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10 Easy Saddle Fitting Tips

If you want a good fit take a few minutes and answer these basic questions.

1. How much does your horse weigh? If a 1000 lbs or more, look to a Full Quarterhorse Bar (FQHB)/wide saddle.

2. What kind of withers does your horse have? Mutton-withered? Look to a FQHB if your horse is anywhere close to a 1000 lbs. i.e. 900 lbs or more.

3. Consider your horse’s back. Is he wide or narrow? Can’t tell? A wide back will require a FQHB. A narrow back will need a semi-quarterhorse bars.

4. Is your horse short backed? Look for a shorter skirt or round skirt saddle. You don’t want the saddle skirts to rub the horse’s hips.

5. Is your horse gaited? Seriously consider a gaited saddle. Gaited saddles have more rock with wider bars in the front and are smaller in the back to allow for the movement of their shoulders.

6. What is your budget? Be reasonable in your expectations. Leather saddles cost more than cordura saddles. You will find few leather saddles for under $500, so be realistic. Most of the time you will get what you pay for.

7. Consider what you are going to do with this saddle. Yes, the trail saddle looks nice, but you won’t rope off of it for long.

8. What seat size do you need to look for?

9. What saddle pad will work? Most horses do not need special pads, but some horses do. Think about what will work, and do the necessary research.

10. Answer all the questions. All these questions need to be considered to insure a good fit. If you don’t answer all the questions you may find a saddle that fits and you might not.

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How To Choose The Best Photography School & Course For Yourself?

If you want to make a career in photography, it will be best to start by enrolling in a reputed photography school. It can not only provide you certification, you will also gain knowledge and exposure that would otherwise be difficult to find. When you attend a school, you are able to learn from experienced professionals. The knowledge and experiences shared in such an environment can prove to be valuable in driving your career in the right direction.But how can you choose the best photography school and courses for yourself. The following tips will help you make the right choice.1. Program DurationDetermine your goals so that you can decide how long your program should be. There are photography courses that last years and then there are brief courses that can be completed within a few weeks. If you are a professional, all you may need is to attend a few classes to improve your knowledge or skills on a specific topic. There are schools that offer highly accessible courses and there is no need to commit to several years of study. If certification is on top of your mind, then you should consider joining a longer program.2. Consider the CostsThis starts by determining what your goals are and how much you can afford on your photography training. The costs can vary based on the duration of the program. It can also be different based on which school you choose. You can however get access to certain scholarships to make your education cheaper. It is not essential that the most expensive school can provide the best education and training. Do some research to compare the different schools. You should also contact other students to learn about the different courses and institutions.3. Consider Your NicheAs someone aspiring to become a professional photographer, it is important that you choose photography courses based on the niche you want to specialize in. It is easier to excel in a specific niche. When you target a specific field within photography, you can build your presence more effectively. However, choosing the right niche can be a challenge in itself.Consider your interests when choosing your photography niche. Find out what you enjoy doing. If you don’t enjoy a niche, you will find it hard to excel in it. For example, landscape photography is more suited for photographers who have lots of patience. If you want quick results, it is not the niche you should train in. So look for something that you enjoy doing even if it means toiling for hours. Some of the most popular niches in photography training include the following:
Stock photography
Portraits
Weddings
Photojournalism
Landscape
Fashion
Sports
Fine art
Families & children
Nature & wildlife
Travel
Product
Architecture
There are even more niches and you should do some research to find the one that interests you more.So if you are going to choose photography courses or school, make sure to consider all these factors. Remember, what may be the best course for you may not be the same for another person. It all comes down to your goals and interests.

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How to Make Your Shop Decor Shout

Decorating the walls of your shop. The first thing you need to attack is the walls. A bare wall gives out one simple message…which is blank. In fact, without proper office or shop décor on the walls, it makes the place very unwelcoming and dull. Who do you think would walk into a shop that has bare walls that sings an uninviting song? To entice your customers to walk into your shop and purchase something from your shop, you’ll need to use the right color for the walls…some shade or color that attracts the right customers. If you want the walls décor to give out a warm and welcoming feeling, you can use a darker shade; on the other hand, if you want to make your customers feel happy to be in the shop, color your walls with a lighter shade. Then use some clever slatwall panels to decorate and display your products.

Give your shop décor an alive feel. Apart from decorating the shop’s walls, you’ll have to add plants into the shop décor as well. Having a couple of potted plants will instantly give the place an ‘alive’ feel and your staff and the people who walk into your shop will feel less removed from the outside world. Each type of plant gives out different signals, so play with the type of plants that you use to decorate your shop. If it’s within your budget, assign someone to come into your shop to work out the décor and accentuate the placement of the plants with lighting. Having plants as part of your shop décor can be tricky, though because plants require maintenance. However, you can hire people to take care of your plants for you or you could actually ‘rent’ the plants for your office décor.

Don’t mix and match concepts and furniture in your shop. Maintain a consistent look throughout your shop’s décor. It would give the customers a very mix-and-match feel when they walk into your shop when the furniture don’t match. For instance, you can’t very well decorate your shop with an antique piece together with a modern looking sofa in your shop. It would give the customers a really odd feeling. What you want to avoid with your shop décor is to give it a ‘thrown together’ feel…you want it to shout, CLASS ACT instead of ‘last minute thrown in together’.

Clear the clutter. And of course, just as any professional shop décor artiste or designer can tell you, clutter is an absolute no-no. It’s been said before so keep this clear in your mind…a clear desk clears the head even before you sit down and start your work. This principle applies to your shop décor. Keep things that should not be seen in your shop tucked away in a storeroom…for instance, stuff that you don’t use very often or products that you don’t intend to sell. Don’t leave boxes of products lying strewn all over the place. Ask your staff to regularly check and rearrange the products on the display areas, the desk, the slatwall display unit and of course, the walls. Some customers tend to pick up products and then leave them somewhere they don’t belong. Your staff should make it a point to return the item back to where they belong.

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