Selah Morgans

I got my first Missouri Fox Trotter in 1994 when they were not very common in the South. When he was ready for training, I knew I needed some help because I had never worked with a gaited horse before. At the time, I was taking lessons with a trainer/instructor who uses a lot of dressage basics. I asked Sandi Forester if she would help me with my gelding. "A Missouri Fox WHAT?" was her response. Therein began her education about fox trotters and we worked through the training together. The dressage basics were wonderful in creating a soft, supple, yet easy-riding horse. As we progressed with our skills, we began doing breed demonstrations to get the well-kept secret of this breed out to the public...

Fossil samples dating back as far as 55 million years ago can help us determine how long horses (on average) lived. 55 million years ago the average longevity of the hyracotherium was 5 years of age. 20 million years ago during the Miocene, analysis indicates longevity of up to 15 years. 10 million yeas ago during the Pliocene period Equus population was thought to live up to 25 years. Horses are herbivores and there teeth are designed for breaking down the hard structures like cellulose found commonly in the horses diet. They have what are known as hypsodont teeth, meaning continuous eruption of the reserve crown of the tooth. This matches the loss of tooth from the grinding down caused during...

DO you want to learn to ride a horse, but are put off by doubts in your ability? Do you have an underlying fear that you just aren't good enough? Do you feel time has passed you by and it is too late? Do you already ride, but only to win? Do you ride in a style that you struggle to enjoy? Are you limiting your riding pleasure by worrying about what others may say or think? Are you holding yourself back from fulfilling your true potential? Are you living your life the way YOU want to live it? Many of us lack confidence when we build our satisfaction on the approval of others. When we rely on anothers reaction, to determine what course we take. We can learn to depend on other's opinions. This can...

This article is from a life coach and experienced horse owner and to all horse owners that want to have success in competitions. Why do people find it so hard to focus? Horse owners I have worked with spread themselves everywhere and forget to focus on what they want to achieve with their horse and keep the rest of their life in balance. Focus is for both now and for the long term, so you need to switch between the two. Horse owners often don't focus on their real goals because they let too many issues distract them. Both your personal growth and the goals you want to achieve with your horse are critical to all horse owners' success and this article looks at personal learning and growth. The only...

Owning a horse takes on a whole new set of responsibilities that leasing and lessons did not have. I find that this is the most overlooked part of horse ownership, and I see it daily in the horse world. Horses can be expensive, even when they live with you as opposed to being boarded out. They are living, breathing creatures whose very lives are completely dependent upon YOU for survival. I cannot state this enough, especially having gone through years of watching people get them and dispose of them when no longer needed or wanted. If you have any indications that you may not be able to keep up the commitments, I ask that you keep your lease horse and read no further. I'm not trying to be harsh, but...

I recently read an article written by someone not very versed in the usage of a round pen and the mind of the horse. There are several different applications for the round pen in a horses' training. For me the round pen provides a safe classroom to begin all horses on a line of respect, communication, and trust. Safety is a huge benefit of the round pen for starting a new horse. I can work with the horse and not be attached to a panicky 1500 pound animal and they are free to 'leave' if they feel too much pressure. Being round keeps them from getting into a corner and then trying to climb out or getting hurt trying to run through the fence. If the horse does not respect you, you will not go far in...

The fact is that most of us horse lovers don't groom our horsesproperly. This could be due to lots of things - time,motivation, circumstances etc. What we need to realise is thattime with our horse is bonding time. Remember that in the wild,horses groom each other and that's the basis for theirrelationships with each other. If we don't take the trouble togroom our horses properly, then we can't expect to forge thebonds we want between us and if this doesn't happen then wecan't expect the partnership benefits we look for either. If wetake the time, if we have the patience, if we use the righttechniques AND the right products, then we'll forge a bond oftrust between us and our horses that will last...

This article is from a life coach and horse owner for horse owners, in order to help have a harmonious life which includes your horse. There is a competition you want to go to. It could be a show, a dressage test or an event. It could be an endurance ride. Whatever it is you want to do, to be successful at it you must put a plan in place.Lack of planning can be disastrous. The secret to achieving your goals is planning. Knowing what your goals are is the starting point in your planning process. It is all very well to know what you want to achieve, but knowing how to get there is what you must work out, before you begin. Use these 6 Steps to guide you through the planning process that successful...

