5 Ways To Bond With Your Horse

Posted on November 27, 2018 by blogeditor

Bond With Your Horse

Bonding with your horse is a great way to improve your overall health as well as the health of your horse. For more reading on horse bonding, check out our article How To Bond With Your Horse. (1) Riders should look at their offseason as an opportunity to bond with their horse. Many professionals spend their offseason introducing new skills such as flying changes and sliding stops, strengthening their discipline. (2) There are ways to be a fresh perspective on your horse. Spend some time in the saddle without stirrups or try riding other horses that are more experienced than your own. You can also attend a clinic or take lessons with an experienced trainer. Getting new perspectives on your horse will bring you closer.

(3) Riders are often forced to board their horses for the season at a professional training barn. This can result in low to zero one-on-one time with your horse. Not all horses react the same way to this type of low interaction. If your horse is not performing as well as usual, consider making a change. Making a trip back home with your horse and tack in tow can be annoying, but making time to bond with your horse at home might be just what your horse needs. (4) You can learn how to better bond with your horse by trying another discipline. During the offseason, try a new sport like jumping or cantering poles.

(5) One of the most important things that you can do to keep up with bonding methods is to research. Always read about new techniques online, visit equine trade shows in your area, or attend bonding seminars. Other studying opportunities include winter clinics, online courses, and magazine articles. For ideas on how to bond with your horse, contact Colorado Horse Property today.

Photo by Bhakti2 on Pixabay.

How To Bond With Your Horse

Posted on November 26, 2018 by blogeditor

Bond With Your Horse

Bonding with horses seems to be a fundamental trait that humans have developed over the years. Bonding with horses teaches compassion, patience, and has been shown to reduce stress. So how do you bond with your horse? Colorado Horse Property has put together a list of ways to bond with your horse that you might not have thought of before.

When your horse has to be seen by the vet, don’t take a back seat. Being there during this stressful period can increase the bond that you already have. So the next time your horse gets diagnostics, dental work, alternative therapies, or even surgery be present. If you are a competition rider, supplement your horse’s training with other activities in the off season. The more time you spend with your horse, the greater your bond will be. The greater the bond, the better your horse will be on and off the track. And don’t abandon your horse when winter comes. Winter can be harsh, especially in the state of Colorado, but your horse needs attention all year round. Put on your winter gear and get outside with your horse—you’ll both be glad you did!

It is common for your horse to show negative behaviors when they get older. Is your horse resisting and showing tension more lately? You could go out and get your horse all new tack and bring in a new trainer. However, this behavior could be the result of your bond with your horse slipping. Don’t feel bad. We all get busy sometimes, but when your horse is showing these signs it is time for you to get busy bonding again. It’s time to address these problems from a new angle, experiment with new techniques, and rebuild the foundation with your horse.

Image by Tatyana Sharnina on Pixabay.

Horseback Riding Safely

Posted on November 5, 2018 by blogeditor

Riding Safely

Horseback riding can be a very dangerous activity even with professionals around. Making sure you protect yourself from injury is very important when it comes to riding and your friends at Colorado Horse Property have a few tips that could help your experience be a safe and fun one. The last thing anyone wants is to injury themselves or their horse. Riding safely should always be the number one priority when horseback riding. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or experienced rider, being careless can cause accidents. You will want to wear a helmet and other protective gear, have property equipment when riding, and remember to treat your horse properly.

Riding safely can’t happen without wearing a helmet. Make sure it’s ASTM approved to guarantee it’s been tested for horseback riding. You can even personalize your helmet. Proper boots & riding apparel: Your boots should be designed for being in the saddle. That means a small heel and hard toe. You don’t want your feet slipping through the stirrups! Riding in tank tops or shorts can cause chaffing and bad cuts, especially if you were to fall.

Safe riding equipment: Have you checked your tack lately? A faulty piece of leather can make your headstall fall off while riding, and no one wants their saddle spinning under their horse because of a bad strap. The best time to check is when you’re cleaning tack and right before you ride. Don’t push too hard: Know your level! Galloping across an open field may seem like a dream, but an out-of-control horse probably isn’t. It’s healthy to encourage yourself to achieve goals. However, unnecessary risks can make for a very unsafe ride. Take small steps, rather than huge leaps. Learn more about the most common types of horses in Colorado.

Photo by Sarah Bedu on Unsplash

Head Shyness in Horses

Posted on September 6, 2018 by blogeditor

Have you ever heard of head shyness in horses? Is your horse averse to any activity/hand placements around the head and/or near his ears? Does your horse hate to be handled with a brush, headstall or clippers around the head? If yes, then your horse might have what is known as head shyness, which is exactly what it sounds like. This is common with horses exchanging owners as in an adoption from a rescue center. For more information on the great horse rescue centers in Colorado, visit our horse rescue centers page.

