Posted by Guest Blogger on Tue, Aug 10, 2010 @ 11:40 AM
From Northwest Horse Source, April 29, 2010.
A new emergency service is being launched for people travelling with their horses. Free to join, this is a network of equestrian people who are prepared to "come to the rescue" for other members stranded with their horses.
Vice-versa, equestrian people can now access a network of people to call on for assistance when they are out and about with their horses and run into trouble.
Free membership is easy - simply complete the registration form online. Each month, an updated contact list of other participants will be distributed to members.
The website is www.emergencyequineassistance.com
After a "rescue", members can rate their rescue experience and provide feedback.
For more information, visit the website or contact Maryanne Fraser at emergencyequine@gmail.com
Posted by Kelly Bridges on Mon, Jul 19, 2010 @ 02:58 PM
Keeping your horses on your own property (at “home”) can be very rewarding and can save money over boarding costs. Just make sure that everything is suitable for the horse, their safety and well-being should be first on your list of considerations. This is part of being a responsible horse owner.
There are three basic choices for horse keeping areas: Paddock, Pasture, Barn
A Paddock is defined as a small outside shelter with a small grassy area or maybe no grass at all (just concrete or dirt). This is fine for short periods of time but, horses require daily exercise and can’t get much of that in a small, confined area. Horses need to stretch their legs by being ridden daily or doing arena work (walking). Fresh air is good for them and sights and sounds are stimulating to horses and helps their health and well-being. An exercise area of at least 1/8 acre is the minimum size for a paddock .
The Pasture is typically a fenced in area with high quality grass and room to run. You can create a nice pasture with a little patience, hard work and research (check with your local Ag. Dept. for detailed information on creating a healthy pasture). Pastured horses have better options; they can move around more and ultimately are known to have less leg problems, less colic and better overall health and behavior. For pasture areas, allow at least once acre per horse for the best environment.
Of course there is also the Horse Barn, which can be pre-fab or custom built with stalls and hay storage. Horses stay cleaner in stalls, they don’t get as dusty or muddy and other horses can’t injure them. However, it is not healthy for horses to be inside 24/7 – they get bored and can develop bad habits (like cribbing), and respiratory problems (more often due to lack of ventilation). For horses to be in the best of health, they must get enough exercise – at least 30 minutes per day either walking or riding.
So, the choice is yours: paddock or pasture or barn or any combination of the above – simply bring your horses’ home and enjoy them!
Posted by Kelly Bridges on Wed, Jun 16, 2010 @ 11:59 AM
Finally, a lawsuit has been filed regarding the deaths of these horses, the 21 Polo Ponies that died due to fatal vitamin injections. See this article for the details:
Polo Ponies Lawsuit Filed
Posted by Kelly Bridges on Thu, Mar 04, 2010 @ 04:12 PM
Part 3: Hoof Care / Blanketing / Bathing
Your horse's hooves and their care are especially important in the winter due to the unavoidable slippery conditions. If you ride in the winter, be sure to pull horses shoes and trim regularly, long toes are clumsy and can make for an uncomfortable ride. Using a non-stick spray (like you would use for cooking) on the hooves top and bottom helps to prevent snow from sticking and makes it easier to walk.
If possible let your horse's coat grow out, don't clip. Horses are designed to be "in the outdoors" with no problems. They do best with the natural protection of their coat. A horse's winter hair coat is more insulating than most blankets - but not if it's wet. A wet horse can lead to hypothermia so, if your horses get wet outside take a few minutes and attend to them. Towel dry - remember legs and dry against hair grain to really get all the moisture that is by the skin. Then curry, quickly - then cover with a blanket - wool is good to absorb moisture and provide warmth. Take off after about an hour and they will be ready to do it all over again! Horses also can't stay as warm if they are dirty or muddy, their coat can "fluff" to keep them as warm. If they are muddy you can brush through the mud so hair can "fluff" and insulate more efficiently. Just because we are cold, doesn't mean our horses are.
