Horse Tip Archive

1. Headed to the Equine Affaire?
-  Read this site's article and visit EquineAffaire.com.
- Bring a backpack with food, drink, cell phone.
- Dress in layers.
- Check out the Versatile Horse and Rider competition.

2. Tired of mucking stalls 24/7?
As long as the weather's nice, close your horses out of their stalls during the day. And give them the in/out option at nighttime, rather then closing them in.

3. Winterize: Invest in coveralls. Pay attention to horse condition under all that coat. Give you and your horse extra treats and time.

4. Got a new Western saddle?
Run a broom through the stirrups when you're not using it to help the leather turn out nicely.

5. Dress in layers, especially in the winter.

6. Pay it forward!(to yourself, that is):
- If you have daylight for barn chores in the morning, do all your evening set-up in the AM. That way, you're not mucking or trying to set out grain in the dark.
 7. Going somewhere? Even if you're not, make sure your trailer is shoveled out and accessible. You never know when you might need it.
8. Keepin' her honest.
No time to work with her? Keep her tied while you do chores. I can be an exercise in good behavior. And it will make for better behavior on the day you really do need her tied, unfussy, and unstressed.

9. Flies are here! And they love manure. So, do  stalls in the morning instead of waiting to do them with evening chores. And lug the manure as far away as possible. This'll help keep them at bay.

10. Got a loose horse? When you approach him, toss the lead line over his neck so you have some control as you get the halter on him.

11. Keep an Emergency Kit! Keep a kit handy. For suggestions, see NickerNews article. (make sure to include phone numbers and check lists in case someone else will need to care for your horses.

12. Got Enough Hay?
Think ahead to winter. Some dealers say hay will approach 8 to 9 bucks a bale by then. So if you have a chance to buy and store all you'll need 'til next year, Go For It! It might be painful on the wallet but you can bet it'll be more painful in February.

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