Questions tagged [horses]

Questions relating to aspects of keeping horses as pets, not for advice on keeping horses for professional uses, such as racing.

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How to protect horses and foals from wolves outside

There seems to be a broad discussion about wolves coming back to Germany and stressing farmers of sheep and other animals. But today for the first time I read about a foal being eaten by a wolf. For ...
Allerleirauh's user avatar
  • 5,915
1 vote
0 answers
113 views

How can I protect my horse from a dog while I am riding?

Assuming I am riding, and a dog starts attacking my horse, what are the best ways to stop the attack? I would prefer a solution that does not require me to dismount, since my horse and the dog might ...
SerenaT's user avatar
  • 2,630
8 votes
3 answers
490 views

Why are so many horses put down when they break their leg?

It seems to be a common, and to me upsetting, theme that if a horse breaks its leg it gets put down but this doesn't hold true for some other animals. For example, if a dog or cat breaks its leg the ...
Henders's user avatar
  • 5,135
1 vote
1 answer
53 views

Remedying a girthy horse

So I've started to get my three year old filly used to being saddled. Currently with just a roller but she has had a pony saddle on her twice now (without stirrups attached.) However, she has started ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
473 views

How to stop a horse from ripping rugs?

My horse, unfortunately seems to bare the brunt of our geldings rug attacks. The gelding himself is turned out with two mares. My own, a 3 year old Appaloosa and an Anglo-Arab mare. Prior to getting ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
191 views

What happens if a horse has no horseshoe, or the horseshoe is detached and its hoof "breaks"?

I've recently read about horseshoes, so I get the general idea behind them. However, what happened when a horse's hoof, for whatever reason, was "broken" or "worn out"? Would that feel really painful ...
Jemale Style's user avatar
5 votes
0 answers
247 views

Will scarring effect my horse's placement in a showing class?

My horse is now almost 3. (a week away) This year we were supposed to start showing in-hand (UK) However, when she was first introduced to our lower herd in November/December she unfortunately caught ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
17 views

Best senior horse feed for post-colic surgery?

My horse has become picky post-colic surgery with his feed - Purina Senior Equine specifically. Luckily, we have been able to keep his weight on despite not being to eat hay because of his impaction. ...
Caroline Hunt's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
36 views

Neck shaking in the indoor arena

I have a 6 year old Arabian which I trained by myself. He is a pleasure to ride and very willing, but there is this one little annoyance: When we train in the indoor arena, he becomes a total ...
kaiya's user avatar
  • 325
2 votes
1 answer
231 views

How to teach my horse to stop when I stop while leading?

I take care of a 20ish year old mare 2-3 days a week. She had her left eye removed due to illness years back and she is used to it. We still lead her on the left side though since that is what she was ...
SerenaT's user avatar
  • 2,630
1 vote
1 answer
57 views

Why does my Horse seem very itchy?

Me again! My horse when she comes in from the field is prone to feeling itchy. This is a new development over the past five days. She rubs her backside up against her haynet and will sometimes kick ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
676 views

My Horse sniffs my head?

When I'm mucking out around her in the evening or if I generally just crouch low to the floor my young horse will always come over and sniff my head. She used to occassionally go to bite (never ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
91 views

Brown discharge from horse's eye

I accept this will be extremely difficult to advise on without images but I wanted to post this before I left work. (mostly so I won't forget.) Will add pictures when I get home. My horse has started ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
83 views

What should I do if my horse is bitten by a snake?

We've come through extended drought, followed by historically bad bush fires, then flood. It has caused many animals to seek refuge in places that were safe from the fires and flood. Subsequently ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
647 views

How to stop my horse from pawing the ground when she's eating hard feed

I have a horse who would constantly paw at the ground when being fed hard food. Basically any feed that was given to her in a container. Some background: When I got her she was underweight, covered ...
user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
107 views

Why does my horse snort?

