Horse Articles - Everything You Need to Know About Horses - HorseRides.Org

Taking Care of Your Horses Hooves

Hooves can tolerate brief exposure to the full range of moisture levels in footing, but prolonged periods spent in extremely dry conditions take a toil on hoof health, particularly if hydration is already an issue.

Tips on how to access your horse’s hooves on the wet to dry scale

TOO WET:

Hooves can become too plastic to support the horse’s weight without deforming. When the wet hoof spreads, the heels appear farther apart than normal, and the capsule becomes prone to flakes, cracks and bruises. The frog and sole of an overly wet hoof give easily to thumb pressure, feeling almost mushy. The periople, the waxy covering over the hoof, grows dull looking and waterlogged.

Firming up the footing in the horse’s environment is the necessary cure. This might involve more frequent or more thorough stable cleaning or upgrading the paddock or run in shed footing with better drainage and a layer of gravel. After a week away from chronically wet conditions, many soggy hooves begin to show improvement.

TOO DRY:

Hooves become brittle and stiff and tend to contract, which can lead to unsoundness. Look at the heels, which are closer together in contracted feet. The frog is nearly or equally as hard as the surrounding sole. The wall and sole of a dry hoof are very hard, making trimming difficult.

Rehydrating hooves needs to be done carefully. Sporadic wetting leads to dry/wet contraction and expansion cycle that can aggravate the problems. A better solution is special soaking boots that can be saturated or filled with water or hoof moisturiser and left on for prolonged periods. Talk to your farrier about the most appropriate treatment for your horse. Once the foot is replenished, lock in the moisture with a hoof sealer.

JUST RIGHT:

Hooves have a slightly shiny appearance, and the heels have a slight amount of give. Grasp the heels between your hands and press them together to check for slight springness. The frog of a moisture balanced hoof is no harder than the sole and yields to firm pressure with a hoof pick. Most well managed horses maintain the proper moisture levels in their hooves without any additional measures, but if you’re unsure of your horse’s hoof condition, ask your farrier or veterinarian for advice.

Posted in Horse Articles, Horse Health, Uncategorized | No Comments »

My Horse Eats Bark From Trees ?

Identifying why a horse chews bark is difficult, as there could be many reasons. Chewing bark is natural behaviour in that, in their natural environment, horses will browse surrounding vegetation. However, if your horse is stripping the trees bare, it could be due to boredom or frustration, particularly if there isn’t much grass. Your horse may have acquired a taste for the bark, or it may be that he is trying to remedy a deficiency. Ensuring your horse’s diet is balanced is the first step to eliminating a possible mineral deficiency.

Feed the recommended level of feed suitable for your horse’s workload. If boredom is an issue, put a lick in the paddock to provide an alternative source of vitamins and minerals, plus mental stimulation.

Posted in Horse Articles, Horse Health, Horse Tips | No Comments »

How Can You Tell If Your Horse Is Bored?

When left to their own devices in the wild, horses spend almost all their time eating and foraging for food. Life for the stabled horses is very different, he has to rely on us to serve up his daily rations.

The hay and feed we conveniently provide meets nutritional needs far quicker than nibbling at grass ever could, but it is also eaten up more quickly. If a horse can’t be out in the paddock, it leaves the problem of how to occupy his time. Horses react to stable confinement in different ways. Some seem to cope, others show more signs of stress and boredom. When you are used to seeing your horse every day, it isn’t always easy to pick up on gradual behaviour changes. All too often we label horses as grumpy or highly strung just because they have always been like that, without stopping to think of the reasons. Nervous, uptight, grumpy, depressed or aggressive behaviours are a tell tale sign that your horse is finding his environment stressful.

Improve Your Horse’s Stable

There is plenty you can do to make a stable more horse friendly. For a start it’s amazing what a difference a fresh paint can do to make a stable look bright and welcoming.

Horses shouldn’t be tucked away in dark and dingy corners dripping with cobwebs and full of dust.

Horses are prey animals and so are very aware of what is going on around them. They appreciate being able to see what’s happening. If your horse is going to be kept inside he needs to have something to look at. Having a window or a door with a view of other horses provides visual stimulation.  If you have the option, lower the stable walls so your horse can see, touch and smell his friends.

One of the best things you can do for a stabled horse is to give him some extra space, even if it’s just a small area outside his door. If circumstances allow, you can do this very simply by tapping off an area with electric fencing. This will enable you to double the space your horse has to move around and explore. He can also choose to be inside or outside which adds a bit more variation to his day.

