By Faye Birkin

Sometimes we as riders, lose sight of the concept of riding just because we love it.  We get stuck  in the rut of thinking that we always need to be doing something ‘worthwhile’ like schooling, training, working towards a showing event or sometimes even that awful ‘obligatory feeling’  of having to ride because we feel bad that we haven’t ridden enough and our horse needs to ‘get out’.

I guarantee you that your horse doesn’t care about all these reasons in the slightest.  The only thing he can really appreciate is when you spend quality one-on-one time with him.  No pressure, no expectations, no rules or preconceived ideas… just being one with him.

It is often during these un-structured, un-scheduled and un-forced moments, that the greatest Read the rest of this entry »

There is a saying that if you always do what you’ve always done, you continue to get what you’ve always got. This applies to every aspect of life, but is particularly true of riding.

It is easy to carry on doing what we’ve always done – after all some of us learned to ride years ago and are unaware that we may have developed bad habits, perhaps to compensate for physical changes in our bodies, or not realizing that we are capable of riding more effectively.

Horses that continually do the same thing quickly become bored and unmotivated. This January, why not resolve to put some sparkle back in to your lives and try something new?

You will be surprised at just how much fun and enjoyment you can have, and how your confidence and relationship with your horse can be strengthened, simply by stepping out of your comfort zone.

Here are ten ways to ensure that 2012 really is a happy new year!… Read the rest of this entry »

I would like to begin an “Equine Glossary” soon since there are literally 1000′s of equine related words, (both slang and actual) that we as horse-owners hear and use every day. Even after owning horses practically my whole life I still hear words now and then that I dont know!

Before we do that however, I would like to share a more humourous side of the Equine Glossary with you…please note that these definitions are only meant to entertain not inform…;-)

Auction

A popular, social gathering where you can change a horse from a financial liability into a liquid asset.

Azoturia (Monday Morning Disease)

a condition brought on by showing horses all weekend. Symptoms include the feeling of dread at having to get out of bed on Mondays and go to work.

Barn Sour

An affliction common to horse people in northern climates during the winter months. Trudging through deep snow, pushing wheelbarrows through snow and beating out frozen water buckets tend to bring on this condition rapidly.

Big Name Trainer

Cult Leader: Horse owners follow them blindly, will gladly sell their homes, spend their children’s college funds and Read the rest of this entry »

When the cold winter weather hits, many horse owners automatically bring out the horse blankets. However, a horse’s normal winter coat is much more insulating than a blanket, and unless the horse has been clipped, is outside without a windbreak, or has been moved to a colder climate during winter months, it will usually actually be warmer without a blanket.

The longer winter coat helps to trap the body heat against the skin. Also, tiny muscles in the skin raise the hairs, creating tiny air pockets that heighten the insulating effect. Flatten this ‘fluffed-up’ coat by adding layers of light blankets, or even one heavy one, can actually make the horse colder.

However there are some circumstances where a blanket is necessary. Carefully consider whether or not your horse should be blanketed.

-Is your horse mostly outside without much shelter?

-Is he/she older and needs extra help staying warm or keeping weight on?

-Is your horse clipped?

-Has your horses recently moved to a colder climate?

These are some of the reasons why your horse would need the extra protections of a blanket through the winter.

Firstly- measure your horse to see what size he will need… Read the rest of this entry »

I have recently taken it upon myself to help a friend find a home for his Percheron mare. She is a lovely girl and derseves the very best of homes, which is why I am trying to give her as much exposure as possible.

Bonnie is a 12 yrs old,  dapple grey Percheron mare.  She is approx 16hh tall and built like a tank! She has excellent conformation and good feet (if a tad long since the gentleman who owns her is forgetful in that area!!) 

She is broke to harness and has done extensive team pulling work, in parades and on the farm.  She also goes under saddle and is very steady and utterly bomproof.

She currently lives by herself so is not herd bound or insecure.  I would love to see her in a new home with some other horsey friends however.

She is a very friendly, gentle girl,  good with kids, dogs, machinery cars and just about anything you can throw at her!!

She also loads and trailers very well.

$3200 obo.

Call Faye 604 897 6766 or email fayebirkin@yahoo.ca

Come take a look at her and you WILL fall in love!

