Horses In My Back Yard

Horses In My Back Yard				Trust is built by day to day consistent care and
				treatment of your horse; and by not putting him
by Jody Hudson, with Extensive Collaboration				into situations that hurt him or scare him badly.
From Chris Hudson
				EQUINE DENTIST: Horses need dentists too! At
HORSE LOVERS: During my thirty years of selling				least once a year, some horses require to have
rural land, I have frequently found that folks want				the equine dentist "float" his teeth. This removes
some acreage so that they can own and ride				sharp edges so that he can chew his food
horses. They LOVE horses in their own mind but				properly and be comfortable with the bit.
have little if any of the real knowledge or
experience necessary to raise one or more				GROOMING: Horses love to be brushed and
horses. Far too often, they have knowledge				bathed. Spend lots of quality time with your horse
based on little more than an idyllic dream and that				when you first get him and each time before and
dream based for the most part on romantic				after you ride him with gentle loving hands and
novels and movies. This article will give you some				lots of brush grooming. Pick the stones and dirt
basic information which may save you and a				from his feet before and after a ride to keep him
horse some bad or even terrible experiences.				from getting bruised feet. Check him for ticks
				after any ride in the woods or tall grass --
HOW MANY ACRES?: If you do want horses; a				especially in warm weather. Keep all your tack
good rule of thumb in good pasture areas is 3 to				clean and the leather saddle-soaped and lightly
5 acres of pasture per horse, and ideally another				oiled. Wash your saddle blanket after each use
acre or two of paddock per horse. The wise				and rinse his bit well too. He doesn't like a hard,
Equestrian will thus plan about 6 to 10 acres per				dirty blanket on his back or a crusty bit in his
horse they want to keep in the purchase of land.				mouth. Keep your brushes clean too, rinse, wash
The paddocks are smaller fenced pasture areas				and pull the hair out of them periodically.
close to the barn used for training, saddling up
your horse or getting a new horse acclimated to				NUTRITION: Nutrition is a powerful factor in the
his new home.				life of a horse, just as it is our own. Often a
				problem horse can just be suffering from some
The risk of injury to animals increases where				nutritional deficiency. Often a horse that is
horses are overcrowded, and competition for				"cribbing" that is chewing on his stall or on the
food, water and space may lead to fighting. You				fence has a nutritional deficiency. This should be
must provide an adequate number of paddocks				handled quickly as the swallowed wood splinters
or yards to permit incompatible animals to be				have obvious danger to your horse. Horses need
segregated. The number of horses and their				vitamins, roughage of course, minerals, protein,
grouping in each paddock or yard must be				oils, carbohydrates, enzymes and trace elements
appropriate for their compatibility and for the				in their diets to be at their best in health, behavior
ground conditions, taking into account the climatic				and attitude... and sometimes even if they are
conditions pertaining at the time.				getting the correct food they may not be
				digesting it to get the proper use of the nutrients...
You also need room for the house, barn, hay				just like us.
storage, tack building and a loafing shed for them
to get under when the weather is not quite				Horse Hair Analysis is a very useful tool to find
acceptable to them. In any yard or shelter, each				the realistic needs of your horse. The hair is a
horse must have adequate room to lie down,				long term record of the horse's nutritional health
stand up and turn around. There should be a				and the analysis will tell the most accurate story
clean, dry area for the horse to lie down, the				as to what your particular horse needs... or what
surface of which protects the horse from				he is getting too much of -- especially if he is
abrasions and capped elbows and hocks. Paddocks				ingesting some sort of toxic substance.
which expose horses to items of machinery,
equipment or rubbish (especially wire) likely to				TRAILERS and TRAILERING: For most people
cause serious injury must not be used.				learning to trailer your horse is mandatory. If you
				are fortunate to purchase a place far out in the
FENCING: There are numerous types of fencing				rural un-populated areas, especially if you purchase
that are designed for horses. Board fences are				property on a long dirt road or network of such
deadly dangerous if not constantly maintained.				roads -- you may be able to do a lot of riding
The horses can break a board and end up impaled				without trailering. You will still likely want to have a
on it. Wire, especially barbed wire can entangle				trailer eventually, so that you can take your horse
your horse's leg or neck and seriously injure him				to a trainer, pick up another horse, or take your
or worse. There are several kinds of fences				horse to join a friend for a ride.
made for horse pasture. Barbed wire and narrow
gauge (2.5 mm) high-tensile steel wire, because of				There are several types of trailers; they are of
their cutting, non-stretching and nonbreaking				many sizes from small to huge. Some of them
properties, can cause severe injury to horses.				even have owners quarters or a groomsman's
They should be avoided when constructing fences				room adjacent to the horse section. There are
for horses, as should internal fence-stays or				the horse carrying motor home style vehicles too.
