Posts Tagged ‘grass’

Im about to bring a horse back into work after a unexplained lameness and over a year being out at grass. Where do i start ? can i ride him? he is sound now but no muscle etc ?

Horses were born to eat grass, it is their natural food. The supplemental feeding of grain was created by man in order to keep weight on horses as they were being used for beasts of burden. Horses pulling caravans across this vast country did not have time to graze, so man had to supplement their need for food. This is probably when feed bags were invented. As man settled and began to farm, horses were necessary for plowing and traveling long distances either for supplies or for herding cattle; again demonstrating the need for grain.

Horses can survive on grass alone. The need to give them grain will depend on the age of the horse, what kind of activity the horse is performing on a daily basis, the amount of pasture that is available for the individual and the quality of the pasture. Young horses that are weanlings (babies just weaned from their mother) and yearlings are growing at a fast pace. Actually any horse under the age of five for most breeds is still growing. If you want a horse that is strong and will grow to their full potential, giving them grain is the right thing to do. Horses that are being ridden often or on a daily basis should have grain. Now if your horse is in a pasture that has a lot of weeds or the grass stays short because there are too many horses in one pasture, then you may also want to supplement them with hay as well as grain. Another factor that comes into play is the breed of the horse. Certain breeds will need only a small amount of feed, others such as Thoroughbreds, need much more grain to accomplish the development of a healthy, strong animal.

Being a horse owner means that you must monitor your horses weight and condition constantly, whether they are in a stall or in a pasture. If you have a horse or pony that is an aggressive eater and is becoming too fat or even obese, when you are graining the other horses in the pasture, you will have to put that horse in a catch pen, usually built into a corner of a pasture, with no grain until the other horses are finished eating. Remember, if you are giving grain to pasture horses, the amount that you feed will be much less than that of winter time. Lets’ say you turn your horses out during the day in the winter. They will just forage around and pick a little on old dead grass that has little to offer as opposed to gorging themselves all day long and even during the nighttime. Horses can suffer from a severe condition called laminitis (founder) when they are carrying too much weight and producing too much heat in their bodies, and the heat travels to their feet. This condition is not only very painful for the horse but it is a permanent condition. They become more sensitive, can re-founder, will need extra care and specialized shoeing, and it can even cause them to loose their life if they are not removed from the environment that originally caused them to founder.

Horses have been around for millions of years and they survived without grain. The decision is yours and if you have horses in a rich pasture and they are not being ridden often and they have a healthy weight on them, then grain probably is not necessary. As long as your horse has a plentiful supply of rich grass, plenty of fresh water, trees or woods or a lean-to structure for protection, and you have them on a regimented worming program (will be discussed at a later date), life will be good for them without grain. Even though they seem to be self sufficient, horses always need to have a watchful eye on them at least once a day. It is necessary to check their water and clean the waterer or tubs often. Make sure all the horses seem happy, and are following their usual daily habits. You must also check them thoroughly making sure there are no serious cuts, wounds, or kick marks, and check their eyes for injuries or signs of illness or allergies.

Beverly Jansen
http://bevshorseadvice.com
I’m a licensed Thoroughbred Horse Trainer and a licensed Equine Message Therapist. I have devoted my entire life to horses and have over 40 years experience to share. My blog site was created to share my knowledge and will soon offer exceptional, all natural horse products that are above and beyond any other products in comparison and will guarantee fantastic results. I will also be posting “How To” videos on my youtube channel soon.

Author: Beverly Jansen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Okay, I have a horse. But, I would like some care tips. I’m no expert and just want to make sure I’m doing everything right. What percentage of grains, horse feed, hay, and grass should be in the diet? How often do I need to float the teeth? How often should I worm? How often should I pick the hooves? Any other care tips and advice on horse ownership is appreciated. Thanks!

For those of us who grew up years ago without but desperately wanting a horse, a lot of fantasy and dreams colored our idea of what having a horse would be like. Many of us grew up on the standard fiction fare of books like The Black Stallion, television shows like My Friend Flicka or Mr. Ed, and the once-popular weekly westerns like Roy Rogers. In those scenarios, the horses were always very well behaved, kind, attached to their humans, and ever so willing to comply with every request as well as sometimes even protect their human. They would come running when called, and were more interested in their human than grass.

