Pets Horses: 06/01/2009 - 07/01/2009

Hay Nets - Good Or Bad?

I used to love to look down the aisle of a barn and see hay nets hanging at the fronts of the stalls, horses lazily munching away. But I don't anymore. What was once thought of a healthy efficient way to feed your horses and save on bedding and hay in the long run since there was very little waste, is now considered unhealthy for your horse. Hay nets and permanent structured hay racks alike, are out. Studies have shown that horses inhale dust and hay particles when eating hay this way. They need to eat with their heads down. Hay on the ground is the healthiest route. It's is the natural route.

Dust of any sort, whether it be hay dust, sawdust, manure dust, or just plain old dirt dust, is a major issue when it comes to your horse's health. You want to do everything you can to make sure he or she is not inhaling unhealthy amounts of it on a daily basis. Dust is inevitable, and ideally, you want a nice airy barn. In the event you need to use fans during the summer season, be careful where you place the fans. Fans on the floor stir up dust. Fans should be placed off the floor, if possible, preferably mounted on the stall fronts, with the cords out of the way of man and horse.

Be careful when you sweep the aisle ways. Wet them down lightly first and use a broom and light strokes. You don't have to get every last dust speck. Do not use a leaf blower. I shudder at the thought. There is a fine line between diligent and fanatic. Find it and don't walk that line.

MaryAnn Myers is an equestrian, horse trainer, and environmentalist. She is the author of equine novels, "Maple Dale," "Favored to Win," "Maple Dale Revisited," and newly released, "Ellie's Crows." She lives with her family on an organic farm in Northeast Ohio, that houses rescue dogs and retirement horses. For more information about MaryAnn Myers, visit... http://www.sunrisehorsefarm.com

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Equine Mega Worming

We diligently worm our horses with the change of seasons. Some horses get wormed monthly, weekly, and even daily. Wormers are so common place; the cost of worming a horse is cheaper than having the old-fashioned fecal check done to see if your horse even has worms. Would we take an aspirin if we didn't have a headache? No. Then why are we treating our horses for a condition that they might possibly not even have? It is mind boggling that this mega-worming frenzy has become such common practice. Where does it end? Scientific speculation is that we are going to end up with super resistant, super worms. What will we do for our horses then?

Some boarding stables have strict rules about worming and the boarders are expected to comply. For stables where the horses are all turned out on the same pasture, this is a must according to the farm managers. They say you can't worm one horse unless you worm them all. I disagree. I think we need to get back to doing fecal checks on a routine basis. I think the fecal checks should be affordable. We need to re-establish a common-sense practice of only worming the horses that need wormed, and not medicate the others just because they happen to be in the vicinity.

To the horse persons lucky enough to have their own farms and their horses in the back yards, approaching this mega-worming issue becomes easier and I encourage you to talk to your veterinarians about worm management. As an added note here for those that farm organically, when you worm your horse or medicate them in any way, the subsequent resulting manure should not be composted. It is no longer a base for healthy, organic decomposition and future fertilization.

MaryAnn Myers is an equestrian, horse trainer, and environmentalist. She is the author of equine novels, "Maple Dale," "Favored to Win," "Maple Dale Revisited," and newly released, "Ellie's Crows." She lives with her family on an organic farm in Northeast Ohio, that houses rescue dogs and retirement horses. For more information about MaryAnn visit... http://www.sunrisehorsefarm.com

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A Naturally Clean Horse

I am flat amazed at the mass selection of shampoos and conditioners on the market for horses. There are shelves and shelves of them at every tack shop and feed store. Horses have oil on their skin for a reason. A mild shampoo once every couple of weeks throughout the summer and a mild conditioner for their manes and tails will suffice. If you wash all their oils away, bathing them day in and day out until they are squeaky clean, you are paving the way for skin issues; dry skin, flaky skin, and sunburn. No problem, one might say, there are products on the market for every one of those conditions, shelf after shelf and rows and rows of them. Hose your horse off between shampoos. Use plain water. It works, and chlorinated aside - depending on where you live, it's natural.

I know of a horse person whose horse started rubbing its tail morning, noon, and night. A pretty tail that would soon look straggly if this continued. Following the old adage that if a horse is rubbing its tail it needed wormed, he wormed it and the tail rubbing continued. Turns out the horse was having a reaction to the conditioner he was putting on its tail, the same conditioner that started the problem and compounded when he kept using more and more of it to try and remedy the condition. When he rinsed it all off and left it off, the tail rubbing ceased.

