Know How to Pick Up a Horse's Hoof?

Does the idea of picking up your horse's hooves intimidate you? Scared of getting kicked? If you pick up a horse's hoof properly, you provide him with no leverage or ability to kick you.

Before lifting any hoof, make sure your horse is properly squared so when you lift one hoof he can easily balance on his remaining three. Never let the horse lean his weight on you! Even when you rest his rear leg on your thigh you're not allowing him to use you as a crutch.

Learn more about how to safely pick up a horse's hoof.

Horse Hoof Care

Healthy hooves are vital to your horse's overall health. Taking care of your horse's hooves is not just for the farrier - you need to regularly and frequently care for your horse's hooves to help keep them healthy.

Tip: What is the easiest and single most important thing you can do to care for your horse's hooves?...

Pick out your horse's feet! It's pretty basic and doesn't require a lot of time.


Pick out your horse's hooves. Picking out your horse's hooves does not take long and keeping them cleaned out will help you to stay ahead of any common hoof problems. When picking out hooves, check the condition of your horse's shoes and for thrush. Pick out your horse's hooves:

• before each ride
• when you bring your horse in at night
• before turning out to pasture

Visit Front Range Frenzy for more on hoof care...

Horse Posters and Art Prints

AllPosters

AllPosters is outstanding and they carry the widest selection and the most beautiful horse art prints that can be found anywhere. If AllPosters does not have it, then it probably does not exist.

So What Does It Mean to Float a Horse's Teeth?

I'm sure you've heard this a time or two (if you haven't, sooner or later you will from another horse owner or from your vet), and if you're like me, you imagined for the longest time what this could possibly mean and wondered what it involved.

To float a horse's teeth certainly sounds funny, too. Floating means to smooth or contour your horse's teeth with a file (called a "float"). Unlike your own teeth, your horse's teeth keep growing. At times, your horse's teeth may develop sharp edges, making it difficult for her to chew food, hold a bit, or simply have pain and discomfort inside her mouth.

Learn more about your horse and floating teeth...

Rain Rot

Equine rain rot is a common skin infection that can afflict horses. The fungal infection does not progress further than the skin or cause abscesses like other infections.

Rain rot requires the absence of oxygen to live and spread. When a horse catches rain rot he will develop a series of crusty scabs and/or matted/raised tufts of hair and when pulled off, will exhibit pink skin with some pus. Rain rot is contagious and is generally transmitted by shared horse tack (such as blankets), mutual rubbing posts such as a fence, etc.

For more information on rain rot, visit Front Range Frenzy.

Internal Parasites of the Horse

Internal parasites are a significant threat to the health of horses and can cause irreparable internal damage. Parasites are small organisms living a portion of their life cycle inside the horse. The parasites live in internal organs, body cavities, and tissues and feed on the host animal. There are more than 150 internal parasites, and the nature and extent of damage varies with the type of parasite.

Though there are many types of internal parasites that may infect a horse, only a few commonly cause significant health problems. The primary class of internal parasites causing health problems for horses is nematodes such as large and small strongyles, ascarids, and tapeworms. Lesser significant internal parasites, such as pinworms and botfly larvae, are also considered when implementing a parasite control program.

Learn more about the internal parasites of the horse at Front Range Frenzy.

Horse Care Needs

It is important you develop a partnership with a veterinarian prior to an emergency. You can begin developing a partnership by consulting your veterinarian for your horse's routine and preventive health care.

Vaccinations: Your horse should be vaccinated at least once a year.

Parasite Control: Your horse needs to be de-wormed several times each year.

Dental Care: Teeth should be checked by a veterinarian once a year.

First Aid: Keep a first aid kit handy containing bandage material, a thermometer, and ointments.

Vitamin and Mineral Supplements: There are lots of different mineral and vitamin supplements on the market. Feeding excessive levels can cause problems for horses.

Foot Care: Clean your horse's hooves before and after you ride. Examine all hooves frequently for problems.

Visit FrontRangeFrenzy.com for easy and practical horse care information.

Need a Place to Keep Your Horse or Pony?

If you're keeping your horse on your own property or looking for a suitable boarding stable, the following is recommended reading.

