Apr 09

Your Horses Read You Like A Book

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Is that pony bodywork convention coming up next month alluring you? Or maybe you are thinking about attending a tack fitting clinic? Or maybe you are thinking of an animal communication workshop?

Well, you are on the right track. And here is the rider: beware!

Believe it or not, your pony knows when you have picked up some new thing that may better the standard of your horse’s life. Your pony knows precisely what it is that you have just learned. Earlier, your pony may have been very reasonable of that ill-fitting saddle you kept torturing him with, but now, after the tack fitting clinic, he’s going to attempt to throw you off if you keep persisting with that saddle.

Your swaybacked mare, who used to trot down to you when you entered her pasture, will now kick up her heels and take off the other way, that is, if you’re not planning on doing bodywork right then.

And what price your show pony who dislikes his job but still excels at it? He’s aware you attended an animal communication workshop and he is aware you are paying little attention to his wish for a change of career. He is now waiting to teach you a lesson at the next horse show.

Is This All Some Kind of Joke?

It is not, believe me. It is regrettable that so many pony owners have had to learn the tough way that their horses are telepathic. Your horse just knows what you know. So long as you were ignorant, he was content to endure you, but the instant you learned something new that would improve his life, he’s on to you, and he is expecting you to utilise your new talent to his benefit. And that’s starting right now, without any further loss of time!

Be warned: just finding out about new aspects of beneficial things like better horse medical care, better horse feed and better horse management marks you out! Once you’ve traveled down that road, there’s no coming back; it is a one-way street. Your pony will make damn sure of it! I have come across repeated instances of folks that convey something to their animals and then omitting to actually do what they exclaimed they would. They are facing the consequences: it may be the dog relieving himself on your carpet and letting you know where you get off, or it may be your horse bucking you into orbit. If you neglect your animals, they are not going to excuse you.

I have had repeated occasion to have my inabilities set straight by my horses. I remember Marka, my first big-time jumper horse, used to be very easy-going and totally safe to ride when I first got him. We were ideal partners, winning all kinds of shows and championships around. I was definite Marka and I had the ideal chemistry. In fact Marka was a cribber, and that usually played havoc with his teeth, spine, and performance. I believed cribbing was bad, and tried everything I could to bring a cap on his cribbing. Nothing I tried worked. That horse continued to crib, but he never had any antagonism that I kept attempting to get him to stop.

Then I had a brainwave. I tried to reach out to him, to really speak to him. I asked him just what could actually be done to stop him from cribbing. His response was right on the spot: “Do I ask you to give up eating?” Reading closely, he was telling me that cribbing was as much part of him as his eyes, his ears and his legs.

Despite this, I did not give up on trying hard to get him to quit cribbing. It became plain immediately that he was no longer indulgent. He started showing me his butt whenever I went to catch him, and constantly damaged some part of his stall or some object there. His strongest sign of bitterness, though, was his new-found refusal to jump at the shows. He resisted all the attempts of my coach and I to make him perform in the right way. He refused to do so even on courses he used to have a liking for.

We went back for another session with the animal communicator. Marka was extremely unequivocal: “You want me to perform at the shows, let me crib.” Well, that was it “he had issued his final warning in a manner that was unmistakable. We made a decision to let him crib without any more complaint, and was that a good thing. He started performing well again and even more important, he started loving it again.

Marka is no longer with me. He now belongs to my former coach. I’m told Marka has his very own cribbing tree and he even has his own gang of cribbing mates. It is rather a lovable gang of equine cribbers! They take turns cribbing. Marka sets the ball rolling, then turns to one of his pals and asserts, “You’re on dude, go ahead!” when the pal is done with his cribbing, both turn to a third pal and tell him to get on with it. When each pony has had his turn, it’s back to Marka again. He is on one. Gigantic cribbing splurge nowadays. He is routinely used to take beginner adults and children through 3 foot courses. He has absolutely no issues with the world so long as it doesn’t interfere with his cribbing. His teeth may suck nonetheless it is worth it for him!

