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MOSQUITOES:

So you don't like those pesky mosquitoes, especially now that they have the
potential to carry the West Nile Virus?

Here's a tip that was given at a recent gardening forum.

Put some water in a white dinner plate and add a couple drops of Lemon
Fresh Joy dish detergent.

Set the dish on your porch, patio, or other outdoor area. Not sure what
attracts them, the lemon smell, the white plate color, or what, but
mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead shortly after drinking the Lemon
Fresh Joy/water mixture, and usually within about 10 feet of the plate.
Check this out---it works just super! May seem trivial, but it may help
control mosquitoes around your home, especially in the South and elsewhere
where the West Nile virus is reaching epidemic proportions in mosquitoes,
birds, and humans.

SCRATCHES:

50/50: DMSO and Non creamy Desitin (the white tube), NOT THE BLUE TUBE. It is a fungus, not necessarily contagious. 

Some horses are more prone to develop scratches than others. Our experience is that we see it winter or summer. 

Keep it applied on regular basis and we have found good results using this mixture.

SLICK THAT WINTER HAIR OFF YOUR HORSES:

Use Soy Bean Meal which is 48% protein. It just takes 1/2 handful per feeding or that is what we use. It has worked real well.

HORSE CARE TIPS ...Frequently Asked Questions
THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE INTENDED FOR INFORMATION ONLY. IN ANY QUESTIONABLE SITUATION CONSULT YOUR LOCAL VET, 

OR QUALIFIED HORSE CARE INDIVIDUAL.

FEEDING

Horses were born to graze.

HOW DO I KNOW HOW MUCH FEED IS ENOUGH?

Each horse is an individual.

WATER

Fresh, clean, water supply - always available. Water containers need to be clean - Scrub out with a brush on a regular basis, 

especially in hot weather. At feeding time check water containers for contamination due to drowning birds , horse fecal matter, mice, etc.

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY HORSE IS SICK?

For the sake of simplicity, let's work with the scenario that your horse is stabled in a back pen at your home.

First, develop the habit to observe your horse on a regular basis. Notice how he eats, waters, etc. In his pen, see how he moves about, 

how he travels, is he a social creature?, etc. Their personalities differ just like humans. The more you get acquainted with your individual 

horse, the more apt you will be to notice changes such as these generic signs:

1. Off of his feed and water


2. Somewhat standoffish


3. Depressed


4. Hangs his head - no interest - not alert or bright-eyed, fever, runny nose etc.

With these signs in mind, changes will trigger you to investigate further into your horse's well being. Check things out with a 

knowledgeable horse person and, of course, your local vet.

DO ALL HORSES NEED SHOES?

This all depends on your horse's feet, condition of the soil he will be ridden in and the type of riding you will be enjoying. There are individual 

considerations - check it out with your horseshoer, trainer or otherwise qualified horse folk.

WHAT ABOUT SHOTS?

Consult with your local vet. Your veterinarian is the individual who can help you to instigate a shot program suited for your location and 

well-being of your horse. He will be able to provide you with clear guidelines to care for your horse.

Basic Horse Facts

A horse is considered adult at age four.
A female horse over 4 years old is called a mare.
A male horse over 4 years old is called a stallion.
Horses are measured in hands.
A hand is four inches.
A horse is generally over 14.2 hh (hands high).
Anything under 14.2 hh is a pony.
There are over 200 breeds of horses in the world.
A horse's gestation period (time between breeding and birth) is about 11 months, but can be anywhere from 10-12 months.
Horses usually live to be 20-25 years old. The oldest horse lived to be 62.
A father horse is called a sire.
A mother horse is called a dam.
The scientific name for the horse is equus caballus.

Scientific Classification of the Horse

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Theria
Infraclass: Eutheria
Order: Perissodactyla
Family: Equidae

Horse Superstitions

Horseshoes are supposed to be lucky.
The luckiest horse shoe of all is one off the hind leg of a gray mare.
If you hang a horseshoe upside down, the luck runs out.
Gray horses are supposed to be lucky, while piebalds are unlucky.
According to superstition in Lincolnshire, England, if you see a white dog, you should stay silent until you see a white horse.

