Making Time for Downtime

12:08 am
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You know what they say — there’s no time for downtime with horses!

Whether they’re stalled or turned-out, horses are an endless source of chores.

The most dedicated horseman or horsewoman in the world isn’t immune to burn-out. The daily grind of morning feeding, stall cleaning, riding and training, and then doing it all over again in the evening can really wear a person down! That’s why it’s important to make some time for yourself.

Decompressing from your equestrian business might be as simple as having a hobby — one that isn’t […]

Where to Ride Your Horse on the Beach

12:01 am
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It’s almost March, and you know what that means… it’s almost summer!

But you don’t go anywhere without your horse, right? That shouldn’t keep you away from the beach! Here are three great beaches where you can splash in the surf… on horseback.

Florida: Granted, the Gulf Stream-warmed Atlantic Ocean is usually nice enough for year-round dips. So you don’t have to save this one for summer — go as soon as your classes at WEF let up. St. Lucie County, just up the interstate from Wellington, offers riding permits […]

WEG and Horse-ball

11:01 pm
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Get ready for equestrian excitement!

The 2014 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG) http://www.fei.org/fei/events/fei-weg  aren’t until August, but it’s time to plan the ultimate equestrian vacation now. That’s because tickets are already on sale — and 220,000 more tickets go on sale next month. That means more than half the passes available to WEG’s Normandy event will already be available by the beginning of March.

The 2014 WEG events include show jumping, dressage, eventing, driving, endurance, vaulting, reining, para-dressage, polo, and horse-ball. Wait… horse-ball […]

Being a Foster Parent

5:46 pm
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When watching friends foster pets in the past, be it horses, dogs or cats, I always knew that was one thing I would NEVER do.

I couldn’t understand how you could have an animal you have cared for, be taken from you.  My pets have a home for life with me; I couldn’t imagine having to give them away.

Well, just like Sean Connery learned when accepting the role to reprise his James Bond character in ‘Never Say Never Again‘, I can no longer, ever, say never.  Devon and Bubba both came into my life a […]

Three Inspirational Reads for Equestrians

7:03 pm
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Polar vortex got you down? You’re not alone.

And now with snow forecast this week as far south as Florida (yes, Florida!) the frozen precipitation is definitely dipping below the indoor arena belt. If your arena is frozen and your horse is buried under four blankets, what’s a good horseman to do? The answer is not to binge-watch Netflix and hope for spring to come, I’m afraid. It’s time to study — and gear up for a great warm season. Here are three inspirational reads to get you through the ice and snow.

Finding the Perfect Paddock Fencing

11:54 pm
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Mission: Impossible?

If you have read my blog on finding the perfect horse fencing, https://equinefacilitydesign.com/2012/07, you’ll remember that I successfully found the perfect perimeter/pasture fencing as part of my overall horse farm plan for my facility.

While I am exceptionally happy with it for my pastures, I wanted something different for my paddocks.   So my next fencing dilemma was to search for the perfect paddock fence.  And like Don Quixote’s ongoing quest of tilting at windmills, I once again began my search; would I find a solution?  Poor Don only had […]

Rescue Horses

8:55 pm
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“Why would anyone buy a horse,” you often hear, “When there are so many for free?”

It’s true, free and almost-free horses abound in our economy, and anyone with a Facebook account and a couple of horsey friends is probably inundated with a dozen requests a day to volunteer, donate, adopt, foster, or at the very least share the image of a horse in need. And articles about adopted horses and auction “finds” who are transformed into show-ring stars are becoming cover material for major equestrian magazines. In the face of all this peer pressure […]

Foal Proofing the Farm

Baby-Proofing the Barn

It’s January, and 2014 foals are coming any day now. (Unless you already have a 2014 foal, in which case, wow — that’s some impressive timing!) Are you ready for your four-legged bundle of joy? Make sure you’ve done your baby-proofing. With a human baby, you get a few months in which to remember to buy those foam strips and put covers on the electric outlets. But foals begin a path of banging, bumping, and general destruction within hours of birth — so the time to check out your barn and […]

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