My experience with almost all of my horses “in particular my mustangs “has been pretty much the same. So long as you are an ignoramus, they are reasonable and forgiving. As quickly as you lose the blissfulness of ignorance, they stop forgetting and forgiving. They have memories that will challenge those of elephants. But they’re constant to you if you’re understanding with them. When you give them what they desire, they try to give you what you want: better rides, better performances.

I have attempted to pass on a friendly warning through this article to all horse lovers. Learn all of the subtleties of proper pony medicare. Learn also to reach a compromise with your horse: they like a scratch-my-back-and-I’ll-scratch yours arrangement. Don’t pay the penalty for being inflexible.

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

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Mar 23

Communicating With Your Pony

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Yes, your horse most likely doesn’t talk English. In all possibility, he doesn’t speak any other human language, either. He can’t speak how you and I talk, but that doesn’t mean he can’t communicate. Your horse is a constant source of non-verbal signals and body language that you would do very well to pick, interpret and understand. Let’s start you off with some inputs in this article.

Groaning

A horse groans for the same reasons human beings do. Rather frequently, the groan is an expression suggesting that the pony is experiencing pain. If you are uncertain of what caused a groan, you’d be smart to have your vet have a look.

Horse grunts that are not reflective of discomfort are voiced when the horse is straining over some barrier, much as some tennis players grunt when they serve or hit a shot. These grunts are easily interpreted and are nothing to fret about.

Certain riders, especially those that bounce like bad checks when they’re riding, can cause horses to groan. You will presume that these are groans of exasperation. Occasionally horses grunt when they think their work is done for the day.

You must become extremely alert when your pony moans; if there’s the tiniest indication that he’s moaning due to physical discomfort you need to call the veterinarian straight away.

Sighing

Sometimes, horses sigh. They do so by inhaling very and then letting out their breath slowly through their mouth or nose. Quite often, these sighs seem to signify ecstasy, if as an example, they occur when the horse is being groomed or rubbed down. Often horses sigh when they are given repetitious work; you could say these sights indicate irritation. You should look for something else to do if your horse sighs during a training routine.

Snorting

When a pony sighs with a lot of stress, with partly closed lips that vibrate when it expels breath, it is snorting. Snorting is much louder than sighing. Snorting generally is an indication that the pony is excited about something. Snorting is also infectious, as other horses close by can take it up in a form of chorus. Sometimes, the excitement may build up, and the pony may get difficult to manage, showing his excitement with a head held high, a lifted tail, more and louder snorting and some prancing.

Infrequently horses snort when they get frightened. In your rides, you could have occasion to notice that your pony snorts when he comes across something that looks like it might be a threat of some kind.

Nickering

Typically, a pony nickers when he is feeling cheerful, or he is expecting something nice like an additional treat. Horses also nicker to show their emotion, like mares do with their foals. Horses nicker as the times for their feeding get close; if they are feeling impatient for their feed, they make excited sounds that are high pitched.

Sometimes nonetheless , nickers can signal trouble. Horses nicker softly when they are nervous; nickering accompanied by pacing, eye rolling and ears moving forwards and backwards indicates that the pony feels threatened. It is best to instantly attend to the situation and take away the threat.

Neighing

At various times, neighing suggests that the horse is either anxious or assured. Horses neigh to speak with one another while at pasture. Perturbed or high-pitched neighing together with sweating indicates stress over something. If the neighing has a kind of bugle effect, and the horse is exhibiting confident body language with ears pricked, it is in excieted anticipation of something or somebody.

Well, that pretty much should make it plain that horses do communicate. You can understand them only if you’re alert and mindful of what each of their different modes of communication signifies. You will develop an everlasting bond with your horse when you do eventually understand everything he’s saying and respond accordingly.

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

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Mar 15

Horse Training That Yield Positive Outcomes

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Say you have a phenomenal pony, a champion at the equestrian sport you trained her to partake in. You’re pleased with her and her accomplishments. Have you ever stopped to ask if she’s in actual fact really well-broke?

