Yesterday was a busy Friday!  I began my day with the sun out and the ground beginning to dry!!  It’s amazing how the sun has become a direct link to how the day can go.  I was up bright and early ready to work with my first horse of the day.  He too was excited about the beautiful day…so he was a bit fresher than planned but who could blame him?  I certainly didn’t.  He eventually settled down into our typical morning routine and finished excellent!

Then I was off on my first of I imagine many visits to “Hope For Horses” an amazing non-profit equine welfare organization founded in 2001.  I had the honor of meeting the staff, owners as well as the dedicated volunteers at the barn…but most importantly the animals.  There was a large pig snuggled up in a horse cooler taking her morning nap, 2 mini donkey’s who just arrived from the Nordstrom’s Sale, Abby (grey Hinnie), Brody (black mini horse), Josie (Chestnut mare), Sugar (Appaloosa mare) , Cantour and Zigi (2 large Sport-horse type  Warmblood geldings).  All the horses were extremely well cared for, in good weight, willing to be social with me as well as their fellow farm-mates and enjoying the much needed sunny day! I really enjoyed my visit and look forward to many more in the next few weeks.

Then it was off to take my beloved Golden Retriever Rocco to the vet…as he has degenerative arthritis in his low back…which requires me to learn how to give an inter-muscular shot! I have done it with my horses…but never to my dog. Luckily Rocco was the perfect patient, so I should be able to give the future shots at home.

I headed back to REF where I was able to work one more horse and give Opus and Elyssa their lesson. They were both super through the gymnastic…which always makes for a great day!

Zach and the girls picked me up at the barn and we were off to catch the ferry to Treasure Island. We are enjoying a beautiful Saturday on the beach digging for clams, fishing off the dock and eventually taking a ride in my brother’s new boat!

I am off to join the party and hope everyone is having an outstanding weekend!

Today was literally a breath of fresh air!  I woke up to the sun being out and happy horses grazing in their pastures.  I can’t emphasizes enough how beautiful and peaceful the farm was on this bright Spring day!

I spent the day exercising our REF horses, giving much needed baths and hand walking through our horse friendly neighborhood.  I didn’t realize a simple walk could turn into an expedition: whether it be intercepting the FedEx semi truck, or the adorable mini pony at my neighbor’s house.

I enjoyed talking with friends at the farm, teaching my evening lesson and spending quality time with Zach and our 2 girls in the ever growing garden.

I have to say…Zach and I are really enjoy living and working at Rider’s Edge Farm.  We have been spending a great deal of time redeveloping our REF website as well as learning more about how we can best support our awesome community of horses and owners.

I know the weather forecast does not hold much hope for additional Spring days…but the taste of Spring today was a much needed treat!!

If you own a horse and enjoy taking your horse out for rides through different destinations such as camping trails,the beach, or other various destinations then you understand the importance of having a horse trailer. You want to ride your horse on so many different trails but the only way to get your horse to all of these different locations is with a horse trailer. What happens to your trailer when it is not in use though?

Horse trailers can be very expensive as anyone who owns a horse or enjoys riding a horse already knows. If you have already invested a great deal of your hard earned money in to a trailer then you know that a trailer cover is needed. The trailer cover is going to protect your trailer from harsh weather and elements. It is also great for protecting your horse if needed as well, just while the horse is away from its stall of course.

What kind of trailer for your horse do you own as you need to know this information in order to choose the cover that is right for you. If you own a goose neck trailer then the cover will most likely be more expensive simply because goose neck horse trailers have a tendency to be a bit larger than the regular trailers.

There are many different options to choose from when searching for a cover for the trailer. The best option is usually what is refereed to as a “universal fit”. The universal fit horse trailer covers are made for regular trailers and goose neck trailers and are made to fit any and all different types of trailers. This is because they are made very large but can be tightened to fit around the trailer ensuring that it is a perfect match every time.

As always when searching for different trailer covers the best possible option is almost always online. If you search the internet for horse trailer covers then you can almost always find covers that are just right for your trailer as well as finding the best deals and bargains. So search the web and compare prices and you will have your new cover in no time at all.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ernie_L

Horses are most commonly bitten by poisonous snakes, such as rattlesnakes, copperheads and coral snakes, in the spring and summer months. Horses at pasture are often bitten on the nose and head. Bites to the head and nose are true medical emergencies. These may cause swelling of the nose and surrounding tissue, making it difficult for the horse to breathe. Bites to the legs are less common and less serious, and usually occur during rides through snake-infested areas. In addition to swelling, the venom causes tissue destruction and blood clotting problems.