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Horse Barns Big and Small

* NEW AND EXPANDED EDITION ~ MORE BARNS MORE INFORMATION *

Includes practical advice on planning issues and step-by-step construction procedures that will help you build the barn you need. This authoritative source of specialized information takes you from the site selection to final details.

A great resource for horse shelter plans, from simple run-in sheds to full-blown barns including requirements for hay, compost, and farm equipment storage. A must have for building a new facility or remodeling an existing one. Layout, photos, and descriptions - reference this book over and over -- solutions to roof pitch, stall sizes, structure layout, lights, storage, and more. Learn what it takes to build a horse shelter from choosing the type, to preparing the ground, to hiring sub-contractors, to construction.

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Don't End Up at the Wrong Stable!

• Have you ever worried whether your horse is properly cared for when you're not around?


• Are you a new horse owner or thinking of becoming one?


• Have you ever felt uncomfortable around your fellow boarders?


• Are you looking for a home-away-from-home for your horse?


• Do you ever feel you're not getting your money's worth for your board bill?
  

How to Find the Perfect Place for Your Pony
101 Questions to Ask about Boarding Stables
ISBN 0968296610

If you answered YES to any of the questions, you'll want to read How to find the Perfect Place for Your Pony. Whether your "pony" is a 17 hand warmblood or an actual pony, here's an e-book to help you answer important questions:

• Is it time to buy your first horse?


• Should you keep your horse at home or board him out?


• What should you look for in a stable?


• How far do you want to drive?


• What's usually included in the boarding fee?


• Do you really need an indoor arena?

Finding the right boarding stable is a challenge faced by most riders at some stage in their
careers. For novice horse owners, or longtime horse people new to the world of boarding stables, knowing what to look for is not as simple as it seems.

Though you are a well-meaning owner, don't risk letting your horse lack adequate care by not knowing enough to find suitable boarding arrangements. So how can you find out what makes a good boarding stable without having to experience a bad one first? Consider "How to Find the Perfect Place for Your Pony" your first guidebook to stabling and finding the perfect home for your pony, whether he's a 17-hand warmblood or a 13-hand pony.

Visit Acreage Equines to learn more.

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Visit Front Range Frenzy for lots of horse information.

Horse Space and Shelter

Horses can be kept at your own place or boarded at a commercial stable. Keeping a horse on your property provides more management control, saves time and expenses, and can reduce the risk of injuries and disease. A horse kept on your property allows greater enjoyment and learning experiences; however, it also requires more management, knowledge and time. Remember, horses must be cared for daily.

When it comes to providing adequate shelter for domestic animals, horses are among the easiest you'll deal with. Contrary to what you might think, horses are sturdy, adaptable creatures, and their housing requirements are very basic: shade, ventilation, protection from the elements, and comfortable, dry footing. Building a horse barn is quite a project--and there is a vast and varied array of plans available to help you. But renovating a shelter to make it fit for just one or two horses, or building a sturdy three-sided shelter, can be quite simple, if you have only basic carpentry skills.

More horse information on horse shelters...

Horse Manure Management

Manure management is important to the health of your horse.

"You need a strategy for using or disposing of the manure."

Find out your options for managing manure.

You can't do anything about the amount of manure your horse produces. Therefore, practicing appropriate manure management is essential, from the largest to the smallest of farms. Manure management is important for the health of the horse and your family, avoiding controversy with neighbors, and to comply with state and county regulations. Horse owners have a responsibility to manage their horse's byproduct.

Learn more about manure management...

Horse Pasture Management

Pasture: A major component of a horse's diet is hay or pasture. A horse weighing 1000 pounds will eat about 500 pounds each month. If dryland pasture is the only source of forage, your horse will need about 28 acres of non-irrigated pasture a year. An irrigated pasture will grow more forage than dryland pasture, so less acreage is needed. The amount of irrigated pasture land needed for one horse is roughly 1 to 2 acres.

Two acres of pasture are recommended per mature horse. One acre of pasture can provide adequate grazing but requires more land management. Manage your pasture as you would with any crop with soil testing, fertilizing, and managing manure. The horse will not eat trampled grass or grass with manure on it. Horses will quickly overgraze smaller areas. Therefore, a combination of pasture and small lot or barn is needed to minimize overgrazing.

Learn more about pasture management.

