Did You Know?

DID YOU KNOW?
Horses are natural grazers and foragers and their fundamental eating habits have been changed by humans. In many areas of the country horses do not have free-choice feeding either because pasture is not available or because it's easier on the people to keep these horses in confined spaces, feeding them only one or two times a day.

The way the horse's digestive system is set-up and works, he needs to eat small quantities throughout his day. The horse's stomach is small and holds only one to four gallons of food. This food moves out of the stomach into the gut track very quickly causing the horse to feel hunger about an hour after he has finished his meal. By only feeding one to two times per day, not only are we taxing their systems, but we're making our beloved partner feed hungry twenty hours of their day and night.

Pity the poor creatures who are fed only concentrated pellets, grain or hay cubes. Because they finish their food so quickly, they feel hunger for almost twenty-two hours. Not only do they feel hungry when they aren't able to eat every couple hours, but the intestinal bacteria become unbalanced. This imbalance can result in stomach disturbances, diarrhea, and colic.

Both the type of feed and the way it is fed are major factors in whether a horse will or will not develop stomach ulcers. Boarding practices, chemical use, and performance training also play a factor in this disease. This condition causes the stomach tissue to be damaged by stomach acid. Because a horse is meant to graze on an almost continual basis, his stomach is set up to constantly produce acid and this digestive acid is used to start the breakdown of this food. When there is food is the stomach, this acid is absorbed properly and along with the saliva helps to neutralize this acid and keep it in check. By allowing the horse free access to pasture or grass hay you will be lowering your horses' risk of this often serious disease. In fact, normally horses that are on pasture full time do not have ulcers.

Grain over-use is another common but detrimental practice. In the wild, grain is only found in small, scattered amount and often when winter approaches and the horses need more calories. It is neither natural nor healthy for a horse to consume a large amount of this highly concentrated foodstuff and if over-used can cause vices, colic, ulcers and high insulin levels.

It has long been recognized that horses on high grain diets exhibit more "vices" like cribbing, pawing, pacing, and weaving, as well as having excess energy that may show itself while under a rider. Horses fed grain, especially corn or sweet feed are at a higher risk of colic and this risk increases with an increase in the amount of grain.

Grain also wrecks havoc on the horse's glucose levels. There are two types of carbohydrates; simple such as grain, and complex which is fiber based like hay. Simple carbohydrates get into the horses bloodstream quicker than the complex ones, causing surging glucose levels. This in turn causes a quick increase in insulin and a rush of adrenaline. Now, since this extra glucose is too high, the body must remove this surplus from the bloodstream, causing a feeling of fatigue which can last several hours. Cushings and Insulin-resistant horses should not be fed grain because of this fact.

Because humans don't want to eat off the ground, we assume our horses don't either and hay is often placed in hay racks or mangers at chest level to the horse so the horse cannot eat as nature intended. Built to chew and swallow with their heads at ground level, not only does this unnatural way cause improperly chewed food, decrease in saliva, and uneven tooth wear, but also increases the possibility of choke or partial obstruction. Respiratory problems can also occur as foreign particles of dust, hay and grain hull pieces can easily be inhaled causing irritation and possible infection. If you are concerned about sand colic, you can use rubber mats or even tire feeders at ground level.

Give your horse as much room as possible to move with uneven ground, hills, rocks, fallen logs, shrubs and trees. It is human nature to assume that what we find comfortable is for the good of the horse. We often level our ground, remove the rocks and other "dangers" that we perceive, and many horses could navigate their living area with their eyes closed, mindlessly wandering between their feed and water areas. How can this be physically or mentally stimulating at all?

We ask our horses to go out on trail rides and expect them to be sure-footed when we may never have given them a chance to learn how to place their feet and find their balance before hitting the trail. We add the additional weight of a saddle and rider (often unbalanced), and expect them to keep us safe. What a burden to place on our horses.

By creating a natural and challenging environment and by giving your horse a chance to run and play he can learn how to use his body. This learning is paramount both for his sake and his rider's sake. Finding his balance and knowing how to move his feet independently around ground obstacles is not necessarily inborn in him. Only by practice and trial and error does the horse learn to be handy with his body. Remember, in order to learn, there must be a challenge.

Teach Your Horse to Come When Called
WRITTEN BY: Cheryl Sutor [1999]

This "trick" should be trained to any horse that is difficult to catch in the pasture. Or, to any horse who's owner is lazy! (just kidding).