Head Shyness?

Don’t worry; if your horse exhibits this trait, there are a few things you can do to reduce it. Begin any head-touching with a slow rub directly on the head. Get horse horse moving prior to trying any head-touching and if they become agitated, then try moving them around again. Twenty to thirty minutes of moving should do it.

The next step is to lead the horse toward something that will cause the horse a little bit of anxiety. This may sound odd at first, but the truth is having a horse move toward what worries them is a great way to build confidence. You can do this by having your horse move towards something it doesn’t like or feels uncomfortable near.

With each step toward this anxiety-object, go to the horse’s head and give it a rub with your hand as a reward. Also, repeating this process a few times will help change your horses perspective on getting its head rubbed and reduce it’s head shyness. If you have any more questions about head shyness or anything else in relation to your horse or horse property, contact Colorado Horse Property for details.

Horse Adoption Contract

Posted on August 31, 2018 by blogeditor

What is a Horse Adoption Contract?

When you adopt a horse from a rescue, many establishments will require you to participate in an adoption contract. These contracts outline what can be done with the horse. There is a myth circulating the community that rescues never enforce their contracts. However, this is not always true.

Contrary to popular belief, these adoption contracts are not useless. They’re not like the terms of agreement on many computer software packages that most people don’t read. If you are adopting a horse from a rescue, you are going to want to read the adoption contract thoroughly. Make sure that you understand everything that is expected of you as the horse’s new owner. In short, the purpose of the adoption contract is to ensure that the horse goes to a good home.

The fact of the matter is, most rescues follow up on their contracts. Even if the horse was not at the rescue for a long period of time, chances are rescue volunteers and owners are going start emotionally caring for the horse. Of course, this is not the only reason why a rescue might want to check up on an adopted horse. Rescue personnel perform follow-up visits not only to see that the horses are cared for, but also to make sure that the adoptive owners are happy with the arrangement.

Rescues exist only to help animals in need and they are going to want to know that the horse that they rehabilitated or trained is doing well outside of the rescue. If someone violates the terms of an adoption contract, they may lose the horse and be liable to the rescue for the cost of enforcing that contract. For more information on adoption contracts, contact your local horse rescue.

Horse Rescue Myths: Lame Horses

Posted on August 28, 2018 by blogeditor

Lame Horses

It is a common misconception that most rescue horses are used up, worthless, or are lame horses. This is not true. The short answer is that rescues have many different types of horses; Some aren’t great for riding—it’s true—but many can do anything any other horse can do. Also, rescues have horses with a range of abilities, from light ride only to sound at a performance level. Some horses have health conditions that limit their riding/exercise ability. Also, they may require a special medication, lifestyle, or veterinary care.

What does it mean for a horse to be lame? Lameness is an abnormal stance or gait caused by either a structural or a functional disorder of the locomotor system. The horse is either unwilling or unable to stand or move normally. Lameness is the most common cause of loss of use in horses. Trauma, disorders, infection, and disease cause lameness.

Rescues take neglected and unwanted horses. Neglected, not lame. Many are sound, well-bred animals who ended up in the rescue after their owners fell on hard times. Rescues typically have many horses who are young, sound and can be trained for anything. You’ll even find trained horses in rescues.

How to Rescue A Horse

Posted on August 7, 2018 by blogeditor

How To Rescue A Horse

Wondering how to rescue a horse? Though there are no set formulas to adopting the right horse for you, it can be a difficult and trying experience that you don’t want to get wrong. To help you on this journey, your friends at Colorado Horse Property has come up with a few this to do in the process of adopting a horse. First things first, take a look at how much it will cost you to care for a horse. The cost of owning and caring for a horse is ongoing, not to mention the initial adoption fees. Ensure that your budget includes boarding, feed, tack, training, veterinary care, and supplements for your horse.

Most people want to adopt horses in order to ride them, but don’t just assume it is as easy as that. First evaluate your riding-skill level. If you’re a beginner, start with a horse that is well-trained and confident, versus an untrained, or newly started horse. Not interested in riding your adopted horse? Know what you’re looking for in your horse. Do you need a horse to ride on occasional short rides? Long trail riding? Are you getting a new horse as a companion to a horse you already have? Knowing what you want before you start the process can help you pin point where to adopt your horse.

