Horse Behavior: Feeding Your Horses According to Pecking Order

By: Darlene M. Cox, darlc5@aol.com    

Have you ever experienced the wild melee of an equine feeding frenzy when you feed pastured horses? If you have, the reason behind this explosive and dangerous fury could solely reside with the failure of feeding the horses according to pecking order ranking.

As herd animals, horses live within an established and innate hierarchical system upon which an "alpha", or dominant, horse reigns over those of limited ranking and stature. As simply as the alphabet goes from A to Z and numbers from 0 to 10, so goes the ranking of the horses in your herd, with each horse holding a higher placement above those of subordinate positions.  

Your understanding of herd ranking is very important when it comes to feeding your horses in an open pasture. When feeding grain, use buckets that can be placed within a circle and separated by no fewer than two horse lengths apart. Well-spaced buckets will prevent those horses with a higher ranking to claim or guard multiple buckets. Always place at least one extra bucket of grain to allow for the natural movement of the herd if a higher ranking horse moves a subordinate horse away from a bucket. This will allow the lowest horse in the herd to get his fair share of grain, too. Generally, the rank and file will fall into order for feeding after the alpha horse has begun eating. Always get the alpha horse engaged with its meal first. If you do not use buckets for feeding, place grain on top of a hay flake and place the hay within the same distances as described above.

Always be aware of the horses around you and know what is going on. There may be small skirmishes during feeding time as pecking orders are somewhat fluid with challenges being made as one tries to gain a higher position. Never position yourself within the inside of the herd, always work on the perimeter or outside, which will better avail you with watching the horses in front of you. Don't let a horse rush at you when feeding it in pasture. Remember that you are the true "alpha" of your herd and any rush toward you is a challenge to your authority.

When collecting the buckets after feeding, be watchful of any horses loitering around hoping for "extras".  There is a potential risk of injury any time you are around horses free on pasture. Again use the perimeter approach and be aware of what horses are around you.

Happy trails!

Come and Get It: Feeding Your Horse while Trail Riding or Camping

by: Darlene M. Cox (darlc5@aol.com)

Much time and planning goes into getting ready for a trail riding and camping adventure, whether it is a short weekend trip or one that encompasses a week of fun-filled saddle time and relaxation. Of all the important things to pack along for your trip, food ranks right there at the top of the list. Nothing can beat the mouth-watering aromas of a meal being prepared over an open campfire; unless you ask your horse what he might like to eat.

Following are some food-for-thought suggestions as you plan for feeding your horse while trail riding and camping:

· Feed your horse the same brand of grain and/or type of hay he is used to eating at home. Do not opt for a higher protein grain or straight alfalfa hay if your horse is not used to eating such at home.

· Estimate the time that you will be away from home to determine how many feedings of grain that you will need to have on hand. Add at least two feedings to this number just in case your return home is delayed due to some unforeseen reason.

· If possible, pre-measure grain servings and place into individual, large zip lock bags for easy serving while in camp. This will save you time and trouble, particularly when feeding during night time hours. With pre-measured portions, your horse is guaranteed to receive the same amount of grain he would get if at home. Never feed your horse more grain because you equate his working harder and longer with an increased need for more grain. Feeding more grain than your horse is used to eating may cause an unwanted bout of colic, impaction, or tying-up (azoturia).

· When determining the amount of hay you need to take, add one bale to the total to allow for extra portions (always okay to feed more hay) as well as allow for the possibility that any particular bale may have a portion that is not palatable (moldy, dusty, dirty, etc.). Keep your baling string in situ and simply tie up any unused bale portion for the return trip home.

· Morning feedings should be done one to two hours before you saddle up and hit the trail. Think about how you would feel if you had to work out right after eating your breakfast. Allow some time for digestion to begin before saddling up. Give your horse time to eat undisturbed. Don’t couple feeding time with grooming or riding prep.

· After an end of a day’s ride, your horse should be given adequate time to cool down and relax before being fed. Offer cool water, but never feed an overly exerted, hot horse as you risk a colic episode. Wait at least an hour or two before feeding grain/hay.

· If you are riding with a group and your horse is picketed, tied, or stalled next to the horses' of others horses with whom you will be riding, try to orchestrate feeding around the same time. This will eliminate unneeded stress on those horses that have to hungrily stand and mouth-wateringly watch as other horses eat. Position hay bags and feed buckets out of reach from other horses to prevent territorial/food protection behaviors. Canvas feed bags are ideal to use in camping situations as they are easy to fill and strap onto your horse and will keep other horses from nosing around to scavenge extra grain.

