| Horses In My Back Yard
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| | EQUINE DENTIST: Horses need dentists too!
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| | At least once a year, some horses require
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| by Jody Hudson, with Extensive
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| | to have the equine dentist "float" his
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| Collaboration From Chris Hudson
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| | teeth. This removes sharp edges so that
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| | he can chew his food properly and be
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| HORSE LOVERS: During my thirty years of
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| | comfortable with the bit.
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| selling rural land, I have frequently
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| found that folks want some acreage so
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| | GROOMING: Horses love to be brushed and
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| that they can own and ride horses. They
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| | bathed. Spend lots of quality time with
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| LOVE horses in their own mind but have
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| | your horse when you first get him and
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| little if any of the real knowledge or
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| | each time before and after you ride him
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| experience necessary to raise one or more
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| | with gentle loving hands and lots of
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| horses. Far too often, they have
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| | brush grooming. Pick the stones and dirt
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| knowledge based on little more than an
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| | from his feet before and after a ride to
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| idyllic dream and that dream based for
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| | keep him from getting bruised feet. Check
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| the most part on romantic novels and
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| | him for ticks after any ride in the woods
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| movies. This article will give you some
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| | or tall grass -- especially in warm
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| basic information which may save you and
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| | weather. Keep all your tack clean and the
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| a horse some bad or even terrible
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| | leather saddle-soaped and lightly oiled.
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| experiences.
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| | Wash your saddle blanket after each use
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| | and rinse his bit well too. He doesn't
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| HOW MANY ACRES?: If you do want horses; a
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| | like a hard, dirty blanket on his back or
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| good rule of thumb in good pasture areas
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| | a crusty bit in his mouth. Keep your
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| is 3 to 5 acres of pasture per horse, and
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| | brushes clean too, rinse, wash and pull
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| ideally another acre or two of paddock
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| | the hair out of them periodically.
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| per horse. The wise Equestrian will thus
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| plan about 6 to 10 acres per horse they
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| | NUTRITION: Nutrition is a powerful factor
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| want to keep in the purchase of land. The
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| | in the life of a horse, just as it is our
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| paddocks are smaller fenced pasture areas
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| | own. Often a problem horse can just be
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| close to the barn used for training,
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| | suffering from some nutritional
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| saddling up your horse or getting a new
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| | deficiency. Often a horse that is
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| horse acclimated to his new home.
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| | "cribbing" that is chewing on his stall
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| | or on the fence has a nutritional
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| The risk of injury to animals increases
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| | deficiency. This should be handled
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| where horses are overcrowded, and
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| | quickly as the swallowed wood splinters
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| competition for food, water and space may
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| | have obvious danger to your horse. Horses
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| lead to fighting. You must provide an
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| | need vitamins, roughage of course,
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| adequate number of paddocks or yards to
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| | minerals, protein, oils, carbohydrates,
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| permit incompatible animals to be
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| | enzymes and trace elements in their diets
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| segregated. The number of horses and
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| | to be at their best in health, behavior
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| their grouping in each paddock or yard
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| | and attitude... and sometimes even if
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| must be appropriate for their
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| | they are getting the correct food they
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| compatibility and for the ground
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| | may not be digesting it to get the proper
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| conditions, taking into account the
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| | use of the nutrients... just like us.
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| climatic conditions pertaining at the
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| time.
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| | Horse Hair Analysis is a very useful tool
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| | to find the realistic needs of your
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| You also need room for the house, barn,
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| | horse. The hair is a long term record of
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| hay storage, tack building and a loafing
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| | the horse's nutritional health and the
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| shed for them to get under when the
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| | analysis will tell the most accurate
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| weather is not quite acceptable to them.
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| | story as to what your particular horse
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| In any yard or shelter, each horse must
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| | needs... or what he is getting too much
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| have adequate room to lie down, stand up
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| | of -- especially if he is ingesting some
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| and turn around. There should be a clean,
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| | sort of toxic substance.
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| dry area for the horse to lie down, the
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| surface of which protects the horse from
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| | TRAILERS and TRAILERING: For most people
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| abrasions and capped elbows and hocks.
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| | learning to trailer your horse is
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| Paddocks which expose horses to items of
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| | mandatory. If you are fortunate to
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| machinery, equipment or rubbish
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| | purchase a place far out in the rural
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| (especially wire) likely to cause serious
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| | un-populated areas, especially if you
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| injury must not be used.
