Posts Tagged ‘horse owner’

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?

Horse blankets are pretty handy to have around a stable, but not essential for every horse owner. A standard horse blanket is used to keep a horse warm and or protected from wind and other elements.

A horse blanket fits around the horse’s body from chest to rump, straps cross underneath the belly and fasten the blanket securely. Most blankets have buckles in the front, today there are blankets that can be slipped over the horses head. Some blankets also have small straps that loop around the horse’s hind legs which. This helps the blanket from slipping sideways.

Horse blankets are designed according to there use. You can buy a single horse blanket and be content with that, or you could have several and use all of them in a single day. Before buying a horse blanket consider its purpose. I strongly suggest you take into consideration who exactly is going to be responsible for putting on and taking off the blanket.

I can not recount how many dollars and pounds I have seen wasted in a stable yard on horse blankets. I have worked in the USA and UK with horses and I still shake my head in disbelief at the countless times a day I would have to change a blanket on a single horse – to suit the owner. Have you ever stopped to consider how your horse feels?

A horse blanket should be versatile enough that it keeps your horse protected in cold weather. If your horse lives out in a pasture and is not stabled, you ought to buy a blanket that is well insulated to keep him warm. The blanket should also be waterproof, that way you or grooms do not have to run out at the first drop of rain to change blankets.

If your horse is stabled, a single warm blanket will suffice. If you buy a light blanket, he may get too cold and his natural response is to grow thick fluffy hair and look like a teddy bear. Most horse owners prefer to deter this response and blanket their horse. If you buy a thick warm blanket you need to monitor its use.

Temperatures drop at night; if you blanket your horse with a horse blanket for severe cold temperatures in the early evening, you are going to have an uncomfortable horse. Your horse most likely will be too hot and start to sweat. When the temperatures drop, he stops sweating, but has cold sweat to deal with and a wet blanket. If anything the blanket in this case is useless.

However if your horse has been clipped, in cold or even cool weather he is going to need more than a simple warm blanket to provide insulation that his hair coat would have done.

Besides protecting your horse from weather elements, there are blankets to protect from flies and gnats which are useful. A cooler or a sweat sheet is another blanket that is highly recommended for a horse owner. This blanket allows your horse to cool down and dry after being washed or exercised, but protects from draughts or chills.

Horse blankets have various designs and uses. You can buy several or you can buy one, only make sure that the blanket best suits your horses needs. You can then choose any color to your liking, provided they are made in that color.

Horse Guide.

Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about Buying Horse Blankets. Learn about your horses anatomy.

Author: Benjamin Wise
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Insurance of all kinds has become endemic in our society today; car insurance, home owners insurance, health insurance, and everything in between. The role of insurance in our lives is the protection of our assets. And when it comes to horse insurance, the goals are the same. For those who own one or more horses, horse insurance provides them with the same peace of mind as any other insurance policy.

Just as a serious collector of antique cars would think nothing of purchasing a comprehensive insurance policy to protect his financial interests, the owners of horses must similarly protect their interests. Horse insurance policies are purchased just like any other insurance policy – through reputable underwriters that specialize in this particular type of insurance. The breadth and subsequent price of the insurance policy depends on the type and level of coverage that the horse owner chooses to purchase.

In most cases, horse insurance is purchased because the livelihood of the horse owner depends on the functionality of the horse. For instance, those horses that are used for racing or breeding – and subsequently bring their owners a financial return – are often considered to be prime candidates for horse insurance.

There are a number of different options when it comes to horse insurance and each owner must examine the policies as they relate to their particular situation. Insurance policies can often be customized to fit the owner’s particular situation and needs but there is some common practices standard to most policies.

One such horse insurance policy includes coverage for the death of the animal. In this case, the owner receives a pre-determined lump sum payout in the event of an untimely death of the horse.

In the event of permanent incapacitation, due to injury or illness, the horse insurance policy will often pay the owner a percentage of the amount the horse would have earned throughout a healthy lifetime. This coverage is often extended to race or show horses.

For horse breeders, a horse insurance policy that covers infertility is often necessary, as the inability to breed particular horses could result in a significant loss of revenue.

In some cases, owners will purchase a horse insurance policy that acts much like a health insurance policy for humans, covering major medical care in the event of illness, and even specific surgical procedures should the animal require surgical intervention.

There are often caveats placed on a particular horse insurance policy that extends coverage for injury or death to the horse as a result of particular risk factors such as lightening or during the transportation of the horse. These are factors that are spelled out in detail in the policy and are often pricey add-ons. But, depending on the particular situation, it may be well worth the cost.

