Winter is at hand , and the hay makers are making hay while the sun shines. I must stock up on hay for my horses for the winter, and am finding out the hard way, like a large amount of folks with horses, that hay has shot up in price and shot down in quality. Horse owners have to use supplements with even prime quality hay. When we were getting hay at 2 or 3 dollars a bale, we did not feel it was any kind of strain to pay for the supplements too. Now, when hay has hit exorbitant bucks per bale and appears to have hit rock bottom in quality, we feel the pressure. We are indignant that at a price this high the hay quality is so poor; we'd have expected the best hay for the way we are being scalped.

It appears that high spec hay has pretty much disappeared from the market. Farming strategies today involve repeated use of chemical-based herbicides and fertilizers through the year. While this improves crop volumes, it does not do much for the purity of produce.

Chemicals have an adverse effect on the natural bacteria and fungi that soil contains. In its natural state, cultivatable soil is rich in necessary minerals, other plant nutrients and water content. Better water means better grass and crop expansion, better growth reduces possibility of drought. Compost and other nature-based fertilizing agents sustain the healthful ecosystems of soil. They support natural cycles and keep soil consistently recharged. In fact, chemical-based fertiliser is nonessential for fertile soil that's moved regularly. Natural farming can be costly at the initial stages as compared to chemicals-based farming, but pretty soon, it works out much cheaper as it maintains soil fertility and increases yield.

Each time we pay hay merchants top buck for bottom hay, we are inspiring hay farmers to adhere to their chemical-based techniques and ignore organic farming. What we should do is follow the example of cattlemen: they don't accept hay that hasn't been tested for quality and passed. This way, competition in the hay supply market will increase, and increased competition usually means good news for the purchaser. If your hay purchases are not so bulky as to justify testing, you must encourage your supplier to get tests conducted on hay in his stock. You might also ask the hay grower to get a test done. Reputed labs like Equi-Analytical do all-embracing hay tests for charges not exceeding $75. If your current hay provider acts difficult, dump him and get another one. Get your pony owning mates to put pressure on poor quality hay. Success in your plans to get consistent high quality hay can be done only if the effort is sustained by every purchaser. Success comes with perseverance.

As long as you are feeding your horses poor quality hay, you'll need to help the hay with other feed of high nutritional value. Digestive enzymes and probiotics should constitute part of your horses ' daily diet. I find performance horses prosper on Simplexity Health's Essentials and horses for pleasure do well on APA, also from Simplexity Health. Probiotics like KLPP and Pro-Bi are also really handy for horse's hind gut digestion. They're really desirable supplements to feed your horses when they don't seem to be getting the best hay.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about stable rugs

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There are numerous tools an equestrian can use when coaching horses for various sport and activities, and dependent on what the coaching is for, the prerequisite for more effective tools and more effective utilisation of the tools is made more relevant. For example, the bridles and ropes used in horse riding training would be insufficient when teaching a horse dressage maneuvers. There are numerous aids that help not merely in training but also in the activity the steeds were trained for, and as a skilled tutor and rider would know, getting well acquainted with them and their uses is essential.

With modern systems of pony coaching, there are natural and artificial aids. The natural aids are generally parts of the human body, such as the feet, legs, and hands, and even the voice. Artificial aids are everything else—from the ropes to the bridle to the bit and everything in between. When you consider it, all aids and even horse riding and coaching itself is artificial, as horses weren't meant to be tamed and trained. But as far as up to date views go, all bodily appendages and aids are natural. There are corresponding concepts of dangers and risks to using artificial aids as they may sow fear and cause undesirable reactions from horses, but that's all just hype. Even natural aids when used improperly, can beget unfavourable responses from horses and even sow fear instead of respect. It is all about utilising the aids properly.

One major advantage of natural aids though, is that they're always widely available, what with being human body parts and all. But again, it's all in the use. And when it comes to horse riding and training, especially for sport as precise as dressage, the right use of a mix of artificial and natural aids is best.

The key to making the most out of natural aids is that everything should be coordinated. Cues should not come from your voice commands alone or from established motions of certain limbs. Don't just employ a command and your arms or your legs and feet, always include your back and especially your seat when giving cues. For instance, the ultimate way to use a coordinated effort of natural aids with the assistance of artificial aids to make a pony slow down would begin with the rider bracing his back. This drives the mount into the bridle, and from there the hands can cue the horse to slow down. A fluid and virtually effortless motion from the back to the bridle to the hands—almost indiscernible and only vaguely noticeable—that's how well body motion used in conjunction with artificial aids can influence and command a pony.

