For the best experience possible in raising and caring for horses, it is important to match the rider and the horse. Searching options in horse ownership is exciting, but it is necessary to foresee the immediate and long-term expenses involved.

It would make no sense to purchase a spunky race horse, and expect the animal to be docile for a child rider. By the same token, an old, docile mare would not be much of a challenge for a person with some riding ability. It is important to know what you want your horse to do before you buy one, because certain breeds have differing abilities.

After choosing the breed and the seller, you should ride the horse to get a feel for its responsiveness and temperament. If there is any reason for discomfort on your part, you may have to renew your search for the right animal.

A veterinary examination of the horse should be performed before buying it. If the value and the purpose of the horse are significant, there may be a need for a more in-depth medical screening.

If all goes well with the medical screening, and the purchase is a go, then you are a proud horse owner. Other decisions will now have to be made regarding shelter and feeding. You may have the space to stable a horse. If not, consideration must be given to where you will keep your new pet.

If it is necessary to board your horse elsewhere, it is important to remember that animals living in barns are totally dependent on people for their sustenance. Some things to notice when considering boarding stable are: quality of the hay and grain, condition and cleanliness of stalls, and general condition of other animals housed there.

Wherever your horse is housed, it will require feed, water, and forage. A trusted veterinarian can develop a feeding plan that will promote the well-being of your horse. The type and amount of feed you give your horse will depend upon its health, its nutritional needs, and its activity level.

Horses need a great deal of water, so their buckets will have to be filled regularly. Cleaning the buckets often will be necessary to keep the water clean. While refilling the water buckets, you may want to take that time to clean the stall. Mucking the stall is the daily process of picking out the urine and manure, while letting the dry, clean bedding sift through. Some types of bedding are wood shavings, sawdust, and straw.

Your horse is dependent on you to care for its body. Initially, the horse may be fearful of being touched or handled. However, if you speak in a soft tone, the animal will be calmed and ready to be groomed. The disposition of a horse can be improved by daily contact with a caregiver. Brushing its coat and combing the mane and tail can be good for the horse and the handler.

Horses are like humans in that they need comfort when they stand and walk. Horse's hooves should be trimmed about every six to eight weeks. A horse pick should be used daily to remove any stones or other foreign objects that can be lodged in their soft tissue. It is wise to protect the hooves by applying horseshoes.

Raising and caring for horses can be a very rewarding way to pass time. Horse ownership is a big responsibility, and helpful information is available online at various websites on equine matters.

If you want to be successful in caring for and owning horses, tap into all the help you can get on the Web. Articles that tell you everything you need to know are readily available when you know where to look.

Posted under Horses

Cribbing is a behavioral problem, which sometimes develops in horses with insufficient mental stimulation (i.e. bored horses) and most commonly occurs in horses which spend long periods of time in stalls. Cribbing horses bite objects (such as fencing rails), while pulling backwards on the object and sucking air. It is believed that the horse does this because it causes the release of pleasurable brain chemicals (endorphins). The terms 'wind sucking' and 'crib biting' are alternative names for cribbing.

This habit is sometimes mistaken for wood chewing. Both activities involve biting on wood and causing damage to it. However, they are really different habits. With wood chewing, the horse simply nibbles on wood, typically to occupy itself and to meet its natural desire to chew. With cribbing, the horse does not chew on the wood but simply grabs it so that it can stretch its neck so that it can suck in air. Examination of the damaged wood will show the difference as in one case it will be nibbled away whereas in the other it will show signs of being firmly bitten and then pulled.

Over time, cribbing will wear down and damage the horse's teeth. The pulling motion results in an abnormal muscle development in the neck, making it thicker. A number of other illnesses, such as colic, are associated with cribbing but the relationship of these illnesses is unknown (e.g. does the colic pain promote the habit, or does the cribbing air sucking cause the colic, or are both colic and cribbing simply more likely in horses which lack pasture time).

As cribbing is mainly due to boredom, the primary treatment is to make the horse's environment more interesting. Replacing stall time by as much pasture time as possible is generally very effective in reducing the amount of cribbing. Feeding it many small meals rather than one or two large meals per day, and feeding it chewy food such as pasture grass or hay instead of grain, are both very helpful. Any other activities which provide interest, such as exercise and grooming, also make a positive contribution.

An interesting environment will normally prevent the development of cribbing, and help already cribbing horses to reduce the amount of cribbing. Unfortunately, once the habit is established, this in itself will seldom cure it completely. One needs to combine this action with treatment to physically prevent the horse from cribbing, in order to eventually break the habit.

A common treatment is the 'cribbing strap' which is a strap that fits around the neck with a metal plate underneath to making swelling the neck to suck air uncomfortable; this device is also known as a cribbing collar. One can also use a specially-designer muzzle which allows the horse to eat but prevents it grasping fence rails or other objects with its teeth. Putting a fencing wire (with electrical current) on top of fence rails will also keep the horse from cribbing on them. There are also a number of paints which are designed to have a foul taste which one can paint rails and other objects with to discourage cribbing on them (make sure that any product you use is veterinary approved). Some people find that anti-depressant medication helps. If none of the above techniques work, the final approach is surgical, consisting of cutting certain neck muscles and nerves and thereby preventing the cribbing activity.

It is important to both address the base issue (intense boredom) and to try to physically discourage the horse using one of the above approaches. Trying just one or the other is seldom effective.

This article on Horses Cribbing was written by Duber Stewart, the owner of Horses For Sale

Posted under Horses

Those who own horses know how wonderful these animals are to have as a companion. They are smart, sensitive, and fun to be around. These beautiful and majestic animals require a lot of care and love. It is important to make sure your horse is happy so you can have a pleasant and gentle companion.

The following are the top 10 ways to make your horse happy:

1. Properly feed your horse. Because it is in a horse's nature to constantly graze, have set times of the day to feed it. Horses like a routine so feed at the same times of the day. A horse requires a lot of fiber so give him fresh grass or hay. As well, give him grain, but not too much as it can upset his gut. He should have access to water at all times. Water keeps the food able to ferment so it won't get solid and hard in its hind gut.

2. Give your horse plenty of exercise. You want this exercise to be like play and not all work. Exercise keeps his muscle and tendons strong, improves blood circulation, and helps with digestion.

3. Groom your horse on a daily basis. Make sure you groom all over so that his hair and skin are clean and shiny.

4. Let your horse out everyday to run free in a pasture. It is a calming experience and lets the horse be a horse. He will get exercise, fresh air, and stretch his legs. Let him spend his time with other horses.

5. Your horses stable should be warm and clean, with a soft bed. The barn should have good ventilation and he should be in the barn with other horses. Clean the stable out every day so there is no build up of his droppings. Let cats live in the barn.

6. Give your horse lots of attention. Talk to him in a gentle voice, stroke him, rub him, scratch him, and play with him. Horses love affection.

7. Everyday, use a pick to clean out its horseshoes. The shoes should also fit well and are comfortable. A horse that is in distress or uncomfortable will be cranky, bite, kick, and his ears will lay back flat.

8. A horse needs a certain time of the day to relax and be by them selves. Give them a certain time each day to be by themselves. Outdoors in a pasture is a great place for a horse to play and relax.

9. Make sure you have a Vet for your horse. You have a responsibility to ensure the horse will be taken care of medically. Horses should never live in pain or with an illness. Care also includes appropriate de-worming, checking its teeth, and keeping an eye out for such conditions as colic. As well, you must keep his hooves trimmed.

Making your horse happy will not only benefit him, but it will enhance your life and provide you with a loyal and loving companion that is easy to handle.

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