Practical horse care, facility management, and riding knowledge — written for owners who want to do right by their horses.
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Horse people have very divisive opinions on almost everything to do with horses. They’ll argue on what’s best for performance or behavior. But some foods are not up for debate, as they can hurt or kill a horse, even types of hay. So if you own a horse, you need to know: what kind of … Read more
As riders, we enjoy spending time with our horses. The time at the barn spent laughing with friends, cuddling your horse, and, of course, riding is often the highlight of our day, as evidenced by our willingness to part with large sums of money just for the privilege of sharing a sport with our precious … Read more
In jumping, there are many different sub-disciplines that can be done. I have been doing Showjumping, hunter, eventing, and equitation for many years now, and I have struggled to find the right stirrups. Jumping adds a lot of stress to your ankles due to the weight you put into your stirrups while going over jumps, … Read more
Gaited horses are adored for their sense of balance and smooth ride. They are a boon to riders with aging bodies who are struggling to sit on “bouncy” horses. But are these smooth horses able to do more than trail riding? Can gaited horses do dressage? Gaited horses can do dressage within USDF as modified … Read more
Horses’ have one of the most complex, sensitive, and convoluted digestive systems of any livestock. Almost all mammals have stomachs, except for a small handful of evolutionary anomalies, but how many stomachs does a horse have? As trickle grazers, who are also flight animals, the horse’s stomachs and digestive systems have evolved to have some … Read more
Some horses have birth certificates or registration papers, making it easy to tell how old they are as it is a simple matter of arithmetic. Other horses have no papers and are sold from home to home. No one keeps track of the horse’s age, people forget details, and suddenly it becomes a matter of … Read more
Horseshoes make horses sound louder as they walk. They make it all the more painful when a horse steps on your foot. Horseshoes are hung on doorways for luck. The symbol has been turned into necklaces and even stuck on marshmallows in cereal. But why do horses need shoes? Horses need shoes to protect their … Read more
How long a horse can run sounds like asking how long is a piece of string. Many equestrians will snort and tell you that their horse can run as far as it takes to get home. But there are some stats on the subject. A horse can run at a gallop for about 2 miles … Read more
If you are interested in improving your showjumping skills or learning something completely new in partnership with your horse, you might like to attend a showjumping clinic. But what is a showjumping clinic? Showjumping clinics are usually a one or three-day riding event organized by a riding school or a horse-riding instructor at a specific … Read more
Maybe you have thought, what’s the harm in giving my horse some of your multivitamins? If a vitamin is good enough for a human, it should be good enough for a horse, right? Giving human vitamins to your horse can be dangerous. Horses need a range of minerals and vitamins, but they must be given with … Read more
Do you have a horse that is difficult to deworm? Did you ever wonder if you can give the worming paste in his feed? You should not mix paste dewormer into your horse’s feed due to the risk that your horse might not get the full dose. The wormer can get stuck on the side … Read more
Horse riding seems to come with its own complex language. The terms can boggle the mind: crupper, eggbutt French link, fender, frog, gymkhana, and pelham, to name a few. Even once you get used to the terminology, another new word is tossed in, leaving you scratching your head. Take the hackamore: What is it, and … Read more
