Rules for Safely Handling Horses Wear sturdy hard-toed shoes or boots that will protect your feet if the horse or pony steps on them. Get the horse’s attention before approaching or touching and always approach the horse from the front. Be calm and quiet. Feed treats from buckets or tubs. Read more…
Putting horses out in a large pasture will give them the opportunity to move out of the path of the storm, an option that stabled horses don’t have if the barn ends up in the path of a tornado. If you have a large, open pasture available, this is generally Read more…
tail. Dock: the living part of the tail, consisting of the coccygeal vertebrae, muscles and ligaments. Sometimes used colloquially to refer to the root of the tail, below. What is the dock area of a horse? tailThe Dock. The area at the top of the tail is called the dock. Read more…
Stand to the “near side” (left side) of the horse, between the head and shoulder, ideally at the throat latch. Standing behind a horse is also unsafe, as they have a blind spot there as well. When standing close to the horse, standing next to the horse’s body is the Read more…
Horses are fragile because of the structure of their anatomy. The two most prevalent issues are the relatively delicate bones in their legs and feet, which are tasks with supporting the enormous weight of the animals’ bodies and their sensitive digestive systems. Why do horses break so easily? It’s precisely Read more…
Horse sweat contains 3 times the sodium and chloride, and 10 times the potassium found in human sweat. This is one reason electrolyte products designed for humans, e.g., Gatorade, are not great choices for horses. What flavor Gatorade can horses have? You can use a small amount of sweetened Kool-Aid, Read more…
It’s great equine enrichment because ice is safe for horses and can be really enjoyable on hot summer days. Most horses quickly learn that shuffling their noses through the ice cubes feels wonderful. It’s a small but enjoyable way to encourage your horse to stay cool in summer. Bagged ice Read more…
These are the three most common scenarios you’ll face that might result in a euthanasia decision: sudden severe illness or injury, slow decline in condition that causes quality of life to suffer, or temperament problems that cause a horse to become dangerous. How do you know when it’s time to Read more…
Step 1: Build a Bond The first aspect of training any horse is to build a bond with them. If a horse doesn’t trust you or feel comfortable around you, it’s going to be much harder to get them to do what you want them to do. What is the Read more…
Severe bruising, torn connective tissue, and fractures are also possible results of being bitten by a horse. There is a risk of infection any time the skin is broken by an animal bite, including those caused by an equine. What would happen if a horse bit you? If you are Read more…