posts, which are a common cause of injury.				For highway speeds and to go any distance, it is
				best to use a large towing pickup truck specialized
Fences should be readily visible to horses and				for such use. The best are the dual tired big
properly maintained. The ideal fence for premises				pickup trucks called Duelies. You then get a big
designed mainly for horses is the synthetic,				sturdy support hitch mounted in the pickup bed
strong, flexible, post-and-rail type, with rails				and the trailer has a long hitch stalk that projects
treated or painted with nontoxic preparations. A				into the truck bed. This type, called a goose neck
popular alternative, which also provides a good				trailer with a 5th wheel hitch, will give you
visual barrier, is a single top rail attached to a				excellent stability and a shortened turn radius. It is
conventional post-and-wire fence. I like the				also virtually impossible to have a trailer disconnect
Australian Sheep Wire fence as it has a grid that				from the truck -- which is a worry with pull-behind
is very small at the bottom and larger at the top.				trailers.
The small grid size at the bottom prevents the
horse from stepping through the fence and				Before you take your horse for a first trailer ride;
getting tangled. I also like a charged electric wire				you should ride in the back of the trailer, while
just above the highly visible top rail to "convince"				someone else drives the truck, so that you can
the horse to not lean over that top rail to get				experience the cornering and braking calamities
grass on the other side. Such leaning by such a				that the horse will experience. Some folks put leg
strong and heavy animal is a major cause of				wraps on their horses when trailering to help
fence breakage. There must be no sharp objects				protect the horse more from accidental braking,
projecting inwards.				cornering, or bumping. After you have ridden in
				the moving trailer yourself, take a few practice
Your large animal Veterinarian or Horse feed and				runs with you and the horse -- so you can see
tack store can help you find the right fencing and				what the horse is experiencing as a driver drives,
an installer that knows what he's doing. Ideally				turns and brakes. And it would be a good idea to
your pasture will have fence corners rounded on				next have someone else ride with your horse
a large radius to prevent your horse from injury				while you drive. One of my friends had a good
if he is cornered by another horse or is just				technique; she put a long stem wine glass on the
running with exuberance and misjudges the				dash of her truck and filled it with water. She
distance to the corner. I have occasionally seen a				then learned to drive without spilling the water or
horse on a tether chain or rope, as some people				turning over the glass. Personally I think it is a
do a dog. Tethering is a practice which has a high				great technique to practice.
risk of injury to horses. It is not recommended
and should be used only when other forms of				You also need to keep the trailer clean, especially
grazing or containment are unavailable and when				keeping it free of hay dust and dirt. Remember
close supervision of the horse can be maintained.				when the trailer is underway and if the vent
Only placid horses and those adequately trained to				windows are open, whatever hay and dirt there is
accept the practice should be tethered.				inside will start whirling around in the trailer. Keep
				everything well tied down inside too; falling, and
FORGET WHAT YOU LEARNED FROM NOVELS				swinging articles in the trailer can spook your
OR HOLLYWOOD: Contrary to all the horse				horse and cause him to jump and hurt himself.
stories and films, your horse will not respond to
you the same way a dog or cat will. He will				Service the trailer at least once a year. Check the
respond and perform best when his owner is				brakes, tires, tire pressure and all hitch welds and
consistent and has a routine. Forget all those				bolts carefully. Make certain that the floor is solid.
stories about Flicka and Black Beauty; it only				Practice driving, backing and turning. Practice using
happens in the movies.				the mirrors. Mirror use is difficult to learn and of
				utmost importance. With proper mirror use
Horses do have personality but you must				however, you can easily back your trailer into a
remember that they are very big and strong and				space only a few inches larger than it is.
you cannot make them do anything unless you
have convinced them and then they choose to do				WHO IS THE BOSS?: If you don't watch out --
it. Proper ground manners are a must and the				your horse will TRAIN YOU, for instance... I knew
rider must know how to ride. Take some lessons				this lady who trailered her horse to various
if you are a first time owner. Horses do not like				lessons and rides... but he knew he did not have
you to hang onto the reins for balance. Learn how				to get into the trailer until the third attempt each
to balance yourself in the saddle and to gently				time. First she would lead him to the trailer, he
guide the horse with the reins. There is no faster				would stop and she would pet and coo to him.
