HowToDoThings.com Recent Horses Articles

How To Decide What Pet Is Right For You

JessRan — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 12:32:29 -0600

Selecting a new pet is a big decision for anyone. Remember anything you do will now impact the
life of another creature. Below are some things to think about before you decide to bring home any animal.

How To Give a Pet as a Gift

JessRan — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 11:24:10 -0600

Many people purchase pets as gifts with good intentions only to discover their new pet takes more time and care than anticipated or the recipient isn’t as thrilled as they’d hoped. Caged animals need daily handling to become loving members of the family. Puppies and kittens left in unfamiliar surroundings may get into more trouble or discover possible dangers in the home.

How To Tell If Your Horse is at Risk for Lameness

horsewhisperer — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 12:00:55 -0600

Most horses are at risk of lameness. Here's how to recognize one of the risks.

Pigeon toed horses are very common. It's estimated that approximately 98% of all horses are afflicted with the condition. Until this condition is fixed or corrected the horse will remain at risk of lameness and possibly permanent lameness.

The first step to understanding the problem is recognizing it, which can be tricky. Even if the horse's feet point straight ahead (as textbooks will imply is perfect conformation), the horse can still be pigeon toed. In fact the statistic still holds true that nearly 98% of horses are pigeon toed. Here's how to tell if your horse is suffering from the condition.

How To Cope with the Loss of a Pet

Staff468 — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 13:39:00 -0600

There's no easy way to cope with the loss of a pet, nor should you try to bypass the natural grieving process. Always remember, you're not alone. Everyone who's ever been touched by a pet's loving devotion has also known the pain of loss.

A time of emotional turbulence. After the loss of a pet, you can expect to face the emotional roller coaster known as grief. For a time - sometimes a period of days, sometimes weeks or months - you may experience feelings of disbelief, sadness, anger, guilt, embarrassment or depression. Let's banish embarrassment without further delay, though, since there is no justifiable reason to be ashamed of grieving for your lost pet. Grief is admirable and human, not unnatural or embarrassing.

read more

How To Teach a Horse to Lead

Deborah331 — Wed, 18 Oct 2006 16:21:00 -0500

Teaching a horse to lead can be either easy or difficult. The level of difficulty depends on two main factors: the age of the horse and the size of the horse. Of course, the younger and smaller the horse is, the easier it will be to teach to lead.

The equipment needed does not depend on the size of the horse. Either way, easy or hard, a trainer will need a properly fitting halter, a lead rope and a buggy whip.

As mentioned earlier, teaching a horse to lead is easier if the horse is a foal, not weaned or separated from its dam, or mother. If this were the case, it is easier on everyone if there are two people involved with the training, one for handling the mare and the other one to handle the foal.

How To Breed Horses

Amanda457 — Wed, 30 Aug 2006 17:23:00 -0500

Breeding and caring for a pregnant mare, not to mention a new foal, is a big decision and responsibility. There are many things to consider after you have made the decision to breed your mare. If you aren't familiar with breeding and caring for a pregnant mare, it is best to seek professional assistance with the breeding and have someone that can help answer any question or concern that you may have. Some of the things that need to be taken into consideration even before breeding takes place are:

How To Understand Horse Gestation and Foaling

Amanda457 — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 14:56:00 -0500

Gestation, or term of pregnancy, in a mare is approximately 340 days but can be anywhere from 330 to 350 days. Although the mare's age and breeding history do play roles in determining the gestation period, the weather at the time the mare is due to foal seems to be the biggest factor in determining whether the foal will be born earlier or later. If the weather is warm, gestation will be shorter and if it is cold, gestation will be longer.

During gestation, the mare should still be ridden and kept to her usual routine so that when it is time to foal, it will be easier on her. Most do say not to trailer, jump, or go on hard rides once the mare is in her seventh month because of the pressure it would create. To predict when the mare is due to foal, simply subtract 25 days from one year from the breeding date or suspected breeding date.

How To Stop a Horse from Rolling Over

Amanda457 — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 13:49:00 -0500

There are many different reasons that can cause a horse to roll. If your horse has been rolling, and you'd like some advance notice, watch for these common signs:

a) Stopping - Of course the horse has to stop before he rolls.
b) Pawing - Sometimes the horse will paw at the ground or water.
c) Sniffing - Have you ever watched a horse in the pasture? He will smell the ground before he rolls.
d) Tucking feet - Most of the time, when a horse has it in mind to roll, he will tuck his legs under him first.

There are several reasons that cause a horse to roll and in understanding the cause first, you will be more capable of stopping your horse from rolling over. Three of the most common causes are:

Colic - This is an abdominal pain. There are many different types and unfortunately colic can lead to worse problems if the horse rolls and nothing is done.

read more

How To Choose a Horse Trailer

Deborah331 — Wed, 28 Jun 2006 13:37:00 -0500

Choosing a horse trailer is an important decision to a horse owner. The horse owner must take into consideration what will make the horse or horses traveling in the trailer comfortable and safe. The horse owner must also think about which trailer will be best for his situation.

When considering a horse trailer, the horse's needs are important. These are:

Room Take into consideration the size of your horse or horses. If you have more than one, consider the size of the largest horse. It may be a good idea to measure your largest horse and take the measurements with you to the trailer sales location. If you have these measurements, then you will have an idea on the amount of room inside the trailer.

read more