Your horse should be fed, at minimum, twice a day. More frequent is better since a horse's stomach is small and designed to graze (where small amounts of food constantly enters and leaves the stomach). Feed your horse at the same times each day, and once your horse adapts to these times, don't arbitrarily change them. If you do need to change feeding times, do it gradually. Also, don't just arbitrarily change what your horse eats. Again, if you must make a change, do it gradually giving your horse some of the old while gradually mixing in the new. Horses typically will eat the equivalent of about 2.0 percent of their body weight each day. A horse is considered in good body condition when its...

As a farrier I can tell you there is a great deal to having the right horse property, just the wrong type of soil and it will eat little holes in their hooves, if it is too highly acidic in nature. When I am looking at a prospective home in my area, I am looking firstly for unwanted plants, like snake grass, and horse tails, those vivid green bushy things. Any sign of a wet environment is a bad thing, as the horses will turn the land to mush. You also need to know if you intend to pasture your animals. In a decent growing climate you will need about one acre per head of horses. I won't turn a facility down because it has no barn, horses don't mind the weather for the most part if they've got a...

Horse Training is dependent on the owner's goals and desires. Horse training is an essential aspect in the development of horses as human partners in livelihood, leisure and sports. Horse training is a competitive business. Today, most training is geared toward making horses useful for a variety of recreational and sporting equestrian pursuits. Some people will be quick to tell you that the only thing natural about horse training is that it is an un-natural act. Through education, you will have the full understanding that horse training is one of the most jealous professions in the world. Just remember, horse training is not hard. One goal of horse training is to break bad habits and teach the horse...

People who have horses at home know very well that horse supplements are a vital must-have in a horse's arsenal of nutrition and food group. Owners should also be able to identify the differences of one to another. Some horses just get ridden a few times, others are part of the rural lives of many people and some are meant to race. In essence, not all horses function in the same way. They have different needs and they need to be addressed to perform in its optimum level. Horses need to feed anytime they want. As everyone knows, they run and they burn so much energy when they are put to work. The energy consumed need to be replenished as soon as possible to get the horse back in shape. The main diet...

Every horse barn should have a good selection of horse care products and supplies to care for your horse and maintain your barn. While the obvious needs of quality food and clean water are easy to see and obtain, the other products may not seem as apparent to the new horse owner. Even though you need a host of supplies for your barn, all we will discuss here are grooming. The other items are mostly common sense things that you will acquire as the need arises. A clean horse is a healthy horse. For most people, a clean horse is a happy horse, but we have "Pig-Pen" who is happiest when he has laid down in the mud, especially right after you have groomed him because you want to go for a ride. You should...

Often we hear from a seller that his horse has so and so in its background and that the horse is worth more money because of that. But is that really true? All horses come with a pedigree, whether they are good or bad but when we sell that animal, who is on that pedigree helps determine the price that we can ask for the horse. Throughout this article, you will not find a price that you should ask for your horse. But we will discuss the importance of a pedigree when you are selling a horse, raising a foal or buying a stallion or mares. To begin, we should examine those breeding programs that are in demand by the public, which stallion is producing the most winners out of a diverse population of mares...

Training a horse is very exciting and challenging at the same time. When you care for a horse or are enthused about it, the best part is always riding. Riding is practically the finale in horse training. After teaching the horse to walk, paw, bow and lunge, it's time to make him mobile and ride with him. However in some cases, horses are just really used for traveling, so riding may also come first. How to train a horse to ride will just take 3 basic steps: go, steer and stop. First you get on the horse and make sure he is used to the weight and wearing a bridle and a saddle with stirrups. Climb up the horse always from the left side, and use a stepping stool if you're too short for it so as not to...

