Posts Tagged ‘horse horses’

Horses that spook easily are dangerous to ride, they are a danger not only to themselves, but to others as well. Horses, being prey animals, have a strong fight or flight response, and when faced with a threatening situation, they deal with it by shying or even worse, bolting. When this happens the horse is usually classified as a problem horse and is considered dangerous. A seemingly harmless object such as a plastic bag or chicken coop can send the biggest of horses into a bolting frenzy.

There are some things you can do to desensitize your horse. This problem horse training is ideally started when the horse is young and in training as it will ensure a spook proof horse. Begin by lunging the horse for a few minutes to allow him to work off any excessive energy. Leave a halter and lead rope on the horse and approach him slowly with an old saddle pad or blanket allowing him to sniff it. Work at the horse’s pace and if he spooks or takes a step back, introduce the blanket again slowly until he is comfortable having it close to him.

Once he’s more at ease around the blanket, you can start moving it around and swinging it slowly. This will help desensitize the horse against flapping objects. The horse will most probably feel uncomfortable and may even shy, so be patient and work with him until he is accustomed to having the blanket swung around him.

The next step is to touch the horse with the swinging blanket, gently swing it onto his back and all over his body. Once the horse accepts the blanket on his head you’re halfway there! Place the blanket by his feet to help desensitize him to objects under his feet, this is an essential part of the desensitization exercise. That’s it; reward him profusely for a job well done!

The next desensitizing exercise you should try is to use a soft rope and work with it in much the same way as you did with the saddle pad or blanket. This teaches the horse to tolerate having a rope moving around his legs and body. Teaching your horse to tolerate this type of sensation can prove to be lifesaving if tack fails and the horse finds himself with bits of tack flying around him. This makes the horse much safer in dangerous situations when tack breaks. Throw the rope on the ground and in-between the horses’ legs and belly until he is no longer afraid of it. If the horse allows you to move the rope around his face and head, you’ve successfully completed this exercise.

Last but certainly not least is the plastic bag. Many, many horses are afraid of plastic bags and this exercise will help eliminate that fear of plastic bags in your horse. Show the bag to your horse and allow him to smell it, then tie it to a long lunge whip and wave it around while holding your horse on long lead rope. The horse will inevitably shy and try to get away from the terrifying object. Shake the bag around the horse until he becomes comfortable to having it around him, once this happens, touch him with bag all over his body. Move it around his body and under his belly, when he allows you to touch his head with it, you’re done.

Work at your horse’s pace and always end your training session on a positive note and with a lot of pace. Never force your horse into an uncomfortable situation or you may end up scarring him for life. Make sure you do these exercises regularly even after the horse has become desensitized to ensure the horse doesn’t fall back into his old familiar patterns.

Stal Amani is a top equestrian centre based in Belgium within 2 hours drive of most of the top jumping and dressage competitions in Europe. We regularly host national and international competitions. For more information please visit http://www.stalamani.com

Author: Josie Amani
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Anti-angiogenic Food

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

He’s been your equine partner for years now. You’ve perhaps ridden in
shows, through trails or even relocated across the country with your
horse. You’ve been friends a long time, and it may be hard to admit, but
you’ve noticed your horse is slowing down.

Don’t lose heart. Just like with people, advances in health care and
nutrition are helping horses live longer, more productive lives, well into
their senior years. But older horses do take a little extra care. Here’s a
few ways to keep your aging buddy doing his best.

1. Give him light, consistent work. Your horse may not be able to keep
up a workout routine for competitions, but he’s probably not ready to
retire either. Keep him at a reasonable fitness level and he’ll feel and
perform like a younger horse. The worst thing to do is let him get out of
shape and then ride him hard some weekend when he hasn’t been
ridden for months. That’s not fair to him and may spell trouble for you
later.

2. Make sure your horse has regular vet check-ups. Don’t neglect the vet
check-up even if your horse isn’t around many other horses anymore.
Keep him up-to-date on vaccinations, like any horse, and make sure
your vet begins looking for signs of arthritis or soundness issues.
Sometimes cortisone shots given early can not only provide relief for
aching joints, but can prevent further inflammation and stiffness later on.

Continued deworming is also important for the older horse. Horses more
than 20 years old may have intestinal scarring from worm damage that
occurred before modern larvicidal dewormers were available.

