Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Horse Blankets And Horse Boots Do Have Their Purposes ...
by: Theresa Truscott
"Horse boots?" you ask. "Horse blankets...does my horse come with its own wardrobe?" The purchase of a horse can bring so many changes; it can overwhelm the owner just by the information needed on the supplies.
For your journey into horse care, you'll need good horse blankets. More than one is quite handy as one alone is sure to get dirty and need attention just when you count on it the most. The horse blanket, of course, usually goes along with owning a western saddle, which requires the use of a blanket underneath because of the lack of padding. It would be cruel to use a western saddle without a horse blanket, and usually a pad is used in addition to the blanket. You want optimum performance from your animal. You get that result by taking good care of your horse, which mean using the proper equipment and supplies.
Aside from the horse blankets, pads, and saddle, you'll want other things such as a horse trailer for hauling the animal, a properly fenced area for grazing, a barn for storing hay and stalling the horse, curry combs for the care of the mane and tail and to groom the horse's coat of hair, a big water barrel or trough, grains for feeding, bridles, bits, a halter, and various other items that might come in use.
One of those items could possibly be horse boots. Don't worry, you won't have to take your pet shopping and spend hours at the shoe store while they choose their selections! You could be amazed, however, at the stores that do sell horse boots and at how many varieties there are. There may be as many as there are different selections of blankets.
Your beloved pet need not be dressed in its "horse clothes" each time it leaves the barn. Unlike our clothes, which we could get arrested for not wearing in public, your horse would wear its clothes only when appropriate for the situation.
As with the horse blankets, the horse boots are not just for looks. You can, however, match the color of the boots to the color of the blanket, if that is an issue for say, show purposes.
Available for purchase are vinyl boots, bell boots, rubber bell boots, and splint boots among others. You can buy boot covers to keep the boots clean.
One of the important uses of horse boots is for the miniature horse used as a guide horse for the blind. These tiny creatures are extremely intelligent and must be protected from the abuse of the city sidewalks and scorching pavement.
Horse boots have occasionally been used in lieu of horseshoes, yet another necessity for the new horse owner to learn about. The shoes in question do not refer to dress shoes or casual wear, but the shaped metal pounded into the bottoms of a horse's hooves.
Hardened surfaces can be brutal against a horse's hooves. Especially a horse subjected to tough work conditions. One type of horse that comes to mind is the horse used for police patrol duty in cities.
No matter what activity you choose to use your horse for, remember it is under your care and control and deserves the best treatment.
For a free report on "How to Improve Your Riding" see Theresa's Horse Aficianado blog at http://www.horseridingblankets.com/blog
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The author invites you to visit: http://www.horseridingblankets.com |
Owning Miniature Horses - The Smallest Of The Small
When it comes to pet ownership, we all have our preferences; the debate of dog versus cat can go on indefinitely. But for those who prefer horses, the care and feeding of their animal suddenly becomes a far greater undertaking then simply housing a smaller, more domesticated animal. Horses are large animals that come with an even larger responsibility for their owners. But for some people, ownership of miniature horses allows them to enjoy all that attracts them to horses, but on a much smaller scale.
Miniature horses are simply the result of hundreds of years of careful and purposeful breeding that has taken place all over the world. Today, The American Miniature Horse Association, established in 1978, continues to set the guidelines for these horses. To date, they are the only organization working to standardize the specifications.
In order to be defined as miniature horses, they must not reach higher than 34 inches in height. However, the differentiation between standard sized horses and these horses stops here; the physical features actually mirror that of their full-sized counterparts; but are simply in proportion to their size. If you were to look at one with no basis for size comparison, it would look like a typical, average sized horse.
Miniature horses are shown in competition just as their full-sized cousins. But their manageable size makes them especially instrumental in working with special needs individuals who wish to ride, but must avoid the larger animals for safety reasons. Because of their size, they are also child-friendly; children often learn to ride on these smaller, more controllable breeds.
Those who own miniature horses will also tell you of the unique opportunity they have to enjoy all that is special about a horse while still enjoying all that comes with having the ability to hold an animal in your lap!
The care is just as important as that for larger horses. Much of the standard care remains the same - including grooming, veterinary care, exercise and nutrition, and shelter - with special attention paid to eating. The smaller digestive track puts them at risk for intestinal problems; owners must be alert to the special feeding requirements of the breed. Owners will be happy to note, however, that the care for the horses costs significantly less than the care for full-sized horses.
For those interested in owning one, it is important to do a fair amount of research. Just as with any breed of horse, temperaments vary from horse to horse. Seek out and get to know a reputable breeder who can assist you in finding the horse that's right for you and your family.
Owning a horse of any size must be taken on only after careful consideration. But if you find that you enjoy all the characteristics of a horse, but are put off by its normally grand size, you may want to investigate miniature horses; all the beauty of a horse in one tiny package.
For more information on horses, try visiting [http://www.interestinghorses.com] - a website that specializes in providing horse related tips, advice and resources including information on the miniature horse [http://www.interestinghorses.com/miniaturehorse.html].
Monday, April 7, 2014
Miniature Horse Breeders Track Record
It really is thought that the 1st ancestor on the modern horse, Equus Caballus, was no bigger than a cat. Eohippus was thought to have a number of toes, a curved spine like a cat, a short neck and the ability to eat and digest leaves as opposed to grass. Over millennia, the horse grew, developed longer legs and neck and switched to a diet of grass when the grasslands began to push out forests. Miniature Horse breeders argue that they're taking the horses back to their original state. But who were definitely the 1st Miniature Horse breeders?
Depending on which Miniature horse breeder you talk to, you will locate a lot of theories as to who were the first Miniature horse breeders. Some say that Miniature Horses have always been close to and it was only a few men and women here and there throughout history that have been able to appreciate their small size. Some say that the Horse breeders didn't begin until the time of the filthy rich nobility in Europe that wanted unusual animals in their Royal menageries.
But one of my favorite stories is that the primary Miniature Horse breeders were definitely from Arab tribes. They bred the Horse for the delight of their sheiks and their kids. Despite the fact that horses were prized for horse back riding, there was also a require for horses to share the palace.
Backing up this theory is that of the rediscovery in the Caspian Horse breed, named due to the fact it was rediscovered from the area in the Caspian Sea. They ended up native to Iran and are considered the forefathers in the mighty Arabian horse breed. They look like smaller versions of Arabians, being the height of modern ponies but containing the slim features and bodily proportions of the horse.
Caspian Horses are depicted in ancient Middle Eastern art, where their shoulders are at the height of the man's waist. The breed was believed to have been wiped out, but a herd was discovered thriving in 1965 close to the Caspian Sea. They have since incredibly slowly trickled close to the world.
The initial successful and proven Miniature Horse breeders had been the Falabella family of Argentina inside 1880's. They admit, though, that they did add ponies to be able to bring down the breeding stock. Most Miniature Horses in North and South America today are derived from these intelligent and charming Falabella horses. It can be unknown, but theorized, that one in the breeds that made up the Falabella was the Caspian.
Helen Tanady has been writing articles, online and offline, for more than 4 years. This author often writes on health and fitness, dating, weight loss and fat loss related. Read her latest articles at corrugated shipping boxes [http://www.corrugatedshippingboxes.org/] which explain and review about bubble wrap packaging [http://www.corrugatedshippingboxes.org/bubble-wrap-packaging.html].