My horse snorts if she sees something she isn't too sure about or if she's just had a bout of thundering over the field. I've always thought it's a build up of adrenaline and possibly endorphins but ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
290 views

Why does my horse paw the ground?

Since I've had my young horse she paws the ground almost every night. I've tried adding boredom busters such as treat balls, lick it's and wood (she likes to chew it?) but every morning without fail ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
1k views

Is Appaloosa a breed or a color?

I've heard the term Appaloosa applied to a wide range of horses and even to describe colour. What does the word "Appaloosa" mean? Is Appaloosa a colour?
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
40 views

What do judges look for at a horse show?

I've always wondered what does a judge look for in a horse show? I know they look at: Conformation Personality Gait Presentation I'll be attending a 2-3 year old all breed class with an Appaloosa. ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
47 views

How should I show my Appaloosa horse?

I have a three year old Appaloosa filly I will hopefully be showing in-hand this year. (Mostly to help postpone my eagerness to ride.) I'm wondering what the breed standard is for showing an ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
177 views

How to teach a young horse personal space in trot?

My horse's personal space is perfectly fine when leading and in her stall. However, the moment I take her up into the arena and I try to trot in hand she begins to 'lean' on me. I've tried correcting ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
3 votes
2 answers
88 views

Does hay quality affect my horse?

I opened a new round bale recently and the hay was so dry it had a straw-like texture and quality to it. It was also very dusty and I found myself frequently coughing/sneezing while filling the hay ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
89 views

Is shoeing a horse bad?

I am wondering if shoeing a horse is bad for them. For clarification the word "bad" here covers any negative affect it can have on the horse. I will only be accepting an answer that argues both sides ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
169 views

How to reduce biting behaviour in pasture [horse]

I've got a field with two Appaloosas and one Anglo Arabian. One Appaloosa is a young 3 year old filly, the Anglo Arab is a 9 year old mare and the other Appaloosa is a 5 year old gelding. Admittedly ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
575 views

How to reduce the smell of ammonia in horse's stall

How can I reduce the smell of ammonia from my horses stall? My horse is still young (3 years old) and currently makes quite a mess in her bed every morning. She will defecate and urinate all over the ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
62 views

Do young horses have different nutritional needs?

My Appaloosa filly (Rising 3) is currently on: 4 handfuls of Sugarbeet 1 handful of normal Alfa - A Liquid Alfa - A Agnus Castus 1 large thimble 1 teaspoon of garlic Which she gets fed in a bucket ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
47 views

What can I do to prepare my horse for backing

A follow-up from this previous question I'm looking to back my horse within the next year or two and was wondering what process and/or items I can use to prepare my filly. To clarify we are starting ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
78 views

When can a horse be started under saddle?

I understand this can be a very highly opinionated topic. However, I would like to know when to start a horse under saddle. If possible an answer that provides a "when you can" and "when you should" ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
77 views

How to treat mudfever in horses

I'm looking for ideas on how to treat my horses mud fever. I've got four horses with socks and/or white legs who are extremely prone to getting what we assume to be mudfever. Now from what I've read ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
146 views

How to avoid accidental bites when feeding a horse from my hand

Given it's not always safe to feed large chunks of food, so I might be wanting to feed small slices of carrot for instance. If I want the horse to take some food from my cupped hand, how can I do so ...
user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
640 views

A safe treatment for ticks on a pregnant horse

I have a horse - she is two months pregnant. We have a lot of ticks in the paddocks and I'm forever pulling ticks off her. I'm reluctant to use any products on her without knowing if it's safe for the ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
453 views

How to cut up vegetables and fruit for horses

Horses can choke on chunks of vegetables like carrot or sweet potato. To be clear - when horses suffer choke - it does not mean the food goes down the wrong pipe. It means the food is lodged in the ...
user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
151 views

How to bridle a young horse

My question is: How can I bridle a young horse. I've recently purchased a now three year old Appaloosa Filly who had not been touched prior to purchase. So far I've taught her to put on her own ...
SimplyRedAppaloosa's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
109 views

What should horse owners do if their property is threatened by bushfire and they are unable to evacuate their horses?