If Your Horse is Bitten by a Snake

1. If you see or hear snake when riding, move away from the area.
2. If you think your horse has been bitten, move away from the area, dismount and examine the legs for blood, swelling or puncture marks.
3. Slowly hand walk the horse back to the stable or trailer.
4. Keep the horse calm.

Treatment of Snake Bites

If you are unsure whether your horse was bitten, clip the hair on the legs and examine for dark oozing blood, puncture holes (1 or 2), swelling or discoloration of the wound area. If you find a snake bite after clipping away the hair, apply cold packs to the area. Do not apply ice directly to the skin, as this will freeze the skin and further damage the tissue. You may be initially unable to determine if your horse has been bitten. Observe your horse’s legs or muzzle for 1-2 hours for signs of swelling, blood, or discoloration. Medical treatment involves the use of antibiotics to prevent infection at the bite site and corticosteroids to reduce inflammation.

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Christi_Garfinkel

What’s in a name? Everything, apparently. Where naming your Thoroughbred is concerned, you need to follow a lot of rules set forth by the Jockey Club. And they’re not few nor are they hassle-free to follow.

To make it easy to monitor all age groups for the races, January 1 is the set birthday of all horses. You must register your horse within a year after its actual date of birth. Take note that you can’t register an equine that has been artificially inseminated, cloned or whose embryo has been transferred. The horse must be the product of an actual physical mating. To be eligible for registration, the foal’s parents must be registered with the Jockey Club and to prove parentage, it must undergo a DNA or blood test.

You have to name your horse by February of its second year or suffer late fee charges. You submit six names to the Jockey Club, the first one being your most preferred. The long and short of it is that the ultimate decision as to which name to give your horse actually lies with the Jockey Club.

However, there are a lot of prohibitions to follow when choosing a name for your horse. For instance, you may not use more than 18 characters, spaces and punctuation marks included, for your horse’s name. Your horse’s name must not also end with horse-related terms such as “filly,” “colt,” “mare,” “stallion” or others of a similar nature. You may not use initials such as C.O.D., F.O.B nor can you use names of graded stakes races or racetracks. And if you’re thinking of naming your horse after a winner in the Kentucky Derby for the past 25 years, forget it. You may not use any name of any past winner of a graded 1 stakes race.

If you want to use numbers to name your horse, you can only do so for numerals above thirty and this must be spelled out. However, numerical designations such as “2nd,” “3rd” and so forth may not be used regardless of whether this is spelled out or not. Vulgar, obscene or offensive names that could potentially humiliate, harass or disparage any religious, political or ethnic group is definitely not allowed.

This is just a beginner’s introduction of the long list of rules for naming your horse. This gives you an idea of how tough it is to come up with names for your equine. Apparently, for racehorses, everything is in a name.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Hutto

Your horse will spend a large portion of its day in its stall, so it is crucial that the stall is kept as clean and comfortable as possible. Most horse owners completely clean out their horse’s stall every one to four weeks. The frequency with which you decide to completely clean the stall depends largely on how often the horse is in the stall. However, mucking out the stall should be a daily occurrence. The daily stall cleaning process is best done through:

1. Dressing for the Job – Gloves and rubber boots are ideal. This will ensure that you do not ruin your riding boots.
2. Clearing the Stall – Make sure that your horse is out of the stall. Make sure to also remove the feed tubs, water buckets, and anything else in the stall.
3. Mucking Out the Stall – Remove manure and soiled bedding. This is most often accomplished with the use of a pitchfork or shovel.
4. Checking for Insects – Make sure to check for, and remove, insects and spider webs throughout the stall.
5. Replacing Bedding – Replace the soiled horse bedding that you removed with clean bedding. Fluff the fresh bedding with a pitchfork or shovel and make sure that the bedding is evenly distributed throughout the stall.
6. Odor Control – When conducting a complete clean, you may want to use odor control products or stable disinfectant. Make sure to let the floor dry before adding the new horse bedding.
7. Replacing Stall Items – Replace feed tubs, water buckets, and everything else that your horse requires in their stall.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Graham_Pratt