Parasite Control

Your horse needs to be de-wormed several times each year. The current recommended de-worming program is to alternate de-worming products annually. One de-worming product is used over the course of a year followed by a different de-worming classification (mebendazole, organosphosphate, avermectine, etc.) the next year. Most de-wormers must be used every 60 days. Paste de-worming is as effective as tube de-worming. It is best to consult with your veterinarian when establishing a a de-worming program.

Find easy and practical Horse Information at Front Range Frenzy.

Horse Vaccinations

It is important you develop a partnership with a veterinarian prior to an emergency. You can begin developing a partnership by consulting your veterinarian for your horse's routine and preventive health care.

Vaccinations: Your horse should be vaccinated at least once a year, typically in the spring. What vaccinations your horse requires is determined by age and overall health. The time of year also influences the risk of infectious diseases, such as West Nile. Your veterinarian can recommend what vaccinations are needed for your horse.

Find easy and practical horse information at Front Range Frenzy.

Giving Your Horse Water

Water: Your horse needs plenty of clean, fresh water at all times. Approximately 50% of an adult horse's body is composed of water. A horse will drink 10 to 12 gallons of water each day. In winter months, stock tank heaters will help to stop ice buildup so that your horse will have access to water.

Make sure a hot horse, such as after exercising or doing heavy work, does not have free access to water right away. Only allow for just a few sips, and then walk him to cool him down. Once the horse's body has cooled down and breathing has returned to normal, let him have water freely. Some horses may refuse to drink later if not offered a small amount of water fairly soon after his workout.

Regularly scrub out buckets, containers, troughs and automatic drinkers. Clean and disinfect community water sources if a sick horse is detected in a group. Sick horses should have access to a separate water source until they are considered healthy again.

Tip: Keeping the mosquito population down
West Nile Virus is a concern. You can put feeder goldfish in pasture water tanks and they will feed off the mosquito larvae that mosquitoes deposit in the water. The goldfish will live throughout the winter as long as the water does not completely freeze.

Tip: To keep the water tank from completely freezing over
In areas susceptible to very hard freezes, a tennis ball or soccer ball floating in the water tank will keep it from completely freezing over.

More easy & practical Horse Information

Feeding Your Horse Grain

Grain: A grain mix of oats and corn should only be added to the diet when you increase your horse's training, work, or activity. Younger and older horses may also need grain. Horses have small stomachs and short intestines; therefore, they cannot handle large amounts of grain fed to them at one time. When providing grain to horses, it should be done in small amounts (3+ times daily). Be careful not to overuse the grain supplement. It is not healthy for a horse to consume large amounts of concentrated grain and if overused, can cause colic, ulcers, and high insulin levels. A minimum of 1.0 percent body weight of roughage (pasture, hay, or other forage) should be offered daily to ensure adequate intake and digestive health.





For a 1,000 lb. average horse

No work ~ No grain
Light work (1-2 hours per day) ~ 1-1.5 lbs. grain per hour of work
Medium work (2-4 hours per day) ~ 1.5-2 lbs. grain per hour of work
Heavy work (4 or more hours per day) ~ 1.5-2.5 lbs. grain per hour work

Salt should always be available to your horse - either add approximately one to two ounces to your horse's feed or make available a free-choice salt block.

Tip: Does your horse greedily gulp down its grain?

Try this: Put a few large rounded rocks in the bucket (large enough that they can't be eaten or swallowed). The horse will have to nose around and push the rocks aside to get to the grain. This will help to slow down eating so it is not so hurried.

Visit Front Range Frenzy for Easy and Practical Horse Care Tips.

Before You Go Horse Shopping

Know what attributes to look for in a horse and what to ask the owner.

"Horse buying--it's almost magical when you get the horse that's right for you!"

What you need to consider when buying a horse.

Buying a horse--what to consider before buying a horse, choosing a horse, where to look for a horse.

What you need to know before you go horse shopping...

Horse & Tack Online Classified Ads

Front Range Frenzy has added online classifed adds for horses and tack.

View and post ads for horses and horse tack. We list new and used horse tack and saddles for sale, horses for sale, wanted horses, wanted tack, and much more. Tack stores, other horse businesses, and private individuals are all invited to create ads from any riding discipline.

Front Range Frenzy Horse & Tack Online Classifieds

Providing Water for Your Horse

Water: Your horse needs plenty of clean, fresh water at all times. Approximately 50% of an adult horse's body is composed of water. A horse will drink 10 to 12 gallons of water each day. In winter months, stock tank heaters will help to stop ice buildup so that your horse will have access to water.

