How to care for your horse naturally

Horses

How to care for your

horse naturally

horse rearing

Please....

Do feed and water me after the days work is done

Do give me a comfortable bed and shelter from harsh weather

Do be sure my gear fits well and is properly adjusted

Do keep my feet and teeth in optimum condition

Do speak calmly to me, I need your encouragement to learn

Don't become impatient when I don't get things right

help me to understand you

Don't treat me heavy handedly, I am trying my best

Don't discard me when I am no longer able to carry you

give me a place where I can retire with dignity

Do love me, and I will be a friend for life

sil1 sil1 sil1 sil1

Creatures of Flight...

Horse and human have worked together in partnership throughout most of our history. From the exquisite desert Arabian who carried Bedouin tribes across the harshest of landscapes in search of water and supplies to the heavy harness breeds used to work the land and cart enormous logs in the building of new colonies, the horse has played a vital role in creating civilisation as we know it today. This is quite an amazing acomplishment considering the horse's natural instinct to flee from danger and the unknown.

Built for speed and agility the horse is a creature of flight rather than fight. When a herd is threatened by anything it is unsure of, whether perceived or real, its first reaction is to run. The lead mare will take off in the opposite direction to the threat, followed closely by the rest of the herd, with stallion bringing up the rear to make sure all stick together and arrive safely at the other end of their flight.

In handling our horses it is of utmost importance to remember this flight instinct and work with it, not against it. No amount of harsh, agressive behaviour will produce a calm and relaxed horse who is willing to work in harmony with its handler. A scared horse is an unsafe horse, who is likely to leap into that flight instinct at any minute, with or without his rider. On the other hand, a horse who has complete faith in his handler to only ever be kind and caring, and never put him in harms way will give everything he has and then give some more. This horse will be a pleasure to ride and handle and a loving friend.

If an animal with such a deep, natural instinct to flee from harm can put that level of trust into humans, then surely we, as the more intelligent species (ha ha) have an obligation to treat our equine friends in such a way that they feel safe and content in our hands.

Join up demo...

Is it fitting?

photo by

A comfortable well fitted saddle can make all the difference in the world...

Almost everybody at one time or another has had the unpleasant experience of being stuck in an uncomfortable pair of shoes. If you are forced to stand or walk in those shoes for any length of time they can cause nasty painful blisters and turn what might have been a pleasant afternoon into an all out race to get home and rid yourself of the offending footwear.

Ill fitting saddlery is one of the main causes of bad behaviour in horses. A saddle that rubs constantly in one spot can be unbearably painful on a horses back, even without anyone sitting on it. Imagine that saddle with a riders weight and movement pressing on those already sore spots, and then imagine the same thing happening every time the poor horse is ridden, which in many cases is daily. Its no wonder the horse can't concentrate on what is being asked of her, or continues to walk backwards no matter how much her rider urges her to walk forwards. And that's on a good day. At the other end of the scale a horse could try bucking, rearing, bolting, tossing her head in the air, biting, and any number of dangerous ploys in an effort to rid herself of the offending saddle.

Any reputable saddlery store will be willing to send an employee out to measure your horse for a comfortable fit, or at least show you how and where to measure yourself. Some saddlers now make saddles with an interchangeable gullet system so that one saddle will always fit no matter how roly poly your horse becomes in spring, or how much muscle she builds over her back during the course of training and work.

A comfortable horse will be better able to concentrate on her riders aids, and be a safer ride not only out on the trail but in every situation. If your horse suddenly starts to behave out of character in any way, chances are that her saddle is no longer fitting well and needs adjustment. Behaving badly is the only way she knows to let you know.

What to consider before adopting a horse

by Linda Ann Nickerson

Issues of Equine Adoption Horse adoptions have become increasingly popular in recent days, for a host of reasons. Changing economic times, urbanization of previously rural areas, animal rights i...More>
3 articles Write Now Write

How horses provide therapy for disabled people

photo by Sean

by Anne Lindsey

Lean On Me There is something about the horse that appeals to most people. I don't know if it is the grace, strength, beauty or the quiet wisdom shining in their eyes, but horses will capture the imag...More>
Write Now Write

Thank you...

Hello.

Thank you for coming to look at my zone. I hope you found it to be interesting and informative.

Please let me know by leaving a comment and rating the zone with a thumbs up or thumbs down.

Thanks again : )

Karyn...

Book of the Month...

Join Up...Horse sense for people By Monty Roberts

Monty demonstrates how his world renowned gentle yet effective methods for communicating with horses can also be used when communicating with people.......read review here

Natural horsemanship: Training advice or sales gimmick?

by Julie Newsham

Natural horsemanship is the sweat equity of horse training. It's a do-it-yourself-er's dream. Natural horsemanship allows people who don't have a lot of money, but do have a lot of time and desire, ...More>
Write Now Write

Tips for understanding your horse's mind and body

by Sheri Spencer

One of the easiest ways to understand a horse is to first realize that a horse's mind and body are always reflective of each other. In other words, his body is always telling the truth about what's on...More>
10 articles Write Now Write

How often should you shoe a horse?

photo by Daniel Johnson

by Matthew Brendal

The standard farrier practice is to shoe a normal healthy horse every six to eight weeks. That periodicity takes into account primarily two things, shoe wear and hoof growth. A healthy hoof will grow ...More>
7 articles Write Now Write

How to overcome a fear of horses

by Brenda Halverson

Fear is often considered to be a negative emotion, one we are reluctant to admit to. However, in some situations it is a positive and even beneficial reaction, and one of those situations is when work...More>
13 articles Write Now Write

Should you take a free horse?

by Laura Sullivanlyndall

Should you take a free horse? I say no, for several reasons! The biggest reason is experience. I hav...More>
9 articles Write Now Debate It

Yes

by Raymond Alexander Kukkee

Free Horses Run like the Wind There are two essential species in this world, creatures that have ...More>
21 articles Write Now Debate It

Comments (1 to 10 of 13)

Karyn B Jules

Jan 22, 10 at 01:16 PM

Thank you Linda and Tina : )

Tina Hartley

Nov 17, 09 at 12:20 AM

Very nice zone, Karyn! I'm just linked it to my two horse zones.

