Recreation Horse Description
By May 9, 2005
Welcome to Kent University equine study program. In this section we will explain management of your horse for recreation purposes. Working with your horse on trail rides or at shows and events can be exciting and fun. There are several management tips that need to be considered to make this enjoyable for you and your horse.
The topics we will cover in this module include:
• Picking the proper mount
• Purchasing tack and equipment
• Grooming your horse
• Trailering your horse
• Housing for your animal
• Routine health facts
• Water and feed
Picking Your Horse
When selecting your horse, rule number one should be: match your horse with the activities you have planned. For example, a registered animal with specific bloodlines may be needed if you plan to show at highly competitive levels. Registration papers would not necessarily be needed if you plan to enjoy an occasional trail ride with your horse.
Probably the least important selection criteria in choosing your horse, whether for a professional or fun ride, is the animals color or markings. Many horse owners have an extreme amount of pride in the color and the way their horse looks. We find many horses being selected based on appearance as well as performance traits. In selecting a horse, remember to place your own personal feelings at the top of the list for maximum satisfaction. If you like the color of a Palomino horse, then you should not settle for anything but a Palomino. If you prefer the color markings of a Paint, your selection should be a Paint horse.
When selecting a horse, it is very important to select a horse with a personality to match your own personality. If you a person who likes to take things slow and relaxed make sure your new horse has a laid back, relaxed attitude. On the other hand selecting a horse with a laid back attitude for barrel or pole racing will probably not yield many ribbons. Working with someone with a knowledge of genetic backgrounds can save you from making several wrong choices before finding the horse best suited for you.
Procuring Your Tack and Equipment
It is important to purchase tack that can be properly fitted to the horse. Poor fitting tack will lead to soreness or injuries to you or your horse. Your job will be much easier if you are able to purchase your horse before purchasing tack. If possible consider using someone’s tack for a while to get a good feel for what you want and like and what is comfortable for the horse. The tack selected will depend on what you are going to be doing with your horse.
Just as your tack must fit your horse it must also fit you. Saddles come sized by the length of the seat. Stirrup length needs to be adjustable. Remember, a saddle will sit and feel differently on the horse than it will on a saddle holder in the store. Selection of the proper saddle is very important as it often is the most expensive tack item you will purchase. The saddle must be comfortable for both you and the horse. A new saddle will have to be “broken in”. Once a saddle is broken in, many horsemen would not consider selling their saddle for any price. A comfortable saddle will make a day’s ride a lot less painful. No one wants to sing the song ”I RODE HIGH IN THE SADDLE UNTIL MY BLISTER BROKE.“
Bit selection should be based on what the horse is used to and what competition or event you and your horse will be entering. There are several different types and styles of bits to select. An improperly fitting bit will lead to sore mouth and a reluctance to be bridled and ridden.
You also want to have fun
Pick the tack that fits your likes in colors and novelty because a day riding your horse is better than any day working. If you are not familiar with the different choices of tack, talk to other horse owners. Most owners will be willing to share their ideas and offer suggestions to help you select your tack.
Grooming Your Horse
A few tools will be needed to properly groom your horse. A few of the tools you should have are: a curry comb, a hoof pick, a rubber brush, electric clippers or scissors and a towel. Fly spray, baby oil, and sheen products are other items that will come in handy when grooming your horse.
Use the curry comb to remove heavy mud, dirt, and sweat from the horses’ coat. You should also detangle the mane and tail before saddling your horse. To help with the removal of cockle burrs and Burdock in the tail and mane, a spray can of WD 40 will speed the detangling job.
Use your hoof pick to clean dirt and stones from the bottom of the hoof. Be careful not to injury the hoof when working with the hoof pick. A rubber brush used in a circular motion will help loosen and remove dead and loose hair. The electric clippers and scissors should be used to remove any unwanted hair such as fetlock or ear hair. The hair along the bridle path should be trimmed to allow a more comfortable fit.