Make sure a hot horse, such as after exercising or doing heavy work, does not have free access to water right away. Only allow for just a few sips, and then walk him to cool him down. Once the horse's body has cooled down and breathing has returned to normal, let him have water freely. Some horses may refuse to drink later if not offered a small amount of water fairly soon after his workout.

Regularly scrub out buckets, containers, troughs and automatic drinkers. Clean and disinfect community water sources if a sick horse is detected in a group. Sick horses should have access to a separate water source until they are considered healthy again.

Tip: Keeping the mosquito population down

West Nile Virus is a concern. You can put feeder goldfish in pasture water tanks and they will feed off the mosquito larvae that mosquitoes deposit in the water. The goldfish will live throughout the winter as long as the water does not completely freeze.

Tip: To keep the water tank from completely freezing over

In areas susceptible to very hard freezes, a tennis ball or soccer ball floating in the water tank will keep it from completely freezing over.

For more on feeding and watering your horse, visit Front Range Frenzy...

Feeding Horses Grain

Grain: A grain mix of oats and corn should only be added to the diet when you increase your horse's training, work, or activity. Younger and older horses may also need grain.
Horses have small stomachs and short intestines; therefore, they cannot handle large amounts of grain fed to them at one time. When providing grain to horses, it should be done in small
amounts (3+ times daily). Be careful not to overuse the grain supplement. It is not healthy for a horse to consume large amounts of concentrated grain and if overused, can cause colic,
ulcers, and high insulin levels. A minimum of 1.0 percent body weight of roughage (pasture, hay, or other forage) should be offered daily to ensure adequate intake and digestive
health.

For a 1,000 lb. average horse

No work ~ No grain
Light work (1-2 hours per day) ~ 1-1.5 lbs. grain per hour of work
Medium work (2-4 hours per day) ~ 1.5-2 lbs. grain per hour of work
Heavy work (4 or more hours per day) ~ 1.5-2.5 lbs. grain per hour work

Salt should always be available to your horse - either add approximately one to two ounces to your horse's feed or make available a free-choice salt block.

Tip: Does your horse greedily gulp down its grain? Try this:

Put a few large rounded rocks in the bucket (large enough that they can't be eaten or swallowed). The horse will have to nose around and push the rocks aside to get to the grain. This will help to slow down eating so it is not so hurried.

More easy and practical horse care tips...

Saddling Your Horse

Are you a new horse owner needing some assistance on how to saddle your horse?

"Instructions on how to saddle your horse."

Maybe you're an owner after a long absence and need a refresher on saddling a horse.


Unless you're prone to riding bareback, you will need to properly saddle your horse for your ride. To begin, you need to first groom your horse. For the horse's comfort you want to make sure the coat is free of any mud, dirt or hair clumps that can become irritating under the saddle when being ridden.

Check to make sure there are no sores on your horse's back or cinch area. If there are saddle sores present, use extra padding or a girth pad. Though you may want to consider letting the sores heal before riding again.

Make sure the saddle blanket is also clean and free of debris and is dry. Place the saddle blanket well forward and pull it back toward the rear of the horse so the front of the pad rests just in front of the withers. Always slide the blanket with the horse's hair and not against it to prevent any hair from getting clumped under the blanket. Be sure to use a large enough blanket so it shows all the way around the outside of the saddle. Using too small of a blanket will not adequately protect your horse from the saddle and make it very uncomfortable.

More on saddling your horse...

Horse Theme Bookmarks

Horse Bookmarks

Bookmarks from Acreage Equines. Original art combined with inspirational quotations make these bookmarks unique.

Visit Front Range Frenzy to learn more about horses and to download your free horse theme bookmarks.

Feeding Hay to Your Horse

Hay: Your horse will need hay supplement during times of snow cover or when pasture forage is not available or limited. Feeding hay will also extend the grazing season on small acreage properties. A rectangular bale of hay weighs between 45 and 85 pounds. The amount of hay to buy and feed should be based on the weight of the bales and the nutrient value of the hay. You can feed less hay if it is higher quality, such as when feeding alfalfa hay. An average 1,000-pound saddle horse will eat 20 lbs. of forage each day (roughly 3-to-4 flakes of medium quality hay).