Most importantly, it is essential that anyone interested in purchasing a horse insurance policy do so through a knowledgeable and trustworthy underwriter. If you are unclear about a particular company’s reputation, you should be sure to do your homework. Just as you do with any other insurance policy, get a variety of quotes and comparison shop. In so doing, you can find horse insurance that makes significant allowances for the care of your horse and subsequently protects your financial interests.

For more information on horses, try visiting http://www.interestinghorses.com – a website that specializes in providing horse related tips, advice and resources including information on horse insurance.

Author: Riley Hendersen
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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I was curious with all the talk about horse racing, how does a horse owner make money specifically related to racing? Is it through racing fees, -that is to allow the horse to race which in turns attracts bettors etc?

OK, you think you may have found the right horse. You went through all the check points in part one, you have made arrangements at the nearest horse stables that meet the requirements that were discussed in part two, or you have made arrangements for a facility at home providing either a stall or a lean-to (a two or three sided building with a high roof and preferably built in hay racks). Remember, all horses need to have shelter from the elements. Hopefully whichever place you will be keeping your horse, there will be a considerable amount of room not only for your horse to graze, but where he or she can run and play and have some fun; preferably with other horses. But, before you pass over your hard earned dollars, I want to give you just a few more things to consider, hence – Part Three.

What kind of mannerisms did the horse display when having the saddle and bridle put on them? Were they putting there ears back, or acting like they wanted to step on the person trying to tack them up? Were they moving back and forth, acting nervous or even starting to break out in a sweat? Were they difficult when the bridle was being put on them, or were they interacting, being friendly, wanting attention and not seeming to care that they were about to be ridden? When you started to mount the horse, did they stand there quietly and wait for their first command, or did they want to walk off quickly?

Did they do what you asked or was it a struggle to get them to go forward or turn around? Is the horse trying to take control and go wherever they want to go, or are you on an animal that really wants to please you? If you are saying yes to these negative inquiries, then this may not be a horse for a beginner. The quieter and more agreeable a horse behaves, the better a prospect that animal will be for a first time horse owner. He or she will enrich your life, and warm your heart with pleasant experiences that come with owning a horse. As your experiences grow, you then can step up to meet the challenges of other horses. Horse behavior can sometimes be compared to that of a child. So, if you have children you will understand how to deal with them.

Before making that final commitment, it is to your advantage to ride the horse for more than just a minute or two. Make sure that you walk, trot and canter preferably more than once. Some horses seem to be fine at first but as time passes with you on their backs, they sometimes can change into a “horse of a different color”. It is not unusual, and actually recommended, that you come back a second time to ride the horse again. That way you have something to compare their behavior to. Meaning if the horses’ behavior was very much the same the second time you rode him or her without much variance, then he or she probably is the real thing. Remember that this animal may possibly be with you for the rest of their life. You want a horse that you will really enjoy and who really enjoys you. As I said before horses are social animals, but it is important to understand that they are emotional ones too.

Unfortunately, there will always be horses that exhibit bad behavior, and some, very bad behavior. My experience tells me that a lot of bad behavior is usually the result of human error. That is why I am here trying to talk to you, and hopefully in the future, you will be talking to me. It is so easy to buy a horse, bring that animal home and find that you have an animal that is out of control, and you don’t know what to do about it. Horses have a tendency to try to take advantage of beginners. Trust me, they know! All they have to do is take one look at you, the way you approach them and ride them. Your best defense is knowledge. I am not trying to scare you, I am trying to educate and help you to understand that the more knowledge you have about horses, the more success you will have with them. Please don’t be afraid to enter into the wonderful world of horses. It is a fun place to be and learning about horses is the best part as it is never ending. Most of the riding horses out there are sound, quiet animals. They have a lot to offer an owner who wants to know, love, and care for them, as they will gladly return the favor.

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,that 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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Here’s my story and suggestions on how to avoid making the mistakes I made, and almost made, when I came to buy a horse! I was in my early 50′s when I started riding. I was full enthusiasm and keen to get really involved. I’d just bought a 10 acre property with lush pasture and so had plenty of space to keep a horse. The fencing was excellent as the property had formerly been a deer farm and was fenced accordingly. So I decided to buy a horse. I’d heard of a horse for sale some distance from me and he sounded like he could be OK. So I arranged to see him for an inspection, even although I was totally inexperienced.