Diligent grooming is by far the best way to keep your horse clean. Horses love being groomed and it's good for them. It's good for us. It's best to have a separate set of grooming supplies for each horse, but if that's not possible, wash your brushes routinely with a mild shampoo. Enough said. If there is a contagious skin condition rampant in your barn, follow your veterinarian's recommendations on how to eradicate it. I know of a very admirable horsewoman that puts all her brushes in a bucket once a week and soaks them in a little vinegar and hot water. On any given day you can pull up to her barn and see the brushes and combs drying on the fence posts in the sun.

MaryAnn Myers is an equestrian, horse trainer, and environmentalist. She is the author of equine novels, "Maple Dale," "Favored to Win," "Maple Dale Revisited," and newly released, "Ellie's Crows." She lives with her family on an organic farm in Northeast Ohio, that houses rescue dogs and retirement horses. For more information about MaryAnn Myers visit... http://www.sunrisehorsefarm.com

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MaryAnn Myers - EzineArticles Expert Author

Dust-Free Hay

It goes without saying that you want to feed good hay, with little or no dust. That's a given. But it's rare to find totally 100% dust-free hay, simply because of the process of how hay grows and is baled. It's vegetation growing in dirt! Dry dirt is dust. It gets dustier if there has been a rain within a few days before bailing. It gets moldy if it rains just before and is too damp or got rained on after it was cut and lay in the field and was then baled. I can smell mold and mildew a mile away, I am allergic to it. But even if I wasn't, mold and mildew shows up in other ways, no pun intended.

If you pick up a flake or two of hay and it's heavier than the others, chances are it has mold in it. Sniff, (From an arm's distance if you're like me). If it smells musty, open it up and look. Mold is obvious and so is mildew. If it's even slightly iffy, don't feed it. Better safe than sorry. If hay has a significant amount of dust in it and does not smell musty or moldy, you can choose to soak it, hose it down, or return it. If it's just a light amount of dust, shake it out and wet it down. In a perfect world, all hay would be dust-free. This isn't a perfect world. If it were, all hay would be cut a week or so after a good rain; it would lay row after row curing in a sunny field for days before being baled. And it would smell like fresh green grass.

MaryAnn Myers is an equestrian, horse trainer, and environmentalist. She is the author of equine novels, "Maple Dale," "Favored to Win," "Maple Dale Revisited," and newly released, "Ellie's Crows." She lives with her family on an organic farm in Northeast Ohio, that houses rescue dogs and retirement horses. For more information about MaryAnn Myers visit... http://www.sunrisehorsefarm.com

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11 Ways to Keep the Confined Horse Happy

Most horses are happiest living in a pasture, and if your horse gets injured, most minor injuries will heal just as well with the horse turned out. Occasionally, however, a serious injury requires stall confinement. Prolonged stall confinement can lead to stomach ulcers or vices, such as cribbing or weaving. Here are 11 ways you can keep your confined horse happy.

1. If possible put your horse in a stall or small pen that is open where the horse can see out on all sides.

2. Put another horse or companion animal in another stall close by.

3. Keep hay in front of the horse at all times. If your horse gets too heavy, you can use a hay net with smaller-than-normal holes to slow down hay consumption.

4. Cut the grain portion of the diet in half but do not decrease supplements.

5. Add additional nutritional and digestive support so your horse will have the nutrients he needs to heal as quickly as possible. I like Simplexity Essentials for nutrition and digestive support, and Noni or Xango juice for extra antioxidants. KLPP, Fastrack or Probi digestive products are other options for digestive support.

6. Put hanging balls or lick toys in the stall to give your horse something to play with. Some horses like cones or balls with handles to push around.

7. The flower essence Rescue Remedy can be added to your horse's water to help keep your horse calm. The homeopathic remedy chamomile is another option to calm some horses.

8. If your horse starts to get irritable or goes off feed, he may be developing ulcers. Products such as Succeed, UF, green clay or aloe/slippery elm are all options for healing and preventing ulcers.

9. Calming herbs such as Relax Blend can be useful for some high-energy horses who have to be confined.

10. Hand walk your horse several times a day if possible. Taking the horse to the arena to watch other horses work, or out to graze can have a huge effect on his mental attitude. Some ground exercises can be done to keep your horse limber and focused.

11. Get body work done to keep your horse comfortable and help prevent compensation muscle spasms that can cause further lameness.

Performance horses who have to be confined regularly can benefit from some of these same actions. Research shows that confinement is one of the most common reasons for ulcer development so it is worth going to the extra trouble to keep it as stress free as possible. Vices that develop during time kept in a stall may persist even after the horse is turned back out.

Last but not least, the time your horse must be kept up can be used for bonding. More attention to grooming and scratching those itchy spots can make your horse appreciate you, and this will serve you well when training resumes.

