Homemade Horse Treats - What You Need to Make Treats Your Horse Will Love

Homemade horse treats are actually quite simple and easy to do. Do you have a horse you love to spoil on a regular basis? If so you may want to take that love into the kitchen and whip up some treats straight from the heart.

Horse treats made at home usually involve natural ingredients such as oatmeal, sugar, carrots or apples to name a few. However, you must also keep in mind there are some ingredients that are toxic to horses.

For example, tomatoes or chestnuts are toxic to horses and should not be used as ingredients. You may also want to take into consideration any dietary concerns for your horse. If you are monitoring weight control you may want to make something lighter in terms of sugar or other high calorie ingredients.

What Types Of Treats Can You Make?

Most homemade horse treats are made in the form of horse cookies. There are a couple other types of treats you can make your horse such as muffins, biscuit treats and even cakes.

Horse cookies are an easy choice to make. They usually involve some combination of oatmeal, carrots, apples, sugar, and molasses. If you need to make a more healthy version you can choose recipes with lower amounts of sweet ingredients.

Muffins and biscuits are a couple other choices of homemade treats. Biscuits are similar to cookies, but what you include as ingredients can offer a different texture to the finished product.

There are also recipes out there for making cakes. When making say a birthday cake for your horse, you may be using a combination of oats or feed, molasses or honey, carrots, and apples. There are versions of no-bake and baked recipes available.

When making healthy homemade horse treats you can substitute in ingredients such as unsweetened applesauce, oat bran cereal or oatmeal. Look for recipes with lower calories ingredients.

What Equipment Will You Need To Make Treats?

Equipment needs for making horse treats are pretty basic. Depending on the recipe, you should only need basic baking equipment. Likely a mixing bowl or two, measuring cup, and spatula.

Other equipment needs include baking sheets, muffin pans, or other baking pans. Plenty of counter space in the kitchen may be helpful when making homemade horse treats.

Any electrical appliances will depend on the recipe. You may need a hand mixer or a blender, but many recipes will work just fine with good, old-fashioned elbow grease.

Where Can I Find Great Recipes?

Great recipes for homemade horse treats can be found both online and offline. There are many websites that offer great recipes for baking available on the internet.

You can tailor your internet search to specific types of treat or certain ingredients. There are also many books available in the local book store filled with horse treat recipes.

Below we have provided an example of a simple horse treat recipe:

Horse Cookies:
1c grated carrots
1 grated apple
2 Tbs corn oil
1/4c molasses
1 tsp salt
1c rolled oats
1c flour

Mix carrots, apple, corn oil and molasses in large mixing bowl. Fold in salt, oats and flour until well mixed. Spread dough as one piece on cookie sheet. Can use cookie cutters in dough for shapes before baking or pre-cut. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

By Lynn Wenger

About The Author:

Lynn Wenger invites you to visit http://www.stock-horse-show-source.com/horse-nutrition.html for more information on complete and balanced nutrition for your horse.

Lynn has been active in riding and showing horses since 2000. She is a lifelong equine addict with no hopes of recovery and admits since buying her first horse as a young adult that she is an expert on not being an expert when it comes to owning and showing horses. She is also the creator and founder of Stock Horse Show Source http://www.stock-horse-show-source.com, developed to educate novice equine enthusiasts on the basics of horse keeping and showing.

So lope on over, park your horse, and sign up for "The All-Arounder" newsletter, the official FREE publication from Stock Horse Show Source and you'll never miss a hoofbeat!

(c) Copyright stock-horse-show-source.com, all rights reserved

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lynn_Wenger

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Identification, Prevention and Control of External Parasites on Horses

EXTERNAL PARASITES
External parasite infestation can cause irritation and unthriftiness in your horse. Some external parasites can help proliferate lifecycles of internal parasites. External parasites may also carry infectious diseases. External parasites however may be easier to detect visually, which helps to determine program effectiveness and type of parasitic infestation. ALWAYS consult your veterinarian if you have any concerns. He or she is a very good subject matter expert.

CHEMICAL SAFETY
Fly repellents are very dangerous chemicals and care should be taken to wash off any residue remaining from any overspray or contact on your hands/other body parts. with soap and water. Wash any clothes or gloves that come in contact with these agents. All hazardous chemicals should be stored as per the label in secure storage and be properly disposed when outdated. Mixing chemicals such as DMSO can cause serious health problems.

