For every horsewoman, rider, or trainer
there is a secret formula for success. Some people swear by
"old timer's" remedies for ailments or injuries. Some
people continue to do business the way their mentors did -
half a century ago. Some people continuously try the new
and popular "faddish" things that are out on the market, and
waiting eagerly to sucker you in. Each of these strategies
has its pros and each has its cons.
By no means am I an expert of ANYTHING,
however, just like every other horsewoman on the face of the
planet I have my way of doing things. First and foremost I
believe that horses should have ample turnout time. Not
every barn has the space available for 24 hour turnout, or
even 12 hour turnout, but horses need to have several hours
of turnout per day. At my farm, some of my horses live
outside all the time, and some come in for 12 hours at a
time. Rain, sleet, snow, freezing temperatures - none of
these weather conditions is cause for me to change my
turnout routine. That is why we invented waterproof
blankets : ) Horses that are left in all the time are often
crabby and irritable. They may have more energy for work,
but often their muscles are not fully developed because of
their lack of activity. Not to mention that if they are not
supplied with ample hay (which most horses kept up all the
time aren't) they can develop ulcers due to the acids that
are constantly produced in their stomachs. Also, horses can
become depressed, stressed, or anxious. Excessive time in
the stall can also cause boredom which can lead to bad
habits such as cribbing, walking, weaving, and chewing. I
have even seen horses that stand in their stalls and buck
because of the excess energy that they have.
Secondly, I believe that preventative
MAINTENANCE of your horse is another way to avoid problems.
I like to prevent problems from happening, rather than treat
a problem that has already occurred. This maintenance
includes proper shoeing, a good worming schedule, timely
vaccinations, chiropractic care, and daily routines. My
horses are shod on a schedule every 5-6 weeks. Many people
let their horses go longer, sometimes 8-12 weeks. I have
found that my horses perform much better when they are shod
more regularly. Hooves grow, and due to that growth the way
a horse goes can be radically changed. A horse that has had
neglected feet could be your next Grand Prix Dressage horse,
but you would never see that potential with ill maintained
feet. A good farrier can help your horse be as comfortable
and have the best gaits possible for that horse. Worming
will also help keep your horse in glowing condition. The
parasites that infest horses take away much needed
nutrition, and this leads to weight loss, poor coat/hoof
condition, and can lead to colic. I have found that for me,
the best way to keep tabs on these pesky things is to worm
on a monthly basis. I don't waste my money on cheap stuff
like Anthelcide. Instead I put my money, and my horses's
health, into Ivermectin (aka Zimectrin) and Pyrantel Pamoate
(aka Strongid or Exodus). I do not necessarily buy brand
names - you can save a significant amount of money by buying
the generic brands, just like you would buy Walmart
ibuprofen instead of Advil. I also supplement this strategy
with twice a year with Zimectrin Gold to control tapeworms.
A good place to purchase wormer inexpensively is
Jeffer's Equine.
Vaccinations are also a good way to keep your horse in good
health. The state of Georgia requires a Coggins test on
every horse in the state, so it is important that you have
one. Additionally you cannot travel to any show without
them! Other vaccinations, such as Tetanus, Eastern &
Western Encephalomyelitis, Equine
Flu, Strangles, West Nile Virus, Rhinopneumonitis, and
Rabies should be given on an appropriate schedule. The
horses that are at my farm receive vaccinations twice yearly
by my licensed veterinarian. It is at this time that they
also get a thorough check-up and their teeth floated, if
needed. Teeth are extremely important - they can cause
training issues, and are very a very important step in the
digestive process. Another way I try to prevent injuries
and lameness is by having my chiropractor out on a regular
basis. I do not wait for a horse to become stiff or sore
before calling on him, I try to rotate my horses through
every 4-8 weeks depending on their workload and propensity
for being out of adjustment. I use an excellent
chiropractor, Dr. Guy Wells, who travels from his Tennessee
clinic to take care of his Georgia clients - people and
horses alike. However, when it comes to preventative care,
daily routines are the most important. Clean, fresh water
available so that they never become dehydrated. Clean
stalls, so that their hooves can remain well maintained.
