Horse, Meet Vacuum – Vacuum Meet Horse

8:47 pm

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We all have the muscles to prove that we’re horsepeople.

Biceps are part of the job description, whether we’re mucking stalls, stacking hay, or just grooming our horses. But every now and then, even the most stalwart horseman can get faced with a horse so indescribably a dirt-ball, not even our own considerable elbow grease is up to the challenge.

In warm weather, high pressure from a hose might do the trick to remove those layers of grime. But if you don’t have time for a bath, or if the temperature has dropped past […]

Fashion-Forward Fillies: Three Equestrian Designers Taking Country To Town

8:44 pm

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Guest Author, Misc.

It’s that time of year again! I’m talking about boot season, when every department store heaps their shoe displays with odd (to our eyes) takes on riding boots.

This year Macy’s looks like it has been devoted to bring back the hunt top as a show-ring statement — except that none of us would dare put one of those fashion-only boots in a stirrup.

As equestrians, we’re always looking for something beautiful and authentic to display our traditional sensibilities, in and out of the saddle. You already have the boots, of course. So […]

Warm Horse, Happy Horse: Three Strategies For Keeping Your Horse Comfortable All Winter Long

8:38 pm

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Equine Care

Whether you live in the balmy south or the shivery north, winter will arrive on your doorstep sooner or later.

Horses stay warm very naturally on their own: their coats turn fluffy on the coldest, windiest days because they quite literally turn their hair up to block the chill. When the hair follicles stand on end, a warm jacket of insulating air is kept close to the skin. It’s kind of like goose bumps in humans, except that getting goosebumps, for us, just tells us to find our jackets.

But what if your horse doesn’t have […]

American Towns Built Around Horses

8:34 pm

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Misc.

Horsetown USA: Three American Cities With Horses in Their DNA

No matter what your discipline is, chances are you can strike up a conversation with any horseman. We might have different saddles and ideas about the length of a horse’s mane, but we’ve got similar passions when you come right down to it, and similar needs, too, like green-space preservation, or access to a variety of feed and farm suppliers.

In some spots, the benefits of horsemen sharing their needs has resulted in some pretty special places. They’ve got beaches and mountains, corrals and […]

Are Your Blankets Ready For Winter?

8:30 pm

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Equine Care

All across the country, horse owners are wrinkling up their noses, putting on their brave faces, and pulling out their horse blankets from storage.

Whether you fold them neatly into tack trunks (and if you do, we commend you!) or stuff them into trash bags and knot them up, hoping for the best, that fateful moment when you realize you actually have to get those blankets out is always fraught with nervousness: what if they smell, what if there were moths, what if there’s a spider?

Once you’ve brushed the dust off your face and stopped […]

Horse Camping Basics

7:37 pm

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Misc.

Ah, fresh air! The breeze in the pine trees!

A trail winding through the hills, to the perfect campsite, a place to pitch your tent beside a babbling stream. You’ll go fishing, and in a cast-iron skillet over a Boy Scout quality campfire, cook your fresh-caught dinner with simple satisfaction. After you make up your horse’s pen, of course.

What, you’d go camping and not take your horse? That’s just mean. Your horse wants to go visit new and wild locations, too. He’s not the only one who could use a […]

Four Amenities Your Private Barn Needs

4:34 pm

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Facility Planning & Design

Simple is best, right? Just you, your horses, a space to ride and a space to turn-out… what else could a happy horseman want?

Not so fast. For one thing, private barns have a way of becoming semi-private barns fairly easily. Oh, your friend Denise needs a place for her horse to stay during the equestrian festival! What? Your coworker can’t afford the board at her dressage barn anymore? Come on over, we have a spare stall!

And even if you manage to maintain your privacy, sometimes the walk (or golf-cart-ride) between the […]

TEA-CHER, T.E.A.C.H.E.R., TEA-CHER

3:37 pm

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Guest Author Farmgirl, Misc.

“No one can teach riding as well as a horse.” CS Lewis

It’s time to tell Treasure’s story. If you read my blog entitled Analogies and the Wizard of Oz, (https://equinefacilitydesign.com/blog/post/Analogies-and-The-Wizard-of-Oz.aspx), I allude to Helen Keller when describing Treasure:

Treasure, what can I say about Treasure? The horse of every little girls dream – golden palomino, flaxen mane and tail, the color of straw. Yep, Treasure was my Scarecrow, a gorgeous animal and the smallest horse in the barn with the biggest […]