Horse Veterinarians: New School vs Old School
June 13th, 2008
Tags: equine, lameness, medicine, vet, veterinarian, veterinary
articles on horse care
How to Choose the Right Barn for Your Horse
May 22nd, 2008
Horse in snow
Now that we have figured out how to choose the right horse boarding facility for you, lets talk about how to choose the right boarding barn for your horse.
Though it’s YOUR money and YOUR hobby, your horse is the one who has to live at the barn. No matter what, you must have goals for you and your horse. Keeping your horse at a barn that isn’t right for him/her isn’t going to help you achieve your riding goals.
A horse’s surrounding atmosphere has SO much impact on their overall health and wellbeing. Maybe you are moving barns because you aren’t happy with how your horse is going, how his/her training is coming along, or maybe, you just need a change. Sometimes staying with the same trainer, at the same barn, for too long, can create monotony and boredom for you AND your horse. Everyone grows as a rider, and your horse grows as an equine athlete too.
Facilities:
The facilities are probably the most important factor for your horse’s overall health and happiness. How much sun gets in the barn? Are there windows in the stalls, and if not, are their skylights to allow plenty of natural light? Are the ceilings tall enough for your horse? Is there plenty of ventilation? Windows, open doors; does a breeze run through the barn to allow fresh air exchange? Can the barn stay warm enough in winter without closing every door and window? If the barn is heated in winter, is there still fresh air allowed in the barn? Is there a safe place to tack up? Grooming stalls, crossties in the isles; or are you stuck grooming in their stall? How are the riding areas? Is the footing too deep or too rocky? Are the rings level? Are the rings watered regularly to keep dust down? Are the rings over-watered as to cause slippery footing? Is there somewhere to ride outside of a ring? It’s always good to ride your horse “out of the ring” at least once a week, even if it’s just at a walk and only for 5 minutes. Even a casual switch-up in riding environment is great for their brain and their body.
Turnout:
I touched on my 2008 turnout opinion already. Does this new barn’s turnout policy jive with your horse’s needs? Does your horse do well in group turnout? Do they offer group turnout? Are their different herds for mares and geldings? Are there different herds for temperament? Maybe your horse needs individual turnout, or possibly, that’s all they offer. If so, do they get all day turnout? Are they out for a few hours, or maybe every other day? Are the individual turnouts too big, too small? Are the pastures and/or paddocks over grazed? Are the pastures and paddocks full of green grass that is perfectly manicured? Lots of pretty green grass is a sign of VERY limited turnout!
Maybe you don’t want your horse going outside, or maybe your horse can only handle an hour or two of turnout and then they run. Do they accommodate no turnout? Is there staff around during the day to corral running horses? Does the staff bring in if horses if they don’t seem happy outside, and is there a charge for such?
One place not to be a crazy boarder: turnout terrain. People get awfully caught up with rocks and evenness of pastures. If your horse is a turnout horse, hills, rocks, and trees are not going to hurt. You want them perfectly safe from outdoor harm? Leave ‘em in.
If your horse can handle all day turnout, doesn’t flip out, and doesn’t get too crazy, then the pasture terrain doesn’t really matter. Horses are resilient, if they are smart. Horses are able to handle very “difficult” terrain if they aren’t bonkers. A wacky Thoroughbred that paces, runs, and generally freaks out may pose a threat to themselves if the terrain is uneven, but if your horse is a lunatic anyway, you may want to consider individual turnout in a smaller paddock as is.
Outdoor runs off the indoor stalls can be a great alternative to turnout. If your horse gets worked often (5-7 days a week), and they don’t NEED to get out and run around with a herd, sometimes, just a run off the stall to keep them moving is plenty. Sometimes board is more costly with a stall and run, but this is one of my favorite options for a horse, especially if they don’t do well in normal turnout situations.
Turnout Fencing
Aside from barn structures themselves, horse pasture fencing is expensive. One way to spot a low rent horse facility? Barbed wire fencing. One way to spot an uppity barn? Four rail white vinyl. Pick somewhere in the middle. Old fencing is not necessarily bad; just be sure to walk the fence lines during the barn tour. PVC fencing, and even 1.5″ electric tape fencing (if electrified) can provide great, and more importantly, SAFE pasture perimeter protection. No Climb fencing is good too, especially if topped with a wooden board and one electric wire.
