Horse Spa Day

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Did you know that you can give your horse their very own spa day? You can do it at home and it won’t cost a fortune. For example, give your horse a bath at the warmest part of the day as a way to cool them off. If the weather is cooler, try using warm water for their bath instead. Continue reading for more tips on creating your own horse spa day! 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.

At-Home, DIY Horse Spa

Having a spa day is all about being completely relaxed and comfortable. That means if your horse doesn’t like baths then try something else. Typically horses like baths the most when they are the right temperature and there’s no splashing. To reduce splashing, try using a big soft sponge. The sponges they sell for washing cars are the perfect size and texture. Also, don’t get any water in your horse’s face. They hate that! Be mindful of the type of shampoo you use.

Different horse shampoos are formulated for different purposes. Some are for whitening and others are for treating skin conditions like try skin. Therefore, make sure you get a shampoo that is appropriate for your horse. When working in the shampoo, use a little bit of force, not too much, and massage in the product. Lightly massage the muscles around the joints to help sooth your horse. This gives you the perfect opportunity to screen your horse for any new bumps or lumps.

The Colorado State Fair and Rodeo

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The Colorado State Fair is a must see this year for horse owners and enthusiasts. Moreover, the rodeo part of the state fair is full of equine shows. From August 27 to the end of the month, enjoy the PRCA rodeo with many guest appearances. Guest stars include Casey Donahew, Dustin Lynch, and The Diamond Rio. Continue reading for information on this great Colorado equine event. 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.

The 2021 Colorado State Fair Rodeo

If you are new to the rodeo scene or have never been to The Colorado State Fair, consider signing up for Chute Tours. This is an experience you’ll never forget. The Chute Tours is an exclusive, behind the scene look at the fair with the head rodeo stock contractor, Kirsten Vold. You will learn everything there is to know about the sport of rodeo and what it takes to be a competitive cowboy or cowgirl athlete. You can sign up at the state fair website. Did you know that the Colorado fair has a long history?

The Fair began back in 1872. It was held by the Southern Colorado Agricultural and Industrial Association. Originally the fair ran with no assistance from the community or the state until it was later incorporated in 1886. Today the fairgrounds occupy 102 acres of land that contains paved streets and beautiful landscaping. When the space isn’t being used for the state fair, it is used as a venue for concerts and other events. Have you ever attended the Colorado State Fair? Tell us your stories below!

Colorado Bed and Breakfasts

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Going on vacation or looking for a place to stay over a long weekend? Getting connected with nature is a great way to refocus and recharge after months of grueling work. Colorado has a ton of great bed and breakfasts that can connect you to nature. Continue reading for some great Colorado bed and breakfasts. Or check out this article on the best AirBNBs in Colorado. 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 Bed and Breakfasts Connected to Nature

What better way to experience the Colorado Rockies than in a yurt? There’s a bed and breakfast yurt in Unaweep Canyon that has great accommodations. It can sleep up to six and includes Wi-Fi, heating/AC, microwave, and mini fridge. The canyon is unique because two creeks, East Creek and West Creek, flow out of opposite ends of the gorge. It is a breathtaking view! Search AirBNB for Unaweep Yurt.

Or what about a trip down to Fairplay? Fairplay is famous for being the inspiration to the TV show South Park. Not only is there a South Park City museum you can visit, there are also opportunities to go hiking and fishing up in the nearby mountains. Mosquito Range is in the area, featuring several 14ers and 13ers to check out. The tiny house can sleep three and includes heating, AC, Wi-Fi, community hot tubs, a full bath, and a kitchen with a cooktop and fridge. Search AirBNB for Fairplay Tiny House.

Dog-Friendly Adventures in Colorado

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Colorado was made for dogs. Colorado is full of parks and natural open space for your canine companions to enjoy. Continue reading for some amazing dog-friendly venues in Colorado. Or check out our article on the most popular dog breeds of last year. 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.

Dog-Friendly Adventures

Our first dog-friendly venue is in Colorado Springs at the Pub Dog Colorado. This restaurant features an off-leash area for dogs to mingle with nearby tables for owners. If you prefer that your dog is leashed there is also an outdoor section for that as well. The Pub Dog Colorado’s menu includes items that are suitable for dogs. You can try the bark bowl, which includes brown rice, sweet potatoes, and an unsalted beef patty. They also have their Bowser Beer Dog Beer, which is a nonalcoholic, refreshing drink for your dog bowl. Your pup can also enjoy a “pupsicle,” a popsicle of frozen chicken broth.

