| Secondhand Tack and Disease |
September/2009 |
Watch out for contagious consignments; don�t bring a disease home to your horses when buying used tack or even sharing equipment with your friends.
Buying used tack can be a boon for your pocketbook, giving you a chance to own that perfect saddle or bridle for a lot less than it would cost new.
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| Go With the Flow |
August/2009 |
Barn and arena ventilation is critical for the health of horses and their caretakers.
Have you ever walked into a stuffy or uncomfortable-feeling barn? How about an indoor arena where you were dripped on, even though it wasn't raining outside? What a miserable experience for you and your horse. What went wrong in those facilities? Someone was not paying enough attention to the importance of ventilation in the facility prior to construction.
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| Greener Pastures |
July/2009 |
Maintain good ground cover to keep your horses grazing and the soil and nutrients in your pastures.
A good pasture is not just a grassy field surrounded by a fence. It's a place of beauty, a weed-free meadow where horses graze on nutritional forage.
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| Horse and Farm Insurance |
May/2009 |
Choose a knowledgeable insurance agent with a reputable company that understands horses and the horse industry.
Everyone is feeling the effects of the struggling economy, and many of us are trying to trim expenses. One place you might look to trim--or cut entirely--is insurance.
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| Managing Manure |
April/2009 |
Manure is something all horse owners must deal with, but it can be worth its weight in gold as a fertilizer if properly composted.
There is no shortage of manure on a horse farm. We're simply rich with the stuff.
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| Mosquito Control Tips |
March/2009 |
Mosquitoes are more than just an annoyance: they're a disease threat. Manage your property to safeguard your animals (and you).
Mention mosquitoes to most people and you will conjure up clear visions of the annoying little bloodsuckers that leave you itching. But horse owners and those living near humid, swampy areas often are more aware of the fact that mosquitoes pose a significant health threat to both animals and humans.
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| Electric Fences |
September/2008 |
Horse owners are using a variety of electric fence types to contain horses safely
With the advent of low impedance fence chargers, electric fencing has become a practical, reliable solution for horse farms seeking both permanent and temporary solutions. Not only does it keep horses from escaping, it allows stables the flexibility to manage the boundaries of their pastures according to their specific needs.
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| Staying Legal on the Road |
August/2008 |
You've checked the horse, trailer, truck, and equipment, but are you even legal to be on the road?
There's not a cloud in the sky as the sun brightens the horizon, and it appears to be a fine day for a drive. Your truck and trailer stand gleaming in the driveway, hitched and waiting.
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| The Eco-Friendly Farm |
July/2008 |
Go green with your farm to make your horses healthier, the environment cleaner, and even improve the neighbors' opinion of your place.
There's a lot of buzz about "going green" these days. From installing energy-efficient fluorescent bulbs to carrying reusable grocery bags, we've made steps in our households toward impacting the environment less and improving the global climate.
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| Farm Equipment for Large and Small Facilities |
June/2008 |
From tried and true to novel and exciting, these are the products, services, and techniques that our experts are recommending to facilitate equine management
The Horse visited with various horse people to see what they recommended to make life easier around farms large and small. They agreed to share their tips for saving you time and money, while keeping your horses healthier.
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| Eradicating Erosion |
May/2008 |
Keeping a healthy pasture turns out to be a lot like keeping a healthy horse; learn what is normal, learn what can go wrong, then monitor that the former is not becoming the latter
Erosion happens when the horses' grass consumption rate is greater than the grass' growth rate. "It's called getting ahead of the pasture," says Glen Aiken, MS, PhD, a research animal scientist at the USDA Agricultural Research Service's Forage Animal Production Research Unit in Lexington, Ky.
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| Fencing on the Rocks |
April/2008 |
Over, around, or through, when you are fencing and run into rock, there is a variety of choices to solve the problem.
Building fence can be a challenge in rocky terrain. Some parts of the country have minor problems with putting in fencing due to rocks, and other parts of the country are nearly impossible to fence with standard posts.
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| What's New in Horse Trailers |
March/2008 |
Safety and strength are the focus of trailer companies' improvements today.
You're ready to make some changes concerning your showing or horse-traveling activities--perhaps you're scaling down a bit, trailering less horses to fewer and closer events so you don't need that six-horse trailer with the plush living quarters anymore. Or maybe you're stepping up and are ready to commit a few extra bucks toward a trailer that provides you with the amenities that make hauling and traveling with your horses easier, more pleasant, and more comfortable.
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| Seasonal Tack Touch-Ups |
February/2008 |
Saddles wear out more from neglect than use.
The days will soon begin to get longer and the riding bug will start to bite--it's almost time to dust off your saddle and deep clean your furry beast of a horse. But will your tack be ready to use after sitting in storage through the winter?
Whether you ride Western, hunt seat, saddle seat, or sidesaddle, simple acts such as checking potential stress points in the leather, the soundness of your saddle's tree, and hinges of bits are often left out of the routine.
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| Insurance: Not Sexy, But Essential |
January/2008 |
How much would you have to lose if your horse, barn, or equine business suddenly were destroyed?
Insurance: It's not sexy. No one wants to think about it. Heck, I wasn't all that keen to write about it.
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| Bedding Choices |
December/2007 |
Investigate which bedding choice is safe, healthful, and cost-effective for your operation.
Stalls have traditionally been bedded with materials that provide cushion and absorbency. Good bedding creates a layer of insulation between the horse and a cold floor, pads the hard surface, prevents bruised knees, elbows, hocks, and hips, and keeps the horse cleaner.
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| The Business of Breeding |
November/2007 |
Walk through the breeding processes of live cover and artificial insemination to learn about the necessary equipment.
Breeding in the horse world breaks down into a few categories: field breeding, where the horses just do what comes naturally, live cover in a breeding shed, and artificial insemination (AI). The tools of the trade range from very basic to high-tech equipment, depending upon the situation.
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| A Place to Call Home (Barn Design Tips) |
August/2007 |
Constructing horse shelters is an art form almost as old as the domestication of the horse itself. Whether considered a member of the household, a sporting partner, or a tool for work, we have always created a "place" for our horses. While today we have a greater variety of materials and equipment available for creating that special horse place than in the past, the principles remain the same: safety, ease of use, and maintenance.
