Kids who take riding lessons will very quickly begin to dream of a horse or pony of their own. If this is something that you can and want to commit to, you should make sure that you know the best way to buy a horse for your kids. Generally, when …
The lip curl: that one thing your horse does that looks funny but actually means something
The flehmen response is a behaviour in which your horse curls back her upper lip exposing its front teeth, inhales with the nostrils usually closed, and then tyically holds this position for several seconds. The nostrils of your horse flare to draw more scents into the long, cavernous nasal passages that are …
Did you know that your horse depends on her sense of smell with her life?
When you disturb your horse’s sense of smell, like overwhelming it with a very strong scent, her social interactions are radically altered. As prey animals, horses need to be able to detect even the slightest scent of danger on the wind to stay safe. Horses are also quick to note …
Find out everything you need to know about your horse’s teeth in just 15 minutes
Horses have evolved teeth to eat rough, varied forage that wears down the teeth. However, many domestic horses today eat a diet which is low in abrasive minerals and materials and so their teeth don’t wear down as they would in the wild. Just because our horses are now living …
Why does your horse lose weight and what can you do about it?
If you’ve got a skinny horse that isn’t maintaining a healthy weight or isn’t putting it on as he should be, there can be several issues causing the weight loss. If your horse is on a good diet and eating everything given to him, but still losing weight, you need …
Do you know why body language is so important when talking to your horse?
Horses are highly social creatures and communicate with each other quite a bit. If you watch closely you can observe this constant interplay of communication, energy and body language passing between horses and rippling through a herd. Horses use a wide range of expressions, gesticulations and movements to communicate in …
Do you know when your horse is showing you that she’s in pain?
As a flight animal, your horse’s body will inherently strive to hide any signs of pain for as long as possible. A little pain doesn’t usually result in big changes and it can be really difficult to spot. It’s important that you know your horse well and can spot the …
The right way to retrain a former racehorse (OTTB)
Flat racing, is a physically demanding sport and even with the best training, many racehorses end up with career-ending injuries. While some horses end up with injuries serious enough to require euthanasia or full pasture retirement, many horses can be retrained – with a lot of time and treatment – …
Where do racehorses go after they retire?
People are more interested in the elaborate hats worn by the spectators to the race track than what happens to racehorses once they’re not in the spotlight anymore. The racing industry is big business, valued at $115 billion globally. The Equine Fertility Unit conducted research into the industry and found …
How much weight can a horse carry?
Weight alone is not the only determining factor when choosing a horse that suits you. The size of your horse should be proportional to you and height, weight and riding skills all need to be considered. The goal is to make the horse’s job as easy as possible so that …
Do you know why it’s important to understand physical maturity in horses when training them?
A mature horse can be worked very hard, but if the horse is never given the chance to fully develop before being put to work, how much of his full potential will he ever achieve? When buying, training and starting a young horse – or when looking at problems of …
10 common mistakes to avoid when buying your first horse
When you’re buying a horse or pony for the first time, it’s exciting! It’s also too easy to get carried away by a set of soft brown eyes from a horse that is nowhere near suitable for a first-time owner. Remember this: buying the wrong horse can suck all the …