Madalyn Ward, DVM, is a recognized author and veterinarian in the field of holistic horsekeeping. For free tips on horse health, horse personality types, laminitis, and horse nutrition, plus one-stop shopping on holistic horse products, visit http://www.BuyHolisticHorse.com and her blog at http://blog.horseharmony.com.

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Taking the Trauma Out of Tacking Up a Horse

The mysteries of tacking take a while to get to grips with when you first start riding. Horse back riding lessons, where you get an already tacked up horse, don't prepare you for the 'real thing', i.e. taking up your own horse, getting on the right equipment, getting everything in the right place, and making sure it is all safe enough to get on.

Even though you may know how to tack up in a logical, methodical sort of way, actually getting the job done with a live animal, that doesn't necessarily agree about the tacking up bit, can be difficult. If you are new to it, you'll likely have shaky hands, the horse will spit out the bit, spook at the saddle and stand on your foot. All this while you're trying to look confident as the whole looks on furtively to sus out just how much you really know about horses.

The thought of riding a horse can be nerve racking enough without the added trauma of tacking up. So, if you want to give yourself an easier time, separate the two into distinct stages. If you worry about tacking up, and know it will take ages, make you nervous and bad tempered, and on top of all that you worry about looking stupid in the yard, first of all, take it slow.

So, decide for a while that all you're going to do is tack up. Take it slow. If you can, tack up in the stable, so there's no audience. Groom and talk to your horse first so she doesn't pick out your nervousness. Make this days target to just tack up. Don't even think about a ride afterwards. When you've become more confident about getting ready, then will be the time start thinking about riding. Too much all at once, if you're not used to it, will leave you frustrated and demotivated.

One of the best pieces of advice I came across when I first started riding was to go slowly and take a step back when things got difficult or tense. Don't push yourself to do things you're not confident with. Take a step away, and then approach it again another day. If just getting the bridle on is enough for you, just do that. Don't worry about the saddle, leave it for another day. Taking it slow, taking your time, not stressing yourself out, will in the end make you much more confident than pushing yourself to do things that scare you all the time. Don't feel the fear and do it anyway. Step away from the fear, then take a small step back another day. Stressing yourself out tacking up won't help you be a better rider, it will guarantee a bad relationship with your horse. Get the relationship with your horse right first. Get to know her through your leading and grooming and tacking up, believing in the end that if you takes things slow you will get there quicker in the end.

Linda James is a mature horseback rider, who learnt to ride later in life. She writes about horses and horse riding at http://jodders.co.uk

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Fat Horse Thin Horse

Despite the credit crunch, it's more likely nowadays that horses are adversely affected by obesity rather than malnourishment. Are we killing our horses with kindness? Obesity isn't always seen as obesity, or even as a problem, but it can be one of the most potentially serious threats to its health that a horse can have. It's been recognised for a long while that fat horses are more prone to laminitis, but besides this, they could get heart disease, arthritis and lung problems. Obesity increases the amount of fat in the liver which can eventually cause inflammation and cirrhosis or even permanent liver damage.

Colic and obesity kill more horses than any other equine disease in the UK - yet obesity is something which is preventable and treatable.

So what can you do to help an overweight horse?

First of all you need to recognise that he is overweight. While weight gain in humans might be frowned on, in a horse it's seen as 'looking well' and not as a problem. But if other people begin to tell you that your horse is fat, he probably is!

As in humans, exercise is good for horses as long as you don't overdo it to begin with. If you don't always have time to ride, you could lunge. If you are seriously short of time, think about a horse share so your horse has a rider more often.

Simply restricting the amount of food you give to your horse to slim him down won't solve the problem, and could cause others. Horses need a slow trickle of food because of the way their stomachs work, so simply cutting down might leave their stomachs empty for long periods of time, and lead to gastric ulcers and colic.

It's better to feed low-calorie fibre, perhaps putting forage in several small holed hay nets around the stable so the horse has to move around. Since feeding restricted amounts of food will also restrict the intake of essential nutrients, it's important to find a mix that will give these nutrients without adding too many calories. A way to make a small amount of food last longer is to put some very large smooth stones in the bottom of the food so your horse has to move them around to get to the feed underneath. Soak hay for 12 hours or so to reduce the amount of calories in it. This might sound like a bit of a bind, but if you soak it when you turn out in the morning, at least the job will be done for the day.

You can cut down on calories by using shavings or woodchip instead of straw for bedding, as a lot of horses will eat the bedding. It might be better to restrict the amount of grazing, getting your horse in at night, especially if the grazing they have access to is very rich.

So, once you know that there's a problem, it's fairly easy to take steps to help a horse that's a bit over weight to lead a lighter and healthier life.