Have your veterinarian check your horse’s teeth at least once a year.
The older a horse gets, the more likely his teeth will be worn into sharp
points. They may even be wearing out completely.

3. Consider a senior feed. Older horses do not absorb as many
nutrients from their food as younger horses. Couple that with worn-out,
missing or damaged teeth, and many older horses have difficulty
keeping weight on, especially through the winter months. Several senior
feeds on the market today offer alfalfa-based pellets that are easy for
older horses to chew, swallow and digest.

Many times older horses choose to eat very little hay. The senior feed is
designed to cover all roughage requirements for the horse as well as
provide the ideal vitamin and mineral balance for the older horse. Also,
don’t feed your senior buddy with a younger, more aggressive horse.
You want to make sure he doesn’t have to fight for his fair share.

4. Consider feed supplements. If you’ve never used a feed supplement,
now may be the time. Talk to your veterinarian about what kind of
supplement might be best for your horse. Biotin is great for hooves and
coat. Other supplements can help with energy. Of course, glucosiamine
is the standard supplement to keep joints healthy and lubricated.

5. Give him attention. It’s easy to forget about a horse you can’t use as
much anymore, but if you can’t use him, maybe you should loan his
services to someone who can. Many older, experienced show horses
are great lesson horses. He could give a neighbor’s child a few lessons
a week or stand still while you teach children how to properly groom a
horse. He might be a great mount for a beginner rider, or an adult who
doesn’t want any surprises. You could still take him on the occasional
leisurely ride. Just don’t leave him untouched in a stall for days. At the
very least, give him a buddy and plenty of turnout time.

It may take a little extra time and money to care for your older horse, but
when you think back to all the years he’s given, you’ll probably agree
he’s worth it. With the proper care, many horses are living sound,
productive lives well into their 20s.

Diane Samson is a writer with The Lieurance Group, a freelance writers cooperative in Kansas City, Missouri. Samson can provide writing, reporting and editing services for magazines, newspapers, corporate communications and especially animal publications. Find out more about her writing services at http://www.lieurancegroup.blogspot.com. or email her at: dianesamson@birch.net

Author: Diane Samson
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Duty tariff

Horse groundwork training is a vital part of getting your horse ready to ride. You should begin with three goals in mind. First, you want to become a leader for your horse. Horses naturally look to a leader as they are herd animals in the wild. For safety reasons, you want to assume that leadership role. Otherwise your horse is going to be making the decisions, like when to run away when he hears something scary on the trail. He’s also more likely to exhibit bad horse behavior if you haven’t established leadership. With leadership comes respect from the horse, and a horse that doesn’t respect you is more likely to rear, buck, and bite among other problems.

There are three simple horse groundwork training exercises you can do to establish leadership. The first that should be done is round pen work ala Monty Roberts “join up”. Take your horse to a round pen and take the lead rope off. Then send him out to your left at a canter. Have him go around about five times and then ask him to change direction and go around to the right. As he is going around apply pressure-swing your rope at the hip and maintain eye contact at the withers. At this point, start looking for signs of acceptance from the horse. This will be communicated to you with four basic gestures. An ear on you indicates respect-the horse is paying attention to what you have to say. Next comes licking of the lips or chewing. This is a sign of relaxation, which really means that the horse is not feeling any fear-or more to the point he trusts you. When you see these signs, take some of the pressure off-stop swinging your rope and back off a little bit. The horse may indicate increased trust by dropping his speed down and circling at smaller distances. The final sign to look for is the horse dropping his head. When a horse drops his head, this is a submissive act that says “you’re my leader” and “please let me join the herd”. When he does this, take eye contact off the horse, walk backwards away from him in a spiral pattern, and exhale. This will bring the horse to a stop. Now you can approach the horse and get him to hook on (follow you without a lead rope).

The second horse groundwork training activity to include in your routine is simple leading. Put a lead rope on your horse and just walk around. Look for signs of disrespect: crowding, edging past you as you walk, and taking two or three more steps when you’ve come to a stop. If your horse indicates one or more of these signs, spend a few minutes each day walking backwards away from your horse. This way you can only be in front of the horse as he’s being led, and he will see you as a leader in his mind. Occasionally ask for stops by stopping, raising both hands with palms out and exhaling. While you’re doing this, make sure the horse has both eyes on you. If they are not you he is not paying attention (disrespect), so bump the rope to bring his nose on you.

