How to Train Your Horse, And Tips to Care For These Noble Animals
How to Train the Young Horse - Useful Tips
When you are set on training a young horse or a foal you need to know how to do it properly in order to be able to use it in the future for various equestrian disciplines. Let's take the things from the very beginning to make sure that you approach the training in a proper way:
* It is important to know that training will start with the first days of birth, a period that will enable the foal to get familiar with the surroundings. It has to get used to being in the proximity of other horses and you as a human contact. From this point on things can evolve much easily in the desired direction.
* Always ensure that the young horse receives the right nutrition because in this way you will help it develop physically at the right parameter. Exercising needs will be obtained from leaving them roam freely while grazing. This should be done as frequently as possible, preferably on daily basis, because it is the best way to develop the soft tissues.
* Once 10 days have passed in this way, you need to start introducing the foal to handling and for this purpose you have to bring daily both the mare and foal together into the stable. When you lead the mare, the foal will tend to follow her, but you should for that matter have a second person to walk behind pushing the foal gently into following the mare.
* Shortly after these you can start cradling the foal with one arm around its quarters and the other around the chest. In this way it can be easier to get it into following the mare while being led around the stable. At this point, the mare should be walked close to the wall and the foal in between but still being without touching distance from one another. It is a sure t\method to give them both the necessary confidence.
* Once you achieve this, you can start learning the foal how to be led around with s oft towel around its neck while the handler gets their arm around its quarters. Make sure that the young horse needs to always be pushed and not pulled.
* Shortly after you achieve this too, a soft leather halter can be fit on the foal to continue practicing the leading while performing the same gestures (pushing forwards and the arm behind the quarters). Avoid pulling the halter because in this way you can encourage the foal to resist the move.
* Once the foal is two years old, it must be pretty easy to handle it at each side while the handler remains at the shoulder.
Looking for a Good Horse Trailer - Its Features
If you are looking to purchase a good horse trailer you must know what its features are and from there to make the distinction between a poor quality and a good quality vehicle to help you carry safely your horse from one location to another.
At this point is not only important that you ensure the safety of your horse but also of yourself as the driver and other vehicles out there in the traffic. You should also define your needs in order to find the one that successfully complies with these needs.
Now let's take a look at those features that distinguish a good trailer from a less qualitative one:
* First and foremost, buying from a reputable manufacturer should be your main concern. You may not know by now these manufacturers and for this reason you may want to do some research and find the ones located in your area. Also several dealers with trailers are familiar with the renowned manufacturers and can they as well be of great help.
Online is the best route to have these reputable producers found while checking as well with reviews of other purchasers. This research will only point out at you models that are the best among all the available horse trailers.
* Look for qualitative components and constructions that are sturdy because you are going to carry heavy load and you wouldn't like to have the trailer damaged very soon. After all, you are going to pay god money and you will want to enjoy it for as long as possible.
* The design of the vehicle is another feature to have the trailer checked for. Essential elements must appear as built in to make it the perfect choice. Before making the final decision you need to check this vehicle up closely while paying attention to the wiring as well. There are some legal requirements related to lighting that you need to follow strictly.
So the type of wiring needs to correspond to Federal Lighting and Equipment Location Requirements. Are those wires run through drilled-out holes in the frame or proper grommets? They will have to ensure the maximum protection and safety of the vehicle while being on the road.
* Make sure that the horse trailer is maintained in a good condition because you wouldn't like to spend extra money into having it maintained once it lacks this feature. Is the paint properly applied on all the parts? What was the painting process used for the vehicle paint? Look as well for any exiting rust at the seams of the vehicle parts.
Transporting a Horse from One Place to Another
Transporting a horse from one location to another shouldn't be that difficult if all the caution is taken. There are many people who have done this and still do without confronting with any problems at all. The important thing here is to ensure that you have the right trailer and a god vehicle to attach this trailer to it. Not all vehicles are potent enough to withstand the power and the weight of a trailer.
Before you choose them both, you need to inquire about the specifications and these specs should be met in order to avoid any hazards along the road. Not to mention that with a careless transportation of a horse, it may result in the death of this large animal if you don't comply with the specifications.
Look for companies that deal with these hitches because you need to have everything set correctly in place. You will find various trailer companies, but you need to inform them about your need of transporting a horse and they will be able to guide you into doing the things right while choosing the right trailer for your purpose. They will assist you into guiding your steps to ensure the safety of both you and the animal you are transporting. It is important to secure the animal or any livestock for that matter when they are transported on public roads.