Linda James is a mature horseback rider, who learnt to ride later in life. She writes about horses and horse riding at http://jodders.co.uk

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Measure For a Good Saddle Fit

No matter what type saddle you will be using, it is imperative that the saddle fits you and your horse. A poorly fitting saddle will result in saddle sores for your horse (and perhaps you) and a general dislike for riding or being ridden.

You want to buy your saddle in light of what it will be used for - its intended purpose. If you are going to rope, buy a roping saddle which is designed just for that purpose. Buy a saddle that is designed for what you will be doing. Next, buy a saddle to fit your horse. And last of all; buy a saddle that fits you.

What type saddle you buy, whether it is for roping, or barrel racing or trail riding or dressage, your saddle needs to fit first your horse, and then you. So first you must determine what tree size would fit your horse best. (The tree is the skeleton over which your saddle will be constructed.)

We recommend that you use a 42cm (about 16 ½") long flexible piece of wire, such as solder, electrical wire, or perhaps a coat hanger to measure your horses' withers. Bend the wire in the middle and place it two fingers behind your horse's shoulder blade, which is also where you should be placing your saddle. (If you walk your horse for a few steps to see the rotation, or feel for the heavy bone below the withers, you can easily locate the shoulder blade.)

Bend your wire over the withers, right at the edge of the shoulder blade. Once you have measured the "V" shape over the withers, pressing the wire firmly into shape (so it doesn't spring open when you take it off your horse's back) then carefully lay the wire down, and measure the distance between the two ends of the wire. This is the width you need to get the proper size saddle for your horse.

English tree dimension are measured in centimeters. A narrow tree is 28 cm (for a very high withered horse), standard is 29 cm (this is for a high withered horse), medium is 30 cm (slightly above average withers), wide is 31 cm (for average withers), and extra-wide is 32 cm (for a low wither horse). If your horse is a draft type breed, and measured extra-wide, you will most likely need a 32 cm tree size.

Most good English saddles will provide the centimeter measurement for you, but some less expensive saddles will simply use the medium, wide, extra-wide scale. But remember, the tree measurement must be provided by the manufacturer, as you can't measure the tree once the saddle is assembled.

To check the size for you, the rider, on an English saddle - sit down in a chair, so that your upper leg is at a right-angle to your lower leg, then measure your upper leg length ...from the back of your buttock to the tip of your knee. The sizes of an English saddle are from 16" through 18" - a measurement from the nail head just below the pommel and the middle of the cantle. If your upper leg is up to 16 1/2" your seat size is 15". For up to 18 ½" your size is 16", up to 20" your size is 16 ½", up to 21 ½" your size is 17", up to 23" your size is 17 ½" and over 23" your seat is 18".

Western saddle trees are available in basically two sizes, medium or wide. These are referred as semi-quarter horse bars, or full quarter horse bars. There are specialty trees for Arabians, gaited horses, drafts, and specialty performance events (like endurance), but the quarter horse trees are the most common. Quarter horses out number all other breeds combined in the USA.

Quarter Horse Bar or Semi Quarter Horse Bar is by far the most common tree. It has a higher pitch as opposed to the flatter pitch for FQHB. It is for a medium backed, average withered horse, which usually has a mixed heritage (1/2 Arab or other mixes). QH/Semi QH bars usually have the higher pitched angles, with a gullet of 6 ½" to 6 ¾" medium tree.

The Full Quarter Horse Bar (which usually has a 7" gullet) is used for broad backs and sometimes mutton-withered Quarter Horses. Full Quarter Horse Bar Saddles will usually have a flatter pitch than the Quarter Horse Bar.

Arab Saddle has the same gullet as a QHB, but needs a flatter pitch angle than a QHB, short backs need the same gullet as the FQHB, but with the flatter pitch angle, and drafts need an 8" gullet with a wide tree.

On a Western saddle, the rider measures seat size by weight. The sizes run from 13" to 18" - and are measured from the back of the pommel (swell) to the stitching on the cantle. If rider weighs up to 85 pounds the seat size is 13", for up to 110 lbs a 14" seat would be a good choice. For up to 145 lbs the size is 15", for up to 175 lbs. the size is 16", up to 205 lbs. the seat is 17" and anyone over 205 lbs should use a size 18". Always err on the large size. Better to have a saddle seat a little too large, than a little too small.

The saddle should sit squarely down the middle of the horses back supported by the panels. The spine is not made to carry weight directly on it. It should always clear the withers (at least 1 ½" on a high-withered horse). The most common fault of an ill fitting saddle is having the seat too small for the rider, forcing the rider to sit at the back of the saddle, putting pressure on the horse's back.