Those fictional horses certainly didn’t step on their humans’ toes, bite, bump, or kick them. They didn’t move off before their humans could get mounted, didn’t buck or run away, and you never saw or read about them grabbing a bite to eat as they moved down the trail. It seemed like they could run all day and never even get sweaty, much less tired.

Needless to say, the dream was certainly fiction! Many new horse owners have their bubble burst when they finally do get a horse because they think all horses will be like the fiction version. That is probably why a lot of new horse owners don’t do their research and they may end up with a horse that is not at all suited to their needs and abilities.

Misconceptions about horses can turn the dream into a nightmare or at the very least wake the new owner up with a start. Many people misunderstand the nature of horses. Horses are not overgrown puppies and should not be treated like dogs are. They are not children and do not have human thought patterns or the same emotions. Horses are simply horses, a unique and fascinating species in their own right. They deserve and need to be understood for what they are instead of fantasized. They are wonderful creatures as they are, and we shouldn’t try to make believe that they are something different.

I heard of a man recently whose family purchased a bred mare because they wanted to have a baby horse for their daughter to “grow up” with. When the colt was born, the man liked to go out and play with it. He would pick up the colt’s front feet and put them on his shoulders, and they would “dance”. Picture that same scene when the colt grew to be a yearling of around 700 pounds. All the sudden, it wasn’t nearly so much fun for the man when he got knocked down and had a gash in his head from a hoof. Suddenly the horses were no fun any more and were sold for whatever they could get for them. All because the owner though of the colt as a big dog and treated it that way.

Oftentimes people act as if horses think the same way people do. That’s a big mistake. Horses are prey animals–in nature prey animals are hunted for food by predators, and their survival may very well depend on running away or fighting. People are predators. Predators are the hunters. It makes no difference that we have taken the horse out of its natural environment and put it in ours where there aren’t that many predators that will actually hunt and hurt the horse. In their minds, they still know they are prey animals and vulnerable to predators. We have to understand that and prove to them that we are friendly predators who can be trusted to keep them safe. They aren’t going to understand that with words, so we have to demonstrate it with our confidence and actions.

Prey animals and predators do not see the world the same way and do not think the same way. For example, an upturned tree may look like a horse-eating monster to a horse or at least a perch from which a mountain lion might leap, whereas the rider sees it as a harmless upturned tree to which the horse should not react. Often the human gets frustrated with a horse that is afraid because the human knows that the scary object isn’t anything to worry about and doesn’t understand the horse’s perspective on the matter. Or they might get the matter worked out with the horse finally accepting the scary upturned tree going in one direction, and then on the return trip, the same thing happens again. The rider may think it’s ridiculous for this to happen since they worked the issue out going the other way. What isn’t taken into consideration is that the horse sees things differently than people do. Passing something on the left is not the same view as passing it on the right. Horses have to learn something from both the left eye and also from the right eye. The knowledge does not automatically transfer just because the object is the same.

The best way we can overcome our misconceptions is to study horse psychology through lessons (particularly Natural Horsemanship), reading, clinics, dvds, and observation of horses together in a field. There is a wealth of information out there, it’s just a matter of wading through it and sorting it out. Just be careful not to ascribe human or dog explanations to what you see horses do. Think about things from the horse’s perspective.

Bonnie and Gregg Martin own Gemara Farm Foxtrotters located in Barnesville, Georgia. They currently have nine fox trotters of their own and practice natural horsemanship with them.

http://www.gemara.homestead.com

Author: Bonnie Martin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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A horse needs care 365 days of the year come rain or shine. Any horse whether young or retired should be taken care of with respect. When you buy a horse consider who is going to take care of the horse. Are you going to be the one to go out in the rain or snow to feed him and make sure he has water? If the thought sends a chill through your bones, you may want to board your horse at a facility, so someone else has the responsibility to care for your horse.

A horse/pony needs approximately 2.5% of its body weight in food per day. Horse feed mainly consists of hay(grass) and hard feed. Your horse should be fed according to his workload. A horse that has free access to a field 24 hours a day and is seldom ridden can maintain his weight with a small amount of hard feed versus grass. Where as a horse which is stabled most of the day and ridden daily will require more hard feed.