One element that is better to be controlled in due time, meaning prior to embarking on the trip, is safety. Check the transmission of the car to ensure that this one doesn't go out, In case it does, a very rare case I might add, you must keep your calm and try to get to safe place out of traffic. You need to be stranded in order to reach to a motel or something since your vehicle will be unable to move at all. Transmission can be replaced in case it goes out, but as much as you can help it it is better to avoid this situation.
Another thing to ensure a safe transportation of a horse is the focus you have while driving. Do not get engaged in any conversation that may distract your attention because you can miss out on various safety hazards. In case it happens for the clasps of the trailer to get loose, then you are definitely into trouble because the traffic behind you can be obstructed, you can imagine!
But this can be avoided when you prepare for the road, since these situations can be only the result of a neglectful trailer clasping. If you have any other issues related to transporting a horse, then go online (oh, wait, you are already there!) and look for more useful information on this issue, because you will find other people who have done this before and advice you the best!
How Often Do You Ride a Horse?
Make Sure that Your Horse Is Clean, Hence Happy
Nothing makes a horse happier than messing up its straw while being in the stable. Well, not all horses are this way, but mostly they prefer to roll on their back and mess up the straw that you have just laid out in a nice way. But owning a horse or many for that matter has to include maintaining the stable in a clean state because this can mean a lot for the health of your pet.
Let's see what a dirty stable can offer to your horse, since it likes a messy surrounding of the stable. Just keep in mind that your horse is basically an animal and it may not make the difference between you cleaning the stable for it and you wanting it to stay protected against catching any disease or falling ill for that matter.
The thing is that straws hide various insects that prove harmful for your pet, such as fleas, mites, ticks, and other parasites that once getting to your horse skin they may come with infections and allergies. Yes, your horse doesn't know this; it just simply like to roll on the straws and messing them all up but this doesn't prevent you from having the stable all cleaned up afterwards.
Another thing that you should do while caring for your horse well being and happiness is to perform a regular hygiene routine where the coat and skin are well maintained. Use a shampoo that is formulated in such a manner that the coat will look at its best after applying the shampoo. More than this, a good shampoo for the horse skin will chase away any parasites that might have gotten all stuck to its skin.
Apart from the skin, you shouldn't omit the mane and tail and use the right shampoo for these. You don't know where to get the best one? An idea would be to ask the vet who will recommend probably the shampoo they have in stock. But pay attention to the ingredients, because those formulated with Benzoyl Peroxide are harmful and for this reason you need to look for those formulated with Thrixsolene.
Thrixsolene is specially created to not only confer shininess and health to the 'hairy' parts of the beloved horse but also to kill any insects that may hide in there, such as mites, ticks, fleas among the most common ones. So, ensure that you perform a daily routine into maintaining a good hygiene for your horse while cleaning as well the stable where it spends its nights.
Equine Supplements and Things to Know About Them
Every horse owner will want for their lovely animal to look and feel great all the year round and for this reason they will look for various ways to help them with this, among which adding to their diet the equine supplements. However, it is important to know that these supplements are not only for completing a diet that lacks nutrients, but some of them are designed to serve other purposes and problems as well.
The thing is that many types are there available to choose from, starting with fly repellents and coatshine supplements and ending with clamers and joint supplements. A few of these ones will be discussed down below and learn as such what they are useful for and whether or not they are worth paying for.
* A high quality equine supplement will successfully fill in the need of necessary nutrients that your horse may miss out on when grazing conditions are not the desired ones. As such you will find these supplements rich in vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to ensure that your horse gets the right nutrition for a healthy life. They are known as feed balancers and they are found in any specialized store.
* There are horses raised for competitions and others for recreational purposes, but no matter which of these purposes your horse serves for (pretty rudely put, right?) you must know that at a certain point in their life they will have problems with joints, especially with aging. In order to prevent these from happening, you should supplement their diet with equine joint supplements designed to increase the intake of MSM and glucosamine that are essential in strengthening joints.
* Horses raised for competitions are sometimes prone become anxious and get spooky. These aspects can make it unable to perform at its best in the competitions. At this point you can consider giving your horse magnesium calmer supplements (of high quality) that can act as calming supplements for it.
Now to all these benefits you will only get held back by the expensive price tag that is attached to these equine supplements. I mean here the high quality ones… Maybe spending every once in a while for these supplements won't seem too much for you, given the desire to have your horse healthy and vigorous, but in one year, this can add up pretty much.
And besides, horses have always been around and being fed while grazing freely in the nature. How comes that they have been in great shape before and now they are not anymore? Why is there the need to invest in equine supplements of any kind when you can still have them fed with a proper diet while exercising to maintain their body in a top physical shape?