Most people have never seen a horse roll over, so it’s not surprising that one of the questions I hear most often about horses – especially from kids – is whether horses can roll over. In fact, horses can roll over, and in this post, we will explore some norms about how often horses roll …
For humans, ice-cold water after working outdoors on a hot day can feel like heaven, so it’s only natural that many new horse owners or horse novices may want to give the coldest water possible to their horse when it is overheated after being exercised. Many of these novices are surprised to learn that giving …
One of the most frustrating parts of being (or living with!) someone who rides horses for fun or as part of professional work on a farm, barn, or stable is dealing with the manure odor that sometimes makes clothing stink after horseback riding. In this article, we’ll be talking about a few effective ways to …
For folks who haven’t spent a lot of time around horses, the ways that horse height is described can be very confusing. Descriptions of horse sizes within horse industry resources (like sales websites, equipment vendors catalogs, etc.) reference horse’s sizes by “hands,” but for many new horse owners, riders, or horse-curious people, this measurement …
Not so many years ago, horses and horsemanship were part of everyday life. Because they were so ordinary – a bit like cats or dogs are today- most people understood quite a bit about horses, their likes, and their habits. Today, the vast majority of people don’t get to have hands-on experience with …
One of the most common questions new riders ask about horseback riding is about the difference between English and Western riding. Most of the images of horses we have been shown in the Western Hemisphere in the past few centuries has reduced the many styles of riding down to these two: English riding (represented today …
One frequent question horse owners are asked by non-riders is “What is a gelding?” Definition of Gelding: A gelding is a horse that has “been gelded” – the equine equivalent of the “neutering” procedure performed routinely on dogs and cats. A gelding horse is much calmer and easier to train than an ungelded stallion- who’s …