QueryHorse – Ask the "Horse Girl" Archive

DISCLAIMER: (There had to be one: Kathleen IS a lawyer after all!) Information provided via the "Ask the Horse Girl" column is for entertainment purposes only and represents an opinion. It is not intended nor can it be relied upon for medical, nutritional, legal, or expert advice of any kind. Readers are warned they bear the burden of seeking out expert advice (i.e. not QueryHorse) for their specific questions, and by accessing the "Ask the Horse Girl" column, they hereby affirm their understanding of these conditions.

The first thing I would do is have your farrier check your horse's feet. That is the most common cause of stumbling for a healthy horse. If his feet are fine, then you need to check out more serious causes, such as some sort of neurological defect. In that case, have your horse evaluated by a veterinarian. Also, reconsider whether you should be riding this horse until the problem is determined and resolved, as you might both be in danger of falling.

December 30, 2009 – How can I stop my horse from leaning on me while I clean his hooves?

This is just my technique, but I smack my horse on the shoulder when he leans on me. He always looks offended, but then stops it. I don't know if that trick will work for you, but you can try it. Another way to prevent this is to keep his foot off the ground, but don't accept the weight. He won't want to fall over, and so will stand up.

Good luck! You have a smart horse and he's figured out how to take a rest at your expense. Makes you want someone to design a horse couch, doesn't it?

December 29, 2009 – Is it bad that my horse paces in circles inside her stall?

It shows that the horse is psychologically suffering from the confinement. So, you need to up the turn-out, the work you give her, and think about ways to keep her occupied when she's in her stall. There are stall toys available, as well as that good standby, hay. Horses are not designed to be confined the way we often confine them, and some horses bear it less well than others.

This situation, at its worst, can become a serious vice that has no cure. Some horses will start to crib, which releases endorphins keeping him enthralled with performing the motion over and over and over again, to the point where it will wear holes in surfaces being chewed. Those that pace will wear on the flooring, as well as on the horse's hooves, and possibly even causing loss of flesh.

So, do your best to help your horse out. He'll thank you and you'll have a happier horse.

December 28, 2009 – My horse is continually being attacked by the herd leader and I'm concerned for him. What should I do (or have the barn owner do?)

Do not turn them out together. You may be risking a serious injury for your horse. Work with the barn owner to figure out another situation for your horse's turnout. It won't blow over as long as the herd is in its present configuration, so my advice is to take some action before your horse is lamed or worse.

No! My Quarter Horse is quite a brat when he's bored, and that means anything but boring. You don't want to know the number of blankets he's eaten, the fences he's mangled, the pasture mates he's led astray, and the list goes on and on. Bored? Maybe. Boring? Never!

December 23, 2009 – Do you know what the annual income is for a an equine massage therapist?

It depends on the area of the country that one practices, and how successful they are. Good ones can make decent money though, over $50,000 per year, is my impression. Though, like many other vocations, it's a service industry occupation and takes time and effort to build up a good clientele.

December 22, 2009 – I'm trying to learn how to gallop a horse, but I get scared as the speed increases and I bounce around a lot. I feel like I'm going to fall off and yelling at my horse to stop doesn't do anything.

It is true that yelling at a horse while he canters won't slow him down.I In fact, it will often convey the message that he needs to go faster. Cantering is the hardest gait to learn because it is most important that you move with your horse. But it's also very exhilarating and is the motion most people think of when they imagine riding horses.

To learn, most people need a lot of practice in a ring with a smooth gaited horse, while relaxing into the motion of the canter. If you're stiff and hanging on like a spider monkey, it's not surprising that you'll bounce. You need to relax and move with the horse.

To start, ask an experienced rider or a riding instructor for help in understanding how you need to move. It might also be helpful if you can watch them canter and describe what they're doing while you watch them and ask questions. Once you get the knack of it, it will be like "flipping a switch". It may be that your body will be trying all sorts of adjustments, or you may even just accidently move the right way and notice how it all feels right for that instant. Once that happens, you'll know you've got it and all you'll have to do is refine the process, but you'll be cantering and feeling safe doing it. Then, you'll relax as you do in an easy chair and let the horse do the work — you'll love it!

December 21, 2009 – What is the best bit for a horse that wants to take off and snatches grass and leaves all the time?

This habit has nothing to do with the bit. The problem is related to the rider's reaction to the horse's taking vacation time while on duty that is important. In other words, your horse is not listening to you and you're not reacting quickly enough or not paying attention to what your horse is doing.

When a horse goes to do something he knows he shouldn't, he doesn't just do it quickly, he makes small moves to see if you're paying attention. If he wants to leave the trail and return to the barn, he'll slowly start meandering toward a turn-off that he knows goes back to the barn. Similarly, to grab a quick snack of leaves or grass, he starts going to the leaf or lowering his head moments before the snatch. If you're paying attention, you'll notice this slight deviation and give him just the slightest twitch of the opposing rein and he'll likely stop and continue on his way. That tells him you're paying attention and said "No!" — he'll obey. If he doesn't it's because you've let him get away with this many times and he feels this is no different — DON'T LET HIM! Act proactively! This bad habit has NOTHING to do with what bit you use and changing the bit will not correct it!

December 18, 2009 – Can I de-spook my horse from the saddle? I hate ground work!

While I totally support the sentiment (this fall, I actually scooped manure from the saddle, not wanting to get down....long story....) let's look at the upside and the downside of the process of "despooking" from the ground and from the saddle:

De-spooking from the ground: horse does a back flip, you look on, unimpressed and cool. Horse picks himself up and thinks, "hmm, that was a lot of work and she didn't seem all that freaked out, and it was a lot of work." Maybe I'll reconsider the next time around. Or the next time around (sometimes it takes a few flips before the essential truth sinks in...)

De-spooking from the saddle: horse does a back flip — you achieve oneness with the ground. You think to yourself, "hmm, that was a lot of work, my head and back hurt, and my horse, now that he's gotten rid of me, doesn't seem all that freaked out. In fact, he looks like he's enjoying his canter around the neighborhood without me. Gee it's a lot of work catching him. Maybe I'll reconsider the next time around." (This usually happens only once before the essential truth sinks in...)

So, work from the ground at first. Later, when the horse is not actually spooking all that much, you can try the saddle version!

December 17, 2009 – Whenever I go to get on my horse, he tries to bite or kick the other horses that are around him. Why does he do this, and how do I fix it?

I just answered a post very similar to this one, wherein an Arab mare had the same bag of tricks. The answer is essentially the same: the horse does this to enforce his territorial dominant demands, and you stop it by reminding him that when you're riding, you're the boss, not him. You do this by very attentively asking him to do something that feels a lot like work the instant his attention leaves you. So, if you're in the process of getting on your horse and he manifests the described behavior, you may have to ask him to back up, move sideways, or something else similar while you're on the ground. Essentially, the principal is, if he misbehaves, he has to work. If he behaves, he gets pats and rest.

Horses generally will figure things out rather quickly if you're consistent. After that, all he's doing when he misbehaves is testing to see if you really mean what you say. THAT testing could take a while to run its cycle, so be patient.

