Selecting A HORSE - Choose The Breed Carefully

"Golden girl"  (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Owning a horse is a huge responsibility. Just like owning any pet, you should put a great deal of thought and consideration before you decide to purchase an equine. Since most individuals will have to house horses off their property, you should first consider finding a suitable stable before you purchase a horse. Also, consider your wants and needs.

If you or your stable has limited space, you might not want to consider a sizable draft horse like a Clydesdale. However, if you are in need of a large horse to do a great deal of work pulling wagons, you should consider breeds other than Shetlands. There are a great number of breeds, each with a different pro and con. After carefully reviewing each breed, you are sure to find the exact type of horse to fit your needs and your lifestyle.

Ask yourself what you are looking for in a horse. Do you want a horse that you can show? Do you want a horse for work purposes? Do you want a horse to jump or ride competitively? Do you want a horse to race? Do you want a horse to ride on trails or one that is compatible with children? After you determine why you want a horse (and the answer should be better than "just because"), you can set out determining what breed is best for you. Keep in mind, even though the breed might fit everything you want, each horse will have a different personality. Before you run out and buy the first horse in your desired breed, take a careful look at the specific horse in question. 

If you are interested in showing a horse for its beauty and grace, an Arabian horse is probably your best bet. These beautiful creatures are well-liked on the show circuit and enjoy being fussed and fawned over. For those daring riders who want a horse for jump training, the strong-legged Thoroughbred may be the perfect fit. These gentle giants are rugged enough to withstand the abuse of jumping but are agile enough to soar over the highest gates. If you would rather have a rough-and-tumble horse perfect for uneven trail rides, the American Quarter Horse should be your top pick. These famous horses are often used in competitive Western riding events, including the heart-pumping barrel racing. 

American Quarter Horses are perfect for the intense training required for competitive racing, but also have the sure-footed step necessary for making the quick turns and negotiating rocky terrain. A Tennessee Walking Horse or Mountain Horse is the perfect fit for the horse owners who want to go on quiet rides. The gentle gait of these beautiful creatures gives these horses the best ride over even terrain. Finally, if you are looking a horse for a child, consider a smaller breed like the Icelandic. The shorter stature better fits the proportion of a child, and their smooth gait and easy-going attitude will prevent much bumping and jostling. 

Whatever your choice of breed, carefully consider its pros and cons. Even though you may have your heart set on one specific breed, if it will not meet your needs, you should carefully rethink your choice. A horse is a huge responsibility and you cannot simply return the magnificent creature because you did not seriously research all your options and hastily chose a horse that will not fit into your lifestyle.

© Copyright 2005 by Lynn Walls. All rights reserved.

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A Look At The History Of Airbrush Art

Airbrush Arts - Photo: Flickr

Airbrush art is a popular form of painting various designs on various types of surfaces. Everything from skin, clothing, canvas, and automobiles are being used to show fantastic works of art using airbrushing. Motorcycles and building murals are also a target for an artist to show off their creativity with airbrush art. 

The history of airbrush art is just as fascinating as the creative designs that artists are using airbrushing for. Experts believe that a primitive form of airbrush art was used by ancient civilizations. The method believed to be used in this primitive form of airbrush art was the use of a hollow bone in which to spray the paint out of by blowing through it. While this is a very primitive method compared to modern day forms of airbrushing, it does still work. Take a look at children's airbrush art kits that require the child to blow through one end of the tube to create the airbrushed art. Now ancient forms of airbrush art have bled over to modern day children's crafts.

In 1893 the world has seen a more modernized version of airbrushing when Charles Burdick patents the first airbrush device. This device would be used for retouching photographs until around 1920. 

During the 1930s airbrush increased when advertisement agencies jumped on the bandwagon to create an advertisement for new products. Soon airbrushing would be used to paint Pin-Up girls on to the American planes during WWII. This is where airbrushing started showing up in the more modern world in the form of art. 