All horses have a psychological need to chew. If they don’t feel this is being satisfied they often start chewing things they shouldn’t. Because of this need it is very important to provide a high fibre diet. Horses stomachs are small and they need to have food little and often. If you horse is going to be inside it is vital for his well being that he has access to plenty of hay.

How To Keep Your Horse Occupied Inside While Your Away All Day

Horses are often happier outside even in bad weather. If they can be fed and rugged according to the weather, be given access to shelter all year round and are protected from flies in summer they are usually better off going out.

If your horse has to be kept in try to find a way of giving him access to some outside space, even if it’s just in the yard. It is important that stabled horses don’t go for hours on end without food. Ideally you need to arrange for your horse to get hay regularly throughout the day or give him enough hay to pick at all day.

If you horse hoovers up his hay like there’s no tomorrow, try putting it in double, or even triple haynets. This makes the holes tiny so he has to work a bit harder for his food.

Toys and licks are another good way to keep horses occupied, although some horses are more interested in these than others. Items such as old buckets, traffic cones and tyres can be good to play with as long as they have no sharp components. Feed toys are an excellent way to meet the horse’s need to search for his food. You could try hiding carrots in your horse’s bed when he is not looking too !

How To Keep Your Stable Healthy

Stables pose another danger to horses in the form of dust. Respiratory diseases are on the increase so it’s important you do all you can to make your stable a healthy place. Good ventilation is vital. Stables must have a good supply of fresh air flowing through them via windows, doors and roof ventilation. If you are worried about draughts you can always protect your horse with a rug. This is better for him than breathing hot, stuffy air. Always try to keep duct in the stable to a minimum.

• Groom your horse outside his stable
• Always give him good quality hay
• Do not use dusty bedding
• Give any dust in new bedding time to settle before you let your horse in
• Rubber matting is an excellent way to insulate your stable and means you use less bedding, so there is less dust
• Use stable disinfectants regularly to keep germs and stale smells away

What To Look For In a New Stable

Whether you are building your own stables or selecting an agistment place, your choice of stable will have a big effect on your horse’s life.

There are lots of things to consider when designing stables and there are plenty of reference books giving advice on traditional construction, materials, fittings, ventilation, dimensions etc. Much of stable design is common sense, but there are a few points worth considering that aren’t always mentioned.

• Size matters when it comes to stables so the bigger, the better. A minimum of 12×14 ft is normally recommended for horses but the more space your horse has to move about the happier he will be
• Choose a stable that is spacious rather than enclosed. Features such as extra windows, good views and low walls make the stable more interesting and less oppressive
• Don’t be taken by appearances. Some stable blocks may look smart, but they are not always the best choice for your horse

Posted in Horse Articles, Horse Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments »

First Aid Kit For Horses

Regular checks of your first aid kit will ensure that you have the right resources on hand in an emergency

Chances are you have a box or cabinet in your tack room that contains ointments, bandages and other supplies to help you care for your horse’s minor scrapes and bumps. However, after time, improper storage or frequent use without replenishment can render your carefully assembled first-aid kit less effective or even useless.

To keep that from happening, set aside an hour to assess and overhaul your kit, perhaps allotting additional time to buy replacement items. Make this process a twice a year ritual, with periodic spot checks during particularly accident filled years, and you can be assured that you’ll be ready to soothe your horse’s hard knocks. Between reorganisations, and after every use, make sure that supplies are replaced as needed.

Check expirations dates

To avoid using products that have lost their effectiveness or become hazardous, throw away items that have expired. If a product will expire in the next six months, use it soon or give it to someone who can.

Look for physical changes

Examine every item and discard those that have deteriorated. Signs to look for include changes in colour, clear liquids that have became cloudy and ointments that have separated. Check containers for leakage, and make sure your gauze squares and wraps are clean.

Check your storage conditions

Scan labels and package inserts for storage directions and make sure they’ve been followed. For instance, items labeled ‘keep at room temperature’ can be seriously altered if stored in a hot car boot or a freezing tack box. If you’re unsure of how an item has been stored, especially if it will soon reach its expiration date, be on the safe side and throw it away.

Properly dispose of all old needles

There’s no reason to keep used hypodermic needles, reusing them can pass infection from horse to horse. Legally, however, you may not dispose of needles in the regular trash. Instead, find a metal container with a tight lid, label it ’sharps’ and place your used needles in it. Store it in a place where it wont be tipped over or tempt curious children and animals. When you’re ready to dispose of the needles, give the container to your veterinarian who will be able to dispose of the contents properly.

