365 Days in Horse Country –  Nutraceuticals   You have probably heard of nutraceuticals, dietary supplements that provide nutritional effects but aren’t considered drugs.  Many people take these supplements, especially the more popular nutraceuticals such as Echinacea, St. John’s Wort, and Ginkgo Biloba. Horses can benefit from nutraceuticals, too, just like humans.  The most commonl ...

365 Days in Horse Country –  The American Cream Draft   The only existing draft horse developed in the United States, the American Cream Draft Horse, has been around since the 1800s.  The breed’s most unique characteristic is its light cream colour. Considered an extremely rare breed and listed as critically endangered by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, the American Cream ...

365 Days in Horse Country –  Endurance Riding Trail riding is a popular way to spend time with your horse.  But if you also like to compete, consider combining the two by getting involved in endurance. Endurance events are races that take place over 25, 50, or 100 mile (40, 80, 160km) trail courses.  The first horse and rider team to get to the finish line is the winner, although mos ...

365 Days in Horse Country –  Grazing In-Hand     We are often so busy riding and training our horses, we forget to just spend quality time with them.  One way to do this is to let them graze in-hand. Grazing in-hand simply means that you let your horse eat as he would if he were wild but that he is wearing a halter and you are at the other end of the lead rope. Nature designed hor ...

365 Days in Horse Country –  Catching Runaways   When horses break free from their confines, whether it be busting out of their stalls or pulling back when tied, all hell can break loose.  If other horses are around, they all react with great excitement.  It’s as if they are all cheering the delinquent horse on with encouragement. Most horses will quickly give up their newfound fre ...

365 Days in Horse Country –  El Morzillo Although mystery surrounds the details of the horses brought to the New World  by the Spanish conquistadors, one horse stands out as an individual.  His name was El Morzillo, and he was the favourite of General Hernan Cortes. A black stallion reported to be a great war horse, El Morzillo was Cortes’ mount then the Spaniards rode into present-da ...

365 Days in Horse Country –  Equine Allergies   Horses can develop allergies much like people can.  They can be allergic to something in the air, something they are eating, or something that is coming into contact with their skin. Your horse probably has allergies if he is coughing a lot, breathing loudly, has hives on his skin, or gets frequent diarrhea or loose stool.  You should h ...

365 Days in Horse Country –  The Paso FinoThe Paso Fino is a handsome breed developed in South America from horses originally brought to the New World by the Spaniards in the 1500s.  The breed is most often seen in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Columbia, and is becoming more popular in North America. Paso Finos are gaited horses, and they are considered one of the smoothest horses in the wor ...

365 Days in Horse Country –  The Importance of Clean Tack It’s not the most fun thing to do, but it’s a requirement of all equestrians: tack cleaning. The majority of horse tack, bridles, saddles, and the many accessories that go with them, is made of leather.  Because leather is a natural product, made from animal hide, it must be regularly cleaned and conditioned to retain its stre ...

365 Days in Horse Country –  The Colour of Wild Take a look at some of the oldest indigenous wild equids in the world, and you’ll notice one thing in common: a dun colouration.  Now look at certain breeds of modern-day horses, and you’ll also see this same colour.  Many experts believe that the dun colouration is the original colour of the horse. The classic dun colouration is chara ...