Posts Tagged ‘teeth’

I have a thoroughbred ex-racing horse and can’t seem to put any weight on him. His teeth have been checked by a dentist and he has been wormed and received all vaccinations. He is currently on two scoops of hard feed and a scoop of beet pulp per meal twice a day but he cannot seem to gain any weight. Any suggestions on what I should feed him to help him to gain weight? But I don’t want to feed him anything that may cause aggression in him.
Thanks!

If you are considering buying a new horse, there are several issues of concern to you. Smart buyers and riders know what they want before speaking to horse sellers.

It is important to know everything you can about the new horse. Learn its history, blood lines, habits, preferences, skills and overall attitude. It is also important to find out about its inherent traits. All horses have their own unique traits. Know which ones are most desirable to you.

Traits to Consider

Some horses are better at certain tasks than others. When buying a new horse, pre-determine what skills you want the horse to possess. Some to consider are:

* English riding

* Showing and jumping

* Racing

* Western riding

* Trail riding

* Roping

* Team roping

* Barrel racing

* Endurance

Questions to Ask Before Buying a Horse

How much do you expect to pay? Look only at horses within your price range. What gender, color, age and size are you looking for? Weed out horses that don’t fit within your requirements. Does the horse load and unload from trailers well? Will it tolerate shoeing and hoof trimming? Score your prospective horses on a scale of one to five for these items. The higher scorers will help you determine which horses are of the most interest to you.

When buying a new horse it is important to be sure it has been thoroughly evaluated. An initial inspection of the horse must be performed by someone capable and experienced. If you don’t know what to look for, bring someone you trust who does. Here are the areas you need to check:

* Eyes. Make sure the horse can see out of both eyes. Do a flinch test by waving your hand quickly in front of each eye. Check for any differences.

* Ears. Check for excess ear wax or over-sensitivity when the ears are touched.

* Mouth. Check for any lesions or sores. Be sure the teeth are normal and aligned. Watch the horse chew to check for normal biting ability.

* Head, neck and chest. Check for symmetry and balance of muscles. Be sure the horse moves its head, neck and chest freely and without difficulty.

* Feet. Inspect all four feet for swelling and sensitivity to touch. Flex and extend all joints to look for pain, resistance or head lifting that indicates pain or discomfort.

* Rear end. Check for good tone, signs of discharge and signs of diarrhea.

* Lameness. It is imperative that you are able to observe the horse trotting in circles in both directions and in a straight line. Watch closely for irregular bobbing of the head, sloppy movements or skipping that may indicate pain in any of the legs.

If the horse has passed your initial evaluation, it is time to take it for a ride. Observe its stamina, nerves and whether or not it is alert and well behaved.

If you have any doubts, either walk away or arrange an agreement based on the findings during the veterinary examinations. This is common practice and a legitimate horse seller will agree to some reasonable terms.

Be sure the three required exams are performed by a veterinarian of your choosing or one that has a neutral opinion. The required exams are:

* Health certificate, which is usually for crossing state lines.

* Insurance exam, to satisfy mortality and other questions related to insuring the horse.

* Pre-purchase veterinary exam, detailing the medical status of the horse at the time of purchase.

When buying a horse, you want to find one that is healthy and has a good attitude. The horse’s experience and dependability levels must closely match, or be above, that of the primary rider. A willing and intelligent horse can be trained to bring you years of pleasure and skilled work habits. Choose your horse wisely.

Rachel Harding has been riding horses since she was five. Sign up for our free newsletter and get all the information you need at Horse And Rider Info

Author: Rachel Harding
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Unix inter-process communication (IPC)

Have you ever gone to get your horse and realized that it was less than enthusiastic about seeing you? Do you wish your horse would be more interested in what is coming? Assuming that there are no physical problems such as poorly fitting tack, sore muscles or joints, teeth problems or anything else that might make the horse uncomfortable, the lack of enthusiasm for what is coming might just be boredom with the routine. Doing something different might be all it takes to respark your horse’s interest in being with you.

Just like with people, horses get tired of doing the same old thing over and over. Some get to anticipating cues if they get drilled too much in the same pattern. I’ve seen horses in the show ring that learned the pattern of gaits announced and would execute them without the rider’s help. That might seem like a good thing to some, but what if the judge mixes things up and the horse keeps doing its normal routine?

Lots of riders have one major interest of what they want to do with their horse and they stick with doing that almost exclusively instead of developing a well rounded animal by offering it a variety of experiences.

Horses that never get out of the arena, whether they be dressage, barrel, show, or lesson horses, can get too used being in just those surroundings and then become upset when not in their comfort zone. Or they may become bored to tears there and not work nearly as well.

Horses only ridden going forward on the trails may not be as responsive to cues as the rider would like and they might be uncomfortable and unconfident in an arena or show situation. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a horse that could go from one situation to another and handle it well?

To counteract the problem of your horse becoming bored or not at ease in different environments, provide your horse with a variety of experiences. Barrel horses don’t always have to be hyped. Some of the best ones I know do other things than racing most of the time. A leisurely trail ride, dressage basics, or some other type of work can make them much more responsive and enjoyable as well as versatile.

Dressage and show horses can benefit from trail rides as well as other activities such as moving cows. In fact, slow, precise cow work can give any horse a purpose for some of the moves they need to be able to do fluidly in competition.

A trail ride is a great way to keep your horse’s interest due to the changing scenery. But a trail horse can get too dependent on following the horse in front of it or insisting on taking the lead itself. A good trail horse responds to a rider’s body, leg, focus, and rein cues, and there is no reason a trail ride shouldn’t be a chance to work on moving your horse laterally, disengaging, serpentines, backing, and doing transitions. Obstacles on the ride provide a perfect opportunity to practice these moves and provide your horse with a feeling that there is a reason for the moves. One doesn’t have to just go down the trail. Spend time trading positions within the group too so that your horse does not get in the rut of leading, following, or being with a certain buddy.

Sometimes when you go to get your horse, just go and hang out with it. Or, instead of riding, go on a trail walk together with you directing the horse from the ground. You can practice a lot of moves from the ground and get your horse more responsive without being on his back.

Keeping things interesting for your horse will pay off by giving you a happier, more versatile horse and also expand your horizons to new, enjoyable activities that you can do together. Variety is the spice of life for both horse and human. Happy riding!

Bonnie lives at Gemara Farm Foxtrotters located in Barnesville, Georgia. She and her husband currently have several fox trotters of their own and practice natural horsemanship with them, as well as Bonnie coaching others. There are usually some fox trotters available for sale. http://www.gemara.homestead.com

Author: Bonnie Martin
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Creditcard Currency Conversion Fee

My horse is getting a wolf tooth out on Wednesday. I won’t be able to ride her Wednesday through Saturday; What is the usual amount of bitlessness after this procedure? Her dentist said 2 days, but her vet said closer to 6. In your experiences, how long are horses’ mouths tender after having teeth pulled? Thanks.

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!

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!

ilih2006 asked:

I’m getting a new pony 16 yrs quarter pony 14.0 hands, and have never had my own horse before. I’m trying to keep my costs as minum as they can be. Please tell me:

How often should I deworm, and what is the cost per tube?
How often should teeth be floated, cost?
How often should i get her feet trimmed (no shoes), cost?

Am I forgetting anything? Thanks.