How to Get Rid of Leather Smell

The leather odors may be relatively easy to deal with on a small scale, but on a large scale they can seem altogether impossible. Good quality leather will smell quite strong for several years, really. So the real question that should be asked is: Are you sure you want to remove the leather smell from your leather products? Some people actually find the smell of leather rather sexy, and it's a good indicator that your leather is of high caliber. Who doesn't want to have that leathery smell on their leather items?

But to each his/her own, and if you'd rather that your leather product (whether it's a jacket, car upholstery, the sofa or even your handbag) smells something else entirely, then follow the tips and advice below. For what it's worth, you have something made of animal hide. You should probably expect it to smell like animal hide.

Leather Smell Removal

* The only true cure (sorry for that pun) for leather musk is age; wait for the smell to go away as the leather ages, that is. You could probably mask it with something else, but putting something on the leather will probably make it take longer for the smell to go away.

* Masking agents are often used to try and take care of problematic odors. The problem with a masking agent is it does just that, it "masks" or hides the leather odor; it will not remove it.

Masking agents are often oil based and can leave a residue on the materials being treated. Masking agents can also trigger allergic reactions in sensitive individuals, such as runny noses and itchy watery eyes. A masking agent will also dissipate with time and it is possible that the original leather odor will return so use with caution.

Potpourri, air fresheners, The Body Shop Scents, a particularly fragrant shampoo, perfumes, lemon juice and whatnot are just some of the many examples you can use to mask that animal hide stench.

* You might want to go into a tack shop (horse supplies), if there's one nearby, and ask them for help. There are all sorts of leather conditioners and cleaners, and some of them can help cover the odor. Murphy's oil soap, which is always what cowboys used for cleaning saddles and boots, might also work (as well as making the leather shiny), but then again, many of those same cowboys are usually trying to keep the leather smell!

* On a small scale, leather odors can be removed by simply placing the offending article of clothing or leather product into an airtight container with baking soda for a few days. This restoration treatment however, may or may not work with this particular odor and it is certainly not possible to carry out on a large scale.

* Here's another baking soda trick; put your leather item in a bag/pillowcase. Sprinkle a liberal amount of bicarbonate soda in it. Fasten the bag up, give it a good shake, and then leave it in there for at least twenty-four hours. The baking soda should help absorb some of the odors.

* You can also put your leather item in a plastic bag with crumpled-up newspaper for a few days; it should absorb the odor. This is also part of the reason why some shoe stores put newspaper inside their leather shoe products (aside from avoiding the shoe to warp because of the hollow insides).

* Activated charcoal may work just as well as the newspaper method, but you don't want it to touch your leather item because it will ruin and stain its surface.

* You can also sponge the jacket down with ¼ cup of white vinegar to a bucket or sink of water. Sponge down your beloved leather jacket with the solution. Rinse afterwards, then apply the vinegar solution again, then rinse once more and hang to dry some place out of direct sunlight as heat can damage leather.

Vinegar will condition and clean leather and remove odors, or at least it will once its own sourness dissipates from your leather item. You can do this occasionally or when it gets heavily soiled.

* You can place pandan leaf on your smelly leather item as well. Pandan (P. amaryllifolius) leaves are used in Southeast Asian cooking to add a distinct aroma to rice and curry dishes such as nasi lemak, kaya ('jam') preserves, and desserts such as pandan cake.

Fresh leaves are typically torn into strips, tied in a knot to facilitate removal, placed in the cooking liquid, then removed at the end of cooking. Dried leaves and bottled extract may be bought in some places.

* You can also substitute Febreze with most of the cleaning agents here. Febreze uses a chemical compound called cyclodextrin that has been used in household and custodial cleaning products for quite some time.

The sugar-like substance doesn't necessarily "clean" the leather odors out, but acts as an absorbent-like baking soda or crumpled newspaper, to help soak the leather odor out.

* You can also dip the leather apparel in a bucket of bleach, rubbing alcohol or an ammonia solution for about an hour. You will then find that the foul smell has been replaced by a lovely hospital smell that will certainly attract the nostrils of young gentlemen. A reapplication of leather conditioner afterwards may be necessary.

Here are some words of warning, though; make sure to do some colorfastness test on the leather to make sure it won't fade because of the bleach. It would also be advisable to use oxygen bleach instead of chlorine bleach to avoid fading and drying in the first place.

Leather FAQ

What is the difference between Full Grain, Top Grain, Genuine and Bonded leather?

All leather isn't equal and it is important to understand the differences when you are buying leather products. Leather is a natural material. It is strong, breathes, insulates and molds to your body. It is a combination of beauty and strength. Just how beautiful and how strong, however, are influenced by the hide source, cut and process.

* Full Grain Leather: This is the best leather money can buy. It is taken from the top layer of hide and shows the natural markings and grain of the leather. The natural surface of full grain leathers burnish and beautify with use. Full Grain Leather burnishes over time.

This is the exceptional leather used in thick leather goods and leather accessories. Top quality cow and water buffalo full grain leathers are extremely strong and durable. It is used in luxury briefcases and expensive saddles and bridles.

It's this type of leather that has the most 'musk' of all the other types. This sought after (or not-so-sought after) smell makes it distinct among all the rest.

* Top Grain Leather: This is the second highest grade of leather. Top grain leather is split from the top layer of blemished hide and is sanded and refinished. Top grain leather does not burnish and beautify with use, but it is as strong and durable as full grain leather.

* Bonded Leather: Bonded Leather is leather's bottom. Suede scraps are ground together with glue and resurfaced in a process similar to vinyl manufacture. Bonded leather is weak and degrades quickly with use.

* Genuine Leather: This is produced from the layers of hide that remain after the top is split off for the better grades. These weaker under layers are known as suede. (Don't be confused with the fuzzy finish also referred to as "suede.") The suede surface is usually refinished to resemble a higher grade. It can be smooth or rough. Caution: The inferior quality of genuine leather becomes evident with use.

Want to know more? You can read more tips on How to get rid of Leather Smell, plus information to get rid of practically anything else that ails you - from bad breath to telemarketers to cellulite - at http://www.howtogetridofstuff.com

London Fog All-Weather Coats

A black London Fog all-weather coat with its zip-out inner lining holds up well when the temperature drops in the Fall and then whenever ice and snow covers the ground. The inner lining provides added warmth. When, the weather turns to Spring the inner lining is removed.