Keep in mind these are general sizes. Unfortunately there are no standard sizes for saddles so each saddle maker has leeway in determining the tree size for his saddles. Also remember, a used saddle will widen somewhat, and will not be the same size as a saddle that is not broken in.

For additional information on how to take a proper saddle measurement, click that link, and if you want a great deal on a saddle come on over.

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Chronic Horse Laminitis - The Road Back to Health

Do you worry every time you see your horse eating green grass? Do you include checking digital pulses in your daily routine? Do you have nightmares about the only farrier who knows how to trim your horse moving to another state? The list could go on and on in the life of the owner of a horse affected with chronic laminitis. Even with good holistic treatment, relapses can and do happen. In this article I would like to address what conditions may bring a horse from health to chronic disease, and what it takes to reverse the process. These conditions apply to all horses with chronic disease and not just those with laminitis.

Basic Constitutional Makeup
Animals are born with a basic constitutional make-up which determines their overall strength and vitality. This constitution is inherited from the parents and not easily influenced after birth. The best way to produce horses with strong constitutions is to breed only healthy, strong, emotionally stable individuals. Unfortunately, this is not usually what breeding animals are selected for. So, from the very beginning, most horses have some level of weakness in their constitutions. Where and when these weaknesses will surface depends on the way the horse is managed. If a horse grows up under natural conditions with minimal stress, then symptoms may not appear until late in life. If, however, the horse is brought out of his natural environment and put under stress, chronic disease symptoms can appear much earlier. Some other triggers of chronic disease, such as horse laminitis, include drugs, vaccinations and inadequate or inappropriate nutrition.

In my experience, homeopathy is the only healing modality strong enough to permanently change an animal's constitution. Classical homeopathy addresses underlying constitutional weaknesses and imbalances. Other management tools, such as diet, housing, hoof care, chiropractic care, and exercise, can support the healing process for chronic horse laminitis.

Let's assume your horse has just come through an episode of laminitis. He is currently walking well and his hooves are growing out nicely. What you want to be watching for are other subtle signs of chronic disease which could indicate that additional treatment is needed. These would include symptoms such as poor hair coat, eye discharge, change in temperament, stiffness, sensitivity to hot or cold weather or weather changes. Horse laminitis is often just one symptom of chronic disease.

If your horse is really free of chronic disease, you should be able to decrease supplements down to maintenance levels. If you continue to need therapeutic levels of supplements or many different supplements, then more work needs to be done on a constitutional level. A healthy horse showing no sign of chronic disease can also handle reasonable amounts of fresh grass and grains in the diet.

It is not unusual for chronic horse laminitis cases to maintain a low-level digital pulse. This indicates some continued inflammation associated with a continued healing response. If the pulse becomes strong or is associated with increased lameness, it could indicate a problem.

Managing Chronic Horse Laminitis Cases
If your horse is doing very well overall, I believe a good management plan would include the following elements.

Diet for Horse Laminitis
The best diet is simple, low in carbohydrates, and high in fiber Small amounts of equine senior feed is acceptable for some laminitic horses, while others do well on a small amount (8 ounces) of oats or barley. At the same time, some laminitic horses can not tolerate any grains. A probiotic/enzyme supplement like FasTrack or Simplexity Spectrabiotic supports the digestive function and limits the production of endotoxins. Simplexity animal algae provides a source of food-based vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Small doses of antioxidants such as Q10 may be indicated. You should not need to give more than 60-120 mg a day of a good quality Q10 product like those produced by Simplexity, Nutramax Comal, or Thorne brands. Generic brands of Q10 may not be active.

Hoof Care for Horse Laminitis
I prefer to keep laminitic horses barefoot as long as possible. They must be trimmed regularly. If their toes are allowed to grow long or their heels allowed to get too high, then the normal mechanism of the hoof is impaired. Overly correcting angles on overdue hooves creates unnecessary discomfort for the horse and sets back his effort to establish new laminar attachments. Don't expect to be back riding too quickly. It takes close to a year to grow a new hoof.

Turn-Out Schedules for Horse Laminitis
Turn-out on lush grass should be approached cautiously. Many horse laminitis cases have hormone imbalances that affect their sugar metabolism. Fast-growing, lush grass is high in sugar. As your horse gets healthier he will be able to tolerate fresh grass. I suggest gradually increasing exposure to grass over several weeks and monitoring digital pulses. It is also best to avoid hay that has been heavily fertilized.

Drugs and Vaccinations and Horse Laminitis
It is best to avoid drugs and vaccinations in horses with a history of laminitis. If drugs or vaccines must be given, then it is important to watch the horse closely to determine if any chronic disease has been triggered.