If you must blanket your horse, there are a few points to consider. Blankets should cover horses neck as well as their body, just like humans they want to be "warm all over". A good rule is to blanket senior and unhealthy horses since they don't have the ability to handle the cold as well as younger, more fit horses. Stalled horses might need blankets due to inactivity. Also, if you clip you should blanket. Use a medium weight with fleece under for above freezing temperatures and add a cover for below freezing. Cotton is too cool and will not warm your horse or keep them warm, especially if they are clipped. Remove blankets during the day - brush and check for irritation from blanket and make any necessary adjustments.
Well, that's all for this three part series. I hope it was helpful as well as entertaining.
Check back often for more article, tips, tricks and ideas.
Posted by Kelly Bridges on Mon, Feb 22, 2010 @ 12:18 PM
Part 2: Feeding & Watering
Before the cold weather really sets in, you should make sure to get your horse a dental checkup - horses need to chew well to get all the nutrients out of their food especially in the winter. Eating and digesting is part of what keeps horses warm in winter, especially if they are outside. Food is energy and energy creates warmth so keep hay available 24/7 to help your horses maintain their warmth from digesting. If your horses are in stalls rather than outside and you choose to use hay nets, be sure to keep them low so that the hay dust isn't a problem for your horse's respiratory system.
Remember, winter coats can hide ribs so keep an eye on your horses - increase feed immediately if you start to see weight loss - increase hay portion not grain - timothy hay, orchard grass and long stem hay are great for keeping the gut working, generating heat and keeping weight on. It is much harder for horses to gain weight in winter so, try to maintain their weight with an abundance of hay all season. Also, keep an eye on pasture mates as some can get possessive of their food and won't let others eat - make sure that each horse has their fair share of the available food.
Keep water always available in stalls and in the pasture. When horses don't or can't drink enough, they can have problems with impaction colic and other concerns. To help with keeping outside water troughs from freezing, put a large ball in it (like a soccer ball or basket ball). This will help to easily break up any thin layer of ice that might build up when the horse pushes the ball to get a drink. Experience shows that rubber water troughs are tough and won't crack easily like inexpensive plastic ones so you can easily break up frozen water and refill. Be careful of frozen water buckets in stalls, check them often and refill with fresh water as needed. If your horse isn't consuming enough water, to help work the hay they have eaten, put a salt block out where they can easily access it and this will help keep up their water consumption.
Part 3 will cover Hoof Care / Blanketing / Bathing so be sure to check back.
Posted by Guest Blogger on Tue, Feb 09, 2010 @ 02:13 PM
Part 1: Pasture and Shelter
Pasture time for your horse is important all season long even when it's snowy and cold. We might not like the cold but, horses are wild animals and they don't mind being outside. Horses thrive best in temperatures ranging from 14 degrees to 77 degrees. They will also huddle together for warmth if necessary.
Watch out for glazed over paddock and icy patches by the pasture shelter and frozen water buckets. For ice patches, put something with some "grit" on it to make it easier for walking and try spreading some alfalfa meat on ice to help melt it. Dirt, fireplace ashes or burn pit ashes work great for some extra traction. Keep water always accessible, breaking up frozen tops on water buckets or troughs can be done in just a few minutes, sometimes a ball in the water can help keep the top from freezing.
A shelter or run in shed works great in the pasture or paddock to protect horses from wind, snow and rain. This shelter should have clean bedding and water. Dry hay should also be provided in the shelter even if there is hay in the pasture. Remember to keep an eye on your horses - some will try to "dominate" the shelter and deny access to other horses. You need to make sure everyone has access to shelter, food and water.
A shelter is ok for most days but in severe weather conditions, a closed barn is better for protection of your horses. If you choose to "stall" your horse there are a few things to keep in mind. Your barn shouldn't be much warmer than the outside air temperature that your horses will be turned out in. Don't totally seal your barn, air flow is good for horses (and humans working in the barn too). Make sure your barn has good ventilation but no cold drafts so as not to cause respiratory problems in your horses.. Make sure to have clean shavings/bedding in stalls daily along with clean water and hay. If horses must be in stalls, provide entertainment for them like a jolly ball or horse pac-a-fier toy. Let horses out every day if weather permits.
Part 2 will cover feeding & watering so be sure to check back.