Hoof moisturizer, or hoof strengthener every day to maintain
the balance and suppleness of the hoof wall. Fly spray to
keep the bugs away. Hooves picked daily, and a thrush
preventative put on weekly. Treatments for minor cuts and
scrapes so that they do not develop into scars. These are
the things that we must do for our horses every day to keep
them shiny, healthy & in good spirits!
Lastly, GOOD
NUTRITION. We have all heard that old saying, "You are
what you eat!" And in the equine industry this statement
could not be more true. I must stress my absolute & total
disdain over Purina products - they are completely horrible
feeds without a redeeming factor. Many feed stores in my
area have quit carrying the Purina line because the quality
is so low. And if you are feeding it, you aren't saving any
money! Spend $1 more per bag and you can be feeding some
thing from Triple Crown! Or, SAVE money and feed Southern
States or Buckeye! I am putting away my soapbox to tell you
how I do it at my farm - which is again just my opinion in a
sea of opinions! I feed Triple Crown products. My horses
that are not overweight get Triple Crown Complete which is a
feed that is high in fat and fiber and provides all of the
essential vitamins and minerals. It does not have a high
protein content with only 11% protein, which is enough.
Horses are meant to live off of grass and other forages,
most of which have no more than 10-12% protein. Let me say
this again - ALL QUALITY GRASS HAYS, no matter where they
come from, or how much you spent on it only have about 11%
protein. Timothy, fescue and bermuda grass are essentially
the same nutritionally speaking. For my heavier horses, I
feed Triple Crown Low Starch - a feed that is slightly
higher in protein, but significantly lower in fat. It helps
horses that have weight issues or are negatively effected by
sugars. In my case it is for overweight horses, or horses
that tend to be overweight. I do not like sweet feed, but
in the event one is needed, try for a low protein high fat
approach, like Southern States EquiTech. It is not very
high in molasses or corn (corn is HORRIBLE for the horse's
gut), and it is a textured feed that has 10% fat and 9%
fiber. Fiber is very important to digestion, so feeds that
are higher in fiber are more readily digested & absorbed.
Also kept in my feed room when needed is Buckeyes Ultimate
Finish which is a high-fat supplement for horses that are
under weight. It features 25% fat, 12% protein, and 6%
fiber. You may ask yourself, "why feed such a concentrated
fat supplement, when all of her feeds are high in fat?" The
answer to this question is: Volume. Horse's stomachs are
not designed to hold a lot of grain, and horses will gobble
it down until every last bite is gone. This forces the
grain past their stomach and into their hindgut which is not
equipped to handle the grain. The grain then ferments and
produces lactic acid which kill the gut flora that our
horses need to get the nutrients out of their food. So, I
feed as little grain and as much hay as possible to maintain
the body weight of my horses. Most of my horses get 1/2
pound of feed twice a day. That is equal to 1 - 1 1/2
cups. Of course, with that little grain, they need
supplementation to their feed to get all of the vitamins and
minerals that they need. I have started using Glanzen Lite
recently, and not only does it provide all of the essential
nutrients to keep the horses shiny, beautiful and healthy,
but its base is food grade flaxseed meal which makes it
palatable to even the pickiest eaters. It contains Omega 3,
high levels of biotin, a trace minerals, and a B Complex
package. I was using a separate supplement for each issue,
and a lot of it was being left behind by several of my
horses. I also use Quiessence for my horses that tend to
become overweight to help stabilize their insulin levels.
This product is also helpful for horses that are stressed
and tend to be moody. For my underweight horses, I like to
supplement them with Ration Plus, which is a probiotic that
feeds & maintains the the gut flora and bacteria needed to
properly breakdown food.
Of course, all of my
horses are ridden and exercised regularly. This means not
only training rides in the arena, but also hacking in the
pasture, going on trails, traveling to shows, and
occasionally you might find us swimming in the lake!
So, if you ever
wonder how I do things at my farm, now you know! I
encourage everyone to form their own opinions, and do the
research that is required to form one in an educated
manner. Of course, I think my way is the best, but so does
everyone else!
Zane,
my photographer for the day. He was gracious enough to charge me only
$1 for his "professional" services. . . : ) 
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