Is modern day horsecare easy or hard?
There's good news and bad news in broadening your horizons to do better!
Over the last few years I have had many moments wishing I could go backwards, back to a time where I knew less! The saying 'ignorance is bliss' has really resonated.
I haven't chosen to remain ignorant - not when it comes to trying to do the best for my horses. However, 'further education' has come at a price as my mood has swung from inspiration to envy.
Here's why...
Imagine that today you learnt that over 75% of your 'lifestyle' was causing you stress; impairing your immune system, messing with your mind, and depleting you emotionally. That it is robbing you of your very nature - the essence of who you are, your genetics and your rightful purpose on this planet. Worse still you aren't in control of any of the influences upon your lifestyle - you aren't living YOUR life at all.
Heavy stuff!
How would you react?
Be overcome with fear, panic, dread and a sense of hopelessness at it all being so wrong? Or, be filled with desire to ACT NOW and make some changes?
How long could you keep going without change - surviving only by suppressing and denying your new found knowledge - after all most people around you are living the same way so it can't be too bad! Right?
Conversley if you chose to act and change, where would you start? Where would your support network come from as you'd be going it alone?
Of course I've had to teach myself that there is a middle road. Its about figuring out what we CAN change, and what we can't. What we can do NOW and what we have to plan to do or work towards over time.
Back to good horse care...
It doesn't matter how many books, articles or blogs I read about caring for our horses, I am still hit in the gut with a hammer when I read about what horses need and realise I'm still falling short.
Here's a simple short summary of what a horse needs:
- Horses need to be out in the fresh air
- Horses need to be moving 24 x 7 (able to roam between 8-20 miles a day)
- Horses need to eat at ground level ALWAYS
- Horses need a diet free of sugars (other than those naturally occurring in grass)
- Horses don't need Molasses (at all, or carrots etc)
- Horses don't need metal shoes
- Horses need companionship of, and physical contact with, other horses
- Horses need access to herbs, berries, bark, and different grasses to select from as needed
- Horses need free will
- Horses need to be able to have fun with other horses
- Horses don't need to be clean and mud free!
An absence of any of the above starts our horse on the downwards spiral towards stress.
I read books about people who have gone to extraordinary lengths to deliver the above for their horses. Every time I do, I am inspired by their courage, determination and love - followed quickly by a deep slump into guilt for not having done so yet, for my own horses.
It's easy to find yourself in a pity party looking out from the corner through green stained tears. Envy dripping from our lips as we utter weak defences for not doing more for our horses, such as ...
'its ok for them they have their own land and can do with it what they want'
'in America you can find big plots of land dirt cheap, but not here in the UK and especially not in Berkshire'
'at least they did it as husband and wife; and had each others support'
'she was so lucky that her husband and kids were happy to up sticks and move to the country'
'its easy to take risks if your husbands a vet'
'well if you don't have to work full time and travel for your job of course you can build a tight bond with your horse'
Etc. Etc.
What started out as inspiration can change to envy and resentment. If left untamed these feelings can build into reasons for not even trying! Lamentable in its extreme.
The truth is we all have challenges in moving towards our goals whoever we are, whatever our starting point. Books don't always reveal the whole story and things can often sound idyllic in a book - to inspire us - that's the point!
In our own desires to live our dreams or improve our lifestyle we know that
moderation is our best friend. We do what we can, and keep looking for opportunities to get closer to what we desire. When changing our own life or that of our horses I recommend a step by step approach. Below are some tips of the things I have introduced gradually and successfully, so far.
Ideas to get as close as we can to offering our horses a less stressful lifestyle:
Diet
Diet is in our control. We are the ones who decide what and when our horses will eat. There are a couple of simple things we can do to help our horses have a stress free diet:
Feed little and often (just like humans). Avoid large feeds as the small intestine is not developed to cope with large intakes of food.
Check all feeds for molasses and if present, gradually eliminate it from the diet. Molasses in the diet will stress the horses organs such as the kidneys and liver.
Phone your feed supplier and find out exactly what is in their feeds. What oils? Many will not mention oils but will include them. Find out if there are any GM products? Can the supplier guarantee their products are GM free. If not! Don't buy them, keep shopping!
Grazing
Horses are grazers, so anything we can do during stabled time to re-create the grazing habit will enhance their lives.
They wander around, picking at food as they go. Putting all their food in one place does not encourage them to move from one eating spot to another, so even some thing as simple as dividing the night hay into two lots and placing them in opposite parts of the stable will enable them to “graze” and make decisions about where to eat.
When grazing, they have to bite everything off with their front teeth before they can chew it, but in the stable, they don’t need to do this. I feed my horses LucieBrix from Simple Systems which are foods that they do need to bite and they may enjoy a good gnaw on (one or two a day), to replace the same amount of hay.
If you are not familiar with these, they are 1 kg blocks of compressed lucerne chop or grass chop, offered dry and whole, ideally at floor level.