You have probably heard the saying that "you are what you eat" and the fact is that this doesn't just apply to humans. The saying applies to all beings and that means horses as well. If you want to keep your horse in its best possible health and shape you must know what you can and can not feed it, when the right time for feed is and what the right amount of food would be. There are some rules to follow to make sure you meet the horse's nutritional needs and they are simple. But even so they will need to be followed consistently to have the optimal effect. First Rule: Find out how much your horse weigh because this must be reflected in the amount of food it will need for a optimal nutritional...

To achieve a better relationship with your horse and a winning ride you have to manage your mind. The emotions, thoughts, and feelings that you have in your mind have energy associated with them. The energy that is associated with these internal sources communicates with your horses. You may not even have identified these sources yourself or admitted them but your horse feels them. So when you go out to do something with your horse the first thing that happens is your horse reads this energy. Even before you speak they know what your interaction today will be like. My husband is a quiet and patient man so when he is working with a horse they respond to him in a more quiet and relaxed way. As soon as...

Horseback riding is an enjoyable recreational activity and likewise a challenging sport. Similar to any other sports and activities, trainings are conducted to enhance the performance of both the rider or handler and the animal. During horse training courses, there are many risks involved which could harm both parties. To avoid or minimize the hazards involved in training your horse. Safety precautions should be strictly followed. Here are some suggestions on proper measures which must be done during horse training courses. 1. Wear proper riding gear. Helmets are mandatory to avoid repercussions of a bad fall. During casual trainings, a t-shirt and stretch tights are suitable to provide comfort and...

If you are interested in horse training but you are still unsure whether to try your hands on it or not, you should consider getting more information about different horse training tips for beginners. Being successful in horse training is very fulfilling and many people consider it as an achievement. After all, training an animal, and a big one at that, is something that not all people can do. And for you to be able to become a successful horse trainer, you should know some basic horse training tips. Here are some tips that you should be familiar with. It is important to have the right attitude when training a horse. Do not let the animal feel that you are nervous. It will not only make you...

Training a horse for a show or simply just for the sake of having well-mannered pets can be very rewarding. That's because having animal companions you can relate to can make your passion for them grow deeper. And they'll be much more fun to show off if so. Horses are intelligent and they can be taught several tricks, even the funny looking ones such as smile, kiss, and bow. But for shows and competitions most horses have to learn how to walk, jump, ride, rear and lunge. Lunging is how a horse is made to go for the lunge line, which is about 30 feet, and he is made to walk around in a circle with the handler in the center. The horse prepares to take more commands from his handler at this point in...

Your horse has just tried to bite you! You can't understand why this animal that you love and care for would behave in such a way. Horses that bite people are displaying an aggressive, unsafe behaviour that needs to be changed. The first step in changing any behaviour is to understand the underlying cause of it. Horses are prey animals that live in herds and run from danger. Their first instinct is to run away when they feel their safety is threatened. If they are unable to run away, they will fight to defend themselves by aggressively biting, kicking or striking. What causes a domestic horse that is being cared for and loved by humans to become aggressive and bite his or her caregiver? There are 2...

Whether you and the horse you are working with are experienced, in competitive work-out, learning from a trainer, or alone in your exercises; short-term goals can be a life-saver! In all disciplines and in all situations, working with a horse requires the "herd leader", "trainer", or "handler" = You, to have some, or one short-term goal(s) in mind... Of course, the number of short-term goals that you schedule during each encounter with your equine partner, should match your skill level and your horses ability level. Yes, horses also poses different ability levels, based on a variety of factors. Obviously, young horses will require extensive training and patience along with some small steps as your...

The question of dogs at the barn is a safety issue. Not just for the horses and the riders, but for the dogs themselves. The slightest thing can spook a horse and no two horses when frightened behave alike. Each is an individual and each will have a different reaction. Most horses can become desensitized to the presence of dogs. Some take longer than others. Some never get used to them. When the horse no longer feels threatened in any way by the dog, it will relax. Some even come to like dogs. Particularly the ones that do not chase them, bark at them, or come at them from seemingly out of nowhere. If your dog is a barker, whether large or small, leave him or her at home. If your dog has a...