Be wary of fencing too low, too loose, not electrified, or broken. STAY AWAY FROM METAL WIRE STRAND FENCING - DANGER DANGER DANGER!
Feeding Programs:
Many horse owners fail to research horse feeds and feeding programs and instead rely too much on trainers, barn owners, and barn managers to get horse nutrition right. If ever there was a need for proper horse care education, nutrition consultation would be top priority.
Not enough horse owners are involved in the care of their horses. I have asked so many horse owners how much feed their horse gets and they have NO IDEA!! This amazes me.
QUESTION: Does your horse do well on grass hay, or do they need the extra energy of alfalfa?
ANSWER: [blank stare]
QUESTION: What kind of grain does your horse do best on?
ANSWER: [shoulder shrug...guesses wrong]
Before you move barns, find out what your horse is currently eating, think about your horse’s weight, their energy level, their stamina, and their current and future work load. You would be surprised about how much of a difference grain and hay choices make on your horse’s overall performance, attitude, and condition. Most barns feed a standard “grain” whether that’s Purina Strategy, Nutrena Safechoice, or a plain sweet feed. Stay away from cob. If the barn uses a plain sweet feed, lookup the protein, fat, starch, and sugar nutritional data and sources. Overly “hot” horses, horses working VERY hard, fat horses, skinny horses, or sluggish horses should always have their feed evaluated, possibly by a veterinarian or horse feed product specialist (most are cool if you can find ‘em - check the feed company’s website).
Additionally, most feed bags suggest feeding A LOT of grain (wonder why?) Start with feed recommendations, talk with your vet, and watch your horse for improvements. Make adjustments when necessary, and ALWAYS make horse feed changes slowly!
Added horse supplements, additional grains, and roughage sources are a possibility for your equine. Find out if the barn will feed these additions, what charges are associated, if they want YOU to purchase the products, or if THEY’d rather purchase the products and bill you. Some barns require supplements to be bagged, others don’t mind as long as everything is labeled. Some barns will NOT feed supplements. Make sure you know what they feed, how they feed, when they feed, and of course, if their feed practices work for your horse.
Maybe a barn don’t feed supplements, but everything else is near perfect. If you’re already going out to the barn 5-7 days a week, you can always feed the supplements yourself. It’s a compromise, but at least you’re in charge. Of course, depending on the supplement and what it’s used for, missing days may be impossible. But, sometimes we definitely over supplement our horses.
Trainers sometimes can be the worst horse supplement advice givers. Always consult a veterinarian if you are unsure.
Hay is an important part of the feeding program, and with gas prices expanding, affordable land shrinking, and the plight of the American farmer increasing, grass hay is getting harder and harder to come by. In these economic times, there is no such thing as affordable hay, and there never will be again. If you find a barn that grows their own hay, good for you. Not every barn has 80 acres (that aren’t subdivisions, yet), and the equipment to cut and bale hay.
If your barn makes it’s own hay, be sure the hay is good quality (not weeds), clean, dry storage is abundant, and hay production is ample. If your barn buys hay - which most do these days - trace the hay source, type, and find out how stable their hay delivery is. Changing hay sources and types, unless done gradually, should be avoided. For picky horse or sensitive horses, changing hay, even if its grass hay to a different grass hay, can be difficult (eg. the runs, or worse).
Perhaps your horse can’t handle high quality hay. Arabians horses who don’t do well on rich hay may be faced with explosive diarrhea, or colic episodes; see if the barn can provide lower quality hay if necessary. If a barn won’t make special purchases for you (and you may be required to sign a lease so the barn can buy enough hay in advance), will the barn feed hay that you bring yourself?
Hay prices are astronomical, and if there is one place a boarding facility looses money, it’s on hay. If a barn is trying to save a few pennies on hay, make sure it’s not detrimental to your horse’s health.