A little time and effort in planning meals for your horse while trail riding and camping will make sure he is a happy camper, too!

Happy trails!

Love My Ariat Ropers

When one of our customers in Canada found out that we now carry western apparel, she added a pair of Ariat Heritage Lacer Boots Roper Toe to her saddle order stating that it was finally time to replace the ones she had been wearing. When she received her order, Tracy sent us this picture and we just had to pass it on. Pictured on the left are the Ariat boots that she has worn “every day for the past 20 years”. And on the right…the boots she will enjoy for the next 20. You just can’t replace quality!
By the way, she also said, "wow, can’t believe your prices and quality. Gonna tell everyone." Thanks Tracy!

Travelling with Your Horse: Tips to Encourage Your Horse to Drink Unfamiliar Water

By: Darlene M. Cox (darlc5@aol.com)

Anyone who has traveled longer distances with their horse knows the difficulty you are faced with when trying to get your horse to drink unfamiliar water. Generally, I will take some water from home, stored in two 20-gallon plastic storage containers to offset some of the trepidation my horse will have toward drinking while on the road. However, it is impossible to transport enough water for a week’s worth of camping and riding; therefore, you have to teach your horse that strange water is okay to drink.

There are several different ways to encourage your horse to drink while traveling:

• · Flavor the water with electrolyte powders, Gatorade, or Kool-Aid. Begin this several days in advance at home to get your horse used to drinking the flavored water. While traveling, the flavorings will mask the taste of the strange water and your horse should drink without hesitation.

• · Bring along the watering bucket your horse is accustomed to from home. He has been drinking from it and is very familiar with its smell and shape.

• · Add a little salt to your horse’s grain at each feeding. The salt will trigger thirst and encourage drinking.

• · Fill a syringe with syrup or molasses. A sticky mouth might encourage your horse to drink to get rid of the stickiness.

• · After filling the water bucket, let the water warm up by setting it in the sun. Horses generally do not like to drink ice cold water straight from the tap, and when you add to it that the water is from an unfamiliar source, your horse may be less inclined to drink.

• · Place apple wedges in the water bucket. As your horse mouths the apple wedges, he may also decide he wants to drink some water, too.

• · Keep his water bucket filled and in front of him at all times when you are not riding. After he samples the water several times, he may decide that it is okay to drink.

• · If your horse doesn’t drink much and you are concerned about dehydration, administer a tube of electrolyte paste. This will offset dehydration and encourage him to drink as well.

Generally speaking, horses that are at first a little hesitant to drink from strange watering sources will begin to drink them in short order. Sometimes it may take a little while and some encouragement and tricks on your part to help him over the hump.

Happy trails!

Tucker Visits Horse Saddle Shop

Steve Tucker has been in the saddle industry a long time. This experience has given him a vast knowledge about what riders and their horses like in a saddle – particularly trail saddles. If you’ve ever ridden a Tucker saddle, you will agree that his knowledge and desire for quality is clearly seen (and felt) in his saddles. While most saddle manufacturers make saddles for many riding applications, Tucker Trail Saddles focuses strictly on trail saddles. This focus has been extremely valuable to Tucker in developing the best trail saddles in the world.
Horse Saddle Shop was privileged to get a visit from Steve, along with longtime associate Darrell Nephew and Rob Thomas from Circle Y. We enjoyed a time of conversation in our new Outlet store (opened in Feb 2011). Later we enjoyed dinner together sharing mostly about life and a little about business. Steve is a quality individual and we’re proud to be the #1 dealer of his quality line of saddles. Check them out on our website and see for yourself by clicking here.
Pictured above from L to R: Charlie Hueni, Steve Tucker, Rob Thomas, Chuck Klockow, Darrell Nephew.

Cake for Horse Lovers

We recently added Breyer Toys to our lineup of new products on HorseSaddleshop.com. While I was adding the toys to the store online, a certain little saddle-expert-in-training noticed these exquisite hand-painted horses. "You have enough toys," I replied. A few days later we were together at HorseSaddleShop Outlet and she sought them out to sigh over them. It's true that the pictures don't do them justice. Breyer toys aren't like the horses you'll find at the dollar store, with paint hardly splotched in the right places---the type of toys you're only too glad to throw in the Goodwill pile because you're sick of stepping on them. These horses are very realistic and, for lack of a better word, compelling. Everything from the hair on their manes to the muscles on their legs is perfectly formed.

But we still didn't buy any. :) However, my little horse lover is persistent. A few weeks later I asked her to pick out what kind of cake she wanted for her birthday. She tracked down a cake that looks like a pasture, complete with plastic horses. Then she sweetly reminded me where I could buy some.

