Once you have accomplished sacking your horse out with the saddle pad and rope you can then move on to the worst thing ever invented in the horse’s mind – plastic. That thing that blows across fields when he is walking along minding his own business. The thing that makes crinkly, scrunching noises that scare the bejeepers out of him.
To sack your horse out with a plastic bag, hang one on the end of a buggy whip or longe/lunge whip. Let him look at it then shake it. Be prepared for him to take off. This exercise is likely going to take awhile until he settles enough to look at the bag and stand still while you shake it.
Up until the time he did succeed in standing still while you shook the bag, you were working well away from his body. You were flipping the bag on the end of the stick up and down and sideways, making arcs through the air. Once he has decided he can handle standing there while you shake the bag, then bring it closer to him and let the bag lightly touch his back.
Just quietly stand for a short bit until he feels comfortable with the bag on his back, then let it touch his belly, sides, legs, rump, withers, head, ears and chest. If you do this long enough, you might even find he will let you put the bag on his head. Again, you may find this will either go fast or take a long time. It will largely depend on your horse and their personality.
Always remember when working with horses, work safely, carefully and calmly. Getting upset with the horse when working with them does not help either one of you, and will actually short circuit the learning process. Like children, horses like to learn in a calm, loving, encouraging environment. They did not come with manuals and if they did, they didn’t read them. It’s your job to train your horse to the best of your ability and make them into calm, quiet and relaxed companions. It’s your job to teach them you would never harm them and will always treat them with respect. End each session on a good note, with praise and rest – rewards for them doing a good job.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony

When lunging, remember to keep your horse on the fence, not into the middle of the circle with you. If he drifts in, point the whip or swing the rope at his shoulder to move him back out. Keep doing that until he does a few nice clean rounds staying in a circle. Stop him and praise and pet him. Once that is almost automatic, then change directions and work on the other side. So if you started on the left, switch to the right and work on that side.
What you will be doing on the right side is exactly what you were doing on the left side. And here’s some good news, in many instances once the horse has already learned what you want on one side, they may not take as long to train on the other side. Now, having said that, also note that many horses do have a good lead/side and a bad lead/side and it seems they have trouble with “getting it” on that bad side. You will be able to tell if this is the case with your horse once you have had the chance to work with both sides. This isn’t something to be discouraged about. It will just require a bit more patience on both your parts to work through it.
Once you have mastered the start, walk, and stop, add in the trot and move on to the canter/lope. To trot, raise the whip a couple of feet higher. Raise your shoulders and trot. If the horse doesn’t trot, cluck to him. If that does not work, crack the whip. Once in the trot (you and your horse – bet you didn’t think you’d need to be in such good shape did you?), maintain your body and whip position. The horse will keep trotting until you drop your arm/whip position and slow your trot to a walk.
For the canter, raise the whip a bit higher than for the trot and kiss to the horse. And yes, you will be running as well. The nice thing about this process, aside from the fact you will be in great shape when the two of you are done, is that the horse will have learned to listen to you and respond to body and voice commands. It’s always a very special feeling to see the end results of patient and loving training.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony

We’ve all heard this one before: “No foot, no horse.” How true. Farrier care is one of the most important aspects of caring for your horse, and usually not all that easy unfortunately.

We’ve all had them – the squirmers who snatch their feet away, kickers, wigglers, stompers, lazy leaning horses that are the bane of a farrier’s existence. Finding a good farrier is hard enough as it is, so you don’t want him to refuse to trim or shoe your horse because your equine is being a total idiot. Farriers are always busy and they don’t have the time to train your horse to pick up their feet and stand quietly. That is your job. So, train your horse to do this early and do it well. Yes, it can also be taught to older horses. Just don’t ask for too much too soon from them and it will all work out.

You need to understand some of the reasons a horse isn’t a happy camper about picking up his feet. A horse’s feet are used to run to safety. Holding his foot makes him feel vulnerable. It might be they have not even been shown properly how to lift their feet. He might have been handled badly in the past when having his feet picked up, or there may be a physical problem – like a sore foot.

Here’s how you start to teach a horse to pick his feet up and stand quietly. You start with small bits at a time, about 5 to 15 minutes twice a day should work. Having said that though, each horse is an individual so pace yourself accordingly.