Stalls and Bedding:
Horse stalls and bedding usually have more effect on horse owners than they do on the actual horses. However, there are a few points to consider while looking at a stall. The first few we already covered in the facilities section: ventilation and natural light. One more important factor is stall size. 18 hand horses don’t like 10′x10′ stalls. Heck, 17 hand horses don’t like 10′x10′ stalls (unless there is a run off the back). Most horses do fine in 12’x12’ stalls, but the bigger the better, and ceiling height makes a difference in both ventilation, and of course, a horses ability to stand up comfortably.
Many, many people get too worked up over bedding, the amount, and the quality. Yes, bedding and shavings are important. But, you must understand, most stalls nowadays have mats. If the stalls have thick rubber mats (preferably, not over concrete), bedding is not needed for cushion, only for absorption. Just because you wouldn’t lay down on the bedding doesn’t mean your horse cares in the slightest. The amount of bedding is only determined by your horse’s quantity of urine. SERIOUSLY! I know, at the horse shows, you always bed them deep, but remember, most of the stalls at horse shows don’t have rubber mats! Once again, with rubber mats, there isn’t a need to bed your horse incredibly deep. If the bedding is off-colored due to moisture, urine, or because your horse is a complete slob, as long as it doesn’t smell like ammonia, it’s fine for your horse. Your horse will survive in a dirty stall. Not all horses use the potty equally. If your horse is a pig and doesn’t go in one spot, it’s proof your horse doesn’t care if their stall is dirty! YOU may care, but your horse will be fine.
Trainer:
Choosing the right trainer for your horse is just as important as choosing the right trainer for you. Not all trainers work great with all types of horses, just as not all trainers work great with all types of people. Make sure the trainer’s philosophies work with the goals you’ve set and the needs you’ve identified for your horse. Maybe your horse has been “babied” a little too much and needs to be pushed, or maybe your horse gets scared quickly needs a trainer to gradually introduce new challenges. Some horses do much better with a VERY assertive trainer, while others respond better to simply consistent expectations.
YOU may not be the best person to judge what kind of trainer your horse needs. Some people think their horse needs one thing, when all along it’s an entirely different approach that the horse responds best to. Again, don’t make TOO many assumptions about horse trainers based on gossip. You need to judge for yourself, and ALWAYS watch a trainer ride! The best teacher in the world may be the WORST rider! If you are looking for a trainer ride your horse, make sure that trainer is a good, effective rider that is clear and consistent with their communication to the horse.
Preventative Care:
Sometimes people forget preventative horse care is important part in not only care of your horse, but the health of an entire barn. Vaccines, de-worming, night checks, experienced staff, and horse “traffic” all play a role in preventative care for your horse.
Of course, a barn SHOULD require proof of vaccinations prior to any horse moving in, but in reality, a barn owner, manager, or trainer can tell if you are up on your horse’s vaccinations by the barn you are coming from, if you have been showing (and what shows you are showing at), what vet you use, and of course, just by YOU. Depending on the barn, the barn’s vet, how many horses travel to shows and clinics, and the amount of new horses coming and going, the barn will require mandatory vaccinations. Of course, geographic regions also determine necessary vaccines. Always talk to your vet, find out if your vet has had any experiences with the new barn and the health of their “herd”. Don’t pry for personal questions, just ask how the horses are cared for from a veterinarian’s perspective. You probably won’t get any “dirt”, but you should get a clear picture of how and what your horse will need if you were to move them there.
Negative Coggins is something that is usually more area specific. If you are traveling to horse shows, a negative Coggins is generally required.
Many barns fall short on de-worming programs. I prefer a barn to either require the daily de-wormer (strongid C, strongid C2x, Continuex, Equi Aid CW, etc), or the every other month rotation recommended by the barn vet, with the BARN giving the de-wormer. Too many times I have seen the “reminder” to de-worm your horse and I know that half the people forget, are a month late, buy the wrong kind, or just don’t think it’s that important. Worms are real, worms are a big deal, worms can be controlled! So, make sure the barn has something to not only keep track, but enforce whole barn de-worming program.