Choosing a Rescue and Horse

One of the biggest challenges in adopting a horse is finding the right rescue to go with. Some people are restricted by low numbers of rescues in their state. Luckily for you, you live in the great state of Colorado where horse rescues are plentiful. For a full list of rescues, check out our list of Colorado horse rescues! When choosing, be prepared to answer some of these criterion:

Where do the horses come from in the rescue in question? Does the horse rescue only take in horses that are removed from neglectful situations, or does it take horses from auctions or individuals? Will the rescue share the horse’s health records with you? Can you talk to their veterinarian and get the full narrative on any health issues? Does the rescue have a good reputation in the community? Ask local horse owners, veterinarians, and farriers about the rescue in question, if there are any concerns than these horse related professionals are going to know about them. If you have any more questions on how to rescue a horse, contact Colorado Horse Property today.

Horse Rescue Funding Myths

Posted on August 6, 2018 by blogeditor

Horse Rescue Funding

There are a lot of myths about how horse rescue funding is found for rescues. There is a common misconception that the people’s tax dollars already support the rescue. This causes many people to not donate. In reality, most rescues do not receive any local, state or federal funding.

There is only one exception. There are cases when a city or county contracts with a horse rescue for assistance in handling neglect cases and strays. However, these cases not very common. Rescues must raise the funds necessary to care for their horses through adoption fees, fundraising events and direct-mail solicitations. Without donations from their prospective communities, some rescues are forced to close their doors.

Freebies and Salaries

Another side to this misconception that hurts horse rescues is that they receive services and items for free, so their expenses are low to none. Though it is true that many rescues get some discounted services, this is not always the case. Large animal vets, farriers, and other horse related professionals must make a profit to survive in this economy just like everyone else. Recues don’t rely on donations or discounts from vets.

The last myth to mention that ties in perfectly with this subject of horse rescue funding is that everyone who works at a rescue is on salary. The hard truth is that even if the rescue is financially stable, only a few employees are under salary if any. Volunteers are the staff. For more information on horse rescue’s in your area, contact Colorado Horse Property.

Horse Obesity

Posted on July 21, 2018 by blogeditor

Does My Horse Have Horse Obesity?

A little bit of online research will tell you that horse obesity is on the rise. Just like in humans, obesity in horses can lead to a number of worse problems. A horse that is overweight has a much higher risk of developing laminitis, insulin resistance and other metabolic disorders. It is not always easy to figure out if your horse is overweight, so Colorado Horse Property has put together a few ways to help you find out.

How To Find Out

Horse owners can use the condition scoring system, which is an evaluation of subcutaneous fat over six points on the horse; the neck, withers, behind the shoulder, along the back, rib area and the tail. The scoring is done on a 1-9 scale and the ideal score for most breeds and disciplines is a 5. Check with your vet on how to check your horses with this scoring system.

There is also the girth to height ratio. This system has been shown to be useful in estimating overall adiposity and is well correlated to body condition score. To figure it out, simply divide the girth measurement by the height measurement. Both measurements should be taken at the top of the withers. A good ratio is less than 1.26.

Then there’s the cresty neck score. This is an evaluation of the amount of fat in the neck region. This system ranges from 0 to 5. 0, which indicates no visible appearance of a crest, whereas a score of 5 indicates a crest so large that it droops to one side. Owners should aim to keep their horses at a cresty neck score of 2 or lower. Your vet should be able to help you with these scoring systems in lieu of using a large horse scale.

Pigeon Fever, Three Forms

Posted on July 18, 2018 by blogeditor

Pigeon Fever

One thing to look out for this year when taking care of your horses is pigeon fever (also known as dryland distemper or Colorado strangles). Pigeon fever develops when a certain type of bacteria enters a horse’s body, probably via insect bites or breaks in the skin. The infection usually causes abscesses in the chest or elsewhere in the horse’s body.

Most horses make a full recovery from pigeon fever, but it can take weeks for the disease to run its course. It is a good idea to become familiar with pigeon fever. Owners should know what it looks like, how it occurs, and when your horse is most likely to get it. Your friends at Colorado Horse Property has done some research and would like to share what we have found.

Three Forms of Pigeon Fever

One form of pigeon fever is the development of external abscesses just under the skin or within your horse’s muscles. You find them in the chest and along the middle of the belly. This is the most common and most documented form of the infection and most horses recover fully once the abscess drains and the wound heals.

Another form of this infection causes internal abscesses to develop. This occurs when the bacteria is carried into the body and infect the liver, kidney, lungs or other internal organs. If you suspect that your horse has contracted this type of infection, then make sure to take your animal to the vet as soon as possible. An ultrasound may be needed to locate abscesses, assess their size and determine their maturity.

The last form causes swelling and ulcerations on the lower legs. These abscesses form within lymph nodes, causing the swelling of the leg. Signs of this form of the infection are lameness, lethargy and loss of appetite. Again, if your animal is showing any of these signs, make sure to take them to the vet as soon as possible.