Rodeo Sports and Entertainment
Two bedroom luxury condo in the village at Northstar 504 Iron Horse – www.north-starvacationrentals.com
Originally posted 2006-08-18 22:32:22.
You can have a formal riding lesson with an instructor, or you can simply have a lesson in riding. For me every time I get on a horse I learn something new. It does not matter if I am in an indoor arena or out in the open country along a winding trail. Sometimes the horse is the greatest teacher of all.
Horse riding can be enjoyed by everyone and the age span is huge. My last employer said that he first learnt to ride at age 30. Now since I started around 7 years, I figured 30 to be old. My mother has been learning to ride for about 3 years now and she is in her early 50’s.
My father had a horse on our property, we had 6 acres and for some reason he got a horse. I should mention that my father does not like horses. I was probably 3 or 4 years old and it would be fun to ride whilst someone kept me balanced and lead the horse. I never grew attached to the horse and for good reason since he always ran away with me when I was left to steer on my own.
If I had started with actual riding lessons at an earlier age, I would have had better control and knowledge. Lessons help you develop a good seat which gives you excellent balance. When your horse panics you are then able to focus your attention on getting him under control. Without the lessons you may simply be hanging on for dear life praying for the horse to calm down and stop.
Horse riding lessons not only help you learn to ride correctly, but you also learn a good deal about your horse. You will learn to pick up on his moods and subtleties and your instructor will be able to instruct and help you work with your horse.
A horse’s life should not be about all work and no play. Even top competition horses get to simply blow off steam. Treat yourself, treat your horse and take him for a hack or trail ride. When you have paid a lot of money for your horse and or you are riding competitively you owe it to yourself to have horse riding lessons.
A fit healthy horse when scared can be formidable beast; they have far more power and endurance than a horse that is ridden infrequently. Taking lessons with your horse will help create your bond of mutual respect and understanding. Your horse will know and respond to your cues.
When you are out in the open and the confines of the arena are a fading memory, your skill learned from your lessons really pays off. The bond you formed with the lessons has established trust with your horse. He is calmed and reassured by your voice, he knows you are confident in the saddle and out for a pleasure ride.
Horse riding is a fun sport, even in competition there is intense thrill and excitement. Always ensure your safety as well as your horse’s and invest in some riding lessons to develop and strengthen your bond with your horse and your skill in horsemanship.
http://www.your-horse-guide.com
Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about horseback riding lessons. Learn about Horse riding safety.
Originally posted 2006-09-24 21:37:33.
Although hiring is lagging in most organizations, Customs and Border Patrol Jobs are widely available. The Department of Homeland Security is aggressively ramping up its force of Border Patrol agents.
Border Patrol Background
The United States Border Patrol is the uniformed part CBP, which falls under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). According to CBP.gov, CBP was founded in 1924. That first year, Border Patrol started operations with 450 officers, and set to work regulating traffic across the country’s borders. Most of the patrol’s work was focused on stopping illegal immigration and alien smuggling.
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 changed that mission. Now, Border Patrol’s focus has shifted toward prevention of terrorism through working to stop the flow of terrorists and terrorist weapons into the country. Border Patrol works to secure the 6,000 miles of international border with Canada and Mexico, and the 2,000 miles of coastal waters around Florida and Puerto Rico.
Border Patrol Jobs
In 2006, President George W. Bush announced his commitment to add 6,000 additional Border Patrol agents by the end of 2008.
With respect to Border Patrol staffing, Tara Dunlop (CBP Public Affairs Officer) said the agency has seen a dramatic increase since the President took office in fiscal year 2002. At the end of fiscal year 2001, CBP started with approximately 9,800 Border Patrol agents. Today, their numbers are more than 16,690. “Our goal for the end of 2008 is 18,000 Border Patrol agents on duty (‘boots on the ground,’) and we are on track to meet that goal,” Dunlop said.
Border Patrol has had to find creative new ways to recruit. Innovations include national recruiting in non-traditional regions of the country, sector-based recruiting, NASCAR sponsorship (now in its second year) the Minority Recruitment Strike Team, a Professional Bull Riders sponsorship and recruiting at U.S. military installations in the continental U.S. and abroad.
Additionally, a branding campaign has just launched, which includes television ads and an updated website that can be found at BorderPatrol.gov.
Agent Personality Traits
Dunlop said that the agency’s ideal recruit is someone “who prefers working outdoors and can successfully complete an oral interview, medical and fitness exams, drug testing, and background investigation.”
Dunlop also said that military veterans are strong candidates because “we offer an opportunity to protect America, in America. In fact, veterans make up more than 20 percent of the Border Patrol.”
While prior law enforcement experience is helpful, Dunlop said, it is not required because the Academy will provide agents with the knowledge and skills they will need to do the job.
Dunlop said that Spanish language proficiency is highly desirable.
Qualifications for Border Patrol Jobs
The CBP trains students from a variety of backgrounds, and Dunlop said the agency welcomes those with college degrees, and those with a military background have proven to be highly successful; approximately 25% of CBP are military veterans.
A law enforcement background may be helpful but is not required. Dunlop said CBP training standards remain at a high level to ensure new agents are adequately trained to meet the law enforcement standard.
Fluency in Spanish or the aptitude to learn Spanish is necessary. Spanish language immersion is provided at the Academy for those who need it.
Agent Training
Agents attend a rigorous training academy, currently located in Artesia, New Mexico, where they learn immigration, nationality and criminal law, and receive defensive techniques training, firearms training, and task-based Spanish language immersion training. All training is conducted at the Border Patrol Academy in Artesia, New Mexico. Candidates receive full pay and benefits during training.
The basic training program is further supplemented by a 12-week National Field Training Officer Program, and a minimum of two months on-the-job training with a journeyman-level agent during which the interns’ performance will be evaluated.
Where will I work?
Initial assignments for Border Patrol agents coming out of the Academy will be in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas.
What’s the Downside?
One disadvantage to Border Patrol work is that it can be emotionally draining to turn people away from the U.S. country, particularly when young children are involved and you realize parents are only trying to give their families a better life. For this reason, people who understand the Border Patrol mission and believe in its importance are better-equipped to handle the job.
Successfully applying for and landing government jobs is not easy. It helps to know application deadlines and generally how government hiring is done. Lisa Jenkins is a career writer whose material appears on JobMonkey, a free website featuring a job board and detailed information about border patrol jobs and how to get them.
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