COMMON PARASITES
Bots (Stomach bots & Gasterophilus)
Physical Description
Mature botflies have an appearance similar to a honeybee. The eggs are light brown specks the size of pin heads in small clusters.

Lifecycle
The female botfly lays her eggs directly to a hair on the horse in areas that will be able to be in contact with the horse's mouth. The areas most commonly targeted are the legs, lips and other spots that allow direct contact with the mouth and nostril during self grooming or grooming another horse. Licking the attached botfly eggs will cause them to hatch and produce the larvae. The hatched larvae will then migrate to the tongue or gums of the horse and burrow in or attach itself for the 3 weeks incubation period. Following the incubation period they free themselves and pass to the lining of the stomach for a duration of approximately 9 months. After the 9-month period the larvae are transported out of the stomach via manure to become an adult botfly. The activity of an adult botfly will last from late spring until the first hard frost.

Problems Caused by Bots
The botfly larvae may cause only minimal damage to the horse, the biggest threat would be intestinal obstruction due to infestation. The larvae may also reduce the efficiency of the stomach to digest effectively.

Signs of Infestation of Bots
If any botfly eggs are observed to attached to your horse you should consider that your horse has ingested some of them. If eggs are observed remove with them as soon as possible with a Bot knife to reduce ingestion.

Black Fly
Physical Description
Small grayish-black fly.

Breeding Habitat
Require moving water such as streams and pond overflows.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Belly lines, inside the back legs and in the ears.
Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
General irritation to horse.

Deer Fly
Physical Description
Large flies capable of inflicting a painful bite.

Breeding Habitat
Plants around water's edge or salt marshes.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Entire body.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Equine Infectious Anemia and very painful bites.

Face Fly
Physical Description
Small grayish-black fly.

Breeding Habitat
Fresh cattle manure.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Generally on horse's face.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Cause some eye problems but mostly a nuisance to the horse.

Horn Fly
Physical Description
A very small fly that congregates in large swarms.

Breeding Habitat
Fresh cattle manure.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Horse's neck, shoulders and abdomen. They also target skin unprotected by hair loss.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Contribute to severe dermatitis leading to skin ulcers.

Horse Fly
Physical Description
Very large fly capable of inflicting a painful and deep bite.

Breeding Habitat
Water puddles, lake or pond water's edge, salt marshes, or plant debris.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Entire body.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problem Caused
Equine Infectious Anemia and Very painful bite.

House Fly
Physical Description
The common everyday housefly.

Breeding Habitat
Manure or use a wide range of organic materials.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Tear ducts and around the horse's eye.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Transmit stomach worms and prolific transmitter of vertebrate pathogens. General nuisance to horses.

Lice
Physical Description
About 1/8 inch in length. May vary in color from white to dirty gray.

Breeding Habitat
Remote areas of horse.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Remote areas, dry patches of skin, head, neck, mane or tail.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Some weight loss, stunted growth or anemia. Very irritating bite that may lead to rubbing the hair off the skin.

Mosquitoes
Physical Description
Small winged insect with prominent bloodsucking probe extending from head.

Breeding Habitat
Standing water, old tires, barrels and other objects capable of holding water and blocking wind.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Entire body.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Prolific transmitters of disease and associated with Equine Encephalomyetis, Equine Infectious Anemia and West Nile Virus.

Stable Fly
Physical Description
Very similar in appearance to the housefly, but the stable fly has large mouth.

Breeding Habitat
Hay contaminated with urine and manure.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Legs and abdomens.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Helps contribute to the transmission of Equine Infectious Anemia and summer sores.

Ticks
Physical Description
Small brownish watermelon seed shaped insect and peanut sized cream colored when full of host's blood.

Breeding Habitat
Eggs laid on ground then larvae ticks migrate to trees or shrubs.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Inside ears or remote spots.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Sleeping Sickness, Lyme disease, Piroplasmosis and EIA.

EXTERNAL PARASITE CONTROL PROGRAM
Just like dewormer chemicals, there are many fly repellent systems available for a wide range of external parasites. Before relying solely on chemical repellents you may consider a first step of prevention and reduction. As you probably noted most external parasites required water or fresh manure as a breeding ground. If the breeding ground is limited so will the parasites.

Before purchasing an insecticide or repellent you may want to read label to ensure this product is safe and will be an effective part of your program. You may also want to use one product at a time to reduce chances of the parasites becoming resistant to both products during the same period. Switch to another insecticide before the parasites become resistant.