Linda Ann Nickerson

Sep 23, 09 at 02:06 PM

Thumbs up! Nice zone! Just linked to this from ON HORSES: THE MANE COURSE, my Helium zone for horse lovers.

Karyn B Jules

May 31, 09 at 02:00 PM

Hi Ann Marie. Yes we've had similar cases here. Brings me to tears to think people can and do treat animals so cruelly. Thanks for visiting : )

Ann Marie Dwyer

Apr 08, 09 at 02:44 PM

I agree Karyn. We had an awful couple here jailed (hallelujah) for victimizing 18 horses. I love that pic of the teeth!

Karyn B Jules

Mar 18, 09 at 07:33 AM

Thanks Raven. It is a shame that we even need those equine welfare groups though. Karyn...

Raven Lebeau

Mar 15, 09 at 09:56 PM

Nice site; well laid out and lots of interesting content. I really like that you included the "Equine Welfare" sidebar with links to organizations that help horses!

Karyn B Jules

Mar 08, 09 at 11:05 AM

Hi Olivia. Thank you for visiting my zone, great to see you. Hope you are well : ) Karyn...

Olivia Bredbenner

Mar 08, 09 at 01:35 AM

Hi karyn, Great job..I love your PIC choices..I just wish I had a horse. :)

Karyn B Jules

Feb 23, 09 at 11:51 PM

Thanks Missy : )

See More Comments

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Equine Welfare...

A sad and unfortunate fact of our times is that animals are too often neglected and/or mistreated. Equine welfare centres rescue horses that have, for any number of reasons become in need of their intervention and care. Often these centres are run by volunteers and funded by public donations. I have started a list here of equine welfare centres around the world for those who would either like to purchase a rehabilitated animal or report one who may be in need of rescue. I will add to this list over time so if anyone knows of a centre they would like added please email the url and i will post the link here.

World Horse Welfare

An international charity based in Great Britain and dedicated to caring for horses.

Project Hope Victoria

A non profit Australian organisation dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of unwanted and neglected horses.

Heaven Can Wait Equine Rescue

A small canadian group started in 1997 to help save horses and ponies from slaughter.

Second Chance Horse Rescue and Rehabilitation

A self funded Western Australian horse rescue operation run by volunteers

True Innocents Equine Rescue

Rescuing abused, neglected, abandoned and unwanted horses in California

Books books books…

....to bring you closer to your horse

The Man Who Listens to Horses- by Monty Roberts

An incredible man with an amazing way with horses. This is his first book, an autobiography. The above link will take you to Monty's official website.

Centred Riding- by Sally Swift

Sally Swift's approach to riding horses uses visualisation techniques and focuses on relaxing the body and becoming one with your horse.

Horses are Made to be Horses- by Franz Mairinger

A philosophy of horsemanship by one of the Spanish Riding School's top instructors and trainers.

Veterinary Notes for Horse Owners- by Captain M Horace Hayes

The standard on equine health care for over 100 years

Naadirah The Arabian Dream- by Tanya Hawley

The heartwarming story of a very special Arabian mare.

Metal in the Mouth- by Robert Cook & Hiltrud Strasser

The effects of different types of bits on a horses mouth and temperament.

Horses Teeth and their Problems- by Kai Kreling

From anatomy of the mouth to alternative dental care to determining age by the teeth.

The bitless bridle...

A pain free alternative for your horse

A bitless revolution is quietly making it's presence felt throughout the equestrian world.

Riders from all disciplines are discovering the benefits of bitless bridles not only on their horses' responsiveness but also their temperament.

Bitless bridles have come a long way since the Hackamore and similar products designed to put all rein pressure through leverage over the horses nose. Modern bitless bridles distribute pressure evenly across the poll, nose, cheeks and under the jaw, ensuring your horse's comfort and freedom of movement....read more

Oral care...

teeth

Horses teeth continue to grow throughout their whole lives. In their natural wild state, horses graze on varying soft grasses and herbs, gently grinding in a circular motion with the large molars, which in turn causes them to wear slowly and remain well shaped for that purpose. Domestic horses are often fed a diet high in grains and foods that require more thorough chewing for longer periods. This can cause excessive uneven wear on the molars, leaving sharp edges on the outsides of the top set, and insides of the bottom set. These sharp edges can cut the horses tongue and cheeks and become very painful. Also, when uneven wear is excessive, the molars lose their ability to chew food well, and the horse will lose condition due to improper digestion. A sign that your horse has this problem is feed falling from the mouth as the he tries to chew.

Regular annual filing of the teeth by a registered equine dentist or vet will keep them in good shape so your horse will be properly able to chew his food, and the possibility of soreness kept to a minimum.