I took a horse owner friend with me for guidance and went to see him. He turned out to be a rather tall, chestnut thoroughbred. The lady owner didn’t offer to ride him (my first mistake as I should have insisted she did) and my friend mounted him and did some walking, trotting and cantering.

Then it was my turn. With some trepidation I mounted up, but due to my total inexperience, only managed to walk him around the property for a short time. However my friend gave the nod of approval and said he looked fine, so I made my first major mistake. I said “yes” to the seller and so became the owner of a horse of unknown origin known by the name of Ziggy.

After I had Ziggy back on my property I enlisted the help of an instructress from our local Saddle Club who came to my place and gave me a series of lessons. Initially I only rode on my property, but then ventured out my front gate and rode on some of the riding tracks that were plentiful in my area. And finally I took him to the monthly all-day training meetings at the Saddle Club. I learnt a lot, but the only problem was that Ziggy obviously sensed my inexperience and was inclined to fight my every move.

I persisted with Ziggy for six months or so, but then decided that he wasn’t the horse for me. So I decided to sell him to someone more capable of handling his strong spirit and did just that. My second mistake (well, almost!) when I went to buy a horse. By luck, this “almost a mistake” turned out in my favour!

I’d heard a consistent rumour about a beautiful, big black horse that had apparently been left out in a paddock somewhere in my local area for quite some time. As I wanted another horse I was intrigued and decided to check this rumour out. As it turned out it didn’t take me long to find that the horse was actually well attended and was agisted on a horse riding facility not far from my property. I promptly went and had a look. And, yes, he was big, beautiful and black and I instantly fell in love with him. But was he available to be bought?

I found that the owner was an advertising agency principal from Melbourne. I phoned him and he told me that he’d owned the horse, Midnight, for two years with the idea of using him at a Hunt Club but had never had the time. Subject to where and how I’d keep Midnight he could be bought for what I thought to be a high price. I arranged for an inspection meeting at the facility where he was agisted.

The day arrived and I waited for the owner to arrive and was rather amused when he turned up in a BLACK BMW duly dressed in neat BLACK riding gear, making a good match to the BLACK horse. We took the horse to any undercover riding area and owner did several circuits in varying gaits. Then suddenly Midnight went lame in the right front shoulder. The owner instantly dismounted, but it was obvious that I wouldn’t be able to ride him in that condition. It was left that I’d call a vet to look at the shoulder and obtain a full “vet check”.

The vet could find nothing that caused the lameness, but recommended that I not buy him. I was devastated! I reported this to the owner. He then suggested that If I was prepared to take him to my property and call in what ever veterinarian treatment was needed to fix the lameness that he’d re-inburse me for all costs and we could then discuss possible purchase. This is where I made my “next big mistake – well almost!” In spite of the vet’s advice I said “yes”.

I called the best veterinarian care people I could find including the senior vet from the Melbourne Racing Club, chiropractors, and even an acupuncturist. All with no success. Then by chance I found a local young lady chiropractor who had a brief look and said “his shoulder has frozen up through lack of riding. Just exercise and ride him and he’ll come good”.

Once again I reported back to the owner who promptly came down to see me. Standing in the paddock with Midnight he said that if I was prepared to work with the horse and accept all the fees I’d incurred, I could keep Midnight with no purchase cost. I immediately said “yes”. The owner asked if I’d leave him alone with the horse before he left, and I could see he had tears in his eyes.

I worked with Midnight, whose name I abbreviated to Middie for everyday use, constantly. I lunged him, rode him in short bursts at first, and finally took him to Saddle Club. He was improving, but if he showed too much sign of soreness I cut the day short.

And to cut this long story short Middie’s lameness cleared up completely and we became the very best of friends He was an absolute gentleman, probably because he was a Percheron/Thoroughbred cross with the Percheron characteristics showing through strongly. I had total trust in him and he appeared to have complete trust in me and we’ve had many, many happy years of riding.

But pleased be advised not to take my pure luck with Middie and feel that it could happen to you. When you buy a horse, have a qualified “vet check”, and take the advice of your vet!

So here are my Top 10 Things for you to do BEFORE you buy your horse based on my experience…

1. Have you had riding lessons? Have you done a personal assessment of your riding skills?
Before you buy a horse be sure you have had at least six months of riding lessons.

2. What type of riding activity do you want to do?
This is important. Do you want to to go in for jumping? Dressage? Hunting? Just trail riding? Be sure of what you want.