way to make a horse "sour" than to pull on his				The second time she would coax him a little more
mouth roughly. Learn the horse language; the way				with carrots and baby talk. When that, of course,
to communicate to your horse is through the				didn't work either (he liked that sweet talk and
balance of your body, your seated position, the				especially the carrots) she would try the third
position of your feet and legs and lastly the				method. By now she was a little tired and
position of your hands.				frustrated with him, she wanted to go home or
				get on with the lessons; so she spoke firmly, put
STABLING: He does not enjoy being locked in a				the chain across his nose, tightened it a bit, and...
stall every night. He would much prefer the open				he'd get right on. But he always knew that he
fields and the starry nights! A three sided shed				didn't have to get on until the third technique --
(preferably with the open side to the southwest)				besides he would miss his carrots and sweet talk
will due just fine. Horses do need protection from				if he got on the first time!
the sun and rain. Horse blankets/rugs make us
feel better; nature however, has equipped him				Here's another one. Some horses raise their head
just dandy with a real fur coat. Those horses that				and clamp their teeth and will not accept the bit. I
are unlucky enough to be put in a stall every night				have seen people strike the horse about the face
could probably use a rug unless the barn is				or swing the bridle and hit him -- this only teaches
REALLY COZY. But, when it is 30 degrees or				him that the bridle is a mean, scary piece of
lower and it is blowing and wet, he does				equipment and that he'd better raise his head up
appreciate a stall to eat his grain and hay. And it				out of your reach for his own protection. The
will save you a lot of cleanup in your paddocks.				solution to bit shyness takes a while; it will take a
				little patience, some sweet talk and some sweet
PASTURE: Plant a pasture with a mixture of				syrup on your fingers. Play around with his mouth
proper grass seeds. Check with the local				with your fingers and let him wear the bit awhile
Agricultural Substation or horse feed supply store				when he is in his stall to eat and drink. Put it on
for the seed mix. Build several paddocks to keep				him sometimes while you are grooming him too.
your horses in for short times, so that you can				Make sure that the bit is adjusted correctly for
rotate the pastures and periodically give each one				tightness in his mouth and that it is the right size
a rest to replenish the height of it's grasses.				and style. And especially be certain that when you
				ride him that you are not always holding tension
Horses are poor utilizers of pasture, compared to				on the reins, using them when you should be only
cattle or sheep. Most horse pastures contain a				giving body language directions, sawing them back
large proportion of weeds and "roughs" where				and forth from left to right or in any way being
horses are the only grazers. Horses will not eat				rough on his mouth.
pasture that is contaminated with horse dung. This
usually causes the contaminated area to become				MOUNTING YOUR HORSE: Training your horse to
larger and the grazing area smaller. The pasture				stand still as a statue while you mount is a MUST!
growing round the dung patches is usually lush and				If your horse likes to walk about while you try to
looks to be the best feed, while the patches in				mount up -- have someone hold him while you
between will look overgrazed.				get up and properly placed in the saddle. Once
				you are mounted -- sit well in the saddle with an
Where possible, horses should be grazed in				erect posture, take a deep and cleansing breath
conjunction with cattle or sheep. In addition to				and sink into your saddle with poise and assurance
helping calm the horses; the other species will				before you start off with him. Take time
clean up the "roughs" while also reducing the				frequently with just you and him; when no one is
worm contamination on pasture. Although				around, mount him inside the pasture or paddock
harrowing can also be useful to spread the dung				fence and just stand there in the saddle with him
around, in moist conditions and when the grass is				for several minutes. Then after quite some time,
long it may spread worm eggs, making a larger				ask him to walk. Of course you will need to spend
area of the paddock infected. Where no cattle or				the time needed to train him to stand quiet and
other grazers are available, it is essential to				still while you are on him. And you must each
remove the manure or spread it around regularly				learn the particulars of how to open the pasture
during dry periods, when the sun and ultraviolet				gate while you are in the saddle.
rays will tend to destroy eggs and larvae.
				RETURNING FROM A RIDE: There is always the
Your horses will leave some big manure piles				temptation on your horses part, to run back to
around the pasture and especially in the corners.				the barn at the end of a ride. He will be tempted
Spread the horse manure out on the pasture with				to trot instead of walk; canter instead of trot; or
a drag harrow and rake out the pasture corners				run instead of canter. Be careful or you will be
to break it up in smaller pieces; it helps to keep				allowing him to learn or to think you are teaching
the fly larvae in the manure from hatching out				him to run home. If you persist in this
and bothering your horses.				permissiveness you may eventually have a
				runaway horse each time his head turns toward
You will need a manure spreader to spread the				home.