The London Fog all-weather coat looks great with a long silk scarf hanging down the front of it from underneath the coat's collar.A scarf pin is used to secure it into place on windy days and then knotted at the ends. Plus, a pair of leather or suede gloves adds a sense of elegance to the all-weather coat's style.

The all-weather coat's fabric is water repellent and they are designed to go with urban wear in the form of shorter pea coats to wear over a pair of jeans or in the more classic tastes of a trench coat to protect dresses, a pair of wool dress pants or even a tailored suit.

The London Fog company established itself in nineteen twenty-seven and now has updated itself for the twenty-first century with an e-shop to order their latest styles and rain wear accessories. The prices are very reasonable and ordering online saves time from having to browse through the racks of a department store plus the cost of shipping is less that filling up the car with a tank of gasoline.

Caring for the all-weather garment is easy. First, unzip the all-weather coat's inner lining carefully working the loop attached to a button on the inside of the left coat's pocket. The washing machine cycle is set on hand-wash using the cold water wash and rinse cycle. Add about one-fourth cap of cold water detergent concentrate setting the permanent press cycle to let the machine wash it. Use the air-dry cycle on the clothes dryer for about ten minutes hanging the coat upon a clothes hanger to let it finish drying. The coat is pressed on a medium-low setting with a steam iron to smooth out any wrinkles. After attaching the coat back onto the left pocket and zipping the lining back inside it, the all-weather coat is once again ready to wear without the expense needed for a dry cleaning bill.

Losing weight in today's world is difficult, at http://www.chill6100.wordpress.com Dieter's Quandary are some recipes and helpful tips to lose weight and keep it off.

Everybody Poops - What Your Poop May Be Trying to Tell You

I have to admit up front, this is going to be the crappiest article I've ever written.

You see, as I was walking my dogs Marty and Rosie the other day, it occurred to me that poop plays a huge role in my life. I'm not afraid to admit it. I pick up after my dogs every day, I scoop my cat's litter box every day (OK, not EVERY day, but it certainly feels that way), and I talk with my clients about their bowel movements. In fact, while I was in India this past summer, poop was actually the number one topic of conversation between my colleagues and me, as we compared notes on who had diarrhea and who was still healthy. I even remained on "poop watch," for several weeks after my return to the States, making sure that everything was OK (and thankfully, it was!)

So, if you are a pet owner, parent, health care professional, or world traveler, you probably know what I mean!

But many people don't get to talk about poop as much as I do. I know this because when I ask people about their poop, I often get blank stares and uncomfortable looks. So, I let's talk about all of the questions that people want answered but are usually afraid to ask. After all, your poop is an important indicator of your overall health!

What is Poop?

Have you ever wondered what poop actually is? About 75% of your average poop is water, although this will vary depending on the person. Water is absorbed out of fecal material as it passes through the large intestine, so the longer you take to "go," the drier your poop will be.

The remaining 25% is comprised of dead bacteria that helped us digest our food, living bacteria, protein, undigested food residue (also known as fiber), waste material from food, cellular linings, fats, cholesterol, salts, protein, and substances released from the liver and the intestines (such as mucus).

What Makes a Healthy Poop?

Your feces are a clear indicator of the health of your gastrointestinal tract. Dr. Mehmet Oz says, "At the end of the day you can analyze your body really effectively by looking at what comes out of your body."

So what should you look for? A healthy poop will be:

• 
  Golden brown, which is due to pigments formed by the bacteria in the gut and bile from the liver. You want to make sure the color is normal because that tells you a lot about what's going on in your gastrointestinal tract (more on color below).


• 
  Formed into one long shape. Dr. Michael Levitt, an Australian colorectal surgeon who has written a book called The Bowel Book, says that the healthy human stool resembles the shape and consistency (although not the same color) of an unripe banana. Dr. Oz says " You don't want [pieces]." Some experts disagree, saying they don't have to be well- formed. Patrick Donovan, N.D., a naturopath in Seattle, WA says "Stools don't have to be well- formed logs. They can disperse in the toilet water; they can break down."


• 
  Nearly odorless.


• 
  About 1 to 2 inches in diameter and 18 inches long.

What About Other Colors?

Sometimes we don't see that "golden guru," and are faced with something else instead. Here's some insight into what those other colors might mean.

• 
  Black: Feces can be black if dried blood is present in it from internal bleeding in the upper digestive tract. See a doctor if this is the case.


• 
  Very Dark Brown: Drinking wine the night before may result in dark brown poop. This could also be the result of eating too much salt, or not enough vegetables.


• 
  Yellow: One condition that can cause yellow poop is an infection known as giardia, a dangerous infection that can spread to others. Another cause of yellow poop may be a condition known as Gilbert's syndrome. See your doctor if you are consistently seeing yellow poop.


• 
  Green: Babies often have green poop when they are given food for the first time. Children may have green or blue poop from certain illnesses or from ingesting food colorings. Adults may also have green poop if they eat large amounts of green, leafy vegetables or if they eat large amounts of foods with green food coloring. Light green poop may indicate excessive sugar in the diet. Green feces can also occur with diarrhea if bile salts pass through the intestine unchanged. Again, see a doctor if you are concerned!


• 
  White/pale: Feces can appear white or pale after drinking barium sulfate, which is often given to patients getting an X-ray of the digestive tract. A white or pale stool may also be an indication of problems with the gallbladder or liver.


• 
  Red: Bright red in the feces may be indicative of active bleeding, possibly the result of hemorrhoids. A magenta color may result form eating intense red food coloring, or red foods such as beets.

How Often Should I Poop?

Ah - the big question! Experts disagree on how often a person should poop. The National Institute for Diabetes, Kidney, and Digestive Diseases says three times a week is normal and healthy for some people. According to Ayurveda, an ancient Indian healing system, once a day is ideal. Other experts advocate once or twice a day, while still others say a person should have a bowel movement within two to three hours of a major meal- -or two to three times a day. So you can see that it really depends on who you talk to. My personal opinion is that you above all want to be regular in your pooping schedule, and that one poop a day is ideal.

When someone poops four times a day or more and the poop has a liquid consistency, this is referred to as diarrhea. When someone poops less than two or three days a week and the poop is hard, dry, and difficult to pass, this is known as constipation.

What's the Deal with Corn?

