You never forget the day that you first see the horse that’s going to change your life. Riders first connect with a horse the first time they see and ride them. That connection doesn’t happen when shopping in a horse sales advertisement. You can’t commit to something you can’t see, and sometimes a two dimensional picture just isn’t enough.

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The secret to making sure your horse goes to the right home is to make your horse sales advertisements count.

A good sales advertisement is one that can convince a potential buyer to come take that first look at your horse. A good horse sales ad should include a brief summary of the horse’s physical characteristics. Thoroughbreds should also come with their pedigree, particularly their dam and sire. The performance of their sire and/or dam is a strong precursor to how effective their performance will be as well if placed in the right hands.

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Potential buyers also want to envision how your horse performs under tack. Is your horse best suited for the ring or the oval or are they happiest when they’re out on the trail? Their training is going to heavily influence your buyers’ ability to recognize that your horse is the right choice for their needs.

Is their personality sweet and cooperative or stubborn and willful? A horse’s personality can be as different as night and day. Some horses demand an experienced rider, while others are perfect for beginners. Your horse’s ability to get along with both other riders and other horses is going to affect how well you’re able to place them in a new home.

The real secret to successful horse sales is to give the viewer the chance to understand who your horse really is. When you’ve done that you can be confident that you’re in the perfect position to attract the kind of buyer your horse deserves.

I hope you have enjoyed this article and it has given you an insight into the world of “how and where” to buy horses for sale and horses and ponies for loan. For a huge selection visit one of the top equestrian sites online today please visit: Horseboxes for Sale

Bonding with your horse will allow you to learn and respond to his feelings and reactions in different situations. Over time you will learn his body language. A calm and responsive manner is a sign of a happy horse. They will keep their head lowered, and have soft eyes and a relaxed jaw. A happy and contented horse will want your love in return and show respect to you. When a horse yawns this is not a sign of being bored, but a sign that he is calm and relaxed. A horse will show that he is uncomfortable in a number of ways, including holding his head high and with a tense jaw, darting his eyes around, and not wanting to stand still. Allow the horse time to settle himself slowly in order to avoid the onset of “flight” mode and further stress.

Grooming your horse gives you the opportunity to check him over regularly. It is advisable to check your horse’s teeth, eyes, hooves, shoes and droppings frequently. Any change in the normal should be reported to your vet at the earliest opportunity – any delay could cause you extra worry, expense and a potential claim on your horse insurance. Regular appointments for worming and routine vaccinations are essential. Worms and parasites can build up immunity to medication so to minimize this you should rotate the medications. Colic, heart and immunity problems can all be caused by lack of suitable medication. Vaccinations for encephalitis, rhinoneumonitis and influenza are essential for a healthy horse. A good idea would be to have tetanus and rabies vaccinations too. Regular users of trailers at show and equestrian events may need to show a negative Coggins test for presence of the incurable virus EIA or equine infectious anaemia.

An important part of keeping a horse happy and comfortable is making sure you have a good farrier who visits regularly. It is important for your horse’s comfort, mood and performance that you do not allow his feet to get too long and unbalanced. Your horse will need his hooves trimmed by a farrier at least every eight weeks; sometimes more often is necessary.

A blanket or coat during winter, and a fly-protective sheet in summer are simple ways to keep your horse physically comfortable. If your horse is prone to lathering during or after exercise then it may be best to use a horse cooler until he has calmed down. A horse’s body could go into shock if given water directly after being ridden. It is also important to let your horse cool down properly after exercise and before feeding. Leave it for an hour after meals before exercising your horse.

Horses need to have a purpose in life – whether this be for work or pleasure. Horses glory in feeling worthwhile. It is important for a horse’s sense of purpose and focus that he receives regular praise – especially when young – for performing simple tasks such as simply standing still or in the right place. As horses are naturally inquisitive animals, they will become more brave, positive and confident the more new experiences you introduce to them.

A horse is a beautiful and magnificent creature that deserves a good home for life with excellent care. You have a responsibility as a horse owner to provide the very best in care and welfare. Keeping a horse can be a very expensive business, and without good horse insurance provided by a specialist equine insurer, it is possible to quickly run into financial problems if your horse should become sick or sustain an injury. By looking out for your horse’s health and happiness you will be rewarded with love a hundred times over from your equine friend.

Horse training requires a firm basis on the ground before you can move onto saddle training; here are a few basic exercises outlined which can be used when training your own horse or someone else’s. It is important to get these exercises right first, as this is how you and the horse will become familiar with each other and build a trusting relationship. It is the groundwork that will pave the way for future training. It is important for your safety that your new ton-sized friend is taught to respect your personal space bubble.