Below are listed some tasks that will help reduce the parasite population:
- Remove and properly dispose of materials that may be breeding grounds at least every seven days. Preferably you should remove any suspected breeding material daily.
- Design or arraign stables, paddocks and pasture so that they allow easy waste removal.
- Ensure good drainage for rainwater and at wash racks.
- Turn off barn lights at night or use fluorescent lights.
- Clean water buckets regularly and use repellents.

Monitor which parasites are most prolific and then establish a sound plan to reduce their numbers. Contact your veterinarian, County Extension Agent or other experts in your area for specific advice. When spreading manure attempt to place as thin a layer as possible in order to speed up drying out the manure. Add horse manure to a compost pile to help segregate manure from horse living area. Ensure you follow all directions for disposal of any insecticide, these chemicals can be very lethal and can easily make their way into ponds, lakes, streams and ground water. The insecticides must also be kept in the original container.

Commonly biting flies are very active during hours of bright daylight. Set up your repellent or stabling program around that period. Common offense techniques and methods that can be very successful yet very environmentally friendly are Fly Predators. The Fly Predators are small sterile non-stringing forms of wasps that eat fly larvae. There are also systems that use propane gas to expel CO2 gas to attract mosquitoes and similar insects then suck them into a trap. Both systems work exceptionally well.

Old fashioned, tried and true methods can include fly tapes, baited bottle traps or poison baits Machines such as Mosquito Magnets lure and destroy mosquitoes as well as other similar insect pests. There are also powders and liquids that can be applied to the ground and plants which will kill insects. As with any chemicals read and follow the label so as you don't harm any animals or children.

Protective clothing such as fly masks or full body fly sheets. It has been reported that herbal remedies such as vinegar or garlic consumed orally will help the horse become less attractive thus bitten less. External parasites will never be 100% controllable, but having an effective program with monitoring will aid in your horse having a life of quality.

SKIN PARASITES
Horses may have several skin problems or skin parasites. Proper diagnosis by your veterinarian is important to quickly rid your horse of any skin problems.

Mange
Physical Description
Extremely small, must use magnifying glass to see.

Breeding Habitat
Under host's skin.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
Upper layers of skin.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Irritations of skin which may lead to severe dermatitis or secondary infections. Proper nutrition will help prevent infestation.

Rain Rot (Dermatophilosis)
Physical Description
A microscopic rod-shaped bacteria that causes raw open sores under matted crusty hair.

Breeding Habitat
Horse's skin during periods of wet/moist and warm weather. The bacteria live in the soil and proliferate during long periods of wetness.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
A location on a horse that stays moist and warm allows these microscopic bugs to flourish.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
Irritations of skin which may lead to severe dermatitis or secondary infections. Cleaning infected areas with a medicated shampoo, betadine or cooper salt-based solutions. In rare severe cases veterinary care may be required. Also called rain scald and dew poisoning when referring to the infection on lower limbs.

Ringworm (Dermatophytosis)
Physical Description
Microscopic fungus that causes small circular patches of hair loss with flaky scabs.

Breeding Habitat
Conditions most likely to cause a risk to ringworm are dark and damp conditions during fall and winter. Young horses (yearling to three years old), senior horse and sickly horses are more prone to infection. This fungus is very infectious and will spread rapidly to other horses, other animals and humans. If ringworm is suspected clean all tack, brushes, blankets or other items used on the infected horse(s) until it successfully treated.

Favorite Biting Area on a Horse
The ringworm fungus typically infects the heart girth area, face and legs.

Diseases Commonly Carried or Problems Caused
It is very important to get and keep ringworm under control. Treatments with a ringworm medicine should be aggressive and consistent and maintained until all signs are completely gone. Irritations of skin which may lead to severe dermatitis or secondary infections.

SKIN PARASITES CONTROL PROGRAM
It is important not to spread any contagious skin disease from one part of your horse to another part or from one horse to another horse. Washing your grooming tools in medicated shampoo or other disinfectant after use should prevent spreading of infections. Usually medicated (iodine based) shampoos will fix minor skin problems. If veterinarian assistance is required, follow the instructions thoroughly to ensure complete infestation elimination.