Tip: So how much hay do you need to buy? This formula will help you determine how much hay you need:

(number of days to feed hay) times (20 lbs. hay per day) divided by (weight of each bale) equals (number of bales needed)

for example: ( 365 days x 20 lbs. hay per day ) / ( 65 lbs. per hay bale ) = 112 bales

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Some Hay Facts:

Alfalfa hay is higher in protein than grass hay. You should feed less Alfalfa hay than grass hay; however, feeding more grass hay will keep the horse busy eating longer and prevent boredom.

Second and third cuttings of hay are higher in protein than the first cutting. Your horse only needs 10-12% protein in its feed. Second and third cutting alfalfa hay averages 18-24% protein which is more than the horse needs and this hay is more expensive.

Hay must be dust and mold free to be healthy for your horse.

Weeds have limited nutritional value and the seeds can be passed through the manure and infest your pasture. Buy hay that is free of weeds as some can be poisonous to horses.

Tip: Does a lot of hay go to waste by your horse spreading it all over the place?

Try putting the hay in an old tractor tire...this helps to reduce wasted hay by keeping in one place.

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It is generally recommended that horses be fed hay rather than processed (pelleted, ground, wafered, cubed) forages. Feeding hay tends to reduce the rate of consumption, and helps to maintain digestive health. Providing hay as opposed to processed forage increases the amount of time spent eating, increases saliva flow, and reduces the level of boredom and associated behavioral problems. Poor quality hay should never be used in your horse's diet. Excessive dust, mold, weeds, insect infestations, or foreign material are factors reducing the overall digesting suitability, and can lead to a number of problems ranging from low feed consumption to irreversible respiratory disease and/or toxicity. Higher quality hay is higher in energy and protein will require less concentrate supplement to meet the nutrient needs of your horse.

More easy & practical basic horse care information...

What Does it Mean to Have Your Horse's Teeth Floated?

So what does it mean to float a horse's teeth? I'm sure you've heard this a time or two (if you haven't, sooner or later you will from another horse owner or from your vet), and if you're like me, you imagined for the longest time what this could possibly mean and wondered what it involved.

To float a horse's teeth certainly sounds funny, too. Floating means to smooth or contour your horse's teeth with a file (called a "float"). Unlike your own teeth, your horse's teeth keep growing. At times, your horse's teeth may develop sharp edges, making it difficult for her to chew food, hold a bit, or simply have pain and discomfort inside her mouth.

An adult horse may have between 36-44 permanent teeth. And just like humans, your horse gets two sets of teeth in her lifetime. She starts out with temporary baby teeth and by age five, will most likely have her full set of permanent teeth.

The front teeth cut hay and grass, while the top and bottom cheek teeth grind the forage between the flat surfaces in a sideways motion. This grinding action breaks down the food into a pulp before swallowing which helps it to be digested better. If your horse is unable to grind down her food all the way due to uneven teeth surfaces, the unchewed food will not be digested as well.

More about having your horse's teeth floated...

Feeding and Watering Your Horse

Feeding your horse should be done at minimum twice a day - more frequent is better, but not always practical. It is best to feed little and often since a horse's stomach is small and is made primarily for grazing (small amounts of food constantly entering and leaving the stomach). You should feed your horse at the same times each day. Once the horse adapts to his feeding times don't change them. If you are required to change the times, do it gradually. Be consistent with what you feed your horse everyday. Don't arbitrarily change the type or brand of food or amount you give to your horse. If you must make a change, do it gradually. Continue giving your horse the old and gradually mix the new everyday, or gradually add or decrease the amount of food everyday until you have completely converted.

Feed your horse in a place that is quiet and calm. Always ensure the horse has returned to normal body temperature and breathing after a workout before feeding. Do not exercise your horse for at least an hour after he has finished eating.

Normally, horses will eat the equivalent of about 2.0 percent of their body weight as dry matter per day (this includes forage and grain). A horse is considered in good body condition when its ribs cannot be seen but can be felt by applying slight pressure over the ribs. If you are unsure about your horse's diet, contact an independent equine nutrition expert. Though food manufacturers provide helplines, they may be a bit biased, so use your judgment. Contacting an equine college or veterinary school is a good source to help you evaluate the nutrition you are providing your horse.

