smclynch asked:

Decorating the Draft Horse Mane for show.

ENRIQUE

soldierof the 82ndAirborne asked:


Will a Belgian draft horse respond to Parreli type training ie… 7 games of horsemanship. Also will a 17-18 hand belgian fit into a 2 horse slant load thurobuilt horse trailer?

DANIEL

Lydia V Kelly asked:


As we know there are many horse rescues in operation, both good and bad. It can be difficult to know whether a rescue is suitable for placing your older or unsound horse. By following these guidelines you will gain an insight into the basic things a rescue should provide to its animals and to its clients.

The farm should be clean and well maintained. That means that the stalls that are being used should be well bedded (any bedding is fine shavings/straw/etc) and be well mucked on a regular basis. Horses that are kept out of doors should have adequate paddock space, or be supplemented with hay. They should all have water at all times both indoors and out. Fencing should be safe and adequate to keep the horses where they belong. No barbed wire or other truly unsafe fencing should be allowed. There should be signs that the owner is making efforts to keep the fencing and barn maintained even if there are things that are evidently in need of repair (hey - we all have fence rails needing repair). The fields should be free of dangerous equipment and other items likely to cause injury to a horse. If horses are routinely kept out of doors 24/7 there should be some kind of run-in shelter available.

Feed and hay should be stored in a safe, clean environment. Grain should be contained in a way that discourages snacking by escapee horses and keeps rodents etc out of it (as much as possible - old freezers are a great way to do this - cheap and easy to get a hold of too). A variety of feed suited to the needs of the various horses at the rescue should be available. A reasonable supply of medication should be available on hand (those medications the rescue owner knows how to use correctly), especially penicillin, bute, worming paste, and banamine (anyone can learn to do intramuscular shots). If a horse needs special medication it should be evident that the medication is on hand and that the rescue knows how to use it.

The horses should be well cared for and happy in their home. Horses with special needs should show signs of having those special needs cared for. The horses should show evidence of having been groomed on a reasonably regular basis. Their feet should be in reasonable condition, showing evidence of regular hoof care (although some horses’ feet will obviously need more care than others). Rescues who have been in residence for an extended time should be in good weight, good health (with the exception of pre-existing conditions), and show evidence of regular care. New rescues of course will be more varied in condition. A rescue that routinely rescues from auctions or other questionable sources should have an appropriate quarantine area.

If the rescue is marketing riding horses there should be an appropriate area set aside for clients to try the horses. This area should be clear of obstacles that could cause injury to horse or rider. Ideally it would be flat, fenced and a minimum of 100′x50′, but that would be pretty flexible. The riding area should be easily cleared of horses (if it is a turn-out area) so that riders can ride without the interference of other horses in the ring loose with them (I’ve seen it and ridden in it before…).

If the rescue accepts stallions there should be safe, well constructed stalls (or at least one stall) available for stallion use. There should be at least one individual turn-out paddock/field with no shared fencelines and preferably electric wire for the stallion(s) to go out in. The rescue owner should have had some experience with stallions in the past before accepting them at their rescue.

If the rescue accepts mares in foal there should be an adequate place set aside for the mare(s) to foal. This could be a foaling stall (no smaller than 12′x12′, preferably bigger - especially for draft mares), or a foaling paddock (a small grass paddock, very lightly used, mucked daily when in use). There should also be a small paddock set aside (could be the foaling paddock - or could be the stallion paddock) for the mare and foal to be turned out individually for the first two weeks so they can safely bond before returning to the herd.

The person managing the rescue should be an experienced horse person with preferably over 5 years of horse experience. This experience should be varied if possible in more than one segment of the horse industry. If they are accepting stallions the manager (or an employee) should be experienced with stallions. If they are accepting mares in foal or youngstock the manager (or an employee) should have some experience with mares and foals.

The horse rescue owner/manager should be able to provide references both horsey and non-horsey. If the rescue adopts out, at least one reference should be from a prior adoptive home. References from the rescue’s regular vet and farrier should be required.



DESHAWN

Ron Petracek asked:


The College of Southern Idaho is located in Twin Falls Idaho and is a two year public college that offers associate’s degrees in many different degree programs. One of the programs that is offered by this college is an Associate’s in Applied Science Degree in Horse Management. This program is designed to prepare students to work in many different aspects of the equine industry and it will also prepare students to be able to manage their own horses.

Students are required to complete several basic classes that include:

· Fundamentals of Oral Communication

· English Composition 1

· General Math Courses

· General Social Science Courses

Students will also take a number of more specific classes to develop their knowledge and skill in the equine industry. Some of the classes that students will have to complete are:

· Equine Nutrition - This course is designed to teach students the anatomy and physiology of the horse digestive system and to classify the functions of nutrients and relate them to digestion, absorption, and metabolism as they relate to growth, work, and reproduction.

· Equine Reproduction - Students will study the reproductive physiology of horses that include hormone control, reproductive diseases, reproductive failure, artificial insemination, and embryo transfer.

· Horse Judging - Students will be required to evaluate some of the more common breeds of horse’s bases on conformation and performance. Students will have to present reasons to the instructors for their evaluations.

· Horse Anatomy and Unsoundness - Students will be required to identify common unsoundnesses in horses along with their location, cause, and possible treatment options.

· Draft Horses - Students will survey today’s common draft breeds, their history, conformation, principles of harnessing and hitching, and management of draft horses. The course also includes showing procedures, breeding, foaling, and training. This course also has a mandatory lab that consist of students handling, harnessing, hitching, driving, packing, and caring for and managing draft horses.

· Horsemanship - This course is designed to teach natural horsemanship to students of any skill level and riding discipline. Students will learn to effectively communicate with the horses and to become their natural partner and leader. During this course, students will learn the proper way to safely handle, saddle, mount, and ride a horse.

· Business Aspects of Raising Horses - This course is designed to teach students the fundamentals of business relating to the raising of horses. Some of the ideas and theories that are taught in this class include production, marketing, accounting, finance, and law and ethics

· Equitation - There are three levels of equitation classes that a student can choose from depending on their prior riding experiences and current skill level. The beginning Equitation class will teach students natural horsemanship along with how to saddle, mount, riding skills, and how to communicate with the horse. There is also an intermediate equitation class that is designed to teach advanced natural horsemanship skills to students who have already completed the beginning equitation class. There is also an advanced equitation class that is available to experienced students in western equitation. This class gives students very advanced training skills to help them train better horses. Students are required to have their own horse for this class.

· English Equitation - This class is designed to teach students with no prior riding experience the fundamentals of English riding. Student will have hands on experiences in grooming, saddling, bridling, and mounting. For the more advanced rider, Intermediate English Equitation is also offered. This class is for students who already have a basic knowledge of English equitation. This class will place a great amount of emphasis on riding positions, balance, control and figure eights at the trot. There is also an advanced course that emphasizes riding in a show ring.

This is only a brief list of the different classes that are offered to students who wish to pursue a degree in an equine related field.

For more great information on equine programs and educational articles, please visit and bookmark our reference links below for future references.

Hope you enjoyed it, and we will look for you at our horse forum.

Horsechitchat.com



DEMARCUS