The Danger of Feeding Lawn Clippings

Many people think that they are giving their horses a treat when they dump piles of lawn clippings into their pens.  What they don't realize is they could be making their horse sick.

You may think that it's "just grass" but unfortunately, when grass is mowed and collected, it begins to ferment very rapidly, turning it into a toxic snack for your horse.


http://www.equiculture.com.au/Equi%20rspca%20lawnmower%20clippings.pdf

If you ever stick your hand into the middle of a pile of cut grass, you will feel just how warm it is.  

Never mind the moisture causes rapid growth of toxic mold and with a little more time, even botulism which can be fatal.

Two summers ago, my mare was fed a huge pile of grass clippings by the owner of the property where I kept her.   Luckily I came out to see her that evening and I could tell right away that something was very wrong.

She looked positively ill and wasn't eating her hay.  She began kicking up at her belly and I knew right away that she was colicking.  We got her walking and then called the vet. She began to burp (Yes, burp.  She is one of the only horses that I have ever met who can burp.  It is likely because she suffered a serious neck injury as a foal and my guess is the one way valve to her gut was damaged at that time).  

Her burps smelled rotten.  It was awful.  The vet came and gave her something to combat the gas forming uncontrollably in her gut and in the event that there was an obstruction also gave her a good dose of mineral oil and some banamine to relax her and reduce pain.  
Thank goodness I was able to be there to help her as there is danger of a rupture due to the rapid formation of gas.  She felt pretty rotten that night but seemed far better in the morning.  

With lawn trimmings your horse is also eating far more quickly and they are taking in large doses of sugar in a very short period of time which can also lead to laminitis (the inflammation of sensitive layers of tissue (laminae) inside the hoof which can lead to extreme lameness).

Honestly, it is just not worth the risk.  Why not add the trimmings to your manure pile where they will compost very rapidly and make awesome fertilizer for your pasture once rotted.

Just something to think about.

How Much Weight Can Horses Carry?

I am going to feature some important yet often overlooked pieces of information that I feel every horse owner should know.

Today's topic is how much weight can a horse comfortably carry?

http://www.thehorse.com/articles/31900/how-much-weight-can-horses-comfortably-carry

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/24/big-riders-big-horses-obesity

As per the above link, a Japanese study concluded that an average horse can carry approximately 29% of their body weight, but found it increasingly difficult to carry adults who weigh over 209 LBS.  

Now conformation and breed are also going to factor in heavily in this debate.  If you are riding a 14HH sturdy, short-backed draft-cross horse and you weigh over 200 LBS, the horse is likely to be okay carrying you depending on its fitness and the distance in which you plan to ride.

Just because a horse is tall, doesn't mean that it is strong enough to carry a heavy rider. There are many factors contributing to this.  Again, conformation is a huge factor.  A long- backed thoroughbred type or even an appendix quarter horse type may not be able to carry much more than 150  - 200 LBS comfortably. 

The horse's fitness level and the rider's fitness level also come into play here.  

If your horse hasn't been ridden much in the past year and you decide that he or she can handle a rigorous trail or mountain ride, think again.  Horses are athletes just like people. How would you feel if you lived a sedentary life, and then someone expected you to go on an all day mountain hike carrying a heavy backpack?

They get sore just as we do.  If you plan to put your horse through rigorous work, then do the right thing.  Give them a rub down with liniment after that long ride.  The next day they are bound to be stiff, so why not walk them and when their muscles are warm, give them a good stretch and another rub down?  Even a few doses of arnica can help to soothe their soreness.

Are you an experienced rider with an active seat or does your horse have to carry you?  If you are inexperienced, or unfit, then likely your horse is carrying you and very likely you are an unbalanced load.  He will have to work that much harder to carry you, straining the muscles on one side of his body to compensate for your lack of self carriage.  

Imagine if you combine that with a sway backed horse or an ill fitting saddle.  The entire ride will be causing your horse pain.  At the very least, please ensure that you have a comfortably fitting saddle or in the case of a swayed back, make sure that your horse is wearing a therapeutic saddle pad with padding to ensure that the saddle isn't digging into their back or shoulders.  

People wonder why their horses don't want to be caught after having to work hard. Would you want to sign up for that type of use?  I think not.

If you want to create a great relationship with your horse, his comfort should be one of the biggest factors, for a happy horse means a happy owner!

Food for thought.

It's National "I Love Horses" Day

Today is "I Love Horses Day".

What is it that brings out our love for these magnificent animals anyway?

Is it their soft velvety noses gently touching your hand?  

Maybe it is when you are feeling blue and your horse comes over and gently rests her nose on your shoulder or gently moves her lips against your neck, providing you the magical comfort that you so needed.

Maybe it is watching the giant draft horses in their shiny harnesses pulling a beautiful rig.

Or two foals racing around the field playing with one another.

Or is it that feeling when a horse with a traumatic past finally overcomes his fear and reaches out to touch you with his nose for the first time and takes that one tentative step toward you.

Could it be the feeling of raw power beneath you as you let your horse stretch out at a gallop in an open field?

I think horses have the ability to reach us at more of a spiritual level than most other animals.  Their soft brown eyes contain a wisdom that cannot be explained.  Watching them run at liberty fills us with a sense of awe.

Horses have the ability to reach a place deep within us that not many other creatures can touch.  Perhaps that is why children with autism or people who have suffered immense trauma can relate to well to them.

For some they signify freedom, beauty and strength.  

Maybe it is their sheer size, their shiny coats.  

Whatever it is, it is undeniable.

What Does Horse Ownership Mean to You?

What does horse ownership mean to you?

For some, it is the idea of owning horses more than the actual connection with them.  Oh, they like their horses well enough, but don't spend much in the way of time building a deep, connected partnership.  They like to tell people they have horses because at least where I live, it is a pretty cool thing to be able to say that.

