Posts Tagged ‘Good Horse’

Some of the horses on the Auction are snotty or bite. How do you avoid those horses? Im going to be a new horse owner and I need a nice horse! How do I get a good horse?

There is so much excitement and anticipation in the very art of buying a horse. It is certainly a task not to be taken lightly. A horse is certainly not as easy to drop off at your local shelter as a cat is. When you buy a horse it should be genuine, not a spur of the moment whim.

The biggest consideration when buying a horse is where to keep him. Investigating local stables and yards, finding out the fee and what you are paying for is an important step to make the transition easier. I have yet to find a stable that pays for horse shoeing, unless it is on their horses!

Once you’ve settled on a place to keep your horse, you can then indulge yourself in finding a good horse. Horses are easy enough to come by, but not all horses are alike. We know that all horses bite, it is a fact horse owners rarely think about. However when buying a horse it is a tidbit to keep handy.

Some horses due to cruel handling, neglect or an aggressive streak will bite. Biting is a bad habit called a vice, horses that bite do not make a good first horse purchase. There is fact in the saying “once bitten twice shy”!

Read up on vices so you know one when you see one and if the current owner says the horse crib bites, you’ll know what that means and whether it is a vice you can live with. Remember the horse is yours and will be your responsibility once you purchase it.

Like humans you have horses in good health and others in questionable health. Some owners will try to sell a horse when they find out his health is less than perfect. The horse could have been in a field and cut his leg. Seems like an every day possibility but depending on where and how severe the cut, he could have done permanent damage. He would thus have a weakness and be prone to lameness.

It is always a good idea to have a veterinarian inspect the horse you want to purchase. That way any possibility of ill health can be brought to your attention and you are in control of taking on the responsibility or not.

Find out if people know about the horse and let them tell you their view of the horse. What is he like on an every day basis when a prospective buyer is not looking? Some horses are lunged to tire them out before a buyer comes to ride…

Yes, riding is sure a very important step when buying a horse! I was so desperate to buy my first horse that I overlooked this step and regretted it every day of the two years I owned the horse. Sometimes you can simply get sold by the look of a horse…

Make sure you buy a good horse that is right for you. The best way to do that is to read and gain knowledge of horses. Take a trainer or experienced horse person with you, but be sure to trust your instinct and have the knowledge to make the best decision for you. Turns out the person I took with me to buy my first horse was really looking for something they wanted.

Horses. Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about buying a horse. Learn all about your horse starting today.

Author: Benjamin Wise
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Excise Tax

I like to run in a park, but on hot days these huge horse flies are always chasing me. When they occasionally bite, it really hurts. Is there a horse fly repellent that I can use, to get these pests away from me?

I’m looking for good horse magazines out there that aren’t really focusing on western or dressage but more on jumping and tips and health care tips. Any good ones out there? Thankx.

The maintenance routine will include frequently spreading manure droppings or picking them up. Horses can wear bald patches in the ground. This typically occurs in wet weather. A useful economic tip is to spread seeds that fall from the hay onto the bald patches. This will take care of those patches with new grass in season for your horses.

Maintaining your horse pasture with a variety of grasses should be your goal for good care. Safe herbs and other plants can also be included. Some horses enjoy eating blackberries which contain vitamin C. Brambles may be left in hedges many horses enjoy eating the young leaves of these plants. Dandelions are another highly nutritious plant for horses. They are also easy to seed. Good edible plants should be encouraged in your horse pasture.

Routine pasture inspection is practical horse care. Make sure all fences are in good repair. Carefully check for any poisonous plants frequently. Most people do not have the knowledge to identify poisonous plants in their horse pasture. If you are not familiar enough with the poisonous plants for the area where you live to readily identify them, purchase a good photographic guide to poisonous plants. Inspections for these plants should take place often because seeds from these plants can blow in and sprout anytime.

Here is a list of plants using their common names that may reduce the quality of your horse pasture and those that are unsafe for horses. If you find them in you horse grazing area take care that they are removed.