Fall has well and truly set in here on the Lower Mainland…and it looks like it is going to be a very wet AND humid one! Perfect conditions for the dreaded ‘Rain Scald’ also known as:

• Rain Rot
• Streptothricosis
• Mud Fever
• Dew Poisoning (when its on the legs)

Here is an article on what Rain Scald really is, how to prevent it and how to treat it.

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By Cheryl Sutor  

What is rain rot?

Rain rot is one of the most common skin infections seen in horses. It is also referred to as “rain scald” or “streptothricosis”. The organism that causes rain rot appears and multiplies in warm, damp conditions where high temperature and high humidity are present. This condition is not life-threatening, so don’t worry. However, while the horse has rain rot, any equipment that may rub and irritate the infected skin (such as saddles and leg wraps) should be eliminated.

What causes rain rot?

The organism dermatophilus congolensis causes rain rot. dermatophilus congolensis is not a fungus. It is an actinomycetes, which behaves like both bacteria and fungi. Most people believe that the organism is present in soil, however, this has not been proven. The organism is carried on the horse, who has it in his skin. A horse who has this organism in his skin may or may not be affected.

What does rain rot look like? Read the rest of this entry »

Today I stumbed across a wonderful video clip on YouTube that I simply have to share with you…Do enlarge the video window- this is worth seeing in Full Screen! (button in bottom right hand corner)

Scroll down below the clip to find out more about these beautiful horses and what they do!! There is also a 2nd clip right at the end of this article.

HORSE DREAM’s Founders

HorseDream is a German based global working company, founded in 1996 by Gerhard and Karin Krebs at the Lake of Constance.

This following in an insert taken from www.horsedream.com and tells how HorseDream started… 

By : Gerhard and Karin Krebs

In 1999 we relocated to the middle of Odenwald, a low mountain range near Frankfurt. Since October 2008 we live and work at Gut Klein Nienhagen, close to the Baltic Sea.

With the assistance of our Friesian horses, we offer a regular schedule of open programs, private or corporate sessions can be booked at your convenience.

Gerhard: About our journey to HorseDream

Karin and I had been self-employed since 1983 in the IT-world, working around the clock. In 1989 we decided to go on a riding holiday. I was nearly 40 years old Read the rest of this entry »

I wanted to share this article from www.horsetalk.co.nz with you today. Its a great article that teaches us how to tell good hay from bad… Enjoy!

Horses are very fussy about their hay, and are likely to take it as a personal insult if their owners don’t deliver the good stuff.

Knowing how to identify good hay is an essential skill for any horse owner, for two reasons. Firstly, who wants to fork out good cash for bad hay? Secondly, horses will struggle to get any real nutritional value from rumpty hay. They may not even eat it. Dusty and mouldy hay may even do your horse harm, and its overall poor quality might bring on a case of hay-induced colic.

Appearance

Inspect it closely. You’re after hay with plenty of leaf matter. Hay with an abundance of stalk and mature seedheads will have been baled past its best. Look for evidence of dried weeds and thistles Read the rest of this entry »

I am horrified how many horse owners have said to me “But isn’t Hay just Hay?” or “Isn’t all Hay the same?”

The answer is a loud, resounding “NO!” Not all hay is created equal, especially when it comes to horses.  The main issue with hay is that the quality can vary from very good to very bad, with poor quality hay risking making your horse sick, including potentially fatal illnesses such as colic or laminitis.

So today let’s start at the beginning…

HOW MUCH HAY DO HORSES EAT?

Horses consume 2-2.5% of their body weight in dry matter daily. Forage in the form of hay and hay cubes will comprise 50-100% of the dry matter requirements.

Therefore, a 1000 lb. mature horse can be expected to consume 22-24 lb. of hay daily on an as fed basis. (1000 lb. x 2% or 1000 lb. x .02 = 20 lb. of dry matter.

Hay is 90% dry matter; therefore, 20 lb. of dry matter is equal to 20 x 100/90 = 22 lb. of hay on an as fed basis).

Assuming that a small square bale of hay weighs 50 lb., this represents about ½ a bale of hay per day per mature 1000 pound horse. Read the rest of this entry »