Since horseback riding is all about balance, you need to sit centered and keep your pelvis in a “neutral” position.

When you think about making position corrections, always start with your seat. Fix your core first, and then work out to your extremities. That is, you can either work down from your seat to your toes, or work up toward your head and then down through your arms to your hands.

Here are two great images to help you sit correctly.

1. Imagine you’re sitting on a target that has a bull’s eye with rings around it. You want each seat bone on a ring that is equidistant from the bull’s eye. To help you find the rings, gently lift both legs away from the saddle. In this position, you’ll be able to feel your seat bones better. Notice whether or not you feel like you’re sitting with equal weight on each seat bone and in the middle of the saddle. If you still can’t feel whether or not you’re centered in the middle of the saddle, ask a ground person to watch you from behind. Have them check that the saddle is square on your horse’s back. Then ask them to see if you’re sitting correctly in the middle of the saddle rather than off to the right or left.

2. Keep your pelvis in a “neutral” position.

Imagine your pelvis is a big bucket filled with water. When your pelvis is in a neutral position, you can keep all the water in the bucket. If you ride with an arched, tense back, the top of your pelvis tips forward, and the water spills out the front of the bucket. If you ride with a rounded lower back, the top of your pelvis tips back and the water spills out the back of the bucket.

So, help your horse find his balance by sitting centered and keeping your pelvis in a “neutral” position so of all the water stays in the bucket!

Nearly everybody has heard of Toto, the largest manufacturer of toilets and plumbing accessories in the world. The Toto toilets range is as diverse as it gets, and provides products to suit all budgets and design styles. Although many of the other toilet manufacturers provides some outstanding products I truly believe that Toto can provide you with everything you could possibly want in the toilet market.

At the cheaper end of the range is the Toto Drake toilet, a stylish two-piece toilet with powerful flushing and excellent rim cleaning properties that is only going to set you back around US$300. The Toto Ultra Max toilet can be found in a number of different configurations, and is one of the most popular in the Toto range. it again has a powerful flushing system, and features a very low 1.6 gallons per flush, making it an environmentally sustainable toilet as well.

There are a number of other toilets in between, but moving right up to the top end, the Toto Neorest 500 is quite an amazing product. It is a one-piece toilet that features the Toto Washlet S300 bidet toilet seat as standard. The whole toilet unit with seats included will cost you around $2100, and the Toto Washlet seat on its own has a price tag of approximately $700. the Washlet seat is a fully functioning bidet with warm water washing and a fantastic massage facility that is said to be particularly useful for people with hemorrhoids.

It also includes warm air drying, a built in deodorizer, heated toilet seat and an automatic toilet lid which raises and closes as you enter or leave the room. this suite provides the ultimate in pampering and luxurious cleansing and massage, but my concern is that I would want to sit on it all day.

Toto also manufacture a travel bidet that is simple to use and relatively inexpensive. A great product to slip in your bag if you are going on holiday.

As you can see, Toto offer something for everyone, and whether you are renovating your home or involved in a new build, you should certainly consider their toilets and accessories.

I would always advise that you compare the products on offer from a number of different manufacturers, and from a number of different retail outlets to ensure you can get the best price. Do not forget the shipping can be quite expensive on the products so looking for free shipping option is important.

Limousines lend an air of luxury and sophistication to business travel and to special occasions, but no matter how important you believe yourself to be, when traveling with others, the rank and hierarchy of your fellow passengers takes precedence over who sits where, and business clients do not expect a host to provide this service. In limousines, the safest seat – and the seat of honor – is rear passenger side. When traveling alone, this is the seat you should take. The middle back seats are the most uncomfortable. Junior executives should seat themselves last or ask a senior executive where he or she should sit.

When engaging a limousine service, the itinerary is discussed with the limousine company ahead of time. The limousine service is responsible for judging traffic and weather conditions, and arranges the pick up time based on your destination. The driver will also be given instructions from the company on your destination and itinerary.