Start in a safe place such as a round pen. Do not work with the horse tied for your safety and his. Start stroking his neck and work slowly down to the shoulder and then the leg. If he’s happy, you’re doing a good job. If he fidgets, just slowly remove your hand at the spot he started getting jumpy at, and start over again until he settles. Keep doing this until you touch the feet. If you can’t during the first session, it doesn’t matter. Just end things on a good note and try again another time. This same routine can be used with the back legs. Just remember, slow, easy and calm.

Once you get to the feet, try picking one up and holding it for a mere fraction of a second and releasing it before the horse takes it away and praise and reward them. Go on to another leg and so on. When you are first working with them you don’t want a long hold, you just want to be able to pick the foot up and put it down right away. This teaches the horse you will not harm him. Keep increasing the hold time over your sessions with the horse. Eventually, and who is in a rush here anyhow, you will have a horse that stands quietly for not only you, but the farrier. Trust is a major issue here, so treat your horse with respect and he will respond.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony

Buying a horse at an auction is a crap shoot at best, as usually there are reasons why the horse is there in the first place – reasons you might not want to find out if you take the horse home.

Generally, unless you happen to be a horse trainer or Vet, you won’t have the chance to do a pre-purchase exam. In that case, all you can do is try to pick up red flags from the horses you are considering. Yes, they can be really subtle and may also be masked thanks to drugs or even the fact the horse was rested prior to you looking at it (which would not show some forms of lameness).

Start your inspection from nose to tail for any swelling or warm spots. Run your hand down all the legs (if the horse will let you and if not – red flag) and compare appearance and the feel of the left and the right. You might find a bowed tendon or a fluid filled knee – an indication of arthritis. Try flexing the joints if you can. If there is arthritis they won’t flex too well

Now take a good look at general body condition (good, fair or poor), hair coat (sleek and shiny or dull), foot quality (well trimmed or chipped and cracked), muscle development (well formed or wasted) and attitude (bright and curious, dull and depressed or scared). Many of these things will give you an idea of how well the horse has been cared for and you need to pay close attention to them. They are things that will also tell you how much training the horse has and the amount of exercise it has had.

Watch the horse move – walk, trot and canter. Does he move well or are his ears pinned and tail on a switch? Does the head bob up and down (lameness)? What about his breathing? Does he roar or whistle or wheeze? Make sure you see the horse ridden under saddle to get an idea of his attitude and whether or not he and you will get along. You need to take your riding experience into consideration for this decision. And try not to over-estimate your skills or you will get a horse not suited to your level of expertise.

Take your time sizing up a potential purchase at an auction. There is no need to be in a rush. You may miss a few things, but the more horses you inspect, the better you get at it.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony

Don’t really know what is in your horse feed in the bag? Join the growing crowd of horse people who are confused about what is really in their horse’s feed. However, having said that, it’s an easy problem to remedy with a bit of knowledge. Learn to read a feed-bag tag. Find out how much protein your horse needs and learn to balance feed protein and forage (out in the pasture) protein.
Your equine needs protein for development and repair of muscle, healthy skin, hair, and hooves, for milk production, reproduction and the maintenance of healthy red blood cells and bone. This does not include weight gain or energy.
Here’s an idea of the minimum daily crude protein requirements: mature idle horses 8.5%, mares in the last 90 days of pregnancy 11%, mares in lactation 14%, foals 18%, weanlings 16%, yearlings 13.5%, two-year-olds 10% and performance horses 10%.
The first nutrient listed on a feed-bag tag is crude protein, and you want it to be highly digestible. The best source of protein is soybean meal, because it’s rich in lysine and other amino acids, meaning high digestibility. However, soybean meal is expensive, so lower quality feeds use corn gluten meal, linseed meal, brewer’s grain and distiller’s grain. Hmmm, this means you get what you pay for, so beware.
Here’s how to figure out if you horse is getting its daily protein requirement. If your horse is eating 5 pounds of 10% crude protein grain and 15 pounds of grass hay tested at 6% crude protein, do the math. Five pounds of grain times 10% equals 50; 15 pounds of hay times 6% equals 90. Add those together and you get 140 units of protein per day. Now add the total weight of the feed per day, 5 pounds and 15 pounds and you get 20 pounds per day. Divide the feed weight into the protein units (20 divided into 140) and you get 7% protein in the horse’s diet. Great, but what if your horse needs 10% protein per day?
If your horse needs more protein, then your option is to feed a higher protein forage or higher protein grain. The preferred option is feeding a higher crude protein forage. Do not feed more protein than your horse needs. It’s a waste of money and feeding excess protein can cause health problems. Horses purge their systems of excessive protein by drinking large amounts of water, which can result in kidney problems.
When in doubt about feed, consult your Veterinarian.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony

