Five Winter Horse Care and Riding Tips

9:25 am
|
0 Comments
|

Snowflakes are already flying around the country! It’s hard to believe, but winter is going to be here sooner rather than later. We’ve compiled some of our favorite winter horse care and riding tips, to help you have a warm, happy winter at the barn.

Warm Hands, Warm Heart: You want to maintain a soft feel with your horse’s mouth, but you also want to keep your fingers frostbite-free. Riding gloves are nice, but after a little while out in the freezing cold, even insulated gloves can let the cold in. Keep your fingers […]

Horse Adoption 101

12:30 pm
|
0 Comments
|

Thinking of adding on to your equine family? Adopting a horse can be a wonderful opportunity to give a rescue or foster horse a much-needed permanent home. Whether you’re looking for a youngster to bring up through the levels as a show horse, or an older horse to serve as a companion or just mow the grass for you, there is probably an adoptable horse out there who meets your needs and then some.

There are so many equine rescues and rehoming organizations, in fact, that prospective adopters would do well to take a step back and investigate […]

Winter Feeding Tips

6:13 am
|
0 Comments
|

The winter season can make serious changes to the way your horse lives and exercises. This, in turn, changes your horse’s nutritional requirements. From the type of feed you’re providing, to the nutrients found within, let’s take a look at winter feeding for horses.

Less Exercise. The horse who is used to daily workouts or spending most of his time outside might suddenly find himself stalled for days on end during bad weather. Many horsemen will automatically cut back on grain. After all, the stalled horse doesn’t need the same energy level provided by […]

Does My Horse Need a Winter Blanket?

3:06 am
|
1 Comment
|

Here comes winter! Well, it’s starting to feel like fall in many parts of the country, and that means shaggy horses. If you’re clipping winter coats, you’re probably starting to go through your blanket inventory. If you’re leaving your horses fuzzy this winter, you might be wondering if your horse needs a winter blanket.

Well, he might not need a winter wardrobe at all. A healthy horse with a winter coat, a good diet with plenty of calories, and a windbreak with shelter probably doesn’t need a blanket until the cold gets extreme — as low […]

5 Horse Toys for Your Bored Horse

8:22 pm
|
0 Comments
|

Is your horse stall-bound? Or does he get turned out alone, and spend his days walking the fence, whinnying, and generally being a pain? Some horses need more entertainment than a pile of hay or a swath of green grass. Luckily, modern horses can alleviate their boredom with horse toys. Here are five horse toys to liven up your bored horse’s life!

The Jolly Ball. It’s been around for decades, and the Jolly Ball (www.horsemenspride.com/products/) is still making a certain segment of the equine population (mainly the mouthy boys) very jolly indeed […]

Grooming 101: Keeping Your Horse’s Tail Beautiful

5:55 pm
|
0 Comments
|

Is your horse’s tail less than perfect? Most of us dream of a perfect unicorn with flowing forelock, mane, and tail, but life is usually less than perfect. Our fantasy unicorns never roll in mud and always disdain cockleburrs, but our real-life horses generally prefer dirt and mess to anything else.

There’s no magic potion to make your horse’s tail unicorn-quality overnight, but careful management in everything from grooming to feeding can help your horse develop a tail you’ll be happy to daydream about.

Daily Grooming: Daily maintenance is key to a […]

Light Coats: Do’s and Don’ts for Keeping Horses Show-Ready Under Lights

8:07 pm
|
24 Comments
|

The fuzzy days of fall are upon us, when horses lose their show-ring sheen and begin to puff into mastodon models. If you’re showing this winter, or just plain don’t want to deal with all that hair, you might be tempted to leave the barn lights on late. Horses do grow their winter coats based upon the shortening of winter days, not the crisp chill in the air, but take a minute to review these do’s and don’ts of keeping your horse under lights. It would be a shame to pay that extra-large electric […]

Emergency Preparedness for Horse Owners

11:55 pm
|
0 Comments
|

Emergencies, whether caused by a storm, wildfire, or other event out of our hands, are not the time to start making plans and buying supplies. It’s important to be prepared for an emergency, a time when your farm might be without electricity, running water, or accessible roads, before trouble strikes. Here are some emergency preparedness tips for horse owners to consider.

Keep feed, hay, and medications well-stocked. The Humane Society of the United States recommends keeping several days’ worth of feed and necessary medications on-hand. Should your farm suddenly be cut off from easy access […]