Horsekeeping

Clean, rust-free horse bits serve the purpose of both form and function- that is to say, a clean horse bit doesn’t just look good – it works better. While clean bits might not turn heads in the horse show ring, being well turned out (with polished hardware, dusted boots, and a clean horse) can sometimes …

Keeping a horse on stall rest can be stressful both for horses and for the humans who care for them. For some equine injuries, stall rest or partial stall rest is the only way to rest a horse’s body sufficiently for a full recovery. For horses, whose brains and bodies evolved to range over many …

Because my farm has frontage on a busy road in a suburban area, I have my horses wear leather halters 24/7. I once watched the comical-had-it-not-been-so-scary struggle of a highway patrol officer trying to secure an unhaltered horse running loose on a highway and that experience convinced me that having a fast, secure way to …

At the end of a long winter, horse blankets can be so dirty they look unsalvagable. In fact, you may be tempted to toss your blankets out rather than trying cleaning them, but in this Ultimate Guide to Care and Cleaning of Horse Blankets, I’ll show you how to wash horse blankets thoroughly- so you …

  Generally, horses shed their winter coats around the same time that temperatures start to warm and early spring plants begin growing. But horses might not always shed on time. In this article, we’ll talk about a few reasons that a horse’s coat might not be shedding on time or as quickly as other horses. …

4 SIGNS YOUR HORSE’S SHOES DON’T FIT One common question for new horse owners is how to know if your horse’s shoes fit correctly – or, alternately, sometimes people ask “what size shoes” their horse might need. These questions might raise eyebrows to experienced horse people, but for those new to the world of horsemanship …

How do you know if it’s safe to turn your horse out in the snow? Horses are, by and large, incredibly well-suited to snowy conditions. Convex hooves and thick winter coats make most horses more comfortable in snowy conditions than in high humidity heat. That said, there are still some wintry conditions that are unsafe …

Nothing makes a horse and rider look smarter than a tidy, well-groomed turnout and a bright white fleece saddle pad under your saddle. Fleece saddle pads are popular, affordable, and in some competitive disciplines are considered the “correct” tack for showing. The Problem: Clumped and Matted Fleece The problem with fleece saddle pads- both genuine …

  How do you keep your horses from overheating during sweltering summers? This article discusses how to prevent overheating in horses, and how to bring a little bit of relief to your herd when summer highs hit the triple digits and when summer nights bring little reprieve from the heat.   First, a few basic …

Detangling a tangled and matted horse mane and tail can be a frustrating and time-consuming process- too often resulting in excessive loss of hair and thinning of the tail in the process! Before you take the nuclear option and completely roach your horse’s mane, try this method for detangling. Below you will find illustrated instructions …