Stupid? Well, in fact , she is a champion at what she does, and she has never dropped a little hint of being spooked or sensitive to what you do around and with her. Shall we say you’ve even begun teaching routines proportional to high dressage maneuvers and she hasn’t let you down. Why would you think she’s not well-broke yet? Just to be absolutely sure, try changing the environment or riding with other equestrian trainers and pony owners on a trail completely new to your pony. If she freaks out at even the most simple cues and spooks around other horses or folks, then you know she isn’t well-broke, she’s just used to your routines, your commands, and your exercises (as well as the equestrian sport you trained her for) in environs she’s equally used to. She’d be a mare fit for her equestrian sport or for whatever activity she was trained for, but she is not well-broke.

A well-broke horse can change from his ordinary routine, say cutting for example, and continue with another activity and perform almost as well as he did with cutting in any environment without as much as a neigh of complaint. Well-broke horses hear their trainers ‘ or riders ‘ commands and follow their cues regardless of the situation. Of course, you have to train your mare to perform specific functions satisfactorily well and to develop correct responses to stimuli instead of just showing the ever-present fight or flight behaviour.

To do that, your equestrian coaching routine, whether for straightforward horse riding or serious sport, should not rely solely on repetitive lessons taught in the pen but should also include sort of on-the-job training to be certain that beyond continually mastering the manoeuvres you teach, your pony can also put them into practical use as well as learn practical lessons you cannot or don’t teach her in a pen. Introduce these simple out-of-the-box exercises to your mare’s routine to start her on the road to being truly well-broke:

Gate work “Working a gate is a microcosm of equestrian coaching the depths of which you wouldn’t be well placed to imagine unless you do it. Your horse could well be nervous or spooked by contact with a gate she’s supposed to snug up laterally to, and this is what you need to get rid of. From standing still next to a gate to adjusting position in single steps to getting rid of her reaction of moving away, there’s a lot of training to be undergone in gate work.

Log dragging “The concept is simple: use some rope or a lariat to pull a log behind you as you ride. This would teach your mare to not get spooked by things, animals, or folk coming up from behind.

Maintaining level of gait on trail group riding “Horses are herd animals. The trouble is, when you are riding with other horses and riders, if your horse isn’t well-broke, when one of the riders gets his pony to switch gait and go quicker, your mare might wish to follow follow suit by herself. So teach her to repress that nature. You will need another pony and rider for this one.

While there are lots of more training exercises to guarantee a well-broke pony, these are examples of the simplest and most handy ones when you are starting. Take it slowly and remember to bring your patience with you.

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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Mar 15

Developing A Good Seat Is Indispensable To Horse Riding Success

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Getting your own horse should come with sufficient reason—you must either desire her for horse riding or for sport or you see horseback maneuvers as a kind of art, or some other reason along those lines. No reason can be decidedly wrong, it’s just that the reason for your getting horses would then affect how you go about acquiring one. A pony that’s perfect for your motivation is essential: an occasional ride would entail an aged, well-broke pony; a challenging equestrian sport will need a tough competitive steed; and those who want to see moving, graceful art would need horses accomplished enough for dressage.

In relation to but with no regard for your reason or motivation behind being an equestrian is the prerequisite to discover how to relax, balance, and flow with the movements of your pony. This isn’t exclusively for the potency with which coaching is done and activities performed, but also for the overall comfort and health of the horse involved. And a very important main element in achieving balance, relaxation, and a flowing connection between horse and rider, is the rider’s seat. The more schooled and educated your seat is, the better you become at handling your pony and her reactions and actions.

Without a seat that works independently from your arms and legs, not to mention your voice, you won’t be in a position to satisfactorily control your equine partner. You can enforce cues through vocal commands, and gait speed thru your arm and leg movements, but ultimately the quality of the horseback experience would be mediocre. And even the social rider anticipating weekend horse riding activities can benefit immensely from a productive seat. The first step, balance, is not got thru forcible means. First, you find your centre. So long as you know and control your center, balance can become as familiar as second nature. And together with finding balance, you gain an amount of relaxation that would enable you to explore what body movements, irrespective of how seemingly insubstantial, can influence your pony to a point that it can become a natural and spontanious command.