Successful horse training requires patience, persistence and lots of positive reinforcement. These three P’s can be applied to all current and future levels of horse training.

1. Groom your horse. This is the perfect first exercise for you and your horse. You’ll get to know each other. Stand beside him and brush his neck and back. A horse will often turn to give you a little love bit at this time. Horses do this to each other, but may not do it to humans. You can discourage this easily enough by the wave of a hand or by pushing his head back to the straight position. Those teeth are HUGE so you must make it clear from the beginning that this is unacceptable. Use patience and keep calm. The horse will understand and cooperate before too long. It will do you no good to panic, stress, smack your horse or get otherwise agitated. This will only set you back with your trust levels.

2. Lead your horse. Walk on the left side of your horse, holding the lead rope just below his chin in your right hand. Take a step and walk slowly forward. He should remain at your right side and never try to go ahead of you. If he tries to go ahead just walk around him to your left in a circle. Do this as many times as necessary. Show persistence. Use the circular movement to stay just ahead of him, where you should be. Should your horse not want to walk with you then stand slightly behind him, at his shoulder, facing the same direction. While holding the rope close to his chin, push forward gently. Give praise and positive reinforcement when he takes a small step. When he starts to walk willingly, take your place slightly ahead of him and walk on. Never wrap the lead rope around any part of yourself – this is for your own safety. If the horse decides to bolt you’ll be going along and it will not be pretty.

3. Lunge your horse.This is a great exercise used by most horse trainers and owners. Many of the skills, commands and cues that your horse will require for saddle work can be taught by performing lunging exercises.

In a large open area (an arena works, too, if you don’t have a round enclosure) clip your horse to a lunge lead specifically for lunging. The lungeing rope will be much longer than the lead rope at about thirty feet long. Clip the lead to the horse’s left halter side and hold the lead in your left hand. Face your horse’s left side to begin, whilst holding the lunge rope. Hold a lunge whip in your right hand which you’ll use to guide him along. Now step to your right sideways toward the rear of the horse while holding the whip out behind him. The horse’s natural reaction will be to step forward. Let the line out and follow the horse just behind and to the left side and make a kissing sound. Soon that sound will come to mean “move forward” to your horse. As you’re turning and the horse moves in a circle around you, hold the whip slightly behind his hindquarters. The whip is not for hitting. You only need to wave it just a little to get his attention.

Now, as he moves forward, you should move yourself slowly backwards, so that you come to the centre of your training circle. Stand in the middle and turn in a circle with the lunge line fully extended and the horse walking around you in a good circle. Watch your horse’s hip area as he’s going round.

The “whoa” command can be taught at this stage. In a low, calm voice, say the word “whoooaa”. At the same time, step toward your horse’s head and repeat the word. Be sure to give him a neck rub with lots of praise when he stops. Your horse needs this positive reinforcement if he is to remember what he needs to do.

You can now change position so that you are lunging your horse anti-clockwise. This is done simply by swapping the lead over to be clipped onto the right of the halter, and holding the lunge whip in your left hand.

These exercises are simple ways to get you started when traiing your horse. Bear in mind that a horse is a huge and powerful creature. This alone should be enough to remind you to have adequate horse insurance in place should either you or your equine be injured. Your success with training and all future activities depends both on safety and trust. As well as a loyal friend, your horse is also an investment, so remember to protect that investment against theft, accident or misadventure by making sure you compare horse insurance policies to ensure you are getting the best level of cover for both of your needs.

Saddle training is the ultimate goal for riding, but the groundwork must be laid first. You will first need to lead your horse from the trailer, for example, to the tack area in order to tack-up and then ride. Not much point in teaching your horse point B, the saddle riding part, if there’s no way to get there from point A is there?. When your horse learns to cooperate with you, you can act as a team. This cooperation begins with your ability to approach, catch, and halter him first. Then you’ll need to lead your horse about with a halter and a lead rope.

The primary objective in teaching a horse acceptable behaviour is safety for both of you. He will need to be taught that his natural tendency to pull against the lead rope, for example, is not allowed. Your horse should also know that he must not invade the personal space of the human leader on the other end of the rope. Accidents can easily occur if proper consideration to teaching basic safety manners to your horse is not given before moving on to more advanced training. Whilst a good equine insurance policy may cover you for accidents that happen in training, it’s obviously far more preferable not to have to find this out!

Leading your horse requires that you use the three Ps of horse training: patience, persistence and positive reinforcement. Having already accomplished haltering, it is likely that you have already discovered the effectiveness of the three Ps.