By Matthew Brendal

Matthew M. Brendal is a professional farrier, equine consultant and horse trainer in the state of Oklahoma since 1999. He has never met a horse he didn't like. Each day is just another opportunity for him to learn from and work with horses. His major equine education milestones include: Equine Science Certificate from the University of Guelph; Master Farrier Diploma-Oklahoma Farrier College; Parelli Natural Horsemanship Level 1 Official Graduate: Certified Equiflex Equine Massage Therapist; Certificate of Achievement-Emergency Management Institute, Animals in Disaster.

http://www.fundamental-horsemanship.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matthew_Brendal

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Feeding Horses - How Much Feed Should I Give My Horse?

Feeding horses correctly can be an art in itself, but by following a few simple rules it needn't actually be all that difficult.

Many people worry if they're giving they're horse enough feed, or too much feed, but there's one simple way to answer this question. If the horse is fat (has a body score condition of 8 or 9), then you really need to cut back on their feed to avoid the increased risk of colic and laminitis. If the horse is thin - the spine & ribs are prominent - with a body condition score of 3 or less, then you definitely need to increase their food intake.

So how much feed should your horse need to maintain a healthy weight?

Some horses seem to live off the smell of an oily rag, while others seem to need to eat everything you put in front of them...even if it's twice what other horses their size seem to consume. In spite of these differences as a rule of thumb, a horse that is spelling, or not doing much, needs to consume 1.5% to 2.0% of it's body weight in dry matter each day. All other horses will need to consume 2.0% to 3.5% of their body weight in dry matter each day.

What is dry matter?

Dry matter means the weight of the food without any water present. All horse feed will contain some water, even if the food has been artificially dried or appears dry like many hays do.

For example, an 1100lb (500kg) horse at rest would need to consume approximately 22lbs (10kg) of dry matter a day to maintain condition. But giving them 22lbs of hay, or a combination of 22lbs of hay and grain would not be enough as some of what you're feeding them contains water.

Fortunately it's not too difficult to calculate the dry matter content of many feeds. Most horse feeds have a dry matter content of 12% or less. As a rule of thumb, you can obtain an approximate dry matter weight of food by dividing it by 1.15.

For example, our 1100lb horse being fed 22lbs of hay each day is actually only getting approximately 19lbs of dry matter a day, well under the 22lbs it actually needs. To obtain the 22lbs of dry matter, the horse would need to consume just over 25lbs of hay or hay & grain each day.

If you're not sure where to start with your horse, try by feeding it about 2% of it's body weight each day and adjust it as needed. Some horses will need more, but if you're lucky your horse may need a lot less.

By Rachel Incoll

Rachel Incoll is the author of EquestrianHub.com - the number one place for everything equine online. Visit her site to discover more great tips on feeding horses, plus all the latest equestrian news, event results, horse riding tips & fun competitions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Incoll

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Horse Training Tips, Correcting the Spooky Horse

I have been a horse nut for as long as I can remember. I had owned a number of horses which I had some training to do on each horse after my purchase. But it wasn't until I purchased a totally untouched horse, raised in the wild that I had the challenge to correct a horse that was prone to flight. It took me a while to correct and thankfully my horse, myself and others around him never got hurt in the process. I hope this article will help you correct this problem in your horse, quickly and without injuries.

I was tired of retraining horses and tired of trying to fix a problem that someone else had created in a horse that I purchased for my own. So in order to fix this problem I found a yearling that had been field bred and spent the first year of his life in the Cascade mountains. He was untouched and totally wild. I negotiated his price, and an agreement to get him to the sellers home with the understanding that I have the use of her round pen for 2 weeks.

The first four to five days it seemed as though there was little to no progress made, but on day 6 I started to see improvement and by day 14 I had him in a straight load trailer without a fight. I was truly amazed that an animal so wild just 2 weeks before could be transformed in 14 days with just 2 to 3 hours a day of slow gentle work on my part.

This was just the beginning of many years of training. He is now 12 years old and is a wonderful trail horse and a true companion of mine. He is not fully trained as I don't think any horse, at least any of my horses ever are. I believe in the saying, "always be training", and I always will be. He is smart and gentle now but he was a problem to get the flight instinct out of him and make him use his brain. I would work with him and think I had him fixed until a turkey would fly up on the trail and suddenly I was without a horse under me!