A Final Note About Horse Laminitis
In closing, I want to say that cure is always my desired outcome with chronic horse laminitis cases. This would look like complete return to full function without need for continued treatments or expensive management practices. Sometimes it is simply not possible, especially with advanced pathology such as pituitary tumors or severe bone damage. With these cases, palliation with remedies, special hoof care and high levels of antioxidant nutritional or herbal supplements may be needed. Most cases, however, can be cured with good homeopathic prescribing and proper management. The challenge is staying alert to shifting symptom patterns and resisting the temptation to palliate with large doses of herbs or supplements. I know I have many cases I have brought through crises but not totally cured. In my experience, chronic horse laminitis cases are perhaps the most difficult to work with and they can be the most rewarding.

Madalyn Ward, DVM, is a recognized author and veterinarian in the field of holistic horse keeping. For free tips on horse health, horse personality types, and horse nutrition, plus one-stop shopping on holistic horse products, visit http://www.BuyHolisticHorse.com

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The Types of Sports Injuries in Horses

When a horse has an injury the pain they feel can fall into three categories:

Inflammatory pain - inflammatory mediators increase pain sensitivity and can make to pain feel worse within 6 hours. Anti inflammatory medications can reduce pain due to this; however, the inflammatory response does play its part in assisting with recovery of some injuries.

Neuropathic pain - From a major trauma i.e. spinal column.

Somatic Pain - Pain associated with the skin, joints tissues etc. The tissues are packed with pain receptors (nociceptors).

Pain can cause muscles to spasm preventing movement of the area. This is not a good thing as muscles in spasm have a reduced blood supply (ischaemia) causing more pain. This cycle needs to be broken in order for pain to be relieved. Unfortunately it can be difficult to assess pain in newly injured horses as the adrenaline released can mask pain and can sometimes cause the horse to do more damage to itself as a result of not realizing its injuries.

Assessment, diagnosis and stabilization of an injured horse needs to be done quickly and thoroughly in order for the correct decisions relating to treatment, safety and care to be undertaken. Can you determine exactly what the injury is?

Is it tendon / ligament / bone injury? - Take care not to worsen any injury. Correct application of a splint or suitable bandage to stabilize the area can prevent further injury and assist in a speedy recovery.

Has the horse 'tied up' (Exertional Rhabdomyolysis)? - The horse should not be make to walk and should be kept warm.

Is there a bleeding wound? - Every effort should be taken to stem the bleeding.
Is the horse in a dangerous situation? - Horses when trapped or caught in e.g. a fence are unpredictable and extra help should be sought.

Is the horse recumbent? - Why? Is he physically stuck? Exhausted? Neurological Trauma? Collapse? Winded itself? The reason for being recumbent will determine the cause of action to take. The horse should have its breathing and heart rate monitored if possible throughout the time it is down to closely watch stress levels etc.

Common sense is vital in situations when panic, whether horse or rider can occur.

Simple things can often get overlooked; like deciding on which way to travel your horse dependent on which leg they have injured can make a big difference to the comfort of the horse. Scared horses can often influence the way we care for them as we want to help as soon as we can. We still need to ensure the surrounding situation is safe before restraint of the horse and treatment can begin, to ensure that the horse does not injure themselves further or we ourselves get into difficulty.

Tammy is a avid horse rider who tries to advertise the correct ways to be looking after horses. Tammy works part time for anythingequine.co.uk who specialize in bridles as well as horse riding hats and safety helmets for equestrian use in the UK.

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Horse Riding Games - Building Up Motivation

Horse riding games are terribly helpful tools in helping student riders learn more by building up inducement. As with the other kinds of learning, games foster play, which increases motivation. Incentive encourages students to engage in the act of gaining knowledge.

Horse riding games are being employed by many instructors to motivate their scholars to engage more in learning. Motivation increases when the student riders play a game because games foster play. Play builds up inducement, which supports the educational process by providing incentive. With motivations, scholars are encouraged to engage in learning.Horse riding games are to be employed by many instructors to motivate their scholars to engage more in learning. Incentive increases when the student riders play a game because games foster play. Play builds up inducement, which supports the training process by providing motivation. With motivations, scholars are encouraged to engage in learning.

This basically means the more scholars are having a great time with the lessons the more they gain knowledge. , it's important to integrate play in studying. Horse riding lessons can also be incorporated with horse riding games.

The following are examples of horse riding games.

Musical Horses
This game is played just like musical chairs. However, instead of chairs, ground poles are used. The ground poles will be placed parallel to each other, about eight feet apart. This will create what will look like a "parking lot" for horses. Just ensure that there is one less ground pole parking lot than the quantity of players.

Step 1. The riders will ride on the rail to music and must do whatever is asked for - walk, trot, canter, halt, half circle, reverse or circle.