I gave in. The Stablemate series is the perfect size for cake toppers, around four inches long by three inches high. The hardest part for me was choosing which horses, but I finally narrowed it down to the mustang and the quarter horse. The cake was a cinch to slap together, and my

daughter was extremely pleased to finally add some Breyer horses to her collection. If you'd like to make a cake for your horse lover, instructions follow. This would be especially fun to model after your own pasture.

1. Make a cake of the flavor of your choice. Use a 8 or 9 inch

round or square cake pan. I chose to make chocolate so that any crumbs that showed through would just look like dirt.

2. Color homemade or canned frosting grass green. Using Wilton's gel-based food coloring will produce a stronger color than the liquid.

4. Use some green food coloring to color some coconut. Sprinkle the top of the cake to make grass.

5. Use some decorating tips to recreate whatever weeds....oh, I mean flowers are in your pasture.

5. Use pretzel sticks to create a fence.

6. Add your horses. Resist the urge to play with them yourself.

If you make your own pasture cake, don't forget to share the pics with us on our Facebook page!

Ha! He's just a Trail Horse - What Makes a Trail Horse worth His Weight in Gold?

By: Darlene M. Cox (darlc5@aol.com)

Performance horses are trained in many disciplines, some of which are very prestigious and earn their owners quite a bit of money; however, a well-trained trail horse is worth his weight in gold, whether or not he earns a dime for his riding partner. What makes a horse a good trail horse? Is it a particular breed or gender? While rider preference may choose one breed or gender over another, there is nothing set in stone that superiorly places any breed or gender as best suited, but there are certain attributes that a quality trail horse must possess to be labeled "priceless."

· A laid-back personality/disposition. A horse that is unflappable and even-keeled is desired over one that is high strung and explosively reactive. A nervous horse on a trail ride not only upsets his rider, but also other riders and horses as well, which makes for a very uncomfortable ride for everyone.


· A "push-button" horse that is as reliable every time he is saddled and ridden, regardless of the amount of elapsed time between rides. You have to love a horse that even though he has not been ridden in months, acts the same as if he was ridden the day before.


· Good feet, with or without shoes. While trail terrain may be varied across the country, one thing is constant and that is a good deal of mileage is going to be put on your horse. Good feet are a necessity to ensure that you do not end up several miles from camp with a lame horse.


· Gets along well with other horses. It is always unpleasant to ride with a group of horses where one or two are wicked when another horse comes near. You can expect a little brattiness from any horse, but when hooves start flying and teeth start gnashing, it can get ugly and dangerous quickly.


· A good ground-covering walk. The gait in which most trail horses are ridden the majority of the time is the walk. A horse that sustains a nice and consistent ground-covering walk is one that can be placed on lead (the first in line, leading a group of riders), preventing any bottle-necking of horses following, which is caused when the lead horse slows down or is inconsistent with walking speed.


· Comfortably rides in any position within a group. A horse that behaves and remains relaxed no matter where he is in the group (on lead, in the middle, or bringing up drag). Some horses become accustomed to being in one position and will act out if taken out of that position.


· A horse that can be ridden alone on the trail or away from the group without demonstrating being "herd bound" is a dream to ride. Nothing is worse than having to fight with a horse to get him to move away from a group to venture down the trail alone.


· A horse that knows his job and keeps his mind on it. One that watches where he is going, concentrating on the task at hand. Some horses will let their minds wander (yes, there are those horses that will daydream on the trail).


· Standing calmly and quietly while tied. Tying your horse is something that will be done during camping and trail riding. Whether tied to a hitching rail or picket line while in camp or to a tree while taking a rest break from riding on the trail, you will have no worries from a horse that doesn't "worry" about being tied.


· A horse that stands patiently under saddle and doesn't paw the ground or try to "sneak" off down the trail. Nothing is more difficult than trying to stop and read a map when your horse is impatient with the delay.


· Easily loads and unloads from trailer. Nothing starts your trip off better than a horse that will load easily into the trailer. Battling with your horse to get it loaded into the trailer will put a damper on your camping and trail riding experience from the very beginning.


· Experience versus age. A young horse with more trail experience may be preferred over an older horse with little experience. Trail riding has its own learning curve for horses and even though an older horse may have more hours under the saddle, a younger horse with more actual trail experience may be a preferable choice, providing he possesses other quality attributes as well.

Choose your trail horse wisely and you will be rich beyond measure each time you saddle up to ride the many miles of trails that pave the nature land in your neck of the woods.

Happy trails!