Test your thermometer

If you have a mercury thermometer, examine it carefully, looking for any gaps in the mercury. Then shake it and place it under your armpit for two minutes and check the temperature reading. If the thermometer is not working, do not throw it in the bin. Mercury is highly toxic and requires special handling, call your state environmental agency and ask what programs are in place for mercury thermometer disposal. If your thermometer is digital, make sure the batteries are fresh and the device is on working order. If not it can be discarded with the household rubbish.

Make a shopping list

Once you’ve checked your first aid kit for outdated medications and contaminated materials, spend the remainder of the hour drawing up a list of items to be replaced. The standard items in any first aid kit are:

• thermometer
• antiseptic (either spray, ointment or liquid)
• an inexpensive adult stethoscope
• saline solution
• gauze squares and padding wrap
• self adhesive bandages or other wrapping materials
• eyewash
• scissors
• clean towel or three
• disposable latex gloves
• hand wipes for cleaning yourself before tending to a wound or eye

When your first-aid is restocked, post a list of contents inside the lid of the box or cabinet door to help you more easily keep track of your replacement needs !

Posted in Horse Articles, Horse Health, Uncategorized | No Comments »

Horses Have a Good memory

Horses usually are considered to have memories second only to elephants.

In the wild, if an attack came at a certain place, the herd avoided that spot in the future. This caution is still practiced by wild horses.

If it were not for the horse’s good memory, it would be considerably less useful to people. A well trained young horse never forgets it’s training. Neither does the poorly trained one. For this reason habits should be recognized and corrected before they become fixed.

Horses have not been outstanding on limited intelligence tests, although they do very complex things routinely when trained.

You may have known an old horse that was considered highly intelligent because it could open most gates and doors. Idle horses tend to seek activity, some of which may involve gate latches. Once they succeed, their good memory keeps them trying to open doors. When they get the feed bin open, they remember only the joy of eating. !

They can’t associate overeating with the ensuring tummyache from colic or loss of hooves from founder.

Posted in Horse Articles, Interesting Horse Facts | No Comments »

Sensitive Areas of Horses

Sensitive Areas of Horses

Nerve endings in people are more abundant in the mouth, feet and hands. Spots of most sensitivity in horses seem to be in the mouth, feet, flanks, neck and shoulders. The mouth is sensitive to pain rather than light pressure. Bitting should be done with care and reins handled with light hands, or else sensitivity in the mouth is lost and a hard mouth is the result.

Some horses are so sensitive to contact in the flank that they promptly buck when heels are applied there.

Application of the whip requires great reserve and good judgment if the learning situation is to be constructive for the horse. Using the whip on the shoulders of a running horse will tighten the shoulder muscles and shorten its stride. Application near the flank or directly along the ribs may cause a move sideways. Many horses HUMP UP and consequently slow down under heavy use of the whip when they are running.

probably the most pain horses have to bear is from ill-fitting saddles. There are about as many shapes of saddle trees as of shoes, and like feet, the backs of all horses are not the same. We can’t have a saddle for each horse or one for different conditions in which it is used, but most of us can do a better job than we do of fitting saddles to horses.

Horses vary greatly in skin sensitivity. They love to be groomed and have their backs scratched. Selecting mild grooming equipment is necessary for some thin-skinned horses. Currycombs and shedding blades should have fine teeth.

Saddling is a bruising experience for some horses, whereas others seem immune to any feeling when a saddle is thrown on them. If your horse humps up and tries to avoid the saddle, see if it is being hit by flapping cinches and stirrups. Turn these items back over the seat and place the saddle on gently, with both hands.

Communication of rider to horse is accomplished through voice, hands, and legs, in this order of importance. Voice cues for starting and stopping are easily understood by the horse. Rein cues are more complex for both rider and horse, and signify a more complicated maneuvers than simple starts and stops. Leg cues are needed for most complex responses, such as rollbacks. Because of the sensitivity of a horse’s skin, it can react to light pressure of the leg.

Horses are equally sensitive to insecurity or confidence in their riders, and respond accordingly. If the rider lacks assurance, the horse will feel insecure and perform below its capability.

The horse is a srtong, sensitive creature, capable of great speed and quick reactions. It has great ability to adapt to unfamiliar situations. This is why we love horses.

Many of the things we ask them to do are strange to their nature, so try to understand their reaction to these new situations.

Posted in Horse Articles, Horse Riding Tips, Horse Tips | No Comments »