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| Lucie Brix |
A high fibre feed such as LucieFibre Cubes in a feeding ball will also increase eating time and provide a diversion.
Ensure enough forage is provided so that your horse is not without some thing to eat for more than 2 hours. For good health horses need to eat 2.5% of their body weight in dry matter per day. Whilst grazing is hard to quantify, if they are out for, say, 1/3 of the time, then assume that 1/3 of their requirement is met from grazing and the rest must be supplied in the stable.
Last year I spent time on the phone with Equine Behaviourist
Justine Harrison discussing pasture management ideas and how to combat boredom or loneliness. She suggested hiding food, herbs, bark and branches under safe objects in the field e.g. Tyres.
Roaming
Horses are migratory and love to
hack out for this reason especially in a group. Try to get out on a
hack with friends whenever you can. If it is safe to do so, as you have
more than one horse, you could even have a go at riding and leading.
Boxing
up to a new place to hack will be enjoyed by your horse as much as the
rider! On longer hacks, stop where safe for your horses to graze for a
few minutes every hour to 1.5 hours, as it is unnatural for horse to go
more than 2 hours without eating and after this will no doubt feel as
hungry and as tetchy as we do if we have not eaten for about 6 hours.
A fellow blogger and horse lover Issy Clarke lets her horses 'snack as they go' and documents her personal journey of learning with her horses on her blog: The
Spoken Horse.
Always
travel with hay/lage and feed your horse when you arrive and before you
re-load afterwards, providing you stick with forage for example the
Simple System Feeds – do not ride off any grain based feed!
Fresh Air
In a natural (wild) environment horses have plenty of fresh air and distant views and feel safer with space around them. Always leave stable/ barn top doors open and if at all necessary and possible provide additional views by cutting a false “top door” into the back or side of the box.
Wood
If your horse is in a manicured paddock with no trees, bushes or hedge row - dont' accept it and do nothing. Get your gardening gloves on, and go out to collect twigs, bark, branches (avoid oak) and place them in his paddock and/ or stable to chew on at lib. (See Grace munching on bark below)
Herbs
We don't need to blame the land owner for not planting herbs or allowing them to grow. We can substitute them very easily. Offer them daily or put them out in the field/stable in bowls.
A variety of naturally growing herbs are affordable and stocked by tack shops to make it easy to buy. Herbs such as nettles, peppermint, rosehips, chamomile flowers. Experiment with the seasons and notice which ones your horse is drawn to each season and make a note for next year.
If you have time and the interest collect cleavers, nettles and dandelions each season, dry them if needed and then offer them to your horses at no cost and lots of pleasure!
Company
Horses are sociable and depend on their pals to help look out for predators. Provide some means of contact if your horse is in a stable without the ability to hang over the door and see a neighbour.
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| Grace with bars in both side walls and rear window |
Bars between stables are great; grills (like the ones sometimes used over the stable door) set in to adjoining walls are just as good. I have even seen just one brick removed from a brick wall between stables which enabled adjacent horses to blow at each other.
Stable mirrors are also good as the horse will be convinced by his own reflection that he has company. Do not place them near the feed bowl as they may resent such close attention when they are eating!
If you keep your horse on a yard offering only individual turnout to
avoid injuries, then make sure your horse can see, and 'touch' another
horse over a safe fence. Alternatively check with other owners if they
are happy for your horses to be given 'mutual self grooming time' with the owners
present holding them both if needed.
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| Mutual self grooming time |
If
you own two horses or more but aren't allowed to turn them out together, be a 'pair' whenever you can; leading them to and from the field together,
or when in hand walking in the menage as exercise.
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| Essy and Solar Field Mates for 16 years |
Fun
I don't really know if horses like to play with man made horse toys. I should try it before I dismiss it. Horses will have fun naturally by running and chasing about. If safe to do so, and allowed by the yard then consider letting them have some 'mooching' time together in the menage regularly in the week.
My two tend to run about and play versus mooch about like two 20 year olds- hence the need for safety factors; leg boots and the yard owners permission!
I have found my horses seem to enjoy some one on one 'human time' simply walking by my side, talking, doing nothing in particular seems to be enjoyable as their ears flick back and forth as if listening intently.
Parelli seems to be another potential source of fun and way of interacting with our horses which they again seem willing to partner with us in.
Lead your horse around the yard (let him free if allowed and if safe) - let him explore 'off piste' the non horsey places. My horses love tack rooms, club houses, and behind garages and stables. They have a terrific sense of adventure through exploration so indulge in that and play to their sense of smell.
Treats
Go ahead and continue to spoil your horse, show him you love him but do it with a healthy option; replace carrots with Herbs!
Banish carrots and polo's and other human sweets. We limit how many we give our kids so why would we think they are good for our horses?
Free Will and Rugs
This one is still under 'development'. What I know is that at the end of the day I can't wait to jump into my 'sweats' /PJ's. I love to get rid of the physical ties of the day from around my body.