It's funny, so it's ok to laugh. But most people I know have experienced it and they ask why it is that when you eat corn, the next time you poop there it is again! There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that most of us do not thoroughly chew our food. Another interesting tidbit I've learned that there is an outer coating on corn that is made up of indigestible cellulose. This outer coating slips off the inner kernel and, since it's indigestible, passes through the gut intact. It then emerges looking like a whole kernel, even though it's just the outer skin. The inside of the kernel is starchy and digestible, and that is the part that we succeed in chewing and digesting.

Well, hopefully you know now a lot more about this important topic. And that's the scoop on poop!

The information in this article is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Julia Kalish, eRYT-500 is a Certified Nutritionist and Yoga Teacher in Herndon, VA. She is the owner of Double Dog Yoga in Herndon, which specializes in beginner-level vinyasa yoga instruction in both small groups and one-on-one. Double Dog also offers classes for the experienced yoga practitioner at their Herndon location. To contact Julia, email her at julia@doubledogyoga.com, or visit her website at http://www.doubledogyoga.com The content of this article may be used without special permission; provided it is used for nonprofit purposes and full attribution and contact information for Julia Kalish is given. For other purposes, contact Julia Kalish at julia@doubledogyoga.com

Lower Jaw Pain - Why Your Lower Jaw Causes You Pain

Lower Jaw Pain

Do you suffer from lower jaw pain? Does this jaw pain keep you up at night and make you want to shoot yourself? Is the jaw pain excruciating and radiate up around the ear area or even cause tooth pain? If so, you might have TMJ.

What is TMJ

TMJ is a disorder of the temporomandibular joint that causes inflammation and incredible pain of the join. This pain can radiate up into the ear, face and neck, causing tooth pain, headaches and stiff and sore jaw muscles making it hard to chew or open the mouth.

The temporomandibular joint is the joint that connects the lower jaw to the skull. This is located right below the ear. The TM joint is the most complex joint in the human body because it's the only joint that moves up, down and left to right. Because of this, this joint can become weak and damaged leading to this disorder that causes extreme pain.

TMJ starts with lower jaw pain, and be caused by many different reasons. Some of these are trauma (car accident, a punch to the jaw, etc...) to the joint, extended amount of stress (stress causes us to clinch the jaw) or hereditary causes such as arthritis, etc... No matter what caused it for you, the pain is all the same. It's hard to sleep, eat, or even be happy!

How To Cure TMJ

There are many ways to cure your lower jaw pain, but some are more involved than others. If you have extreme cases of TMJ, you can look at surgery, although I wouldn't recommend this. This surgery can cost $50,000 and most insurance won't cover it. Besides, who wants to have their jaw broken and reconstructed?

I am a long time TMJ sufferer that has found some exercises to do at home that builds up the weak and damaged joint so that I no longer have lower jaw pain for longer than a few minutes at most.

Do you ever lay awake in bed at night because of your TMJ pain? I remember just wanting my wife to shoot me because nothing I did would stop the constant pain. It even hurts to chew food! Luckily, I found a few things that relieve the pain, and can actually reverse the damage to the TMJ joint. Visit my site for TMJ Pain Relief Techniques and get your life back!

Guide to Wearing a Zoot Suit

Zoot suits are part of Urban-American fashion. They have not yet faded away. In the 1930's and 1940's Zoot Suits became the height of fashion for Mexican-Americans, self-titled as "pachucos", to distinguish themselves and set their own distinctive style. These suits are a type of exaggerated three piece suit.

Jim Carrey made a mockery of the style in the "Mask" movie. The Zoot Suit jacket is very long with wide lapels and padded shoulders. The pants are worn high at the waist, being cut very wide and pleated in the leg area. The Zoot Suit has a vest with a very long gold chain hanging down from pocket to button which can also be attached to a pocket watch at the one end that is held in the vest pocket.

They pinnacle of the look is the fedora hat, that often has a very long feather (from the peacock or pheasant) from the side brim of the hat towards the back of the hat and downwards. Even though Mexican-Americans invented the style, African-Americans and Italian-Americans also picked up on the style and began to wear these suits in the forties. They were worn by men that really wanted to stand out and be noticed, especially the ones that were part of the street culture or the underworld at that time.

There was even a Zoot Suit Riot in Los Angeles, when the WWII effort was underway. The Zoot Suit Riot was caused by US soldiers embarked on a campaign to eradicate the "subversive" elements, with the tacit approval of the Los Angeles Police Department. The soldiers went into the neighborhoods of East Los Angeles to physically beat up any Latino man that happened to be wearing a Zoot Suit at the time. The reaction of the neighborhoods to these indiscriminant beatings, to which the police turned a blind eye, was to riot.

In more modern times, Zoot Suits are part of the nostalgia movement, that also includes antique automobiles that have been meticulously restored. Take an antique car from the 1940's, chop it (meaning make it ride very low to the ground, a "Low Rider"), repair and replace all parts with original parts if they are still available or custom made parts if the original parts are no longer to be found. Then paint the car in the most outrageous ways, with metallic colors and flames running down the sides. Now you have an excuse to wear a modern, custom-tailored Zoot Suit which is available from any number of specialty tailors found online.

The restoration of such a car may set you back $20,000 to 40,000 if you do most of the work yourself or hundreds of thousands if you buy such a car at antique car auctions that is already fully-restored. If you are going to go to all the trouble to restore such an old car, or if you can part with the gigantic amount of money necessary to buy one, then you need to also be properly dressed and the only way you can possibly look super hot in a fully restored 1940's car is when you are wearing a custom made suit, Don't forget to also wear your fedora hat with one gigantic feather in the brim.

Hendrik Pohl is the owner and founder of http://www.ties-necktie.com/. Ties-Necktie.com offers a wide range of quality handmade silk ties, as well as useful dress code tips for men, men's fashion advice, necktie knot instructions, and more.

How to Knock Someone Out With One Punch

It is actually not as hard as many people think to knock someone out with one punch. Watching a boxing match, mixed martial arts fight, or other combat sports you can get the impression that a knockout punch is something very difficult to get right. But in real life, in a street confrontation with no gloves and fighting against someone who is probably not trained to take a punch, getting a k.o. is much, much easier.

If you want to learn how to knock someone out with one punch the first thing you have to do is to think about what it actually is which causes the loss of consciousness. Some types of punch can be very effective at hurting your opponent, opening up cuts on their face or breaking their nose, but may still have little or no chance of knocking them out.