A towel may be used to wipe the horse with fly spray if the ride or show is to be held during warm weather when flies are present. Horses will enjoy a complete bath if accustomed to spraying water. A horses’ skin is very sensitive so only use very mild soap. Baby oil applied to the horses’ nostrils to block odors, is often used when introducing the horse to a new or strange place or other animals. Hair coat products may be applied to the animals coat to add sheen to the hair.
Trailering Your Horse
You may load your horse facing the front of the trailer, facing the back of the trailer, or at a slant in the trailer. Horses should be tied securely but with a quick release snap or knot. Do not allow too much slack in the rope. This will allow the horse the opportunity to step over the rope and could result in falling down in the trailer. Horses left loose while the trailer is being towed are at greater risk for injury if there is a sudden stop. Also, a horse tied with too much rope may lie down and other horses may step on them. Match the trailer size to the size of your horse and match the truck to the trailer.
One of the most frustrating equine activities can be loading an unwilling horse. A horse will often out weigh a human by 5 to 6 times in weight. You will never win by trying to fight the larger animal. Remember if you are standing in the trailer you will be taller and appear intimidating to the horse standing down on the ground. You will have an easier time loading your horse when you make him feel unthreatened.
Here are some suggested methods to help when loading your horse. Loop a lariat or rope around the rear quarters of the horse. Have the handler gently apply tension on the rope to encourage the horse to load. It may be necessary to initially blind fold your horse until the horse becomes accustomed to being loaded in a trailer .
Another method used to encourage your horse to load is to have two people standing behind a horse on either side, clasping hands, and lift upward on the animals rear quarters. After a horse is loaded, reward it for a good job to reinforce a confident feeling in the horse. A nice pat on the front shoulder may be enough reward. Always allow plenty of time for loading your horse. The horse can sense a “hurry up”, nervous attitude which will only increase loading difficulties.
Never allow a horse to stick its head out a window while the trailer is moving. A rock, an insect, or a flying object can severely injure a horse while you are traveling at high rates of speed. Adjust the windows or vents on enclosed trailers to match the outside weather conditions. A 100 degree day in an enclosed trailer may severely dehydrate and injure a horse if the vents are not opened sufficiently.
Bed the trailer so the horse has proper footing to avoid injuries. Horses are usually more content if they have hay and or grain to eat while traveling. You will need to stop at regular intervals to provide water for the horses. Some horse will not urinate while moving. You should plan to stop and unload the horses every few hours to allow them the opportunity to urinate.
A bumper pull trailer will usually be a rougher ride for the horse than a fifth wheel trailer. On long trips horses will need to be rested and watered more often if using a bumper pull.
If you are planning a long journey, it is a good idea to get your horses use to traveling by taking several short trips.
Housing for Your Horse
Horses need very little housing if they are acclimated to your weather conditions. A wind break can provide the proper shelter and may be better than a total barn. You need to remember to increase feeding rates as the temperature declines to provide the additional energy needed to produce heat. Horses should be a body score of five or higher in winter weather to better handle the cold weather. A short haired horse moved to a cold climate will experience deep discomfort until the hair grows enough to provide additional warmth.
Routine Health Care
A horse should be dewormed at least four times per year using an approved dewormer product. You should discuss an appropriate vaccination program with your veterinarian. Horses need to be shod if you plan on riding where rocks and uneven surfaces are prevalent.
Water and Feed
After riding or working your horse, allow him to cool down before offering feed or water to avoid digestive upsets.
A hot horse should only be allowed to consume one gallon of water until his body has cooled to your touch. One gallon may be as little as four gulps for a horse. It is a good idea to count the number of gulps and measure intake to know your horses’ capacity. If you will need to water on the trail from a pond or tank, knowing the horses’ total intake can be a life saver for your animal.
Feed your horse a properly balanced diet based on the calorie needs. The diet should be fortified with the proper level of vitamins and minerals to avoid deficiencies. Horses need to be fed at least 1% of their body weight in forage daily. Horses should have access to at least one gallon of water per 100 pounds of body weight. A working horse may lose up to four gallons of water through sweat per hour on a hot day. This lost water needs to be replaced to keep your horse healthy.