Night Check is something that is imperative to a horse’s well being. Of course, 9 times out of 10 night checks will not find anything wrong in the barn. But it’s that 1 in 10 that can really catch something, like colic, a horse cast, an allergic reaction, a horse just not doing right. It’s a great way to make sure the barn is secure, the horses are good for the night, and you can sleep soundly knowing night check is routine.
Good overall common sense and experience from the staff go a long way towards happy and healthy horses. Even if it’s just the trainer, the barn owner, or the barn manager, someone who is there EVERY day when the horses come inside unconsciously performs the “everything okay check.” The lost shoe, the cut, the blanket falling off, the wraps taken off, the hot horse cooled, the horse not eating or drinking like normal, the sound of a lame horse walking in the isle. Whatever little idiosyncrasies, an experienced handler or manager will see it, hear it, or feel it! Of course, even something can go missed with 10 staffed people each with 20 years of horse experience, but if NO-ONE there knows your horse or horses in general, EVERYTHING is going to be missed.
Farrier and Vet:
Your horse may have special needs, or maybe you have special needs that are gratified through your horse’s farrier and vet, but let’s stick to your horse for now.
If your horse either needs special shoeing, special attention from a vet, or has a long history with a vet, make sure that the barn “allows” other vets and farriers to be used. If the barn move is “normal” and a horse’s feet and health generally “normal”, changing vets and farriers usually isn’t a big deal.
But, if you REALLY like your vet or farrier and your horse has been doing GREAT with both professionals taking care of him/her; make sure you can bring them along to the new barn and make sure both your veterinarian and farrier can make the trip to the new barn.
Environment/Atmosphere:
Very important for the person, it is actually important for your horse as well. Maybe in a slightly different way, but if the barn has a bad feel, if there is chaos, lots of drama, bad schedules, or inconsistencies, your horse is going to feel calm or stress whether its directly from the bad environment, atmosphere, or the effect on your mood. Either way, bad feelings can bring a horse down as much as a person.
There are probably a million more sub-topics regarding selecting the right horse boarding facility, barn, or stable for your equine. This is a good start.
When you are looking for a new barn, consider what is best for you and what is best for your horse. Make lists, compare, and don’t settle. Compromises are fair and reasonable, but sacrifices are not. Horses are too expensive; get your money’s worth for you AND your horse.
Related Citizen Horse Articles
- How to Choose the Right Barn for You
- Horse Supplements: The Evolution
- Leaving a Barn: The 30 Day Notice
Tags: boarding, thoroughbred
How to Choose the Right Barn for You
May 20th, 2008
Whether you are moving across country, across town, or just need a change, looking for a new barn is one of the hardest things to do.
To start with, deciding to move barns is a difficult choice, if it isn’t for geographical reasons. Giving notice can be a difficult road to go down. We all know that no matter what kind of relationship you have with the barn manager, trainer, and/or barn owner, notice can be a stressful event. Not only can it be stressful to deal with any personal problems it may impose, but there are plenty of barns who don’t take kindly to notification of you moving your horse out. Giving your 30 day notice can be tricky, stressful, and full of consequences!
Still, you’re willing to move and you wan to get it over with. You are digging through phone books, the internet, equine directories, tack shops, word of mouth, past experience, and you know you want to go, but you just can’t figure out the right horse boarding facility for you. How to decide?
Environment/Atmosphere:
One of the most important parts of my barn searches has always been the environment and atmosphere. For me, personally, I like laid back. I don’t like to be around all the uppity A show people (even when showing on the A circuit). But, I don’t really want to be in a low rent place either with a bunch of people who don’t know what they are doing. I don’t ride for social reasons, but many people do. If you do, then take that into consideration and make sure the barn has the right mix of people that fit into your riding, your personality, and your social interests. Of course, age is a big factor too. Many barns these days don’t have kids. This can be great for the adult, with no kids. I have always favored this, no screaming children, no running children, and no fear in the ring for kids who don’t know how to ride with other people. But, I have also enjoyed being in a barn with junior riders who are looking for a chance to get an extra hack in some days. So, you have them clean your tack and your trunk in exchange (depending on the junior’s abilities), for a hack on your horse. It’s a win, win!