When a person gets knocked unconscious by a punch it is not the immediate force of the impact which does this, but rather the force of the brain being rattled against the inside of the skull.

This means that a punch which causes the head to jerk and move rapidly will be much more likely to knock someone out than a punch which causes less movement of the head, even if it is not as hard. It also means that speed is paramount. A very fast strike with just enough power to move the head will be more likely to knock someone out than a slower punch which has more power and weight behind it.

The need to create this movement of the head is the reason why you are more likely to knock someone out with a punch which they don't see coming. If you see a punch coming towards you you will tense your neck muscles and brace yourself against the impact, reducing the movement of your head when the punch lands. If your neck muscles are relaxed when a punch hits you then you will almost always get knocked out, whatever kind of punch it is.

Once a fight has started it is very difficult to engineer a situation where your opponent will not see a punch coming, however if you are in a situation where you are being threatened and a fight seems inevitable, but hasn't yet started, you can take advantage of this by suddenly throwing the first punch at an unexpected moment, such as while you are in the middle of a sentence, and by striking from a direction where they will not see it until it is too late.

When it comes to the actual punch a strike from the side, such as a hook, is more likely to knock someone out than a straight punch to the front of the face, simply because it will be harder for the neck muscles to prevent the head from being jerked. For the same reason an uppercut is generally better than a straight punch, but probably not as good as a hook. When trying to knock someone out with a hook the further away from the neck you can land the punch the more movement there will be and the more likely it is to knock them out. This means that the best place to land a hook is right on the end of the chin.

The ultimate knockout punch, however, uses and entirely different method. Rather than jerking the knead it uses the principles of Dim Mak pressure point fighting. The ultimate knockout punch is a strike to the temple. You have to be very accurate to get this right, but with practice you can do it every time.

The only trick you must know in order to knock someone out with a strike to the temple is how to hold your hand. It should be clear that an ordinary fist is much bigger than the area of the temple, and so it is very poor at focusing force on this pressure point.

There are two hand forms you can use instead. The first is the phoenix fist, in which you hold an ordinary fist but with the middle finger raised up a little out of the bunch. When using this you strike with the middle joint of the raised finger, rather than the knuckle.

The other option, which I personally prefer, is to use a sword hand. To do this hold your hand out flat with the palm facing downwards and turn your wrist so that your fingers are pointing outwards. This creates a fairly sharp point from the joint at the very base of the thumb, just above the wrist. With this hand form you strike using a swinging motion of the arm.

When practicing either of these strikes power is virtually irrelevant, and accuracy is everything. If you land a strike with the whole force focused on the temple you will knock your opponent out every time, no matter how hard the strike is.

Dean Walsh also write for a Street Fighting Techniques blog and publishes articles on other sites such as this one you may be interested in on How To Punch

The Right Neckties - Business Vs Black Tie Attire

Almost no one will argue the point that people in general, particularly, have forgotten or perhaps "unlearned" how to dress properly. For many of us, business meetings have been reduced to a quick stop at the coffee shop so we can use the WiFi connection to show a client or prospect a few things online over a latte, before we're off again. Even more often, we simply set up an online meeting and unless there are webcams involved, you can show up in your underwear with a 3-day beard on your face, and no one will know the difference.

Whether the Internet is really to blame is debatable, but it's a fact that those of us with the skills to dress properly for casual, formal, or business occasions have become a rare breed. Even those who know when a necktie is called for may not realize that there is a difference between casual ties and formal ties and a proper way to wear each. Knowing the difference just might be a skill that saves your, um - face - one day. Here are a few tips to get you on the right track:

First, determining whether a situation is casual, formal, or somewhere in between really isn't rocket science. Dinner out with your college friends is casual. Dinner with the CEO of your company is at least semi-formal. Meeting an old friend for lunch is probably casual. Meeting the guy you're asking to invest 5 million dollars in your venture should be considered formal. And honestly, when you meet that prospective client at Starbucks, you might be surprised at the impression a necktie with a nice suit will make. It shows that you are a professional and that you take your job seriously. If you back-up your professional look with wealth of industry specific knowledge, then the client will feel good about investing time and money with you.

Second, what's a formal tie, and what's not? While the distinction may not be clear, there are a few mistakes you want to avoid. Save your knitted skinny tie for a night out with friends. It is in fact a trendy necktie design that has gained much popularity in recent years, but nevertheless is out of place for traditional business attire. Instead wear a standard size tie with classic colors and patterns. The typical width ranges from 3.25 to 3.75 inches. The best colors are burgundy, any shade of blue, and greens. Striped neck ties are also always a good choice for business. Stay away from too flashy colors and "loud designs". They will appear unprofessional and will distract your client from listening to you. Fabrics aren't a huge factor, but most quality neckties are made from pure silk. Oh, and for Pete's sake, if it's Black Tie, go with the bowtie and if you can't tie it, get help!

Okay, so what about HOW you wear the tie when you wear it? Here's where we'll probably incite some argument. There are "guidelines" for matching the knot you use for your tie to your collar, the shape of your face, etc. We'll discuss this further at some later point. For the purpose of this article, here's what you need to know: For formal events, learn to tie a Windsor, Pratt or half Windsor knot. While a four-in-hand is easier, it may not appear straight and can create the impression that you dressed in a hurry. Also, a loose knot of any kind presents an aloof appearance. Keep it tight.

So, whether you're meeting the new girl of your dreams or interviewing for that position at Trump Towers, think about the mode of dress and choose and prepare your tie as carefully as the rest of your wardrobe. It's worth the time.

Hendrik Pohl is the owner and founder of http://www.ties-necktie.com/ - and online retailer specializing in mens neckwear and formal accessories such as cufflinks, bow ties, and pocket squares. When not working on business, Hendrik Pohl enjoys sharing his expertise on formal men's fashion by writing articles for online publications and magazines.

Basic Groundwork and Saddle Work For the Herd Bound Horse

Basic Groundwork and Saddle work for the Herd Bound Horse

Herd bound horses can become dangerous if the problem is not nipped in the bud right away. However, it's one of those problems that many people are unable to deal with as it takes a certain level of skill.

This article is for those who are baffled and need a solution that they can accomplish. It won't be easy, and does require patience and dedication, but the techniques are easier to follow than some others and the results are good.

This is for the horse that is strongly bonded with a single buddy or herd, and those horses at the point of showing aggressive behavior and lack of respect for the handler/rider through rearing, kicking and biting.

