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How To Build a Successful Ranch
Running a ranch isn’t easy. You have to be prepared to put a lot of time, energy, and money into building a successful operation, and then you have to work hard to keep it running smoothly. However, if owning a ranch has always been your dream, your hard work and dedication will pay off. Make sure your ranch has these three elements so you can keep it running smoothly. Animals Animals are the lifeblood of any working ranch. Regardless of which type of animals you choose to raise on your ranch, you need to keep them healthy. Medical care is a significant expense, and if your animals get sick or…
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Essential Horse Tack For Beginner Riders
Choosing equipment for your horse ensures your safety and comfort while riding. A few essentials are necessary for the best riding experience. Make sure you decide if you want to do English or Western riding before you choose your gear as the equipment isn’t interchangeable. Here are some of the things you need before you take your horse out for a ride. Saddle and Pad A saddle should fit your horse well and be comfortable for you to ride in. Saddles will be different depending on English or Western style, so make sure you choose the appropriate saddle for the riding you intend to do. A saddle pad is also…
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Reasons Why Your Horse Should Be Insured
To its owner, a fine horse is more than an animal; It’s a major investment, requiring the maximum degree of care and protection. Horses, of course, being living creatures, there are always plentiful chances for things to go wrong. Responsible owners buy the best horse insurance policy they can to cover the costs of possible mishaps. Medical Misfortunes Horses, like humans, suffer from illness and disease. Common disorders include colic, laminitis (a crippling hoof inflammation), equine flu and a host of internal parasites. The medical management of horses is more specialized than for most animals, employing whole industries of farriers, equine veterinarians and dentists. Horse care costs are comparable to…
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How To Design Your Own Home Equestrian Arena
Even if you are staying home more, you still want to be able to ride your horses. The right home arena can help you train for upcoming shows and general exercise. There is a lot of planning ad work involved in making a great arena, though. Following a few basic steps can get you back in the saddle in no time at all. Plan Your Layout There is a lot more to designing an arena that picking out the best horse jump cups. Before you ever pick up a shovel, you will need to get planning. Decide what features you want in your riding space and work to fit them…
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Top 5 Winter Essentials For Your Horse
Whether you are new to owning a horse or you are someone that has looked after horses for years, there are a number of challenges that you face every winter. Just like you, horses sometimes get aches and pains and pallets for horses help take care of those miseries. With a few simple essentials, you can keep your horse warm until the weather begins to improve without spending a small fortune. In this article, we will be looking into some of the top 5 winter essentials you need for the cold winter ahead. Two of my horses are retired race horses! One is so incredibly fast I just love watching…
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Managing a Horse or Pony Prone to Laminitis
Despite the fact that research has improved our understanding of the causes of laminitis, it doesn’t seem to have resulted in a reduction in the number of cases. Why is this? Well it may have something to do with the increase in numbers of horses and ponies that are overweight or obese. Despite the fact that most owners are aware that if their horse or pony is overweight, they are at increased risk of laminitis, many find it very difficult to diet them effectively. There are many possible reasons for this but, just as with people, it is often because they simply don’t realise where the calories in the diet…
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A Weekend of Sadness – The Loss of Our Beloved Thor
Sometimes life just surprises you. Sometimes it is good – and sometimes, well you just wish you could go back to bed. Three years ago we purchased this awesome belgian draft horse for our son Anthony. His name was Jack at the time but we changed his name to Thor immediately. He just never seemed like a Jack. Some of the young children gave him the nickname of Big Foot. When we purchased Thor, we also purchased Ace – a belgian/appy cross. They were very bonded and best friends. The last 3 1/2 years have been great with these two. No one has really ridden Thor for the last year. …
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How I Define Weather
This is how I define weather: HHOOOTTTT – 95 degrees plus – far too hot to clean stalls, far too hot to ride a horse, far too hot for the horses. Change the water often because they aren’t huge fans of warm hay saturated tea… Hot – 80 degrees plus when my eyeballs sweat while mucking stalls Perfect Day – 65 degrees and perfect for tacking up a horse, riding, hanging out all day at the barn enjoying our horses. Too nice to bother cleaning stalls. Warm – when it is 20 degrees and I am working up just a slight sweat mucking stalls but all in…
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The Cost (Benefit) of Owning Horses -Priceless
Why do you pay so much money for your kids horses? I get that question all the time. In fact, occasionally people who have no business having an opinion will even get angry at the amount of money I spend on the kids horses. Seriously? We work very hard to make this happen and we all make sacrifices to make it happen. With good reason. I don’t pay so much money for a recreational activity – Here is what I am paying for… I pay for those moments when my kids become so tired they want to quit – but don’t. I pay for those days when my kids come…
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Adding A Little Zen To My Workspace
Everyone who knows me, knows I love horses. I have a very demanding job by day and everyone tries to add something to their workspace that offers a little bit of peace and tranquility. For me, that means adding an equine terrarium, a couple other decorative touches and a pair of silk fern plants. With all the hours I spend there I need to make a corner to “get away from it all”. Not to mention sometimes when people come to my office they are under a great deal of stress from some source. When they walk in and see this corner they instantly know that I value individuality,…