The #1 rule to teaching your horse to come when called is: Never, ever call your horse when you are going to do anything unpleasant! Especially for shots/deworming, long workouts or anything your horse might think is unpleasant and avoidable by not letting you catch him.

For the first part of this exercise, you will not catch your horse at all. If you are accustomed to fetching your horse daily out of his luscious green pasture to do work, you are going to have to put this habit on hold for awhile.

If you never have problems walking up and haltering your horse in a pasture, then you can skip down to Part 2 of this lesson (below). Otherwise, you must to do Part 1 if you want this to work!

Part 1: Advance, Retreat, Repeat.
In this step, you will teach your horse that walking after him with a leadrope (or anything) in your hand is not, in any way, unpleasant or threatening. Do not bring anything with you into the pasture except yourself. Leave the halter, leadrope and any other equipment you use back at the barn. Do not touch your horse at all during the first 3 steps.

1. Advance: Start walking toward your horse. Watch his body language very, very carefully.

2. Retreat: The instant you see his muscles tense as if he is about to walk away, turn and walk away from him first.

3. Repeat: Repeat this until you can walk all the way up to him, and turn to walk away without him even thinking about leaving. When you walk away, you should walk at least 20 ft. away. I know, you'll get plenty of exercise...but in the end, it will really pay off!

Once he will do the above steps well, you should leave the pasture. Come back 15 minutes later and start over again. This time, you will realize that you can walk much, much closer before (if at all) he thinks about leaving. Repeat this again the following day.

Vary the exercise! Now that he feels at ease and not threatened by you walking up to him in the pasture, you can repeat the same exercise as above, with a few variations.

Variation 1: Walk up to him, pet his neck, and walk away. Then repeat.
Variation 2: Walk up to him, give him a carrot, and walk away. Then repeat.
Variation 3: Drape a leadrope over your shoulder, walk up to him, and walk away. Then repeat.
Variation 4: Drape a bridle over your shoulder, walk up to him, and walk away. Then repeat.
Variation 5: Hold a saddle over your hip, walk up to him, and walk away. Then repeat.
Variation 6: Drape a leadrope over one shoulder, a bridle over the other and hold a saddle over your hip, walk up to him, and walk away. Then repeat.
Variation 7: Walk up to him, put the halter on him, then lead him out of the pasture. Stop right outside the pasture gate, give him a carrot, then immediately turn him back out. Repeat.
.....you get the idea.....

Why and How does this work?
If you take a look at this from the horse's perspective, you will see exactly why and how this works so well! Your horse is obviously avoiding the catching process for a reason. It may be because he has to go through something unpleasant every time you catch him, or it could even be that he fears people in general. Whatever the reason, he feels threatened. You will want to find out that reason, and if you can't completely eliminate it, then minimize its unpleasantness as much as you possibly can.

If on Monday, your mailman busted into your house, hopped on your back and made you carry him piggyback around your block 50 times, you would definitely try to avoid him tomorrow! This is exactly how the horse feels. You are taking him away from his delicious green grass and pasture buddies to do something unpleasant.

Now, on Tuesday, if your mailman walks up to your door and sets a $5,000 check on the doorstep you will most likely be waiting at the door on Wednesday for him. This is how your horse begins to think once you have taught him this exercise.

He first thinks, "Oh no! Here she comes again! I better get outta here!!!" Then when you turn and walk away before he starts to leave, that is his paycheck. He thinks "Whew...that wasn't so bad!"

Now, on to Part 2...

Part 2: Come When Called.
In this step, you will teach your horse to come to you when you call him. This will save your poor legs from walking an extra 50 ft or so. Never, ever call him when you are about to do anything unpleasant!!! That would reverse what you are trying to teach him! If it is time for his shots, then walk out there yourself and get him, don't be lazy!

You will have to decide on a voice command or a sound to use for the call. This could be the horse's name, or as simle as you whistling. Whatever you decide, use it consistently. Don't call his name one time, and whistle another.

1. Walk through the pasture gate and stop. Call him with the sound you've decided on. Make sure he can hear you!

2. Wait a couple seconds, then walk up to him, give him a carrot, and immediately walk away from him.

3. Repeat.

The first time you call him and he walks up to you on his own, give him a whole handful of carrots, stroke his neck, and tell him "Good Boy". He will begin to associate your call with something pleasant, and will begin to come to you when you call him.

Have Fun!