Beginning lead training when the horse is still a foal is the easiest plan. Although you won’t need to cover saddles and riding with a very young horse, it’s important to get an early start when teaching basic ground manners. The young horse will need to cooperate for farrier and vet visits, as well as for the various people moving about the yard, stables or paddock.

If you’re lucky enough to have the dam on site, the foal will copy the behaviours of the dam. Don’t worry if the dam is not present, as it works as well with any horse which the foal spends time with. A young horse will naturally learn from his elders. For example, you don’t need to teach a horse in the pasture how to graze or go to the water and drink. They learn by watching the others. If your student is older, you can still use another horse’s example by haltering and leading the other horse first. Horses notice everything that goes on around them – particularly if it involves other horses within the herd – so you can be sure that your student will be paying attention.

Begin by leading a more experienced horse or dam along with your young student horse, walking side by side with you in the middle leading both at once. The safest place for you to stand is to the left of your student’s shoulder, with the older horse to your left. A young horse could suddenly decide to bolt or to kick his heels, so make sure that you don’t wrap the lead rope around your hand or anywhere else that makes you vunerable. The last thing you need at this stage is complicating the process with an injury for which you may need to claim on your horse insurance.

If you have a calm horse which you think the foal will follow you could also use the pony method. Using a longer lead rope and simply tow the young trainee behind the more experienced horse. Since it’s natural for the young to follow the elders behaviours, this is actually a quite natural method for teaching the lead.

If you don’t have the luxury of having other horses close by from which your student can learn, you will need to rely heavily on your skills of patience, persistence and positive reinforcement. You will get there in the end but it will probably take a bit longer for the horse to understand what is required.

After satisfactory progress, it’s time to try it alone. Again, standing to the left of your young horse’s shoulder and with both of you looking straight ahead, gently walk forward and as you step out, tug very gently forward, then release any pressure on the rope as soon as the horse makes any motion to go forward. Understanding that release is a reward to your horse is a valuable tip used by professional trainers. It tells your horse he’s doing something right.

After you have him walking with you in straight lines with success, try turning slightly to the left, maintaining the space bubble between you. If he crowds you, use your right hand to push him out away from you and hold your arm out to the appropriate distance. Then try turning to the right with the same safety distance between the two of you, still using your right hand to guide him into the correct zone. Reward him each time he takes a step in the right direction by releasing the pressure on the lead rope.

Lead training can be a testing time. Stay with it and you will see great improvement. To get yourself closer to the day you can saddle up for a ride, you’ll need to put in the work; little and often (every day if possible) works best and will soon give you great results.

A horse with colic is a situation that worries any horse lover. So what exactly is colic in horses? What signs should you keep an eye out for?

Colic in horses refers to pain originating in the abdomen. Generally horses will not handle abdominal pain very well. So in the event of any disturbance of gut functioning they will usually display signs of discomfort.

Signs of irritation could be stretching, a stance as if to urinate, and hoofing the ground. If the pain is greater the horse will stand up and lie down, and try rolling to get more comfortable.

The horse will start to sweat. In more severe cases it will get up and down and roll constantly.

What Should You Do?
Should you believe your horse is suffering from colic, you should call an equine vet immediately. The vet will be in a position to supply rapid pain relief and make a decision whether additional action is appropriate.

What should you do while you wait for the vet to arrive? Leading your horse for a walk sometimes helps. It may encourage his guts to work normally and surpress any pain. It could also prevent your horse lying down to roll. If he is lying on the floor quietly then you should let him stay lying down.

It was thought that horses could cause a twisted gut by rolling. That has been proven to be probably not true. Though it is best to prevent him rolling around if you can. That way you can prevent your horse harming himself by banging itself on the stable walls. Of course take care that you don’t get injured yourself. Horses often lose all their manners if in pain.

There are several differing reasons as to why horses get colic. But often the signs look the same regardless of the cause.

What will the vet do to look into the issue? He or she will have a listen to the abdomen with a stethoscope which will show them whether there is more or less activity in the gut than normal.

Monitoring the heart rate provides a good idea of the seriousness of the discomfort and the seriousness of the problem. Usually a horse with a regular heart rate does not have a sever problem. However higher heart rates are not such a promising sign.

A really useful area of the examination is the examination of the rectum. By physically feeling the gut, the vet may be able to find the cause of the problem. Of course this is a highly skilled procedure, that is potentially dangerous for both parties. But for an experienced equine vet the feedback it gives is invaluable in concluding the nature of the issue. It may reveal an obstruction, or a swollen gut loop as a result of a twist or other intestinal issue.