Whether used for the serious business of corporate travel, or a relaxed atmosphere to show your clients a good time while visiting your city, being chaffeured in a limousine can be a wonderful experience. Show your class. It’s best to follow these etiquette rules when using a limousine:

• Make sure you have a copy of the itinerary with you
• Keep a cell phone and get the chauffeur’s call number so you can call when out of the vehicle
• Inspect the vehicle to ensure it is in perfect condition both before and after the ride
• Do not allow your passengers to mistreat the vehicle in any way, as this may lead to additional charges
• Depending on State law, drinking may or may not be permitted in the cab
• Do not bring more passengers that you had agreed to in the limousine contract
• Give your driver time to come around to open the door for you when you arrive
• Leave the limousine clean and in the same condition as when it arrived
• Treat the chauffeur with respect
• Tip the driver according to the length of the ride and if the driver has given extra services
• The person who rented the limousine tips 15 percent to 20 percent of the rental fee. Place the gratuity in an envelope before offering it.

English saddles differ among themselves in several distinct ways. Primarily, the differences lay in the seat location and the flap shape and flap length. In disciplines like jumping where the rider needs shorter stirrups for extra support, the flap is more forward and shorter to accommodate the bend of the knee. For the same reason, the seat is positioned further back so that the rider is not pushed ahead of the saddle when jumping a fence. Additionally, padding in the seat and knee rolls of a saddle will assist the hunt seat rider, but is not necessary in other English saddles.

Within the discipline of Dressage, the rider sits more upright and with a longer stirrup length than a hunt seat rider because Dressage riders do not jump obstacles. Therefore, the saddle flap is longer and straighter down behind the horse’s shoulder than a hunt saddle. The seat is closer to the horse’s withers which helps keep the rider’s center of gravity in the proper place. The pommel is a bit higher and the deepest point of the seat is more forward as it allows for a longer leg position.

The seat is usually much deeper in a Dressage saddle than a jumping saddle, and allows the rider to comfortably sit up in the saddle yet in a relaxed position to influence the horse. The padding of the panels is usually less than in a hunt saddle to permit a closer feel to the horse. It often has a wider bearing surface than a jumping saddle as well.

Some designs feature more padding in front of the knee, much more than in a jumping saddle, said to assist the rider in keeping the knee down and thigh back. However, there is usually little padding behind the calf, as the rider needs to be able to freely move the lower leg around to give aids to the horse.

The billets of most dressage saddles are very long, to allow the girth to be buckled near the horse’s elbow rather than underneath the rider’s leg (which would get in the way of giving effective leg aids).

It is important that your saddle fit both you and your horse. When you decide to select a Dressage saddle be sure you measure your horse from his hoof to his withers and then from his withers to his croup. You will need these measurements when you select your saddle to be sure it fits. However, if you ride more than one horse, it is not that practical to buy a different saddle for each one! You can try gel pads that will conform to your horse’s shape to help your one saddle fit. Try to fit the saddle such that there is sufficient room between the gullet and the horse’s withers and spaced over the spine evenly.

You should also sit in several Dressage saddles to find one that is most comfortable for you. Most often you can visit tack shops and sit in the Dressage saddle you may buy while it is on a saddle stand. Brands and styles vary, so become familiar with them all before spending a lot of money!

For a game where most players rarely consider luck, there are lots of superstitions in poker. When you mention that someone was lucky in that poker tournament they won, be careful of how you say it. For instance, if you mention that you were unlucky, your luck may never change.

Ok, that may sound a bit ubsurd, but poker is a game loaded with superstitions. Did you know that if you are playing a game with two separate decks and you are asked to pick the deck, you should always pick the deck of cards that is furthest from you? Or, how about If you get a run of bad cards, you must sit on a hankerchief to break your bad luck? It’s actually considered good luck to blow through a deck of cards while they are being shuffled.

Some other fascinating poker superstitions are:

For being such a game full of skill, many people still hold on to the old superstitions.

Many of us will hit the road this year to visit family, friends or for a vacation. Many of us will take our pets with us. A pet has special needs when traveling that you must consider. Here are some tips for traveling safely with your pets.

Food & Water

You’ll want to carry enough food and water for the pet for as many days as you will be traveling. In addition, there are special collapsible dog food and water bowls available that allow you to serve your pet at anytime, and then collapse the bowl down so it doesn’t take up a lot of room. And don’t forget the treats! Have plenty of treats to give your pet when they are restless. Some treats will work better than others in a vehicle. Pick treats that won’t make a mess, won’t make a lot of noise and will keep the pet busy. For dogs, consider a Kong treat, which is a rubber like treat that you can insert smaller treats into. Your pet will be distracted trying to get the treats out of the toy.