Trainer:
Now, what about a trainer? If you are looking to take lessons, get some training on your horse, show, or generally just like the trainer/client relationship, then the trainer is an obvious important factor in choosing a barn. The trainer is a tough one, because whether they have a name in the area (good or bad), you have seen them at horse shows (riding or schooling students), you have recommendations, or you knew horses that they “trained”, YOU have to choose for yourself if you are going to be a good fit into their program.
Do you like taking group or private lessons? Does the trainer prefer teaching groups or private lessons? Does the trainer prefer control over your entire horse; care, training, farrier, vet? Is that something you want, or do you like to be more involved in the decisions for your horse? What kind of foundation does the trainer expect from their horses and riders? What kind of teaching do you need? Maybe you need brutal honesty, maybe you have a hard time with criticism, possibly you don’t want to learn how to do something, you would rather your horse trained to do what his/her job is so you can just show and win. When choosing a horse trainer, you have to take other’s opinions with a grain of salt and make your own decision.
There are some GREAT no name trainers, and there are some HORRIBLE well known trainers. No matter how good a trainer is, if your goals, you and your horses abilities, your personality, and your pocket book don’t fit into that trainer’s “mold”, you aren’t going to have the experience you want.
Facilities:
What kind of facilities are you looking for? Indoor, outdoor, hunt field, trails; these are important factors in your ability to enjoy riding. Depending on your geographic location, an indoor or covered arena may be a necessity. Then there is the barn itself; does it have a good feel to it? There are some barns you walk in and no matter how clean, dirty, or what kind of people are there, they just aren’t very comfy.
The barn structure and architecture can have a huge influence on a farm’s overall feel. Is there a bathroom or a port-a-potty? Are those facilities up to your standards and comfort? Is the turnout far away from the barn? If you hate walking, then this would be an important factor. How does the barn look? Well, of course, if it looks completely run down, you have to question the care, but I have been in barns that were state of the art, clean, and perfectly manicured; the care wasn’t great and the atmosphere was even worse. I have also been in some crappy, run down looking barns that took excellent care of the horses. You can’t always judge a barn by it’s appearance.
Is there a place to keep your tack trunk, are there lockers, do you have to take your saddle home? Is there a heated area (for those who live in the frigid Midwest or Northern areas); this may be an important warm up area for those freezing nights at the barn.
Staff:
The barn staff has always been a strange, yet important consideration at any boarding facility. Do they speak English? I don’t speak Spanish, and don’t want to have to learn just to find out where my horse is, if they can leave their food out, put blankets on, etc. Is the staff friendly, have they been there awhile, or is there a lot of turn around (high staff turnouver can speak volumes about the personality of the manager/trainer)? Is the staff knowledgeable, experienced? That may or may not matter, depending on the management. Are you comfortable with the staff? You may or may not ever interact with the staff, but, depending on what kind of relationship you have or want to have with the barn, you may want to consider how you will get along with the staff.
Hours:
Obviously, we have touched on barn hours before, but don’t forget to consider this when choosing a barn. Some barns have hours when you are “allowed” to go out to the barn to see and ride your horse. There is also an issue of ring hours as well. Some barns with large lesson programs don’t allow boarders to ride during lessons. Take this into consideration, and always ask when the barn is open and when the ring is open for boarders to use.
Rules:
Barn rules vary from barn to barn, from state to state, and from discipline to discipline. Some barns are so over-run with rules, it makes it difficult to be able to do what you want with your horse. If the barn contract lists the rules, make sure you look at these prior to choosing the barn. If a barn does not have rules in writing, make sure to ask the barn manager, trainer, or owner if there are any rules or expectations of the boarder before you decide.
Cost:
There are many different pricing structures for boarding stables. Make sure you get a full price list before making any decisions. You may be told board is $550 per month, but you weren’t aware of blanketing costs, supplement costs, fly spray costs, trailer parking fees, or farrier/vet handling fees. Some barns will nickel and dime you to death with all the extra fees. Some, of course are pertinent, but some fees are simply excessive.
Ask the questions, get a price list, and if you have a horse with ANY special needs (soaking hay, extra blanketing requirements, hoof check, medications, etc.) make sure to bring these up. You may find a more affordable monthly board rate, but when you add up all the “extras”, you’re paying more than you anticipated.