In the 1940 Walt Disney would show the world a new use for airbrush art. Walt Disney would take airbrush art to the animated screen. The backgrounds for Walt Disney's animated movies were created using airbrushing. Airbrushing allowed them to create shadows and lighting tricks to achieve a more realistic looking background. While even this seems primitive compared to what we can do with animated movies as well as for airbrush art, this method did pave the way for both the improvement on animation and airbrush art.

The 1960s brought us even closer to what we now know we can do with airbrushing. Airbrush art in the 1960s made its way into the music world. Album covers were done using airbrush art to create the whole hippy style images. The wild psychedelic artwork that was popular with that era was done thanks to the use of airbrushing. Tie-dyed looks and large hippy flowers and even the peace signs were making their way onto vehicles during this era. Airbrushing the artwork on took a lot of time out of painting the vehicles overdoing the designs by hand. Thus airbrush art was being experimented with on vehicles at this point. 

The way we use airbrushing now to create art surely has come along way from the primitive methods used by our ancestors and even our parents. Nowadays we can see airbrush art almost everywhere on almost every type of surface. The only limits nowadays with airbrush art rests in the limits of the individual artist.

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2006 BMW Sports Cars

BMW Sports Car  - Photo: Pixabay

BMW or Bayerische Motoren Werke has long been conceived all over the world as "The Ultimate Driving Machine." The company has proven this statement true in the past years.

The current models of BMW sports car will attest to that statement.

Here are some of the current models of BMW, with their corresponding characteristics.

-BMW M3 2006

Engine specifications:

BMW M3 has an in-line, 3.2-liter capacity engine with a compression ratio of 11.5. It has four valves per cylinder. It promises to deliver 248 KW power and 333 HP at 7900 rpm (SAE).

Brake Features:

The car has electronic brake distribution, brake assist system, four disk brakes with ventilated disks, cornering brake control, and four-wheel ABS.

Handling Features:

BMW M3 is equipped with stability control, immobilizer and limited slip differential at the rear. The ABS and engine management control the electronic traction.

Aerodynamics Exterior features:

The car has 0.35 drag coefficient, body side moldings, and 3771 lbs. curb weight.

-BMW M5 2006

Engine specifications:

The BMW M5 2006 car has a V10 and 3.2-liter capacity engine with a compression ratio of 12.  It has four valves per cylinder. It promises to deliver 373 KW of power and 500 HP at 7750 rpm (SAE).

Brake Features:

The car has brake assist system, four disk brakes with ventilated disks, electronic brake distribution, cornering brake control, and four-wheel ABS.

Handling Features:

The BMW M5 is equipped with stability control, immobilizer and limited slip differential at the rear. The ABS and engine management control the electronic traction. It is also equipped with a responsive suspension.

Aerodynamics Exterior features:

The car has 0.31 drag coefficient and 4012 lbs. curb weight.

-BMW 6-Series

Engine specifications:

The BMW M5 2006 has a V8, 4.8-liter capacity engine with a compression ratio of 10.5. It has four valves per cylinder. It promises to deliver 268 KW power and 360 HP at 6300 rpm (SAE).

Brake Features

The car has electronic brake distribution, brake assist system, four disk brakes with ventilated disks, cornering brake control, and four-wheel ABS.

Handling Features:

BMW M3 car is equipped with stability control, immobilizer and limited slip differential at the rear. The ABS and engine management control the electronic traction. It is also equipped with an adjustable responsive suspension.

Aerodynamics Exterior features:

The car has 0.3 drag coefficient and 3814 lbs. curb weight.

With all the features these cars have, BMW truly is the "Ultimate Driving Machine."

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Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology - Photo: Wikimedia

As the horizons of technology expand, the real world is shrinking into a Global Village; Nanotechnology is the new area of interest in technology.

Nanotechnology is an umbrella term that covers many areas of research dealing with objects that are measured in nanometers or billionth of a meter. It is a hybrid science combining engineering and chemistry.

 The goal of nanotechnology is to manipulate atoms individually and place them in a pattern to produce the desired structure. Nano-sized machines called assemblers, that can be programmed to manipulate atoms and molecules at will, would be used to build consumer goods. Some nanomachines called replicators would be programmed to build assemblers.