Comfort

Don’t forget to bring along your pets favorite blanket, pillow or stuffed animal, the familiarity with these items will decrease any shock or homesickness the pet might feel. Bring along extra blankets so the pet can take a nap or rest in it. It will also keep pet hair away from your seats!

Safety

Nowadays, there are special safety harnesses and belts for different sizes of dogs. For small dogs, there are modified car seats that have a padded area for the dog to sit in. The car seat, or pooch seat, is strapped into the seat using a seatbelt. In addition, for medium and large size dogs, you may be worried about them jumping around in the vehicle while you are driving. For larger dogs, there are harnesses which basically keeps the dog in their seat using a specially modified version of a seatbelt. These restraints allow the dog to sit in the seat and still enjoy a view out the window without endangering themselves or the driver. For large and older dogs, there is also a restraint that allows your dog to sit or lay in the back seat of the vehicle safely and is especially good if you’re going off road or going to travel rough roads with many turns and bumps, as these harnesses will keep your dog in place.

Car Sickness

For dogs that throw up during car rides, there are options to help. There are prescription drugs for pets that you can get from your veterinarian. There is also the over the counter drug Dimenhydrinate, also known as Dramamine. You can give your pet the same type of Dramamine as for for adults. About 30 to 50 milligrams is the recommendation for medium size to large dogs and about 10 to 15 milligrams for smaller dogs and cats. Dramamine should be given about an hour before you leave. Many dogs will be less carsick if you let the dog look out the window and/or let some fresh air hit the dog in the face. For some dogs, by distracting the dog with a new and exciting dog toy or treat, they will overcome their fear of riding in a car.

Potty Breaks

Don’t forget to take breaks for the dog to go potty. Take your time letting the pet find just the right spot to do his or her business, it may take longer at a rest stop or other unfamiliar place, especially if the area is frequented by many other dogs and animals. Take a quick jog for a few minutes to rid the pet of excess energy, if needed. Also, in unfamiliar places, keep your dog on the leash at all times.

Red Alert

You must not ever leave your pet in a vehicle when the outside temperature is even slightly warm for more than 30 minutes. Your vehicle will act almost like an oven and the inside temperature of a vehicle sitting in the sun, even when it’s only a little warm outside is often too much for a pet to stand. In fact, it is illegal in many states.

There is nothing more important than your child’s safety. You would always give your best in providing him everything that he needs particularly when he is inside a moving vehicle. Knowing that car seats are a requirement imposed by the government to ensure every child’s safety, as a parent, you would never dare not to give this to your child knowing how critical and imperative it is to give the best protection.

You may be trying your best to give the best car seat to your child, but given the complexity of the idea that there are many to choose from, it surely is hard to get the one that is most suitable for him. With this, it is great to note that there are two types of car seats that have been deemed superior in their own rights. Here is an insightful comparison between Clek Oobr VS Diono Radian RXT.

If your child has reached four years old, he needs a different kind of protection when it comes to his car seat. The car seat must be apt for his height and weight to ensure that he will be safe all the time. With this, he needs a booster seat such as the Clek Oober. This is a versatile type of booster because it can be used in two different ways. It can be used as a backless or a fullback booster.

• Backless booster requirements: 40 to 100 pounds; 40 to 57 inches tall
• Fullback booster requirements: 33 to 100 pounds; 38 to 57 inches tall

This booster is packed with safety features such as the rigid latch system which allows fast and safe installation. You can be certain that the connection between the car and the seat is strengthened. It also has deep side wings for better side impact protection. This limits movement particularly your child’s head thus, protecting his neck and spine as well. Most importantly, its Exclusive Elemental Safety System safeguards your child since the collision can happen from any direction.

On the other hand, if you want a convertible seat that can carry babies and kids from 5 to 120 pounds, then you can choose the Diono Radian RTX. This convertible seat is rated to last for 10 years, a great deal for those parents who want to save more money without compromising their child’s safety. It has body support cushion for smaller babies for better comfort and fit.

