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

---

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.

---

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.