A flighty horse has to be fixed and until he is, the horse will be dangerous to handler, rider and the people that are around him as well as dangerous to himself. The final straw was when I was camping, I got two horses saddled and ready to go for a ride, I tried them to a hitching post and went to the outhouse. When I came out I noticed that something was bothering my horse, I don't know what, could have been a horsefly or something. I started over to him at a quick walk so I could untie him and find out what was going on. As I got to him, and before I could get the quick release knot untied he exploded. Now this is a big horse, about 1400 pounds, at a standing position he sprung off the ground like he sprouted wings. He came down on the hitching post which broke off at each end and was now a log tied to him which scared him even more and he took off. Now my other horse is still tied to the log and as he takes off she has no choice but to follow. There I was watching my two horses running off in the camp with a log between them. What a wreck!

From this story you can see that something very slight can create a terrible situation and a flighty horse needs to be corrected before these things happen. This was the hardest thing to correct in this horse and I attribute it to the first year of his life when he had real predators like bears and mountain lions. It took a lot to get him to think before flight but I did get that result and so can you.

Here is the horse training lesson in my online library that will fix this problem and a few others in the process. As with most things in horses, fix one thing and it will have an effect on other problems and other benefits to your horse training.

By Jackie Heinen

Horse Tack and Supplies - Customizable, Made to order saddles, tack, harnesses and carts for horses of all sizes, Llamas and donkeys. All made in the USA. All shipping is free, the price you see is the price you pay.

Find lots of great information and articles on horse training, camping, nutrition, care and more to help you with all aspects of horse ownership. http://www.horsetack-supplies.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jackie_Heinen

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10 Rules For Buying Horses

Buying a new horse is never an easy task, partly because there are always myriad options from which to choose. You might have narrowed your specifics considerably, but there will always be more horses on the market than you have time to see.

Strategy is important, whether you're buying horses for competition or pleasure. You'll have different criteria if you're looking for a child versus an adult, just like the experience and abilities of the rider will make an enormous difference. So what is the right strategy for buying horses?

1- Never Buy the First Horse You See

I know all about love at first sight. It happened to me when I was a senior in high school, and the horse's name was Bella. She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen: perfect combination, wide-set eyes, a gently-sloping forehead. Riding her was like sitting on a cloud, and I knew I had to have her.

It worked out all right with Bella, but this isn't always the case. If you're in the market for buying horses, make sure you see as many of them as possible. You can always go back and see if that first horse is still available, and most horses don't leave the market that quickly anyway.

I always tell my clients to look at ten horses or more before making a decision. This will give you an idea for what the market has to offer and will delay your decision until you can think it over. You might discover that the horse you really want has some obscure problem that you won't want to deal with.

2- Shop Locally

If you're buying horses that currently live halfway across the world, you have quite a bit of traveling in your future. It is never a good idea to buy horses sight-unseen, and most of us don't have time to go traipsing from city to city in search of the perfect animal.

Unless you have very specific criteria for an Olympic-level horse, you can find a suitable animal practically in your own backyard. Depending on where you live, you might be able to limit your search to a 100-mile radius with no problem.

You'll also find that buying horses locally means there is less chance of running into a scam. People are far more wary of ripping off customers who live right around the corner.

3- Order a Drug Test

You might be the most honest person in the world, but everyone is not so scrupulous. Some horse breeders will drug their horses before showing them so they are calm and pliable. This means a serious shock when you take the horse home and wind up in the dirt. Run a drug test and have the horse vetted by a qualified veterinarian before you write that check.

4- Take the Horse Home

Buying horses, as mentioned above, can be a nasty business. If you really want to protect yourself, insist on a trial run with the horse before your purchase is solidified. Pay for the horse and take him home for a week with the option to sell him back if he doesn't work out. This gives you a chance to try him out on your home turf with no pressure.

This is particularly useful when buying school horses for a lesson program. Since school horses must possess a very specific set of qualities, a trial run reduces the chances of buying a dud. Just make sure you are clear in the paperwork that you have the option for a full refund if the horse isn't what you thought.

5- Grow Slowly

If you run a horse business, you'll be buying horses left and right. Just don't get too far ahead of yourself. Your equine inventory is your biggest asset as a horse business owner. Whether you're breeding horses or teaching lessons, a great portion of your income rests in the hands of those animals. Making quick purchases all at once is a mistake.

The same is true if you are a serious competitor hoping to amass a stable of performance horses. Your biggest asset in the show ring is diversity in your animals. Buying several horses all at once doesn't give you a chance to learn each horse's personality before choosing the next one.

