Nowadays, paint horses are a very versatile breed with representatives in almost every equine sport. You’ll find them barrel racing, jumping in the stadium and in cross-country events, working cattle, trail riding, combined driving, and much more. What breed of horse is best for cross country? ThoroughbredsThoroughbreds are excellent choices Read more…
14.3 to 16 hands. Their colours are variable, but all are solid. The height of mature animals varies from 14.3 to 16 hands (about 57 to 64 inches, or 145 to 163 cm), and their weight varies from 950 to 1,200 pounds (431 to 544 kg). What two breeds make Read more…
Research in biomechanics has shown that an experienced, balanced rider has less of an impact on the horse’s way of going than a lighter rider who isn’t as balanced. This is what people mean by “riding light.” How do you ride a horse with light? The light seat: a rider Read more…
One to three hours per week. Light work (recreational riding, beginning training, and horses that occasionally show). One to three hours per week of work composed of 40% walking, 50% trotting, and 10% cantering; Moderate work (lessons, recreational riding, polo, and light ranch work). What is considered light exercise for Read more…
With thoroughpin, it requires no special treatment and it is how you handle the horse that makes a difference. Checking that your horse’s feet are trimmed properly, that the shoes fit perfectly, and breaking your horse into a new exercise regime slowly will all help to avoid this condition. How Read more…
They most commonly appear in the hind legs, but can also affect the forelegs, and usually indicate that the sheath or related structures have been injured, or stretched due to over-exertion, creating the extra fluid. Can horses get Windgalls in one leg? An inflammatory tendinous windgall usually affects one leg Read more…
People often wonder how many stomachs does a horse have, but the horse is a non-ruminant herbivore. Non-ruminant means that horses do not have multi-compartmented stomachs as cattle do. Instead, the horse has a simple stomach that works much like a human’s. Herbivore means that horses live on a diet Read more…
The technical term for a gut sound is a borborygmus (pronounced bôr′bə-rĭg′məs). The plural is borborygmi. During a physical exam a veterinarian will listen to your horse’s gut sounds with a stethoscope in the flank area to determine if normal borborygmi are present. How do you check a horse’s gut Read more…
Gas colic is extremely common and usually not life threatening. It’s important to note that all colics are associated with some kind of gas build-up. But generally speaking, gas colic in horses is caused by excess fluid or gas due to over-fermentation of food in the hindgut. Is gas colic Read more…
Stallions can sire an average of fifty horses a year, whereas a mare can only produce one. A mare will be pregnant for 11 to 12 months before giving birth to a foal. Stallions can be bred between 2 and 20 years of age, whereas mares can be bred from Read more…