Basic care...?

Lol sorry if I sound stupid but you know how to brush her right?

Ok well if you don't (which im taking you do) ill just give you instructions anyways...

1] bring her in from stall/paddock
2] put her on the cross ties
3] pick out her hooves
4] curry the horse in a circular motion (do this all over the body)
5] use the hard brush (im pretty sure that's what its called lol)
6] in a sweeping motion get all the dirt off the horse
7] brush tail and mane if you must
8] if your going to ride tack up fully THEN fly spray her, if your not riding then fly spray her normally.

If I missed anything somebody please add it in I fell like im forgetting something...

Here are just a few sites but you can do all the research on your own. There is everything on the internet :) Just go in a google search engine and type in what it is you want to look up.

http://www.carolinahorseandhound.com...arechart_s.pdf

http://ezinearticles.com/?Basic-Hors...ight&id=816004

http://www.equusite.com/articles/bas...sFeeding.shtml

http://www.ayhc.com/pdfs/horse_care.pdf

http://www.petlvr.com/blog/2007/07/f...e-basic-rules/

The metal curry brush can be used in a circular motion as well right?

As far as worming goes there is a set schedule in my barn about every other month I believe. The environment is kept very clean, stalls are kept without bedding in the summer unless I want to put shavings in. Mucked out daily, indoor mats are swept daily and the gravel in the runs is raked to keep the ground level.

She is an appaloosa, from what I understand there is a foundering issue with that breed? She has no history that I know of with founder though I know that the boarder is one of those paranoid of founder people who seems to think all horses will founder with coastal grasses. I do live in a temperate rainforest where the grass grows extremely fast and lush. Her horses graze only with the "best friend deluxe grazing muzzle" on, fed on the same kind of diet and they're a bit overweight.

nope! Definitely not! The metal curry comb should not be used on the horse its way to harsh! Brush your own skin with the metal curry comb in circular motions if you don't believe me See what I mean? Its generally used just to clean your body brush as your grooming.

Good luck with your horse!

Lol well my little advice, is becareful of her flanks.. that's kind of a ticklish spot so just be gentle brushin in that area :P

Also make sure there is no gunck in your horses eyes.. ugh, I hate gunck in the horses eyes!

Yes also be sure to clean your horses hooves good, make sure there is not rocks or nothin in the crevases. Also check up on thrush and how to treat it, and what the risks of not treatin thrush. Your horse may not get it but its a good piece of knowledge to have in your memory bank

Hmm geeze, I can't think of anythin!! Do you know how to tie a slip-knot? That will be usefull..

Give the horse lots of love and time, this can actually be benifitual to you. If the boarder and the owner of the horse see that this horse is going to get the attention and love that is needed then that will also help you.

Crud I can't think of nothin else.... sorry I will keep brainstormin!

When we were new horse owners, we worried about all the horse care/colic/etc horror stories we had always heard. Luckily we have a great breeder/trainer (35+ years experience), farrier (50+ years experience), and vet (30+ years experience) down the road that were always happy to give advice and pointers. Here is our experience..

- Stock type horses (QH/Paint/Appy) seem to be very low maintenance in general. Our Paint mares are very easy keepers and do not require a lot of effort..
- Keep things as simple as possible. Horses eat grass...we feed free choice hay and only a cup of grain a day and have never had a horse colic. They get an apple as a treat occasionally..nothing else. You'll have less dental problems, too; our mares have never even needed their teeth floated.
- Unless your horse has a medical reason, leave it barefoot. Not only does it cost less, our mares have never had an abscess or any hoof problem and they can ride over almost anything. Pick them out once a week...if for no other reason than to get your horse used to you handling its legs and feet.
- Have your first aid kit. Horses get a lot of minor scrapes, cuts, and nips. Peroxide or betadine and neosporine are always in our kit. A cold pack and leg wraps are handy for sprains. Unless something is broken or needs stitches, you probably don't need to call a vet.
- Groom and handle as much as possible. Horses are touchy-feely animals and love the contact and attention. Look for injuries, ticks, etc.
- Watch and observe your horse. Horse/herd behavior is much different than what we're used to with our predator pets (cats/dogs).
- Have fun and enjoy.

The refuse to even use the metal curry comb on my horses period. If they are that muddy there are lots of other brushes available for the same use that I find are a lot more gentle.
The metal combs rip hair out when not used properly and even when they are they do anyways and I can't see them being comfortable to the horse.

Please keep us informed and let us know if you have anythin specific you want to know about horses. Of course, you want to know how to take care of them but what else?

LOL today I was informed by my "helper" that my horse is a weaver...
She told me that it is something some horses do and teach to other horses and that there is nothing I can do about it. She said that I have to isolate my horse from the other horses in the barn and that nowhere will board my horse if they find out she's a weaver...

LOL after looking it up online I found various reasons why horses weave and am not that concerned that it's a permanent problem I just thought it was funny enough to post.

How much turn out time does she get? Those types of vices are usually caused by boredom. Horses are herd animals and need to be around other horses or some sort of companion animal. Spending too much time alone in a stall is not good for them. I'm sure that's what is causing her hoof problems. She's probably wearing them uneven.