Here are some feeding Tips:

o Feed only good quality hay and feed

Store your feed away from water to prevent mold

o Feed your horse plenty of fiber (bulk)

o Provide a constant supply of clean, fresh water

o Make any feeding changes gradually

o Feed according to the age of your horse and the amount of exercise he gets

Overfeeding grain to a horse can lead to a serious case of gas colic and cause your horse to suffer from severe abdominal pain

o Wash feeding mangers and buckets regularly

o Horses should have three meals a day instead of one large meal

o Allow your horse the time to digest his food before exercising him(wait an hour or more)

One of the most important ways to avoid colic is to feed your horse regularly. Feed good quality fiber (hay), make sure you open a bale and smell it before offering it to your horse. If the hay smells moldy or looks dusty do not feed it to your horse. Ingesting bad hay can be fatal to animals.

On average most horses can consume three flakes of hay per day. When riding your horse only on weekends or sporadically buy a food that is non-heating and formulated for low energy. Few pleasure horses need more than a cup of grain or horse feed several times a week. If your horse is looking pudgy you may need to cut back on his hay or check with your veterinarian to make sure he is getting the correct quantity of hard feed (grain/pellets).

If your horse competes in shows or you go on a lot of arduous trail rides, you will need to feed more grain or pellets. Talk to your veterinarian about how much grain your horse should have before you give him this type of feed on a daily basis. Professional advice can prevent a very pudgy horse or a difficult horse to handle due to overfeeding.
It is important to your horses performance and health that you know what to feed him and how to feed him. Talk to your veterinarian about giving your horse vitamin and mineral supplements to be sure all of his nutritional needs are being met.

Your horse guide. Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about horse health.

Paul Hegarty is the owner of learningfromdvds.com. Price compare Yoga DVDs, read reviews, download free E-books. Read this months e-book on “How To Spot A fraudulent Email”. Grab your free copy today.

Author: Paul Hegarty
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Most horse owners make the mistake of assuming that the horse see the world as we humans do and that is not the case at all. It is true that we are both mammals and that makes us close in great many aspects such and nutritional needs as well as need for rest. However the human evolution and the horse’s evolution brought us in two different directions and will therefore give the horse a very different reality than ours.

Horse Evolution Makes It Eat Grass
Mammals are basically divided into two categories where one (the predators) live by eating meat, being other animals, where as the other category lives by eating vegetation from trees and other plants. Humans have evolved into eating both by we are by nature primarily predators eating meat.

Horses on the other hand have evolved into eating grass and are a more defensive prey animal that just wants to be left in peace. Their most active periods are in the early morning and the late evenings where humans are more active during the day. That is just one of the many parts that separate man and horse.

Being an outdoor creature the horse has developed great bodies that are perfect for running outside and grazing plains. They also have a very adaptable mind that is a quick learner and never forgets.

Another interesting thing is that, being different from humans, a horse can go from a sleeping state to wide-awake and moving within a few seconds. Try that out in the morning if you will Horses are also fantastic runners and their body gives them the ability to go from 0 to 40 miles an hour in 3-5 seconds, which in fact is faster than most cars.

Because the horse can become a prey for carnivores it has a kick that it powerful enough to kill or at least disable anyone that wants to hurt it. The horse’s bite can have a similar devastating effect if you get too close.

The horse has many more nature evolved skills to help it in the wild and is has become a formidable survivor. Unfortunately this list also shows us how poorly our view and management of the fantastic animal is.

Signals from the senses
A horse has a great ability to feel a touch and even the slightest touch on the coat will be felt. That is probably also why a horse will be less able to stand pain compared to humans. The sense of taste of the horse is very similar to humans and it can taste sweet, salt, bitter and sour. There are three senses where a horse separates from those of human beings. Those are the ability to hear, to smell and to see.

The hearing range of a horse is not only much wider than that of a human but it can also hear sounds at a much higher frequency. This greater level of hearing comes from the unique ears with a shape and a moving capability that improves the sense significantly.

Just like dog, you will find that horse’s ability to smell if far superior to ours. Even smells that come from a mile away can be picked up. The sense of smelling is used for identifying other animals as a protection mechanism.

The eyesight of a horse makes them able to have an almost 360 degrees view with only a few black spots where one of them is strait in front of their head. Another impressive ability is that the horse’s eyes can process two different pictures simultaneously. As for colors we can’t say for certain but Horses probably can’t see the colors yellow and green.

Conclusion
Horses, being prey animals, are designed to run first and think later. This tendency can however be overcome by the trainer’s strong, calm and empathetic attitude when managing the horse. It is the horse’s nature to act the way it does and has nothing to do with being stupid.