This horse (for the purpose of this article) cannot be caught, groomed, lead, tied or go on a trail ride anymore. Previously this horse was good in all categories and no problem for the owner.

The problem lies with the owner not having a leadership role with the horse, and thusly the horse has no confidence in the handler and prefers to stay with the safety of the herd. The handler must change the relationship from human to leader.

While I have attempted to set up a number of exercises that will get you started and accomplish good results, to write about this in depth would be a book, and further study may be needed to put the detail and finish on a horse. However, work on these exercises and do each one really well before moving on to the next. It is in this patient dedication that you achieve the results you want. Do not rush through training. The smaller the lesson, and the simpler you can make it, the faster your results. Less is more when training horses.

There are many advanced exercises in groundwork and saddle work that you can use once your horse is behaving better and you are ready to move on to advanced riding.

Groundwork

Groundwork is the foundation of all the other things we ask from our horses, including this. Good groundwork done previously would have prevented the horse from getting dangerous and challenging. It may not have prevented him from trying, but it would not have been able to escalate to this level.

For now, let's start with these exercises.

It's important to purchase and keep the following equipment. These tools can be used with any breed or discipline. A trainer is only as good as his/her tools:

Rope Halters

Traditional halters have a nice elegant look to them and are easy to put on a horse. Unfortunately, some horses tend to pull against them and drag their handlers around, as the wide bands of leather (or nylon) are almost comfortable for a horse.

Rope halters are generally made of soft round rope, all neatly tied into a halter that you tie up instead of buckling. Done up properly, they are easy to untie should the horse pull back in one, and there are no buckles to rust out or break. They come in another variety that has several knots in the nose, and a bit stiffer rope, for the really 'bad boys'. They don't need oiling to keep them soft, and can be washed.

Their function is to create pressure and ask a horse to pay attention and listen. They take the place of having to resort to nose chains, lip chains and other various ways to dress up a traditional halter to maintain control. They are very difficult to break should a horse get hung up in it, so never put a horse out with one on. They are NOT to be used when teaching a horse to tie for the first time, or to be used when trailering.

Rope halters work on the horse through pressure around the poll area and the nose. The thinner strand of rope is soft enough to not burn a horse, but small enough to allow more direct pressure points. When in use, it asks the horse to "pay attention and listen" without causing anxiety or abuse, as opposed to painful methods such as lip chains. Pressure teaches; pain builds resentment.

You may want to try one on your horse and see what you think. Rope halters are used by English and Western trainers, as many disciplines are finding the value in their simple design.

Lead Rope and Horseman's Stick

You will need a soft rope no shorter than 12 feet.

The Horseman's stick is valuable as it is durable and won't bend like a traditional whip will, and it has a 'tail' end of rope that also aids in teaching.

The horse you lead is the horse you ride.

You are going to get your horse to be compliant in these areas:

1.    Lead without pushing you or getting into your space

2.    Stand quietly away from you without reacting to external stimuli

3.    Keep both eyes on you attentively

4.    No fear of being touched or handled anywhere

5.    No vices such as biting, kicking, rearing or head bouncing

Standing Quietly

Here is an exercise you can start in the aisle way of a barn.

Stand the horse in an aisle and face him. Keep your lead loose, and tap the whip/stick rhythmically on the ground for a few seconds, on front of his chest.

If he backs up at all, stop and tell him he's good in a quiet voice. Continue, and praise him for the smallest try.

If he does nothing, tap the whip in 3 stages, softly, asking him to back up, for about 6 taps, then tapping harder and close to his chest, with the intention that he had better back or else, and if this does nothing, it's time to connect. Tap him with intention and firmness once on the chest between his legs. Mean it. Do it and when he startles and backs, keep the lead soft (no pulling what so ever) follow him and stand and look at him for about 5 seconds.

If he runs back and wonders what hit him, just let him back, staying soft with the lead line, no pulling, letting it out as he moves back, and stand very quietly. Let him blow on his own; it will teach him to to take responsibility.

Then repeat. Keep repeating until you only have to tap the ground and he responds.

Now take this lesson outside and test it. This exercise gets him to pay attention to you by keeping two eyes on you all the time in anticipation of your next 'question' to him.

I really like this exercise and it is the first I often do with horses who generally don't have anything really 'bad' about them. When you do stand quietly, let the rope rest on the ground with you holding the end, as this is the prelude to ground tying.

I also like to start in a barn aisle as the horse has to face you and pay attention.

Leading Exercises

These exercises help with keeping horses out of your space, respecting your speed, keeping up and general obedience.

Leading against the fence

Take your horse out along the side of a fence and with rope in one hand and stick in the other, letting the 'tail' drag along behind you, ask him to move with you and stay at your hand, not in front of you or behind you (rope is in the hand by his head, stick is in the opposite hand) If he lags behind, flick the tail of the stick behind you as a lead mare would flick her tail at a lazy herd member. Move at a reasonable pace. If he gets in front of you, use the stick in front of him to ask him to stay back. Keep your hand up at his eye. This asks him to stay out of your space while you walk along. As you get better with this you can keep your hand lower. I like to hold my hand in a 'leading gesture' - just below their eye and in front of it, once the horse understands to keep their distance.

Always work both sides. Two eyes, two horses. Work one side first and get it down fairly well before moving to the other side. The fence line keeps your horse beside you. Do not use your hands to move the horse around; always use your stick. Horses move into pressure from your hands pushing them. If the horse gets into your space, bring your hand up to his eye and if he continues to move into you, 'pulse' your hand rhythmically near his eye without hitting him. If he does continue to move into your space, you will have to use your hand in rhythm and let him run into it. Horses seem to know the difference when they run into things and when a human hurts them. By allowing Spike to run into you, you set him up to learn to be responsible for his own actions.

It's important to practice the 'pulsing' with your hand. It is a continuous, same speed of movement; don't increase your hand speed if the horse gets pushy. Keep the same rhythm and speed in a moderate pulse.

The Squeeze

Another exercise is a 'squeeze'. Ask him to walk in between two barrels. Keep them far apart for now, but gradually decrease the space until he has to squeeze between them. Do not pressure him to do this; go about it slowly until he is comfortable with the process of having both barrels hit his sides as he moves through. This gets the horse over the claustrophobic issues they encounter, and builds trust that you will not put them in harm's way. There is always a way through.

