Do it yourself guide

How to bridle a horse
This one's straight from the horse's mouth. Tips and tricks that will help you rein over the ranch.

For the uninitiated, a bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. Needless to say, its importance during a horse ride cannot be overstated. Bridling is the final step in tacking up a horse before the ride. Before you begin, ensure that the horse trusts you; follow these instructions, all the while gauging the mood of the horse. Here's how to without either frothing at the mouth:

1) Put the horse in a halter while preparing to bridle and stand near the left side of the horse when putting it on.

2) To keep the horse in place, you can use cross-ties or a single tie and attach cross-ties to the side rings of the halter. Next, attach a single tie down to the ring at the throat of the halter.

3) You will need to put on a running martingale to keep the horse from throwing its head up and a drop noseband to keep the beast's mouth closed.

4) Check if the cinch and tacks are adjusted properly.

5) Prevent the horse from wandering off by removing the halter from the horse's face; place it around its neck instead.

6) Use a mounting block to place your right hand on top of the horse's head. Place your wrist between the horse's ears, with your fingers facing its nose, press gently downward to get the horse to drop its head.

7) Fit the headstall (the piece that is fixed on the horse's head) with your right hand. Separate the mouthpiece from the reins and hold it to the horse's lips. A trained horse will automatically open its mouth. Slip the mouthpiece gently into the horse's mouth (don't use force). Once the bit is in place, slip the top part of the headstall over the horse's ears.

8) Adjust the length of the face strap so there are one or two wrinkles at the corner of the horse's mouth.

9) If the headstall has a chin strap, attach it in a way that once it is fitted the horse's head is facing forward. You should be able to fit two fingers between the horse's throat and the strap.

10) Hold the reins in your left hand while undoing the halter. When walking with the horse, keep the horse on your right side and hold the reins in your right hand.

Promote a business using social media

From your 80-year-old granny tweeting about her recipes to the childhood sweetheart you found on facebook— social networking has revolutionised the way we view the world. In fact most are using this as a low cost marketing tool to give a boost to their business. Here are steps to follow to increase your visibility.

1) Choose the right social media network. Identify your target group and the social sites they use before making the final choice. For instance, content developers can connect via MySpace and LinkedIn.

2) Create a social media bio. This can be done by highlighting your services and products, talking about your company and mentioning some details. Stick to a word limit of two or three paragraphs.

3) Be active on your community. Encourage members to interact with you for queries, suggestions or work. Be friendly with other members but don't spam or virtually hound them.

4) A good way to interact is to post interesting web pages, articles and information related to your field of work. Actively blog, respond and learn from those in the similar field.

5) Build a comprehensive website and drive traffic to it. Publish information or research taken up by your company for members of your community to read.

6) To promote your products and services to a niche target group, create a subgroup of users, who have similar goals and interests. Post snippets to advertise your business to members who have expressed an interest in learning more about your company.

Track a cell phone

An estimated 100 cell phones get stolen everyday. The good news is that you can keep track of your cell phone with a Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) chip. Most new phones have GPS chips and you can install GPS chips in older phones too by sourcing them from the manufacturer. However, ensure that your cell phone service provider's network is compatible with GPS.

All you need to do is to download the tracking software onto the phone and your PC using compatible USB cables. Once the software is installed in your phone, log onto the tracking tool on your PC or your phone (cell phones require wireless internet access for this task).

Once activated, the service will give you the exact location of the phone. Some tracking tools also give information on the speed at which the phone is travelling and even the altitude it's at.

Pack a punch: Travel smart

When it comes to travel, people either pack in too much, too little or have their stuff arrive in a crumpled mess. To avoid any of these situations make a list of everything you will need. Once your list is ready, ensure that you place wrinkle-prone shirts at the bottom, then shirts and t-shirts that don't wrinkle easily, then trousers.

Ties and socks can be loosely rolled. Pack underwear in mesh laundry bags or side pockets to save space. Arrange each pair of shoes so that the heel of one aligns with the toe of the other and place fragile items between clothes.

Camp in the rain
Prevent a washout; let adventure deluge the experience instead

Camping in the monsoon can be a great adventure if you're prepared for it. Here are some tips on how to keep it fun, safe and dry.

1) Set up camp in the shadow of large rocks or other effective windbreakers. However, avoid pitching your tent at the bottom of a slope as rainwater runoff will ruin your camp. It is also a good idea to avoid camping near tall trees, in case lightning strikes.

2) It is best to pitch the tent as quickly as possible. To do this, stash your pack on a sheltered bit of ground and pull out your tent, footprint, fly, poles and stakes from their stuff sack. Take out the fly and the tent poles; put the tent poles together and place them underneath the fly. Next, pull out the tent and footprint and quickly place the footprint on the ground. Then assemble the tent on the footprint and get the fly in place as quickly as you can.

3) Poles can be used to set up a covered area for cooking and dining.

4) Change into dry clothes and allow wet ones to dry.

5) Ensure that your tent has adequate ventilation.

Exercise lower abs correctly

Jerry Coelho, senior trainer at the international fitness chain, Snap Fitness in Mumbai gives pointers to turn that beer belly into washboard abs.

• Twisting Leg Raise: Lie flat on your back and place your hands under your bum with palms facing down. Straighten your legs and maintain a locked knee position. Slightly twist the hips to the right. As you do this, raise the legs up above your hips by pushing the hips off the floor. Keep your legs straight. Hold this elevated position for five to ten seconds. Complete a total of 12-15 repetitions twisting towards the right, and then left.
• Bicycle Crunch: Sit on the floor and straighten your legs. Slowly raise both feet off the floor. As you gain balance with this body position, raise your hands behind your ears. Bring one leg in towards your chest by bending at the knee. While you do this, twist your lower torso so the elbow opposite the moving knee is brought together. As you extend this leg back out straight, move the other knee in at the same time. The movement should simulate the same motion as while pedalling a bicycle. For beginners, two to three sets of 12-15 repetitions for each leg are recommended.

No greasing palms: Remove stains well

Whether you are fixing your bike or repairing a squeaky door, oil and grease manage to find their way onto your favourite sofa and bedcover. However, with the right technique, removing stains is easy.

1) Apply degreaser spray on and around the stain. Ensure that the fabric is not too delicate for the degreaser.

2) Use a scrub brush in a circular motion and work the degreaser onto the stained fabric fibres. Apply additional degreaser, in case of stubborn stains.

3) Immediately put the stained fabric for a wash. Don't put it in the dryer; allow it to air dry.

4) Typically, a bad grease or oil stain may need a second application of degreaser. If necessary, repeat steps one to three.