Location:
This one is pretty obvious, and for some, not all that important. Depending on your situation, driving 45 minutes one way to the barn 4-6 days a week isn’t a big deal, while others will struggle with a 20 minute, one way drive. If you aren’t going to make it out to the barn because it’s too far, is it really worth paying less (especially with gas prices), or is it worth being at a “fancier” barn if you never get out there to enjoy it?
Rough or Partial Board vs. Full Board:
Full board is great, it’s convenient, it can be economical, and most importantly, it can increase your quality time with your equine. But, rough or partial board is an excellent way to stretch your horse budget and potentially board at a barn with nicer facilities than you could afford at full board. Not every barn offers rough board, but even some big show barns have this option. Make sure if you are interested in rough/partial board you find out the charges and rules for if and when you can’t make it out to the barn. Find others that are participating in rough/partial board to see if you can swap days (I clean your stall Sundays and Mondays if you clean mine Tuesdays and Saturdays). It’s a great way to save some horse money if you can either commit to making it out to the barn every day or if the barn works with you for days you cannot make it out.
Find out their prices or fees for services not included in rough/partial board; if they offer them. Also, find out EXACTLY what is and what is NOT included in rough/partial board. You may end up spending more money if you have to drive all over to buy hay, shavings, and grain. If you want your horse turned out, that may be an expensive option for rough/partial board as well.
With all the barns out there to choose from, and all the trainers to ride with, deciding on a proper horse barn for you can be a difficult decision, and one not to take lightly. Your ability to adapt to different environments, your need for social interaction, and your personal expectations all need to be considered when finding the right barn for you.
Personality conflicts will happen when you get a group of women together, so no barn will be perfect. Make a list of needs, wants, and definite NO’s, and go to barns, and spend some time observing the other boarders and the staff. You will find something that’s better than where you left, and if the environment is not right for you, well, if at first you don’t succeed.
However, make solid plans to avoid the barn hopper stigma. And if one of your expectations is for everyone to kiss your ass, then expect to be paying a lot of money for that!
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On Friday of this week, we’ll look at choosing a barn that’s right for your horse.
Horse Turnout - Opinion 2008
May 8th, 2008
stall or pasture?
I date this entry because I found myself coming to this opinion late in 2007 and feel like I may have moved into the past a bit.
When I started riding (a long time ago), horses didn’t go outside…..EVER. Your horse lived in a stall 24/7 and in the barn they stayed; warm, dry, safe, and ready to ride. It was normal. I never questioned it. I was a little kid, and it seemed to make sense to me. I rode my pony 6 days a week, and when I rode my pony, I mean I RODE my pony for hours. You literally had to pull me off my pony. This posed a problem when he was “wild” and in such good shape you couldn’t wear him out with 10 straight hours of lunging if you wanted to. He was one fit pony. But, he didn’t see daylight unless I was riding outside; along with every other horse in the barn.
Maybe this was confined to the hunter/jumper world, but horses did NOT go outside. You could walk them outside to graze. There were pastures; they were really green and full of grass, mostly because the horses never went out in them.
Give the horses some time to stretch their legs….but not too much time for them to hurt themselves.
Then, shortly after I moved into a small junior horse, turnout became an option. I moved to a barn that had all day turn-out. Still not really understanding the thought behind horse turnout, I figured, “well that’s good”. Of course I wasn’t accustomed to scraping large amounts of mud before a ride, but it was nice to see the horses outside playing, grazing, or in some cases, running like maniacs. They must be doing what they want to be doing.
Then I moved yet to another barn that had many more “high level” show horses. They offered minimal turn-out. Most horses were turned outside from 1-2 hours a day, with split boots and bell boots. This seemed like a nice compromise. Give the horses some time to stretch their legs….but not too much time for them to hurt themselves. A few people, some with VERY nice, expensive horses moved to another show barn that offered more turn-out. I, on the other hand, still thought “well, they get worked and none of the horses seem unhappy”. Now, there were a large amount of horses that wore cribbing collars (red flag) and even more that would weave in their stalls (another red flag). But, most of that I thought was because they were Thoroughbreds off the track, and they all have some nervous wacky habit from being in that atmosphere.
