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CONTENTS

Departments

June/July 2020

6 Editorial 8 Neighborhood news 19 From the NASC 35 Product picks 36 Rider fitness 43 Business Profile — Nutrena

51 Heads up 57 Hoof health 59 Acupressure at-a-glance 63 Classifieds 64 Events 65 Marketplace 66 To the rescue

Features 10

7 tips for training

your young horse

He’s bright-eyed, bushytailed and full of curiosity — but he needs to be trained! Here are some valuable tips to help you shape your young horse into a well-rounded individual.

E co-friendly tips for revamping your horse barn

Does your barn need an upgrade? Unless there’s structural damage, you shouldn’t have any trouble revamping it in a few easy steps!

Equine Wellness

Columns

E ATING WELL How to keep your horses hydrated

N ON-TOXIC LIVING Natural solutions for your horse’s allergies

You can lead a horse to water… but you can’t make him drink! Follow these tips and tricks to encourage your horses to stay hydrated.

IN FOCUS How to help your horse cope with dry weather

Your horse’s ability to tolerate dry weather is largely affected by her temperament type. Once you determine this, you can take steps to help her cope.

Horses react with allergies to many of the same irritants we do. Fortunately, there are a number of natural ways to defend against them!

H EALTH AND WELLNESS Natural dust control for horse caretakers

Dust control is an important part of maintaining the cleanliness of your barn, arenas and round pens — and the health of you and your horses!

REHAB Common areas of discomfort in horses

Many horses experience discomfort in the same places. Let’s take a closer look at those areas, as well as some prevention and rehabilitation techniques you can try.

P ERFECT PASTURE Can sheep improve your equine pasture?

Cross-grazing is a popular pasture management practice that many farm owners swear by. Before implementing it on your own farm, be sure to review these important considerations.

N EWSWORTHY Researchers investigate benefits of CBD oil for equine anxiety

Can CBD reduce stress and help manage obsessive compulsive behaviors in horses? Researchers at Tarleton State University are seeking an answer to this frequently-asked question.

N EED TO KNOW What to do if your horses escape

Myofascial release is an alternative therapy that’s being used more regularly to help horses with mobility issues. Find out how it works, and why you should consider trying it with your own equine companion.

Social Media Tips, contests and more! /EquineWellnessMagazine News, events, and tips! @ EquineWellness Tips, horse photos, and more! EquineWellness

G OLDEN YEARS Choosing the right retirement facility for your horse

H OLISTIC HEALING Feeding horses on stall rest

A horse’s diet during stall rest contributes in a big way to her recovery process. Gaining a better understanding of her nutritional needs will help you nourish her back to better health.

Learn to recognize the signs of Developmental Orthopedic Disease (DOD) so you can help your young horse before it’s too late.

B ARN AND FARM 7 essential tractor attachments for your horse farm

Let’s take a look at some of the most common tractor attachments used by equine farm owners, and why they’re beneficial.

A LTERNATIVE APPROACH How myofascial release can help your horse

S POTLIGHT Understanding Developmental Orthopedic Disease in your horse

Try as we may to keep our horses contained, accidents are inevitable. Here’s what to do if your equine companions escape.

G REAT OUTDOORS The ultimate guide to camping with horses — Part 2 You’re all packed and ready for your equine camping trip. Now let’s focus on some helpful tips for trail riding at your destination.

Weighing the pros and cons of various equine retirement facilities isn’t easy — but it’s incredibly important. Here are a few things to consider when making the decision.

N EWSWORTHY 10 tips to reduce flooding impacts on your horse farm Flooding is often inevitable in the spring. Follow these expert tips to lessen the impact it has on your land — and your horses.

Equine Wellness

FEATURE

tips 7training FOR

YOUR YOUNG

horse By Deanna Corby

He’s bright-eyed, bushy-tailed and full of curiosity — but he needs to be trained! Here are some valuable tips to help you shape your young horse into a well-rounded individual.

You’ve just bought a new young horse. You look at him, see nothing but potential, and are excited for your future together. At the same time, you might be a little anxious. You want to have a good relationship with this youngster, and you know the formative years are extremely important, so how do you get started?

ball and throw it in the trash. This is because you’re going to need to be flexible. Every horse is different, and young horses in particular operate on their own timelines.

Begin by writing down all your plans and timeframes on paper. Then, crumple the paper up in a tight little

1. GET SOME HELP

Equine Wellness

I’ve worked with countless young horses, including newborn foals, and have a few tips that might help.

If you haven’t worked with a young horse before, working closely with a

trainer is imperative. A green horse combined with a green rider is usually a recipe for disaster. Working with a young horse is a different ball game from working with a more mature, experienced horse. Whether the little chap is five months or five years old, he’ll be genuinely curious and naturally quite willing, so you don’t want to stifle that. You need to get your message across effectively, and with a clear communication system in place, if you want to have a successful future

3. REWARD THE SMALLEST EFFORT Similar to a toddler learning to dress himself and getting praise for putting his shirt on correctly, your horse is going to need the same encouragement. Don’t let small progressions go unnoticed. Make sure your little one knows he is on the right track, even if he hasn’t quite got the hang of the situation yet. Rewards will encourage him to keep trying for years to come. It’s so easy to get trapped in a cycle of only correcting your horse’s mistakes, but not acknowledging and praising him loudly and clearly when things are going well. A release of pressure, a short break, a treat, a kind rub and a gentle tone of voice are all great examples of rewards that will speak volumes to your young horse.

4 . KNOW THAT SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE You can’t rush when it comes to working with horses of any age. If you’re expecting to steam roll along, both of you will only end up frustrated with one another. Not only do you risk mentally exhausting your horse, you also risk wearing down his undeveloped body with too much work. Remember, there are no shortcuts to correct training. Time, patience and consistency are always the answer.

together. Having an experienced trainer guide you through this process will be money and time well spent.

2. START WITH GROUND WORK Even if your horse is old enough to be ridden, training should start on the ground. The moment you get near your horse in the pasture, you are training him. This can go in either a positive or negative direction. Everything — from how you lead him to how he

stands at the mounting block — will determine your relationship with your horse, both in and out of the saddle. It’s important to pay attention to little details concerning space and respect. My trainer once told me to “train every horse as if you are training him for a nine-year-old girl or a 90-yearold woman”. This means if your horse is encroaching on your space or moving his body recklessly into yours, it’s unacceptable and needs to be corrected.

5. FIND HUMOR, NOT FRUSTRATION A young horse, especially a foal, really doesn’t know any better. Other than what his dam and the herd taught him, he is a blank slate, so it’s up to you to show him what you want. If he makes a mistake, try to look at the situation with patience and humor. He will not always have the right answers to your questions, so you must help him learn, and that will take time. When you think of the whole training process as a way of trying to help the horse, Equine Wellness