December 16, 2009 – Is it safe to feed my horse hay that got wet overnight in his paddock?

Sure. If it's hay from the day before that got wet overnight, it's still safe to eat. But don't leave it there too much longer or it'll start to get moldy — that's not safe for horses to eat.

December 15, 2009 – How can I tell if my horse is a real Thoroughbred? The seller told me that when I bought him, but other riders tell me I was taken and then chuckle. I want a Thoroughbred. How do I make sure I wasn't taken?

Does the horse have a tattoo on its upper lip? All racing thoroughbreds do, and they must be certified by the Jockey Club, which is another way of saying that they're a real thoroughbred. Given the flood of off track thoroughbreds out there, if you contact any racetrack for information on unwanted horses, I'm sure you'll be able to find what you're looking for fairly quickly.

As to your horse, if he doesn't have a tattoo, you may be left with conformation clues. I think I could probably tell by looking at him, but that's hardly a scientific basis. I think you're looking at this wrong. If I were you, I would instead think about whether or not he's a good horse, whether he does what you tell him to, and whether you enjoy riding him. If he is a good horse, then it doesn't matter what breed he is. He's your horse and you can laugh right back. Your hecklers will hate to think that you put one over on THEM, and so you'll have the last laugh.

I had much the same experience with a little quarter horse I got last year for not much money. He is such a good horse, I get a chuckle every time I get on him.

December 14, 2009 – I know all horses have hooves, but I've often wondered why. Wouldn't regular feet work? Why do they have hooves?

Excellent question! Horses all descend, in one of the most clearly defined Darwinian progressions ever, from a little, fox-sized, three toed creature called Eohippus that lived in North America on the plains in prehistoric times. These creatures prospered on the grass, they became larger, and their feet changed into a single toe (what was their middle toe) that ended in a hoof, for speed purposes.

So, their hooves are like your fingers, only with one long finger protruding down, covered by a fingernail — that fingernail (or toenail, if you will) is now the hoof, and made of the same material as our fingernails. The entire point of this evolution, as far as I can tell, was speed and the ability to run long distances. Horses remain one of the fastest and one of the most hardy of all the grassland creatures. And it all rests upon the hoof!

December 11, 2009 – I recently was considering purchasing a lovely quiet mare, but my friend warned me against her because she was HYPP/NH. I am wondering if you could shed some light on the problem of horses positive for HYPP/NH. Thank you.

HYPP stands for "Hyperkalemic Periodic Paralysis", which is genetic defect that can be inherited. It manifests itself as muscle weakness or complete paralysis of one or more muscles that can usually lasts from 10 minutes to about an hour depending on the animal and the disease. This disease not only exists in horses, a variant also exists in humans. But in horses, the disease appears to have started from one horse, a Quarter Horse stallion named "Impressive", born in the late 60s, and whose impressive musculature made him the winningest horse in halter ring competition. Because he won so many competitions (33 out of 33), there was great demand for his offspring and he fathered over 2,200 foals and now has over 50,000 descendants.

Impressive himself never exhibited the disease, but more recent investigations of HYPP in Quarter Horses have all been traced back to him. Essentially, it appears that he conveyed to many of his offspring a genetic mutation that alters the manner in which their bodies handle potassium in the blood stream causing muscles to not respond when the horse is stressed.

The disease can be genetically tested from a blood sample, or sometimes even just some hair follicles. The initials "NH" stand for heterozygous rather than homozygous, where heterozygous horses are affected to a lesser extent.

For afflicted horses, the illness can be treated with diet, lack of stress, and medication, but attacks can be very dangerous for the rider or handler, as a horse can have a seizure or fall uncontrollably. Obviously, such a seizure could be very bad for horse and rider at a gallop or while jumping. And because the trait can be passed on, the mare will be no good for breeding.

Hopefully, that will be enough to get you started. I suggest you do more research yourself, think carefully, and ask a lot of questions about the horse's history. And also ask if the horse has actually had the genetic test for HYPP — that is the only way the disease can be diagnosed other than seeing the symptoms themselves. Not all of Impressive's descendents have the genetic mutation that causes the disease — only some. So, unless the mare has been tested positive for that mutation or someone has witnessed the symptoms, it may be ok. The test is definitive, costs between $85 - $100, and it usually takes two to three weeks to receive the results.

Let's see. This is not a question of pace, correct? A horse's stride is the horse's stride, and you may be confusing speed with stride — they're not the same. A slow pace can have a long stride if the horse is built that way.

Collecting a horse is a question of him accepting the bit, and with your hand and his mouth being in sympathetic relation to each other. This is something you'll need training in with a good riding instructor. Look in your area and I'm sure you will find one.

December 9, 2009 – My horse runs away whenever I brush her and I'm getting tired of it. How do I fix this behavior?

Does she do this when tied up? My, that sounds like a rodeo. It seems as though she doesn't enjoy your brushing. Why is that? Do you use a stiff brush that hurts her?

Most horses enjoy being groomed because it feels like a massage. Does your grooming always precede onerous work? Try just grooming with a soft brush and with no other agenda. Do this a few times until she no longer knows WHAT is going to happen, and until she enjoys the brushing. Especially in fly season, or in spring with the winter coat coming off, grooming is appreciated by most horses. Try being a psychologist and figure out a way so that she'll enjoy the brushing. Once she does, your problem will be solved.

It takes patience, time (often measured in years), and training from experts in the fine art of observing your horse's behavior. A mistreated horse CAN learn to trust you, but it takes much repetition and consistent behavior on your part. However, you may not be able to do this without specific training, so I would suggest investing in a horse training clinic before going further.

There are many good horse trainers out there — we at QueryHorse were privileged to see Mark Rashid in action this past November at the Equine Affaire in Springfield, Massachusetts, as one example. But, I'm sure you'll be able to find one in your own locale. I'm afraid I can't recommend a specific regimen, because it will depend on the horse's own personality and issues.

December 7, 2009 – Hi! I'm so glad that your back "on the air"! I wonder if you could tell me how to handle my 17-year-old arab. When I trail ride with others, I have to keep a big distance between my mare and any other horses. Whenever anyone comes close to us, she pins her ears and tries to whip her butt around to send a big kick their way. I always try to bring her back around and not get myself or anyone else in harm's way, but it is hard to prevent it and it certainly takes the fun out of the ride. If I keep her at the back of the pack, she gets all worked up about that and wants to be in the lead. She is pretty much spook-proof and can go and go, but I really like to ride with others.

Do you have any ideas of what I may be able to do besides just warning others not to innocently ride up behind us? Thank you for any input you may have in this situation.

I am glad we're back on the air too! Thank you for your question; this is something I see quite a bit on trail rides, and it always raises a safety concern.

There are things you can do to prevent your mare from exercising her territorial dominance as you ride. The idea is that you want her attention to be on you. If she's flourishing her hind legs at another horse, it means that her attention has left you and she's busy with her own agenda. You need to bring her up short when her attention leaves you. Immediately turn her, move her sideways, back her up, trot away, or otherwise engage her attention for long enough that she understands that if she does try to pursue her private agenda on your time, then she'll work more than if she just quietly suffered the proximity of the other horse.