Once I started having a little more forethought and tried to learn more about horses’ behavior, physiology, and overall “natural” state, I realized horses should be outside as much as possible. By all means, bring them into a stall at night or if the weather is bad, but let them be horses. They should be in a herd during the day, relaxing, living as they would in the wild.
Then I had a mare, a mare who REALLY liked other horses. She liked other horses so much that if she was on a fence line with the same horse two days in a row, you couldn’t ride her because she would panic without being able to see the other horse. Now, throw her in a herd, and you can only imagine the monster she would turn into.
At this point, I wanted to give this mare the ability to be a horse. But, I was spending a lot of money so I could ride and show her. This now made it so I was spending a lot of money for her to have friends and I was only able to ride when all the other horses were in the barn and never at a horse shows.
That, didn’t make sense to me. Luckily, the barn(s) we cycled through over the years ended up having rotating turnout for a few hours a day. She didn’t get attached, and was still able to get out a little bit every day (weather permitting).
As a limited turnout routine became commonplace for my mare, more and more “research” came out about the benefits of turnout for the horse’s brain and body. More turnout meant sounder minds and bodies. This too, made sense. Of course, not only does a horse’s digestive system work better because they are moving as they “graze”, but horses are more sound because their joints are moving frequently so they don’t go from standing in their stall, to working, then back to standing in their stall.
I have always, and will always, think horses without jobs (or high level jobs), young horses, horses with special needs, arthritic horses, or horses that are downright bonkers NEED turnout of some sort. But, is all day turnout, every day turnout, the answer for EVERY horse?
I think not only is that an important question for your pocketbook, but an important question for your horse’s overall wellbeing.
I have aspirations for “us”. I also love this horse to death, so I want him to be happy and healthy.
Not EVERY horse actually WANTS to be outside all day. There are many horses that have higher anxiety when outside all day. Maybe the anxiety is from being used to a stall, or even being used to the barn. But, how do you gauge your horse’s happiness?
Every horse is unique, every turnout situation is unique, and it’s important to remember your goals for you and your horse and the pros and cons of turnout in relation to those goals.
Right now, I have an 11 year old Holsteiner gelding, upper level jumper, and he is at the peak of his performance. With this in mind, I will let you know his turnout history so you understand what he is accustomed to in his life.
From birth-1yr ,he was outside all day and brought in at night. From 1-2yrs, he was outside 24/7 (weather permitting) with other horses of all ages. This was in the Midwest, so if it was really cold or thunderstormy, he came in at night. From 3-4yrs, he lived outside 24/7 in all weather (with shelter of course) with no friends. From 5-8yrs, he lived in a run w/shelter and daily turnout with one other horse (he isn’t always that friendly), weather permitting. From 8-10, he lived in a stall with daily turnout. He didn’t like to be outside all that much and would run the fence line to come inside (not every day and for no apparent reason (bugs, weather, feeding, other horses).
So, during the last year he has had some “soundness” issues. He has not been LAME, just off. X-rays all clean, most likely narrowed it down to soft tissue. Stall rest was his prescription. 4 months total. He was walked every day, and generally he seemed very happy in his stall. I got him toys he enjoyed very much. He had a few outbursts of bucking in his stall, but for the most part…he was alert, happy, maybe a little bored, but no more than when he was outside.
Unknown as to how he injured himself, I question turnout for him at all now that he will be coming back into work. I have aspirations for “us”. I also love this horse to death, so I want him to be happy and healthy.
Our need for soundness and his need for “normal” horse behavior poses a conflict of interest…or does it? He likes his job; I would say he loves his job. He has always loved to jump. Flatwork, he could do without, but he loves jumping. He REALLY likes people, he likes interaction with people, he acts like he is a people sometimes. He doesn’t have any bad habits such as cribbing, weaving, chewing. He doesn’t have any health problems that could pose a problem to not going outside (COPD, colic, ulcers, arthritis, tying up). He always seems content in his stall, especially when he is in a work program.