Another fairly familiar problem with an aging horse is degenerative joint disease aka arthritis. You most definitely can still work them and in fact should work them to keep them limber, active and alert. You would just need to remember to warm them up gently and thoroughly before doing any work. Many older horses, although they may be sore and stiff, still love to go out and do things. Their minds aren’t dead and they are still interested in life.

With an older pal you’ve worked, you will need to cool them down slowly by hand walking them and rubbing them dry with a towel. You might even want to give them a warm bath if you have the facilities. When you get to be that age, a little pampering is a nice thing.

Treat the feet and your older horse will still give you many more miles. Work with your farrier and get regular trimming and shoeing to help reduce concussion. If you keep them on pasture, then opting to go barefoot is good for their joints

Like humans, older equines do tend to put on weight if they are overfed and under worked. Keep an eye on their feed intake and keep them mobile. If your horse is getting a bit pudgy, adjust his feed. If he’s not keeping his weight or is losing it, also adjust your feed to include more protein and oils – for instance equine fish oil with Omega 3 and corn oil. Also have alfalfa mixed into his diet, but don’t over feed this.

And the other issue with older horses is colic. Symptoms include: lack of appetite, pawing, kicking at the abdomen, getting up and down, rolling, restlessness, flank watching and/or biting, elevated skin temperature, sweating from pain and a sawhorse stance. As you know, if you suspect colic, call your Veterinarian immediately. Any delays can be fatal.

Why do older horses seem to have more difficulties with colic? It’s largely due to the fact they may be having difficulty chewing and swallowing and not being able to drink properly. Too much food not washed down can lodge in the throat or cause a blockage elsewhere.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony

Have an older horse companion in your pasture? Bless their hearts they have such stories they can tell. In terms of being considered a senior horse, if your equine is 20 or older he is a veteran or campaigner. This age by the way would make him about a 60-year- old human.

Your horse’s ageing process will vary, and will also depend on his breed, workload, conformation, medical history and the care he receives. Each horse is an individual. So how they age will be totally different. The thing you need to pay the most attention to as your horse ages, are his teeth.

Horses of course are grazing animals, and their mouths are set up just right for that angled neck hanging down to graze, nip and shear grass off and grind and chew it. Over the years this constant grinding wears the tooth surfaces down, and they fall out. This makes eating difficult for your horse and also means if he can’t eat properly, he will start to lose condition. And that brings with it a whole host of other problems.

The best thing you can do for your older equine is to have the Vet check his teeth twice a year for any abnormal wear, waves, hooks, or sore gums. Dealing with these things quickly will keep your horse able to eat for a long longer. In anticipation, start him on mashes slowly so if he gets to the point where he needs them on a regular basis, he is already used to them.

Between visits, check your horse’s mouth and watch for problems with eating, like quidding, head throwing, choking or difficulty drinking. Older horses often have difficulty eating long fiber food. You can solve this problem by switching to shorter cropped hay and/or add high fiber cubes as mash or straight. If you keep on top of dental issues, you can save your horse a lot of grief, and you can save money and problems in the future.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony

Lunging in a circle, using the same body language horses use is natural to a horse, and they will easily see your intent. You will of course have spent time with your horse to get them familiar with the lunging routine, and what you are asking of them – whether it’s to go right or left, reverse, give face, give at the poll etc.
Once you have the body language aced, add voice commands to match the body language. You’ve already laid the foundation for them to understand what you are asking with your body, by combining a command with the body language, it’s easy for them to make the association between body and voice. You’re doing all the pre-preparatory work so that when you do saddle your horse, he can make the transition from ground body language and voice commands to the same language in the saddle.
Your body language and position are crucial when communicating with your horse. Once you are in the saddle, if your body language matches what you gave your horse on the ground, you will build confidence in your horse that you are a trustworthy leader and he will listen to you. Yes, it does happen that you get the occasional horse who figures they know better than you do. These ones you really need professional help with. But don’t be discouraged, you can still lunge them and teach them the basics.
But, we’re a little ahead of ourselves here, so back to the round pen to learn how to teach your horse to stop. As simple as it sounds, all you have to do is stop all forms of communication. Quit walking, lower your head, and softly say “Whoa!” If you want a nice stop, quiet and relaxed, you have to give your horse the right language to do that. If they don’t stop, keep on walking and try it again. They will get the idea so long as you have the patience. Bottom line is if you want a nice quiet, obedient and great horse, you have to be all those things yourself in addition to a great leader.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony

It’s over 40 degrees in the baking sun and you can’t even walk outside without feeling like you’ve been drained of every ounce of energy you ever had. If you feel this way, imagine how your horse feels. Pretty much the same. If you are hot, so are they.
Horses like weather in the 55-degree range and during the height of summer 55- degree days are fairly rare. What can you do to help cool your horse down?
Always have plenty of fresh, clean, cool water on hand. It’s hard for them in heat like that to go too long without a drink. It’s usually a good idea not to work them too hard in high heat and humidity. It’s really punishing for their systems. And if you do work them, be VERY careful about letting them drink when you are done. Only let them have small quantities and space those quantities out over a period of time. If you’re working them slow and easy and they are not sweated up and heaving, give him a drink at least every half-hour.
You might think this sounds funny, but think about it. Don’t put your water bowl out in the full sun. Why? Because the water in it can get so hot it can scald your horses lips. Put the bowl or bucket in the shade.
Another cool down tip, your horse loves cool bathes – not ice cold – but cool spray from a hose all over their back, legs and chest. Some are fussy about water on their heads, so avoid that area. The first thing a horse usually does after being sprayed is roll in the dirt and make themselves a nice bug screen coating on their coats. The bugs are fierce in hot weather. If you don’t have a hose with a spray attachment, then sponge his head and face off with cool water.
Even if you have a salt block out, it’s not enough for those brutally hot days. You need to have extra salt available. All you need to do is add some table salt to his hay or feed. He will eat what he needs. Most horses sweat about enough to need 4 ounces of salt daily in hot weather.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony

While you might think this is a simple thing to do – feed your horse – you’d be surprised at the number of horse owners that don’t know about the basics. There is no real rule of thumb for feeding, as each horse’s nutritional needs will vary depending on age, weight and level of activity.

To start with, your horse naturally uses forage as a primary component of their diets. It is one of the MAJOR necessities for a properly functioning digestive system. When we speak of forage, we usually mean natural pasture and cut hay.

Mature horses usually eat about 2 to 2.5 percent of their body weight in feed every day. So a 1,000 pound horse will eat roughly 20 to 25 pounds of feed per day. This means high quality feed, not low quality high fiber feed (which can interfere with proper digestion).

In a perfect pasture world, your horse should eat a minimum of 1 percent of his body weight in hay/pasture forage daily. If your horse doesn’t do much work, they will do nicely on strictly forage, with no grain thrown in. On the other hand, growing, breeding, or working horses must have supplements in addition to forage – such as grain or a supplement concentrate. Think of it this way, forages should provide at least one half or more of the total weight of the feed eaten daily for optimum growth and development.

Before you can feed a balanced “meal” to your horse, you have to know the nutrient content and quality of your forage. Once you know that, you can figure out the right amounts of each to meet nutrient requirements.

The best source, and the least expensive one for summer feed is your pasture. And, in most cases good pasture by itself can provide all the nutritional requirements your horse needs. How do you figure out how much pasture is needed to feed a horse? Here is a rough guideline to help you: (using a weight of 1,000 – 1,200 pounds)

Mare and foal 1.75 to 2 acres
Yearlings 1.5 to 2 acre
Weanlings 0.5 to 1 acre

Winter feed of course would be cut hay, and again, high quality if you can provide it. It should be cut early, be leafy and green in color and as free as possible of dust, moulds, weeds and stubble. This feed is usually rich in protein, minerals and vitamins.

Yes, you can use alfalfa hay, but be careful about the higher protein content if you are feeding to young growing horses, as it may contain an excessive amount of calcium in relationship to phosphorus. Too much calcium is not good for growing horses. If you’re not sure about hay quality, have it analyzed.

Technorati Tags: horse, horses, ponies, pony