For example, stop breathing and your body would naturally clam up—so too would your pony. In extreme cases when you clench your jaw you will find your pony will clench hers also. With constant flowing harmony, as is necessary in dressage but is equally beneficial in even straightforward pony riding, you’ll find that your horse will mirror your actions and bodily motions.

In being able to find your balance and relax on horseback your seat will start to naturally follow the motions of your horse. When your seat and your pony move as one, you are better set to influence your partner’s movements thru your seat. The point when this occurs is eye-opening: a simple shift in position or change in energy can tell your horse to slow down or speed up. But this is only the beginning of a long road in using your seat as a pivotal tool in horse riding and sport.

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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Feb 19

Trusting Horse Instincts On Supplements And Feed

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How are you feeding your horses? Are you force feeding a uniform feed regime to all of your horses without leaving them any freedom to choose? If that is so it’s about time you retire such a feeding practice and start trusting in a horse’s inbred senses that they’d typically depend on. Many an equestrian has a strict training regimen not only for safe and disciplined horse riding but for a sport as definite and exacting as dressage. The difficulty is when an equestrian’s stringent training regime influences his holistic medical care for his horses such that he also gets extraordinarily stringent when it comes to feeding them. Sure, he would probably know lots about pony feed, but a stud or mare has its instinct directing it—and they are often right on the money.

The perfect feeding program is something close to a correctly supplemented free choice feed environment. There are headstrong steeds out there that will not take a bite of anything you require them to take. If however you let them get used to free choice feeding routine and you think that giving them liberty to choose is affecting their health negatively, then introduce supplements to their feed. What our equine friends might be really averse to are those evil shots and additional medications we always rush off to administer when they get out of condition.

And there arrives a point, particularly for horses undergoing equestrian training for such sport as dressage or physically demanding activities, that they do develop an illness of some sort. When they do, go on and take a veterinarian’s prescription, but do not expect your horse to gulp it down with pleasure. The very first thing to do is to try regular treatments of anything prescribed. If in all of your earnest efforts and methods of administering it your pony seems to find a way not to take it—from leaving just the pills and eating up the rest in her feeding box to gulping it down and spitting it out as fast as you turn around—then there just might be a good reason why.

If you have been training a specific mare for a long time now, then you know she has her very own temperament—but her hardheadedness isn’t due to merely a quirk in her disposition. Trust her instincts like she is doing, and you will see. If she indicates a certain tendency to eat more of a particular feed, then let her do so. You might be stunned she gets better on her own choice of feed even without the drugs. Or she would take the medication when she is afflicted by the symptoms of her illness, and hates it when she is not. Obviously, she knows what’s helping her along when she is ill and when it’s required.

Just as a pony trained for sport affords you the luxury of straightforward and pleasurable riding, you can at least afford them their right to trust their instincts.

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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Feb 19

How West Nile Virus Can Impact Your Pony

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When an equine ailment is so devastatingly dangerous as to threaten the lives of both the horses and the equestrians handling them in a break out, knowing what is fact and what is myth about such disease is equivalent to correct pre-emption and prevention. The West Nile Virus, after taking both equine and equestrian lives, is one such really dangerous illness that is surrounded by fables that need to be put straight.

The Dangerous Vaccine: One such myth about the West Nile Virus that not only ended horse riding escapades but horse careers (as well as equestrian careers) concerns the vaccine developed to prevent it. The myth goes that the vaccine itself is dangerous, and has caused the deaths of some steeds it was applied to. That is simply not right. The vaccine developed by Fort Dodge and the Merial vaccine are both effective and safe. The thing is, when a horse is already infected, no kind of vaccination can save it. And that is what doubtless started the rumor and the resulting myth: an infected pony was immunized and died from the illness.