Arabs are among the smartest of all horses, so she'll figure this out almost immediately. But because she'll understand right away doesn't mean she'll easily give in. The next hundred times she tries something, it'll be just her testing your resolve and attention on the point — she'll be testing how serious you are about making her change her ways.. Like all of us, she likes to do what she likes to do. And if you're going to change her deeply held and cherished belief that she needs to tell the other horses that she's the boss mare here, then she'll require you to work for it.

For safety's sake, you should always warn other riders of your mare's issue. In England and elsewhere, some riders will ride affix a red bow to their horse's tail as a warning they're riding a horse that sometimes kicks and therefore, not to follow too closely. That's not a bad idea for you to try, especially for now while you start training your horse to stop this practice. And during this training phase, you should enlist a friend on a horse that is unflappable. Have that friend ride up to you and away, and up to you and away, while you keep your mare's attention on you.

Eventually you'll be able to manage this, but it will take some effort as I said. Good luck! You have to really respect Arabs, they're always so busy!

December 4, 2009 – How often are contracts used in equine transactions? Most of my friends make verbal agreements with their boarding barns and among themselves when someone leases a horse to another rider.

Then your friends are no different than most. Courts tear their collective hairs out in dealing with the horse world, because verbal agreements are the rule rather than the exception. The problem lies in the fact that verbal agreements are great until they aren't, in which case, the courts are then left with swearing contests and no way to figure out what really happened.

If you're fine with being at the mercy of the person you're dealing with, that's great. But, you may not always be best served in that position. Some contracts can't even be enforced unless they're in writing, so at that point, you may be very sorry you trusted a verbal agreement, even with a friend.

So, what ends up happening, is that savvy people use the written agreements, and less energetic and na�ve persons, or persons who really know who they are dealing with, use the verbal. Either way, as an equine lawyer, I get them all when the deal breaks down.

December 3, 2009 – My horse won't canter unless we're trail riding. Why is that?

Just a wild guess, but I'd say that you don't exercise with definite enough leg aids in the ring, which is to say, under circumstances where he just doesn't feel much like moving. Outside, he's more amenable to running because it looks like fun and not work, and so is less eager to ignore your suggestions. And also don't forget that, if you're riding in a group, all the horses will run or do whatever they need to do to stay together.

December 2, 2009 – I can't control my horse when on a trail ride. He's fine in the ring, and he's even fine when I ride him in the barn (it's a big barn). But on the trail, I can't control him. He ignores all the same commands he obeys when in the barn. Instead, he does whatever the other horses in our group do. If I try to break away from the herd, it's a battle and I'm the one who loses. What should I do to make him listen to my commands all the time?

First, don't trail ride him until you consistently win this battle — you're not safe when only your horse is in control. Second, understand that a horse is a herd animal and follows the herd instinctively for safety reasons. Therefore, he's only going to deviate from his instincts and do what you ask if he trusts you and sees you as his leader. If you've not yet established that relationship, you should enlist the help of an instructor/trainer for help. If you have, here are some suggestions to move to the next step.

You may have to start slowly. For example, start by riding with just one other horse and rider in the ring. If everything goes well and your horse is listening adequately and obeying your commands, leave the ring and make it so that he doesn't know whether you're really going trail riding or not. Instead, ride around the outside of the ring. At the exact moment at which your horse's attention leaves you and he stops following your commands, make that failure cost him in terms of work. Go back into the ring and work him some with circles, trotting, and other less than fun exercises. After 10 minutes or so of this stuff, if he's again listening and obeying, leave the ring and ride around it again. If he continues listening to you for ten minutes of riding, pat him on the head, then get off him and let him go back to his friends — he's done working for the day. If he doesn't listen to you, go back into the ring and make him work again for another 10 minutes before leaving the ring and going around the outside again. When he obeys, as I said, pat him, make much of him, and then give him liberty.

Build off of that foundation and try more stuff day by day as he learns and improves. If he's consistent, you can go further from the ring. When that's working well and you're actually able to go on the trail and he continues to obey, add a third rider to the mix so it forms more of a herd. By now, you should be able to see what we're doing here.

The main thing is that you want to avoid the battle. Confrontations with horses are something we'll always lose. Horses are too big and strong for us to fight them. Instead, we need to use our brain.

If you just can't do any of this, then consider selling the horse with full disclosures to the buyer. As I have had reason to say over and over again, your safety is the most important thing.

December 1, 2009 – I just got a new horse and he shakes and shows discomfort when I work him. Why?

This sounds like fear to me. Do you know the horse's history? Was he ever beaten? You can tell because they show fear just like a whipped dog.

I would be very careful and work very slowly and gently. Also, I would strongly consider selling the horse to a professional. The problem is that horses have very long memorys, and they also respond quickly and instinctively to situations. This horse could lash out to defend itself at times when you're not inviting such a response, but it's erroneously reading a threat in what you're doing because of its past experience. It wouldn't be your fault, but that doesn't make it any less dangerous. Therefore, the problem is that you can never count on the horse not responding in this manner because of what it has learned in its experience. In your shoes, I would sell the horse with LOTS of warnings and disclosures.

November 24, 2009 – My horse doesn't want anybody to touch him when he's around food and eating. What do I do?

If you're on the trail and need to be able to work around him whether eating or not, then hand off to a horse trainer to teach him manners. It can be done, but you shouldn't risk your health doing it nor can I instruct you how to do it in this column.

It could be colic, laminitis, or some other life threatening conditions! CALL A VET IMMEDIATELY! Horses are not designed to stay lying down for long, so act quickly!

November 20, 2009 – How do I stop my horse from trying to kick me when I groom him?

Stand at the shoulder, or just at the point of the hip where he cannot kick sideways. If he tries to kick you, reprimand him. Also, pay attention that you're not irritating tender skin with too rough grooming, or are otherwise causing him pain while proceeding. Grooming should be a pleasure for a horse, like a massage is for you. If it's not, then you need to investigate why it's not. Of course, some horses are just irritable, and you need to be careful as to which it is. Irritable horses should be taught manners, and tender horses need to be coddled — kind of like men.

November 19, 2009 – I leased my $15,000 pony to someone. It has contracted Lyme disease and they will not treat with IV. The lease states that they have to provide prudent and necessary medical care. They will only treat by mouth. I have three vets saying IV is better. I also have an article from Cornell stating IV is the better treatment. What rights do I have?

What you're talking about are the differences between "necessary", "prudent", and "better". It may not be necessary to treat by IV, because by mouth can also treat the illness. But it may be more prudent, as it is a better remedy. However, the way you've described it in your question, your lease does not say "either necessary or prudent at the lessor's election", you've stated it merely says "prudent and necessary", meaning the treatment must be both before it's required. (Lawyers are evil, aren't they?)

