Questions tagged [horses]
Questions relating to aspects of keeping horses as pets, not for advice on keeping horses for professional uses, such as racing.
81
questions
15
votes
3answers
928 views
How can I tell whether my horse recognizes his name?
I've been wondering if my horse understands his name.
By "understand", I mean "does he know I address him in particular if I call his name"?
I'm not really sure how to verify this, but I'm tempted ...
15
votes
2answers
155 views
Is hand feeding my horses hay enough to supplement their feed if my grass is not enough to sustain them?
I have two horses (hacks) on a 5 acre property. It has grass, but it is not enough to sustain them both.
Is hand feeding them hay enough to supplement their feed or do I need to use hard feed?
What ...
14
votes
3answers
434 views
What does a horse need in terms of land?
I grew up in a suburban area. Our next door neighbors had horses on a half-acre of land, and they seemed fairly happy. If I were to take care of horses, how much land would I need for them to have a ...
13
votes
1answer
190 views
Why should I give salt to a horse?
While I was mounting the other day, I was advised to give two things to the horse I was mounting, water and salt. The water is somewhat obvious but the salt left me curious, why is that I should give ...
11
votes
2answers
228 views
Do my horses need to be shod?
We have two horses, a thoroughbred and Arab cross that have spent most of their time in paddocks being ridden occasionally into the local bush land. They are not shod and their hooves are filed ...
11
votes
2answers
133 views
Abscess in horses hoof
I have a thoroughbred, Frank, who is frequently lame. He has a recurring abscess in one of his front hooves.
The vet and farrier have both lanced the abscess at various times and I inject him with ...
9
votes
1answer
288 views
How to safe guard against being kicked by a horse?
For the first time of my life I was kicked by a horse. My own horse in fact. She's not an aggressive horse.
I was distracted and talking to people over the fence about the horses, pointing out the ...
9
votes
1answer
444 views
A good feed routine for a neglected and underweight horse
I have recently acquired a starved horse. She would have a body score of approx 1.5 / 5. She is 18 yo, 15 1 hh, a thoroughbred and this state seems to have been of more recent times, as in the past ...
9
votes
1answer
2k views
What is the difference between first and second cut hay?
For those of us with Rabbits, Horses and other vegetarian mammals, hay is a dietary requirement. When purchased in bales, the terms 'first cut' and 'second cut' are often used. What do they mean and ...
8
votes
3answers
320 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 ...
8
votes
2answers
148 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 ...
7
votes
1answer
537 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?
7
votes
1answer
108 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 ...
6
votes
1answer
458 views
Weak, collapsing back legs on young foal
A small Australian Brumby colt came to me today, he is approximately 3 months old and needed to be weaned early, as his mother was starved and lost her milk. They were recently trapped from the wild.
...
6
votes
1answer
264 views
How to teach my horse to lie down?
I'm curious about teaching my horse to lie down. I was hoping someone on here could give me an effective, gentle method that works consistently and easy to communicate.
As some background, I'm not a ...
6
votes
2answers
186 views
How to get the tail of my horse white again?
What kind of treatments do you know to get the tail of a horse white again?
If I wash it only with (horse) shampoo it just gets lighter but never really white as it should be. There is always a ...
5
votes
3answers
202 views
Why are horses broken in when they are grown up?
Why are horses broken in when they are grown up? Wouldn't it be easier to do it when they are little?
5
votes
1answer
42 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 ...
5
votes
0answers
65 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
1k views
How can I tell if my horses need additional protection from the cold?
It's been getting as low as 30 degrees Fahrenheit where I live and we have a few horses on the property, with no barn, but there is a roofed area for them to get under. We feed them hay and horse feed ...
4
votes
2answers
87 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 ...
4
votes
2answers
113 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?
4
votes
1answer
463 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
615 views
How to care for a severe wound on horses leg
Cleo came to me in bad shape 7th October 2016.
To everyone's distress (including hers), she had a horrific injury on 9th April, 2017. We could not find the cause of the injury, which is disturbing. ...
4
votes
1answer
44 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
541 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
79 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
44 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 ...
4
votes
1answer
680 views
What is a good way to remove the stickiness from adhesive bandaging from my horses fur?
My horse has suffered a leg injury and has been bandaged over the withers and neck with elastoplast- an adhesive wrap that is approximately 5 cm wide.
It has left sticky plaster remains on her coat, ...
4
votes
0answers
59 views
How does chaff compare to hay?
How does chaff compare to hay in terms of nutrition and fibre?
For example, does lucerne chaff contain the same protein levels as lucerne hay?
3
votes
3answers
332 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
51 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
43 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
174 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.
3
votes
1answer
3k views
What wormers are safe for pregnant mares?
I have purchased a pregnant mare - she has 3 months to go. I'm wondering what wormers are safe to use in pregnancy. I will also check with my equine vet.
Picture for the interested. I haven't received ...
3
votes
1answer
80 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 ...
3
votes
1answer
60 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" ...
3
votes
1answer
147 views
Natural anti-inflammatories for horses
My horse had a serious injury 3 months ago. Her left leg was spiked through to the bone 30 cm long cutting through the muscle and the whole thigh was degloved. Her skin was hanging around her knee.
...
3
votes
2answers
80 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 ...
3
votes
0answers
40 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 ...
3
votes
0answers
32 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.
...
3
votes
0answers
40 views
How long does pasture need to be rested to prevent worm re-infestation?
I'm moving my horses into new paddocks where there hasn't been horses for 4 weeks. I'm wondering if there can still be worms in these paddocks.
Is it possible to rest paddocks for long enough to ...
2
votes
1answer
93 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 ...
2
votes
2answers
759 views
What treats are safe for horses?
The care of horses can be opinionated and there is a lot of varying ideas about what is safe for horses to have as treats and the quantities.
So the question is:
What treats are safe for horses and ...
2
votes
2answers
517 views
Does rugging horses interfere with the grow of the winter coat?
Pretty much what the title says.
I've heard that decreasing daylight encourages winter coat growth. Others say that rugging will prevent winter coat growth.
My question:
Does rugging horses ...
2
votes
2answers
10k views
Can horses eat bread?
A recent question, sparked my interest. I have heard that too much grain is bad for horses, and I have heard that bread is bad for many animals. Are there any health concerns with feeding bread to ...
2
votes
1answer
95 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
86 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
30 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 ...
2
votes
1answer
2k views
What is the minimum space for keeping a horse? [duplicate]
I was wondering what the minimum space is for keeping a horse. I would like a horse but don't have much room so I was wondering what the minimum space is for keeping a horse?