• Beech – Beech mast or the fruit is poisonous to horses.
• Box – This plant is often used as a hedge for gardens.
• Bracken – This plant is not usually eaten by horses. It should be pulled up and burned because it wastes valuable grazing and spreads.
• Buttercups – Horses usually do not eat this plant but weed killers can change the taste and they may be eaten then.
• Daffodil – If growing wild can be eaten.
• Deadly night shade – Can be eaten by horses that browse a hedgerow accidentally.
• Foxglove – Not usually eaten but it commonly grows in paddocks.
• Hemlock – The whole plant is deadly. Young shoots appearing in spring are sometimes eaten.
• Holly – The poisonous berries are at times eaten.
• Horse chestnut – Horses can not eat the fruit of this plant but they can eat the leaves.
• Ivy – This plant seems to do no harm is small quantities but not eaten in large amounts.
• Laburnum – If this plant is near a grazing area it should be removed, normally it is only grown in gardens.
• Oak – Consuming large amounts can cause colic in a horse and could be fatal. Sometimes a horse may crave acorns and in this case the acorns must be swept up and removed or select another pasture for the horse to graze.
• Oleander – This plant is deadly to both humans and horses. It is often used as an ornamental plant. Do not pasture a horse near this plant.
• Privet – This plant is poisonous to horses. It is commonly used as a hedge.
• Ragwort – This plant should be pulled up and burned. It can be fatal to horses.
• Yew – Poisoning from this plant happens quickly. Horses can be found dead with the plant still in its mouth.

When you are able to keep your horse in a pasture it is the best way to let him get exercise while grazing. At http://www.horse-central.com you can find information that can help you learn more about keeping your horse pastures safe and other ways to care for your horse.

Author: Fran Mullens
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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In order to get the best performance possible out of a horse, proper nutrition is absolutely essential. Whether the horse is training for competitive riding or just leisure riding, good nutrition helps create and maintain a healthy horse. What basic things must each horse owner take into account to help create a healthy diet? These are a few:

There is one fruit and one vegetable that must be a staple of every horse’s diet. Carrots are important as a balancing food in the diet and can help the horse maintain his eyesight into old age. Even more important than that are the apples. Apples have long been a favorite of horses and for good reason. Whether red or granny smith, apples help make a healthy horse.

Obviously, horse feed is an important aspect of each horse’s diet. There are plenty of good horse foods out on the market, so finding a good one is not much of a challenge. These should be filled with oats, grains, and oils in order to help the horse remain healthy. Simply providing this horse feed is not enough, though. Good horse owners add a little something to the bucket in order to provide the best for their animal.

Cod liver oil should be mixed into the food each time it is served. This nutritious oil is full of vitamins, which help supplement the horse’s diet. In addition to that, molasses can be mixed in with dry horse feed.

In order to truly be healthy, horses need their fair share of salt. Since it is not feasible to salt their food, horse owners need to think of other options. Most tack shops sell a horse lick, which is designed especially for horses. It is important to get the horse version, as there are also salt licks designed for cattle.

One secret food can help horses retain their energy. If you put your horse through a lot of activity during the day, it will undoubtedly get tired. In order to rejuvenate the horse, an owner must use a combination of foods. One of the best foods for this energy boost is the red beet. Horses won’t particularly like beets unless they are first soaked in water. This healthy food is full of energy and nutrients that every active horse needs, though.

One question that many horse owners have is about the oats that they feed the horse. Oats are a valuable part of any horse’s diet, but horses can not live on oats alone. Since oats have a highly unbalanced level of calcium and phosphorous, they must be combined with hay or alfalfa sprouts in order to keep the horse healthy. Added as a supplement, oats can be good for horses, though.

Proper horse nutrition is difficult to attain, because it requires meticulous planning and constant attention to detail. Horses need lots of different things in order to thrive, so owners must always be conscious of new trends in the horse industry.

Patricia Reszetylo has been a horse crazy kid since 1978. She now operates http://www.EquineTeleseminar.net where she interviews other equestrians on a variety of horse health, training and equine business topics By Request. Visit http://EquineTeleseminar.net/free.htm for your own free copy of a telepak (audio and transcript) from the most popular horse health call of 2006. You dont want to miss out on this important information!

Author: Patricia Reszetylo
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I am interested in insuring my horse and was wondering if there was a specific company I should use and about how much it would cost. I live in So Cal, so I would need a company that covers that area. My horse is 16, a Warmblood gelding, and I use him for pleasure and am starting to learn dressage on him. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

What do you do if your kid asks for a horse? Supposing you say, “Yes,” how do you go about picking one?

How do you choose a good horse for kids? How do you find on who is kind, gentle, loving, and willing to please? Just as important, how do you stay away from those who buck, kick, bite, and have other horrible vices? These are all important questions to ask when you shopping for a horse for kids.

My answer is simple:

To find a good horse for kids, choose one with the right horse personality type.

