Muzzle Tips for Horses

Posted on March 15, 2018 by blogeditor

Muzzle tips are here to help your overgrazing horse. Horses love to graze freely. Horses are happier when they are not cooped up in a stables all day. However, some horses when left unsupervised will over feed.

If your horse is at risk for laminitis, Cushing’s disease, or is insulin resistant, then binging on grass while grazing can make matters much worse. Consider using a muzzle to manage how much your horse is eating. Here are a few muzzle tips to remember when using caring for your horse.

Muzzle Tips for Horses

The Right Muzzle
There are different types of muzzles in the materials they are made of and how they are made. Some models have a breakaway headstall, while others might attach to the halter. You should experiment and find out which one works best with your horse.
Muzzle Placement
Muzzle’s don’t always fit perfectly, and your job as an owner is to make sure you get one that does. With any new muzzles, keep an eye on it during the first few days and make strap adjustments when necessary.
Drinking
Your horse should still be able to drink water with its muzzle on, so make sure that your horse is getting enough water when it comes to a new muzzle.
Exposure
Though muzzles help with over feeding, make sure that your horse gets some free time away from the muzzle as well. Consider a schedule in which the muzzle is removed at certain times of their grazing periods.
Keep Watch
Just because your horse has a muzzle on doesn’t mean that your animal doesn’t need to be watched. If a horse it at risk for a disease that grass binging will affect negatively, then keep a watch and make sure the muzzle do not come off while grazing.

Grooming Your Horse

Posted on March 14, 2018 by blogeditor

Grooming your horse is very important when it comes to their well being.

Grooming your horse regularly can be very time consuming. Depending on the type of equestrian property that you own, and the state of the weather of course, your horse can wander back to the stables after feeding very dirty. Colorado Horse Property advises horse owners to spot clean your animal with a towel so that when it comes time to give your horse its regular cleaning you can finish quicker. As a horse owner, we know what your time is important, but your horse shouldn’t have to suffer when it comes to hygiene. Cleaning with a towel when spots or stains occur, it quick and easy. The moist heat and rubbing action of the towel will help lift the stain out. The quick evaporation of the water will keep the horse from becoming soaked or chilled. Here’s how to do it.

Gather Materials—You should use a clean bucket, an electric teakettle for heating water, and rubber gloves. Make sure you have a lot of towels on hand as well.
Hot Water—You will need to pour boiling water from the kettle with water in your bucket. You will know that it’s hot enough when you can just stand to put your gloved hand into it.
Soak Towel—Now you have to get your towel wet for cleaning your horse. Dunk the entire clean towel into the hot water. You don’t want your towel dripping water all over your animal, so wring the towel thoroughly to remove as much of the excess water that you can.
Rub It—Quickly rub the stain or spot on your horse and don’t stop until the towel stops steaming.
Repeat—Repeat steps 2-4 until the stain has been thoroughly wash out.

Horse Laminitis

Posted on March 13, 2018 by blogeditor

The staff at Colorado Horse Property knows how important your horse’s health is to you. One of the issues to look out for is known as horse Laminitis. Looking for a horse clinician? Check out our horse clinician directory for a vet near you. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Horse Laminitis is a serious health concern that could possibly end your equine’s career. In some cases laminitis may cause such severe pain that euthanasia is the only way to end your horses suffering. If that wasn’t bad enough, the statistics surrounding horse Laminitis are grim. Surveys show that this disease affects about 1% of all horses in America, leading to death.

The key to saving a horse that has contracted the disease is early, aggressive treatment. Though Laminitis has no cure, treatment can limit damage and may save your horse’s life, so call your veterinarian immediately if you see signs. In septic laminitis there’s typically a lag of 24 to 72 hours between the triggering event and the first signs, but the inflammatory response begins almost immediately. The faster you can halt it, the better your horse’s chances will be. We have a lot to read about the prevention of horse diseases.

Treating Horse Thrush

Posted on March 7, 2018 by blogeditor

We at Colorado Horse Property know that taking care of your horses is probably the biggest worry that you have as an owner and though it can be very challenging it is very important to insure your animals are healthy all year long. Something that you should be looking out for is horse thrush. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Horse Thrush

Thrush is a bacterial infection that occurs in the tissue of the V-shaped structure in the hoof, more commonly known as the frog. The bacteria can penetrate epidermis of the frog causing the tissue to deteriorate. Horse owners can check for this by looking for a ragged frog that is producing a smelly discharge, or by looking for blood on the end of the hoof pick when cleaning the area.