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| | purchase property on a long dirt road or
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| | network of such roads -- you may be able
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| FENCING: There are numerous types of
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| | to do a lot of riding without trailering.
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| fencing that are designed for horses.
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| | You will still likely want to have a
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| Board fences are deadly dangerous if not
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| | trailer eventually, so that you can take
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| constantly maintained. The horses can
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| | your horse to a trainer, pick up another
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| break a board and end up impaled on it.
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| | horse, or take your horse to join a
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| Wire, especially barbed wire can entangle
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| | friend for a ride.
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| your horse's leg or neck and seriously
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| injure him or worse. There are several
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| | There are several types of trailers; they
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| kinds of fences made for horse pasture.
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| | are of many sizes from small to huge.
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| Barbed wire and narrow gauge (2.5 mm)
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| | Some of them even have owners quarters or
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| high-tensile steel wire, because of their
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| | a groomsman's room adjacent to the horse
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| cutting, non-stretching and nonbreaking
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| | section. There are the horse carrying
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| properties, can cause severe injury to
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| | motor home style vehicles too. For
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| horses. They should be avoided when
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| | highway speeds and to go any distance, it
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| constructing fences for horses, as should
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| | is best to use a large towing pickup
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| internal fence-stays or posts, which are
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| | truck specialized for such use. The best
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| a common cause of injury.
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| | are the dual tired big pickup trucks
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| | called Duelies. You then get a big sturdy
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| Fences should be readily visible to
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| | support hitch mounted in the pickup bed
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| horses and properly maintained. The ideal
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| | and the trailer has a long hitch stalk
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| fence for premises designed mainly for
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| | that projects into the truck bed. This
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| horses is the synthetic, strong,
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| | type, called a goose neck trailer with a
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| flexible, post-and-rail type, with rails
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| | 5th wheel hitch, will give you excellent
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| treated or painted with nontoxic
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| | stability and a shortened turn radius. It
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| preparations. A popular alternative,
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| | is also virtually impossible to have a
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| which also provides a good visual
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| | trailer disconnect from the truck --
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| barrier, is a single top rail attached to
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| | which is a worry with pull-behind
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| a conventional post-and-wire fence. I
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| | trailers.
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| like the Australian Sheep Wire fence as
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| it has a grid that is very small at the
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| | Before you take your horse for a first
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| bottom and larger at the top. The small
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| | trailer ride; you should ride in the back
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| grid size at the bottom prevents the
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| | of the trailer, while someone else drives
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| horse from stepping through the fence and
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| | the truck, so that you can experience the
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| getting tangled. I also like a charged
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| | cornering and braking calamities that the
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| electric wire just above the highly
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| | horse will experience. Some folks put leg
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| visible top rail to "convince" the horse
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| | wraps on their horses when trailering to
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| to not lean over that top rail to get
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| | help protect the horse more from
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| grass on the other side. Such leaning by
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| | accidental braking, cornering, or
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| such a strong and heavy animal is a major
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| | bumping. After you have ridden in the
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| cause of fence breakage. There must be no
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| | moving trailer yourself, take a few
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| sharp objects projecting inwards.
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| | practice runs with you and the horse --
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| | so you can see what the horse is
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| Your large animal Veterinarian or Horse
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| | experiencing as a driver drives, turns
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| feed and tack store can help you find the
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| | and brakes. And it would be a good idea
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| right fencing and an installer that knows
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| | to next have someone else ride with your
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| what he's doing. Ideally your pasture
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| | horse while you drive. One of my friends
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| will have fence corners rounded on a
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| | had a good technique; she put a long stem
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| large radius to prevent your horse from
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| | wine glass on the dash of her truck and
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| injury if he is cornered by another horse
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| | filled it with water. She then learned to
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| or is just running with exuberance and
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| | drive without spilling the water or
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| misjudges the distance to the corner. I
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| | turning over the glass. Personally I
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| have occasionally seen a horse on a
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| | think it is a great technique to
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| tether chain or rope, as some people do a
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| | practice.
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| dog. Tethering is a practice which has a
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| high risk of injury to horses. It is not
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| | You also need to keep the trailer clean,
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| recommended and should be used only when
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| | especially keeping it free of hay dust
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| other forms of grazing or containment are
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| | and dirt. Remember when the trailer is
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| unavailable and when close supervision of
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| | underway and if the vent windows are
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| the horse can be maintained. Only placid
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| | open, whatever hay and dirt there is
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| horses and those adequately trained to
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| | inside will start whirling around in the
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| accept the practice should be tethered.