Once leadership, trust, and respect have been established, its time to turn your horse groundwork training toward preparing a horse to be ridden. The goal now is to set up a set of cues that will be given to control and direct the motion of the horse, and teach him these cues on the ground. The cues given use a pressure and release reward system. Pressure is the cue to move, release of the pressure is a reward to the horse that reinforces the desired response. The main areas we want to work with are: moving forward and backing up, moving the forehand over, moving the hindquarter over, and disengaging the hindquarter.

Let’s start with moving the forehand. To move the forehand, apply pressure between the jaw and withers in the neck area. When the horse takes a step away from you, release. Do the exercise on both sides. Then repeat with the hip area. Disengaging the hip is a process of applying pressure to the hip and having the horse circle his hip around while keeping his front legs in the same location. His hind legs should cross over one another. This is called “disengaging” because we are taking away the forward impulsion of the horse-when his hind legs are crossing he does not have the balance necessary to move forward.

Backing up applies pressure alternatively to the opposite sides of the face. Shaking the lead rope will do this, or you can apply pressure with your hands (in the air just by the nose). To ask the horse to move forward, you can do a driving exercise. Stand at the midsection to the left of the horse and put your riding or carrot stick over his back. Point forward with your left hand and tap the back of the horse with your tool. The tapping is “pressure” asking the horse to move forward. When he starts moving, you can release the pressure.

The final groundwork exercise you can use to prepare for riding is lunging. The focus of lunging used in this way is not to wear down the horse, but rather to build communication. To do this you will start the horse moving at a walk and ask him to stop periodically. When he is doing that well in both directions, then begin to include trotting. At first, have him start at a walk then ask for trotting, then work on having him drop down from a trot to a walk. Then stop again. Mix it up so your horse is never sure what you’re going to ask (keep him paying attention). When he is doing this well, begin including cantering in the exercise.

David McMahon is a freelance author. He invites you to visit http://horse-training-tips.com where you can learn more about horse groundwork training.

Author: David McMahon
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: DIY Wind Power

Your first horse should give you positive experiences that will carry over into the rest of your life. Your first horse should be safe, have the ability to bond with you (not always possible as we’ll learn later) and be able to do many of the things you want to do with him/her.

Before you venture out to look, think this over well:

“What do I expect to get out of horse ownership?”

In my many years of retraining horses, I have seen too many people buy the wrong horse. These are not animals you should buy because you fall in love with them immediately. Very few people can feel a bond that quickly, and even they make mistakes in their choices. Bonding right away is not the reason one should override other problems the horse may have.

I have only had 2 long-term horses in my life: a big black jumper in my teens and an Arabian stallion. The stallion, Spike, was the greatest horse I have owned to date, but I also know that great horses are made first, and ‘gifted’ to you second. I have trained countless horses with talent and bonding ability, but the previous owners were not able to see this (often through lack of experience, time, training, general ‘horse sense’ ).

Finding the right horse means that you have to answer the above question with honesty and integrity. Another life depends on it.

What Can You Expect From Owning a Horse?

I would not be where I am today without having had them in my life, and I don’t mean the website and the riding experience. Horses supply valuable worldly skills at any age; it’s just gets a little more interesting when you’re older. My patience came from the horse: my gratitude came from the horse: and my compassion came from the horse.

Horses ask us to change the way we think. They need us to speak their language first. The road to learning this new language opens up the creative thinking side of a human, and challenges us to explore deeper within.

Adiva Murphy says it well: “Horses are intensely emotional, intuitive, intelligent beings. They are a true reflection of our deepest soul. Over time I have discovered their extraordinary ability to awaken intuition in humans, and their ability to mirror the authentic feelings people try to hide. This makes horses powerful therapeutic teachers.”

All Parents Should Read This

When I was young, I was trouble looking for a place to happen. I did not fit in at school, as I was too tall, too skinny and too geeky. I would never have made it through school without my horse.

