I’ve lived the backyarder’s dream. For much of my life, the space behind my house contained a barn rather than a swimming pool.It wasn’t the typical Southern California lifestyle, but I reveled in it. Each morning when I...
Have you contemplated transitioning from backyarder to boarder? Are you moving your horse to a new barn? If so, here are five suggestions:
1. Don’t be a Complainer
If you carefully inspected the boarding barn—which in my book includes snooping beyond...
Horse flies. Stable flies. House flies. Deer flies. Toss mosquitoes, gnats and ticks into the mix, and you have the bane of every horse’s (and horse owner’s) existence as you work to protect your horse from flies. As much...
Trail riders living on expansive acreage, close to public lands, or next to accommodating neighbors are the fortunate few. Most of us have to haul out when we want to enjoy a ride in the great outdoors.It’s hard...
Here are 10 tips about how to safely load your horse into a trailer:Be safe: Wear gloves, boots,
and helmet.
Protect your horse’s legs during training with standing wraps or shipping boots. Use a head bumper if your...
Q: Could you review the components of a typical pre-purchase exam? Which parts do you see as vital for any buyer? Which parts might you consider optional?A: A pre-purchase examination (PPE) in a horse is a "snapshot” of the...
Q: I know during the fall and winter it is a lot easier for horses to become dehydrated. Because of the cooler temperatures, they aren't as inclined to drink their water as they are in the hotter months. This...
For folks with just one or two horses, the choice between boarding at a stable or converting their land into horse property is a tough decision. There are quite a few pros and cons for each possibility, so let’s...
Q: I just recently purchased a 15-year-old gelding. He has only been on hay feed, not grass pasture. We've had him for almost a week now and have slowly been putting him in the grass pasture. We started at...
Here are seven items I use toward the goal of creating a tidy oasis. Each one either prevents an invasion borne of the
Great Outdoors or aids me in the counterattack.Country Chic Muck Shoes
...