Natural aids are typically quite convenient, as besides from always being available they are simple to manipulate and thus easy to control. But even something as seemingly harsh as a whip, when used at the right times in suitable measure, can be of enormous assistance not solely in horse riding, but in coaching for equestrian sport or activity. And mixing their usability with natural aids is the way to go.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about horse rugs.

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For equestrian trainers new to the trade, horses can come in several shapes and sizes, but most irksomely, different temperaments as well. And a horse's character type determines what sort of training and even what sort of sport it's most suitable for. There are horses that are awfully keen to please and are quite friendly, a charm to go pony riding with. There are active character types that prefer challenging equestrian sport over plain horse riding, and there are others who'd do most anything for food. Let's focus on one particular character type: the Metal element sort of pony.

Metal types are some of the most trustworthy mounts and sport or chore horses you would ever come across, because they covet routine. They need to be well placed to do something they are used to doing in a schedule in fact , they need to so badly that if they don't, they get stressed and develop many stress-related health issues until they're brought together with their beloved routine. As you can imagine, a pony that does something so firmly and even feverishly is a valued asset that transcends the straightforward joys of horse riding and is worth its weight in gold when it comes to equestrian sport or other activities it's trained for.

Nonetheless with the good comes the bad. Metal types rely too much on established routine that they encounter difficulty when introduced to new routines and new equestrian training or work. Also, if the tutor or breeder happens to skip a booked routine, they simply get stressed. The reality is, a pony would have to learn much of new things in the course of its equestrian training, even during the course of its normal horse care and health upkeep. Furthermore, not a huge amount of trainers have all the time in the world to zealously stick to routine day in and day out. While older metal types get the point and are straightforward to introduce to new routines or exercises and can stay off regular program and left in pasture for some time without adverse reactions, younger metal types aren't the same.

So what can a tutor do to help an avid metal type gelding avoid a difficult experience? Stick to routine. The routine doesn't need to be an exercise of exacting standards, so long as you do one thing regularly and establish that as routine, that will be the routine the metal type youngling would start to expect and rely on. For your own sake as the equestrian tutor, keep it simple: like pulling her out of the stall and tying her onto a trailer for an hour everyday , or a regular mane brushing routine. If you really enjoy pony riding and can do it everyday , then make that your usual thing.

The less effort it takes, the easier it is on you. When you introduce new coaching or exercises and your metal type horse shows signs of stress, regress to your routine to help alleviate the symptoms, then transition slowly back into the new routine.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about horse rugs.

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Perhaps one of the more shocking equine ailments an equestrian can ever encounter is the navicular disease; on any ordinary day a tutor could find her pony brought to her haunches by extreme bouts of agony, or might be unpleasantly surprised by a horse undergoing training all of a sudden slowing down in intense discomfort halfway into the routine. For owners of steeds used essentially for leisurely horse riding, it can be more worrying, what with their horses all of a sudden being unable and unwilling to go forward, stumbling over thru gaits they'd typically coolly perform. The agony comes from an intense burning discomfort due to increased blood flow in the hooves of the horse and the accompanying shifting of what is known as the coffin bone.

Navicular disease can be caused by abnormal hoof expansion, and this in turn can be promoted by not properly trimming pony hooves regularly. A hoof will grow and wear in accordance to what sort of footing it's kept on. In poor footing and lack of regular, proper trimming, the coffin bone can be rendered immobile and so cause blood circulation in the hoof to be hampered. Extreme conditions see the coffin bone sinking to the base of the affected hoof and piercing through the hoof. The condition is often observed in front hooves and typically both feet are afflicted. The risk of acquiring the ailment increases when horses are often kept in stalls it is exacerbated by physically demanding tasks or by being obese. Also, horses whose physiques aren't correct in proportion or conformation are at higher risk.

Thoroughbreds have smaller feet compared to their bodies and are therefore prone to navicular; quarter horses have the disposition to be subject to it as well. Ponies as young as 1 year old can be diagnosed as having navicular, the illness itself is gradual. As navicular gets worse over the passage of time it can be difficult to detect it in the very early stages. Symptoms of the disease are:

-Her stride is shortened, and she's averse to lengthen it.

-She stumbles thru gaits.

-She shifts body weight when resting.

-She is uneven while turning.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about cheap horse rugs

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One of the equine flaws hardest to set right is rearing. It can be fatal for both rider and pony, and at its very finest, could be a terrifying experience for the rider.

To cure a horse of his rearing habit, you have first got to work out why he does it.