Another great dog-friendly venue is the Adventure with Colorado Jeep Tours. No matter how big your dog is, all dogs are welcome along a Colorado Jeep Tour. The excursion with Colorado Jeep Tours ventures through Royal Gorge Bridge & Park, Red Canyon Park, and the Gold Belt Scenic Byway. If your goal is to get a selfie for your dog’s Instagram, this tour has some great views! Remember to make a reservation specifically for your dog. You’ll be asked to sign the waiver and attend a meet-and-greet with a tour guide when bringing your canine companion along.

Donkey Myths

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Did you know that donkeys are one of the oldest domesticated animals? It’s true. In fact, they were first domesticated around 3,000 BC, probably in Egypt or Mesopotamia. Being a part of the human experience for that long, there’s no wonder that there are some donkey myths out there. Continue reading for the most common. Like quine myths? Here’s some top draft horse myths. 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.

Common Donkey Myths

The most common donkey myth is that they are stubborn and stupid. This is not true. Donkeys are usually not as cooperative as horses. In other words, they’re not as easy to guide with a lead. Donkey’s are more hesitant due to the way they evolved. Horses evolved on plains where they had many sources of food. Donkeys evolved in mountainous desert areas with less resources. Donkeys take the time to assess their situation more than horses. They’re deciding whether they should stay where there’s food or move on.

Donkeys also have a reputation for being strong pack animals. However, there is a myth that they can carry more than other equines and that’s just a myth. Donkeys can only hold up to 20% of their weight. Donkey’s often don’t show they’re in pain for the same reason they’re perceived as stubborn. In a fight of flight situation, donkeys are more likely to stay and fight. Fight animals cannot show vulnerability to their opponents and so donkeys do not show their pain until they are very sick or critically injured.

Equine Massage Therapy

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As horse lovers, we know that caring for you horse is very important. However, taking your horse to the clinician or large animal veterinarian can be very expensive. There are a few things that you can do to sooth your horse that also have physical benefits. Horse massage therapy can prevent your equine from sustaining serious injury. Continue reading for a few techniques that might help your horse, including trigger-point therapy and myofascial release. 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 Massage Techniques

Remember, before practicing these techniques have a professional horse chiropractic guide you first. Trigger-point therapy is a focused massage on sensitive spots causing pain in soft tissues because of contracted muscles. These trigger points or knots are small, firm areas within the muscle. They are often the result of hard work, stress, or injury. When practicing trigger-point therapy, apply direct pressure to relax the muscle. This will release lactic acid, relieve spasms, encourage blood flow, and improve oxygen supply.

Another soothing technique is myofascial release or MFR. This includes massaging the fascia surrounding the musculoskeletal system. This part of the horse anatomy can cause problems when it becomes tight and restrictive. Just like trigger-points this is often the result of trauma, disease, or hard work. If you spot these issues, your horse needs to stretch to release the tension and restore free movement. Again, a trained horse therapist can help you identify and remedy these issues.

The Best AirBNBs in Colorado

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Colorado is one of the most visited states of the country. With its abundance of mountains and beautiful wilderness, there is no question as to why. There’s no better way to experience this nature than with a strategically placed Airbnb. Our team has scoured the internet for the best AirBNBs in Colorado and here is what we came up with. 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.

AirBNBs in Colorado

Search AirBNB for The Hygge Chalet and Sauna. This listing includes a stunning, Scandinavian-inspired chalet in the Rocky Mountains. Specifically, this listing is in the Lost Creek Wilderness National Forest, an hour outside Denver. The chalet comes with two bedrooms with queen beds. This cabin sits at 9,000 feet, so beware if you are prone to altitude sickness. If you book a stay here, you will get great views of surrounding mountains like Shawnee Peak.

Search AirBNB for Little Red Treehouse in Lyons, Colorado. Just as it sounds, this listing is built up off the ground and into a beautiful sprawling tree. This AirBNB is smaller than the chalet in that it only has one room. But that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have great amenities to enjoy. The Little Red Treehouse has a space-conscious kitchen and pull-down Murphy bed that sleeps two. However, there is a loft in the treehouse that can be used for extra guests. The beauty of this listing is the outdoor spaces that are included. It has an outdoor dining area and plenty of views of the surrounding nature.