When it comes to protection in his body’s most vulnerable areas, such as the head, face, neck, torso and hip, you can be sure that its full steel frame will do that. What makes this convertible seat a great buy is that it can fits in mid-sized and bigger vehicles it can also be used for airplane travel and is foldable and easy to carry.

Both these seats have proven their worth in saving many lives. They are chosen by parents who want nothing but the best for their babies. So if you love your child, getting any of these two will be your best gift ever.

I am a firm believer that injuries happen for a reason! There are many that will agree with this statement, while others will rationalize that some injuries are just, “Freak accidents.” If you listen to news reporters on your local new stations, you will hear that someone getting hurt is usually, just a “Freak accident.” In many cases we never get to the root cause of injuries because of the “Freak Accident” belief.

Would you believe that some injuries are just due to the consequences of our daily actions, habits, and lifestyles? To make my point, let’s look at several examples that will help put this into perspective. We add to the probability of having an injury every time we get in our car to go to work, to run an errand, board an airplane to go on vacation or business trip, crossing the street, lifting a heavy object, etc. The list is endless and can go on and on.

It is my belief that individuals alter their behavior in response to re-enforced safety rules.  For example, wearing a seat belt while driving a car. The question: If the law did not require drivers to wear their seat belt, would they still wear them?  It it interesting to me, with all of the statistics that show that seat belts save lives, that many drivers still do not wear their seat belt.  On the other hand many drivers that wear their seat belt just see it as a necessary evil and have been conditioned to do so, either through being told by someone, the law, or just self-awareness, while other drivers are still convinced that they are safer without their seat belt and refuse to wear them.

Now let’s take it a step further and think about the industrial setting. If some believe that seat belts are useful and others do not, does this carry over into the work environment? This is only one example. It is my belief that a workplace safety culture will not change, unless there is a good management system in place that is capable of motivating and allowing employees to alter the amount of risk they are willing to accept.

I have always used many quality techniques in the safety arena, as, in my opinion, quality systems are very closely aligned with safety efforts.  For example, Philip Crosby, Quality expert,  defined and promoted the phrase “zero defects,” whereas “Zero defects” does not mean mistakes never happen, only that there is no allowable number of errors built into a product or process and that “you get it right first.” In his book “Quality is Free: The Art of Making Quality,” originally published in 1979, he discusses quality improvement as a 14-step process.

From my perspective, if you take the 14 element he outlines and compares them to several models such as: OSHA’s VPP, ANSI – AIHA Z10 – 2005, you will find a lot of similarities in establishing a Safety Process.   The bottom-line, his belief was that an organization that established a quality program will see savings returns on investment that more than offset the cost of the quality program.  This should be the same vision that one must have with the safety system.

Crosby makes a statement that I really believe and I think that it is worth repeating. I believe that it puts everything into perspective. “People are conditioned to believe that error is inevitable. We not only accept error, we anticipate it.” “It does not bother us to make a few errors, and management plans for these errors to occur. We feel that human beings have a “built-in” error factor.”

Think about this! How many companies have you heard of building service (repair) centers as they are building a new product? We have a tendency to anticipate that the product we are building is going to fail.  Do we want to use this method for your safety management system? This is the same as someone developing safety policies and procedures, or guarding machines, after an employee gets hurt.  To avoid this, we must understand risk assessment and analysis to help prevent injuries before they occur.  We need to get smarter in some respects and understand how to build systems with the right components that will sustain it self.   This takes a lot of commitment from everyone from Top Management down to the lowest level.

The question: Do we do maintain the same standards when it comes to our personal life? If we did, we would resign ourselves to being shortchanged now and then as we cash our paychecks. We would expect hospital nurses to drop a certain percentage of newborn babies. We would expect to periodically drive to the wrong house. As individuals we do not tolerate these things. Thus, we have a double standard, one for ourselves one for our jobs.

Source: “Developing an Effective Safety Culture: A Leadership Approach” by James Roughton

Bike riding is a great form of exercise and transportation, offering kids a sense of independence. Families can have a lot of fun together biking, too. but children with sensory issues often need extra help in learning to be comfortable bicycling. Part of their struggle with riding a two-wheeler is the difficulty of planning and quickly carrying out movements while on an unstable bike that they must control.