Our state is in a bushfire crisis. The worst in recorded history. Image courtesy of http://google.org/crisismap/australia The problem with evacuating horses is there is literally not enough trucks ...
user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
452 views

How do you know if your horse/s have mange? How do you treat it?

My horses have been getting itchy legs, some are missing hair on their faces and chests. This is not improving with the usual treatments of insect repellants, for flies. There's a lot of ticks on ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
745 views

How to care for a horse's teats/udder?

I have several mares and fillies and I notice they are prone to getting ticks on their underbellies where the skin is soft and there is less hair, including their udders. They also get a thick black ...
user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
171 views

Can horses eat lawn mower grass clippings?

I've heard over the years that horses shouldn't be fed grass clippings from lawn mowers. Is this dangerous and why would it be?
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
754 views

Can a red belly black snake kill a horse? How would I know if my horse has been bitten?

My horse was eating and jumped back from her feed bowl and wouldn't go back to it. I thought she may have been stung by the electric fence, but thought that was strange as she was well aware of how to ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
110 views

How is abrasive footing achieved?

While learning about how many tools are used during hoof care and to just how extensive trimming and shoeing is, I would like to know how abrasive footing achieved. According to this source, these ...
aitía's user avatar
  • 323
5 votes
1 answer
48 views

What things are handy to have in a horse owner's kit?

Horses are complex animals to keep as pets. They require a lot of care in ways that may not always be apparent. After many years of accumulating knowledge from research and experience, it would have ...
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
857 views

How to treat and manage neck thread worms?

I have a horse who has suffered a lot during the warm seasons. It was made worse when we moved north (we're in the Southern hemisphere - so north is warmer) and there were more biting insects. I was ...
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
113 views

New Rubber Mat Stinks

I purchased a brand new rubber mat to use inside of a pet carrier. The mat is easy to clean and provides a non-slip surface. But it stinks like new rubber. I googled around and found several ...
James Jenkins's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
259 views

How to treat Queensland itch?

My horse has Queensland itch. I'm looking for a range of options to treat it. I'm concerned about the use of poisonous chemicals.
user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
176 views

Can horses eat yoghurt?

I've been browsing probiotic solutions for horses. I was wondering if it's safe for horses to eat yoghurt with live cultures Related: Can dogs eat yoghurt?
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
75 views

How to manage weaning a 4 month old foal?

My 4 month foal has a broken leg and requires stable rest for 3 months and we need to wean her. It's impossible to keep her and mum in the same stable without risking mum getting cast. Mum had ...
user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
161 views

Is my horse too cold?

This is my first horse and he is an Appendix (thoroughbred/quarter horse cross). He has a long slim athletic build much like a thoroughbred. I came out to feed him this morning and he was shivering ...
Bayleigh Cole's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
39 views

What types of feed are naturally high in magnesium for horses?

My horses are supplemented with a standard mineral mix combining Zinc, Copper and Magnesium compounds that help supplement the feed here, as it tends to be deficient in these minerals. The copper and ...
user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
485 views

What alternative feeds to hay, grain and legumes can horses eat?

Where we live our state is going through the worst drought in decades. Livestock are dying from starvation. Pasture has died and crops are not producing. Hay, legumes and grain is being trucked in ...
user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
34 views

What are some good treatments to help a horse with strangles?

It looks as though one of my horses has strangles. I'm not looking for a substitution for veterinary care, I'm wanting to know of any home made remedies to relief the symptoms and help her cope with ...
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
50 views

What's the safest earlier age a foal can be vaccinated against tetanus and strangles?

If the foal misses out on the mother's colostrum, they may miss out on immunity from the mother. In this case the foal didn't get colostrum and her IGG tests were poor. She had two plasma infusions to ...
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