Hay, Vitamins, and Winter Needs for Horses

3:46 am
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Feeding horses in the winter: it can be a joyless activity for the humans in the barn, depending on where those humans live! Rising before the sun to tramp through the snow, wrestle open the barn doors, and coax water through the pipes is hardly anyone’s idea of fun, but we do it year after year, because we love our horses.
Horses are generally happy to eat no matter what the season, although their menus may change quite a bit between July and January. Even if work levels remain the same throughout the year, their dietary needs adjust as […]

Home Hoofcare Essentials

3:43 am
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No hoof, no horse. We all know the saying, and we all know how maddeningly true it is. You walk into the barn, midway through a great training week, and your horse greets you with a naked hoof where there ought to be a shoe. Or worse, a half-naked hoof, with a shoe hanging on by a few loose nails.

Every equestrian needs a home hoofcare kit, something that can help you sort out minor hoof problems until your farrier can visit your farm. Whether it’s pulling off a loose shoe, or smoothing down a rough clinch, you […]

Destress with Grooming

7:54 am
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To continue from my last post on grooming, www.equinefacilitydesign.com/equine-care/tips-winter-horse-grooming, are you looking for a way to de-stress in 2016? Go to the barn and get out your grooming kit.

Scientific studies have shown that humans enjoy reduced levels of cortisol — that’s the stress hormone — after spending time working with horses. Of course, if horses become your job, or your horse has done something to cause you stress (injury, breaking fences, destroying expensive blankets in the dead of winter), you’re probably not enjoying quite the same mental health benefits as […]

Three New Time-Saving Barn Tips

6:46 am
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Looking for a few ways to save time on barn chores and grooming? With the myriad of daily tasks barn life requires, every second counts. We’ve showcased a few tips before, and here are three new time-saving barn tips to streamline your equestrian life.

Cross-picking: Picking hooves daily is a must-do chore. Shave some time off your grooming by cross-picking. Usually any racehorses or ex-police horses in your barn will already know this trick. Just try picking up all four hooves from the left side, swinging the far hooves just a little […]

Equestrian Reins for Wet Weather

5:40 am
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Change up your reins! It’s hard to oversell how important your reins are. Whether you’re riding or driving, your reins are your direction connection to your horse’s oh-so-sensitive mouth. In a lot of ways, they’re also your first line of defense in emergency situations, when you need to stop or turn as soon as possible. When they’re wet, though, traditional leather reins can do anything but offer a quick, soft touch to a horse’s mouth.

So why are you still using those old laced reins that came with your bridle years ago […]

Simple Tips for Barn Security

9:51 am
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Keeping horses, facilities, and property safe from harm and theft is probably a paramount concern for most barn and horse owners. Highly publicized cases of horse theft with tragic outcomes have dominated social media in recent years, inspiring many horsemen to at least spring for a lock on the front gate. But is keeping your driveway secure doing enough for your entire property?

You may not be ready to install a full video surveillance system on your stable, but there are other options to make your farm more secure.

Bring In Your Halters: It’s a simple thing […]

Five Bucket List Adventures for Equestrians

8:47 am
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For many equestrians, we live in a day-in, day-out routine which is very satisfying. We take care of our horses, we maintain our property, we train our horses to be better partners and athletes. But every now and then, we want to shake up the routine and experience new adventures. Here are five bucket list adventures for equestrians looking for something big, bold, and new.

Go riding in the Big City: Cities were built by horses, and some cities still boast riding stables. In New York City, Chateau Stables (www.centralparkhorsebackrides.com) offers riding on Central Park’s […]

Choosing Saddle Pads

8:03 am
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In an ideal world, the only thing between your horse and your saddle would be a simple cotton cloth — the better to keep your saddle from getting too sweaty and dirty.
In the real world, no horse is built the same, and no saddle can fit every horse, which makes the vast universe of gel pads, half pads, therapeutic pads, keyhole pads, and every other sort of saddle pad imaginable such a profitable enterprise. It’s a rare tack room that isn’t stocked with at least a dozen different saddle pads. So what’s the best way to choose […]

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