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| Conservation Easements |
June/2007 |
Undeveloped real estate always has been a prized commodity. The great land rushes of the 1870s and 1880s displaced entire tribes of Native Americans and sent hundreds of thousands of settlers, prospectors, and land speculators spreading across the American frontier. That massive influx of people led to the settlement of towns like Guthrie, Okla.
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| Emergencies on the Road |
May/2007 |
Traveling with horses is no longer the big deal it once was, but the risks attached to hauling are as great as ever; as we all know, accidents happen, even to the most responsible of us. And while it's essential to take precautions to protect precious life and limb, you should also know what to do to in the event of an emergency.
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| Trailer Driving Tips |
April/2007 |
While most of us learn to drive a passenger vehicle through driver's education, the majority of us learn to drive horse trailers through experience. When you consider how precious the cargo is, cutting our towing teeth at the "school of hard knocks" seems silly. However, there are ways to learn without endangering your horse, and techniques available to help sharpen your skills.
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| Paperwork for When You're Not There |
March/2007 |
Horse paperwork--it's not what you're thinking. This is not about your horse standing in front of a schematic drawing making a checklist of plans on how to break into the grain room in the middle of the night. This is about those issues that require communication between caretakers of your horse(s) in order to avoid mayhem.
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| Trailer Tire Anatomy |
February/2007 |
Some people claim that a tire is a tire is a tire: It's round and black and holds air. But that's not really the whole story. Tires are manufactured for different purposes and load-bearing capacities. They come in different sizes and vary in quality, pricing, and materials.
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| Bringing Home a New Horse |
December/2006 |
Bringing home a newly purchased horse can be a stressful event for you and the horse, particularly for the horse. While you might feel a certain amount of stress, your new horse will be experiencing it twofold. After all, he's the one that has been uprooted from all familiar surroundings and companions.
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| Preparing for the Worst |
November/2006 |
Horses are delicate creatures. Despite their size and strength, they can be afflicted by a host of ailments. Their use in equestrian sports, their curious nature, and their boisterous social interactions can easily put them in injury-causing situations. As valuable animals, they can attract thieves.
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| Where Are All the Vets? |
October/2006 |
The caller is in the midst of a terrible dilemma. It is 8:30 on a rainy, November night. The weatherman is calling for the roads to freeze up. This poor woman's horse is colicking, and her "regular" veterinarian won't even return her phone calls.
How does a horse owner avoid ending up in a situation like this? And why won't veterinarians go out to see a sick horse?
Here is the rub: It doesn't take long for veterinarians to become jaded about such phone calls.
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| Right on Schedule: Trailer Maintenance |
September/2006 |
We rely on our trailers to transport our horses safely and reliably. So it stands to reason that we should pay close attention to their maintenance and soundness. But in the busy life of the modern equestrian, trailer upkeep can easily be pushed down on the list of "things to do.
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| Ammonia is the Enemy |
August/2006 |
You know that burning sensation that fills your nostrils as you're mucking out stalls? The fiery feeling spreads from your nose into your sinuses, down your throat, and billows through your lungs. It makes your eyes sting and water.
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| Living With Your Contractor |
May/2006 |
The scenario is everyone's worst nightmare: Two men speaking a version of English you can't understand roll in on the wrong day at the wrong time in a muddy, beat-up truck with an ancient backhoe leaking hydraulic fluid on a trailer with no lights, taking out a gate post on the way back to the location of your dream barn project. Halfway through digging up what looks like enough ground for an Olympic stadium, the backhoe sputters and dies.
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| Pasture Pests Pose Problems |
April/2006 |
Our farms usually fall into one of two pasture pest categories: Currently overrun, or about to be. Tunneling pasture pests can create serious hazards that can injure horses and ruin your fields. In a recent TheHorse.
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| Oh, Horse Manure! |
March/2006 |
If you have horses, you have manure. Dealing with the waste can be burdensome and sometimes costly for farm owners, not to mention some waste management methods are harmful to the environment. If you're looking for a way to improve your current method or start a new one, composting could be the answer.
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| Bedding Shopping |
February/2006 |
There was a time when bedding for horse stalls received little attention or discussion, especially in the agricultural Midwest. When horses provided the power for planting and harvesting crops, almost every farm had a field of oats. The oat kernels provided nourishment for the horses and the straw provided bedding.
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| Solar Horse Barn |
January/2006 |
Solar electricity, produced by photovoltaics (PV), is a proven means of generating electricity from the sun, and it's not just for high-tech houses anymore. Whether you want to be more "green" in your electrical use on the farm, you have a remote location without electricity, or you want something to supplement your electrical source, solar power could be your answer.
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| Ward Off Winter |
November/2005 |
If you live where you have changing seasons, winter is a challenge. While you might be partial to winter weather and the recreational pleasures it provides, you probably also appreciate the many problems it creates for you at the barn.
Preparing for the coming blast of winter in advance might help you avoid extra work and frustration.
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| Blanketing Q&A |
October/2005 |
Crisp fall air signals a perennial dilemma for many horse owners: To blanket or not to blanket? And if you opt for the added cover-up, which blanket is best? Our five-point Q&A will help you make those decisions and more, so you can see your horse through this season and the frigid one ahead in comfort and good health.
Does my horse really need a winter blanket to stay warm when winter rolls around?
There is no simple answer, and Carrie Finno, DVM, of the University of Minnesota, recommends assessing each individual horse's needs.
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| Quick Barn Fixes |
September/2005 |
You can create a functional, safe barn in an existing structure on your property with some practical, inexpensive, and uncomplicated modifications. You don't need to strain your budget to alter some features of the building that are important to the safe and healthy housing of your horses. There are several specific areas in your barn to address:
Structural problems;
Lighting and wiring;
Chewable surfaces;
Grain storage;
Ventilation;
Clear aisleways; and
Storage of hay and shavings.