manure you shovel out of your loafing sheds and
stalls. Your horses will eat a lot of the grass in				When you do return home; come down to a walk
your pasture -- but you will still have to mow the				well away from the barn and let him cool down
pastures periodically and you will need to use a				well as you near the barn. If you are cantering in
weed-eater under and along all the fences. You will				and he wants to go faster, break down the gait
need to keep a check out for any plants of the				to a trot and if needed down to a walk even if a
nightshade family as they are poisonous to your				long way from the barn. If he won't walk calmly
steeds.				but wants to jig and go sideways or tries
				breaking into a faster gait -- you need to spend
Grazing animals deplete soil nutrients progressively,				some time in the paddocks and school him to
which in turn leads to poor pasture quality and				walk and trot when you tell him too. If you still
growth rate. This should be regularly monitored by				have trouble; get help from an outside equestrian
soil and pasture analysis. Pasture should be top				or a trainer.
dressed with fertilizers to replace identified
nutrient deficiencies. Check with your State				BUYING YOUR HORSE: When buying a horse be
Agricultural Agent (each state has an Agricultural				aware that what you see during the purchasing
College and Agents attached) to learn to identify				meeting with the horse -- is what you will have
soil nutrient needs and to show you how to				when you take him home. He is most likely on his
destroy noxious plants properly. Make certain that				best behavior at the barns and paddocks where
there is always plenty of clean fresh water in the				he lives, so when you remove him to take him to
pasture and that the water trough is kept dutifully				your place you are likely to get worse behavior
clean!				not better. Unless you are a very experience
				rider with some good horse sense, you should
VACCINATIONS: Your horses require annual				purchase an older, settled horse for a first mount
booster shots for Rabies, Tetanus, Flu Rhino and				and then as you improve get a younger more
Encephalitis, and Potomac Horse Fever. Check				spirited one.
with your local Large Animal Veterinarian and
maintain a proper schedule of immunizations and				Look at the teeth to detect age and condition of
regular checkups. Horses also require quarterly				the horse. Horse newspapers have lots of ads
worming to keep the intestinal parasites below				and some advice. There are auctions for horses
the danger level.				too; once you find out about them you can get
				on the mailing list and visit a few before you buy.
FARRIER SERVICES: Horses in the wild got along				Classified ads are a very good sources of horses
just fine without a Farrier. They ran and romped				for sale.
over vast expanses, were chased by predators
and often ran long distances as a herd. But now				When you go to look at a horse to purchase;
that they are kept and ridden mostly on soft				take along an honest and reputable person to help
sandy soil or grasslands -- the hooves need				you with that purchase. A good saddle horse
trimming every six to eight weeks. AND, yes				should cost you from $2,500 to $5,000. A trained
some horses do need horseshoes of steel, rubber				horse can cost much more but may well be
or some other material. You will be able to tell if				worth the cost. Specialty horses of course --
your horse need shoeing; if he does he will walk				Arabians and Thoroughbreds for instance can cost
very "tender-footed" and may have cracks and				more than a nice home or in some cases more
breakage in his hooves. The way he walks, stands				than a nice shopping center. You don't always get
and carries himself in general will tip you off to his				what you pay for... but you can count on paying
Farrier needs.				for what you get.

INTENTION: Your intention is of great importance!				Watch for conformation (shape and bodily
Horses can feel a fly on their back and they can				proportion) in the horse; which can be learned
feel your intent; when you really mean business.				from books and then there is Attitude -- this is
They learn in a hurry who they have to respect				the same as for humans. If the horse has a bad
and who they can play around with -- DON'T be				attitude it's hardly worth owning at any cost. The
fooled! Set yourself up to win his respect and				horse should be checked perhaps even x-rayed
keep it. Don't ask him to do anything that you				by a Veterinarian. This is called Vetting a horse;
suspect will be an argument unless you have the				done in a pre-purchase exam. This usually costs
time to make certain that he does it. Be firm.				about $300 to $500. A lot of lameness can't be
Being firm does not mean beating your horse; it				seen with the eye and will only show up with
does mean that sometimes you might have to				strenuous training, or during work or competition
put a chain a little too snugly across his nose to				-- just when you can't afford it. ===Happy Trails
lead him if he walks too fast and gets ahead of				and best wishes to a lot of good horsin' around
you at lead.				for all you readers who want horses. Horses can
				bring out the best and the worst of a person and
TRUST: It is so important that your horse trust				give you endless hours of pleasure, exercise and
you. Please don't abuse him by hitting or kicking				frustration. But most horse owners and lovers
him. Trust is necessary for him when you want				wouldn't have it any other way.
him to cross a ditch or a fence or take him to
water or take him to ride with other horses.				TALLY HO!

Selah Morgans

Horses In My Back Yard

The Boy...