You can also back him through the barrels also, using the first method above that you did in the aisle way, to tap the stick and ask him to move backwards through the barrels (again, another test for obedience and submission).

An advanced exercise with barrels is to lay them on their side, and split them for the horse to walk through. Slowly bring them together as the horse gets confidence, and eventually you can join them and jump them on the line. Go slow with this and don't force the horse over the barrels until his confidence is there.

Sending Exercise

This is one of my favorite exercises and I use it extensively when horses begin to lose their brain. It's called a sending exercise, and the point of it is to keep their feet moving and to tire them out a bit to encourage their thinking brain to kick in.

Its roots are similar to longeing but there are some subtle differences in how you apply the techniques.

To begin, stand still and ask him to move away from you to the left. Take your left hand and hold it out away from you to the left, guiding him, through the halter pressure, gently away from you. Most people pull on the halter towards them, tipping the horse in and guiding the horse in towards them. Be careful how your body movements speak to the horse. Move slow but deliberately, not letting him run into you. Keep using this technique until he gets it, and when he makes the effort to walk to the left, let the rope out, soften and stay quiet (do not move your feet). You will have to start this exercise on a smaller circle so that you are close enough for Spike to 'feel' the pressure to one side. Once he begins to understand, change directions often, asking him to go left and right about every 1 1⁄2 times around. This is called 'moving the feet' and the purpose of this exercise is to create leadership and get the thinking part of his brain engaged.

If he gets moving too fast, pull him in and redirect him the other way. Never let him move your feet. Never let him stop and hang out. Eventually he will understand that he needs to conserve his energy and begin with quiet demeanor. This is another one of those lessons that can take time. Just start with a quiet gesture to move out, let Spike respond by moving out where you suggest, feed him some line and stay quiet with your feet. If he is fairly calm, reward him by letting him stand and 'soak' once in a while. Never wind a horse. It will sour them and turn them apprehensive about training and learning. If he has had a rather energetic time trying this exercise, and he is breathing hard, let him stand and catch his breath before starting up again.

To get a horse to stay out at first, you need to become 'large'. Bring your hands up higher and bring up your energy to match the challenge. Never let a horse move your feet. If they come in too close and crowd me, I hold the stick out, and let them run into it with their shoulder or ribcage. It they posture you with their hindquarter, use the stick to spank it away from you. This is the advantage of a Horseman's stick; it is stronger and not as flexible, and when you tip it into the ribcage of a horse, they are going to move from it quickly, as they can't bend it.

It's valuable to practice how to lift and lead the rope. Have another person at the horse end holding the rope and keeping their eyes closed. Lift and lead and have the person move one step to where you are sending them. This will help you to gain 'feel' in what you are doing. If the person moves toward you, it's a signal you are not moving the horse away either. Keep your hand out and to the side. Change places with the other person and see just how subtle the 'feel' is to a horse.

These are basic introductory exercises; if your horses is not 'behaving too badly', they should be done every day and before riding. I do these daily with a few of the more aggressive horses I ride as I always want to know that the horse on the ground is paying attention and using the thinking side of his brain. For my more sensitive horses, I still do groundwork, but it's more in the style of flexing and bending than obedience.

You can learn bending and flexing groundwork also, as it will without question help your horse in his riding training.

Work on your horse for a week or two, 7 days a week, or until the horse has made a significant change in behavoir, then begin to introduce the saddle and bridle again. The day you are thinking of hopping aboard, make sure all the 'bugs' are out by going over your groundwork first, and when the horse appears quiet, responsive, listening to you and sighing and licking, you can begin to ride.

Bits

I always use the softest bit available, which is a French link snaffle. It has two breaks in the middle, and the middle looks like a dog bone. It does not have the 'cracker jack' effect that an ordinary snaffle has, and therefore does not create apprehension or anxiety when first starting out.

The Stop Button at the Halt

When you start, make sure your horse has a really good stop button. When you first mount, ask your horse to stand, by bringing his head gently to one side.

Reach down one rein and guide his head fairly close to your knee (you need to bring his head close enough to your knee, but far enough away so that he can bring his head closer on his own without your help) until he gives. In the giving, the horse will move on his own, closer to your knee. Be careful to keep your hand planted firmly on your leg. Leaving it in the air will only confuse the horse as you will not be applying consistent pressure. Never let the horse give and take with your hand.

The give will feel as if there is suddenly no weight on the rein. This often happens quickly so be watchful of it. When he gives, drop the rein immediately and let him bring his head back to center (it is important to drop the rein immediately as it is the release that teaches). If he walks off, bring his head around to the other side in the same fashion, and when he softens, let him go.

Make sure there is no pressure from the opposite rein. Only pressure from the one rein should be used. You may have to go back and forth, side to side for quite a few times at first. When he finally does get this, he will stand quietly while you fuss around up there, patting his hindquarters and gathering your reins.

If he ever walks off on his own, repeat until he stands, and until you use both legs to ask him to move. Horses need to stay exactly where you put them until asked to change. This is important as it means the rider must be consistent with the delivery of the aids and not be good one day and slack the other.

If your horse keeps moving in a small tight circle with you holding his head close to your knee, sit up straight and go for the ride until he stops. You can sit there longer than he can circle. Keep straight - don't lean in. Continue the exercise no matter how long it takes. If he gets excited, just stay there with his head close to your knee and let him react. It will be very uncomfortable for him eventually and you will have made the right thing easy and the wrong thing difficult.

The horse must never walk away when you first mount. He must stand quietly and wait until you give a distinct signal to move off.

Another advantage of this exercise is that it takes away the power and drive from the hindquarters. We call this 'disengaging the hindquarter' (taking out the clutch). When a horse is straight, they can get into all kinds of trouble and become dangerous. Without the power, they lose that ability, and learn to shut down and focus. It moves a horse from instinct brain to thinking brain. Horses by nature will not use the thinking brain much; humans have to teach them to think first.

At The Walk

Once this lesson is working, begin to walk him around, keeping a fairly loose rein. Then do the same stop again, this time at the walk. As you ask for the halt at the walk, draw your energy and weight down into your seat and stirrup. The horse will feel this and eventually pick up on it, but you need to incorporate that plus the one-rein stop at the same time, at the beginning.

Remember to always change sides so that the horse does not get sore on one side. This is also a valuable exercise for lateral work and suppleness. I do this at a stand still with every horse, every time I get on. And you should do it every time you ride, regardless of how advanced you get with your horse. You can never overdo this exercise, as it gets the horse flexible and ready to work at the movements you ask.

