Posts Tagged ‘Decisions’

You may know what is best to feed your horse but that does not mean you are feeding your horse right. Sometimes we become very busy with our daily schedule and let that influence the diet we choose for our horses. The consequences of less than perfect feeding regimens are rather minor at first, maybe costing extra money but not really harming our horses. Sometimes bad choices when making feeding decisions can have serious consequences. Sometimes excesses or insufficiencies can cause health threats to our beloved animals. Some less than optimal feeding decisions may cost the horse his energy. This can result in sluggish performance when you are counting on an excellent performance from your horse.

This article will include some mistakes to avoid when feeding your horse. These are mistakes most often noted by equine nutritionists so that we can avoid them. 

Too much grain can be harmful to your horses’ health. This mistake can lead to obesity and contribute to colic and laminitis. When feeding your horse right, less grain is usually better unless your horse is working extremely hard such as a competing hunter/jumper or race horse.

If your horse does need concentrated feeds it is best if the portions are broke up into small meals. Four or more small meals per day will be better than feeding the ration once or twice per day. If you want to feed your horse right, avoid feeding a meal of more than 0.5 percent of your horse’s weight per meal. Horses’ have a very small stomach in comparison to their size. Frequent small meals are much better for them.

Feeding a horse by volume rather than weight is a common mistake. If you are feeding your horse right you must feed by weight not volume. It is easier to just scoop out the usual feed ration and feed it to the horse. When it comes to nutrition weight is what matters not volume. If you happen to change feeds the same volume in one brand may not be the same amount of nutrition in another brand. Be sure to read the feed label to understand the nutritional content per pound of ration. A kitchen scale is convenient tool for measuring the ration.

Another common mistake that is made when we feed our horses is giving the wrong feed to the wrong horse.  There are a wide variety of feeds available for many specific equine needs. There are feeds specially designed for broodmares, foals, adults, seniors and the list goes on. All are formulated for very specific nutritional needs. Giving the wrong feed to the wrong horse can cause harmful imbalances in horses. So does feeding a horse a formulated feed when none is needed. The nutritional needs of a yearling still developing are very different from the needs of an adult horse. Improper feeding in a yearling can cause abnormal growth. You must make sure you feed your horse the ration designed for his specific time in life if you are going to feed him correctly. 

Sometimes we kill our horses with kindness. We must find the balance between the horse’s natural eating needs and the demands domesticated life places on them. Feeding your horse right will help him stay healthy for many years to come.

For additional information about practical horse management please go to http://wcf-ltd.com/horse/ to learn more about how to care for your horse.

Author: Fran Mullens
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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When you’re into horse training, you have to find the best approach suitable to your horse. Some approaches work better than others and it all relies on the horse’s learning proportions. The learning pace of each horse varies; some learn faster than others and there are likewise people who are too stubborn to learn. Learning your horse’s personality is essential so that you are able to choose the best approach to use.

Novices are advised to seek the help of professional trainers if they have doubts as to their abilities as a horse trainer. In order to be an effective horse trainer, you should be inventive, a thinker, and most of all, use your sound judgment.

Horses are herd animals. If you try to observe a herd of horses, they ordinarily eat all during the day, groom, and sleep; challenge one another to gain position in the herd, and play. It is essential that you study the behavior of the herd so that you are able to incorporate the knowledge you’ve gained into the horse’s training program. Since each horse is unmatched, you will need to devise a training program worthy its ability or personality.

The majority of people feel like a stallion leads the herd but they’re wrong. In point of fact, a mare serves as the herd’s leader. It is the duty of the stallion to warn the herd when there is danger or when there is a threat of marauding stallions. The mare leader alternatively decides when it’s time to eat, the position where they are in a position to eat, and discipline other horses who’re at fault. The entire herd respects the mare and supports her decisions; the herd also trusts their lives to the mare. So you see, in the training program, you should act as the mare herd leader. You has to be in a position to win your horse’s respect, trust, and support.

In horse training, it’s not a great idea to use force. Although the horse will follow you, it’s not a reliable move. There isn’t one best’ training approach. As discussed previously, horses are unique animals and you must identify the most appropriate approach that suits the horse’s personality. Some of the famous horsemanship masters known presently are Pat Parelli, Dennis Reis, Buck Brannaman, Tom Dorrance, and Ray Hunt.

Good horse trainers do not just focus on one training technique; they strive to learn as many horse methods so that they are able to select the proper approach for each horse they train. If one of the famous horse training masters visits your area, why do not you check them out? It’s a venture that you shouldn’t miss.

