Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
When putting out hay, make one or two more piles than there are horses so there are
plenty of feeding stations, no matter what a horse's rank in the hierarchy.
When feeding grain to groups of horses, choose long troughs with plenty of room for
twice as many horses to eat. For feeding grain individually, use broad, shallow pasture
grain dishes that are difficult to tip over or roll and space them far apart.
Daily pasture check
Watch your horse as he approaches to discern any irregularity in his gait or if
he is lagging behind the other horses.
Check to see if your horse is alert and eager to get feed or treats.
Start your visual inspection by looking carefully at the legs, the most common
site of injury on pasture. If the horse is shod, be sure he has all his shoes.
View each horse from both sides, the front, and the rear.
Look for discharge from the eyes, head shaking, ears held at an odd angle, or
an obvious blemish anywhere on the horse's body.
Look for burrs or sticks in the mane and tail.
Keep an eye out for damage from mutual grooming to the mane or sheet.
Take care of those things that you can safely attend to out in the pasture. For
anything that requires closer attention, lead the horse back to the barn.
Even if you are not taking feed out to the horses, a daily check (or twice-a-day check if
a horse is wearing a blanket) is a good idea. If you make up a pasture kit to carry along,
you'll have the items you'll need to take care of small issues.
Even if your horses are dead gentle and well trained, a halter and lead will come in handy
if you need to stabilize a horse while you remove the wire around his leg or the bush he is
dragging with his tail. Teaching your horses to come to a certain spot when you whistle is
a help, and having a few wafers or carrots along to reinforce their behavior will pay off in
the long run. Toss the treats on the ground in several spots and, as the horses search and
nibble, you'll have plenty of time to give each of them a thorough visual examination.
WEEKLY PASTURE CHECK
Every few days or at least once a week, halter your horse and remove his blanket and give
If you lead your horse back to the barn for this weekly check, it will be a good review
of in-hand manners and will give you the opportunity to perform routine health care tasks
such as deworming, hoof care, mane and tail overhaul, application of fly cream, and change
