Oh, not the coughing and sneezing kind. More like the delirious “I’ve got to get my hay in” kind of feverish rant that always hits me right around June 1, like winter is coming imminently and I need to store up for a long, hard one.
It is an interesting phenomenon how close I feel to farming this time of year. I am not a farmer. Oh, I have a few acres I refer to as my farm. But I have no delusions that I am one. Regardless, I […]
Although boarding at a stable is a convenience some can’t imagine living without, there’s definitely something about keeping one’s horse at home that keeps people gazing at real estate ads or imagining just how their little acreage could be turned into farm of their own.
But keeping horses at home is a big step. Here are three things to consider before you decide to fire your barn manager and bring the horses home.
1 […]
Such was the case recently when I was introduced to Chuck Baker of Eco-Terr Distributing Inc. who has created the Thunder-Groom arena groomer, a beautiful piece of design and innovation engineered to take arena grooming into the 21st century.
I already have an arena grooming device that I call a harrow, and that […]
Congratulations! Riding is a skill that your child will keep forever. Like riding a bike, riding a horse is something you just don’t forget how to do.
Choosing a riding instructor for your child isn’t always simple. It’s important to find a safe lesson program where education and horsemanship are always at the forefront. Blue ribbons are nice, but without a safety-first, horse-first mentality, your child won’t learn the fundamentals that will make him or her a true equestrian. Fortunately, even if you […]
Government agencies advocate having an emergency plan in place for your family, but if you own horses, you know: you have family members that you can’t just bundle into the backseat if a natural disaster is looming.
No matter where you and your horses live, there is the potential for a disaster that could force evacuation or the possibility of living without supplies or electricity for a period of time. Whether it’s a hurricane, a flood, a tornado, or a wildfire, it pays […]
Saddles, bridles, and all the other bits of leather that we use on our horses can cost a fortune. Luckily, with proper care and storage, tack can last, if not forever, a very, very long time.
Climate control: Leather is just like you: it hates humidity. Saddles in humid, sub-tropical climates like the Southeast are always at risk for mold and mildew. You know that wonderful scent of leather that comes wafting out of a clean tack room? The odor of […]
By Nancy Shulins, 258 pages, 2012 Da Capo Press
The author, an accomplished correspondent for the Associated Press, fills an unfulfilled need for children she is not biologically able to have, with of all things, a horse. The story follows her angst from making peace with what cannot be, through her angst in the adventure of first time horse ownership from 1996 through 2008.
I found the book so relatable on many levels. Her horse, a thoroughbred she names Eli […]
Summer mud. Winter mud. Spring mud. Fall mud. No matter what the season, mud is a part of a horseman’s life. Whether you live in a part of the country with a rainy season that makes mud a daily nuisance, or you just don’t have the best drainage in the world, mud happens.
And mud is more than just a tedious mess that ends up all over your boots. Mud can cause a host of health problems, from soft feet to skin infections. So what should horse owners be aware of when […]