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| | trailer. Keep everything well tied down
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| | inside too; falling, and swinging
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| FORGET WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM NOVELS OR
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| | articles in the trailer can spook your
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| HOLLYWOOD: Contrary to all the horse
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| | horse and cause him to jump and hurt
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| stories and films, your horse will not
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| | himself.
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| respond to you the same way a dog or cat
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| will. He will respond and perform best
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| | Service the trailer at least once a year.
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| when his owner is consistent and has a
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| | Check the brakes, tires, tire pressure
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| routine. Forget all those stories about
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| | and all hitch welds and bolts carefully.
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| Flicka and Black Beauty; it only happens
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| | Make certain that the floor is solid.
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| in the movies.
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| | Practice driving, backing and turning.
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| | Practice using the mirrors. Mirror use is
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| Horses do have personality but you must
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| | difficult to learn and of utmost
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| remember that they are very big and
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| | importance. With proper mirror use
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| strong and you cannot make them do
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| | however, you can easily back your trailer
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| anything unless you have convinced them
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| | into a space only a few inches larger
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| and then they choose to do it. Proper
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| | than it is.
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| ground manners are a must and the rider
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| must know how to ride. Take some lessons
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| | WHO IS THE BOSS?: If you don't watch out
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| if you are a first time owner. Horses do
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| | -- your horse will TRAIN YOU, for
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| not like you to hang onto the reins for
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| | instance... I knew this lady who
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| balance. Learn how to balance yourself in
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| | trailered her horse to various lessons
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| the saddle and to gently guide the horse
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| | and rides... but he knew he did not have
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| with the reins. There is no faster way to
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| | to get into the trailer until the third
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| make a horse "sour" than to pull on his
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| | attempt each time. First she would lead
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| mouth roughly. Learn the horse language;
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| | him to the trailer, he would stop and she
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| the way to communicate to your horse is
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| | would pet and coo to him. The second time
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| through the balance of your body, your
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| | she would coax him a little more with
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| seated position, the position of your
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| | carrots and baby talk. When that, of
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| feet and legs and lastly the position of
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| | course, didn't work either (he liked that
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| your hands.
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| | sweet talk and especially the carrots)
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| | she would try the third method. By now
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| STABLING: He does not enjoy being locked
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| | she was a little tired and frustrated
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| in a stall every night. He would much
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| | with him, she wanted to go home or get on
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| prefer the open fields and the starry
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| | with the lessons; so she spoke firmly,
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| nights! A three sided shed (preferably
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| | put the chain across his nose, tightened
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| with the open side to the southwest) will
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| | it a bit, and... he'd get right on. But
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| due just fine. Horses do need protection
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| | he always knew that he didn't have to get
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| from the sun and rain. Horse blankets
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| | on until the third technique -- besides
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| rugs make us feel better; nature however,
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| | he would miss his carrots and sweet talk
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| has equipped him just dandy with a real
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| | if he got on the first time!
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| fur coat. Those horses that are unlucky
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| enough to be put in a stall every night
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| | Here's another one. Some horses raise
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| could probably use a rug unless the barn
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| | their head and clamp their teeth and will
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| is REALLY COZY. But, when it is 30
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| | not accept the bit. I have seen people
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| degrees or lower and it is blowing and
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| | strike the horse about the face or swing
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| wet, he does appreciate a stall to eat
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| | the bridle and hit him -- this only
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| his grain and hay. And it will save you a
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| | teaches him that the bridle is a mean,
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| lot of cleanup in your paddocks.
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| | scary piece of equipment and that he'd
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| | better raise his head up out of your
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| PASTURE: Plant a pasture with a mixture
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| | reach for his own protection. The
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| of proper grass seeds. Check with the
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| | solution to bit shyness takes a while; it
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| local Agricultural Substation or horse
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| | will take a little patience, some sweet
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| feed supply store for the seed mix. Build
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| | talk and some sweet syrup on your
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| several paddocks to keep your horses in
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| | fingers. Play around with his mouth with
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| for short times, so that you can rotate
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| | your fingers and let him wear the bit
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| the pastures and periodically give each
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| | awhile when he is in his stall to eat and
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| one a rest to replenish the height of
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| | drink. Put it on him sometimes while you
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| it's grasses.