A lot of noise is generated about tie downs being the best solutions. Other ideas laud martingales and "popping". Tie downs and martingales don't address the main cause, they just touch on the symptoms. They fundamentally refer to the strategy of forcing down your horse's head if he should rear. Popping involves slapping a rearing horse between his ears, to give him the impression he hit his head on something when he reared. Numerous theories about popping advise using rolled up newspapers, although where the rider suddenly is going to get a rolled newspaper is not mentioned. Some more exotic suggestions advise hitting the pony on the head with a bag full of water, so that the horse gets the mistaken concept he has been hurt and is bleeding. Again, this would suggest that every time you ride, you take along a plastic carrier bag full of water.

In actual fact horses infrequently rear. You can confirm this by watching wild horses, or maybe horses in a paddock. They rear just when at play or in a fight. Horses are run or fight animals, and would much prefer to flee from suspected danger. If the horse feels forced to battle, he uses biting and kicking as his weapons. You can understand that rearing isn't an inborn reply to any sort of circumstance.

Well then, what makes a pony rear? A pony rears responding to a heavy hand, or as a reaction to a bit that isn't fitting well and isn't comfy or hurting him. If the horse has injuries or other issues in his mouth, that will cause rearing. In these cases, a pony rears as a reaction to agony. A pony also rears out of frustration if he is in a difficult situation and finds no real way out of it. Whenever your pony rears, inspect his mouth and his teeth immediately and change his bit to the softest one you have available.

Reading and stopping rears

Typically, you can make out if your horse is about to rear. If he is at ease and moving as you need him to while on the bit, he isn't going to be rearing. If he does mean to rear, he'll telegraph his intentions early: he'll back up and go down in a crouch on his hind legs. When faced with this situation , don't pull back on the reins; bring the horse's head round in either direction and give him a leg cue in that direction. He will move that way and forget rearing.

If your pony does rear, what do you do?

At all costs, avoid pulling back on the reins. Maintain your legs in normal position and see if you can lean forward. Put your hands around your horse's neck and hold on. As he hits ground after his rear, nudge him forward in a new direction to deter another rear. If you feel your pony is going to flip over, get your feet out of the stirrups and get off the horse by sliding down his back. Horses that flip over should be handled by a pro, as they can be deeply threatening.

Always use soft hands on the bit and keep your horse going forward. Ensure you have a bit that will not chafe unnecessarily, and confirm your horse's mouth and teeth are in healthy shape. Generally, leave it to the pros to deal with a horse that has got a bias to rear.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about horse blanket

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Horses can suffer from four types of Equine Herpes Virus, or EHV, and the one that you would like to handle the least, is the 1st type: EHV-1. Sadly, the most distortive of the strains is also the typically contracted. EHV-1, though originally a respiration infirmity alone, has a mutant strain that spreads its effects to become a neurological disease. Infected horses will be carriers of the pathogen their complete lives, effectively rendering them worthless for equestrian sport and too dangerous to expose to other animals.

When under stress a carrier would freely shred the virus, and most infected horses, though seemingly healthy, are occasionally shredding the pathogen through respiration secretions. A steed can contract the illness from nose contact with an infected horse or thru sharing tools and aids like bits. Once infected, the bloodstream ferries the virus round the animals ' body. You'll observe initial symptoms such as nasal discharge and mild, inconsistent fever that is tough to detect unless you check ever 6 hours. Veterinarians can check the discharge to determine if it's indeed EHV-1.

Six to 12 days after infection of the neurological strain, horses would start to show symptoms. The illness can progress in as little as one to three days with 102 degree F fevers and nasal discharge, loss of appetite, and depression as main signals. After initial neurological symptoms start in a steed's hindquarters, eventually the horse won't be able to stand. If left that way, death comes in 24 hours.

The reason for the disease being a virus, there is no known remedy for it. Vets may advocate immune modulator shots to boost the immunological reaction of horses. If the EHV-1 breathing strain is troubling them, they'd do well with just the shots. But there's little an equestrian can do except for alleviate symptoms. There are vaccines that help decrease the spread of the pathogen and can even prevent the respiratory strain from infecting horses, although not the mutant neurological strain.

All steeds from those utilised for straightforward horse riding and those utilized for precise sport should go through a food vaccination scheme, and the equestrian responsible should also practice good herd management for multiple horses. Pregnant mares and new-borns should be immunized frequently. Breeding stallions are ideally vaccinated before their breeding season.

Barns should be kept clean and regular sanitation every 4 months is mandatory. Barns that had once had an outbreak of EHV-1 should be sanitize each 2 months. This sanitation program helps prevent a bunch of other equine diseases also. Quarantine any horse suspected of having EHV-1 for 21 days, and if you were on a show or competition and one of the horses aside from yours who joined is suspected of having EHV-1, take the lead to quarantine your pony for 21 days.