Buying a horse is a huge responsibility and requires a commitment of both time and finances. After you have bought the horse, the commitment isn't over. There is still quite a bit to be done. If you want a horse that performs at a high level, you must continue to open the wallet for his sake. Horse health professionals have developed a few theories on nutrition for horses. One of the things that they always seem to emphasize is that a healthy diet is important for all horses, but more so for those horses that are put through lots of exercise. If you constantly ride your horse, he is going to expect to be fed well. Along with that responsibility comes the expectation that you will put together...

Homes are easy to invest into as we can see our money at work as home value increases with the improvements we make. A room addition, new roof, remodeling of the kitchen or bathroom allow us to reap the benefits of our money instantly. Although trees, grass, and flowers do not raise a home's value like a new kitchen, all would agree it increases the appeal of the house and gives the final addition to your home. You can hire someone to plan, blueprint and implement your new yard and pay a one-time fee that is in the $1,000's of dollars or do parts of the landscaping yourself and save money. Either way, no one has a problem with adding value to his or her home. You also realize no matter the amount...

Are you looking for horse games to play? You might be an expert equestrian or a non-rider who simply loves horses. In either case, there are many different kinds of games that you can play with your friends. You can even choose between actual games and online horse games. Club Games Traditional club games with horses are still quite popular. Of course, games like these would be much more fun if there are actually a lot of you playing it. You can play traditional slow paced races, obstacle jumping or relay games. You can also play contest games to see how well riders have trained their horses to respond to such commands as bend, turn or canter. Equally enjoyable horse games are grooming and 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...

We all have those visions in our heads of the perfect horse. Maybe it's a 16-hand palomino mare with a snip and two socks and a beautiful, wavy blond mane and tail. Maybe it's a well-muscled solid black gelding with just the smallest of stars . . . So why don't we ever end up with it? Well, probably for good reason. Is it possible to find the perfect horse for you? You can certainly get darn close. But will he look like the vision you've carried in your head since childhood? Doubtful. If you want to find the right horse for you, you are going to have to do a lot more than go on looks alone. Finding the right horse is hard. There are lots of horses out there for sale, and it's not always easy to...

Horse groundwork training is a vital part of getting your horse ready to ride. You should begin with three goals in mind. First, you want to become a leader for your horse. Horses naturally look to a leader as they are herd animals in the wild. For safety reasons, you want to assume that leadership role. Otherwise your horse is going to be making the decisions, like when to run away when he hears something scary on the trail. He's also more likely to exhibit bad horse behavior if you haven't established leadership. With leadership comes respect from the horse, and a horse that doesn't respect you is more likely to rear, buck, and bite among other problems. There are three simple horse groundwork...

The ideal situation in trailer training a horse is starting them at a very young age so they think that loading up to go somewhere is a normal everyday event. Unfortunately not everyone has that luxury and usually gets a horse that has already had a bad experience with a trailer. It usually means they have been forced into a trailer with an impatient owner or maybe tossed around during the drive and had to scramble to keep standing which made them fearful. There are some horses that just simply refuse to get in because they can. Whatever their past experience is, it does not change the fact that they won't get in. If you have that fearful horse, patience is the key to success. First you must earn...

Horses are great animals, and owning one can be an absolutely rewarding experience. Taking care of a horse can be quite a challenge however if you're a new horse owner; here are some tips to follow that will ensure you give your horse the best care so it lives a long, healthy, and happy life. 1. Establish a relationship with a local vet that is experienced in horse care. Horses should be checked yearly for various illnesses such as colic. Also get your horse de-wormed and have its teeth regularly checked. 2. Proper feeding is essential for good health. Horses naturally like to graze constantly, so try to establish regular times during the day for feeding. Hay should be a staple in your horse's diet...

Proteins make-up, after the water, the most ample constituent of the equine's system. An acceptable supply of proteins which usually are commonly available are necessary to correct muscular abrasion and building up or repairing the horse's individual tissues. Premium Horse Supplements are essential in giving vitamin supplements and amino acids as the building blocks to restore regular protein quantities quickly. If an equine is not fed immediately after demanding exertion (within just a few hours) with Horse Supplements, the high performance equine will suffer long-lasting impairment to its body tissues, primarily in their legs with a lowering in muscle power and in heightened levels of performance...