West Nile is History: Most trainers and owners are happily going for horse riding sessions and shows without realizing the need to vaccinate their horses against the West Nile Virus because they believe it is a thing of the past. While it is true the occurrences of West Nile Virus infection has decreased, many horses are still apparently carriers of the virus that are either slow in showing symptoms or will never show any. Most animal and horse nationwide associations endorse vaccinating steeds each year particularly those at higher risk due to their mosquito-infested geographical areas.

One Vaccination is All that’s Needed: Most trainers may think that a pony vaccinated from the West Nile Virus last year is still safe from the pathogen this year. Evidence does suggest that some horses can resist the pathogen now if they were immunized a year back, but without yearly vaccination, a steed (and her owner) can’t ever be truly safe from the West Nile Pathogen. Contracting even a lessened sort of the illness can spell catastrophe, as this illness due to a virus has no known cure, and when infected, a horse may then go on to develop neurological symptoms, which it would then succumb to at some point.

Vaccination Against Other Mosquito-Carried Sicknesses is Enough Protection: Many an equestrian has settled on a vaccination shot of equine encaphilitis and thought it adequate to stop the West Nile Virus from infecting their horse, since both illnesses are carried by a common culprit: mosquitoes. That is not true. The carriers might be the same, but the illnesses, and their causes, are different. A vaccine for one disease does not protect horses from anything aside from the illness it was intended for.

The West Nile Pathogen is a virus that has to be avoided at any cost, and believing misconceptions about it wont help. Aside from knowing myth from fact, sanitation and hygiene is vital, especially cleaning up water buckets and other containers, and making certain that no polluted water is lying around.

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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Feb 17

How To Take Professional Pony Photographs

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When you first took up the mantle to become an equestrian, you probably had visions of you horse riding and perhaps even dreamt of participating in dressage events. But did you ever see yourself as a paparazzo? There are occasions when you need to take pictures of your horses, and not just any pictures, but photos that show their strength, speed and elegance . Whether they’re for the purpose of advertising or promotion or to show off recent achievements in competitions, as a rider, you will find yourself taking footage of your horses.

And it is not like you take photos to save the memory—most of the time footage are employed when you need to sell a specific stud of mare. Of course , footage of an athletic pony performing dressage maneuvers certainly would leave a sound impression on prospective customers. But you do not want to just take any picture of your horses, you want to take fantastic pictures of them. And photography requires practice. Professionals even have degrees or certificates that attest to their photographic capabilities, so do not think you can do it the way they do easily. There are 1 or 2 tips you can follow to improve your horse photography.

For one thing, the film you use matters. Top quality film renders prime quality shots. 200 ASA is great film for the 35 mm format. And if you’re going digital, you’d want higher pixel (or as it stands today, megapixel) counts. But do not waste the prime quality , high price film (or megapixel battery consumption) on a very bad day. Pick good days when it isn’t too dark and not so bright. Your pony would look the best if the lighting isn’t too bright or otherwise. Too much sun causes darker shadows, and this will not make for a pleasant picture ambience, especially for dark horses.

A note on preparing the pony you plan to take a picture of: aside from ensuring she’s healthy and clean, make her look her most beautiful. Use acceptable props,eg platted manes and oiled hooves if that is proper for her equestrian activity. Also, everything she is going to wear should likewise be clean and professionally maintained. The horse isn’t the only factor in the picture that requires preparation though, the background wants some preparation and thought too. It’s best to set her up against a uncluttered background. And any handler or rider appearing in the shot should look their best as well.

You could need an extra set of informed hands to deal with the horse since you will be doing the shooting. And when you start shooting, ensure you get the finest angle of the horse. Stay clear of going too much to the front or rear, as these angles tend to enlarge certain parts of the pony. Attempt to catch the best part of whatever action you need your horse to be doing—capture a shot with her extending her leading leg while in a trot or canter, as an example. And ultimately, just keep at it: most picture perfect moments are accidental, so just click away and you’ll get the right one.

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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Feb 17

How To Teach Your Pony To Cross Obstacles

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Training your pony to cross over obstacles is best done in a controlled environment with the least number of possible distractions. Horses are smart animals they can learn pretty quickly. Therein also lies a particular drawback that may make coaching them more than challenging: smart animals have attitudes.

