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Keeping Your Horse Cool This Summer

admin — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Summer’s coming up but that doesn’t mean your horses are ready. Particularly if you live in some of the hotter parts of the country you need to be aware that horses like 100 degree weather about as much as humans do. Here are a few ways to keep your animals cool this season
AC: It’s a costly investment but installing AC in your stables will extend the life of your horses. Look into ways to score Energy Savings online and if you board your horses make sure you pay for a stable that already has air conditioning.
Ice – It’s as simple as that – bringing your horses a few bags of ice when the weather is brutal is a great way to cool them down. Allow them to eat it, lay on it, whatever they need to bring their body temp back down to normal.
Go Easy – The most common way horses get overheated is overzealous riders. It’s not good for your horse to be in direct sun when the weather’s above 90 degrees for more than about an hour and whatever you do, bring plenty of water!

Homemade Fly Repellent That Really Works

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

This is a simple safe recipe for homemade fly repellent that works well for horses without the unpleasant scent many can have. It also is good for their hair and skin in addition to giving them relief from biting insects.

1 oz. Citronella Oil
1 oz. Olive Oil (sesame, canola or sunflower works as well)
1 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 whole Bay Leaf
1/8 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper

If you wish to give a more pleasant scent (not that it is smells bad), you can also add 5 drops each of the following essential oils: Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, and Lavender.

Simply mix will in a 20 oz. spray bottle, shake well and apply liberally. Make sure to keep from spraying directly into the eyes or ears. A simple trick to apply to your horse’s face is to spray some onto your hand and rub it gently around the eyes, ears, and muzzle. It is a good idea to thoroughly coat your horse’s belly, chest, and legs since flies are often the worst there.

If your horse is sweating a great deal or wallows in water, you may have to reapply the spray more often as it can rinse off.

Five Essential Pre-Show Grooming Tips and Tricks

admin — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Preparing for a show takes hours of at home preparation. Your horse needs groomed thoroughly. There are many tasks in the grooming process but here are a few essential ones to being with. Clipping your horse. The horses bridle path and muzzle needs to be trimmed down. A trick to figuring out how long the bridle path should be is to take the horse’s ear and lay it backwards on it’s neck. The length of the ear should be how long the bridle path should be. The muzzle also needs to be trimmed of all the stray whiskers. The fetlocks should be trimmed off also. Most people will trim the hair off around the top of the hoof also. After all trimming is done then it is bath time. Before bathing your horse you should brush the horses coat from top to bottom getting rid of all the excess dirt and dust. Start from the withers and work your way down and back. Once you have brushed your horse completely then you can bathe him or her. When bathing, be sure to get all the hidden spots and under the belly. If you think people can’t see those spots, think again! Now that your horse is all trimmed up, brushed and bathed, you can do any primping to the horse that you like to do. Some people braid manes and tails, some paint hooves. The primping depends on your needs for your show.

Creative Ways to Clip Your Horse

admin — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Creative clipping techniques go in and out of style in the horse world, just like fashion does for riding apparel. What used to be vogue and cutting edge is now pass.

Creating a clean, subtle checkerboard pattern on the rump is always classy for a beautiful hunter, or whimsical for a trail horse. The over and under cut, can be interpreted in many ways; the hunter clip, where the legs and saddle area are left unclipped and the balance of the body is shaved. It can also refer to the chaser clip, creating a diagonal line from the ears, back and down to the stifle. The blanket clip is yet another style particular to the over and under clipping techniques; this cut leave the hair on the legs and most of the back, shaving the chest and belly area to help the horse stay cool during workouts, without getting a chill in the barn or the pasture.

Adding dimension, with curves and angles, to clipping can create interesting plays of light for the hunter under saddle in the show ring. Evaluating your horse’s confirmation strong and weak points, will aid in the choice of the most flattering equine clip style.

How to Decide if Your Horse Needs Shoes

admin — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Not every horse requires being shod but in certain cases, it is the advisable thing to do. All horses do need to have their hooves trimmed by a farrier at least every two to three months, especially if they are stalled a great deal or in a soft grass pasture most of the time. Horses’ hooves are like our fingernails as they grow quickly and if not properly tended to, then they will crack or split which can cause damage to the upper hoof or the frog (the soft inside of the hoof). If the hoof grows too long, then it can greatly hinder the animal’s ability to walk or cause them to become lame.
Some people will ride their horses on rough ground such as a rocky area or concrete but they run the risk of the horse getting stone bruises on the frog or chipping too much of a hoof which again can create lameness. If the horse owner does a lot of riding on concrete or shale, then it is advisable to keep the horse shod. It protects the hooves and the animal’s legs. As hooves do grow quickly, it is the best idea to have the horse re-shod or hooves trimmed on a regular basis.