Popular Wild Horse Spots in Colorado

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For many of us, our joy of horses start when we are very young. This is especially true if you grew up watching Black Beauty, Secretariat, or Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. And what about wild horses? The term “wild horse” is also used colloquially in reference to free-roaming herds of feral horses such as the mustang in the United States, the brumby in Australia, and many others. Continue reading to find out where you can spot a wild horse in Colorado. 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.

Wild Horse Spots

The Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area is great for spotting wild horses. Found in the northwest corner of the state, the Sand Wash Basin Herd Management Area has more than 157,000 acres of land. The area is located about 45 miles west of Craig. With so much land it is not a surprise that it is home to an estimated population of about 700 horses. The area is also home to elk, mule deer, Greater sage-grouse, white-tailed prairie dogs, pronghorn, coyotes, mountain lions, badgers, and golden and bald eagles.

And then there’s the Piceance-East Douglas Herd Management Area. This herd management area is one of the easiest to find. It is located southwest of Meeker and east of State Highway 139. If you’re lucky you can even spot some of the wild herd off of the highway. The herd is varied, featuring bay, gray, sorrel, black, roan, and buckskin breeds. Even larger than Sand Wash, this herd management area boasts 190,130 acres. You may also spot mule deer, elk, badgers and a variety of birds.

Regional Horse Diseases

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Keeping your horses free of disease means understanding everything they could be up against. However, did you know that different diseases tend to have different geographic distributions? This is known as regional horse diseases. For example, the most recent outbreaks of Potomac Horse Fever in Canada have occurred specifically in eastern and southwestern Ontario, and parts of Alberta. Continue reading for more examples of common regional horse diseases. 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.

Common Regional Horse Diseases

So, certain equine diseases occur and spread in different areas—why? It all has to do with the environment of that region. Regions with ecological systems supporting large mosquito populations will automatically place horses at greater risk for mosquito-borne diseases. These include both the western and eastern variants of the enchephalitis virus, and also the West Nile virus. This harkens back to our Potomac Horse Fever example. Eastern Ontario has large hatches of mosquitos which act as a vector for the disease and makes it more prevalent in that area.

What’s great about this is that if you know what equine diseases are more prevalent in your area the better you can avoid them. So, what about Colorado and its horse population? Unfortunately, Colorado is no stranger to regional horse diseases. There have been confirmed cases of equine infectious anemia (EIA), equine herpesvirus myeloencephalitis (EHM), and strangles in Colorado in the past. Strangles is highly contagious. It can spread rapidly from animal to animal and is one of the more common bacterial infections of horses. Check with your horse clinician and veterinarian to see if your area has reported any regional horse diseases. These professional will be able to tell you how to prevent your horses from catching these diseases.

The Truth About Mountain Homes

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Are you looking for a home that offers peace and quiet with amazing mountain views? Moving to a mountain town will give you some of the best views in Colorado and less neighbors to deal with. But not every mountain home is worth the hassle. There are some things that you should ask your realtor about when looking for mountain homes to purchase. 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.

Ask Your Agent Before Buying Mountain Homes

The first thing you want to talk to your real estate agent about is finding a mountain home with good accessibility and utilities. Find out how the road is cleared when it snows or ices over. And when it comes to utilities, ask about the septic tank and how it gets serviced. When things break down over time, they will need to fixed by professionals, many of which require a large utility vehicle. If your home is hard to access for large trucks, then that can be a real problem or cost you more money down the road.

Always keep location in mind when checking out a property. If you are an avid skier, then living near a ski resort will be a plus. However, if you are not a skier, know that there may be extra traffic and people in the area for the skiing attractions. Also, ask about the condition of the roads or check them out yourself when viewing the property. Is the road/driveway paved or not? It is not uncommon to see a gravel road and driveway up to homes in the mountains. Do you have the proper vehicle to get up the incline in snowy weather? Remember, this is not to discourage anyone. These types of homes are often wonderful and give many homeowners are a great quality of life. Just make sure you know what you’re getting into before signing a contract.