Horses wouldn’t be well placed to perform complex and graceful Olympic equestrian manoeuvres if they were not smart. But ask anyone who’s trained a horse for dressage and did so successfully and they’d tell you one of the first hurdles they needed to overcome was either subdue the proud animal’s disposition or meet it halfway, the second more desirable than the former.

Your pony wants to be left alone while doing what is needed of her, though you unfortunately can’t just let her do that, unless you have already established thru a cue exactly what it is that you want her to do and how. You can teach her to put her feet where you need them, either while from the saddle or from the ground, but whatever cue you need her to be acquainted with, just don’t forget to release her from it quickly after she replies correctly.

Regardless of the obstacle, you must be firm on precisely where you want her to cross. Being more definite helps to make it easier for her to realise. The main thinking to remember is to always keep her eyes on that focus spot. Try applying your “go forward” cue and release her from it as quickly as she responds.

If you are focusing on the “go forward” cue, you’ll need to negate every other motions she tries while keeping both her eyes on the same spot as before. Move her back to the left if she moves to the right and vice versa. She’ll will keep moving her head away from the point of focus—just keep turning it back to the spot where you need her to cross. When you spot her pawing or lowering her head, she’s considering going forward, so apply your cue and reward her responsiveness if she does go forward.

When she reaches the obstacle, permit her curiosity to be satisfied by inspecting it. If the obstacle is water, just let her paw it; if it is step ups, let her go a foot at a time; for crossovers, let her get an understanding of it. The first “step” is always the biggest, and if she successfully clears the obstacle then start over from the other side. Repeat until she crosses without hesitation to the other side and back. It’s sensible to work using an obstacle your pony would think she could not cross in an area adequately large to make allowance for safe manoeuvring.

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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Feb 16

Choosing Suitable Horses

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Carol had not ridden a pony since she was a kid, more than 40 years ago. Now in her 50s, she planned to buy herself a horse. She heeded the recommendation of her instructor and acquired an off-the-track thoroughbred of about 8 years old. The horse was skittish, and unseated her rather suddenly 6 times in around 6 weeks. She sold her horse to a pro rider in her 20s, and the horse took to show jumping like it had realized a lifetime ambition. Luckily , Carol’s falls did not end up in any major damage. On the other hand, she got some priceless understanding on disposition and compatibility. Her 2nd horse was a paint quarter horse of mild personality who effortlessly went from trail to clinic. This pony was definitely not in the top bracket vis pro dressage, but was solid, stolid and trustworthy.

Whether the proposed rider is young or old, male or female, experienced or a total novice, the most significant characteristic to look out for when purchasing horses is attitude.

“I counsel the aged, the very young and the fully incompetent to go in for a strong pony of gentle and tolerant disposition,” says Margie, an instructor who had helped choose the right pony for lots of students. “I tell them to look for horses of 10 years of age.”

She recommends horses that “have been there, done that and had enough”.

She also adds a rider: the proposed purpose in buying a pony can make a change to the kind of pony the purchaser should go looking for.

“Most adults want not just a pony for riding, but as a long term pet, too. They seek the joy of riding a horse who will also give them companionship,” she is saying. For such folks, the horse’s on selling value is of no importance because they would like a pony for keeps, not for reselling a little time later .

On the other hand, continues Margie, younger riders look for horses they can resell after they have extracted the maximum from their horses in terms of competition or even in terms of normal riding pleasure.

“It has been my experience that young riders have no hesitation about unloading a pony, even a pony which has been with them a considerable time, if they find a better prospect,” Margie commented.

She added that she had trained tons of riders of every age and nearly invariably, it was only her older scholars who look for a horse to grow even older with.

Another instructor, Christen, has the same opinions. Younger riders select their first horses by judging the pony solely on its competitive potential. “Almost all the beginner adults I know have settled on horses that have all round abilities and unruffled personality. They need horses that will jump low courses without fuss, go on trail, are hunter paced and capable of student level dressage and can be conveyed by trailer to clinic or some place else without raising an unholy ruckus. They don’t want good looking horses, they want comfort and equanimity.”

