How-To

Have you considered what you want to be doing with your horse in five years’ time? Or settled on your primary goals for the coming year? Or thought about the progress you want to make before your next riding lesson?

How to Care for Your New Foal

By Mark Andrews, DVM - You have waited eleven months for your foal to arrive. Now he is here what can you do to ensure he gets off to the best possible start in life? First thing's first. Make sure that the foal sucks. A normal foal should stand and drink from the mare within two hours. If the foal is having difficulty sucking, or is not interested, he may have serious problems. Call an experienced horse vet sooner rather than later.

Choosing horse Feed Supplements, Kentucky Equine Research, Dr. Peter Huntington, equine Protein deficiencies, equine supplements, horse minerals, equine electrolytes

For retired horses standing in the field all day, grass may supply all the nutrients needed for energy and tissue maintenance. If a horse does much more than this, however, it might need feed supplements to make up dietary deficiencies related to training, performance, or reproductive state.

environmentally friendly horse stable, composting horse barn

Everyone everywhere is finding ways to go green and for horse owners that includes the barn. After all, going green should mean going lean on the pocketbook no matter whether it’s an eco-home or a hayshed. Trendy or basic, the goal is the same: lower greenhouse gas emissions and benefit from cost savings.

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There may come a time in your riding career when you find yourself saying: Why do I put myself through this? Why do I show? It usually arises when you’re under considerable stress, or after a cycle of disappointment. It can happen for many reasons, and when it does, it’s time to put the joy back into competing with your horse.

Jonathan Field, natural horsemanship, Leg Shy Horse, claustrophobic horse, connect with shy horse, rope leading horse, get horse to direct steer, horse leading by his feet, horses working cows

Helping a horse that is fearful and claustrophobic around his legs to become confident and respectful for grooming, veterinary, and farrier work is a delicate process. If done wrong, the result can be a more fearful horse. Horses are flight animals and their legs provide the means for their primary survival tactic.

Choosing a Horse Trailer

By Kevan Garecki - If you’re in the market for a new (or new to you) horse trailer, there are a few very basic things to consider: How many horses will you be hauling at any one time? What size are they? How long is your average trip likely to be? What are the horses’ requirements for the trip? Will they need box stalls, or are standing stalls sufficient? What will you need to pack with you?

rescue horse, starving horse, malnourished horse, neglected horse, dr getty, juliet getty

When we can offer a safe, caring home to a severely neglected horse, everyone in the horse world cheers. If you have recently adopted a rescue horse, let me first commend you for your actions. Saving a horse that is in desperate need of care and nursing him back to health can be one of the most gratifying experiences a horse owner can have.

switching horse feed, transitioning horse feed, new horse hay, safely change horse hay, safely change horse feed

When transitioning your horse to new feedstuff – either to a new batch of hay, new pasture or new concentrates – you need to do so slowly to give bacteria in the horse’s digestive tract a chance to adapt to the new feed.Bacterial populations change according to what the horse is eating, and time is required for different bacterial species to colonize the horse’s digestive tract in this new environment. If there is not enough time for the population to adapt, it can cause digestive disturbances, which can lead to colic.

rushy lope, too fast in canter, raises head in canter, head up in canter, horse falls apart, jim greendyk

Q - In the lope my horse raises his head and rushes, but he’s fine in walk and trot. How can I encourage him to relax, lower his head and neck, and slow down? A - It is very common for things to “fall apart” as a horse picks up speed. There are numerous reasons for this and often it’s a combination of several factors.

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