Training begins when you prepare your unbroken horse to be backed and ridden. Once he is broken in, you can get him to respond to your instructions so that you can get real enjoyment from riding him.

You may find that you can take your horse further with some dedicated training if you are interested in areas such as show jumping or dressage. Do bear in mind however, that the average horse and rider do not go this far, so don’t feel this has to be your next step. If you enjoy riding, continue getting pleasure from your riding and don’t worry about what else others are doing. There’s nothing nicer than feeling the breeze on your face as you ride through the countryside.

Buying a horse is a huge responsibility and requires a commitment of both time and finances. After you have bought the horse, the commitment isn’t over. There is still quite a bit to be done. If you want a horse that performs at a high level, you must continue to open the wallet for his sake.

It took me a long time for this one to come to me. What are the criteria used to choose your Farrier? Interesting question isn’t it?

Over the 16 years of my career as a Farrier I have heard several times from people “My Farrier Specializes in Lame Horses”. For some reason I’ve always felt a bit inferior from hearing this, as if because I didn’t work with a lot of lame horses my abilities as a Farrier didn’t measure up. How wrong I was for thinking such a thing. Truth is I know how to work with lame horses and I understand lameness and I’m a good craftsman and trust the quality of my work.

In order to get the best performance possible out of a horse, proper nutrition is absolutely essential. Whether the horse is training for competitive riding or just leisure riding, good nutrition helps create and maintain a healthy horse. What basic things must each horse owner take into account to help create a healthy diet? These are a few:

There is one fruit and one vegetable that must be a staple of every horse’s diet. Carrots are important as a balancing food in the diet and can help the horse maintain his eyesight into old age. Even more important than that are the apples. Apples have long been a favorite of horses and for good reason. Whether red or granny smith, apples help make a healthy horse.

Horses evolved on a different diet from the one they’re expected to eat today. The manner in which horses eat and the time they spend eating has changed considerably - even a horse living on grass eats a different diet from his ancestors. Unfortunately for the domesticated horse, his intestines have not evolved to meet these changes and, as a consequence, he is susceptible to digestive upset.

A horse’s digestion involves fermentation of which a by-product is gas, which can easily distend the gut causing problems. Horses cannot vomit to get rid of toxins, or
indigestible food. The gut has a large absorptive area (needed because the animal is a herbivore) which leaves the horse susceptible to toxins being absorbed quickly.

In the care and keeping of horses, it is necessary to have a variety of standard horse supplies at the ready in order to responsibly fulfill our duties as horse owners or caregivers.

While fundamental needs such as quality food, adequate water, and comfortable shelter are obvious, there are additional supplies that are absolutely essential to the health and functionality of the horse in question and they are classified by the physical care for the horse and utilization of the horse’s abilities.

Included in physical care are those horse supplies that feature the materials used for grooming the animal. Frequent horse grooming is imperative for the comfort and appearance of the horse.

Taking care of a horse can be a fun and rewarding experience. Just like any domesticated animal or pet, they rely on us for their well-being.

The first basic step in caring for your horse is to provide adequate feed, water, and forage. Grain comes in a variety of forms, such as pellets or textured. The compressed brand being granulated into pellets, and textured grain (also called sweet feed), allows you to visible see the oats, corn, and molasses. The preference is yours, but keep in mind your horse may prefer, perform, and thrive better on one versus the other. The amount of grain that you feed your horse will depend on his performance level, general health, and nutritional needs.

As any pet is cared for within the home, the care for horses is very much the same; ensuring the proper medical, physical, and nutritional care for a horse is part of the responsibility of its owners. There are many different facets of horse health and all must be attended to in order to ensure the horse’s vitality and longevity.

Pets are usually considered to be a very close member of our families. We feed them, bathe them, spend time with them, play with them, and love them with every part of our being. This includes when they are sick, ailing, or healthy. We want to take care of them as best as we can, making sure our companion will be with us for many years to come.

Many of our horses live a much different life than they used to. Horses once lived on the plains traveling in herds and grazing all day. This was what they were intended to do by nature. Today, however, we like to show our horses and we like to keep them in the barn for easy access. Our horses have begun to live in stalls or small pens most of their lives and because of this they have had to adjust. Many horses have adapted to this type of lifestyle, but it has not been without any healthy effects. Colic is one of the most common health issues that horse owners have to worry about today.