6- Order X-rays

Depending on where you live, a typical vet check for buying horses might not include thorough X-rays. An X-ray of the horse's navicular bone, for example, will illustrate whether or not the horse has experienced significant navicular changes that might result in future lameness.

In addition to the X-rays and the aforementioned drug screen, your veterinarian should examine the horse's:

• Overall health

• Medical history

• Hooves

• Teeth and gums

• Coat, mane and tail

• Dietary health

When buying horses, your veterinarian's recommendation is only a jumping-off point. You might realize that you can live with your horse's poor dietary habits or his navicular changes, but at least you know about them. And health discoveries can become a bargaining chip in the purchase of a horse.

7- Ride the Horse

You would think this would be a given, but I can't tell you how many times I hear of someone buying horses without actually riding them first. This is a huge mistake, not only because you won't know what you are getting.

All horses move differently and respond to different commands. You won't know if the horse is compatible with your training, experience and abilities unless you actually sit on his back. Riding horses before buying them should be a priority, no matter what the owner says.

8- Ride the Horse in Your Discipline

Let's say that you are a three-day eventer. Before buying horses, you need to try them out in dressage, stadium jumping and cross-country before writing that check. Failing to try the horse out in your specific discipline might cause you to make a mistake. Maybe he's great in the dressage ring, but refuses every jump you point him at.

9- Buy From Someone You Trust

Why do you have to resort to buying horses over the Internet? Or through classified ads in Canada? You don't realize how many people you know until you start going through their names-your friend knows someone who knows someone who owns a barn, and they have hundreds of horses for sale.

It's that simple. You might want to think about buying horses at the farm where you take riding lessons or from someone your trainer has done business with in the past. Buying from someone you know (or someone you've met through a personal grapevine) is the safest way to go about buying horses.

10- Bring a Trainer

Unless you are a professional horseman yourself, you shouldn't even think of buying horses without a trainer present. He or she will look out for your best interests and will be able to spot obscure details that you never would have noticed. Regardless of how independent you are, a trainer is essential through this process.

People will always making mistakes when buying horses, but you can eliminate the majority of them by having a plan before you start looking. Write out your criteria and decide exactly what you want before you start calling numbers from the classified ads.

By Laura Jane Thompson

Laura Thompson is a horse business consultant and the owner of EquiManagement. She has worked with horses all her life and is a certified riding instructor. Her areas of expertise include program development, equine acquisitions, stable management, marketing and safety. She has also worked as a horse trainer and barn manager in the past, and she frequently writes about her experience with horses and the horse business.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Jane_Thompson

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How to Find The Best Mules For Sale

A mule is an offspring of a female horse and a male donkey. While the mules look and resemble a donkey they are very hardworking animals and are used as work horses at farms. Mules are easy to train and make good companions to other farm animals. Mules also have better height and greater resistance than horses and donkeys. The characteristics of horses and donkeys make mules perfect work horses as they are patient as well as strong to carry out difficult farm work.

Farm owners can benefit highly by using mule teams on their farms as these animals can work longer and better than horses or donkeys. Mule teams can be used for pulling carts and plowing fields in the farm. There are several places online where mules can be bought easily. Here are some tips for finding the best team mules for sale:

Search Online: Internet is a great place for finding information related to anything including mules for sale. Interested buyers can look for advertisements by breeders selling mules in their area. This way you can go and check out the mule and clear any doubts before buying. By searching online, it becomes easy to make a comparison between different places that are selling mules. Do consider your budget as well.

Check Mule Variety: Check the various types that are available on different websites that are selling mules. Team mules are ideal for transportation and other mules are good for working in agricultural farms. Choose a mule that has been trained and bred for the specific purpose that you need it for.

Mule characteristics and behavior: Get information about mule's history, behavior good and bad, training, etc. If you don't have enough knowledge, go mule shopping with a knowledgeable person. Do ride the mule before taking a decision. Notice its personality, how it performs and behaves when ridden and decide accordingly.

Buy a Trained Mule: You can also go for a well trained and highly bred mule. Reputed mule breeders train their mules so that the animals can work in mule teams that are needed for pulling carts. Buying a well trained mule is very useful as an untrained mule needs to be trained first.

