to look out for to show if your horse is dehydrated. The horse may eat less, there may be a reduction in physical activity, dry mucous membranes in the mouth, decreased capillary refill time and dry faeces. It is important to always be on the lookout for these signs to make sure your horse is always properly hydrated.

Fat

Fat can be added to a diet to increase the energy density of the diet. Fat is the densest source of energy being almost three times more than that of carbohydrates or proteins. In most pre-mixed feeds, fat is found to account for 2 to 6% of the feed. However, higher fat feeds can contain up to 12%. It is recommended that when the horse is exercising, growing or pregnant that more energy is provided in the horse’s diet. Typically, fat levels are increased to do this.

Fibre

Over years of evolution, horse’s digestive systems have adapted to become most suited to the diets consisting heavily of fibre. A high fibre diet will most closely replicate the natural diet of horses in the wild. High fibre sources of food with the correct nutrient levels are important for providing energy to the horse as well as putting them in the best health. On the other hand, a diet with low levels of fibre can lead to poor mental health of the horse as well as many significant health issues such as stomach ulcers and colic.

The most common forms of fibre are fermentable forms such as starch. These are the most common forms of energy in a typical horse’s diet.

At Hive Equestrian, our main aim is to provide clients with the best possible relationship with their horse. In order to have a good relationship with your horse, it is extremely important that your horse is healthy and happy. It is critical the horse has a good diet to ensure this. Within our Pegasus Package, we arrange nutritional advice from experts tailored to your horse. This can be a huge pain and with the Pegasus Package, this and so many other problems that come with owning a horse will be solved for you hassle free. If you would like to learn more about how the Pegasus Package can help to solve or improve many of your equestrian related problems, click here now. We also offer various other additional services to make your equestrian life as easy as possible. A list of our additional services can be found here. All Pegasus Package members will receive a 10% discount on these services.

Riding a tense horse can be difficult and may even ruin the beautiful experience. There are many ways to relax a horse, and in this article, we will share a few easy and effective methods of helping a horse to relax to improve the quality of your ride.

A horse may sometimes become tense. Even if there are no behavioural signs of pain, tension may be seen through the horse’s body combined with an inability to relax. This often occurs at the start of a ride when the horse hasn’t physically or mentally loosened up. It is important to address this issue early on in order to make the ride not only more enjoyable for yourself, but for the horse as well.

Why is relaxation so important

If the horse is tense during a ride, it can have several negative impacts on the quality of your ride. To name a few, the rhythm could become irregular, the tempo may become too quick, the horse may become cooked and the harmony between the rider and horse is lost. Relaxation in both the horse and rider are necessary for a good experience of both the rider and horse.

Seat location

Finding your seat bones is very important to ensure better responses between the rider and the movements of the horse. You should check throughout the ride your weight distribution and the position of your seat bones. It is possible when riding for your alignment to become crooked. This can cause the horse to develop a crooked frame as the horse’s movement is limited around the rider’s saddle position. This can also cause the horse to become unbalanced. Both issues combine to create a far worse experience for the rider and the horse.

To fix this issue, first find the seat bones on the saddle. Then check this with your position and weight distribution. Once aware of your seat bones, attempt to balance your weight evenly though the left and right seat bones. This will allow better movement with the horse and make for a more pleasant ride.

This small adjustment will allow the horse’s stride to lengthen. You will also see the horse relaxing and losing the tension that was hindering your ride.

Tense rider

When the rider is tense, this can translate onto the horse causing its muscles, joints and ligaments to tighten. These tensions can be due to knees gripping the saddle (this pushes the seat up and away from the horse), locked hips which don’t flow with the horse’s movement and tension in the legs, creating a bounce in the saddle. These are just a few examples.

It is important to remember when riding that the horse is essentially an extension of yourself and so often if you relax, the horse will follow in your footsteps. Work from your head down and relax your body regularly throughout your ride. Even slight things like a clenched jaw can cause your shoulders, neck and upper back to become tight and so it is important to relax your whole body.

Your mind can control a lot of your nerves and tension. It is important to focus and concentrate to keep your body aligned and balanced correctly. The focus will in turn relax your body and this relaxation will extend to your horse. Breathing exercises can help with this as well. When riding you may breathe quickly, tensing your muscles in your chest and making your body stiff. Slow your breathing and take deep breaths.

We hope you found this article valuable. Tension can hinder the enjoyment of a ride and so we help this page will help to rectify your problems and improve the valuable time you spend with your horse. At Hive Equestrian, we understand how amazing it is to have your own horse, but we are also experienced with what can seem to be an endless list of problems that always arise when caring for your horse. Our Pegasus package alleviates some of the stress and problems that come with owning a horse. We provide several services from lessons, to booking vet appointments to name a few. If you are interested in solving many of your equestrian related problems all in the same place, click here now. We also offer many other additional services that are easily found here. Our Pegasus Package members will receive a 10% discount on all of these services.