Category Archives: Basic Horse Info

Horse Safety for Kids and Beginners

For those of us who had the opportunity to grow up around horses, responsibilities and safe horse-handling practices became lifelong habits. But there are a lot of families with children who are starting from scratch, buying their first horse, and have no idea how to go about handling one. Here are some basic guidelines that kids and beginners should know about horses: Continue reading

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A Horse That Bites

Writing in response to a recent question from a reader of my horse blog, I’d like to address the issue of how to correct a horse that bites you when you’re handling it. In this day and age of political correctness, what kind of discipline is acceptable to train a horse to not bite? Continue reading

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Horse Sense

Here’s a point to ponder for all of you horse lovers out there: Don’t get so horse crazy that you lose all common sense. Getting caught up in your enthusiasm and passion for horses can easily overshadow some basic truths that I would like to point out. Continue reading

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Choosing A Trainer

Whether you’re paying someone to train your horse, give you lessons, or simply choosing which trainer to watch and follow on RFDtv, it’s important to understand what you’re learning and make an educated choice concerning trainers. Continue reading

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Horse Conformation Tips

I’m no expert on horse conformation. I sometimes look at a horse and think, “Wow—he’s beautiful!” and totally miss that his shoulder is too straight or his stifle is weak. For the average horse lover, conformation isn’t a big deal. We just love looking at horses. But for a serious rider, it’s one of the most important things to look for in a horse. Continue reading

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Gentling a Spooky Horse

I had a reader contact me through my blog awhile back. She said that she and her family had acquired two yearling horses, and were having a little trouble getting them gentled down. These are just a few ideas to help you work through the first steps of gentling and training your horse. Continue reading

Posted in Basic Horse Info, Horse Training, catching a horse, colt starting, horse advice, horse training advice, horse training methods, horse training tips, training colts | Leave a comment

Herd Dynamics

Horses are funny animals. If I had a chance to sit out there in the corral all day and watch them, I would. I have five horses right now, and they are each so different, it is so interesting to see how they act and respond to each other. I believe in animal behaviouralist’s technical terms, this would be called herd dynamics. Continue reading

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Winter Care for Horses

I read a lot of horse magazines, and they’re always full of good ideas for my horses. Growing up on a horse ranch, you would think a girl would know pretty much everything about horse care simply from association. But if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that things are constantly changing and there’s always something new to learn. So I thought I’d pass along a few of the winter horse care tips I’ve been reading about. Continue reading

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A Homemade Mecate

I made myself a mecate the other night. No, it’s not some sort of South American recipe—it’s the rein and lead combination you see a lot of buckaroos and vaqueros use with a bosal or a regular bridle. The mecate dates back to the time of the Conquistadors, and is pronounced “may-kah’-tay”. They are commonly made from twisted or braided horsehair and cost a pretty penny. Continue reading

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The Horse Husband

Next time you are doing math in your head and grumbling while you figure up how much money the horse, tack, hay, vet trips, etc., etc…are costing you, head out to the barn and just watch your wife or kids riding and working with their horses. Or even better, if it’s not normally your habit, why don’t you go on a ride with them? You may unexpectedly discover that you can understand why this is so important to them. Continue reading

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