Misc. | Equestrian Barns & Architecture: Start Living the Dream

Cold Weather and Your Horse’s Drinking Water

4:30 pm

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Cold water — ah, so refreshing on a hot summer’s day.

You slip out of the saddle and grab the water bottle out of the tack room fridge, letting the iciness slide down your throat and freeze your brain. You grab a sponge and squeeze it over your sweaty horse’s head, neck, and chest, offer him a drink from the hose while you get busy cooling him down. He wants more water than you’ll let him have, grabbing the hose with his teeth, pulling on it while you laugh and tug back.

(Later you’ll regret […]

Winter Leather Care

5:36 pm

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Misc.

Winter is nothing but trouble.

Horses are determined to grow into wooly teddy bears, blankets get muddy and ripped, buckets and water troughs freeze. And of course, winter comes with its own set of problems for our leather saddles and bridles, to say nothing of our boots.

It’s not just the constant temperature dives and climbs that can damage tack. Indoor arenas keep tack dry, but often dust seems to accompany every ride, no matter how well-watered the footing is kept. And riding outdoors through a medley of rain, ice, and snow (not to mention road […]

Winter Games: 4 Indoor Activities For You and Your Horse

6:00 am

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Misc.

The bad news: winter is coming. The good news: winter is coming!

And this is a great opportunity to work on all those little exercises you haven’t had time for during the warmer months. Some are more work, some are more play, but they’re all great activities that will strengthen your horse, yourself, and your teamwork.

Gymnastic poles. Most suitable for those with an indoor arena, setting up gymnastic poles, whether they are on the ground or in jump standards, are useful for every horse and rider team. Not a jumper? No problem. Use […]

Horse, Meet Vacuum – Vacuum Meet Horse

8:47 pm

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Equine Care, Misc.

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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, (http://www.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 […]