One-Rein Stop at the trot and canter

You can also do this exercise at the trot and canter, as you progress. It teaches the horse to shut down immediately, and it's such a valuable exercise to teach if you have a horse that may be a bit volatile or explosive at odd moments. Once they learn to shut down easily, just the dropping of your hand to the rein will bring them back to thinking brain and stop them before they get too stupid (exercises below).

Once you are comfortable with the one-rein stop at the walk, move your horse up into a trot and use the one-rein stop to stop him. When he stops, sit quietly for a moment and then move him up into a trot again and repeat. Always change sides. Continue to do this until he stops quietly. Remember to sit straight, no leaning, and bring your energy and weight down through the seat and stirrups. Work at the trot for some time, and gain a steady rhythm with the horse before you move into the canter. If the horse is still excitable during the trot, move back to the walk. Always go back a step or two - never move forward if the horse is not getting the lesson. When horses are not quick to learn a new exercise it's because the past ones have not been done well enough and long enough.

You can never do too much of this exercise. When asking the horse to stop during the trot and canter, do not pull his face with force. Ask him to follow a feel and gently but with confidence turn him in to stop. If you pull too quickly you run the risk of him falling. Safety is always first.

If the horse begins to anticipate the stop, go back to the walk and do one-rein stops. Then go back to the trot and canter. You can mix up the exercises to keep this fresh for him, and to test how much has sunk into his brain.

Teaching rhythm, pace and responsibility for gaits

This next exercise will teach your horse to take responsibility for his gait. You should never have to constantly push a horse every few strides, nor should you have to try to correct a fast horse all the time. Horses should stay in the gait you ask until you ask otherwise, and this exercise will help. It's also easy. You will do very little. There is no direct pulling on the face or aggressive motion on your part.

You will need an arena or a field where you can ride safely, and has no holes or rocks. Begin by asking the horse to trot, keeping him in a series of circles. Keep the circles fairly large, as you don't want to put stress on the legs and muscles. Keep your reins loose and allow your horse to trot freely.

Let the horse trot as fast or as slow as he wants, and gently guide him to stay in the circle. Do not pull or try to change his trot speed. Just stay there and go for the ride, quietly, keeping your legs off the horse.

Your only job is to make sure he does not change his gait. If he slows down and almost breaks into a walk, bring him up again. Ask with your legs once, and if he does not move forward with speed, ask again using a crop and legs at the same time, and mean business. Let him jump forward, even canter for a few strides then bring him softly down into a trot again. Never pull a horse back once you have asked him aggressively to move forward. It is a conflicting message for him as you ask to go forward and then check him. This can make him very anxious and you can lose his trust.

Always in training, remember what the single lesson is. In this case, it is simply to move forward. As time goes by and he gets better at this, then you can refine it, but for now it's one lesson at a time only. This is basic introductory movements, not advanced work.

If your horse is more likely to speed up into a canter, each time he does you are to use the one-rein stop to bring him back to a trot. The instant he moves back into a trot, release him and allow him to move forward first, then gently guide him back to the circle.

It's important to remember to bring the horse back to a trot from the canter, not a walk or stop. Remember what the lesson is: trot, rhythm, cadence and obedience. You must stay in the trot at all times. The only exception is above, when you are doing the exercise to move forward with obedience, but even with this exercise you will still bring the horse back to a trot should he move forward at the canter at the beginning.

When you have this working well, move him into the canter, and keep it, staying in the circle. If he breaks into a trot, do what it takes to keep him in the canter. If he begins to balk, do not stop and try again, as this only teaches him to shut down when HE wants to.

Your legs and hands

Also during this exercise, do not 'nag' with your legs at all. The point is to get the horse to continue it's gait on it's own without your help. This teaches the horse rhythm and responsibility.

Your hands remain quiet and still with the exception of guiding the horse, by picking up one rein or the other, never both reins at the same time. You should not have to force the horse into any circles. If this happens, go back to the one-rein stop at the walk. This exercise will teach you to stop the direct rein habit of pulling back with both reins as your first instinct to stop or change gaits. You should learn independence of hand first, and that includes stopping horses with one rein. It is more effective and produces results faster.

Try to change the circle direction often. You should never overdo this or wind the horse. If he gets hot or winded, stop him and let him catch his breath. Once he is recovered, you may resume the circle. I never wind a horse as it can damage them permanently and sour them.

Why does this work?

Horses seek comfort by nature. Since he does not know how long he will have to trot, eventually he will realize that it may be best to slow down and conserve his energy. This is where the lesson is: when he decides this on his own without any help from you.

With some horses, this lesson can take an hour a day for many days, depending how deep the problems run. It is important that you do not give up after a day or so. This does work on even the most stubborn horses. Eventually they all come around. Remember to let the horse catch his breath often.

What's amazing is that you just sat there and did very little. There are many ways to create a great foundation without all the pulling, frustration, aggravation and expensive training. All my students learn this before anything else. You cannot do anything without cadence, rhythm and calm first. This is the foundation to begin all other training exercises.

After about 20 times, you will notice a rhythm and steady cadence to your horse's gaits, from the walk to the trot and canter. Do this exercise at the canter also, as many people avoid too much canter work. I personally spend a great deal of time in the canter, as it is part of my interval training schedule (breathing and endurance) and obedience in speed gaits. Never be afraid of the canter - you can't improve on something if you don't do it. However, if you have trouble staying in the saddle during the canter, it is well advised that you take some training to improve your seat and balance, as often horses canter quickly to avoid the pain and discomfort of the rider coming down hard on their backs too often during the canter.

Groundwork and Riding combined

During your rides, should he ever lose his brain, get off and do the sending exercise until he comes back. I always ride with the rope halter and lead under the bridle, and I attach it to my English saddle by tying it to a short strap that I run from the metal attachment loops on the front of English saddles. On a western saddle I tie it to the horn in a mecate knot.

Get his brain on the ground and then get back on and continue your saddle work. It is not worth getting hurt riding, and there is no need to fight from the saddle. You can obtain the same results and respect quicker and with less fight if you take it on from the ground.

This is only a few of the foundation training exercises that can be done, but it will give you a good start and allow you to feel what it's like before moving into further training. If you do this with consistency and regularly (daily) you will find that your horse begins to 'join up' with you and feel comfortable leaving the herd behind. It all starts on the ground first.