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| Rack 'Em Up |
August/2005 |
You know how important it is to provide your horse with good nutrition, so you and your veterinarian have carefully selected your horse's diet. However, good feeding management requires that you consider not only what your horse is fed, but how. Because a horse with an inadequate feeder runs the risk of wasting precious nutrients or even ingesting unwanted sand or fecal material, choosing appropriate feeders for hay and grain is of utmost importance.
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| Trailer Shopping 101 |
July/2005 |
Fulfilling your equestrian goals without a horse trailer is difficult. Your facility might be the best one going, but to really stretch your wings, it's good to get out in the rest of the world. Even if you're happy staying put, medical emergencies and natural disasters might force you out on the road.
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| Where There's a Will... |
June/2005 |
You worry about your horse's health every day. You scrutinize his diet, study his training regimen, and attend to every sniffle or swelling. Simply put, you take your responsibility as caretaker seriously. You might even have thought ahead about ways to ensure your horse's good life during the golden years of his retirement.
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| Buckets of Muck |
May/2005 |
When food is ingested at one end of the horse, waste material will exit at the other end. That process will continue as long as the horse lives and will cause varying problems to the horse owner, depending on where he or she lives.
As urban sprawl continues to eat away open spaces in this country, the problem grows of what to do with manure from recreational and commercial horses.
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| What's He Really Worth? |
April/2005 |
MasterCard hasn't actually featured horses in their commercials yet, but the sentiment of this fanciful advertisement should strike a familiar chord with most horse owners. No matter their material worth in dollars and cents, our horses are priceless--at least to us.
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| World Travelers |
March/2005 |
With the advent of the Internet, cheaper airline travel options, and popularity of foreign breeds, more people are importing and exporting horses between countries. But whether home or abroad, purchasing or selling a horse is seldom simple.
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| Clipper Blade Myths and Folklore |
February/2005 |
First, let me explain how this whole thing started. I am a sharpener who does clipper blades, scissors, and clipper repairs for professional groomers, home groomers, colleges, beauticians, etc. Basically, I work for anybody who uses these tools.
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| Waterers That Work in Winter |
January/2005 |
Fresh water is important to horses all year, especially in winter. Some waterers are designed to remain functional in cold weather--with an insulated tank or bowl, a heater, or a combination of a heating unit and insulation. Following are some of the ways you can keep water flowing to your horses even when it's below freezing.
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| Feeling Good About Giving |
December/2004 |
Once again, 'tis the season, and in most horsey households no gift list is complete until the names of equine friends appear right along with Uncle Joe and Cousin Mary Sue. As we do for our human friends and relatives, we want to get just the right gift--one that pleases both giver and receiver.
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| Accounting Software for Owners |
November/2004 |
Computers can make our lives easier in many ways, and a growing number of horse owners are using computers for recordkeeping. Some horse owners just want to keep track of horse records (deworming, vaccination, breeding records, etc.), some want to keep track of the expenses and income of a horse business, some need the ability to invoice and bill customers, and many want an accounting program that will do all of that and more.
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| A Clean Sweep |
October/2004 |
There's a reality show that airs on BBC America called "Life Laundry." It's all about folks who tend to keep lots of clutter piled up and lying around in big, sloppy messes in their houses or apartments. Then our team of heroes arrives, sorting between what's important and that which is no longer useful, disposing of the discards, and picking up, tidying up, and restoring order to the universe (or at least, to that particular premises for that particular week).
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| Locking Down Your Feeds |
September/2004 |
The storage of grain and hay isn't a complicated issue, but it is an integral part of horse management. Improperly stored hay and grain can result in the loss of nutrients and decreased palatability. And there can be health hazards for your horses.
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| Would You Drink It? |
August/2004 |
Have you ever taken a really good look at all of your horse's water sources, whether he is drinking from a large tank, pond, or automatic waterer? Have you asked yourself, "Would I drink this water? Do I really expect my horse to drink it?" If you're looking at water that is full of debris, algae, insects, or water that has a weird color or odor, then most likely you wouldn't drink it. And your horse shouldn't be expected to drink it either.
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| After Goodbye |
July/2004 |
As horse owners, we care deeply about our animals. When one of our beloved horses dies, we lose a trusted friend. For many of us, the experience is emotionally devastating. Yet, just when we are at our most pronounced stage of grief, we are suddenly faced with a difficult but inevitable question: What do we do with the horse's body? Although mortality management is not something most people want to think about before their horses die, planning ahead in order to understand your options can make the decision feel less stressful and overwhelming.
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| Out of Work; Out of Money |
June/2004 |
The world of insurance as it pertains to equines can be a bit complicated for the average horse owner. Nowhere is this more true than with "loss of use" insurance. At the outset, it doesn't seem all that complicated.
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| Breaking the Rules |
May/2004 |
Whether you realize it or not, and most likely you don't, administrative bodies of one type or another affect nearly every aspect of your horse activity. On the public side, for example, state departments of transportation license your farm truck and trailer, local zoning boards dictate whether you can keep horses on your property, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration establishes safety standards for employees on your farm and in other workplaces, the Food and Drug Administration approves medications and treatments for your animals, state licensing boards determine who can provide veterinary care, and the Environmental Protection Agency might have something to say about your manure disposal practice.
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| The Driving Force |
April/2004 |
Everyone seems to be on the move these days. Not only are we able to pick up and go without thinking twice, but we also are able to take our horses with us without it being the big deal it once was. In fact, it's so easy to throw some hay in the hay net, load the horse(s) and gear, and take off that often we forget to check on the one thing that gets us from point A to B until there's a problem.
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| Creative Purchasing |
March/2004 |
The standard means of providing for the horse farm is to pick up or have delivered bales of hay and sacks of grain when you run low, to purchase outright your horses and equipment, and to pay for your labor. But there are alternative ways that might be more economical for obtaining what you need.
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| Feeding the Masses (Managing Multiple Horses Part 2) |
February/2004 |
Day after day, dollar after dollar, much of the cost and labor in horsekeeping is seeing that your horse gets the proper kind and amount of nutrition for his individual needs. Offer too much or over-supplement and you're throwing money away at best.