It’s natural to make mistakes especially if you’re a beginner. If you make mistakes, do not be ashamed and instead, learn from it. Trainers handling troubled horses need a great amount of patience and determination if they wish to be victorious in the training program. This sort of horses is challenging to handle and if you are not cautious, you have access to hurt. If there are troubled horses, then you can likewise find horses that learn easily. Again, find the best approach that you can use in the training program.

Horse training definitely involves employing your sound judgment. Without it, you could be in difficulty. Even the truly great masters started out as novices. Learn all that you can about horse training. Handle the horses properly and earn their respect and trust. This ensures a smooth training program.

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Author: Bart R Montoya
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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It’s true what they say; it’s the little things. Your relationship with your horse is built upon the simple day-to-day activities you do together. How you and your horse interact while performing the mundane tasks of leading, grooming, mounting, etc. set the tone for the day. They build the foundation upon which you learn to rely on and respect each other.

You are always training your horse when you are interacting with her. As soon as you walk into her pasture or stall your horse is aware of your body language, voice, your energy, and mood. By making every experience a positive one for your horse, one that promotes relaxation and respect, the bond between you will grow stronger. By being aware of how your horse is responding to you and proactively helping her make constructive decisions, the two of you will reach a higher level of partnership.

Put your nose in the halter. We are often in a hurry and push on the halter onto our horse’s head without thinking. Our horse may pull away or elevate her head, a sign of anxiety or distrust that shouldn’t be ignored. Instead, put your right arm over the top of your horse’s neck and hold the open nosepiece of the halter a couple of inches below his nose and an inch or two toward you. Use the weight of your arm to encourage your horse to lower her head. Slight pressure from the halter strap that’s touching your horse’s neck will encourage her to bend her neck slightly toward you. Don’t “make” your horse respond. Wait for her figure out what to do on her own. That way you’re allowing her the time to make the decision to relax and place her nose into the halter on her own.

I lead, you follow. Your horse always leads a little bit ahead of you. She starts walking faster, and now you’re pulling back on the lead…against a 1,000 pound animal that knows she’s bigger than you. You lost her attention, and respect, the moment her shoulder passed yours. Never EVER let your horse lead you. That puts her in a dominant position, and when she’s thinks she’s in charge, anything goes. If your horse starts to get ahead of you, choke up on your lead. Put rearward pressure on the lead rope that’s angled toward the lowest part of the center of your horse’s chest. Keep the pressure steady, but don’t try to muscle your horse back. She needs to respond to light pressure, no more than a pound or two, and back off on her own. If she doesn’t swing the tail end of the leadrope (with your left hand) across her chest until she slows down and releases the pressure you’re applying with your leading hand. Your goal is not to cause your horse any discomfort at all, but to mimic the “back off” cue another dominant horse would give if your horse was caught taking the lead inappropriately.

Stand still for grooming and bathing. When your horse stands calmly and quietly, she feels confident in and comfortable with what’s happening. Certainly if you’re power spraying your horse with cold water on a chilly day, she won’t be very patient. Whatever you’re doing should be respectful to your horse as well. Teach your horse to stand still while holding the leadrope first. That way you can correct her safely without her feeling trapped or confused. Face your horse when you’re working around her. If she moves away, back her up a few steps to reinforce your authority. Then ask her to lower her head and relax with downward pressure on the leadrope. Then, bring her forward again (make sure you turn away to invite her to follow you and then face her again when you want her to stay put) and resume what you were doing. Be repetitive and calm.

Don’t move when I step in the saddle. It’s very disrespectful for your horse to walk off when you climb aboard. It can also be a sign of anxiety. Either way, it’s a problem that needs to be fixed. If she takes a step, when you put your foot in the stirrup, step down and back her up. Lower her head and bring her forward to try again. Repeat this until she’s standing solid. If you tend pull on your horse to get on, she’ll lose her balance and have to take a step. Use a mounting step or hone your mounting skills to make it easier for your horse to do her job right.

Every moment you spend with your horse is an opportunity to build a foundation of partnership. You and your horse are a team that will always work best when you’re working together.

Dale Rudin has 26 years horse experience as a trainer, instructor, and clinician. She has authored articles for Horse Illustrated, Young Rider, and other publications.

Information about her approach to training, products, and services can be found at http://www.dalerudin.com

Author: Dale Rudin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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