For young people, growing up means learning to find your place in the world, or society. When parents tell me that horses are too expensive, and you see the look on the child’s face, I always ask them “How much does it cost to rehabilitate a kid on drugs, or raise a teen’s baby?” I’m not saying that kids without horses will go that path, but there are more than the obvious things that make horse ownership for youngsters a valuable tool for life.

By the end of grade 10, I was pinning in almost everything I went in, and jumping heights that scared me silly in grade 1. My courage to go places and advance was unstoppable, and I absorbed every detail I could about the horse.

In elementary school, I use to run home as fast as I could, to avoid the rocks the kids threw at me every day after school. I was never invited to play sports, even though I could have whipped just about everyone there. I always sat at the front of the class, as close to the teacher as possible. When I hear of bullying now, the things I endured as a little kid would have locked up many guilty youth today.

But as my horse knowledge grew, and I became stronger from having this highly positive experience in my life, I began to fight back. In grade 10, I found myself surrounded by ‘unpleasant’ girls in the bathroom. I was able to negotiate my way out of it (learning other language skills – the horse) and after taking off my jacket to reveal some rather strong arms, they left me alone, revering me the rest of the school year. It was better than the abuse.

Being a bit of an outcast at school also didn’t matter much as I went through Jr. and Sr. High. My attitude was “Go ahead, bug me all you want, but you can’t ride a horse as well as me.”

At the barn, I was surrounded with kids my age and all sorts of interesting horsey people. I fit in there, and was well respected. I met lots of new friends at the shows, and my memories of youth now are filled with happy tales of great adventure: sleeping in our horse’s stalls overnight at the shows; riding bareback through miles of endless trails; riding my first Rothman’s Grand Prix at the Northwest International and not having any recollection of the entire thing at the end from being so scared (but brave enough to do it).

How Horses Teach Us

Not all kids are like I was. But the point is, the horse taught me that I could excel in something (I was good in school, but back then that was ‘geeky’, so I never tried), gave me hope, showed me another way to communicate, and challenged the anger that could have grown out of proportion inside. My confidence soared, I took on any challenge and learned to nurture and respect all life. The things horses teach us.

Horses often take the place of a best friend, and that was my experience growing up. I cried with my horse, I laughed with my horse, and not once did he ever call me stupid (perhaps in a subtle way, when you ask them to do something and they tell you to ask another way).

Horses are incapable of learning our language. They are herd animals, and ‘precocial’, meaning they are born with the immediate response of being mobile and bonding to the mare. Precocial exists in prey animals, where as predators are born ‘altricial’, where the young are born helpless and bond with the parent(s) later. Horses have very limited verbal dialogue and use body language as their main way of communicating.

This forces humans to change their thinking patterns and physical behaviors around horses (if the human wants to get anywhere with the horse). As humans, we now are asked to bring down our walls and ego, and speak a dialogue that’s transparent and honest.

Find that course in grade school?

What Parents Should Look For

The trick for parents is to be able to judge whether or not horses are a passing fad for the year, or a way of life that the youngster will take with them. Not all young people stick with horses their whole life. In my world about 1 in 10 did. As parents, what you need to feel out is whether you are going to get into this, and have the child find interest in something else ten months down the road, after you have purchased the horse, equipment, lessons, trailer, truck (you get the message). But the child needs to ride in lessons first, for you to be able to judge this.

The best way to proceed is to get lessons at a reputable barn. How do you know a barn is reputable? Find two or three top trainers in the area and ask them. Top trainers and coaches know what and who to avoid. Spend time around a place and get a feel for the instructors. Are they in it for the kids or the paycheck, and with horse people this will stand out plain as day. Teaching youth is a gift and you either want to do it or you have to. The difference between the two is easy to distinguish. Also, do the horses look well fed and happy? Are they turned out daily? Is the facility managed by responsible people who show up? What are the qualifications of the instructors (they should at least have insurance)?

What if you don’t have any lesson barns close by? Many kids get their start by cleaning stalls and working in facilities. These kids are lucky, for they earn the right to be with horses, and usually stick with it long after all the ‘stuff’ is bought. The drawback is that many of them learn by trial and error, and that means broken bones and the odd concussion, and the price the horse will pay in the process. Just go into a horse forum and start reading. You have to feel for some of those horses.