1. Choose the right bike. Encourage your child to start early riding a tricycle to begin to build biking skills, and then invest in a small, low-to-the-ground two-wheeler with training wheels. Both genders may do better starting out with a “girl’s” bike with a dropped support bar, which makes it easier to mount and dismount. Also, wider tires are easier to balance on than thinner, racing tires.

2. Adjust the bike for ease of learning. Make sure the seat is large enough for her and consider replacing it with a wider or longer seat (seats can be sold separately). Adjust the seat’s texture if necessary, with a nylon cover, or a towel tied over the seat, if this will make it easier for her to feel the seat underneath her and make her feel more secure.

Bikes are most comfortable to ride for long stretches when the seat is adjusted so that when the rider is seated, the balls of her feet touch the ground. However, at the beginning of learning to ride and feel confident on a bike, a child may need the seat lowered so that her feet are flat on the ground when she is sitting. You may want to remove the pedals while she practices pushing herself with her feet while seated, and balancing.

3. Break down the skill into steps. Have her propel herself with her feet, then lift them up and try to balance as the bike is moving, and stop herself with the handbrakes just before putting her feet down. In this way, she will learn to balance, then to use the brakes, then add in the pedaling step.

You might try positioning your child on the bike at the top of a short, very gentle slope. Hold the seat and one side of the handlebars as he rides down the slope so he can feel his feet on the pedals as they move.

4. Try training wheels. After the child has become comfortable with training wheels, reposition the training wheels to be slightly off the ground. You might encourage the child to listen for the sound of the training wheels hitting the pavement and practice bike riding while trying not to “make that sound,” which means he is not relying on the training wheels. As you see him becoming more competent, move the training wheels higher so that he is even more reliant on his sense of balance.

5. Protect her from injury. Encourage your child to wear long sleeves and long pants and even protective pads when first learning to ride if she will tolerate these clothing items, which will lessen the impact if she falls and keep her from getting discouraged. Practice in a large open lot with few visual distractions. Also, be sure her bike helmet fits snugly. Use the sticky-backed pads to adjust the fit if necessary. The helmet should not fall backward or forward or swish side to side while the child is riding, and the chin strap should secure it in place. You may want to desensitize the child’s head with massage or vibration before placing the helmet on her.

6. Be patient and encouraging. Teach your child that learning to ride is a process. Challenge her to push herself just a little each time she rides so that she doesn’t become overwhelmed and avoid riding altogether. Be sure to celebrate her triumph when she makes that first two-wheeled ride on her own, and remind of how proud you are that she persevered at this challenging task.

copyright (c) 2010 Nancy Peske

If your car looks a little on the girly side, there are a lot of modifications you can do to give it a more masculine touch. Making your car more masculine will make you confident when you pick up your date, and will make you enjoy it much more when you’re riding in it alone. Below are some ideas on how to make your car a male.

• Change the Rims: Adding custom rims to your wheels will definitely give your car a manly personality. They not only make your car look really cool, but they also help your car’s traction and steering. Take a car with custom rims for a ride and you’ll definitely feel the difference. Most rims come in standard colors of silver, grey, chrome or black. But you can also get custom colors like white, gold or blue. If you really want to attract attention, get spinner wheels that rotate even after the car has stopped moving.
• Get Custom Car Seat Covers: This is another great way to add the masculine personality to your car that you’re looking for. You can get solid colors like black, brown or tan in cloth fabric, or you can get nice leather covers if you can splurge a little more. You can also have your car seat covers customized by adding your initials or a design embroidered somewhere on the side of the cover. They also come in dual colors, like tan and black or red and black. An added bonus of having car seat covers is that they protect your seats from dirt, and other debris, making your car easier to clean. Since they keep food and drinks from getting trapped inside the cushions of your seats, seat covers keep your car smelling fresher longer. They also make an excellent gift for any male in your family or office.
• Get a Steering Wheel Cover: A thick black or brown leather cover on your steering wheel will definitely add some masculinity to your automobile. There are many options when it comes to steering wheel covers. You can get them in leather, suede, polyester, or a soft fabric like sheepskin. The most popular colors amongst men are black and brown, but they also make custom steering wheel covers with different logos on them. You can get a cover with a logo of your favorite sports team on it. And you don’t have to stop there. You can also get floor mats to match. There is no way your car would be considered girly with all these accessories.