Here is what I would do: find out how much the oral treatment costs and how much the cost of treatment is if performed by IV. You'll then be able to determine if you're willing to pay the difference. For example, if the cost of treatment using oral medication for the period is $200 and the cost via IV is $280, you can then require the lesser to treat by IV and you can cover the extra cost, in the case of this example, the additional $80. Make this requirement in writing. If the lesser balks, then you would have at least an argument before a small claims court for breach of contract. Also, while this doesn't get the total cost covered by the lessee as you'd likely prefer, at least it assures that your horse is getting the better treatment that you desire.

Laziness, an injury or other medical problem, inattention, gait, and conformation are some possible causes. You should first assure you don't have a medical situation. If you suspect that could be the cause, you should get him examined by a vet.

If inattention is the problem, you, as the rider, can do something about it by bringing the horse up into the bridle and picking his head up. Gait problems will usually depend on the horse, or the breed. For example, Tennessee Walkers are designed for a smooth glide. But that can lead to stumbling on rough, broken ground and sometimes, to medical issues. If the problem is due to his conformation, then I'm afraid there's little you can do to change it.

November 17, 2009 – What does it mean when my horse stomps his hoof on the ground?

It could be flies, or it could be an editorial expression of impatience. You should be able to tell which.

Yes. Horses can become extremely attached to one person. They don't often do so because a horse's idea of companionship is much more all encompassing than a person's. People really can't live with a horse all day, seven days a week, be on guard twenty hours a day, completely attentive when awake, and constantly aware of all the little things that make a relationship fun for a horse. Fun for a horse can be frequent testing of rank, physical joy of movement, constant searching for food, endless investigation of physical surroundings, relentless attention to physical comfort, and so forth.

Every now and then, a human raises his level of companionship to the bare minimum needed by a horse, and then a horse can get very, very, very attached. I, myself, settle for warm feelings of affection and respect from my horses, but not serious attachment. If my horse was seriously attached, when I left him, he would pine, whinny, pace, and otherwise display his distress from being separated from his beloved. Since I can't live with my horses, that would be cruel!

November 11, 2009 – What can a buyer do is a seller sold her poor quality hay?

If the hay is bad enough, it could constitute a "breach of contract". That is, you contracted for edible hay. If it's not edible, or if it's dangerous for the stock to which it's fed, you have some recourse in the Uniform Commercial Code which is passed in most states. I'm sorry, but you likely need a lawyer for this one. Contact an equine lawyer for more details!

November 10, 2009 – My horse gets hyper every time we canter and it's driving me crazy. How do I quiet her down?

Does your horse do what you tell her with regards to direction and pace? That is, does she turn and speed up and slow down? Essentially, horses get antsy while cantering when they figure they know what's going to happen next, that is, usually a nice gallop forward. In order to squelch that, you have to work harder on schooling, say in a ring, where she doesn't know what you're going to do next. If every time you canter, you work on tiny circles and lots of pace differentials, changing leads and so forth, she'll be too busy to worry about what's happening next and will keep her mind on YOUR directions. Also, examine your stable practices: a horse stuffed with grain and kept in a stall will naturally express their joy at movement. Tone down the grain and up the hay and turn out if that is the case.

Obviously this takes time, attention, and good, responsive hands and as well as lots of will and some experience with horses, plus a venue that allows for schooling. If you don't have these things available, farm this one out to a horse trainer for a month or so. You'll still need direction from the trainer after she gets back, but the trainer will do most of the "heavy lifting". If, after thorough training, your horse still wants to run away, then consider selling the horse. Life is too short to manage with unsuitable horses!

November 9, 2009 – Every time my horse gets shoed, her feet are sore. It seems to happen when the old shoes are removed. What do I do?

Speak to your farrier about it. He'll investigate and should have some solution ideas for you. He may be trimming too far down or there may be a "hot nail" (a nail accidently driven into the more sensitive parts of the hoof and possibly requiring veterinary care). If you don't get a clear response, then consider changing farriers. This is one area that has a wide range of skill of the practitioners — not all are good and you need your horse to be happy and comfortable. If you have any doubts, then have a different farrier inspect your horse's foot. And don't wait too long to have this checked, hoof and leg problems are serious and can be very dangerous for horses.

November 6, 2009 – When I ride my horse on the trails, he's always looking behind himself for another horse? Why does he keep doing this?

If you're riding alone, it's because he's scared to be out there without company. If you're riding ahead of a pack of horses, then he's looking at his buddies — while they're there, it means he's safe and no predators are there.. If you're last in the line, then he knows there's no horse being him and he wants to assure there's also no predator there so he has to keep on checking.

This is something that horses new to the trail often do. Most horses become more comfortable as they have many trail rides and make it back safely to the barn — it just takes some time to build confidence.

There are ways that you can trim a horse's coat that are designed to address this issue. See the two links below:

Also, there is a kind of blanket called a "quarter sheet" that you can use while riding. It fits over the horse's back and rump, but leaves his chest bare,. You can see and even buy one at this link:

The measure runs from the center of the horse's chest, across half of the width of the chest, along his side down to the rump, and then across the rump to the tail. Regardless of how the foregoing reads, it is a straightforward measure. If you think about it, all you're doing is going halfway around his body starting at the center of his chest, down one side, to his tail. Blankets come in two inch increments, with measurements in the 60s for a pony and 80s for a draft horse. You don't want the blanket to be too big (dangerously loose) or too small (dangerously tight.)

The best thing to do for your first blanket might be to buy it locally with an understanding that you can return it if it doesn't fit properly. This way, you can exchange it for a bigger or smaller size if necessary. Another option is to borrow one from a friend who has a horse of similar size. If it fits, you then know the size to buy. If not, you'll at least know if the size is too big or too small and which way to go for the next test-fit. Then you can try to find someone else who'll lend you their horse's blanket for a few minutes for another test-fit so you can "zero in" on the size.

November 3, 2009 – I am looking at a 5 year old mare who is from the track. She has a problem and has scars on her rear pasterns. The lady I am speaking with says she is a half-notch off. What does this mean? I want to buy this horse for my children as a pleasure horse, just for leisurely riding.

It means she's a little lame. Scars on her pasterns could mean many things, none of them good for soundness reasons. That might not be a problem for you if her disposition is otherwise good and you're looking for more of a lawn ornament than a performance horse. I take it that the seller is not asking a lot for her, given the state of the economy and the flood of off-track thoroughbreds out there, so I question whether spending money on getting her vetted for your purpose is even worth it.

Because you're only looking for a pleasure horse for your children, the mare should be able to handle that task. Presuming I was right that the asking price is low, I would proceed forward knowing that if she gets too lame and too sore, that it may not be a horse that has a long life ahead of her. Just keep your duty as a horse owner in mind: keep the horse well, but don't keep it beyond what it can comfortably live with.

November 2, 2009 – Why does my horse always turn to the right when he's running?

This sounds like it could be a physical problem with the horse. He may have a muscle or a neck issue, or a back issue that causes him distress when he turns the other way. Get him evaluated by a veterinarian and see what you can find out. It will matter whether he does this only under saddle, in the pasture, or both. Your vet should be able to help you identify the cause and the recommended treatment.

October 30, 2009 – How do I quiet down and settle a horse that hasn't been ridden in five years?