Nanotechnology would enable the creation of new generation of computer components with enormous storage capacity. But the greatest impact of nanotechnology could be the medical industry. Patients would drink fluids containing nanorobots programmed to attack and reconstruct the molecular structure of cancer cells and viruses to makes them harmless. Nanorobots could also be programmed to perform delicate surgeries.

For environmental clean-up, airborne nanorobots could be user programmed to rebuild the thinning ozone layer. Contaminants could be automatically removed from water sources, and spill could be cleaned up instantly.

Nanotechnology was first introduced in 1959, in a talk by the Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman, entitled "There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom", Feynman proposed using a set of conventional-sized robot arms to construct a replica of themselves, but one-tenth of the original size, then using that new set of arms to manufacture an even smaller set, and so on, until the molecular-scale is reached. if we had many million or billions of such molecular-scale products built from individual molecules - a "bottom-up manufacturing" technique, as opposed to the usual technique of cutting away material until you have a completed component or product -"top-down manufacturing".

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Tai Chi History

Tai Chi - Photo: Pixabay

Tai Chi, also known as Tai Chi Chuan, was handed down from different generations since its creation by Chang San-Feng. It was during the Sung Dynasty that this was introduced and from that moment on, there were numerous accounts of the form. 

The form, or Kung chia in the Chinese language, are the different movements made through Tai Chi. One of the most common and famous forms is the manipulation of the snake and the crane fighting. Master Chang, one of the advocates, copied this kind of fighting style and transformed it into a softer version of their coiling movements. The form that was developed had 13 postures that correspond with the trigrams and the Five Elements.

Master Chang’s lineage was not clear but what historians know is that he is a certain Chiang Fah. Chiang’s form was taught to a young man named as Chen Wang Ting. Chen was known to practice the art of Tai Chi in 1644. Descendants of Chen Wang Ting practiced their family form. Some of the characteristics of their form are done with an emphasis on low stances, a silk-reeling move, and fast movements and were practiced periodically.  

Tai Chi that was formed by the Chen family was secretly practiced and no one was allowed to use it outside of their home. But during the time of Chen Chang Hsin, which was in the year 1800, the tradition broke. He taught all of his family Tai Chi secrets and styles to his student, Yang Lu Chan.

The modern-day Yang style came from the grandson of Yang Lu Chan named Yang Cheng Fu. This paved the way to introduce one of the longest accounts in the history of Tai Chi. Its form consists of 128 postures. It is characterized by the warding off of energy using leaning movements with slow-motion techniques.

The generation of the Yang family taught their students the techniques on Tai Chi. The masters chose their earnest students and made a lineage that gave birth to other styles namely Sun, Wu, and Hao. These styles may differ in the way they are portrayed and the performance differs as well but the principles that were observed by Chang San Feng remains the same. 

There was this one student of Yang Cheng Fu named Cheng Man Ching. Cheng became the master of his own generation because of the revisions that he made with Tai Chi Chuan. One of the most famous changes that he made was shortening the form to a 37-posture Tai Chi. This is a change made by Cheng is now the most famous form of Tai Chi that is practiced to this day. 

When Cheng came to the U.S., he tried to teach and took on the interest of some students in all aspects of life. By doing so, he made the form popular to every men and woman. This new form introduced by Cheng is originally known as the Yang Style in the shorter form. It becomes widespread, today, it is more popular with the name Cheng Style of Tai Chi. 

The form of Cheng’s Tai Chi is characterized by an upright spine position, rolling back of energy and a softness that has its powerful attitude. 

Taoism is the main contributor to the idea why, in the first place, Tai Chi was formed. This is because Taoism reflects teachings that fundamentally contribute to the reflective, mystic and serene view of the world and the nature we live in. 

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Benefits of Strength TRAINING

Andrzej Zieleniecki - a strength athlete from Poland, the Man of Muscles 

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The benefits of a good strength training program are almost endless. Less disease, happiness and most importantly, showing off your muscles at the beach.