3. What sort of personality do you want your horse to have? Full of fire and enthusiasm? More quiet and passive?
A lot will depend on the type of riding you decide to pursue.

4. Do you have any preference on the breed of horse you want?
Once again, the sort of riding you want to do will have a major influence on your choice.

5. How big a horse do you want? Pony size? Mid-size? Or tall because you like a big horse?
Be sure that you choose something that you can easily manage.

6. Do you have a preference on gender?
Geldings usually make great riding horses. Mares can also be good if they have stable personalities. Avoid stallions unless you’re going in for breeding.

7. Have you given proper consideration as where you’re going to house and keep your horse?
If you’re planning to keep your horse on your own property, ensure that you have safe fencing and a clean barn or other shelter. If you’re boarding out, check out the available boarding stables before you commit to buying your horse.

8. Bearing in mind the costs of horse maintenance, have you set a affordable budget figure for purchase of your horse?
Budget all costs carefully and don’t over-commit yourself. Be ready for unexpected costs such as vet fees in case of vet care due to an illness or accident.

9. Have you had a serious look at the monthly/yearly cost of keeping your horse?
Take the time to look at costs of such items as feed, food supplements, hay, farrier charges, worming, etc..

10. Have you considered your needs and costs associated with equipping yourself and your horse with tack and supplies?
You’ll need a saddle, halter, headstall, bits, lead rope, and a wide variety of other tack and supplies. Review everything carefully.

I hope that these suggestions will assist you to buy a horse that you’ll truly come to love. If you’re ready to own a horse learn more about how to buy a horse at http://www.easyhorsecare.com

Author: J Russell Hart
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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In shopping for a horse there are a few basic rules to meet success. Do yourself a favor and read this guideline if you want a smooth transition into your next purchase of an equine. All buyers interested in horses are interested for different reasons. The most important thing you can do for yourself is know yourself. Knowing yourself will ultimately lead you to understand what you need to aim for in finding the “right” horse. For instance, if you have never owned a horse before don’t buy a untrained horse or a young one for that matter. The market right now is such that you can find a well broke experienced horse for a good price. Also understand a horse will not train you, you need to find someone to help you learn how to become a good rider and a responsible horse owner. A well trained horse makes this transition a lot smoother if your new at being a horse owner.

Here are some steps to go by.

1) Figure out exactly what you want in a horse. Figure out the breed your aiming for, the level of training you want them to have, their age, their past experience, mare or gelding, and what you want to do in the future with this companion. If you are buying your ten year old daughter a pony will the pony still fit her in four years? Will she be able to compete with her like friends when they all have quarter horses? What is in her best interest now and in the future.

2) Start looking around to see what meets this description. Look locally, look on the Internet, ask a local barn that specializing in your area of interests.

3) Once you find a prospect start asking questions. Lots of questions. Past history, vet check-ups, how they do in a trailer, how do they respond to a bath and most importantly how often is this horse worked with? How do they respond to vaccines? What do they feed him or her? Are they in a pasture, a stall, a horse facility. What do they do when they are in a stressful situation? Bring a friend that is horse savvy with you. This is important, because it will give you a different perspective.

4) Make the owner ride the horse first and watch how the horse responds and how the owner complies with the horse. Ask the owner of the horse to load the horse in the trailer just to see how the horse responds. Pick up the horses feet. Lead the horse around at a jog to see how they respond. Then if your comfortable take a ride yourself, but wear a helmet. Have a friend video tape it and if your concerned about anything take the tape to a respected trainer and ask them what they see. Suggestions they might have?

5) Ask for vet check. It is worth the investment. If you buy a horse and it ends up lame in a week your “new” horse won’t be worth as much as you paid for it. Also it will allow you to see if the previous owner has been up to date on teeth floating, trimming, ect. It will also give you a little time to really think about the decision your about ready to make. If the horse passes with flying colors I would recommend having the vet back out to give the horse it’s vaccines and worming it before it’s transported. You will be responsible for the bill so be prepared for that.

6) Ask the owner of the horse if they have sold any other horses in the two years. If they have get the name of the buyer and call them to see if their transaction was positive. Ask if the owner was honest about the horse.

7) If everything lines up then this is the one. I might wait a few weeks to make sure the vaccine becomes active and then it’s time for safe transport.

Prior to pick up ask if the horse comes with anything. A records book? A halter (do you need to bring your own), a blanket, anything? So you are prepared when it’s time to pick the horse up.