I would start by lunging him with saddle on and stirrup leathers popping for a few weeks, gradually increasing the time span each time, three to four times a week. Then, when you do get on, do so in a round pen where there isn't much room to run. Only ride for a few minutes at first and get off on a positive note. Gradually increase the time on and the directions given. And, if you have any doubts about whether or not he will buck, or if you see a pattern of refusal to obey your directions, then get a horse trainer to ride him for a few weeks first. As I have had frequent occasion to say, your safety is worth everything!

October 29, 2009 – My horse gallops up to me bucking and tossing his head when I feed him. What does that mean?

It means he's happy to be fed and is letting off a little steam. That is, as long as he's not charging at you. If he approaches you with his ears back and with evident intent to harm, then get out of there fast!

I wrote a previous post on this (see the one for October 13th). You should read it and pay attention to the subtle clues. If he looks like he's just having fun, then he probably is just having fun. If he looks mad however, then get out!

October 28, 2009 – How do I stop the alpha horse from challenging me in the pasture?

Well, I can answer both the direct question and then go into some background. A lunge whip with a plastic bag tied to the end of it will just about always make a horse "get out of Dodge" quickly, and that means, away from you.

But the larger issue is why this horse feels that he can challenge you in the pasture. Keep in mind that the above method will not stop a really determined horse, and that if a horse is minded to cause you injury, he will do so if you let him. Under no circumstances would I recommend you going into a pasture with an aggressive horse, even with the afore-mentioned doohickey, because it won't protect you. So, proceed with caution, if at all.

Remember that some horses really can't be handled, and you should not endanger yourself under any circumstances. Any horse that charges you is a horse that must not be in the same space with you under any circumstances. On the other hand, a horse that comes up to you and gently shoulders you is a horse in need of guidance via the above method.

October 27, 2009 – Editor's note: This is a follow-up to the post of October 9th.

As a follow up to this...I only graze him after our workout. We are working on ground manners and it seems to be going well. I am also worried about being to hard on his mouth when I am ridding. He fights with me when I want to go one way and he wants to go somewhere else...I have so much to learn. Thanks!

From everything you say, it appears to me that your horse is not convinced that you're the boss all the time. Also, the bit may not be a good bit for him. The behavior you describe is one of constant testing, that is, he's testing you on a number of issues. It may be that you're not consistent in your treatment of him, and that the bit may not be appropriate. Remember that racehorses learn to lean on the bit in a way that most other horses do not.

October 26, 2009 – When I go out in the field with my horse, as soon as I start petting him, he turns and looks at me. I go up to stand next to his head and he presses his chin against my chest and pins me between his head and his chest. What does this mean?

If he pins you, that is a control move on his part — you can think of it as a test — he's doing the testing. No horse invades your space idly. That is, he has an agenda and it usually means that he is, literally, controlling your location or movements. This would mean that you are subservient to him, which is a dangerous place for a human to be.

Horses test all the time. They test each other and they test us. They do so to determine whether or not we're in control, and also to determine if we're capable of protecting them and worthy to be their leader.

If I were in your shoes, I would not let him do this. I appreciate my horse's signs of affection, but if they involve pinning any part of me, essentially trying to control me, I remind him who is the alpha in this relationship by moving him right back. Doing this will make your horse respond to your commands better, and most importantly, will make you safer around him because he will respect you. Don't be abusive, but do be firm, in control, and consistent. If you do, your horse will actually feel safer, be happier, and be more responsive to you because he feels safer. For horses, as prey animals, it's all about feeling safe.

October 23, 2009 – My horse doesn't want to cross a brook or stream. I sometimes can get her across, but it's a fight and can take 20 minutes.\ Why does she fight me? And what should I do?

She's convinced that the stream has no bottom. She can't see it, so why should she believe it's there? So she's afraid.

Solving this problem will take some practice and repetition. Keep crossing streams. The best way is to go on long trail rides with lots of experienced horses under muddy conditions with lots of water and streams everywhere — let the other horses go across first.

Horses are very much "monkey see, monkey do" types, and especially if she gets left behind at each crossing, her struggles to avoid crossing will be lessened. After a while, the manifest silliness of her objections and her strong desire to remain with the herd will become clear even to her, and this will stop being an issue.

October 22, 2009 – Why does my horse pace in circles and not eat when in her stall?

Ex-racehorses do this sometimes. It's behavior usually caused by too much time indoors with too much energy on hand to stand still. If she is an ex-racehorse, she associates being in her stall with that confinement.

If she's not an ex-racehorse, then she's making her discomfort with an enclosed space obvious.

In such cases, I would suggest that you get her a larger stall, and start her slowly getting used to it, a few hours at a time. Horses need stalls only in the depth of winter in northern climates. Otherwise, I would keep her outside. Horses like it better outside, it's usually cheaper for you, and the horses are almost always healthier.

October 21, 2009 – I want to start my own horse farm, but I don't know where to start. Any suggestions?

If you already have adequate land for your new farm, then the issue is for you to determine how you can make the farm live on what you already have. If you don't have land, then you also have the need to scour the realty market, evaluate property, purchase property and protect your liability, etc., etc. Of course, then you have many more tasks to perform, such as your financial analysis.

Buying or starting a farm requires much more space and discussion than I have here. Fortunately, QueryHorse has already written articles on this topic. See the following:

October 20, 2009 – Is too much attention toward my horse a bad thing? I'm getting conflicting advice.

The scope of human behavior encompassed by "too much attention" is vast indeed, so let me try to read into that question a bit more, along the lines of behavior I commonly see around the stable.

Some horse owners treat their horses as if they were spoiled children. They constantly offer treats and let the horse get away with all kinds of misbehavior. They "love" their horse too much to discipline him or to otherwise control either his behavior or their own. This is certainly attention, but it is the kind of attention that trains the horse to behave badly, and with disregard for human safety. The consequences of THAT can be deadly.

On the other hand, I believe that you cannot ever pay too much attention to a horse in the sense of attention itself. That is, you must always observe, see, and have in mind what your horse is doing at that moment, as well as the situation around you and your horse. The horse is a prey animal, and he'll react to his environment. By paying close attention, you can save both him and yourself from danger. In fact, the Plains Indians, who became a horse culture in a very short time, indeed used their horses as sentinels, because of their ability to sense danger approaching.

Finally, there's certainly nothing wrong with loving your horse and giving him attention, including an occasional treat (though, don't overdo it for nutritional and colic reasons; an occasional carrot or two is fine). Horses enjoy our company, enjoy being groomed, enjoy being ridden, and enjoy learning new activities. Just be careful to keep things in perspective. Your horse will test you and try to do what he wants even if it's not what you want. When that happens, you must correct him quickly. If you do that, most corrections are nothing more than a quick snap of the reins or a sharp "NO!" There's no need to yell; don't carry on; and don't abuse your horse — they got the first message immediately.

Horses actually feel best when they're not the leader, but they truly believe that you are, because that also means that you'll take care of them and keep them safe when you're around. By being consistent, yet fair, your horse will respect you, do almost anything you want from letting you control him when riding to lifting his feet for you when you pick his hooves. You and other humans will also be much safer when around such a well mannered horse.

