Taking Care of your Horse
By: jikky jackson
Horses are one of the most exciting pets to own and they make excellent companions. In fact, they are almost like people with their own personalities. However, taking care of your horse is a big responsibility and your horse must be cared for properly to keep it healthy and happy. To provide the appropriate level of care for your horse, you can imagine it as being a child of about 4 years old as this is about their level of mentality.
The first thing that you will need for your horse is a home. This may be a stable or a paddock. If you do not have somewhere large enough for your horse to live at your house, you may want to consider agistment or a place that rents out stables or land for horses to live. You will need to keep your horse’s home clean by removing his droppings daily for stables and weekly for pasture.
There are also many daily responsibilities that you will have as an owner. The first is feeding your horse. If you have it in a stable, you will need to feed it grains and chaff, as well as hay and make the stable comfortable for it by providing sawdust or hay for bedding. Horses also need large amounts of fresh clean drinking water. You will need to check the water you provide for your horse regularly during the day to make sure it has plenty and has not tipped it over or drank it all.
Horses also need to have regular exercise and plenty of love and attention. Make the time with your horse enjoyable by giving it a good brushing before and after you ride it. Offer affection and yummy treats such as apples or sugar cubes to encourage it to think of you as his friend. By making friends with your horse, it will try even harder to please you.
Do not forget to clean under your horses feet with a hoof pick daily, as well as before and after you ride it to make sure that it has not picked up a rock in his hoof as this will make it lame. You will also need to have his hooves trimmed by a farrier every 8 weeks to keep its feet from getting cracked, sore or overgrown.
Your horse will need to be wormed regularly and just like people horses need to have regular checkups from a vet, even if they are not sick, to make sure that they are healthy. If you have any concerns about your horse or what to feed it or how often, your vet will also be able to help you.
During winter, you may need to provide a rug for your horse, especially if the winter months are particularly cold. Horses that are in stables will also need to have rugs for the night as they can not move around to keep warm.
As you have read, one of the most important things that you will need is time. The time needed to take care of your horse properly and train it to do the things that you want it to do. When you are able to be patient and gentle with your horse, it will be the best friend that you ever had.
Article source: Articlecat.com
Author: Get all of thetaking care of horse products and information you will need at http://www.horseproducts4you.info .
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Buying Guide to Horse Blankets
By: Paddy
Horse blankets are pretty handy to have around a stable, but not essential for every horse owner. A standard horse blanket is used to keep a horse warm and or protected from wind and other elements.
A horse blanket fits around the horse's body from chest to rump, straps cross underneath the belly and fasten the blanket securely. Most blankets have buckles in the front, today there are blankets that can be slipped over the horses head. Some blankets also have small straps that loop around the horse's hind legs which. This helps the blanket from slipping sideways.
Horse blankets are designed according to there use. You can buy a single horse blanket and be content with that, or you could have several and use all of them in a single day. Before buying a horse blanket consider its purpose. I strongly suggest you take into consideration who exactly is going to be responsible for putting on and taking off the blanket.
I can not recount how many dollars and pounds I have seen wasted in a stable yard on horse blankets. I have worked in the USA and UK with horses and I still shake my head in disbelief at the countless times a day I would have to change a blanket on a single horse - to suit the owner. Have you ever stopped to consider how your horse feels?
A horse blanket should be versatile enough that it keeps your horse protected in cold weather. If your horse lives out in a pasture and is not stabled, you ought to buy a blanket that is well insulated to keep him warm. The blanket should also be waterproof, that way you or grooms do not have to run out at the first drop of rain to change blankets.
If your horse is stabled, a single warm blanket will suffice. If you buy a light blanket, he may get too cold and his natural response is to grow thick fluffy hair and look like a teddy bear. Most horse owners prefer to deter this response and blanket their horse. If you buy a thick warm blanket you need to monitor its use.
Temperatures drop at night; if you blanket your horse with a horse blanket for severe cold temperatures in the early evening, you are going to have an uncomfortable horse. Your horse most likely will be too hot and start to sweat. When the temperatures drop, he stops sweating, but has cold sweat to deal with and a wet blanket. If anything the blanket in this case is useless.
However if your horse has been clipped, in cold or even cool weather he is going to need more than a simple warm blanket to provide insulation that his hair coat would have done.
Besides protecting your horse from weather elements, there are blankets to protect from flies and gnats which are useful. A cooler or a sweat sheet is another blanket that is highly recommended for a horse owner. This blanket allows your horse to cool down and dry after being washed or exercised, but protects from draughts or chills.
Horse blankets have various designs and uses. You can buy several or you can buy one, only make sure that the blanket best suits your horses needs. You can then choose any color to your liking, provided they are made in that color.
Article source: Articlecat.com
Author: http://www.your-horse-guide.com
Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about Buying Horse Blankets.
Buying Guide For Horse Bridles
By: Paddy
Bridles are used for riding and driving horses (pulling a wagon or cart) and allow the rider to communicate with the horse. Depending on your style of riding you can purchase an English or Western Bridle. You certainly want to buy a bridle that fits your horse properly.
English Bridles have a noseband (leather strap that buckles around the nose of the horse,) these reins are then buckled to one another at the ends. Western Bridles generally have no noseband and the reins are "split", they do not buckle at the end. Western Bridles are usually decorative with features on the leather and they can also be adorned with silver.
Double bridles are used for English Riding in the dressage discipline and use two bits in the mouth at once, a snaffle bit and a curb bit. The two bits allow the rider to have very precise control of the horse and are usually seen in top levels of dressage.
Effective riding occurs when the horse receives commands through the reins. Pulling on the reins can be used to steer or stop the horse. If you have done your homework and learned how to ride, you should not need to yank on the bridle. You must remember that your horse's mouth is sensitive and you could hurt him if you yank too hard which could cause your horse to act out and resist the bridle.
A bridle that does not fit correctly could also hurt the horse. Leather straps could chafe and the mouth could be pinched by the bit. If you do not know how to fit a bridle correctly, ask your instructors, a knowledgeable horse person and even the sales clerk at the tack shop could help you.
It is always a good idea to start off using the gentlest type of tack possible, such as a cavesson noseband and snaffle bit for English riding. If you have difficulty knowing what would work best for your horse, find out if you could try out different styles, even borrow a bit.
There are a number of different bits and nosebands which give you more control; however they are more severe on the horse. If you are not an experienced horse person
always consult a horse trainer before buying a different bit or noseband for your bridle.
The cost of bridles can vary considerably. You can visit your local tack store to look at the styles and types. Tack stores often have used tack for sale which is also an option. Keep in mind that you really need to buy a quality bridle. Bridles made of cheap leather or a second hand bridle with a lot of wear and tear is easy to break.
You can buy a bridle at your local feed and tack shop. You could take a look locally and then shop and compare prices online too. Used bridles can also be found in your local newspaper under the classified ads.
Article source: Articlecat.com
Author: http://www.your-horse-guide.com
Get information on buying, owning and caring for your horse, learn about Buying Horse Bridles.
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