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| Prevention for the Masses |
January/2004 |
Veterinary care doesn't come cheap. While conscientious horse owners realize that disease prevention is ultimately cheaper than disease treatment, when you have five, or 15, or 50 horses to care for and limits on your budget, you need to look closely and think carefully about where to best spend your hard-earned dollars in order to obtain maximum protection for minimal cost. Here's how several horse owners and caretakers address that issue.
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| Adding Trailer Bells and Whistles |
December/2003 |
With so many horse owners hauling their horses all over the country to equestrian sporting events and to fabulous places to trail ride, horse trailers have taken on a new purpose. Rather than just a box to transport horses, horse owners now look at the comfort and safety of the trailers for their equine partners and for the convenience of the trailers' features.
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| Insuring Good Health |
November/2003 |
In today's world, there are many types of insurance that can protect us and our horses in the event of the ravages of disease, the pocket-emptying crisis of colic, and the finality of catastrophic injury and euthanasia. Equine insurance today ranges from major medical to mortality to loss of use to fertility.
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| Managing the Mob for Meals |
October/2003 |
When feeding horses at pasture or in large paddocks, it can often be a challenge to make sure each horse gets his share of the feed, while reducing waste and feed contamination. Management is the key to successfully feeding horses in a group setting, minimizing social stress and nutritional problems.
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| I Never Thought it Would Happen to Me... |
September/2003 |
"Tornadoes Rip Through the Midwest," "West Nile Races Across the U.S.," "Ice Storm Paralyzes Central Kentucky," "Drought, Wildfires Scorch Western States," "Chemical Spill Forces Evacuation."
News headlines trumpeting natural and man-made disasters have filled the front pages of newspapers at an exceptional rate in 2003, and disaster planning has become this decade's Y2K phrase.
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| What Can We Do To Feel Safe? |
August/2003 |
It's dark out. You can't see, but you know the drill. You're used to it because it's always dark at 5:00 a.m. when you feed the horses. Yet, something is different about this morning. Maybe it's the sound of a gate left unlatched clanging against the post that gives you the chills before you even know what the sound is.
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| Equipping the Barn |
July/2003 |
Whether you have a large barn or a small one, an inexpensive pre-fab building or an elaborate construction, you can equip it to make it more "user-friendly" for you and your horses. At the very least, your barn should provide safe shelter during inclement weather.
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| Keeping Disease at Bay |
June/2003 |
Preventing communicable diseases from striking horses should be the goal of every horse owner. Despite our best efforts, however, there are going to be occasions when a communicable malady afflicts one or more horses at a private farm or public stable. When that occurs, efforts must be made to treat the afflicted animals and to prevent the disease from spreading to others on the premises or in the vicinity.
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| Buying a Trailer: What to Know Before You Go |
May/2003 |
Buying a horse trailer is a big decision. With so many models and styles of trailers, how do you choose the best one? One trailer doesn't fit all. Your decision will be made based on economic reasons, as well as what suits your horse(s) (is he a small Morgan, an oversized warmblood, or do you travel with more than one?), your use (is it fully equipped for trail riding and camping, or just for travel to and from a local show?), and you (looks do count!).
With so many decisions to make when buying a trailer, the facts needed for an informed decision go beyond the scope of one article.
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| Home Away From Home |
April/2003 |
You've decided to hit the road with your horse for a competition, overnight trail ride, or a pack trip. You'll spend the night snug in your trailer's berth, but where will your horse stay? Regardless of the event or destination, successfully and safely creating your equine buddy's "home away from home" is not as straightforward as simply shopping online or browsing a catalog. It's a process requiring considerable knowledge and preparation, not merely a simple product choice.
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| Nice or Necessary? (Farm Equipment) |
March/2003 |
You have horses, a place for them to live, a place to store your tack, and even a place to ride. Now you need to outfit this operation to keep it running smoothly, and to enjoy your horses rather than simply caring for them. The proper equipment will help you manage your barn efficiently and safely, but there is a big difference when it comes to equipment you need versus equipment that's just nice to have.
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| Federal Equine Research Funding |
February/2003 |
Fact--The horse industry has a $112.1-billion impact on the U.S. gross domestic product--more than the motion picture industry, railroad transportation, or tobacco products manufacturing industries, according to the American Horse Council.
Fact--Equine research received $807,000 from the U.
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| Horse Theft and Identification |
January/2003 |
(Editor's Note: This is an excerpt from the Horse Theft Prevention Handbook, which can now be purchased from exclusivelyequine.com/">www.ExclusivelyEquine.com at a 75% discount.
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| Tis the Season for Giving |
December/2002 |
There are many charitable organizations and foundations that help horses or are involved in horse-related programs. These range from rescue groups (relocating neglected or abused animals or saving them from slaughter) to foundations that fund research to conquer equine diseases. Some groups give scholarships to horse-involved young people; some rehabilitate horses and assist handicapped people with hippotherapy (treatment using the multidimensional movement of the horse).
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| Legalities of Equine Rescue |
November/2002 |
Driving home one evening at dusk, you notice a horse standing listlessly in a small, fenced paddock on a farm located a few miles from your home. The horse looks quite thin, almost to the point of emaciation, and there is neither food nor water visible in the field. The owners of the farm bought the property a few weeks ago, moved in with several horses, and apparently plan to operate a boarding stable; you know the owners' names, but you have never spoken to them.
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| Bedding Benefits and Risks |
October/2002 |
Most horse owners take great pride in providing their horses with clean, nice-looking stalls; some of us might even throw in that extra bit of bedding for added comfort. But could we be unknowingly harming our horses more than helping them? Let's examine some facts on the various types of common bedding and how they can affect our horses' health.
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| Hazard-Free Homes |
September/2002 |
A run-in shed is probably the least expensive shelter you can give your horse(s)--and, some believe, one of the healthiest. With a run-in shed, your horse lives as near to nature as domesticity allows. But that shed can't be a slap-dash affair, or you'll put your horse at greater risk for health problems and injury than if he lived in a stall or with no shelter at all.
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| Basics of Being an Employer |
August/2002 |
You probably know the employment drill all too well--you place an ad in the local newspaper or on the bulletin board at the feed/tack store, ask your friends for a few names, interview some job prospects, review your budget, review your budget again, make an offer, get a "yes," start the paperwork, and hope for the best.