And yes, it's ok to give him a hug around his neck or a kiss on his head when you arrive and leave the barn.

October 19, 2009 – I moved my horse to a new stable last week and now he won't eat the grain. Is there a problem with the grain or is he in shock from the move?

He may be suffering from the move, or the grain may be different than he's used to. Give him another day or two and see if he doesn't start eating on his own. If he hasn't eaten for several days already, then change back to his old grain, and if he doesn't eat that, then immediately call a vet. It may be a health condition underlying the situation.

October 16, 2009 – How do I catch my unbroke horse? He always runs away from me as I approach his paddock.

Well, unless you know how to rope, a la cowboy style, you won't catch him by running after him. You have to convince him that he likes you and that good things happen when you're around. Fortunately, horses are very greedy, so food plus you equals love after a while and gets you started.

The trick is to have patience, and to not have an agenda most of the time. Start by putting out his feed in the morning or in the evening, and just stand near the bucket — not too close in the beginning, perhaps six feet away. Let him eat and you just stand there staring at the sky or listening to the birds or whatever. After a few days of this, move your position a foot or two closer to the bucket. Don't move a step closer while he's eating, although you can move around pacing slightly just so he knows that your moving doesn't mean that he's going to be approached.

After a while, you'll be able to stand next to him while he eats. For the next few sessions, just stand there. Eventually, bring a brush and brush his back lightly while he eats. This feels good to most horses. Increase the grooming sessions over time. Sometimes, just bring a little grain and see how much grooming he'll tolerate. If he steps away, let him. Pick up the bucket and leave the area. If he steps away before the grain is done, well, that means no more grain for that session. Don't groom every time though; keep him guessing.

Another thing to do is to deprive him of horse companionship during this time. He'll get lonely and look forward to your grooming sessions. After a while, also bring a halter and a rope. Before using it, get him used to fussing around his face and brushing his ears and neck. Especially if there are lots of flies out there, he'll appreciate the attention. After a while, you'll be able to put the halter on. Leave it on for a short while, then take it off. Eventually, you'll be able to halter him when you approach and before he eats. Voila! You've caught your horse!

The key here is patience and becoming a friendly part of your horse's life. If you only show up at the barn when you want to ride, your horse learns that you're only about work and not about his life — why should he let you approach when you don't bring anything good into his life? But if you're presence means all things, he will associate you with food, grooming, companionship, and fun, as well as work. At that point, you've become partners and friends.

October 15, 2009 – What would make an otherwise very calm horse react badly?

Pain or Fear. Check for signs of both. Horses are not computers, they're prey animals. They react to things beyond our abilities to sense and they do so very quickly. That's why you must always pay close attention to your horse at all times when you're near him — it could save your life.

If you're not able to determine what is going on by yourself, your best bet is to enlist the help of a trainer. He/she should be able to determine whether or not your horse is in pain. If it is, the next step is to call your vet to address the issue. If it's fear instead, your trainer should be able to help your horse work through the issue(s) with techniques for desensitization.

Don't ignore this. Something has changed to make your horse react badly and you owe it to yourself and him to resolve the issue so you both can get on with a happier existence together.

I confess that I have no idea. This is a veterinary issue. Anything health related that looks scary, I always call my vet first thing. This would be one of those times.

October 13, 2009 – What does it mean when a horse bobs his head and dances with his front hooves?

It could mean a couple of things and you need to observe all the signals: 1) If his ears are up and pointed forward, or at half mast and pointed at you on his back, then it means he's excited to get going and do whatever it is that either you or he have planned at that moment; 2) But, if they're flat to his head and you're in front of him on the ground, it means that he's about to bite you, paw you, or otherwise hurt you — you need to MOVE! If the former, you have a happy horse. If the latter, obviously, you need to think about what you're doing and why your horse is upset.

October 12, 2009 – I have a question about the hay I am feeding my horse. It is a combination of 1st and 2nd cutting. It was kept dry, is not moldy or even dusty, but has a vinegar smell to it. My husband said it's fermenting. Is that what's happening? My horse is not happy eating it. I've starting spraying it with a molasses and water mix and it seems easier on his pallet, but can it harm him in anyway? Thanks so much for your help!!

It could be fermenting. If your horse is not happy eating it, then don't force the issue. If you mask the taste with sugar, two things happen:

October 9, 2009 – My 7 year old, off-track Thoroughbred constantly tries to eat when I tack him up. After riding I often hand-graze him a little while he rests. Could this be what's causing this behavior? He is coming back from a knee injury, so at this point, we are only walk/trot. We are in the early stages of this relationship as I've only had him for 6 months.

Hand-grazing him, per se, is not a problem. But, if you hand-graze him with a bit in, absolutely, that is the cause. Otherwise, and in addition, you're allowing him to dictate the terms of his work, and so, of course, he will. To address this situation, keep his mind on business when it is business time — work time now, snack time later.

He's a smart horse; he already knows this. He's just presuming on your good will at this point, and you're letting him do so.

October 7, 2009 – My horse gets very excited when around other horses and it scares me. What should I do?

Your fear is the most significant part of this that you need to address. It means that you'll have a tough time becoming his boss so you can control his expressions of excitement. There are things you can do to restrain and control his actions, but absent that inner certitude on your part, I'm afraid to recommend techniques that could get you hurt.

Get a horse trainer and work with basic control techniques until you're more in control of yourself and the horse. And if you cannot master that fear, you won't like this, but you should sell the horse. Life is too short for this kind of risk and danger.

I think the broken Kimberwick is more painful for the horse. It combines the torque of a Pelham onto a twisting platform.

October 5, 2009 – What is the legal definition of a "negligent lease?" I heard this recently and don't know what it means.

I am not sure either. There is negligence, and there is the process of leasing. Negligence means you owe a duty of care to someone and that you breach by reason of your lack of adequate care. A lease is where you give the use of your horse to someone else for some remuneration.

Those who take on a horse in a lease might be supposed to have a duty to look out for their own interests. I suppose it might be argued that a complete neophyte that relies on an experienced horse trainer for a recommendation for a lease, might be put in a situation where that trainer committed negligence in recommending a horse for a lease. That's about the most I can come up with.

That is an editorial opinion on the process of you getting on his back — don't let him express this opinion to you. That is, stop him before he can perform the action, and enforce consequences for that attitude, such as popping the reins, making him back up, and other forms of mildly unpleasant work. The point is, YOU are the boss and he is the underling.

Then, make sure you're not overworking him or engaging in other habits that might make going out less than pleasant. If he enjoys going out, then the attitude will lessen, though he may never like the mounting process. Keep in mind that when you get on, your weight twists his spine as you get on if using the stirrup from the ground. It might be worth using a mounting block to help with that issue. To learn more about this issue, see our articles about mounting:

If you're not hurting him as you get on, and if the ride itself is pleasant, then he has no business trying to stage a "coup d'etat", and that is what you must impart to him, enlisting a horse trainer if necessary.

October 1, 2009 – When I ride my horse and ask him to go, he turns his head around and looks at me. At first I thought his stomach hurt, but all he does is look at me, not at his stomach. I got off one time and lead him and he was fine.