There are certain equines with personality types custom-made for kids, and other types that should definitely be avoided. When it comes to the safety and fun of your little ones, you definitely want to go with horse personality types that make good children’s horses. Luckily, that’s not difficult. There’s even an online test to help you do just that.

Five-Element Horse Personality Types

If you have been around equines for any length of time, then you know that has a distinct personality, just like humans. Some are mischievous while others are competitive. Some spend their lives trying to please while others only want to win at all costs. Certain horses are tough as nails, others are as soft as marshmallows. It all depends on their personality type.

The Five-Element horse personality typing system I developed predicts a horse’s behavior and health challenges, as well as the best career and management style for each type. The system is based on the five elements of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Water, Fire, Wood, Metal and Earth. There are five straight types (based on each of the five elements), as well as six combination types.

The Best Horse Personality Types for Kids

So which personality type should you choose as a good horse for kids? Based on my experience, the best children’s horse is one of the following three personality types:

#1: The Earth Horse Personality Type

The Earth type is generally sweet, gentle, and has a sweet tooth. His motto is, “Let’s be a team!” The Earth personality type loves children, and makes a reliable lesson horse. Fond of routine, once an Earth horse learns his job he can be depended on to do it well. He is perhaps a bit on the sluggish side (he likes to stop and graze), but other than that makes an excellent children’s horse. He is usually too lazy to bother with bucking or running, and as long as he is well-fed and has a steady routine, he makes a great kid’s mount.

#2: The Shao Yin (Fire/Water) Horse Personality Type

The Shao Yin typeis highly intelligent, fun-loving, and can make an excellent mount for kids. When trained, the Shao Yin type is a wonderful caretaker for beginner riders and children alike. This kind of equine loves to figure things out. He is also gentle, affectionate, and kind. Shao Yin horses don’t do well under pressure, which makes them perfect horses for low-key events like playdays or gymkhanas. Because they love attention and are very sociable, these horses enjoy hours of grooming, grazing, and “quality time” with kids.

#3: The Yang Ming (Metal/Earth) Horse Personality Type

The Yang Ming type is a loyal companion who tries his best to please. Once this type has learned his job, he will never forget it. He will perform flawlessly in a number of disciplines, being highly versatile as well as reliable. His only demand is that he be treated fairly. While not as affectionate as the Earth or Shao Yin types, the Yang Ming type works hard and is a good caretaker. His steady disposition and reliability make him an excellent children’s horse.

Two Other Possible Horse Personality Types for Kids

While Earth, Shao Yin, and Yang Ming horses are my top picks as personality types suitable for kids, there are two other types that can also be good children’s horses when well-trained: Metal and Tai Yin horses. If your child is older, more experienced, or wants to be competitive in rodeo or on the show circuit, either of these two personality types may work well.

The Metal Horse Personality Type

The Metal type is extremely hard-working, can stand up to a rigorous training schedule, and, once trained, never forgets his job. Early in his career, the Metal type must understand his job or he may be prone to bucking, making him a poor choice for children. However, the well-trained and experienced Metal horse can make a good children’s horse. He will do his job well and without complaint. He isn’t the “best friend” type, but is a suitable horse for the kid who wants to do Little Britches rodeo and be competitive in the show ring.

The Tai Yin (Earth/Metal) Horse

The Tai Yin type can also make a good horse for kids as long as he gets along with the child. This type is often a “one-person” mount, and does not get along well with everyone. However, if this equine likes your child, he will try his heart out. Although the Tai Yin type is not highly affectionate he will often demonstrate caring through hard work and fierce loyalty. This type will do almost anything for a person he likes, and thus makes a good kid’s horse for any child he likes.

Test a Horse’s Personality Before Buying

Now that you know which personality types are suitable as children’s horses, how do you know what kind of personality a horse has? Suppose you are considering several horses to buy for your child. How do you know which to choose? Simple. Just test the personality of each horse you are considering.

Visit the Horse Harmony Test website to test each horse’s personality. This online personality test will tell you the personality type of each possibility. You can then read a short summary of each horse at the Horse Harmony website.

If you don’t know the horse well enough to type him, ask his current owner to test the possible euqine for you. You might be surprised. The seemingly gentle mount with a gleam in his eye may look like the perfect children’s horse, yet the Horse Harmony Test may reveal the horse to be a Jue Yin, a tricky horse not at all suitable as a horse for kids.

The test is no-cost, so it can’t hurt to type any horses you are considering for your child. For that matter, if you already own horses, it may be interesting for you to test them as well. You can also test your own personality on the same site, just for kicks!

Author: Dr. Madalyn Ward, DVM
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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