When the music stops, the riders will go to one of the ground pole parking lots while continuously walking or running or cantering, etc.

Since the ground pole parking lots are one less than the riders, one rider will be thrown out. The quantity of ground pole parking lots will be equal to the number of riders, so one pole will be taken away before the game starts again. By taking one ground pole, the amount of ground pole parking lots will be one less than the amount of riders. This game is played by older riders who can mount from the ground and small riders with mounting blocks, who will be twinned with the older riders. Commands are asked of the older riders on the rail.

When the teacher claims "halt" [*SCO], the older rider will stop on the rail. They can dismount while the young riders run from the center to their partners. The older riders will get the tiny riders on safely and then the younger riders will race back to the mounting block. The last team to get to the mounting block will be out.

The younger riders will then start their riding commands. When the teacher claims "halt" [*SCO], the older riders will run to the younger riders who will be dismounting. The older riders will mount, while the younger riders will run back to the mounting block. The older riders will now be riding with no stirrups or in jockey style in small kids’ ; stirrups.

The game will continue till only one team is left.

In horse riding games, riders are engaged in synthetic conflicts that are designed by rules. This results for the riders to develop their strategic ability to gain the common goal. Horse riding games also promotes interaction between riders.

Author Lisa Brooks Blackstone owns and operates Arabian horse training and breeding business. Having grown up with horses, she knows the inherent benefits that emerge from an involvement with horses. To learn more about horse riding, please visit Horse Camps and Learn to Ride a Horse.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mario_W_Bandido

Basic Ground Work For Horses - For the Gentle & Wild Horse

If you wanna be a good horse trainer & rider you're gonna wanna start with basic ground work for your horses. My theory is whatever you do on the ground is what your gonna do in the saddle. Whatever you allow or teach your horse to do on the ground is what he's gonna do when you're in that saddle.

Start your basic ground work by desensitizing & sensitizing your horse.
Desensitizing your horse is basically taking the fear out of your horse. I like to think of it as finding the holes in my horse and filling them in so I wont have any issues. Kinda like checking your car tires to see if there are any leaks in them and filling them with air before you go on a long trip. Remember a horse isn't broke unless you can control his mind and handle every part of his body. Some horses will be more sensitive than others in different parts of their bodies. Its a matter of being patient taking your time to cater to each horses needs differently to get the results you want. What you are looking for with basic ground work is for relaxation in your horse. Getting him to relax and build a trust with you. Getting your horse to allow you to touch him, follow your body language and yield to pressure so that you become one with your horse.

You're gonna definitely need the right tools to start with. A rope halter with a 12foot lead line not a nylon halter because it allows your horse to lean on your hand and pull away from you easier and your horse can also break out of it. Next you need a handy stick long crop or whip & make your self a flag buy putting a plastic bag on the end of it. Introduce your horse to your equipment slowly but not too slow as if you are a predator, but be gentle. I like to let my horses smell my equipment then I gently rub them with it and take it away I call this approach and retreat. I do this on every part of their body. Face, legs, under the belly in between the legs etc...until they are so comfortable with it that the get bored. Anytime your horse gets a lil to frightened don't be afraid to stop for a brief moment then start again. Keep doing this until he understands what you're asking you'll know when he understands, when he stands still instead of trying to run from your equipment. Lastly your safety comes first and foremost, but I strongly encourage you to stick with your horse! Don't give up on him to soon. I see many people do this time and time again when there horse is having a problem and they never achieve anything. Remember you can always stop take a deep breath and then start again until you get what you want out of your horse. One last thing to remember is to know when to stop and call it a day. There is always tomorrow.

Successful Horse Training is based on the belief that you can build a balanced relationship with your horse using simple but assertive methods that result in gaining trust and respect from your horse. I consult and provide helpful information & resources to enhance your horsemanship.

Get the book on: Successful horse training Now!
Also visit me at Horse training made simple

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Houston

Gary Houston - EzineArticles Expert Author

A Horse's First Ride

After you have done all the necessary ground work to prepare a horse for riding. Don't make the mistake of thinking that you need to get on right away. Trust me you can wreck everything real quick and have to start all over again depending on the horse. Actually the more ground work you do with the saddle on the easier it will be to get on successfully in the long run. I've heard old guys say aww cowboy go on and get on. Nope not me I'll wait and take my time with my horse I'll get on when I think he's ready not when I think I'm ready. Preparation is the key, the more time you take the better. You'll know when your horse is ready because he'll tell with his body language. He wont be skittish or nervous he be standing still with his hind leg in a relaxed position like there's not a care in the world with both ears and eyes on you.