Providing your horse with some succulent food each day, for example apples, carrots, parsnips, is not only a treat for your horse, but also provides some additional nutrients. You could also feed a small amount of handpicked grass if done immediately after picking. Grass will ferment quickly after being cut. For this reason, do not feed lawn mowings or allow your horse to graze on freshly cut grass.

More on feeding and watering your horse...

Buying Your First Horse

You've decided you want to own a horse. Are you ready for the commitment? How do you find that perfect horse? How can you increase your chances of finding a safe horse and paying a fair price?

Because buying a horse is a tremendous commitment and long-term decision, you should prepare as thoroughly as possible before setting out on your adventure to buy a horse. It takes years of involvement with horses to adequately judge the potential of a horse. Horses vary widely in temperament, price, ability, and size. You want a horse that is safe, healthy, without bad habits, and matches your riding abilities - at a fair price. The information found in "Buying Your First Horse: A Comprehensive Guide to Preparing For, Finding and Purchasing a Great Horse" will prepare you for horse ownership and guide you in making the best choice.

Following the guidelines in the book will answer all your questions about buying a horse and help you select a horse that is:

• Safe Learn how to avoid the horse that bites, kicks, rears, or bucks
  
• Healthy Learn how to avoid the unsound or unhealthy horse
  
• Priced fairly Learn how to objectively evaluate a horse
  
• A good match for the rider Choose a horse that matches the rider's abilities and potential
  
• A great ride Find a great riding partner for a successful riding career
  

Some of the topics found in this comprehensive guide include:

• Preparing for your horse
  
  
  
  • Safety
    
  • Keeping a horse on your property
    
  • Boarding at a stable
    
  • Expenses
    
  
  
• Where to find and purchase your horse
  
  
  
  • Finding good horses for sale
    
  • Evaluating horses
    
  • Selecting a great horse
    
  • Negotiating the purchase
    
  
  
• Questionnaires and agreements
  
  
  
  • Questionnaires for evaluating horses
    
  • Questionnaires for evaluating stables
    
  • Sample bill of sale, boarding agreements, contracts
    
  
  

Horse Care and Budget Worksheets and Checklists

Boarding Stable Checklist

Horse Budget Worksheet

Basic Horse Care Chart

Picking Up Your Horse's Feet

The idea of picking up a horse's hooves can intimidate some owners since a well-placed horse kick would really hurt! Such caution is good, but in reality if you pick up a horse's hoof properly you provide him with no leverage or ability to kick you.

Here's how to safely and easily lift up your horse's hooves...

Hoof Abscess

A hoof abscess may be one of the scariest things a horse owner may witness. One day your horse appears fine, and the next day your horse appears lame and is refusing to place any weight on his leg. When you try to walk your horse, you are met with great resistance - your horse refuses to walk.

An abscess can occur when the hoof develops an infection. The infection may be caused by the sole being pierced by a sharp object or a small grain of gravel entering into a cracked hoof wall.

When a horse develops an abscess, fluid (pus) collects as the horse's body fights off the source of the infection. Because the hoof cannot expand to accommodate the increasing collection of pus, the increased pressure within the hoof causes him a great deal of pain.

More on hoof abscess...

Equine Rain Rot

Equine rain rot is one of the more common skin infections afflicting horses exposed to long periods of moisture. Dry climates such as Arizona do not see much occurrence of rain rot.

A horse that catches rain rot will develop a series of crusty scabs and matted tufts of hair. When the matted hair is pulled off, pink skin laced with some pus is generally exposed. Rain rot is contagious and is generally transmitted by shared horse blankets or mutual rubbing posts such as a fence post.

Learn more about horse rain rot...

Know the Names for the Parts of Your Horse & Tack

Learn the basic anatomy of a horse.

"Know what part is being talked about when you're around experienced horsemen..."

Saddle and bridle parts also have names you should know.

An element of good horsemanship is knowning the basic parts of your horse and tack. If you don't want to be a complete "green horn" around seasoned horsemen, then learn the basic anatomy of your horse and know what the different parts of your saddle and bridle are called.

Knowing the basic horse anatomy and the names for the different parts of tack is also important for communicating effectively with your horse's vet or or boarding stable personnel.

Learn your horse's basic anatomy the names for the different parts on your saddle and bridle.