He is a good horse, not lazy at all and I love him a lot, but one day I went out to ride him and he started this. I really care about him and this puzzles me. What could it be? If I really urge him to go, he goes but somewhat reluctantly.

I have had repeated occasion to say that horses are much smarter than we give them credit for. Your horse has learned that if he gives you a long, soulful look, then you'll not ask him to work. Wow! And I thought my 7 year old quarter horse gelding, left with his mommy until this year, and so entirely spoiled rotten, was the only equine that had learned this trick!

Um. Well, it is hard not to be a soft touch in this circumstance, unless you actually need to get places with him. The next time you're mounted, he does this, and once you two are done communing, then I would say to pull his nose around straight and remind him who is the actual boss in this circumstance. Then, tell him what the boss wants him to do, as in, right now. Don't be harsh or cruel, just firm in that it's time for him to start going forward.

September 30, 2009 – Why does my horse need so much attention? I just bought him to go riding, not to have another pet.

Horses need constant companionship, which is a lesson I guess you're learning the hard way. Most people delegate these duties to another horse. Examine your stable management practices and change them so that your horse can socialize with other horses all day, and so that he does not have to rely on you. A good boarding stable knows how to do this as well as address the physical needs of food, water, turnout, etc. In other words, if you're not able to manage horse care yourself, then board at a place that does.

If you cannot do either, then sell the horse. The horse deserves a life, just as you do. Then you can get an All Terrain Vehicle so that you can ride without the demands inherent in a living creature. There are others that will love to spend time with the horse and they, the horse, and you with the ATV, will all be happy.

September 29, 2009 – My horse is afraid of forest and wooded areas, so he never wants to ride there. How do I de-sensitive him?

Take lots of trail rides in company with seasoned, older horses. Their company will play to your horse's "herd instincts" and help your horse to feel comfortable while out in the forest. After enough time and miles, your horse will be trooping right along with the veterans.

September 28, 2009 – Hi, I am considering picking up a lovely 11-year-old dark bay Quarter Horse mare. She is very quiet and moves nicely but she has a crack which runs up her front hoof from the ground all the way to the coronary band. The current owner says that this is a surface crack and has shoes on her front only due to this. I have been told that this will all grow out roughly in a year or so and then she should be fine and in the meantime I just need to keep her shod for that time until the crack has grown out and is gone. Do you have an opinion on this issue? If so I would very much like to hear it.

I do not shoe my horses but have always used easy boots when riding on trails or anything rough. I am not sure if the current owner is willing to subtract from the cost of the mare the added expense of shoeing for roughly a year but does that sound reasonable to you? Would you consider purchasing a horse with a split like this? I guess that I am submitting multiple questions here. Thank you in advance for your valued opinion.

If I were you, I'd hire a farrier and get him to look at the crack BEFORE buying. A horse's hoof grows from the coronet band, like a fingernail, and so the present owner is correct in that the crack will grow out in about a year. If it's not a deep crack, and the horse stays shod for the year to hold the foot together, then he's right and it's not a big deal, just something to keep an eye on. However, if it IS a deep crack, then it might not get better, and the foot might indeed split. If so, it is a big deal, and you will have no recourse against the seller who responsibly told you about and showed you the crack, and where you bought the mare knowing the risk.

So I'd hire a farrier, get fully informed, and then haggle away if you still want the mare. In your shoes, after being forewarned as to the risks, I would see what the price is and take an informed risk if the crack isn't too deep. Some of my best horses have come about through haggling of just this nature. But be prepared if the horse's foot does come apart, because at that point, you'll have no choice but to do the kind, right, and appropriate thing and put the horse down humanely. In such circumstance, just remember that the horse's life was much better with you than with anyone else, and that she had the best chance of getting over it with your care. In such cases, there is no regret or recrimination, it just is what it is.

September 25, 2009 – Hi! I was wondering if you can help me on a equine matter? A friend of mine had brought her horse to a well known horse trainer because he has a bad problem with rearing and flipping over. The trainer did not have us sign any release forms, training, nothing. Well they tied him to the barn with an over hang and know all about this horses fear. He reared, wacked his head, and flipped over. We brought him home not knowing he broke his face plate till a few months down the road, because it just wasn't healing right. Do We have any kind of case?? Thanks for your time.

It certainly sounds interesting from a legal standpoint. Whether there is a case or not depends on a whole lot of questions I cannot ask or get answered in this format. Advise your friend to contact an equine lawyer in her local area for a consultation.

The reason I generally give this advice is because legal issues are rarely simple. Plus, laws covering many issues vary from state to state. I know the laws of the state in which I practice, but I couldn't claim that about other states. To get good quality legal advice, your friend needs to consult an equine attorney who knows the laws of her state and also understands the vagaries of horse issues and legal precedents. That way, she'll get particular feedback on this very question for her particular locality.

September 24, 2009 – What kind of document do I need to transfer a horse as a gift?

A document resembling a bill of sale, using the words "give" rather than "sell" can work. The point is that the document transfers title of the horse to the recipient and therefore indicates that you are surrendering all rights to the horse. It also contains your signature to prove it.

BUT at this point, I must utter words of caution: You can hold your breath and put your hope in fate, but you're taking a chance. Without knowing your particular circumstances, keep in mind that this IS NOT my legal advice and you ARE NOT empowered to act on it as if it was!!!! There are many issues that surround the transfer of a horse, including representation issues, warranty issues, liability issues, board issues, etc. So, for any transfer, it's best to at least run the situation by an equine attorney — that is my advice!

Because he knows he's about to work and is exhibiting his editorial opinion on that topic by voting with his feet. Make him stand and tack him up in front of a wall so that he can only move backwards or sideways. Be vigilant, and when he moves, make him move backwards, sideways, or around in a circle until you're at the same place again, and until he wants to quit moving. When he finally stands still, try it again.

Also make sure that the bridle fits him well and does not pinch; and tighten the girth slowly. In fact, when girthing, I often walk in a circle. While doing so, I'll stop every few feet, tightening a notch, go another feet feet, tighten, and so on for three or four times. If you tighten the girth all at once, it may cause the horse to flip over when you get on because of the squeeze around his middle. So, be cautious around girthing.

And don't pinch his ears when pulling the headstall over head. If he does stand, praise him extravagantly, pull the bridle off, and then let him rest for a while in reward. After a few minutes, you can put his bridle on again.

This whole process should not take too long to sort out. You just have to be consistent and attentive to the discomfort of your horse in the process — as you must with most things horse!

September 22, 2009 – Why does my horse sweat more on one side of her body than the other side?

I have no idea why your horse only sweats on one side of her body. This sounds like a medical issue to me, so I recommend calling your veterinarian. Horses can stop sweating for a variety of reasons, including heat stroke. So this is not something to leave alone — call your vet!

September 21, 2009 – My horse keeps trying to graze while I'm riding him. What do I do?