The key to curing thrush and preventing if from coming back is to fix your horses frog. Farriers are the first defense against thrush from occurring, because they can trim your horse’s hooves so that the frog and the heel are on the same plane. This will help promote new, healthy growth of the hoof. Depending on how bad the thrush has infected the frog, you will probably want to treat the area by cutting away loose tissue and applying a diluted bleach solution. Another thing you can do is replace straw bedding, which holds moisture and increases the chance your horse’s hooves will become infected, with sawdust or another similar alternative.

Horse Joints

Posted on March 7, 2018 by blogeditor

Taking care of your horses is probably the biggest worry that you have as an owner and though it can be very challenging it is very important to insure your animals are healthy all year long. Something that you may be worrying about that isn’t serious are the periodic pops or clicks coming from the joints of your horse. Colorado Horse Property is here to tell you that if your horse is a comfortable, sound animal than there is nothing to fret about.

Horse Joints

Most large animal veterinarians will tell you that noisy joints in horses are caused by the same physiological process that allows people to crack their knuckles. When you bend your fingers the joint capsule releases gas within the fluid rapidly, causing the noise; when the gases return you can crack the same joint again. This is the same thing that is happening to your horse.

The joints you usually hear cracking in your horse are the highly mobile ones closest to the saddle, which is how you can hear it in the first place. These joints include the knees, hocks, stifles, and rarely the back and neck. In most cases, cracking does not mean a joint is in any way misaligned or damaged. Though there are some injuries and orthopedic conditions that occur in horses that can cause the joints to rub against each other and cause a cracking sound, you will probably already be aware of the problems your animal has.

Horse Summer Sores

Posted on March 6, 2018 by blogeditor

Taking care of your horses is probably the biggest worry that you have as an owner and though it can be very challenging it is very important to insure your animals are healthy all year long. Something that you have to look out for are horse summer sores. Your horses naturally have stomach worms. Though they rarely cause your horse any harm. However, the worm’s larvae can cause problems. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Horse Summer Sores

Suffice to say, the larvae of these worms are what causes horse summer sores. Vets introduced the deworming agent ivermectin in the early 1980s. However, summer sores were a huge problem before then. Ivermectin, moxidectin and other drugs in their class are highly effective against the stomach worms. Don’t let this make you complacent about checking your animals for worms however. Though numbers of larvae reduced, the worms are not completely wiped out.

If you discover that your horse has summer sores, don’t hesitate to get them to your local large animal veterinarian. Most likely your horse will be prescribed topical or systemic glucocorticoids, which are powerful anti-inflammatory drugs. Treat your horse systemically with ivermectin or moxidectin to kill the parasites. This removes the adult worms from the stomach. But you are not out of the woods yet. Summer sores are a fly magnet, and flies will irritate the lesion and perhaps deposit more worm larvae. Reducing the places flies can breed, as in around manure, wet feed, or other wet organic material, is the best way to decrease the chance of this happening.

5 Trail Riding Rules

Posted on March 2, 2018 by blogeditor

Horseback riding is a fun activity that the entire family can enjoy. There are many places that you can go riding in Colorado, but don’t forget that you are still on someone’s land and should treat it properly. Here are some trail riding rules you can go by to make sure that you are doing everything you can to respect the trails that you are using.

Trail Riding Rules

Stay On The Path—As Thoreau described, you may be beating to the sound of your own drum, but in order to insure that your horse will not be tearing up any fresh grass or trampling plants/flowers you should steer your horse on the path only. Eroding the land is one of the biggest ways you will wear out your welcome with the land owner.
Spacial Awareness—Getting to know the land you will be riding on beforehand is always a great idea. Knowing the trail you will be taking will help you stay on track. If you plan on traversing private land, you should always contact the owner before proceeding. Many owners do not mind horseback traffic on their land, but they may specify areas they don’t want you to go.
Litterbugs Beware—The point of going horseback riding, other than connecting with the animal, is enjoying the outdoors. If there is litter on the trail, you will not be able to fully immerse yourself in your surroundings. If you are riding with a group, make sure they pick up any waste they produce.
Taking A Break—It is important to take breaks during long rides, for you and your horse. Make sure you pick a spot that is well-traveled for your rest stop. You don’t want to trample any vegetation and upset land owners. If your horse produces any manure during the ride, be sure to scatter it to reduce the mess.
Group Mentality—If you are riding with a group, whether it is with people you know or friends, make sure that you stay together. If you are a great rider and can ride like the wind, but the rest of the group is inexperienced then slow down and stick with them. It is easier to help those in need if an accident occurs when everyone is together.

