Nearly everything to do with horses seems to be continually rising in cost. Yet cutting corners in any way that might compromise your horse’s health and welfare is never the solution to saving money. So how can we add higher costs to what is already a tight budget, and how much further will our finances stretch?

Creating and keeping a budget for your horse-related expenses can be a daunting exercise, but once you break it down it’s not so scary, and it’s part of responsible horse ownership. Without a budget, it’s difficult to manage your money and balance your expenses. Creating one will help you set a realistic limit on spending for your horse and horse-related activities, and may even help you find a way to reduce costs.

The old adage “No Hoof, No Horse” can be a painful reality for owners who struggle with chronic hoof health issues in their horse. The four hooves of a 500-kilogram horse are expected to carry large amounts of body weight. When the compression force of work such as galloping is factored in, each of those four feet may be carrying as much as 3,000 pounds of force.

During their training, soldiers learn to work together as a single unit. Effective communication between individuals is necessary for a team to come together and beat the odds. Riding a horse is no different. To be successful, a rider must put aside their emotions and communicate clearly with their horse through the use of body language and voice commands. The ability to separate from personal problems while working with the horses is a big help to those who have experienced traumatic illness or injury.

Fall is here! The leaves are changing and the temperatures are cooling off. It’s hard to imagine that such a pretty time of year could possibly be harmful to our horses. However, fall leaves can pose a potentially deadly threat. The following are trees that are highly toxic to horses.