There is nothing that takes the place of lessons and good training from the start. It’s not a sport like hockey where you learn to skate and balance. This sport has a partner: a living, breathing entity whose survival depends solely on the owner/rider. I cannot stress this enough: there are far too many unwanted and abused horses. If you don’t have the ability to keep an animal, do not get into this in the first place. If you have no intention of learning from the start, take up something else. Horses have no place in the ego of mankind, and do not exist solely for our pleasure.

I suggest that your child take lessons on at least 3 horses before you even think of buying one. This allows the child to get a feel of what different horses are like, so that they are better able to judge the right horse for their own when they finally buy one. They should have had enough lessons to become comfortable with each horse, and enough time in to gain confidence.

Your child’s age is another factor. I rode my own pony Dusty at the age of 4, but looking back on it one could have called it child abuse. I was bitten and bucked off daily. I either landed too many times on my head, or this way of life was for me and nothing was getting in the way. I believe a child will know when they want to learn. Size and age does not matter (no younger than 4 please) but it’s even more important that you find the right horse or pony for a younger enthusiast. Dusty may not have been the best example, but was small enough to not scare me during the rough moments (about every two minutes).

Long Term Considerations

Another thing a parent has to consider are restrictions: does the child or YOU have the time to put into this: are you as a parent able to help out: can you afford it: can you go the distance when the child wants to progress with this animal in the future (shows, clinics, lessons)? Horses are time consuming and not for those who like to get out on Sunday. They can really eat up time when they are sick or injured. Your weekends are given over to the horse. Life can change also, leaving Fluffys life with you in the balance.

The commitment to horses is enormous, and buying the animal is often the easy part. Most kids grow out of Fluffy in a few years, and you either end up owning 2 horses or Fluffy gets sold. It’s not always easy to sell horses, taking weeks or months to find the right home. But it’s all part of the experience, and as a child, I learned to absorb the pain of my favorite horses passing on, and being sold.

This is yet another way that horses teach us. Being sheltered from the natural movement of life just means you will have to go through the lesson later. What you resist, persists. I am so grateful I had the chance to understand these things early. I had more time to move through the process.

If all that information helps you, and you’ve now gone through this ‘discovery’ period, it’s time to find the right horse.

The Mature Rider’s Guide to Horse Ownership

Most mature riders have ridden in the past at some point. I commend anyone who takes on this challenge without prior experience. You have my full respect.

As I said above, horses come with a level of responsibility you won’t find in any other sport or pet ownership, so if you glanced through the youth/parent section, go back and read it thoroughly. As adults, we need to evaluate the same things that parents are asked to: time, ability, finances, available stables and long term ownership.

As adults, we have different reasons to own horses than children do. Perhaps it was a dream from youth, or the desire to return to a more natural way of living (farms/land ownership). Horses can add to our years with an enjoyment you won’t understand until you live the experience. There is no money in the world that can buy the enjoyment a good horse can give.

We don’t often buy show horses as adults. We often spend our lives in business, competing for jobs and salaries, fighting our way up the ladder, and the last thing we want from our experience with horses is more of the same. The pleasure horse is more the choice of later years. Unlike children, we usually don’t have to work at a barn or take lessons before we know we want to do this. Adults have pondered the idea for years. Many of us have the income and means to pursue the dream. From here on it’s full steam ahead to find one.

Looking for a horse now requires a bit more time. Quality horses with the level of training to be safe can also cost a bit more, but here’s where the show horse comes in. Older show horses often have good training on them, and have been exposed to many distractions and spooky threats. Often, people move on to newer younger animals, and the old show horse gets the back pasture, or worse, left in isolation. While they may cost a bit more they can become loyal companions and reliable trail buddies.

Always try out a horse you’re interested in at least three or more times. Show up at the horse’s barn unexpectedly and see how the animal lives when you’re not there. Ride the horse in an enclosed area (arena, ring) and out on a trail or roadway. If the owner balks at this, it’s likely the horse is incapable of being safe in these places. Watch others ride the horse. We will cover more of this in future articles in this series.

What’s Next in Horse Purchasing?

As a parent, by now you will have come to a decision about how your child is going to learn. Maybe you have gone through the lesson circuits and the child is ready for ownership.

As an adult, you are hot on the trail of horse hunting, and have found a potential horse or so. Next comes the decision: which horse is going to be an enjoyable experience and lifelong partner?