Hoof Cracks

Posted on February 28, 2018 by blogeditor

Problems with your horse hoof cracks should always be taken care of quickly. These issues can get worse if not fixed right away by your farrier. In fact hoof cracks can be very painful for your horse. However, some small cracks, usually vertical, are only a minor issue. Horizontal cracks an inch or less wide could be worse. In other words, it’s hard to tell. That’s why an experienced farrier should check them out. This type of damage indicates a minor, healed trauma to the coronary band and is quite common. These two issues are fairly harmless, but not all hoof injuries are the same.

Hoof Cracks

If you discover any of these issues when checking and cleaning your horses hooves, then you should get them fixed as soon as possible. If you notice vertical cracks at the bottom of the hoof that go around the bottom of the foot, this could be affecting the sole of your animal. Cracks that extend more than an inch up the hoof can be sign of a chronically unbalanced hoof.

Odd are you are great friends with your farrier, so you should work with them to find out the cause of this issue so that you can stop it from reoccurring. Remember the longer you waits to call your veterinarian and/or farrier the more damage can be done. Check out our local resources page if you need help finding a Colorado farrier. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Horse Nutrition

Posted on February 23, 2018 by blogeditor

Making sure that your horses have the right nutrition to stay healthy all year long can be a hassle. If you are not prepared that is. There are a few easy things that you can do to make sure that your horse nutrition is up to par. You should always try to provide fresh, temperate water for your animals. Water should be kept at a palatable temperature to encourage drinking and prevent dehydration. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Colorado Horse Nutrition

Another thing you can do is use a prebiotic or a potent probiotic to keep the hind gut microbial population healthy. Adding feed to your horses regular food is a great way to improve your animals health. When feeding bran mashes, or any added feed, make sure to continue the trend on a daily basis.

Use a commercial product with added calcium or feed alfalfa to counteract the elevated phosphorus content from the mash. Salt is also important for your horses nutrition. Salt blocks, free choice granulated salt, or adding two tablespoons of table salt to your horse’s meals per day will help a lot. Interested in reading more about horse nutrition? Check out more from our blog on this subject.

Feeding Your Horses

Posted on February 23, 2018 by blogeditor

What you’re feeding your horses is important. When grass is cut for hay, it is then dried and stored. This process is a little counter-intuitive because the grass will begin to lose a lot of its nutritional value. Feeding your horses without vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin A, and omega-3 is not great. However, by the time it becomes hay, it is not enough to make sure that you’re horses are healthy. Also, if you are looking for a horse property for sale in Colorado, contact Colorado Horse Property today and speak with one of our horse-person realtors.

Feeding Your Horses

Your horses can get these nutrients from the fresh grass growing in your pasture. However, what about during the harsh Colorado winter when the grass dies and covered with snow? During the winter in Colorado, the days are shorter and therefore there is less sunlight. Making sure your horse gets enough vitamin D is important to insure healthy joints and muscles in your animals. During the cold months your horses need a supplement to make up for the lack of nutrients.

Fortunately there are plenty of alternatives that you can purchase for your horses to make sure they get all the vitamins they need to stay strong, most notable of which is alfalfa. Alfalfa is a leguminous plant with clover-like leaves and bluish flowers. This plant is high in protein which is great for your animals.

You can even mix in the hay that you already have with the alfalfa so that you don’t have to waste anything. This type of diet will protect your horse’s muscles, joints, feet, skin, hair and bones fed, and protecting his blood and immune function. Alfalfa also serves as a stomach buffer against developing an ulcer, a common occurrence when a horse is stalled during the winter after being used to full-time turnout.