It’s likely that in all but the simple cases the vet may inset a tube through the nose into the stomach. This may sound unpleasant but often may make your horse comfortable by releasing the built up pressure from the stomach. This process can also give the vet detailed feedback as to whether the stomach is emptying correctly.

On occasion the horse is in so much pain that it is impossible for the vet to examine him fully without first applying a dose of pain killer.

Only by collecting all of the information provided by a detailed examination is the vet able to make a tentative diagnosis. Even then it may not be possible to tell exactly what is going on.

Sometimes, after the first inspection, the horse needs surgery. Though more usually the vet will choose to treat the horse with a fast-acting painkiller and review his condition after a couple of hours. Most examples show a quick improvement. But others will show no response to the treatment, or they will respond initially, then start displaying signs of discomfort again later.

Rather than having to bring the vet out multiple times, it is usually better to move these cases to a specialist equine practice so they can be monitored closely and surgery can be performed if necessary.

Conclusion
Fortunately the vast majority of cases respond quickly to medical treatment. However if surgery is necessary – it is vital to operate as soon as possible. The chance of a successful outcome is far greater if the operation is performed before too much damage has occurred.

For more information, horses for sale and more, please visit the Horse and Pony Directory.

Below is a brief description of just three simple groundwork exercises you can perform with your own horse or a horse you are training. Ground exercises are a vital part of getting to know each other and of building trust between you and the horse. Good groundwork sets the stage for all future training. The importance of safety and maintaining your personal space bubble should not be taken lightly.

Successful horse training requires patience, persistence and lots of positive reinforcement. These are the 3 P’s of basic horse training that will serve you well no matter what level you are training or what you might be training for in the future.

1. Groom your horse.

This is a perfect place to start before practising more advanced exercises with your horse. Your horse will get to know you during this quality time together, and vice verse. Standing beside your horse, brush his back and neck. It is not unusual for the horse to bring his teeth around to you for a little love bite. While horses do this to each other all the time, naturally they cannot do it to humans. Discourage this by simply waving a hand, or by pushing his head back straight. Those massive teeth could really hurt – so be sure to make it clear from the very start that this is not acceptable. Use patience and keep calm. He’ll get the idea and will cooperate. It will do you no good to panic, stress, smack your horse or get otherwise agitated. This will only set you back with your trust levels.

2. Lead your horse.

Walk on the left side of your horse, holding the lead rope just below his chin in your right hand. Step forward and walk slowly. He should not try to go ahead of you but should remain at your right side. He may try to do this and you should walk around in a circle to your left. Do this as many times as necessary. Be persistent. By circling to your left you will stay just ahead of him as it should be. If, on the other hand, your horse doesn’t want to walk with you, stand slightly behind at his shoulder facing the same direction. Hold the rope close to his chin and push forward. When he takes a little step, praise and positive reinforcement is in order. When he starts to walk willingly, take your place slightly ahead of him and walk on. For your safety, never wrap the lead rope around any part of you. If the horse decides to bolt you’ll be going along and it will not be pretty.

3. Lunge your horse.

This is a fantastic exercise which the vast majority of horse owners and certainly all horse trainers will use to teach their horse about what is expected. Lunging will teach many of the skills and commands, or cues, your horse will need to know when you’re ready to work him under saddle.

In a large open area (an arena works, too, if you don’t have a round enclosure) clip your horse to a lunge lead specifically for lunging. This will be 30 ft long (approximately 10m), much longer than the short lead rope you use for the lead exercise.

Clip the lead to the horse’s left halter side and hold the lead in your left hand. Start by facing the horse’s left side while holding the lunge line. Hold a lunge whip in your right hand which you’ll use to guide him along.

Now step to your right sideways toward the rear of the horse while holding the whip out behind him. The horse’s natural reaction will be to step forward. Now let out the rope as you follow behind the horse to the left side, making a kissing sound as you do so. He’ll begin to associate that sound with “move forward”. Just hold the whip slightly behind the horse’s hindquarters as you are turning and the horse is moving in a circle around you. The whip is not for hitting. Simply by waving it about a little the horse should pay attention to you.

Now, as he moves forward, you should move yourself slowly backwards, so that you come to the centre of your training circle. Stand in the middle and turn in a circle with the lunge line fully extended and the horse walking around you in a good circle. Watch your horse’s hip area as he’s going round.

This is the perfect time to teach your horse to understand “whoa”. Say the word “whoooaaa” in a low and calm voice. At the same time, step toward your horse’s head and repeat the word. When he stops, give him lots of praise and a little neck rub. You will help him remember what to do through this positive reinforcement.