Pasture Management

Pasture: A major component of a horse's diet is hay or pasture. A horse weighing 1000 pounds will eat about 500 pounds each month. If dryland pasture is the only source of forage, your horse will need about 28 acres of non-irrigated pasture a year. An irrigated pasture will grow more forage than dryland pasture, so less acreage is needed. The amount of irrigated pasture land needed for one horse is roughly 1 to 2 acres.


Two acres of pasture are recommended per mature horse. One acre of pasture can provide adequate grazing but requires more land management. Manage your pasture as you would with any crop with soil testing, fertilizing, and managing manure. The horse will not eat trampled grass or grass with manure on it. Horses will quickly overgraze smaller areas. Therefore, a combination of pasture and small lot or barn is needed to minimize overgrazing.

Do not let the horse overgraze the land so that grass will no longer grow. Keep pasture grass healthy - overgrazed pasture may never recover. To allow for regrowth, leave about 1/3 of the grass uneaten at any given time. The horse could be confined to the lot or barn and only allowed to graze for specified times lasting for only a few hours a day, thus reducing damage to the small pasture. Rotational pasture lots are one key to using small acreage pasture space to the fullest potential. Portable electric fencing provides an efficient and economic way to partition you pasture. Over-supplementing your horse with hay and grain will not prevent your horse from overgrazing.

Is pasture absolutely necessary for a horse? No. A lush green pasture is not a reality for many. Horses can be well fed without pasture; however, pasture has several advantages. It is the natural feed for horses, reduces the cost of feeding, provides your horse with exercise, and horses are usually healthier when kept outside on pasture. Establishing and maintaining a productive pasture is not too difficult.

A few dollars spent for soil nutrients for your pasture is a sound investment. Fertilization will help your pasture to become more productive and produce more forage. Fertilization costs will generally be offset from good pasture rotating and from savings in feed costs for hay and grain supplements. Have a reputable fertilizer dealer or extension agent evaluate your soil samples and recommend the best fertilizer for your pastures.

Mowing is also important for pasture management. It minimizes the spread of weeds to help maintain a higher quality forage. Mowing weeds before seedheads are produced limits the spread of weeds. Grass should be mowed to 3-4 inches.

No matter how well you manage your pature, it will most likely thin. To help ensure your pasture continues to produce good grass, new quality forage seed should be spread every year. It is recommended re-seeding be done in the spring or fall. In the spring, wet conditions allow for germination and growth, but only if it is not too muddy. In the fall, there will be less weed pressure. Do not allow grazing on new grass seedlings for approximately 6-weeks after they have emerged.

Caution! Turning your horse out on green lush pasture before conditioning it to a change in diet is dangerous and may result in sickness or possibly death. Start your horse out slowly by letting it graze for few minutes each day and gradually increase to a few hours each day.

Learn Horseback Riding

Horse riding made easy. Quickly discover learning to ride can be fast, easy, and fun.

"Horse riding lessons...everything you need to know about learning to ride a horse"

Easy steps to enjoying your horse ride. You can ride like a pro starting today.

Do you want to take that horseback riding excursion with the rest of your family or friends, but not knowing how to ride a horse is leaving you out?

Maybe you bought a horse or are thinking about buying a horse and now you need to learn how to ride. Or maybe you just need to brush up on your existing skills.

Humans and horses have partnered for ages either for work, transportation, sport, or recreation. All you need to get going is a little self-confidence and reassurance from horse riding lessons.

Fortunately, it is not too difficult to learn and you can be an accomplished rider in no time. Millions of people enjoy the hobby of horseback riding every year. You too can learn the basics of horseback riding.

Horseback Riding Trails, Advenures, Trips

Sometimes with all the daily stress it may seem like there's not much to look forward to except for more months of the same daily grind. Give yourself something to really look forward to...

a horseback riding adventure.

Horseback riding has lots of leisure value. Instead of whizzing by in a car, you walk or trot along country lanes or down forest paths. While horseback riding, you have time to really observe and enjoy the scenery that's all around you. Smell pine woods or freshly cut hay, listen to the water run in the stream while you give your horse a drink, hear the rhythm of your horse's hoofs against the earth.

Any place in the world looks better from the back of a horse.