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| | are grooming him too. Make sure that the
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| | bit is adjusted correctly for tightness
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| Horses are poor utilizers of pasture,
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| | in his mouth and that it is the right
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| compared to cattle or sheep. Most horse
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| | size and style. And especially be certain
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| pastures contain a large proportion of
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| | that when you ride him that you are not
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| weeds and "roughs" where horses are the
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| | always holding tension on the reins,
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| only grazers. Horses will not eat pasture
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| | using them when you should be only giving
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| that is contaminated with horse dung.
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| | body language directions, sawing them
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| This usually causes the contaminated area
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| | back and forth from left to right or in
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| to become larger and the grazing area
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| | any way being rough on his mouth.
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| smaller. The pasture growing round the
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| dung patches is usually lush and looks to
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| | MOUNTING YOUR HORSE: Training your horse
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| be the best feed, while the patches in
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| | to stand still as a statue while you
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| between will look overgrazed.
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| | mount is a MUST! If your horse likes to
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| | walk about while you try to mount up --
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| Where possible, horses should be grazed
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| | have someone hold him while you get up
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| in conjunction with cattle or sheep. In
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| | and properly placed in the saddle. Once
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| addition to helping calm the horses; the
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| | you are mounted -- sit well in the saddle
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| other species will clean up the "roughs"
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| | with an erect posture, take a deep and
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| while also reducing the worm
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| | cleansing breath and sink into your
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| contamination on pasture. Although
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| | saddle with poise and assurance before
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| harrowing can also be useful to spread
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| | you start off with him. Take time
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| the dung around, in moist conditions and
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| | frequently with just you and him; when no
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| when the grass is long it may spread worm
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| | one is around, mount him inside the
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| eggs, making a larger area of the paddock
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| | pasture or paddock fence and just stand
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| infected. Where no cattle or other
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| | there in the saddle with him for several
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| grazers are available, it is essential to
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| | minutes. Then after quite some time, ask
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| remove the manure or spread it around
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| | him to walk. Of course you will need to
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| regularly during dry periods, when the
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| | spend the time needed to train him to
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| sun and ultraviolet rays will tend to
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| | stand quiet and still while you are on
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| destroy eggs and larvae.
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| | him. And you must each learn the
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| | particulars of how to open the pasture
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| Your horses will leave some big manure
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| | gate while you are in the saddle.
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| piles around the pasture and especially
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| in the corners. Spread the horse manure
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| | RETURNING FROM A RIDE: There is always
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| out on the pasture with a drag harrow and
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| | the temptation on your horses part, to
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| rake out the pasture corners to break it
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| | run back to the barn at the end of a
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| up in smaller pieces; it helps to keep
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| | ride. He will be tempted to trot instead
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| the fly larvae in the manure from
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| | of walk; canter instead of trot; or run
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| hatching out and bothering your horses.
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| | instead of canter. Be careful or you will
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| | be allowing him to learn or to think you
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| You will need a manure spreader to spread
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| | are teaching him to run home. If you
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| the manure you shovel out of your loafing
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| | persist in this permissiveness you may
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| sheds and stalls. Your horses will eat a
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| | eventually have a runaway horse each time
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| lot of the grass in your pasture -- but
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| | his head turns toward home.
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| you will still have to mow the pastures
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| periodically and you will need to use a
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| | When you do return home; come down to a
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| weed-eater under and along all the
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| | walk well away from the barn and let him
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| fences. You will need to keep a check out
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| | cool down well as you near the barn. If
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| for any plants of the nightshade family
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| | you are cantering in and he wants to go
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| as they are poisonous to your steeds.
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| | faster, break down the gait to a trot and
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| | if needed down to a walk even if a long
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| Grazing animals deplete soil nutrients
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| | way from the barn. If he won't walk
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| progressively, which in turn leads to
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| | calmly but wants to jig and go sideways
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| poor pasture quality and growth rate.
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| | or tries breaking into a faster gait --
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| This should be regularly monitored by
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| | you need to spend some time in the
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| soil and pasture analysis. Pasture should
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| | paddocks and school him to walk and trot
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| be top dressed with fertilizers to
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| | when you tell him too. If you still have
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| replace identified nutrient deficiencies.
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| | trouble; get help from an outside
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| Check with your State Agricultural Agent
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| | equestrian or a trainer.