Changing your position now will allow you to lunge your horse in an anti-clockwise manner. It’s done in the same way, but with the lead clipped to the right side of the halter and the lunge whip in the left hand.

These are just a few basic exercises for you to get started with hands-on horse training. Always remember the size and sheer power of the horse. This alone should be enough to remind you to have adequate horse insurance in place should either you or your equine be injured. Your success with training and all future activities depends both on safety and trust. As well as a loyal friend, your horse is also an investment, so remember to protect that investment against theft, accident or misadventure by making sure you compare horse insurance policies to ensure you are getting the best level of cover for both of your needs.

Horse riders will of course see saddle training as the ultimate goal, but first it’s necessary to complete the groundwork. You will need to take your horse from trailer or barn to the tack area, tack up, and then you’ll ride. Not much point in teaching your horse point B, the saddle riding part, if there’s no way to get there from point A is there?. Your horse will need to cooperate with you so the two of you can act as a team. This cooperation begins with your ability to approach, catch, and halter him first. Then you’ll need to lead your horse about with a halter and a lead rope.

With the primary objective of safety in mind, your horse needs to learn what is acceptable behaviour. Pulling against the lead rope, for example, is natural behaviour for a horse which you will need to teach him not to do. Whoever is leading needs to be secure that their personal space will not be invaded by the horse. Many an accident has occurred as a direct result of inattention to the importance of teaching your horse basic safety manners before attempting anything more advanced. Whilst a good equine insurance policy may cover you for accidents that happen in training, it’s obviously far more preferable not to have to find this out!

The three Ps of horse training – patience, persistence and positive reinforcement – come into play when leading your horse. Having already accomplished haltering, it is likely that you have already discovered the effectiveness of the three Ps.

Ideally you need to begin lead training with your horse when he is still a foal. Don’t leave it too late to begin teaching ground manners – a very young horse doesn’t need to know about saddles and riding yet, so you have time to focus on these important basics. The young horse will need to cooperate for farrier and vet visits, as well as for the various people moving about the yard, stables or paddock.

If you’re lucky enough to have the dam on site, the foal will copy the behaviours of the dam. Don’t worry if the dam is not present, as it works as well with any horse which the foal spends time with. Young horses naturally learn from the older ones in the herd. For example, you don’t need to teach a horse in the pasture how to graze or go to the water and drink. They watch the other horses to learn these things. If your student is older, you can still use another horse’s example by haltering and leading the other horse first. Your student will be watching, as they do notice everything that happens around them, particularly if it involves other horses in their own herd.

A good place to start is to lead a more experienced horse along with the foal; lead them simultaneously with you in the middle. The safest place for you to stand is to the left of your student’s shoulder, with the older horse to your left. A young horse could suddenly decide to bolt or to kick his heels, so make sure that you don’t wrap the lead rope around your hand or anywhere else that makes you vunerable. The last thing you need at this stage is complicating the process with an injury for which you may need to claim on your horse insurance.

If you have a calm horse which you think the foal will follow you could also use the pony method. This is done by simply towing the student horse behind using a longer lead rope. It makes sense in fact to teach the lead in this way, as it’s natural for a young horse to follow an elders lead.

You will need to fall back only on the three Ps of horse training in the absence of other horses to help the youngster learn what to do. It will still be viable, but may take a bit longer for your horse to understand what you’d like him to do.

After satisfactory progress, it’s time to try it alone. Again, standing to the left of your young horse’s shoulder and with both of you looking straight ahead, gently walk forward and as you step out, tug very gently forward, then release any pressure on the rope as soon as the horse makes any motion to go forward. Understanding that release is a reward to your horse is a valuable tip used by professional trainers. It tells him that he’s doing things right.

After you have him walking with you in straight lines with success, try turning slightly to the left, maintaining the space bubble between you. If he crowds you, use your right hand to push him out away from you and hold your arm out to the appropriate distance. Then try turning to the right with the same safety distance between the two of you, still using your right hand to guide him into the correct zone. Remember to release pressure on the lead rope and reward him every time he shows a step in the right direction.

Lead training requires large reserves of patience. Stick with it and you’ll soon see big improvements. Do a little work every day if you can and this will put you closer to the day you can finally saddle up for a ride.

Almost all horse injuries and illnesses (excluding sports injuries and mistreatment) are due to a small number of mistakes in the way horses are kept and treated. Here are the top 10 tips to avoiding these errors and protecting your horse’s health (in rough order of importance, beginning with the most important).