In the case of an outbreak, have all handlers and visitors wear leather boots and gloves—easily disinfected with bleach or chlorine. Other actions include adding a disinfectant tub in all entrances and exits of your barns. Clean everything: enclosures, tools, aids everything that horses use or stay in.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about riding hats

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Riding spurs have been used for decades as a technique of sending signals to horses without having to make any sounds or sudden movements. Everybody has seen the western movies where the riders use spurs that are decorated with a spiky metal star at the back, spinning around as they ride the horse. However , this sort of riding spur isn't truly applicable for most sorts of present day horse riding. Using the right spurs is important.

There are two different types of riding spurs and which one you should invest in depends upon which kind of horse riding you will use it for, and whether you'll need any spurs at all. For youngsters and/or younger riders, spurs are essentially useless since the person's legs will not reach far down on the horse to apply the right pressure with the spur.

The "English Spur" is commonly used amongst dressage and equestrian riders. This is a more subtle form of spur that's utilised to send extraordinarily refined commands to a horse that are virtually invisible to the untrained eye.

If you're in to Western riding then the more flashy types of spurs are the ones you should be having a look at. These are the typical cowboy spurs with gold or silver colored metal at the back that makes quite a lot of noise. These are extremely unsuitable for any sort of competitive dressage or equestrian riding.

The long part that's connected to the spur is referred to as a shank. Now, depending on what sort of riding you'll be doing you must use different sorts of shanks. This because of the way the rider's legs are placed when they sit in a saddle. For Western riding the legs of the rider will be pushed forward and a touch to the sides. So this means that the shank will need to be curved inwards for the spur to have any effect on the horse.

Its similarly critical to understand that if a horse rider is employing a Dressage saddle or an English saddle, the legs will be down on the sides. This implies that the shanks will only need a slight angle on them to be in a position to poke the horse when needed.

Something to keep under consideration is to be exceedingly careful when using spurs. Wild and sudden pokes in to a horse can make it aggressive and irritated and in the worst case scenario injure the horse. Use the spurs with caution until you're an experienced rider and know just how hard you can push the spurs.

Nick Jacob is an established article provider publishing articles on a good selection of subjects including travel, sport and medical subjects.

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One of the most difficult pony conditions to handle is COPD, or just pony heaves, especially because the physical pain the steed is afflicted with during an attack can be intense. A COPD attack during equestrian sport can cause a horse to pull out of competition, what with constant coughing, flared nostrils, problems breathing, and other evidence of breathing distress. You can forget horse riding if your mare is suddenly gripped by heaves.

In the past mostly aged horses suffered from heaves, though today, performance horses even in their prime can also be affected by the dreadful near-equivalent of human asthma. What this suggests for equestrians is a sustained risk for fouling up in competition, and disturbances waiting to happen in other equestrian activities, even just plain horse riding. There are common ideas re heaves—particularly about its causes and permanence. COPD is thought to be triggered by antigens like mould or dust or hay—a more omnipresent factor in pony care and coaching. But observing performance horses and those with sensitive characters and corresponding lung or respiratory weakness will lead one to believe that stress—both emotional and physical, and it's often true that both are at work at the same time—can also be a trigger for COPD attacks. Also, heaves still has to be demonstrated to be permanently curable, but its symptoms during an attack can be alleviated and even pre-empted.

Some horses simply have puny lungs and respiratory systems. These parts are most affected when they're introduced to nerve wracking scenarios. The hay or other allergens may still perform a part, but we'll target the stress-related factor, which may actually point out why performance horses that undergo severe training for precise equestrian sport develop the condition. Horses have parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous states. The parasympathetic nervous state is what's 'turned on ' in horses in a normal situation. But when reason to worry turns up, they flip from parasympathetic to sympathetic state to engage the nerve-wrangling stimuli with either the fight or flight reaction. Some horses experience attacks of heaves as soon as they're going into the sympathetic nervous state.

Emotional and physical stress are indeed factors that develop and trigger heaves. If you have a mare that is puny in the lungs and rattles in the chest, then you have a prime applicant for heaves. The easy act of horse riding in an unfamiliar environ can lead her to breathe heavier and start coughing.

Fortunately , there are methods to combat and relieve COPD symptoms and effects, namely in the shape of administering adrenal supporting supplements; supplements like Eleviv. Eleviv can help alleviate effects of heaves in minutes, and can also pre-empt them by being present in feed or administered through syringe before undertaking an equestrian activity or training exercise that could potentially put stress on the pony. Dependent on the horse, you may even start feeding hay again while Eleviv is being administered.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about cheap horse rugs

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A good equestrian knows how to read her horse's expressions. Because before it is possible to teach your mare dressage movements or even just enjoy riding her, you have to instill the basics in her first, which entails her understanding you and you understanding her. And our equine buddies can't precisely tell us how they feel—we have to read their expressions. We'll take the practice of basic roping for example.