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| (each state has an Agricultural College
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| and Agents attached) to learn to identify
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| | BUYING YOUR HORSE: When buying a horse be
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| soil nutrient needs and to show you how
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| | aware that what you see during the
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| to destroy noxious plants properly. Make
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| | purchasing meeting with the horse -- is
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| certain that there is always plenty of
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| | what you will have when you take him
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| clean fresh water in the pasture and that
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| | home. He is most likely on his best
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| the water trough is kept dutifully clean!
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| | behavior at the barns and paddocks where
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| | he lives, so when you remove him to take
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| VACCINATIONS: Your horses require annual
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| | him to your place you are likely to get
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| booster shots for Rabies, Tetanus, Flu
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| | worse behavior not better. Unless you are
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| Rhino and Encephalitis, and Potomac Horse
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| | a very experience rider with some good
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| Fever. Check with your local Large Animal
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| | horse sense, you should purchase an
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| Veterinarian and maintain a proper
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| | older, settled horse for a first mount
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| schedule of immunizations and regular
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| | and then as you improve get a younger
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| checkups. Horses also require quarterly
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| | more spirited one.
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| worming to keep the intestinal parasites
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| below the danger level.
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| | Look at the teeth to detect age and
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| | condition of the horse. Horse newspapers
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| FARRIER SERVICES: Horses in the wild got
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| | have lots of ads and some advice. There
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| along just fine without a Farrier. They
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| | are auctions for horses too; once you
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| ran and romped over vast expanses, were
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| | find out about them you can get on the
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| chased by predators and often ran long
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| | mailing list and visit a few before you
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| distances as a herd. But now that they
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| | buy. Classified ads are a very good
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| are kept and ridden mostly on soft sandy
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| | sources of horses for sale.
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| soil or grasslands -- the hooves need
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| trimming every six to eight weeks. AND,
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| | When you go to look at a horse to
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| yes some horses do need horseshoes of
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| | purchase; take along an honest and
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| steel, rubber or some other material. You
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| | reputable person to help you with that
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| will be able to tell if your horse need
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| | purchase. A good saddle horse should cost
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| shoeing; if he does he will walk very
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| | you from $2,500 to $5,000. A trained
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| "tender-footed" and may have cracks and
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| | horse can cost much more but may well be
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| breakage in his hooves. The way he walks,
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| | worth the cost. Specialty horses of
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| stands and carries himself in general
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| | course -- Arabians and Thoroughbreds for
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| will tip you off to his Farrier needs.
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| | instance can cost more than a nice home
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| | or in some cases more than a nice
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| INTENTION: Your intention is of great
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| | shopping center. You don't always get
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| importance! Horses can feel a fly on
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| | what you pay for... but you can count on
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| their back and they can feel your intent;
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| | paying for what you get.
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| when you really mean business. They learn
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| |
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| in a hurry who they have to respect and
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| | Watch for conformation (shape and bodily
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| who they can play around with -- DON'T be
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| | proportion) in the horse; which can be
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| fooled! Set yourself up to win his
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| | learned from books and then there is
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| respect and keep it. Don't ask him to do
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| | Attitude -- this is the same as for
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| anything that you suspect will be an
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| | humans. If the horse has a bad attitude
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| argument unless you have the time to make
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| | it's hardly worth owning at any cost. The
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| certain that he does it. Be firm. Being
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| | horse should be checked perhaps even
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| firm does not mean beating your horse; it
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| | x-rayed by a Veterinarian. This is called
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| does mean that sometimes you might have
| |
| | Vetting a horse; done in a pre-purchase
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| to put a chain a little too snugly across
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| | exam. This usually costs about $300 to
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| his nose to lead him if he walks too fast
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| | $500. A lot of lameness can't be seen
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| and gets ahead of you at lead.
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| | with the eye and will only show up with
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|
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| | strenuous training, or during work or
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| TRUST: It is so important that your horse
| |
| | competition -- just when you can't afford
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| trust you. Please don't abuse him by
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| | it. ===Happy Trails and best wishes to a
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| hitting or kicking him. Trust is
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| | lot of good horsin' around for all you
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| necessary for him when you want him to
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| | readers who want horses. Horses can bring
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| cross a ditch or a fence or take him to
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| | out the best and the worst of a person
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| water or take him to ride with other
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| | and give you endless hours of pleasure,
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| horses. Trust is built by day to day
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| | exercise and frustration. But most horse
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| consistent care and treatment of your
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| | owners and lovers wouldn't have it any
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| horse; and by not putting him into
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| | other way.
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| situations that hurt him or scare him
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| |
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| badly.
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| | TALLY HO!
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