In the next chapter, we will look at the difference between ponies and horses: pros and cons. Which is right for your child.

Author: April Reeves
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Latest trends in mobile phone

A horse’s nutritional requirements and his digestive system have not changed since the time he was first domesticated thousands of years ago. However, due to a lack of knowledge, convenience considerations and an over-zealous adoption of the scientific claims of the feed industry, the way we feed a horse has changed dramatically. Often, these methods contradict what natural horsemanship tells us about feeding and result in health problems for the horse and management problems for owner.

Certain principles of natural horsemanship can be applied to choosing a proper feeding program for the horse. Just as we studied aspects of horse physiology and psychology when approaching training techniques, it is beneficial to think in these terms when we decide how to feed our horses. This will tell us both what to feed and how to feed.

It doesn’t take an expert in natural horsemanship or equine nutrition to understand that feeding flakes of alfalfa and grain supplements twice a day to a horse in a stall is not what Mother Nature intended. Indeed, that approach completely ignores a few basic principles that every horse owner should know about their four-legged charges.

A horse’s digestive system is designed to obtain the maximum nutritional benefit from a diet of high-fiber and low-energy grasses. The foundation of a healthy, natural diet for a modern, domesticated horse is grass and grass hay. A horse in his natural environment will spend many hours a day grazing. Most experts say that a horse needs to consume at least 1.5 – 2 lb. of good quality hay and grain for every 100 lbs of body weight. Much will depend upon the metabolism of the horse. Horses that are heavily worked, pregnant and lactating mares will consume up to 3 lbs of dry matter for every 100 lbs. of body weight.

Grass hay is much preferable to alfalfa for the bulk for the horse’s diet for several reasons. Alfalfa is a very rich or “hot” feed for the horse. It contains approximately 50% more protein and energy per pound than grass hay. Its phosphorous to calcium ratio is also too high for a horse’s requirements. When fed with grain, as alfalfa often is, numerous digestive problems including colic may result. Alfalfa may be fed but only in small quantities almost as a supplement, not as the predominant feed component.

Not all hay is the same. The nutritional content of hay depends not only on the variety of grass grown, but also on the soil and amount and type of fertilizer used. Hay quality also can vary and should be examined prior to purchasing. Good hay exhibits the following qualities:

1. Should be leafy as opposed to containing too many stems. Most of hay’s protein is contained in the leaves.

2. Good-quality hay should exhibit a light green color. If it is too yellow or brown, it might have been harvested too late and may not contain proper nutrients.

3. The hay should smell fresh and sweet. Hay that smells moldy or musty should be avoided. Feeding moldy hay can result in colic.

4. Check for weeds and other non-hay matter. Good horse hay should contain a bare minimum of weeds, sticks and debris.

Unfortunately, hay comes without supermarket labels specifying nutritional content, but often a reputable hay supplier will have a laboratory analysis available for a particular cutting of hay he is selling. Parameters to look for include:

1. Moisture: usually averages around 10%. Higher than 13% may result in palatability problems and even mold proliferation.

2. Crude protein: Legume hay will run 20% or more. High quality grass hay might run as high as 12-15%. A minimum should be at least 8%.

3. Digestible energy (DE): This is an estimate of the amount of energy available to the horse from the hay. This figure will vary depending upon the stage of growth at which the grass was cut and harvested. Young grass will have a higher DE. As the crop matures, DE decreases as the lignin content increases. A DE reading of less than 1.65 Mcal/kilogram indicates a high level of indigestibility and should not be fed to horses. This could cause impaction colic.

4. Acid detergent fibre (ADF: Indicates the digestibility of fiber in the hay. ADF levels above 45% indicate poor nutritional levels, while values less than 31% indicate excellent quality hay.

When horses ran wild, their food supply consisted of different kinds of grasses grown in one pasture or field. Today we have lost that natural variety. An improved pasture is more than likely to contain just one variety of hay grass. Feeding just one type of hay can limit the nutritional value of the horse’s ration, especially trace minerals. Several different kinds of hay, ideally, should be fed. This will not only provide a more balanced diet but will also vary taste and texture characteristics of the feed as well.

