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Some Useful Tips for Horse Agistment
So you have a new four-legged member of the family. The horse you have always wanted. But you don’t have enough pastureland at home to keep it as close as you would like. Horse agistment is your only answer, but you want to spend as much time as possible looking after and being with your horse at the horse agistment place. Here are some top tips to make the most of your horse agistment time.
Horse agistment isn’t an ideal natural way of life. Horses naturally want to graze in open pastures. This is how they keep themselves occupied. In horse agistment however the domesticated horse may be stabled for long periods, eating and drinking only when provided for and exercising only when you take them out. Look for signs of ‘cribbing’. This is when the horse’s natural grazing instincts are met by alternative behaviors, such as chewing wood in its stall.
Other behaviors, besides cribbing, that are probably linked to agistment are “crib-biting” and “wind sucking.” The symptoms of these are clear and obvious but can be quite distressing to the new horse owner. A cribbing horse will set his upper front teeth onto the stall door or other woodwork. Then it tenses up the neck and facial muscles, retracts his throat/voice box, and sucks in air. A ‘wind sucker’ flexes his neck, gulps air and gives out a distressing grunting noise. A cribbing horse is a horse under stress or possibly suffering from physical (particularly abdominal) pain.
Ways to help your cribbing horse are to cut way down or eliminate grain and give them more opportunity to run free in pasture and or hay. Keep your horse turned out with company form the horse agistment place for as long as possible. Give your animal regular work to fill its time. Get hold of and use a cribbing collar. If the symptoms persist consult your vet for possible treatment for gastric ulcers. Also under veterinary supervision you could try a dietary supplement for a short time to see if this de-stresses your cribbing horse.
If you are stressing your horse will pick up on it. Get control of your agistment life and you can make the most of your time with your horse. Here are some tips to make your life easier too;
Ø Be sure to label all items of your horse equipment so it can be identified and set aside for you.
Ø Take photos of your saddle, tack room, trailer and any other stuff that you may need to identify at some point should it get stolen or confused with others.
Ø Set up a document file for each of your horses—‘Coggins’ papers, photos, vaccination/ medical records and any other important papers. Keep emergency number handy.
Ø Take photos of your horse from all angles and be sure to include any scars or identifying marks and keep them safe.
Ø Make a full copy of your horse’s file, your truck registration and put them in a separate safe place.
Ø Be sure to have; extra halters and lead ropes, tool kit (screwdriver, pliers, wrenches, hammer and crowbar), first-aid kits–equine and human, fire extinguisher,?sharp knife, mobile phone (fully charged) and finally change for pay phones just in case.
When you’ve done all this you can relax and enjoy your happy horse agistment time.
About the Author
Westbury Park provides quality, reliable horse agistment to the racing and breeding industry.
Are You Ready To Buy Your First Horse?
You’ve loved horses ever since you were a kid and have always dreamed of owning one. You’ve spent the last three years taking horseback riding lessons. You know how to tack up, muck out, and have read just about every book out there on the care and feeding of horses. No one can doubt that you’ve put your time in. Horses are no fleeting fancy, but are a hobby that is here to stay!
So, are you ready to buy your first horse? Well, before you break out your checkbook you need to take stock of a few things in your life to determine whether horse ownership is right for you.
• Do you have the knowledge? How much time have you really spent around horses, and has it been hands-on? If you ride at a fancy stable that tacks and untacks your horse for you then guess what? You aren’t having the full horse experience! Make sure you know what is really involved in caring for, feeding, and cleaning up after your horse. A great way to learn about all that is involved in horse ownership, without making a long-term commitment, is to lease a horse. Try leasing a horse for a year or two and then decide if horse ownership is really for you.
• Now that you know what is involved, do you have the desire? Horse ownership is a tremendous amount of work. Are you up for it? If you aren’t, that’s perfectly okay. If you really love riding horses but don’t enjoy all the extra stuff that goes along with them, then why not just keep taking riding lessons? Ask yourself what you really love about horses. If you love things like mucking out, grooming, feeding, and taking care of horses, then you would probably make a great horse owner!
• Do you have the time for horse ownership? No more showing up at the barn, riding for an hour, and then heading home to your real life. When you are a horse owner, horses are your real life. If you travel frequently, can’t or don’t want to commit to a regular schedule, or have a very busy work or family life, then this might not be the right time in your life for horse ownership. Remember, horses must be fed, watered, and cared for according to schedule, and it’s up to you to be able to maintain that schedule.
• Do you have the space for a horse? You either need good accommodations at home, or you need to find a place to board your horse. If you are keeping your horse at home, at the very least he needs two grassy acres, a run-in shed, and an adequate water supply. If you keep your horse at home you also need to know that he’ll appreciate some company. It’s best if you have room for an additional horse, a goat, or some other companionable animal.
• Do you have the money for a horse? Horses are very expensive! Add up everything it will cost to keep your horse happy and healthy. Include food, farrier bills, veterinary bills, insurance, training, and board if you keep him somewhere other than home. Now, does this figure fit into your budget? On the fence about whether you can afford horse ownership? Again, leasing is a good option. When you lease a horse, you are responsible for all of his monthly bills for a certain period of time. If you find at the end of this lease period that your horse has eaten well but you haven’t, then you may want to reconsider horse ownership when you are in a better financial situation.
Remember, owning a horse is hard work and can be extremely taxing on your time and resources. Before you embark on the exciting journey of horse ownership, make sure you are ready!
For more great information on buying horses please visit our horse network and find valuable information that will save you thousands in mistakes or vet bills.
About the Author
Ron Petracek was raised in Souther Idaho,with a black morgan as his adventure companion. His Love for horses has expanded into the largest equine classified network on the internet to date. Please visit
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Horse Crazy! – Episode 1 – Guest Starring Riley Smith – Horses and Horse Stuff!
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