Congratulations! You're an employer.
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| Think Tough to Increase Profits |
July/2002 |
For many, enjoying horses is a way of life, and we are willing to work hard in other areas to support this hobby. There are those, however, who have decided to make their involvement in the horse industry a paying supplement to their earnings. If you are a member of this group, then perhaps it is time to think tough in order to make any type of profit from your endeavors.
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| Designing Your Horse's Home |
June/2002 |
When I was a teenager, I took a tour of the Royal Mews in London, England. I had imagined a staggeringly opulent setting for Queen Elizabeth's horses, and I wasn't disappointed--the carriage house alone was worth the price of admission, and the array of horseflesh in the stables was a wonder. But what shocked me were the stalls--I had imagined great 20 x 20 box stalls, with horses reclining up to their hipbones in fresh, bright straw.
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| Safeguarding Lower Limbs |
May/2002 |
Injuries can set a horse back in his training for days, weeks, or even months. What is most frustrating is when that injury comes from the horse himself. During training, a horse can easily take a misstep and tread on a heel in front, knock a leg against the other and cut a tendon, or even exacerbate an already existing injury.
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| Putting Up Boundaries (Fencing) |
April/2002 |
Horses are nomads by nature, with an inclination to travel far and wide searching for forage and water. Along with their wanderlust, horses possess a strong sense of curiosity, and they are constantly investigating their surroundings. Turn a horse out into a paddock, and he'll roam around it finding the best place for a roll, looking for water and food, and discovering who has been in the field before him.
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| High-Tech Horse Purchases |
March/2002 |
The Internet has become an everyday tool for horse owners. Not only does it allow easy and immediate communication with friends and business associates around the world, it opens the doors to purchasing just about anything we need for our horses. We can shop for something as small as a bit or as large as a farm.
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| Business or Pleasure? |
February/2002 |
If you think that you need help preparing federal income tax returns for your horse activity, then you should seek the assistance of a qualified accountant or tax attorney. If, on the other hand, you think that you can manage the task without professional guidance, you still probably need help.
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| Breeding Planning: Selecting A Sire |
January/2002 |
When you drive by a farm and see a bright, playful young foal romping in a lush pasture with his dam, it's easy to forget how much work, money, and planning went into his breeding. Many people underestimate the planning that goes into a useful, profitable mating.
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| Breeding Contracts: Read the Fine Print |
December/2001 |
Spring -- a time for new beginnings and unrealized potential -- might be the most enjoyable season of the year for a mare owner. The sight of a healthy foal romping with its dam in the field can easily push aside memories of the endless hours of hard work that got you to that point, at least until it is time to start again.
An essential, but sometimes overlooked, part of the breeding process is the contract used to finalize the mating of your mare with a selected stallion.
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| Four Tips for Stress-Free Cyber Shopping |
November/2001 |
What if tack shops were like fast-food restaurants? There'd be one on every corner, a grouping in every shopping mall, and several lining the exits of every major roadway. Plus, they'd all be open into the wee hours, letting you shop at your convenience--even if that meant 1 a.
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| Mediation vs. Litigation |
October/2001 |
Disputes arise with an alarming frequency in the horse business. They can range from something relatively minor, such as a misunderstanding over a feed bill, to a problem serious enough to threaten the continued existence of your business, such as alleged liability for a career-ending injury to a valuable show horse in your care.
Hardly ever is it sound business practice simply to ignore a dispute, but how should you proceed?
The response from one party to a disagreement, or often from both parties, reflects the increasingly litigious nature of our society--a lawsuit.
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| Airing Out Your Barn |
October/2001 |
Many agree that older barns are gorgeous, but are they good for horses? There are many issues to consider, such as construction, footing, layout, and safety. One of the biggest issues is ventilation--is your horse getting enough air?
Ventilation--What Is It?
Back in 1908, the Royal Army in the United Kingdom determined a rule of thumb that buildings should have eight to 10 air exchanges per hour.
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| When the Chips are Down: Equine Identification |
October/2001 |
Using microchip technology as a form of equine identification is quite popular in Europe. However, the widespread use of electronic identification systems for tracking diseased or stolen horses, show horses, or horses in transit has been slow to gain acceptance among U.S.
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| Boarding: You Get What You Pay For |
October/2001 |
For many horse owners, deciding where to board requires the same careful thought and research as buying a new car, or even a house. Factors such as cost, location, and level of care all figure into the choice. So, too, does the type of horse and his use.
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| Horse Trailer Safety and Value |
October/2001 |
At home, on the road, and at your destination, a horse trailer must safeguard the horse. And as long as you own it--which could total the lifetimes of several horses and towing vehicles--a safe trailer proves the worth of your investment.
A trailer is a container on wheels; a box that tends to incite equine argument.
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| Stallion Insurance |
October/2001 |
There is virtually no investment in the horse business, short of buying a farm, that equals the investment in a stallion. Whether an individual is buying a horse or several members get together to form a syndicate, the price can run well into the millions for a top prospect. Even at the low end, a stallion prospect costs considerably more than most people will ever think of spending on a house.
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| Mare Fertility Insurance |
October/2001 |
Each year horse breeders, regardless of the breed they nurture, make their biggest financial decisions when they decide on matings. Those decisions involve the allure of the equine business and its greatest trauma. A breeding decision is hopeful--the breeder hopes to make a mating that will result in a superior individual, whether for racing, eventing, or other pursuits.
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| Lien On Me |
October/2001 |
Unpaid bills can be the ruin of any business. Whether you operate a large training stable or a modest boarding farm, the way you deal with the inevitable client who cannot, or will not, pay the board bill might decide whether your business succeeds or fails. An obvious solution for providers of many services--simply quit the job, cut your losses, and go home--generally is not available to the person who boards or trains horses for others.
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| Barn Construction |
October/2001 |
Kick, chomp, scrape, cough--horses challenge the strength and livability of the shelter you provide. A barn can conveniently enclose one or more horses, but you can't forget that they wouldn't choose to live indoors.
To house horses safely, a barn must supply protection from weather.