A horse will also nibble eagerly on all kinds of vegetable matter. A good idea is to provide your horse with tree branches with leaves to chew on. He will not only be able to derive needed nutrients but will use his teeth and wear them down naturally. A horse’s teeth are continually growing, and because of domestication and modern feeding techniques, usually need to be rasped down once a year. In the wild the horse is apt to feed in such a way that the growth of his teeth is naturally kept under control.

In addition to being perfectly suited to extracting maximum nutritional value from grasses, a horse’s digestive system has other requirements which are often ignored by owners. The relatively small size of the stomach limits the amount of feed that can be safely consumed at one time. A horse is unable to vomit or belch. Eating a large volume of hay and grain concentrate twice a day, as most horses do, can be unhealthy and even dangerous. A horse should eat small amounts, many times a day.

One of the unique features of the horse’s digestive system is that even though he has but one stomach compartment, as opposed to ruminants like cows, there is a large microbial population in the cecum and colon. These microbes have the ability to break down and utilize the nutrients contained in forage. The peculiar shape of the colon which bends back upon itself numerous times reduces the rate at which digested food is able to pass. This allows more efficient utilization of roughages in the horse’s feed, but also can cause digestive problems when the horse is not fed correctly.

If you observe a horse eating in a barn situation, you can readily see that he prefers to eat off the ground. Most feeders require a horse to eat with their necks extended and their heads raised. This is an unnatural position for a horse to eat. Grass particles and debris fall back into his face and eyes. The horse cannot properly chew his food, and respiratory problems can result when the horse constantly inhales dust from the hay. It’s better to place hay on the ground in small amounts and in different places.

A diet of high-quality grass and hay should provide all the energy and protein needs non-working horses require. However, if a horse is in training, shows in performance classes or is ridden frequently, you might want to supplement with grain. Although this might be considered a departure from a purely natural approach to feeding, riding and working a horse is a complete departure from what nature intended as well.

In his natural environment as a wild, prey animal, a horse consumed very little grain. His very limited grain consumption took place in the fall from natural grasses that had gone to seed. This probably served to put on extra weight before winter. However, our energy demands on a horse have changed nutritional demands on him as well.

If a horse needs more energy, fat and protein in his diet than he is receiving from a grass and hay-based diet, there are several ways you can get him that additional nutrition. It’s a good idea to avoid feeding the quantity of sugar and molasses present in many commercial sweet feeds. Just as in humans, the ingestion of large amounts of sugar can play havoc with the horse’s insulin-regulating mechanism. Compounded grain products may also contain other undesirable ingredients such as fish and animal by-products.

You can get your horse the extra energy he needs through supplementing with rice and wheat bran or oats and barley. Limit the horse’s intake of prepared rations of grain except for pregnant and lactating mares and young foals. We want to feed naturally but we don’t want to reject out of hand advances in feed science. Educate yourself and choose supplements based on your horse’s true needs. Do not overfeed grain, however.

Natural supplements that are useful to include in a horse’s daily ration include flaxseed. Flaxseed is a good source for important Omega-3 fatty acids that are so important in human diets too. Omega-3 fatty acids can play a role in alleviating chronic inflammation and strengthen the immune system. They can improve the condition of a horse’s coat and hooves.

Food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE) supplements is a lesser-known source of trace minerals, internal and external parasite control, improved feed utilization and fly control. DE is a desiccant and can be used as a feed supplement or can be spread around stalls and the barn and will kill 75% of flies, fleas and mites that come into contact with it. Horse owners who use DE religiously claim that feeding DE to their foals and grown horses eliminates the need for chemical worming.

Horses themselves can be a judge of what trace minerals they need to consume. Have you ever seen a horse digging in the ground and begin to lick some special rock they’ve found? He seems to know instinctively what minerals he is lacking and where he can get them. This probably pertains more to a wild and varied environment than to a controlled and limited pasture environment. For that reason, it is a good idea to provide a free-choice salt and trace mineral product especially formulated for horses.

When horses are first offered this feeding option, they will initially consume a considerable amount but begin self-regulating very quickly. A supply of salt is essential to a horse’s health and well-being. In the wintertime salt should be manually added to a horse’s feed in order to ensure that he drinks the proper amount of water. Be sure to make available to the horse an unlimited supply of fresh, clean water.

Author: Anita Lamb
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times