The end of the year is the time for lists: The 10 Best Dressed People. The 100 Richest People in the World..... The lists go on and on. In an effort to “Keep up with the Jones’, here is our list for 2008. Ten 13 Important Things New Horses Owners Need To Know!
1. Feed your horse the same diet every day at about the same time. The average adult horse needs about 25 lbs of feed a day. That is a minimum of 15 lbs of hay which is about a1/3 of a bale of hay. 5 lbs of grain fed morning and night round out a normal diet for an adult horse.
2. It is unacceptable behavior for your horse to kick or bite you.
3. Don’t get on your horse and kick him into a lope. Walk and jog him around or longe him before getting on and riding him off.
4. If you see your horse looking at his side, biting at this side or rolling around on the ground, call a vet immediately. It is likely that the horse has colic.
5. When you turn your horse loose in a field, back up toward the gate, turn the horse's head towards you and then undo the halter. Step back out of the way as the horse turns to leave.
6. Don’t haze your horse off when you turn it loose. Let it turn and walk off slowly.
7. Never turn your horse loose with a nylon halter on it. If you must keep a halter on the horse, get a leather turn-out halter.
8. Beware of moldy, dusty, dark hay. Horses need quality feed – they are not like cows.
9. If your horse starts to run off and you can’t stop it, reach down and grab one rein. Snatch that rein till you can pull the horse in a circle. Keep it in the circle till it is back under control. Try and make that circle smaller and smaller.
10. Never blame the horse. Since you now own a horse, you are a horse trainer and it is your job to communicate and teach the horse how you expect them to behave.
11. Always check your cinch to be sure it is secure before you mount. 12. When you tie up your horse, tie him to a solid object that can not be broken. For example, Tie him to the posts that are in the ground rather than the boards on the fence. 13. Tie your horse head high and tie him short enough that he can't get his head down. Don't tie your horse so he can graze. If he is long enough to graze, it is long enough for the horse to get a leg over the rope - it is an accident waiting to happen.
Congratulations, you now own a gift from God. Treat it fairly. Care for it!
In return you have to the opportunity to develop that secret bond that exists only between horse and rider.
“The Horse is God’s Gift to Man” Ancient Proverb |