You can also use these basic foundation exercises on those horses that are not herd bound. It is good foundation training, but you should learn to do advanced work once you have accomplished the above exercises. They are not extensive enough to give any young horse the base and foundation he really needs to carry on with advanced maneuvers.

April Reeves
Clinician, Instructor, Trainer
http://HorsemansU.com
Watch for clinic dates in your area.

How to Have a 2nd Dog on a Rope

OK... you took the plunge and brought home a 2nd dog now what? There are two huge issues you will have to deal with connected to having two dogs. One problem is to have a plan for handling pet waste disposal and the other is making sure to get exercise for dogs. Here we will discuss what to do about the chains in the back when you have a 2nd dog that needs to go outside.

There are changes when you have two dogs. Another problem is what to do about having two tie-outs in yard.

If You Have A 2nd Dog On Chains - There will be two major concerns:

*A rope wrapping around one of the dogs
*Chains being twisted into knots
*Dogs Being Wrapped Up In The Chain

It's very important that you make a rule (and enforce it) that the dogs can't "play" when they are tied up. Dogs like to have fun and wrestle, but when they're hooked up it's way too easy to get something wrapped up. Since they're playing, when something gets wrapped up, it gets really, really tight very, very fast. That's bad. When the dogs are on their chains alone you will also need to frequently check on them to be sure they don't get wrapped up .

Ropes Getting Tied In Knots This is one of the biggest secrets connected to having a 2nd dog. It's named the "twirly thing". OK, that's not what it's really called, but it's what we call it. It's a awesome little thing that looks kind of like a figure eight. You should clip two different tie-outs (one for each dog) to one of the ends of the twirly thing. The result is that the dogs can wander around and the ropes don't get twisted. Instead of the ropes getting tangled up, the one end of the twirly thing just rotates.

This twirly thing will be a part of most leashes you get that are made for having two dogs. You can also get these at any hardware store. Get a clip and clip it it to your rope post then tie both ropes to the twirly thing.

You can get a 2nd dog, but make sure you pay attention to how you have them in the chains in the back yard. Doing two different things can help. You don't want to see them get hurt, and get one (or 10) of the twirly things to keep the tie-outs from getting twisted together.

Many problems you will encounter from having a 2nd dog can be handled with a little information and preparation.

Puganese Dog

Puganese country of origin is china and belongs to Toy bread. It weighs around 14 lbs and stands between 6-9 inches.

The Puganese is a double-coat breed. The outer-coat is extravagant, long, and straight flowing with profuse feathering. The under-coat is soft and plush in texture. They come in a wide variety of colors and markings, including parti-color. They are average shedders.

The Puganese is a small, heavily boned, toy breed of dog, Broad in the chest, heavy in front, with narrowing through the body to the back of the hips. The legs are short and bowed. The Puganese is a small, well-balanced breed. They display dignity, a naughty demeanor, and bravery befitting their Chinese origin.

The Puganeses are sensitive, affectionate, and happy and loving, when they want to be. They are also stubborn. They are generally a one-person pet who is deeply devoted to their master. They make excellent watchdogs, as they will give alarm to any danger. They are wary and suspicious of strangers. They are good with children and like to play with them.

They typically do not get along with other pets. Puganeseses have marvelous personalities exhibiting confidence charm and a bit of stubbornness. They are fearless but never aggressive, and their sole purpose in life is to give comfort and companionship to their owners.
Puganese Puppies are easy to raise but requires ample training to socialize them.

The Puganese may be difficult to train due to their indifferent nature. The crate method is recommended for housebreaking. They will not respond to a harsh, loud, or overly bossy master.

The Pekingese requires diligent daily brushing to prevent tangles, knots, and mats. They need to be dry shampooed regularly.

They are very good companions with great confidence

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If You Want to Pamper Your Pet, a Toy Is the Way to Go

Dogs don't just love to play; they need to play. Dogs are highly social creatures. They derive comfort just from hanging out with us, but if you want to bond with your pet, playing a game together will do the trick.

Also, many dogs, especially dogs that don't work, run the risk of eating too much and not exercising enough. If you have a pet who likes to run around for an hour, but you have the sort of stamina that means you'll die of heart failure long before that, then playing games like fetch, Frisbee or seek-the-treat are the ultimate in quality time for your pooch.

Here are some cool toys to consider for your pet dog:

Kongs

Kong toys are made from tough rubber that's both bouncy and fun to chew. Kongs are also hollow, so you can stuff them with treats, which adds to the fun. The classic Kong is made of three balls all pushed together. Other Kongs are balls, chews and Frisbees.

Apart from choosing the correct size for your pet, look at the color to get the right strength: black is rough chewers, red is for average chewers, pink and blue are for puppy teeth, and purple toys are for senior dogs.

Squeaky toys with rope

Let your dog chew away happily or hang on to one end to play a fun game of tug-of-war with sound effects. Sophisticated designs have spiral ropes that extend as you pull.

Frisbee

Some dogs like to run after these and pick them up; others become acrobatic starts, performing high jumps and flips as you toss the Frisbee high or deviously low and slow. Small dogs may like the Whirlwheel, a smaller version that's chewable and has an inbuilt squeak.

Rope toys

It doesn't look like much to the human eye, but a simple rope toy with a knot at each end can be a dog's best possession. Some dogs like to sit and chew them; others enjoy it if there's a dog or human tugging on one end while they tug on the other. More sophisticated rope chews will float if thrown into the river, can clean teeth, and have in-built squeaks. Trademarks include Flappy.

Bouncing ball

Whether with squeaks, internal bells or silent, bouncy balls are a huge favorite, especially with retriever or hunting dogs. For small dogs, you may want to buy latticed balls that are easy to pick up with little teeth.

For something more interesting, look out for cross-shaped toys that bounce in odd ways. Some have ridges that you can fill with treats - or dental cleaner! Trademarks include Jump N Jacks, Zanies and Bopperoos.

Chew toys

Dogs love to chew, so owning something that is available to doggy teeth is a real plus in a pet's life. some are plain, some have a squeak and others have ruffles that are designed to help keep your dog's teeth clean.

A good pet shop will have a nice range of toys. However, if you don't have a good pet shop near you, or if you have something very specific in mind that you can't find, there local online shops such as Amazon.com.

Find out how I control my dog's annoying barking with bark control collar. Visit my blog for more information on dog training collars and bark collar reviews.