If you choose a horseback riding vacation, you might want to spend some time perusing brochures that describe some exotic locations to visit on horseback. You can find all sorts of accommodations whether you are alone or in a group, ride English or Western, want a short or long trail ride, or desire an overnight horseback trip.

You can also find horseback riding trail adventures for people of any proficiency; basic, intermediate, or advanced.

Horseback riding vacations have soared in popularity, and are surprisingly affordable.

Imagine riding through forests in the Rocky Mountains, galloping along the beach in California, or camping by horseback in the Appalachians. The best way to really experience nature and the outdoors is by horseback.

Pasture Management

Pasture: A major component of a horse's diet is hay or pasture. A horse weighing 1000 pounds will eat about 500 pounds each month. If dryland pasture is the only source of forage, your horse will need about 28 acres of non-irrigated pasture a year. An irrigated pasture will grow more forage than dryland pasture, so less acreage is needed. The amount of irrigated pasture land needed for one horse is roughly 1 to 2 acres.

Two acres of pasture are recommended per mature horse. One acre of pasture can provide adequate grazing but requires more land management. Manage your pasture as you would with any crop with soil testing, fertilizing, and managing manure. The horse will not eat trampled grass or grass with manure on it. Horses will quickly overgraze smaller areas. Therefore, a combination of pasture and small lot or barn is needed to minimize overgrazing.

Do not let the horse overgraze the land so that grass will no longer grow. Keep pasture grass healthy - overgrazed pasture may never recover. To allow for regrowth, leave about 1/3 of the grass uneaten at any given time. The horse could be confined to the lot or barn and only allowed to graze for specified times lasting for only a few hours a day, thus reducing damage to the small pasture. Rotational pasture lots are one key to using small acreage pasture space to the fullest potential. Portable electric fencing provides an efficient and economic way to partition you pasture. Over-supplementing your horse with hay and grain will not prevent your horse from overgrazing.

Is pasture absolutely necessary for a horse? No. A lush green pasture is not a reality for many. Horses can be well fed without pasture; however, pasture has several advantages. It is the natural feed for horses, reduces the cost of feeding, provides your horse with exercise, and horses are usually healthier when kept outside on pasture. Establishing and maintaining a productive pasture is not too difficult.

A few dollars spent for soil nutrients for your pasture is a sound investment. Fertilization will help your pasture to become more productive and produce more forage. Fertilization costs will generally be offset from good pasture rotating and from savings in feed costs for hay and grain supplements. Have a reputable fertilizer dealer or extension agent evaluate your soil samples and recommend the best fertilizer for your pastures.

Mowing is also important for pasture management. It minimizes the spread of weeds to help maintain a higher quality forage. Mowing weeds before seedheads are produced limits the spread of weeds. Grass should be mowed to 3-4 inches.

No matter how well you manage your pature, it will most likely thin. To help ensure your pasture continues to produce good grass, new quality forage seed should be spread every year. It is recommended re-seeding be done in the spring or fall. In the spring, wet conditions allow for germination and growth, but only if it is not too muddy. In the fall, there will be less weed pressure. Do not allow grazing on new grass seedlings for approximately 6-weeks after they have emerged.

Caution! Turning your horse out on green lush pasture before conditioning it to a change in diet is dangerous and may result in sickness or possibly death. Start your horse out slowly by letting it graze for few minutes each day and gradually increase to a few hours each day.

Introduction

Basic horse care for new horse owners or soon to be horse owners.

"What does a horse need? Food, space & shelter, health care."

Learn about buying a horse, feeding a horse, health needs, shelter, pasture, and space requirements.

This site is committed to serving horses and their owners or soon-to-be owners. Lots of helpful basic horse care information is crammed in here to immediately provide horse owners with facts that help them understand the responsibilities of caring for a horse.

Informative guidelines on buying a horse, feeding your horse, horse boarding and horse shelter, health care needs, and horse care in general. Lots of great practical horse tips can be found here with additional links to other instructive horse information from hand selected quality sponsors where you can find some terrific and reliable expert advice.

Discover the difference having a horse can make. Horse ownership is guaranteed to delight, but without the benefits of having a professional or skilled horseman around to help guide you, it can be a bit daunting at times. Owning a horse definitely merits research on what is required to properly care for your horse so you have knowledge that can be quickly drawn upon as needed.

Regards,

Front Range Frenzy