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| Getting the Germs Out |
October/2001 |
You've heard it before, but here it is one more time: An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. With this in mind, it's time to take a serious look at disinfecting barns and equipment where horses are housed. When it comes to disease, and the spread of disease, prevention in the form of disinfecting equipment and barns is as important as vaccinating horses.
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| Boarding Contracts Part 2 |
October/2001 |
Many attorneys recommend including in boarding contracts an exculpatory clause in which the boarder agrees to a waiver of the farm's liability for personal injuries or injuries to the horse. This is important due to the nature of a boarding transaction.
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| Computerizing Your Farm or Clinic |
October/2001 |
According to a recent survey conducted by The Horse, 73.9% of our readers own or operate personal computers. This number is high, and computer ownership shows no signs of slowing down because computers have the ability to simplify many aspects of our lives. For the computerized farm, this means having all records from breeding dates to billing invoices, and from feeding regimes to veterinary records at your fingertips.
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| Health Insurance for Horses |
October/2001 |
Sometimes all that separates a horse from life-saving treatment vs. euthanasia is economics: If a horse owner doesn't have the money to provide treatment, often the only humane option left is to put the horse down. It's a terrible decision to make, putting a beloved horse down because the funds aren't there to save it.
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| From The Ground Up: Stall Flooring and Mats |
October/2001 |
Your horse is on his feet most of the day and night. He prefers to feel dry, with his feet at room temperature. He wants to stand on a surface that's resilient and doesn't smell bad. Listen to your horse, and you will want to promote his health from the ground up.
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| Dealing With Agents |
October/2001 |
Several years before his death, comedian-actor John Candy teamed with Eugene Levy in a video spoof of musical documentaries. They portrayed the inept, accordion-playing Schmenge brothers in "The Last Polka." At one point in the film, the brothers decide that they would be much more successful if they were represented by an agent.
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| Breeding Facilities |
October/2001 |
Any way you look at it, building a barn is a major undertaking. Doing it right the first time, to avoid headaches later, is the smart approach. In addition to the usual considerations of location, aesthetics, cost, and convenience, if you’re building a facility to house breeding stock (broodmares, foals, yearlings, and/or stallions), there are other factors to take into account. Are all your fixtures as safe as possible, especially in terms of the unpredictability of young horses? Are your stalls of sufficient size to house mares with foals at foot? Are you able to disinfect your foaling facilities properly, or isolate a sick horse from the rest of the herd? Can you safely handle your stallion, and provide him with an opportunity for turn-out and exercise? Do you have the proper facilities for the type of breeding you wish to do? These are just a few of the many considerations you’ll have to take into account.
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| Heavy Metal: Farm Tractors |
October/2001 |
Keeping horses on your property? Then you don’t need me to tell you how much work there always is to do. In addition to all the actual horse care, there are endless weeds to whack, riding rings or tracks to be harrowed, bales of hay to be moved from one end of the property to the other, a manure pile to be dealt with (somehow), a driveway to be plowed in winter…the list goes on and on.
At some point, as your operation grows, you will find that your wheelbarrow and pickup truck just aren’t cutting it anymore.
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| Choosing the Right Horse for Your Lifestyle |
October/2001 |
Owning a horse can be expensive. There has long been a saying among horse owners that it's easy to get a horse--keeping it is the tough part! After all, the purchase is a single expenditure of money that sets the stage for many future outlays for feed, farrier, veterinarian, board..
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| Posting The Guard |
September/2001 |
With more land owners deciding to use their acres to house a horse or pony comes the inevitable question, "Which fence should I use?" Because you are trying to contain living creatures who are nomadic by nature, and accident prone by design, you should first understand that no fence is horse-proof. You need to decide which fencing product suits your land, horses, management ability, and pocketbook.
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| Leather Care For A Stable Connection |
September/2001 |
Strips of tanned hide maintain lines of communication between you and your horse. Whether you lead, ride, or drive, the leather straps of halter, bridle, and harness influence your horse by applying or releasing pressure. The straps transmit the amount of pressure needed--when they are taut, their integrity secures the safety of you and your horse.
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| Nothing But Net: Equine Health Information Online |
September/2001 |
With the explosion of web sites (more than 10 million, and increasing), veterinary information has proliferated. Hundreds of businesses, organizations, institutions, and individuals upload information related to equine health issues. A large percentage promote sales of products and services, and fewer communicate valuable, sound information related to better horse care.
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| Secrets Of Rubber Mats |
September/2001 |
Where would we be without rubber? Make all the jokes you want; rubber's indispensable stuff, especially in the barn. The tire on your wheelbarrow, the handle grip on your longe whip, your two-year-old's first snaffle bit, that flexible curry comb, the feed tubs and buckets in your stalls--chances are, they're made of rubber. But one of the most popular uses of rubber in the barn is underfoot.
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| Trailers 2000 |
September/2001 |
Many horse people tend to think of equine transportation vehicles in the same way that we classify automobiles: There are the stripped-down economy models, which are perfectly okay for getting us from point A to point B, but won't elicit envious stares at traffic lights. There are the respectable midsize models, which offer more room and comfort, but which don't draw attention to themselves.
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| Come On Down: Stall Flooring |
September/2001 |
thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=75">Manufacturers Of Permeable Stall Floorings
It's 20 degrees even in the barn, and there you are mucking stalls again. Or rather, you're excavating stalls -- your slob of a gelding has managed to create a stinking, sodden crater in the center of his stall floor.
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| Down In The Dumps--Equine Waste Management |
September/2001 |
One of the by-products of horse ownership is dealing with equine by-products, less delicately known as horse manure. The average horse produces about 50 pounds of fecal waste a day. Mix in soiled, wet bedding from the stall, and you've got 95-100 pounds of smelly waste that has to be removed and disposed of properly.
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| Home Sweet Barn--People Living in the Barn |
September/2001 |
Tack rooms, offices, and lounges are fairly common horse barn amenities. Less common are built-in living quarters for farm owners or employees, but some facilities have found it practical as well as economical to include a "barn apartment" of sorts in the building plans. The installation of living quarters might at first seem an extravagance, but there are many advantages to having an on-site caretaker--guaranteed access to the horses (a plus in bad weather), the ability to respond immediately to suspicious goings-on (a ruckus in one of the stalls, headlights in the dead of night), and comfort and convenience while awaiting the birth of a foal, to name a few.
