A General Overview on Feeding Horses

May 20th, 2008 | Horses | Comments Off

Opinions vary greatly on how to feed horses. Much depends on what type of work your horse does, if any. This article is a general overview on feeding horses.

It is of utmost importance to ensure that your horse has clean, fresh water at all times. It is a fact that horses do consume more water in the cold months of winter, than they do during the warmer months of the year. It is a common misconception that the opposite is true. In a perfect world, we would all have an automatic source for our horses, which would not freeze up in arctic climates, and don’t have to be filled every couple of days. Not everyone has that luxury. However, there are good ways to water your horse, and keep that water fresh, without breaking your budget or your back.

Poly stock tanks are available at most farm stores for a nominal fee. These make excellent water containers, as they don’t crack when it’s freezing outside. You can put tank heaters in them to keep the water from freezing as well. It is important to put a cage around that submersible tank heater though, to prevent it from melting a hole in your tank. An old bathtub will also work, as will any plastic tub. Be sure to clean the container with full-strength bleach to kill any algae that may grow. Rinsing your tank well will remove all the bleach and will not harm your horse.

If you end up using a garden hose to carry the water to your tank, be sure to buy one that is rated for feeding. Some hoses have ingredients in them that make them unsuitable for carrying water for animal or human consumption. This information is listed on the label, so be sure you know what you are buying. Water hoses come in many different lengths, and now even come in a collapsible form, which works very well for those colder climates where water will freeze inside your hose if it is left outside.

Part of a general overview on feeding horses is to be sure you have a trace mineral block and an iodized salt block for him. These blocks provide the essential vitamins and minerals your horse needs daily. He will lick or chew the blocks as he feels the need for those minerals. These blocks are readily available at most feed stores and most farm-related stores as well.

Feeding your horse is also a very important thing to do for him. As mentioned before, this is a general overview on feeding horses; it is not intended to replace what your vet may tell you to do with your particular equine. It is important to have a general overview on feeding horses. Depending on what kind of horse you have, and how much or how little work he gets, you will want to feed him accordingly.

Hay will be needed during the winter months if you live in an area where the grass is dormant. Grain may be necessary in cold climates to help your horse maintain a healthy weight during those cold months too. Good quality grass hay can be obtained from feed stores and farmers for reasonable fees. Crimped oats or cracked or rolled corn make good feeds for those horses needing something extra during those cold months to assist there metabolism in keeping them warm and healthy. Keep in mind, this is just a general overview on feeding horses, if you should have any concerns that are not addressed in this article, it is best to consult your veterinarian.

Overfeeding an idle horse, or one who gets fed more than he can burn off during exercise will do more harm to him than good. A fat horse in not a healthy horse. A good rule of thumb is that you should be able to run your fingers along his rib cage with light pressure and be able to feel his ribs. If you can do that, then you can be assured your horse is in good shape. However, if you have to lean into your fingers and apply heavy pressure to feel his ribs, he is overweight. Overweight horses have extra stress on their hearts with the extra fat that builds up around them. This makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the rest of his body, and increases his risk of having a heart attack.

Understanding Different Horse Breeds

Mar 15th, 2008 | Horses | Comments Off

Understanding Different Horse Breeds

by Terry Powell
Breeders are not the only ones who have the knowledge of different horse breeds. Many horse lovers do, too. The history of horse breeding as well as the features of different breeds are interesting learning that can give you a better understanding of these magnificent creatures.

Humans and Horses

Let us first examine how the relationship between men and horses has evolved, as this will help us better understand different horse breeds. Believe it or not, horses first became valuable to humans because they produced milk and could be eaten. Later on, however, humans realised that horses were strong and fast and began to use them to carry or draw loads and as a mode of transportation.

Nowadays, specific horses are bred for specific purposes. They are no longer just used to do labors. Rather, they are more often kept for sports or leisure riding.

Breeding Different Horses

What the breeder do is to select specific male and female horses with the desired characteristics to mate, so that the new-born horses will carry the traits desired by us humans. With the success of purposeful breeding, more horses are now bred in planned ways to meet specific needs. A widely known example is the racing horses. In fact, there are different registries around the world that document the various horse breeds.

Amongst average people, very few have the interest to learn the different horse breeds, but horse lovers are certainly different. This is especially true for someone who is fond of horse racing or simply would like to get himself a horse. Often, knowing the breed of your horse would tell you what the horse is capable of doing and whether its price is truly justified.

Horse Species

Despite the big variety of horse breeds, horses are generally placed under three main groups - pony, light, and heavy horses.

Ponies are the smallest kind of horses, and are known to many of us. Due to their size, some would even not consider them horses at all. Even so, ponies can be as hardy as other horses. Some breeds can carry adult riders and pull heavy loads. Because of their size and mild nature, ponies are often kept as pets by children. Examples of pony breeds are the Shetland and Welsh ponies.

Next to ponies are the light horses. Some of the breeds under this group are the beautiful Arabian and the fast Thoroughbred. Other breeds are the Quarter Horse, Appaloosa and Morgan. These horses are primarily meant to be ridden for fun or for sport. In the past, they were popularly used to pull light wagons, carts, carriages or chaises.

There are also horses that are considered heavy horses like the Percheron and Lipizzaner breeds. You can well imagine these breeds as the preferred horses of ancient and medieval warriors. The horses had the power and mettle to carry men into battle. Of course, heavy horses were also preferred for heavy work in barns and farms.

If you want to get a horse of your own, you only have to ask yourself what traits you would like your horse to have. Since there are just so many different horse breeds to choose from, you are sure to find the one that will fit your purpose and preference.

About the Author:
We have only covered some basic areas of different horse breeds, and you can learn more about horse breeding from our site. You may also wish to check out some fun horse videos when you are there. Enjoy! Visit the Uber Article Directory to get a totally unique version of this article for reprint.