Patience is the key: It takes little time to find the right mule as per your preferences as good mules are not easily available. Don't rush and buy just any mule you see. Remember that your mule will stay with you for many years so it is important you buy a healthy mule.

Mules make the best farm animals when it comes to hard labor and good temperament. A well trained mule can be a great asset for you. You can choose from a wide range of mules for sale at http://www.mules-forsale.com/.

By C Burns

Craig Burns owns a small, USDA licensed, family kennel. He and their three children make it our goal to produce quality family pets such as Cockapoos, Puggles, and Poodle Mixed Puppies for you and yours to enjoy.

For more information on Best Mules for Sale visit: http://www.mules-forsale.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=C_Burns

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5 Tips to Winning Patterns in the Showmanship Class

Tip 1: Look Good

Having a clean and put together appearance when you enter the show ring is something many competitors overlook. Remember, when you are standing at the gate or the first cone waiting to start your pattern the judge gets a first impression based on your appearance! If you have a flawless pattern but your outfit is wrinkled, your hair is hanging in your face and your hat is crunched you probably won't win the class unless you were miles ahead of the competition.

You don't have to be dressed fancy, just neat and clean. Have your hat cleaned and shaped regularly, make sure your clothes are not just clean but free of distracting wrinkles and have boots that match the color of your pants. Also, your hair should be pulled neatly out of your face and makeup should be professional looking and not overdone!

This goes for your horse as well. He should be as clean as possible with face and legs trimmed properly and mane and tail combed (even better: a good mane banding or braiding job will go a long way!).

Tip 2: A Good Start

Practice at home so your horse will stand square at the start cone or gate. Most of the time you will have a little longer to get your horse's feet set at the start because the previous exhibitor is running their pattern. You want to be sure that when the judges turns to you, you are ready and looking sharp!

Your horse should also walk forward readily with you when you take that first step in the pattern. Don't close your eyes and hope he does...practice this every time you walk him at home. Whether you are walking to the pasture with him or just finished riding and are cooling him out, always ask him to walk with you properly.

You never get a second chance at a first impression, so make your first steps count!

Tip 3: Use the Cones

One of the biggest problems I see with young and inexperienced exhibitors is that they don't know when to transition at a cone! Your pattern says: "Walk from cone A to cone B, Trot to cone C, stop and back 4 steps". When do you transition? For most people you should start asking your horse to transition the moment their nose reaches the cone. That way he will already be in the next gate (or stopped) by the time his shoulder gets there. That is the true transition point!

Make sure you don't ask too late! If you know it will take 4-5 steps before your horse transitions then you will want to ask a bit earlier. If your horse is so in tune that is only takes 1 step then ask a bit later.

Again, practice this at home. Even if you have to use a pop bottle as your cone, it's much better than never trying until you enter the ring!

Tip 4: Keep your distance

There is nothing a judge dislikes more than having to get out of the way of an exhibitor! If your pattern says to stop at the judge your horse's nose should be about an arm's length away by the time you have completely stopped. In this case, it is better to be a little farther away than too close.

This distance also give you enough room to move around the horse's nose if the judge walks to the left side of your horse first in his inspection.

NOTE: A small sub-point on this topic is that you should be bringing your horse to the judge. If your pattern has you walking or trotting to the judge your horse's nose should be headed straight for the judge's torso. If you look just to the left of the judge (instead of at him/her) you will line up with your horse straight!

Tip 5: Stay Sharp

In showmanship class everything is about precision. Always move with purpose and keep good posture. Although you shouldn't rush through the maneuvers, taking too much time to set up, back or pivot is considered a fault. Instead you should make sure each item is performed "sharp".

This does not mean you should nod at the judge each time you move side to side or when you exit. That looks fake!

Now Get Practicing!

Now that you have some tips to help you know what to look for, get out there are start practicing! Remember that even if you have a great showmanship horse you have to be in tune with him to make a winning showmanship pattern.

Take the time to go through each maneuver you may be required to do in your class and work on it until you can perform it with no lead rope. That is the challenge I give myself each time I work with a new horse on perfecting showmanship. If I can do it well with no lead then I know I can hit the mark in the show ring!

For more tips and info check out: www.squidoo.com/winning-patterns-for-showmanship-class1

I also list some helpful books and other sources there!

I hope this was helpful

By Constance Colvin

Connie Colvin
For more information on a winning appearance please check out: http://www.custom-western-wear.com/appearance.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Constance_Colvin

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