1. Start with a healthy horse

The most important rule is to start out with a healthy horse, rather than buying a sick horse. There are lots of horses which you can get cheap (or even free) because of their health issues but it is a bad investment since you will likely spend more on vet bills than you save on the purchase price. With horses for sale, beware of sellers passing off a sick horse as a healthy one. Before buying a horse, put it through a horse health checklist.

2. Food (type and quality)

Give your horse as natural a diet as possible. Feed grass when possible, with hay the next best alternative. Although old, weak or ill horses may need grain for some extra energy, for young and healthy horses the best choice is grass.

As well as feeding the correct type of food, ensure that it is of good quality. Never feed hay or other food which is moldy or has fungus. If feed gets wet, use it immediately (within a day) or throw it away. Bad feed can be a cause of serious illnesses such as colic or laminitis.

It is advisable that the horse has a mineral stone and salt lick, to compensate for any elements which may be missing from its food.

3. Natural environment (pasture & herd)

Just as a horse should have natural food, it should spend as much time as possible in a natural environment. The two most important parts of this is that it should be on pasture as much as possible and that it should be part of a herd (i.e. with other horses or horse equivalents). Time on pasture gives the horse a natural diet (grass), a natural feeding regime (many small feeds throughout the day rather than a couple large and short feeds), exercise and mental stimulation. Being with other horses gives a sense of safety (horses have a very strong herd instinct) and the social interactions gives it mental stimulation.

Horses which spend most of their time in this natural environment will be happier and more relaxed, with a corresponding decrease in the development of bad habits (such as head weaving or cribbing), which are generally associated with stress and boredom

4. Healthy stall

Especially if a horse spends a lot of time in its stall, the stall environment should be healthy.

• It should have enough ventilation that there is not a build up of ammonia (the harsh burning smell which is produced when bacteria break down horse urine on the stall floor).
• It should be big enough that the horse has a bit of room to move, say 4 yards by 4.
• It should have clean and suitable bedding. In particular, bedding which has gone off (mold or fungus) should never be used.

5. Safe pasture

The pasture should be free of any items which could injure the horse.

The most common cause of serious injuries to horses while on pasture is inappropriate fencing wire. Barbed wire should never be used and it can puncture the horse, causing not only injuries (which can be fatal if a main artery is hit) but also abscesses and other serious infections. High-tension wire should not be used either, since it can cut through flesh and tendons, especially if it breaks and becomes entangled around a leg. If fencing wire is used, it should be a wire which will break before causing serious injury and it should be under current to discourage horses from pushing against it.

If one is using a field which has not been previously cleaned, every bit of it should be closely examined for items which could injure a horse and such items removed. I’ve seen enough horses seriously injured from being put on an old farming field which had bits of fencing wire or pieces of machinery lying about. Likewise, holes (e.g. from burrowing animals) can result in a broken leg so should be filled in promptly. Similarly, broken branches or other objects lying around can result in injuries (especially if the horses are spooked at night, when they may not see the objects and consequently run into them).

There are a number of poisonous plants, which can make a horse ill or even kill it. Learn what types of plants are on your horse’s pasture and check if any of them are poisonous to horses. Most horses will avoid the majority of poisonous plants (unless there is nothing else to eat) so if you see a type of plant which the horses are not eating, one should in particular check that it is safe.

6. Preventative medicine

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. One should worm a horse regularly, give it the required inoculations, and have a regular (e.g. once a year) dental check. Worming requirements depend partly on where you live (parasite types and severity vary by region). Likewise the inoculations which should be given depend not only on the local areas (what diseases are present) but also on how you use the horse (e.g. if it is transported off your property and comes into contact with strange horses). Consequently, one should discuss requirements with a local veterinarian.

7. Watch and regularly inspect the horse

Horses, like people, will naturally become ill occasionally and may suffer accidents from time to time. In most cases, one starts with a minor problem which is easily (and inexpensively) treated if spotted early, but may become a major issue if left untreated.

One should watch a horse each day, and preferably twice a day, even if it is just for a few minutes. Learn what is normal behavior for that particular horse (e.g. running about or quietly grazing) and if there is a change to its normal behavior one needs to inspect the horse more closely. In particular, any signs of the horse appearing unwell (e.g. head hanging, inactive, stopped eating) or unhappy should be checked and monitored until the cause is found and corrected, with veterinary assistance if the situation becomes worse or is already serious.

Certain illness (e.g. impaction colic, laminitis) can often be treated successfully if done so promptly, whereas waiting less than a day after the first visible symptoms can result in a maimed or dead horse. Regular observation and prompt treatment are the key to so many illnesses.