It's not tough to find a roping teacher or lesson thanks to roping clinics. Trainers who set up such clinics usually provide manuals or at the very least advise the equestrian to accustom their pony to ropes and prepare the animal for the actual roping clinic.

Manuals intended to accustom horses to ropes or lassos as preparation for roping coaching have detailed instructions frequently with giant graphics to better aid the owners in understanding how to carry out the lesson and so prepare their mares. With such manuals, you should not have a problem preparing your equine partners, unless they've had a bad experience connected with ropes. I they have then ropes would certainly make your pony panic when you try and rope her.

A horse, as an example, which was roped to be caught when it was three and was sent to be gelded, shod, and trained, in all chance has since developed fright of ropes. The rope is associated to being caught and the unfortunate experience that followed. You can expect such a horse to gallop away at the appearance of a rope or lasso, and wouldn't stop unless a wall it cannot jump over is in the way.

So what do you do when your mare has developed fear of ropes or, for whatever reason, panics once you get into the saddle and begin to lift the rope from the saddle horn? You can go to an expert, a horse coach, to get some assistance. A course of action much like the following would most likely be recommended:

Go back to the groundwork level. While holding the rope, quietly stroke your mare. Then start swinging the rope at you side. It is understandable if the horse accepts your strokes while you're holding the rope but will panic when you start swinging the rope. What you should do is continue carefully swinging the rope and watch out for signs from your mare indicating the she is thinking. Horses blink, twitch their ears, breathe quicker, or quiver their lips when they think. These are your cues that your mare is thinking—most likely, processing what you are doing or attempting to do. After you see a sign that your horse is thinking, stop swinging the rope and praise him.

"Release" your pony from that phase of the lesson. She has recognized the exercise and is prepared for a repeat or another exercise. When you see your horse snorting, breathing deeply, moving her feet, licking or chewing or both, yawning, shaking her body or head, or dropping her head, then that indicates you can release her from the lesson.

Horses have their own way of expressing themselves. A good equestrian should focus not only on dressage-level routines but should also take a bit of time to learn a horse's expressions and how to translate them to more clearly comprehend her equine pal. She should likewise help the mare get over her fear, if there's any.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about riding hats

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Itching to teach your mare some dressage essentials? Don't take things too quickly—don't forget to do some basic pony care and health maintenance—like checking her mouth. Are you employing a hackamore because your mare won't allow you to touch her mouth? Did she injure her gums and now you need to treat her injuries? There will be a point that you're going to need to check her mouth. Don't wait for an emergency to occur prior to starting training her to be content when you are touching her mouth.

How does one go about coaching your horse to permit you to touch her mouth? Commence with a halter placed on your mare. Stroke her face ensuring you are only touching the area where she allows you to touch. Then, slowly and with single strokes at a time, let your touches come near her mouth, making sure you move your hand away before she reacts negatively. By rubbing her neck or thru your words, praise your horse each time she accepts your touch. When she turns her face away with your hand still touching her mouth, it implies it is too early for you to let your hand stay longer. Go back to stroking the spot you started on and repeat the process , but this time remove your hands faster. When your mare is finally accepting you stroking her mouth, start letting your hand stay there a bit longer until she accepts your laying your hand on her mouth. Practice the lesson on the opposite side of her face as well, allow breaks between each lesson, and always fuss over your pony for any improvement she shows.

Rub around her muzzle and attempt to touch her longer every time but don't go overboard as you'll come off as annoying to your pony. When she is finally comfortable when you rub round her muzzle, you can proceed to rubbing her outer lips and in between them.

Hold her head by placing your right hand under her neck and putting your hand where the halter strap is—on her nose bridge. Rub the inner part of her lips with your free hand. Then, using one finger, rub the outsides of your her gums and bars. When she grows comfortable with it, carry on to rubbing the top of the bars. If she resists, return to the point at which she is happy and try again; slower and more delicate this time. Patience is the virtue by which you defeat the pride of a pony.

Horses have a spot where no teeth grow; it is between the molars and incisors and that is the only spot where you should place your hand when touching the insides of their mouths.

When your pony is happy with one of your fingers touching her bars, add another finger until it's possible to get your complete hand into her mouth and she does not resist. Do this exercise frequently after grooming—before you go on to your pony riding until she accepts it as an element of daily procedure.

Horses are Heather Toms’ passion and she enjoys sharing her extensive knowledge through her 100’s of articles with other horse lovers… like all things about horse rugs.

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