Whenever Christen is asked to keep an eye out for a suitable horse by an older customer, she narrows her search to horses that have already been with older owners. For people with lower level dressage ambitions who are searching for a show pony, she tries to get horses that’ve been downgraded in coaching, or are being disposed off by young riders who are upwardly mobile and are trying to find a better pony. She asserts that is why resale value is a case of concern often for the younger riders.

“Whenever someone approaches you for help in choosing a pony, the very first thing you take account of is the reason why the customer would like a horse,” Christen claims. “You will find just the right pony when you look for them with your client’s interests and desires in mind.”

At 50 plus years of age, Pat is the owner of a level headed 17-year-old Warmblood cross. After she purchased this pony, she faced great pressure from the owner of her old boarding facility. This person, a pony trader himself, kept attempting to get her to swap her pony for a younger one. He almost convinced Pat, who had established great rapport with her horse. Pat came to her senses just in time.

“If I was in my teens and yearning for an Olympic gold,” Pat announces, “I might think about getting some other pony. My horse does everything I ask her, and I have not a lot more to ask. There is definitely no explanation for me to give her up.”

Sandi, a rather more experienced rider of 70 years old, remembered her experience with her first horse Hank. He died unexpectedly after he had been with her for 10 years. Her present horse is Toots a retired show jumper of over 20 year s.

A bowed tendon has put Toots out of action, and his recuperation will last a year. For a few days, Sandi toyed with the concept of permanently retiring Toots and getting a new pony. She shortly came to the opinion that no horse could replace Toots to her entire satisfaction, and she’ll wait to ride him again, however long it takes.

“We are enjoying our retirement in each other’s company,” she explains.

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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Feb 12

Horses Can Be Affected By Four Types Of Equine Herpes Virus

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Horses can suffer from four types of Equine Herpes Virus, or EHV, and the one you would want to cope with the least, is the first type: EHV-1. Unfortunately, the most distortive of the strains is also the most commonly contracted. EHV-1, though originally a breathing infirmity alone, has a mutant strain that spreads its effects to become a neurological disease. Infected horses will be carriers of the pathogen their whole lives, effectively rendering them pointless for equestrian sport and too dangerous to expose to other animals.

When under stress a carrier would readily shred the pathogen, and most infected horses, though seemingly healthy, are sporadically shredding the virus through respiration secretions. A steed can contract the disease from nose contact with an infected pony or through sharing tools and aids like bits. Once infected, the blood vessels ferries the virus round the animals ‘ body. You can observe early symptoms like nasal discharge and mild, inconsistent fever that is hard to detect unless you check ever 6 hours. Vets can check the discharge to see if it’s indeed EHV-1.

6 to 12 days after infection of the neurological strain, horses would start to show symptoms. The disease 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 indicators. After first neurological symptoms start in a steed’s hindquarters, finally the horse won’t be able to stand. If left that way, death comes in 24 hours.

The reason behind the illness being a virus, there is no known cure for it. Vets may advocate immune modulator shots to raise the immunological reaction of horses. If the EHV-1 respiratory strain is afflicting them, they’d do well with just the shots. But there’s not much an equestrian can do apart from alleviate symptoms. There are vaccines that help decrease the spread of the pathogen and can even forestall the breathing strain from infecting horses, although not the mutant neurological strain.

All steeds from those used for simple horse riding and those utilised for exacting sport should undergo a food vaccination scheme, and the equestrian responsible should also practice good herd management for multiple horses. Pregnant mares and newly born babies should be immunized regularly. Breeding stallions are ideally immunized before their breeding season.

Barns should be kept clean and regular sanitation each 4 months is necessary. Barns that had once had an outbreak of EHV-1 should be sanitize each two months. This sanitation program helps prevent some other equine sicknesses as well. 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 except for yours who joined is suspected of having EHV-1, take the lead to quarantine your horse for 21 days.

In the case of an onset, 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. Sterilize 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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