One should clean and examine the sole of the hooves each day. In part this is to remove stones, ice chunks or other items which can damage a hoof. However, an equally important part of this daily routine is that it enables one to spot hoof issues early. Likewise, regular grooming is important not only because a clean horse looks better but also because it provides an opportunity to closely examine all parts of the horse for injuries or other abnormalities.

8. Shelter

Horses should have shelter from excessive cold, rain or wind. A simple shelter, open on one side facing away from the prevailing wind, can greatly increases the horse’s comfort. Alternatively, when the weather is very bad, it may be necessary to remove the horses from pasture and paddock and put them into their stalls.

The amount of shelter a horse requires depends on the local environment (how extreme the temperature gets locally) but also on the horse. A strong and healthy horse, which is neither very old or very young, will be much more resistant to weather extremes. Likewise, certain breeds (especially if they have a long coat, which has not been trimmed or had the coat oils removed by frequent washing) are more resistant than others. One needs to provide a level of shelter which is appropriate to the individual horse and the current weather. One should also consider a horse rug for horses which are very old, very young, sick, weak or prone to illness. One may also consider a fly sheet, which not only increases the horses comfort but also reduces the risk of sweet itch, eye infections (if a fly mask is used) and other illnesses which can be transmitted by biting or blood sucking insects.

9. Breed and individual requirements

Each breed has its own special requirements. For examples, many breeds are prone to laminitis and consequently should have only limited access to spring grass. Other breeds may have specific issues and require special treatment (e.g. many Appaloosa are night blind and consequently are more likely to run into fencing if left out at night). Learning about your breed’s strengths and weaknesses from a medical perspective will allow you to respond accordingly.

Likewise, each horse is an individual. Some are more weather resistant than others. Some are more prone to colic or other illnesses. As you watch and live with your horse, learn about its special needs and treat it accordingly. For example, if it is allergic to dust, one may need to soak its hay in water or buy low-dust feed. If it looks unhappy and uncomfortable in cold weather, one should consider taking it under shelter or providing it with a rug, as you may be looking at an early warning for a potential illness (e.g. cold-induced colic or a cold-induced lung infection). Taking account of your horse’s medical history and behavior as part of your horse management program will help keep it healthy and happy.

10. Continue to learn

The more you learn about horses in general and your horses in particular, the better you will be at avoiding most problems and promptly treating the rest. Never be put off by the fact that you don’t know as much as other people. Everyone started out knowing nothing and nobody knows everything. The important thing is to continually learn.

Colic is the most commonly occuring serious horse illness, affecting at least 1 in 10 horses each year. It is the single biggest cause of premature horse death and also the most frequent source of major veterinary bills. In addition, it can cause other serious illnesses, such as laminitis or founder.

Colic is not a single illness but rather a group of related illnesses affecting the digestive system. As such, there are many different types of horse colic and various different causes. Extensive research, covering thousands of case studies, has identified the main causes of the various types of colic. Following is a list of horse care actions to avoid the primary causes of colic and thereby greatly reduce the risk of your horse developing colic.

1) Frequent Feedings. Horses have evolved to graze throughout the day. The more frequently they eat, the healthier their digestive system.

2) High-Volume Foods. Horses have evolved on high-volume and high-fiber foods such as grass. Although one can feed energy-dense foods such as grain or musli, they should not be the main component of the horse’s diet. When feeding both hay and grain, the hay should be first and then the grain, as this results in better digestion and reduced bolting of food.

3) Soak Pelleted Food. Unsoaked pellets (e.g. hay pellets) are more likely to be bolted and more likely to cause choke than soaked pellets. More relevantly, unsoaked pellets expand when they come into contact with stomach liquids and can thereby result in bloat and subsequently colic.

4) Lock Feedroom Door. Horses which get into a feedroom can stuff themselves, especially on grain, which can result in colic (it can also cause laminitis). A lock or horse-proof latch is adviseable.

5) Correct Bolting. A horse which bolts (swallows without chewing) its food is more prone to colic, as well as other illnesses (e.g. ulcers, choke). This may be due to medical problems (e.g. dental) or simply a bad habit. Explore possible corrective actions with your vet.

6) Sand and Dirt. Make sure that your horse does not ingest sand or dirt, as this can result in impaction colic. Do not feed them on top of sandy or dirt surfaces. Avoid over-grazed pastures.

7) Water. A horse which does not drink enough is prone to colic. Likewise, a horse that has not had access to water and then suddenly drinks a very large quantity. Ensure that your horse has access to water throughout the day. During winter, water should be warmed, as most horses will greatly reduce their water intake if it is too cold. After exercising a horse, allow it to drink but limit the quantity until it has cooled down.

