General Horse and Facility Care
(very general, and pertinent the NE USA, but a valuable start)
In short, Horses need shelter, water, food and friends. If you ask them, the ‘friends’ part would be first in order.
As an owner, you want to be sure there is also a good fence so the friends don’t go wandering.
STALLS
Some horses love ‘em, some hate them, and the same is true with owners. If you are setting up a new equine property there are books we can suggest to help with the many decisions you will want to make regarding your horses space, and your use. It is also worth visiting a few other facilities or sanctuaries to get an idea of all of the options.
Even if you want to have horses that primarily live outside, having available stalls and horses that know how use them is critical. Eventually someone has an accident and requires stall rest. We require at least one available stall even if the horses are living as a happy outdoor herd.
FENCING
Don’t try to build your fence on the cheap, it never works. For our needs, we prefer four rail wood, while others prefer high tensile, and yet others prefer woven wire topped with wood and electric. Barbed wire is not approved, and single line electric is not going to keep a horse securely. Often fencing changes depending upon the terrain.
The stronger and more secure, the less likely you will be chasing your horse down the road at 5 am in your jammies. Guess how we know? And remember to close the gate!
BLANKETS
a dodgy topic! Especially if they live outside, during major snowstorms, some may need blankets. We use blankets for perhaps half of our herd, and make those determinations based upon observation of the horse. Some breeds seem to need more coverage, others never do.
We do require that owners have and know how to use an equine blanket; the cost of such is a tiny fraction of a sick horse.
Knowing how to use them and put them on, and working with your equines in advance to be able to put them on is very important.
HAY
It is better to buy in advance because everyone prefers moving hay when the weather is nice, and shortages happen. You will want good quality first cut hay, free of mold, dust, etc. and can expect to feed about one bale per day per horse (VERY General info, your DVM can help refine your equine needs).
At RF, we feed hay year round, with less being put out in the summer and more in winter. Round bales left in a field for just two horses is not acceptable by our standards, as it becomes nasty over time and really, who wants that? When we do use large round bales, we can put out one a day and the big herd eats it up because there are 40+ of them. :)
You will want small 35-50 lb square bales. If you are feeding second cut bales you will need to be very careful not to founder the horses.
MUD SEASON
Horse owners in the NorthEast of the USA know this well, it is twice a year and can create havoc in small areas and paddocks. Creating dry areas, packed down pathways, and indoor dry areas will be important to survive those brief times when the farm turns to mud.
MULTIPLE HORSE ownership (3+ horses)
It is interesting but provides new challenges; for example; Often if there are multiple horses competing for indoor shelter, someone is stuck outside in the weather, so that is something that also needs to be watched. Our very large pole barn below "can" accommodate the entire herd but all are not always welcome, and we are vigilant about the ‘lower horses’ of the herd getting a dedicated stall and or blankets, to be sure all are cared for.
Multiple horses provide different experiences and knowledge.
RUN INS
or Outdoor shelters; Having free standing shelters set up is important even if using stalls part time, unless you are fencing around a portion of woods. Determine the direction of the wind, and take the time to put in a decent foundation, so it remains sturdy and clean. This serves as an important wind break, and sun shelter, and sleet shelter.
FIELD LAYOUT
Creating a dynamic world for your horses, especially if they are not riding horses and are living there 24/7, is a great goal to aspire to. Including trees, rocks, even small ponds or creeks, can all add to your horses life experiences, and keep them stimulated and moving about.
Smaller square paddocks create bored horses.
As you create this world, of course safety must also be kept in mind, and knowing what plants are poisonous to horses is important. A trained botanist can always help with this process.
The sacrifice paddock, i.e. somewhere smaller for the horses to remain during delicate months when the fields are just starting to re-grow. Aside from the concerns of the early sugar in spring grass, the fields will grow better if given a chance to set up. A smaller paddock can also be used for training or containing a horse with a medical issue.
PADDOCK PARADISE SYSTEMS
there are lots of places to read more about this concept but it’s fascinating and successful. These systems create dynamic pathways to increase equine movement and to keep them off grass. They can also be the solution to someone with only one acre and more horses.
Did you know that many breeds cannot tolerate too much grass? (something else to read about!) Also called ‘track systems’, these take a bit more advance planning but are well worth the payoff.
MOVEMENT
a horse is designed to MOVE, and to nibble and walk, nibble and walk, not stand and chow down hay like they are at a cruise ships all-you-can-eat smorgasbord. While it is recommended that a horse have an acre available for sufficient grass, if that acre is a boring square, it’s not an interesting or motivational home.
Often a paddock paradise system will be wide pathways around an area of grass that is accessed for a limited amount of time each day. Consider creating pathways around the home or barn or be sure to take your horse out for interesting adventures.
There are so many ways to share outdoor time and exercise with your horse, whether it is traditional riding, or going to walks, or ground games, or exploring an area together, it is worthwhile to think outside ‘the box’ for creative solutions.
NIBBLE-NETS
These sturdy hay bags by the original designer are hung all over Rosemary Farm and filled daily with fresh hay. We often layer a small amount of second cut hay (sweeter hay) in the front, then regular first cut hay behind that.
The NibbleNet keeps the hay off the ground, and slows down eating, and helps minimize worms, so especially in winter, a horse can find something to nibble on all night long.
WATER
All important to have constant access to fresh, unfrozen water. We use heated water troughs all over the property, as well as access to fresh running brooks, so the horses can always find something to drink. This is even more important in winter, when a horse may be less likely to want to go in search of water, and will wait and wait until it actually colics from dehydration.