So, I have decided that I am going to keep him from turnout. This means I will probably try to hand-graze him as much as possible and get him out 6 days a week. But, I don’t think in any way I am being cruel. Additionally, I’ve always worried about his focus when consistently turned out, and especially with a friend. He doesn’t scream for his friend, he doesn’t act agitated that he is away from his buddy, but I do notice that he is a little more “nonchalant” about work.
This being said, I think turning horses out is good, but keeping a horse in a stall isn’t bad. It depends on the circumstances of the horse and owner. No, a horse should not remain cooped up in a stall 24/7 with no chance of seeing sunlight. But, a horse that gets consistent work, is showing, could get injured, or could become unable to focus on “work”, maybe should be considered limited to no turnout.
That’s just my opinion of horse turnout in 2008. Maybe that will change. We will see….
The Evolution of Horse Supplements
April 16th, 2008
My horse needs supplements to prevent joint degeneration, arthritis, and to treat stiffness. Maybe a supplement to make his coat nice and shiny, even enhance his color. What about a supplement that helps digestion, aids in absorption? A supplement that helps him breath better, have more stamina? Or, perhaps a muscle building supplement would benefit my horse?
Not only are there a million different reasons to give a horse supplement, within those different reasons, there are a million different choices. The amount of horse supplements and horse vitamins products available is amazing. What a lucrative market to be in.
I remember when Smartpak was first available, 1999 I believe. At the time, I was working at a large hunter/jumper boarding and training facility. Each horse was on at least three different supplements, some of which were twice a day. We did not require people to pre-bag their supplements. Setting up feed was a tedious process, not to mention the difficult task of training people on the feeding program. Eventually, I gave up. Keeping track each horse’s supplements was a full time job and impossible to keep organized even on a 10’x20’ white board.
When I first heard of Smartpak, I thought it was genius! I mean, not only did they offer supplements pre-measured, sealed, and labeled for easy administering, but it was also delivered monthly, straight to the barn. No more emergency runs to the tack shop, feed store, or expedited delivery from a catalog! As manager, I wanted the entire barn to get on the Smartpak bandwagon. Of course, it was new, and nobody likes to try new things. So, I kept making up feed the old fashion way.
Interestingly enough, I had young horses outside of work at a different barn, and I had been bagging my supplements for my own peace of mind. Smartpak didn’t attract me as a horse owner. I felt better buying a big tub, with the brand’s name, ingredients, and all the other specifications printed on the label. By bagging my own horse supplements, I felt more in control of what my horse was ingesting.
I regress to a time when supplements were simple: powdered milk, corn oil, or salt.
Although I have yet to use Smartpak as a supplement provider, I have used them to purchase many other various items. It is incredible, though not surprising, a company based solely on providing equines pre-packaged nutritional supplements has grown into such an empire.
I regress, to a time when supplements were simple. Does anyone else remember this? Was I just at a barn that didn’t have anyone feeding good nutrition? When I was a pony rider, a long, long time ago, there were three supplements to choose from:
Supplement #1 – Powdered Milk
Supplement #2 – Corn Oil
Supplement #3 – Salt
And then you could always add molasses to cover up the other two grain additions:
Addition #1 – Asprin
Addition #2 – Bute
That was it. Then, the only supplements available were three items you bought from a grocery store or two products purchased from the vet. My youth was spent at an uppity hunter/jumper barn too; it was a big barn that went to the big shows.
After I moved from ponies, (my pony was on all three supplements by the way), I graduated to a small juniors horse. Other supplements became available. I can’t remember them all (and there still were only enough to count on my fingers), but the evolution of horse supplements seemed to explode in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
Horses were doing the same things then, maybe even harder work, and they survived with a simple sweet feed, some powdered milk, salt, and corn oil. So today, why then all these supplements?
I’m guilty. I feed a bunch of supplements to my horses. I do my research however, and I feel pretty good about what I’m feeding them. Though on the horse supplement front, my pocket book sure would appreciate a trip to the grocery store for 3 simple items.
Tags: equestrian, equine, feed, horse, nutrition, smartpak, supplements, vitamins