With my horses, I try to have head collars on my horses as little as possible. I want them to feel free from ties too. This goes for rugs too. From April to end of October they are all naked. Indoors and outdoors. Winter is more challenging: Grace needs to be clipped as she is in ridden work and gets sweaty which doesn't dry quickly. Solar is 23 and gets stiff stabled overnight and so she is rugged during the winter. Essy (king of heat) wears as little as possible in terms of rugs. He wears a summer sheet only all through the winter overnight, unless it drops to minus 3 or 4 then a thin Polly goes on.
Most of us can't and don't want to turn out horses out for 365 days a year and not see them again as they do in the planes of America. We want to interact, spend time with them, ride and groom them daily. However, its worth remembering that we do these things at a time of day
to suit us. With a frequency and intensity that
we determine. The horses wishes and mood to tolerate our desires are secondary, most of the time. So small gestures of flexibility (of letting go of the agenda or timeline) on our behalf, can go a long way to showing our horse that he isn't subject to our will ALL THE TIME.
When walking in hand, to or from a field, or to the menage, horses will tell us when they want to go with us or not. Do we listen? Can we now stop and wait for them for just a moment or two to show them they have free will (their desires count) - at least for that brief moment in time?
Even if they grab that moment to graze or chew on the menage fence - it's good feedback and data about our horses level of stress or need or inclination at that time.
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| Snack time on route back to the stable for Solar Sue |
Feedback is a gift! There's even a business book with that title. Our job as conscientious owners is to solicit our horses feedback plane and simple!
As an exmpal Essy hates being rugged. Always has. He pulls faces, and at times will go to bite you - clear feedback. Ive leaned to go 'ok, if that's really how you feel, then no rug tonight'. What's the worst that can happen if he's not rugged? He's indoors at night in the winter. He may get stiff from lack of movement. He may drop some weight burning extra calories to stay warm. Or, maybe neither will occur and his coat will do it's job, keep him warm and all will be fine!
Sometimes we have to have the confidence that our horse really does know better than us, what is in his best interest! When we can, it is quite a pleasant relief!
Barefoot
I would never have imagined taking all 3 of my horses barefoot. I had every excuse ready at my disposal. If the time isn't right yet for you then begin with educating yourself, read, go on a 3 day Equine Podiatry course or simply hang out with others who have gone barefoot so you know more.
A good starting point is to get your horse's feet assessed by a podiatrist. It often costs nothing and will give you some facts about if it is worth considering further for your horse considering his environment, diet, workload etc.
If and when ready to go naked, start by removing the backs only. If you do that, I'd give yourself and your horse 12 months before you then consider removing the fronts. Take your time. If you've shod your horse for 10, or 20 years, then another 12 months won't be the end of the world. You'll learn so much in the first 12 months of being barefoot that the fronts transition will be much easier.
Support
Don't forget YOU in all this. Surround yourself by like minded people. Follow Blogs by people whose point of view interests you. Be around those who want to do better for their horse and who are trying day by day, step by step. Share ideas and successes. Be open about failings so others can learn.
Go to conferences that interest you, and network. Someone may be able to offer you advise and help
right now that could help get you moving in the direction you want.
Final thoughts from an Angel!
I know I won't stop reading and questioning the way I care for my horses and my motives for doing things the way I do. I'll continue to have guilt trips and worries as I go. I can't pretend that Ive accepted that - I haven't - I do wish I was someone who didn't worry but for now that's not me! What I do work on and try to improve is the degree to which I beat myself up!
At times we all need help especially when wrestling demons like guilt, blame or self pity. I do believe and have personal experience to prove it that when we really need help it tends to emerge. I had one such experience at a conference I attended last summer in Warwickshire.
Having shed a few public tears of frustration at not being able to keep my horses the way I wanted, one of the other delegates on the table offered me advise, practical tips and lots of encouragement. Many of those tips are captured above. She went on to remind me that:
"...if it were not for us wanting to ride and enjoy them, horses could be extinct! We do always have to compromise –we offer them survival, they offer us work and companionship, but we also have to respect their needs and whilst we cannot offer them the open, treeless, grassy plains of their natural home, we can make domesticity acceptable for them. We also protect them from predation, seasonal shortages of food, harsh weather, repeated breeding and the other hardships that come with a free life...".
I think her words provide a reminder that no situation is ideal. Her words do give m a sense of calm every time I read them. I'm not a bad person for keeping horses. Nor are you. Are we perfect? No. Can we do more? Yes! If we keep trying to improve our horses lifestyle and work together to build on each other's ideas and have patience with those who try to mock them.
That's got to be the fastest route to getting more help to more horses and ultimately that will make many more human's lives feel like ones well - lived!
I'd like to publicly give my thanks to Jane at
Simple Systems for being that Angel in Warwickshire who descended upon that day and into my life when reassurance was very much needed. Thank you Jan!