Horse Anatomy Facts

A full grown horse that weighs about 1,000 pounds contains approximately 13.2 gallons of blood.
Horses have about 175 bones in their body.
A horse's hoof grows at a rate of about 1 cm per month.
A horse's leg joints are not fully fused (grown) until around the age of 3 1/2.
Most horse breeds have 18 ribs.
The Arabian has 17 ribs.
Most horses have 6 lumbar bones.
The Arabian has 5 lumbar bones.
Most horses have 18 tail vertebrae.
The Arabian has 16 tail vertebrae.
Horses can see in two directions at once.
Horses can see everywhere, except directly in front or behind them.
Horses make 8 basic sounds- snort, squeal, greeting nicker, courtship nicker, maternal nicker, neigh, roar, blow.
It is almost impossible for a horse to vomit-- if they do, their stomachs usually rupture soon after.

Foals and Foaling

A newborn foal's legs are already 90% of the length they will be when full grown.
A foal is able to stand just one hour after birth.
A foal can walk, trot, and run just two hours after birth!
The first milk the mare makes is called colostrum. This is a rich milk and it is very important for the foal, because it helps protect it 

against disease.
Most foals will start to nurse less than two hours after being born.
A female foal is called a filly.
A male foal is called a colt.
More foals are born between April 15- May 15 than any other time.
Mares usually foal at night.
Mares don't like to be watched when they foal. If someone is watching, they might stop foaling and wait till the the person goes away.
A mare may give birth in as little as 15 minutes, but no longer than an hour. If she is still straining after an hour has passed, something is 

seriously wrong.
If you have to help pull a foal out, NEVER pull up! Always pull down, toward the horse's feet.

Strange Facts

Horses like classical music.

The oldest horse was named Old Billy. He was a cross breed, he was born in 1760 and he lived to be 62.

The World's Largest Horse was a Shire gelding named Samson, bred by Thomas Cleaver of Codington Mills, England. Foaled in 1846, 

this horse measured 21.2 1/2 hand high in 1850, and weighed 3,360 pounds.

Did you know....

Here are some words that are derived from the Latin word for horse, equus, and the Greek word for horse, hippos. From the American 

Heritage Dictionary:

e·quine adj. 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of a horse. 2. Of or belonging to the family Equidae, which includes the horses, asses, 

and zebras.

e·ques·tri·an adj. 1. Of or relating to horseback riding or horseback riders. 2. Depicted or represented on horseback: an equestrian

 statue of a famous monarch. --e·ques·tri·an n. One who rides a horse or performs on horseback. [From Latin equester, equestr-, 

from eques, horseman, from equus, horse.

eq·ui·ta·tion n. The art and practice of riding a horse. [Latin equitatio, equitation-, from equitare, to ride horseback. See EQUITANT.]

eq·ui·tant adj. Overlapping at the base to form a flat, fanlike arrangement in two ranks, as the leaves of some irises. [Latin equitans,

 equitant-, present participle of equitare, to ride horseback, from eques, equit-, horseman, from equus, horse.

eq·ui·se·tum n., pl. eq·ui·se·tums or eq·ui·se·ta. See horsetail.

horse·tail n. Any of various nonflowering plants of the genus Equisetum, having a jointed, hollow stem and narrow, sometimes much

 reduced leaves. Also called equisetum.

e·o·hip·pus n. A small, herbivorous, extinct mammal of the genus Hyracotherium (or Eohippus) from the Eocene Epoch of the western 

United States, having four-toed front feet and three-toed hind feet and related ancestrally to the horse. [New Latin : eo- + Greek hippos,

 horse]

IMPORTANCE OF LUNGING YOUR HORSE:

We lunge each and every horse here at the place every day they are ridden--great way to warm him up. First, in the round pen, 

then progress to just running them around on the end of the bridle rein.

IF YOUR HORSE IS FRESH:

Get your mount up from the pasture, pen or barn. Do the grooming, tack him up and head for the round pen or an enclosed area, 

making sure you have plenty of room to move your horse around. Teach him to the lunge line, and warm him up good, moving him 

out in a warm up trot, moving him finally into a lope around the pen, do both directions, . When he flattens out, drops his head, 

licks his lips etc, he is ready for the first ride. Horses can get really sick of the pen work, so look for the signs that he is ready 

to be ridden, check and tighten your cinch, mount up, lope around the pen in both directions, then open the gate! We want him 

relaxed and ready to learn...don’t build a sorry attitude by boring repetition of running him around the pen forever.

This is a general guideline, it reaffirms “safety first”, then enjoy.