When you decide your horse is ready make sure he's standing square so you don't cause him to be out of balance when getting on. Again make preparation stick one foot in the stirrup on the left side an then take it out ( watch your horse) Stick your foot in again a lil bit longer this time and see how your horse reacts if he's standing still the rub him to let him know great job. Stick your foot back in this time and bounce on one foot putting a little weight in the stirrup 1...2...3...4... like you're about to climb up then stop... wait a couple of seconds and do it again. Remember don't preceded further with an exercise if your horse is not showing you that he is relaxed, every horse is gonna be different. Next put your foot in the stirrup bounce then stand in the stirrup for about 5 seconds then step down repeat this with each time standing a little longer. When he's relaxed with this exercise then move on. This time when you stand in the stirrup lean gently over the saddle and rub him on the shoulder, neck and back to the hindquarters then step down and repeat the steps again. Now go to the right side of your horse and to all the exercises again. What you do on one side you have to do it on the other.

Once you have done this ground preparation and you feel your horse is relaxed and comfortable with all the exercises then I think its safe to say you can get on.
I will give more details in my next segment.

Horse traning made simple is based on the belief that you can build a balanced relationship with your horse using simple but assertive methods that result in gaining trust and respect from your horse. I consult and provide helpful information & resources to enhance your horsemanship.

Get the book: Successful horse training
Also visit me at: Horse Training made simple

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Houston

Horse Snaffle Bit - Training Your Horse With This Type of Bit

The snaffle bit is the training bit of choice when it comes to true horsemanship. To be honest you can use this bit for the rest of your horse's life. It can be used not only for training, but performance horse events, trail riding showing, etc.... This is the first bit I pick up when it comes to horse training.

The design is really simple, its a mouth piece usually jointed in the middle and connected by two rings. Each side of the bit works works independently mostly on the corners of a horses mouth. It allows your horse to follow a simple and direct feel from the reins. It has a one to one ratio meaning that one pound of pressure in your hands equals one pound of pressure being applied to your horses mouth. Unlike a 7 inch shank bit with a 7 to one ratio you'd be applying 7 pounds of pressure to you horse's mouth, unless you know what you doing. To ride with something like that your hands must be very light & you must be very experienced.

So basically you don't need anything other than a snaffle unless you are an experienced horseman. With a snaffle bit I like to use a half inch leather curb strap, not a curb chain. The strap is the to prevent pulling the bit through the horses mouth. It is also less severe than a curbed chain I actually never use a curb chain on any of my horses. I always use leather, I just think that leather is more natural and more comfortable to my horses.

Successful Horse Training is based on the belief that you can build a balanced relationship with your horse using simple but assertive methods that result in gaining trust and respect from your horse. I consult and provide helpful information & resources to enhance your horsemanship.

Get the Book: Successful horse training Today!

Also visit me at Horse training made simple.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Houston

How to Train a Yearling Horse For Horseback

Most people have no idea how to train a yearling horse or what to do with them. So they just practice getting them haltered maybe pick up the feet and then turn them out in pasture until they are 2 or 3 years old, then begin training. Well I look at that time in between as time wasted.

There are many things you can do such as teaching your yearling god basics on the ground. Though don't make things into a big training session because a yearling is still young has to have time to develop physically and their attention span is usually a lil short. So I suggest working on the little things. Work him in the halter rope and ask him to bend and flex his neck, teach him to yield to pressure form the lead rope. Rub them all over in the stall or out in the open to get them comfortable with being handled.

Also while in the stall, round pen or small area introduce your yearling to some equipment that he'll have to wear in the next year or so. Introduce him to the saddle blanket and saddle pad. Rub it all over his body head, neck, back and hind quarters. Handle his legs and feet a lot he'll need to be able to stand still an be handled at trimming time. Another good exercise is teaching him to ground tie. Place the lead rope on the ground under his neck and step back 2 or 3ft if he moves back him up a couple of steps the ground tie him again until he stands still and honors that rope on the ground. Also begin some trailer loading with him. Use some small obstacles outside for your yearling to walk over & jump over.

Use tarps, poles, I also like to use a makeshift 6'wooden bridge to walk over. I also like to teach my yearlings to walk through water especially when it rains. Teach your horse to lunge. Expose your yearling to all sorts of things use your imagination be creative. By the time your horse reaches two years old and its time to start riding he'll be well prepared and you'll sure be glad because it will make starting your horse under saddle so much easier and when your start riding those thing learned on the ground will relate to the saddle.

Successful Horse Training is based on the belief that you can build a balanced relationship with your horse using simple but assertive methods that result in gaining trust and respect from your horse. I consult and provide helpful information & resources to enhance your horsemanship.

Get the Book: Successful horse training Today!

Also visit me at Horse training made simple.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gary_Houston

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