Continue to lope at your controlled pace for 1 to 2 minutes. Look up, put your heels down, relax, and ride. When you’re happy with your horse’s speed and behavior, ask for a stop. Is loping faster than cantering? The speed of the canter varies between 16 to 27 kilometres Read more…
Glaucoma is a rather rare but serious eye condition in the horse. Glaucoma can lead to pain, blindness and even removal of the eye if left untreated. Contact your veterinarian if you suspect your horse has glaucoma. How painful is glaucoma? For the most common form of glaucoma in the Read more…
Leave the ice boots on your horse for up to 40 minutes of cooling therapy treatment. How long do you leave ice boots on a horse? Leave the boots on for approximately 20 minutes. Your horse should be tied up, ideally in a shaded or cool area to help prevent Read more…
(idiomatic) Mistreated; not properly cared for. What happens if you put a horse away wet? Horses also frequently become bad-tempered and resentful if left untended. “Rode hard and put away wet” refers to a person who looks worn out or unwell. What does it mean to put a horse up Read more…
Freeze marking is a cold branding process, meaning that the letter and number shapes that make up the freeze mark are permanently tattooed into the coat using a cold iron. This kills the pigmentation in the hair, causing the hair that grows in that spot to turn white, and stand Read more…
Gelding – A gelding is a male horse which has been castrated. What breed is a gelding? A gelding is a castrated male horse or other equine, such as a pony, donkey or a mule. Is a gelding a good horse? Depending on the horse’s training, temperament, and how late Read more…
Almost all horses spook (that is, shy, sidepass, jump, spin, rear, and/or bolt when startled and scared). As prey animals in the wild, these evasive maneuvers often saved their lives. Do all horses get spooked? This is particularly true if this type of behaviour leaves you feeling nervous or anxious. Read more…
Mud fever boots will help to keep your horse’s legs clean and protected when he’s turned out in muddy conditions. Shires offer two close contact “mud socks” that fit snugly around the contours of your horse’s leg like a second skin. They help to keep your horse’s legs dry and, Read more…
Horses are more stressed and spook on windy days because they hear many different sounds and cannot identify predators. The wind also creates additional sounds made by objects blowing in the wind, such as leaves, debris, etc. This can frighten the horse because it may perceive these sounds as being Read more…
Why is My Horse Eating Dirt? Dirt is a natural part of the equine diet. It contains minerals that a horse may be missing and has beneficial microbes that benefit digestion. Horses in the wild and in our pastures have been eating dirt forever. What minerals are a horse missing Read more…