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| Stall Flooring |
September/2001 |
You give a lot of thought to your horse's health and happiness. You groom him until he gleams, swaddle him in boots and blankets, carefully monitor his diet, and expend considerable effort and expense making sure he's comfortably bedded. But have you thought about what lies beneath that soft bed? In essence, the stall floor is the box spring beneath your horse's mattress, and it's every bit as important as what goes on top--perhaps more so.
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| Buying or Building a Farm |
June/2001 |
Buying or building a horse farm can be a challenging venture where dreams might or might not become reality, and where budgets dictate compromise. The buyer needs to consider what is more advantageous: To build on empty land, or to buy a pre-existing horse farm. There are many other elements to consider, including location, future growth and how that might work for or against you, the soundness of pre-existing structures, land use rights and easements, good terrain, soils that can support pasture, and so on.
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| Create Protective Barriers |
April/2001 |
You've heard it a hundred times before, and you'll probably hear it a hundred times again: "If there's a way a horse can get into trouble, it will." That means if you have abandoned machinery at the far end of your 900-acre spread, your horse will find it. If you have one little outdoor faucet that protrudes from the barn wall in the paddock area, your horse will bang into it.
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| Equine Vacations: Let's Go Ride! |
March/2001 |
"You can have the best of both worlds," is how Karen May of the North Fork Guest Ranch described a ranch vacation for horse people. "It's riding with all the amenities. You can ride and enjoy seeing different country on horseback, go above the timberline, and also have the perks of everything a resort has to offer!"
She said most of the time people who come to North Fork are horse-oriented, and the first thing they want to know is what type of riding is available.
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| Ready To Assemble: Barns, Stalls, And Run-In Sheds |
February/2001 |
For those who have the time, inclination, and the ability to follow instructions, assembling a run-in shed, stall, or a barn from a mail-order kit might be a 21st Century option. These do-it-yourself kits can yield impressive savings and offer you control over the quality of workmanship and materials.
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| Locating the Ideal Barn |
January/2001 |
Ranch, farm, field, or barn? When your horse needs a home away from your home, you want to board him in a safe, pleasant place. You might be dissatisfied with your current arrangement, have moved into a new area, or just can't keep your horse at home. Whatever your reason, you need to entrust your animal to caretakers.
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| Horsekeeping On Small Acreage |
October/2000 |
When it comes to small horse pastures, pasturettes, or ranchettes, less equals more. More stress on pasture grasses, more likelihood of overgrazing, more pressure on fencing, more routine maintenance. But with proper management, pasturettes can be healthy and productive acres.
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| Shop The Used Trailer Lot |
July/2000 |
Truck, auto, boat, plane--buying used saves money. A pre-owned horse trailer also can offer economy over a new one. To bring home the best buy, learn how to evaluate the condition of a secondhand trailer.
You might find the right used trailer from a dealer, but most likely you'll deal with a private party.
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| Fireproofing Older Barns |
April/2000 |
"Fire is living and breathing. It has its own life," says Amy Tryon. "It is sort of like horses. Once you think you've got it all figured out, something will come along and show you that you don't." However, Tryon knows more than most about both fire and horses.
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| Your Interactive Fence |
February/2000 |
Interactive is a common word in our language now. It means an immediate and personal response. You click--your computer displays a response. Your horse "clicks" an electric fence, and it shocks him. The interactivity cues the horse to respect the boundary you've set.
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| Better Breathing |
January/2000 |
When you walk down the center aisle of your barn, does the ceiling drip condensation on your head? Does the smell of ammonia make your nostrils twitch and your eyes water--even when the stalls are freshly cleaned? Worst of all, was that a hollow, chronic cough you heard? From more than one of your barn's equine residents?
All of these are signs that the air quality in your barn leaves something to be desired. That's not at all uncommon, seeing as how barns tend to be designed more with human comfort than equine health in mind.
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| Liability Issues |
December/1999 |
The popularity of Judge Wapner’s ‘Animal Court,’ Judge Koch’s ‘The People’s Court,’ ‘Judge Judy,’ ‘Judge Mills Lane,’ ‘Judge Joe Brown,’ and other similar ‘legal reality’ television shows convinced Mr. and Mrs.
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| Stall Design |
November/1999 |
As living spaces go, a box stall is a pretty basic thing. A square enclosure with a door, a couple of bits of hardware from which to hang buckets, and maybe a window…that’s it, right? Well, yes, it is, on the surface. But there’s a little more to it than that.
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| Theft and Horse Identification |
October/1999 |
Horse theft is a reality. Regardless of breed or discipline, it can happen to you. Mary Beth Jacobs learned that painful lesson the morning of Sept. 29, 1997, when she arrived at Lone Star Stables in Ft.
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| Wash Racks And Stalls |
July/1999 |
If you board at a big, commercial show barn, you probably have access to a wash rack. Ditto if your horse boards at a racing barn. What a convenience wash racks are. Instead of spending hours brushing off dirt, muck, and sweat, or hosing off your horse in some muddy area outside the barn when the weather allows, you can bathe your horse in minutes in a safe, secure area, protected from the elements, and conveniently located near the stall.
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| Safe Use of Grooming Products |
June/1999 |
No matter how you use your horse, you want to enhance his natural good looks and keep his “outside” healthy. With a companion animal or sport horse, you also assume the role of equine beautician. Even if your horse never enters a show ring, you could be a big-time consumer of grooming aids.
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| Home Sweet Home |
May/1999 |
Although historically horses are free-ranging herd animals, domestic equines have learned over the centuries to take great comfort in the security of a stall. Inside a stall, there’s comfortable bedding to snooze on, food and water aplenty, safety from predators, and protection from the elements.
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| Exercise Equipment |
March/1999 |
Like busy professionals everywhere, horse people often find there just aren't enough hours in the day. What with stalls to be mucked, arenas to be harrowed, fields to be bush-hogged or mowed, fencing to be repaired, hay to be baled, tack repairs to be picked up at the local saddlery, the farrier arriving at 10:00 a.m.