Being able to smell better and hear better than us humans the horse will also experience at lot more from the world than we ever will. If we could read the horse’s mind he might think that humans are stupid because we clearly miss out on so much.

The key to a rewarding relationship between your horse and you is found in a two-may communication and in trusting each other. If a horse trusts you and know that nothing bad will happen to it by following your instructions, he’ll be much more likely to do it. On the other hand we will also have to accept that the horse has heightened abilities and senses that we can’t possibly understand. So building a relationship with your horse is just like building a relationship with another human. It takes commitment, trust and time but then there is nothing more to it.

If you want to know more about horses and horse feeding you can come visit us at HorseTrailerUniverse.com where you will find everything from different types of horse food to information about training your horse. You will also find information about what to look for when buying used horse trailers

Author: Hank Westwood
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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If you are interested in learning more about horses for beginners or are looking for your first horse, then this article is for you. This article discusses the types of things you should look for when looking for a beginners horse.

Time dedication

Horses require a lot of maintenance. If you think you can just turn your horse out to grass in a field and not worry about it, you are wrong. Horses need to have their feet trimmed and may need shoeing depending on the amount of work they do. Like people, they need to have exercise, or they can get out of shape and grow fat. Some horses can eat so much that that they founder, which means their feet hurt so much they are unable to walk. Horses that have a tendency to gain weight should wear a grazing muzzle when turned out to grass, to prevent overeating. Ponies are especially prone to founder. Horses need to be checked every day to make sure they are not sick or injured. If you board your horse at a boarding facility, your horse is usually checked each day, which helps if you can’t always be there to do it yourself.

Your Ability

The horse’s amount of training and your ability are a big consideration when looking for a horse for beginners. If you have no riding experience, it is best to get a well trained quiet horse. These horses are sometimes called schoolmasters. This means they know their job. They are good horses for beginners to learn on, especially if you find one that is very forgiving. A horse with this type of temperament is easy going and doesn’t get upset when beginners do things wrong.

Your Finances

There are a wide range of prices related to horses. Fancy, flashy show horses can cost thousands of dollars, whereas horses that are less fancy can be more moderately priced. The amount of training a horse has can also affect its price. For example, if a horse is young and has a little bit of training, it will not cost a lot. Unfortunately, horses with little training are not good beginners horses. A horse that is between 6 – 8 years old and has good training is usually more expensive. These horses are in their prime. A horse that is over the age of 10 or 12 years old usually is well trained, but health and the condition of the horse’s joints is a consideration. It is not uncommon for older horses to have arthritis. Older horses are usually great beginner horses, but they may have more associated vet expenses due to their age.

Choosing Your Horse

It is advantageous to have someone experienced go with you when you are choosing your first horse. It is best if you have a trainer, who will not only give you lessons after you buy a horse, but help you choose a horse that will be well suited to you. Before buying a horse, you should also have it examined by an equine veterinarian. This is an very important step that you don’t want to skip! The cost of the vet check will depend on how thorough the examination is and how many tests you have done. Your vet can tell you what your options are, but it is always a good idea to get x-rays of the horses legs and joints. It is not uncommon to find something wrong with just about any horse during a vet check, but it is up to you to decide what you are willing to live with. For example, you may not care that a horse has arthritis in his hocks and cannot jump, if you are only going to use it for trail riding.

Buying vs. Leasing

You don’t always have to buy a horse. You also have the option of leasing one. There are a lot of different lease arrangements available including half leases and free leases. With a free lease, you don’t have to pay the owner to use the horse. In this arrangement you are responsible for the horse’s care and living arrangements. With a half lease you may use the horse a few days a week, while the owner or someone else uses the horse the other part of the week. If you do decide to a lease a horse, make sure you have a written agreement, so you know who is responsible for all of the expenses related to the horse, like vet or farrier (blacksmith) bills.

As you can see, there is a lot to consider when getting your first horse. Before you jump into a purchase or a lease arrangement, make sure you do a lot of research first, so you get a horse that is well suited to your individual needs.

Author: Eileen Childs
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Aleasha C asked:

Okay, I have a horse. But, I would like some care tips. I’m no expert and just want to make sure I’m doing everything right. What percentage of grains, horse feed, hay, and grass should be in the diet? How often do I need to float the teeth? How often should I worm? How often should I pick the hooves? Any other care tips and advice on horse ownership is appreciated. Thanks!