Strength training should be part of everyone's routine. Even if you are low on time, strength training, according to the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), only needs to be done 2-3 times per week with each session lasting no more than one hour. For 2-3 hours per week, huge benefits can be realized.

Regular strength training will:

**help you in the day to day activities around the house and in your yard. It will keep you independent which is especially important in the older population. Imagine not being able to lift a 5-pound bag of flour or take the garbage out by yourself.

**lower the risk of osteoporosis, hypertension and diabetes.

**help you avoid lower back pain.

**increase bone density which is important for postmenopausal women.

**increase muscle mass which burns more calories throughout the day than an equal amount of fat.

Even with all these benefits, many people are reluctant to start training with weights. Concerns include injury, incorrect form and for women; not wanting to grow muscles and look like a man.

When beginning your strength training program, the risk of getting hurt can be greatly reduced by starting out with machines rather than free weights. As you become more comfortable with the machines, slowly learn to use free weights. If you want to stick with the machines, know that they will give you the same benefits as free weights. As for the concern that women will look like men, it won't happen without the help of steroids, which you shouldn't even consider using.

Sometimes when we think of being healthy, we think of eating and running. While these are important, strength training should never be left out. Strength training provides benefits to your health that cannot be found with any other mode of exercise and shouldn't be forgotten.

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10 Reasons To Do A Basic BOATING Course!

A group of people riding a wooden boat off a beach in Venezuela. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Boating is a great adventure on any type of boat and is being enjoyed by many on a daily basis, but with that comes a great responsibility. It is not mandatory to do a boating course at this time but there are some very good reasons to get your self-informed about the rules of the road.

1) You will learn about safety equipment and what you are required to have on your boat before you undertake any boating excursion. This is very important because what you don’t have with you could make the difference between being able to handle a situation or not. Also, that outing for the day could cost you if the sheriff stops you to spot check your boat and fines you for not having all the safety equipment required for your specific boat.

2) You will learn that driving a boat is vastly different from driving a car. You are dealing with air and water currents. If you have never docked a boat you may think that it is easy until that is, the current is pulling you in the opposite direction that you want to go. Understanding air and water currents will help you learn how to dock your boat.

3) Knowing how to work with lines and tying knots is part of boating. You have to be able to secure a boat properly. If your boat gets away, it is amazing how quickly the current will take it out of your reach and you will probably require the assistance of another boater to help you get to it. So learn your knots.

4) You will learn what the channel markers mean. We learned the hard way the first time we went out on a boat and ran aground outside the markers. We also had no clue what the red and green markers meant on the poles. This you also learn on the course.

5) There are speed limits on certain waterways but unlike the roads, they may or may not be posted. Ignorance may not be enough to get you out of a ticket.

6) Using charts for coastal navigation can be a lifesaver. It’s your roadmap that helps you stay away from the shallows and shows where all the markers and bridges are, and by using measurements you can calculate the distance and time it will take to get somewhere. It can be a valuable tool for navigation.

7) Just like on the roads, there is the right of way. On a boating course, you will learn who has the right of way and why.

8) Every boat should have a horn. You may hear one long toot or 2 short toot and so on, and you’ll learn what they mean.

9) There are boating regulations and laws that must be followed by all boaters, for example, (and I have seen this rule broken so many times) you are not allowed to sit on the bow of the boat with your feet hanging over board. There are many more regulations to learn and not knowing them can cost you.

10) Anchoring a boat is not just a matter of plopping it down to the sand. There is a mathematical technique applied to anchoring that has to do with the size and length of your boat. Knowing how to do this correctly will give you that extra insurance of knowing your boat is going nowhere until you want to move it.

There are different ways to enjoy pleasure boating such as the fast pace of ski boating or the slow pace of a trawler, kayaking or canoeing. In whatever way you want to do it, it is a good idea to know the rules of the road. Then you can avoid potential situations and get on with the fun of being out there with all that sky, sun, water, family and friends.

Enjoy!

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