How-To

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Start Rewiring Early - Habits are mental shortcuts created by our brain to reduce the need to make conscious decisions every moment of the day, which would require far too much time and processing power. By associating certain events and experiences with specific actions and responses, our brain can respond quickly and efficiently without our conscious “input.” For example, when a horse pins its ears and shifts its weight, we typically have moved out of harm’s way before we have had time to think about what we are doing.

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Whether you run a large horse business or a small private barn, finding good employees to help with the daily duties of horse care, training, and lessons is usually a difficult task. Some horse owners freely admit that their “horse resources” acumen is better than their “human resources” insight. In reality, good management of both takes similar talent and is easier to achieve than you might think. Here are some tips to help you along the way.

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While it might often be spoken about in artistic, aesthetic, or even philosophical ways, lightness — both of movement and also of communication with horses — is more than an abstract ideal. In many ways, it measures a horse’s current physiological capabilities.

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With exercise, the body temperature rises. This heat must be dissipated, or the horse will literally “cook”! The body cools itself through the evaporation of sweat, so sweating is especially important for the exercising horse. The sweat contains water and electrolytes, or salts. The main electrolytes are sodium, chloride, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. When the body loses water and electrolytes, various functions are compromised, and the health of the horse can be at risk. To ensure that your horse remains healthy, learn to effectively replace both the water and electrolytes — and the electrolytes must be replaced in balance with what has been lost.

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Last summer, I observed a rider in the warm-up ring at Thunderbird Show Park in Vancouver, BC, who seemed to be struggling. Her horse was tense and unfocused, despite her best attempts to establish a connection. The horse appeared distracted, and when they approached a practice jump, it refused. The rider fought to maintain her composure, but her frustration and tension were clearly visible. Although she cleared a few jumps at the trot, once they began cantering, the horse rushed the jumps and nearly bolted after landing. After a few attempts, she pulled up to the corner of the arena, her face showing the emotional toll of the situation.

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Preparation is the key to success in every sport. One of the best ways to prepare to jump your course at a horse show is by walking it first.

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Define your goals to develop a training plan - While hill training is widely accepted as important for building strength, its actual benefits rely on answering the question: What is the goal for this individual horse?

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Rotational grazing can help you take better care of your pastures and provide more feed for your horses.

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Spending all day with your horse, visiting with friends, and riding a variety of trails pretty much describes horse camping, so it’s no surprise that many riders consider horse camping to be the ultimate adventure. Although performance riders often haul to a different facility for a clinic or competition, put their horse in a stall, and camp out in their rig, trail rider-style horse camping is a bit different.

6 Ways to Up Your Social Media Game

By Tania Millen, BSc, MJ

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