For others, horses are a hobby.  Riding is a sport to them.  They spend lots of time with their horse but only to ride them.  If they aren't riding, they don't go out and see them or spend any time on the ground with them.  They are usually very good riders but tend to pay others to do the day to day care and regular maintenance required to keep a horse in good shape.

Then there are people for whom horses are their passion.  These people don't have horses just to ride them, they have horses because they truly love them.  Riding is important but only part of it.  Sometimes they just come out to spend time with their horse, grooming them, doing groundwork or letting them hand graze.  

For some, horses are their livelihood and not only do they have the passion but they have a vested interest in ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of their herd.

For some it is also a great social outlet.  Like-minded people sharing an interest and going to shows and horse related events together or even just a beautiful day riding out on the trails and sharing your training progress and victories or even sometimes your battles.

Others like to take on unwanted horses or horses who have issues, spending the time that it takes to rehabilitate them and giving them the time they need to recover from their issues whether they are physical or emotional.  Some people devote their entire lives to saving them.  I commend you for it is a very difficult road full of sadness but there is also the rewards.  

I believe myself to be a combination of a few of the above and I am sure that many of you reading this are as well.

This is not a post on right or wrong, simply an observation that I have made from my many years with horses.  

Just a Horse

This has to be one of my absolute favorite poems written on the subject of horses.  I'm not saying that everyone needs to feel this way about them, just understand that I do.

For those of you who also feel this way......Enjoy!!

A Magical Connection

What is it about the soul of a horse that leads us to a place of peace?

Whenever something is troubling me, what is the first thing that I turn to for comfort? My horses.  I don't need to speak or put on a brave face when I am with them.

They seem to sense my sorrow and they become a comforting, quiet and soothing presence.  They keep me grounded.

I can be open, authentic and present in their company.

I feel such strength in my connection with them and it is only getting stronger with time. This is why I am planning my business around them.  They are the medium by which I want to convey a very important message.  They don't care if you are the CEO of a Fortune 500 company.  All they care about is who you are being when you are in their presence.  We are all equal in their eyes.

I have started interacting with them in a very different way lately and to my surprise, their reaction is so incredible.  

I will go out and spend time with them out in the pasture, sitting quietly in the grass, observing them as they act like horses.  I don't force my presence upon them--I am only there as an observer.

What I have noticed is the second that I am down low and vulnerable with them, they are very interested in being in my presence.  I am not at all threatening in this pose.  They could stomp me to death if they wished.  

They are very curious creatures so when there is something different they come to see what I am doing, thoroughly giving me the once over. Some of them choose to place their head at my level and gently rest it against me. Others nibble at my clothing and hair. Some of them will graze in a circle around me, even going so far as to eat right up against, my feet, legs or back.  One other peculiar thing they will do is they will rest up against me, their legs touching my body.

I don't ever recommend that anyone try this.  I have over 40 years experience with horse and I am fully aware of the dangers of what I am doing, plus I have worked with this herd for 10 years and have raised a few of them from birth.  I only sit on the ground if there is one horse near as when others show up, they tend to fight and that is when a person can get hurt very badly.   I have the scars to prove it.  

The horses seem to sense my calmness and peaceful demeanour of late and are responding to me in beautiful ways.

Cleo, my special mare, who loves her food will stop eating every so often and turn just to gently press her velvety nose against me and give me a soft and gentle look.  

Jacob saw me in the pasture yesterday and trotted across the field to be with me.  I had trouble catching him a year ago and now he just wants to spend some time around me. What an amazing difference.  It is something indescribable when a horse gives you their trust.

I am not certain that I can fully begin to express what this connection is like.  I can only say that it borders on the spiritual as they are subtle, non-verbal communicators who can read the slightest signals from our body language.  When you can begin to listen, really listen to them, and by that I mean read their subtle body cues, then the magic begins.

The Human Equine Bond

I went away on vacation for the first time in about 2 years.  When I returned home one of the first things I did was visit the horses.  

People say that horses don't have feelings--that they don't care about their humans. 

I have never bought in to that argument.  Yes, they are somewhat food driven creatures but then so are dogs.

I decided to sit in the grass, turning three of them loose where they could graze and I could just enjoy some quiet time with them. Cleo and I are very bonded as I have known her since birth and I was the person who helped her recover from her broken neck.  It was interesting to see that even though I had just put her on green grass, instead of venturing off and eating like crazy she grazed in a 6-foot circle around me, occasionally coming in close and touching me with her face and legs. 

Even little Story would come in and touch me for a moment and then venture away.

It warmed my heart to know that they were happy to be in my company.

On the weekend, I brought my beautiful gelding Sonny to a Western Dressage Clinic.  He would get anxious and look for me every time I went out of his sight.  If I walked away, he would follow me with his eyes.  Two people that I had never met before commented that he was noticeably calmer when I was near.  What a feeling to know that my horses trust me and consider me their safety.

Last night, I wanted to sit and enjoy some peace with the broodmares and observe a mare who is ready to foal.  I sat down in a huge pile of hay.  As soon as I sat down, one foal laid down to my left and the other little guy who is usually standoffish laid down to my right.  He even allowed me to massage his legs as he closed his eyes and had a nap.  His dam came over and started eating hay right up against my back, leaning her face against me almost the whole time.  It was such a peaceful and beautiful moment. It was even more special because at one time, the broodmares were extremely skittish and wanted very little to do with humans.  I spent countless hours working with them to get to this point and to see them actually seeking out my company, well, it has made everything so much more worthwhile. It is also interesting that they only choose to do this when I am on my own with them.  It is likely that I put out different energy when I am around people.

There is nothing that grounds me as much as these magical moments.  To gain the trust of such magnificent creatures is an honour and a blessing.