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| Reading Pedigrees |
February/1999 |
The horse you see--or the foal you envision--reflects generations of ancestors. Owners of those ancestors made decisions on mating horses, planning each generation. They selected animals by examining the successes of previous horsemen, as recorded in pedigrees.
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| Run-In Sheds |
January/1999 |
Dallas Goble, DVM, thinks quite highly of run-in sheds. "They offer better quality health for the horse than enclosed barns," says the associate professor of surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee. "Run-in sheds have better ventilation and less accumulation of dust mold and spores than what accumulate in a normal barn.
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| Boarding Contracts |
November/1998 |
No one wants to add complication and aggravation to a business or pleasure activity, and for many horse enthusiasts, the use of written boarding contracts is viewed as providing more hassle than benefit. After all, you might think, what is the worst thing that can happen to me if I continue to do business as usual, without written agreements with my boarders? For starters, you might be responsible for a hefty veterinary bill that a reluctant client refuses to pay, you might have to absorb unpaid board bills with no legal recourse, or you might face lawsuits arising from a variety of situations.
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| Retiring Old Faithful |
October/1998 |
Your longtime equine friend has always been there for you. He patiently taught you what you needed to know, and carried you through the ribbons. But times have changed. You have to move on and leave Old Faithful behind.
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| Limitation of Liability |
August/1998 |
Horses often seem to be accidents waiting to happen, and most horse owners can recount at least one horror story that starts with: "You aren't going to believe this, but..
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| Safe Fencing for Horses |
May/1998 |
Selecting reliable confinement for a horse often is no easy matter, as safe fencing relies upon individual circumstances. Matters of consideration include the amount of area to be enclosed; the number of horses to be contained within a fence; the size, strength, and temperament of the horses; proximity to suburban neighbors; and fence materials suitable for the climate and soil type. Other factors might include cost, life expectancy of the fence, maintenance, and aesthetics.
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| Should You Insure? |
April/1998 |
How much can you afford to lose? That's the crux of any insurance question and it's no exception for those who transport their horses to shows tracks breeding facilities sales barns living history festivals vacation areas parks and so forth. Because transporting a horse exposes the animal to the risks of road accidents and hazards at the destination owners need to weigh the cost of insurance to cover treatment or loss versus the cost of handling those expenditures themselves.
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| Equine Education |
March/1998 |
Many professional horse people combine their vocation with their avocation, and many other horse people would like to do just that. According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, an avocation can be defined in the following manner: ‘An activity taken in addition to one's regular work or profession usually for enjoyment; a hobby.’ Yet within that word that connotes pleasure and relaxation lies the word that brings to mind the eight-to-five work week that most people view as drudgery--that which we must do in order to enjoy the things we want to do.
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| Foal Sharing |
February/1998 |
Foaling season has begun, and soon the paddocks will be dotted with foals, each holding the aspirations and expectations of its breeder--a literal field of dreams. Preparation for this moment began more than the 11 months ago the mating took place, and the movement of the season toward spring means that breeders are making arrangements to take their mares to the breeding shed for next year's foal crop.
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| Buying and Storing Feeds |
October/1997 |
Feed is a major expenditure for any horse owner, and we all want it to be money well spent--both in terms of nutrition and quality. Getting the best value often means buying and storing feed in bulk. But unless that's done properly, you might find you lose a major portion of your investment to mold, insect infestation, or water damage, any of which can make your hay or grain unsuitable as feed for your horses.
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| Shopping for the Barn |
August/1997 |
Stocking your barn involves a variety of purchases, beginning Day 1 and continuing over the years. Besides the obvious furnishings of feeding and watering accessories, your interior can include such items as stall gates, saddle and bridle racks, and blanket hangers. Plus, you'll buy products for stall maintenance, grooming, and insect control.
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| How Do You Own Your Business? |
April/1997 |
A question often put to attorneys is: "Should I incorporate my (fill in the blank) business?" The answer depends on several factors, and involves weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the various forms of ownership that can be chosen for a business venture. Whether you are just starting in the horse business, or are contemplating a change in the structure of an established operation, you should consider the tax implications of the various forms of ownership, legal requirements and formalities, the type of business you want to run, and your own personality and goals.
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| Using Equine Activity Losses To Achieve Overall Tax Savings |
February/1997 |
Most performance horse owners begin their horse ownership and performance horse activities for purposes other than pecuniary (monetary) gain. Nevertheless, many hope eventually to turn a profit as their horse progresses in skill or as their equine business develops. If you treat your equine activities as a business, you might be able to use any losses incurred in those activities to offset other income.
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| Growing Horses and Soil Quality |
January/1997 |
Whether you currently own a farm or are in the process of looking for one, the land itself is a consideration beyond location, outbuildings, acreage, and price. The vegetation, soil, water, and bedrock that are the foundation of the top layer of the ground all affect the health and strength of your horses.
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| Bedding for Horses |
October/1996 |
Like humans, horses prefer to dwell in comfort. When at rest, the horse seeks a soothing environment--protected from the elements and predators, easy on his feet, and soft against his body. The domesticated horse must live in the enclosure that you provide.
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| Estate Planning |
September/1996 |
You've owned your horse, Midnight Star, for two years. One day you come across a newspaper column. It describes a tragic automobile accident in which several people died. You suddenly realize that if something like that happened to you, you would want someone to take care of your horse.
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| Like-Kind Exchanges |
July/1996 |
How would you like to sell your valuable performance horse and not owe any income tax? Most horse owners would think this could only happen if the horse has decreased in value from the time it was purchased. A special type of transaction is available, however, which allows performance horse owners to earn a substantial return on their equine investment without incurring any tax liability.
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| Footing that Forgives |
April/1996 |
Every horse appreciates sure footing, either on the track or the trail. For the equine athlete, sport-specific footing helps him achieve his best perform-ance. Every athlete, human or equine, must traverse through an environment.
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| Taxes and the Home Office |
January/1996 |
Angela Sanderson (not her real name) has been breeding and selling Paso Finos for five years. Her ranch and breeding operations are small--three mares on five acres. Although Sanderson considers herself a savvy business woman, the California breeder lost money two out of the last three years.
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