9) Once your horse has been purchased. Ask for all their vet records. If their vet has them ask for a waver so you can access them today and in the future.

10) Have the owner fill out a bill of sale and get a signature and date. Head on down the road. You got yourself a pony!

Understand that you can not predict everything when you buy a horse. That you can only do as much as you can to ensure that you made the most knowledgeable decision possible.

Fiona Stone of StoneRidge Farms

[http://stoneridgefarms.org]

Author: Fiona Stone
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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When I started writing my tips for breaking a young horse I thought I must be mad, what did I know? There are loads of experts out there all offering advice and I was just a humble horse owner, not a trainer etc. Then I decided that if my story helps anyone to have the confidence to work with their own horse then I believe they will find it a rewarding experience and it will be beneficial to both the horse or pony and themselves.

Backing, Breaking and Training a young horse. Well its something that we are told is best left to the experts and to some degree I agree, as you can do a lot of damage to a horse at such a young age, but with the right support and information I do believe you can make a good job of it.

Its easy to say leave it to the experts but for most of us our horses and ponies are part of our family. We are the one’s who are with them every day and the one’s who have built up mutual trust and a bond with them.

I took a break from owning my own horse for about 15 years. Then found myself, in my naivety, being the proud owner of a 2 yr old filly. I fell in love with her, what more can I say, but she was 16.1hh and very powerful. A lot could have gone wrong. I did contemplate sending her away when the time came, to have her professional broken, backed and schooled. There were several problems with this idea though. Number one was the cost, I just didn’t have the money to do that as the quotes I had attained were extortionate. Number 2 was this was my horse, I had spent hours and hours in the stable with her, bonding, grooming and just sitting there gaining her trust. I didn’t want to send her away and lose all that. I knew she trusted me, she would follow me around the paddock like a dog, if I ran she would trot after me. Quite scary when you have a 16.1hh thoroughbred chasing you. I had never read a natural horsemanship book, but I realised that this was just what we were doing.

I also discovered she had never been walked off the yard, boxed, lunged or had a bit anywhere near her. I figured it was going to be a long drawn out process.

In reality I couldn’t have been more wrong. Although I did take things very slowly I found backing her to be extremely straight forward.

I used a lot of common sense, sought loads of advice from local tack shops and the people on the yard, and read as much information as I could find including everyone else’s tips on breaking a young horse. A lot of the techniques and equipment had evolved from when I had had my last horse. So I had to learn what to do with it again.

The things I learned and my 10 tips for breaking a young horse are:

1. Spend time bonding with your horse or pony, don’t just rush into breaking it. You will need time to build up mutual trust.

2. Learn your horses moods. Learn their normal behaviour and pick up when something is wrong.

3. Spend time before you try to back your horse getting it used to basic commands, both on the lunge and long rein. Stand, walk, trot will be invaluable once your horse is first backed.

4. Introduce the bit slowly – don’t just expect to put it in your horses mouth and leave it there for hours. Try a few minutes at a time over several week and get a bit suitable for a young horse. I used a copper key bit.

5. Introduce the saddle without girth, stirrups and leathers to begin with and remove again after a few minutes.

6. Before you even think of putting someone on your horses back get the horse used to wearing the saddle and bridle on the lunge or in hand.

7. When lunging the first few times in tack make sure stirrups and leathers are not flapping around and spooking your horse.

8. When you do introduce someone on their back ensure you are the one who is talking to your horse, after all you are the one who is built up the trust.

9. Try to get someone light to be the person who first sits on your horse. Start with them just lying over your horse and then gradually sitting. Make sure every movement of the rider is slow a fluid. Again make sure this isn’t rushed and is done over weeks.

10. Take backing your horse or pony slowly, take the lead from the animal. If they are looking stressed or anxious or are really misbehaving stop. There is generally a reason.

It took me about 2.5 months to back my horse from only ever having a head collar on to gently hacking out with me on her.

I introduced everything bit by bit and talked to her constantly. It might seem a long time to some people but I was left with a well adjusted horse who doesn’t get stressed or act up very often. She takes the lead from me and will attempt new things because I firmly believe she trusts me.

Make sure you are safe at all times and that someone is with you if necessary who is more knowledgeable but don’t be afraid and take the lead.There is no excuse when horse breaking to be cruel, and remember animals including horses are not born bad, they react to what we as humans do to them.

You can get more information and advice regarding horses at horse bits and pieces At horse bits and pieces you will find all the horse and rider equipment you will ever need.

Author: Rachel Harding
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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