De-worming. Horses should be de-wormed regularly (every 3-4 months). All the horses which share a pasture should be de-wormed at the same time to prevent cross-infection. If a horse has not been de-wormed for a long time, use a laxative a few days before to clear out the worst of the worm population before administrating a de-wormer medication.

9) Exercise. Horses which are regularly exercised or that have natural exercise through pasture access are less likely to have colic. When starting an exercise regime or sport, changes should be made gradually as a rapid increase in the amount or intensity of exercise may cause colic.

10) Bedding. Horses will often eat straw bedding. If your horse eats excessive amounts of bedding, especially indigestable bedding types (e.g. wood shavings), change to a bedding type which they will not eat.

11) Temperature. A horse that becomes chilled is likely to develop colic. This is particularly true if there is a sudden drop in temperature. If a horse is likely to be chilled (e.g. old, weak, sick, shaved, short coat, unaccustomed to cold) then they need to be protected during extreme weather. The use of a rug should be considered. During extremely cold weather, especially if wet and windy, it may be adviseable to confine weaker horses to their stables.

When wanting to train a horse you first need to catch it. Although this may sound simple, it can be surprisingly frustrating when you attempt this for the first time. This is the most important step in horse training. The foundations of trust are laid in this step. It is important to remember the three Ps of horse training – patience, persistence and positive reinforcement – at every stage during the process of training your horse. These three elements work together to help you with each step of horse training.

The most efficient way to begin the approach is to have the horse in an enclosure of easily manageable size. A round pen is the best type of enclosure to use, but you can use any large fenced area or paddock if you don’t have one.

You should start by casually approaching the enclosure. Do your very best to relax and give the impression of calm. Leave your life’s stress outside the pen. Since horses are prey animals, they are easily intimidated by anyone or anything that emits stress or aggression of any kind. You wouldn’t want your horse to see you as a possible threat, which is how he will interpret those emotions. Trust needs to be built between you and the horse.

Go in with the horse but not to catch him yet. This will happen in good time. For the time being the priority is familiarisation – you with the horse and more importantly, the horse with you. Walk inside and just stand around for a couple of minutes. Don’t look at the horse directly. Predators eyeball their prey and stare into their eyes to intimidate them. Your horse must not see you as a predator. The horse needs to see you as part of the herd.

Take in a rake or a shovel next time and tidy up a bit. Do some basic maintenance checks on the fence panels. The horse should not be approached yet. Wait for the horse to approach and investigate your actions. A horse is a naturally curious creature. When the horse realises it’s you again, he will come to check you out with a good sniff.

If the horse is unfamiliar with human contact this step can take some time. For some horses shyness is not a problem, and they will approach you the minute you enter the enclosure. Both ways are acceptable. However long it takes for the horse to become accustomed to you, it is important for trust that you let him get there in his own time. Patience!

Don’t see this as an opportunity to grab the horse. The most important thing to remember here is patience. To build this foundation for training and for a lasting relationship takes time. It is important not to rush this step.

When the horse at last approaches you, turn your back and walk away. Make sure that you walk away before your horse does. You will show the horse that you are the one in charge by walking away first.

Begin to approach your horse, sideways on, only when you feel that you are familiar and comfortable in each others presence. Remember to use a slow, relaxed manner to walk towards the horse. A skittish equine can be approached more easily from the side. Without staring at the horse, move towards the side. Move closer to your new friend whilst glancing sideways. Do not ever attempt to fit the halter by sneaking up on your horse. How will you hold onto the horse when “caught” if the horse is frightened? Trust will be broken in this manner and you will be back to square one. And of course you could be hurt. The emphasis here is on patience and persistence.

On being allowed to get close to the horse, ensure that you use plenty of positive reinforcement. The first moments you spend together should have nothing to do with work. This step is about bonding. Stroking your horse along his neck area, grooming your horse, and talking to him softly are all methods of positive reinforcement. The horse should see this as enjoyable interaction. Now is the time you are both ready for training.

A word on safety:
Never approach a horse from behind unless you are very familiar and the horse knows you. A swift kick can be registered before you can even think about moving out of a horse’s way. Horses are much faster than humans, particularly if they feel threatened or surprised. Always approach where you can be seen.

Whether it is your own horse, or you are training the horse on somebody else’s behalf, it is always advisable to ensure that there is adequate equine insurancein place to protect you both should an accident occur during training. Horses, while very beautiful animals, are strong and powerful with the capability of delivering an incredibly debilitating kick. A good horse insurance policy will include third party liability, and it is definitely worth checking this before you begin with your training.