Don't let him. This takes constant attention, but if he snatches at the grass or the trees, snatch back with the bit at that exact instant with a pop of the reins, and at the same time, say in a terrible voice, STOP THAT! Horses are way smarter than many of us give them credit for, and the first time you do this, he'll understand that the behavior is forbidden. The next ten times he tries, it will only be because he wants to see if you really mean it, and he will time those attempts for the moments when he figures you're not paying attention. This is a game and the prize is the snack, so be prepared for some enthusiastic playing until he figures out that you mean business.

September 18, 2009 – My horse was kicked by another horse. How do I treat it and what do I do to stop it from happening again?

The treatment for a kick will depend on the extent of the damage. If it is just swelling, then a cold water hosing and bute helps reduce swelling and pain. If there was a cut, then some antibiotic ointment and oral antibiotics might also be necessary. Call your veterinarian for all such questions in any event.

On to your larger question: there is no way to really prevent intra-horse aggression other than keeping them separated. Some owners don't care about this, figuring that the horses need to settle it themselves. Unfortunately, Justin Morgan's owner felt this way about his little stallion Figure, resulting in the founding sire of the Morgan breed dying far earlier than he needed to.

I think you do need to keep an eye on this situation. A little threat display from the boss to the underling now and again is fine to keep order in the herd. But vicious attacks from a higher ranked horse in confined quarters means that the underdog horse is really at risk. In such case, a shuffling of the herd is in order before some really serious injury occurs.

September 17, 2009 – I live in Massachusetts. How much land do I need to keep a horse?

That depends on your local zoning rules — there is no state wide rule. Your town should have a website with all the zoning regulations printed online. Go check it out and get back to me with other questions after you've had a chance to read up.

September 16, 2009 – I have a 6 year old Arab/Paint. She's always been difficult to work with. I have done a lot of ground work which seems to be helping. However, now when I ride her, she tries to bite my leg when I ask her to move forward. Other than kick her nose, what should I do?

All horse training boils down to boss-mare principals: punish bad behavior, reward good. So, don't let her bite and impose an immediate sanction when she tries.

Ideally, you would want to employ the sanction as she's getting into motion to bite, not after the fact. This will befuddle her and convince her that you are, indeed, all powerful. After you've applied the sanction, immediately get her interested in doing something else. One thing to try is to get her to turn rather than going forward. Once she has turned, straighten her out for a few strides, then stop and reward her.

The first few times, if she does what you want, consider getting off, untacking immediately, and letting her go for the day. She'll not be slow in associating the reward with the action. Then, gradually stretch it out and increase the work ratio before letting her go, but each time praising her and letting her rest when she does what you want. She will soon become interested in the training for its own sake if you vary the commands and the actions.

Horses can also get interested in projects, so work towards a goal (whether barrel racing, trail class, polo, or what have you....) and you'll both have more fun. But, be aware of the possibility that she's too intransigent in her resistance for you to safely train. If so, unload her immediately onto a horse trainer. If that doesn't work or you're patience is running out, you might even consider selling her to a new owner who has been well warned of her nature and tendencies. Not all horses are for all riders, and there's no shame in recognizing that fact.

September 15, 2009 – I just got this new 2 year old gelding and we want him to be a good 4-h horse. The owner that sold him said their grandchildren have ridden him when they led him around. But once we lead him (after having him a month) he wouldn't go forward so we've been circling him. But we'd like to train him by September so we can enter him in 4-h. I am hoping that I will be able to ride him next year for 4-h.

My other horse is an 11 year old Thoroughbred mare and is good to lead, saddle, and bridle. She used to be ridden, but since her owner died, she hasn't been ridden for 4 years. She spooks easily and I am afraid to ride her and can't find a trainer to try to ride her either. I have a friend who has had 20 horses and bred them with her two stallions. She is willing to ride my mare, but she is too young and needs her mom's help, but her mom has been busy this summer.

Both of your horses need a good horse trainer. From your questions, I believe their issues are likely beyond the scope of what you can safely handle. It won't take long to get them into shape, just probably thirty days or so, but you need a good trainer for that period.

You said you can't find a trainer for your mare. How have you looked? There are all ranges of trainers out there, from rough stock riders and insane individuals who will take on the toughest of the tough to the trainers employed by race owners to start the young ones and method trainers who handle the backyard horses that are too much for their owners, and so on.

I would say, do a search in QueryHorse to find a trainer — use the search query below:

If you can't find a trainer close to where you are, contact one of the further ones you do find and ask if they know anyone in your area. This is one investment of your time that will be well worth it, especially as you say, if you intend to show by the end of September.

You're doing the right thing by circling on leading, but from there, you really need expert guidance. I won't be able to know how to advise more specifically without seeing what's going on, and that is why you need a trainer on site with you.

September 14, 2009 – I hope you can help me. I don't have a round pen so I need something else that might work. I just recently (2 wks ago) bought my first horse. He's a mini gelding 5 yrs old. I was told he was a child's horse and the woman says she bought from the original owner. The woman had him 4 months and did nothing with him but turn him out to pasture.

My problem is that he's very hard to catch and he doesn't want to be touched. If I try to touch him, he moves away. He turns his rump to me in the stall when I go in to get him to turn him out in the afternoons. He's the only horse I have, but he's right beside ducks and chickens and a dog with only fencing separating them. Once I get a lead on him, he is great. He follows well, backs well, does good for the farrier, can be groomed etc. He will come up to me in the pasture but doesn't want me or anyone else touching him. I'm trying to find the original owners, but so far had no luck. I'm getting very discouraged, can you help??

Does he move away even if you have food or grain in a bucket? Most horses are so greedy for food that it overcomes even their earnest desire not to be touched. Try going out to the field with no agenda other than feeding him. Put the bucket down and then stand back a few feet. Wait till he's done and then take the bucket away. Each time you feed him, stand a little closer. Don't do anything but stand there and commune with nature. Eventually you will be able to stand next to him.

After a while of successful standings next to him, bring a brush and just brush his back while he eats — he will enjoy this. Incrementally increase your range of activity, but don't ask him to accept anything other than to eat and be groomed. He'll soon associate you with good things and start to look forward to your visits.

This whole process will take a while, and you must be patient. His behavior is obviously a trick he's learned over time, and he won't unlearn it quickly either,. But if you persevere, you should have a friendly pony in a few months. Just be sure to look at things from his perspective: if your presence always means work and interference, well, who can blame him for sulking and wanting to get away when you show up?

September 11, 2009 – My two-year old gelding has trouble leading. When I lead him, he won't go forward, so we have to go in circles. We have an 11 year old mare that leads without a lead rope, but she doesn't let him touch the hay when we feed them, so now we feed them separately. How can you help us let them be able to feed together and have my gelding lead properly?

Unfortunately, as I've written before, you cannot dictate inter-horse manners. No matter what you do, they have an opinion on the topic, and since they're the ones that control their behavior and are much stronger and heavier than we are, another approach must be used.

Leading by circling is the right thing to do. From there, what you have to do is convince him that when he resists, that action will touch off a wave of work. Conversely, if he goes along with your desires, then he gets to rest. So, if you can get even one forward step out of him, you can use that principle — it does take patience. You may want to enlist a horse trainer if you don't have the time or the patience to work on it. That would be my suggestion in any event.

As for feeding, just either feed them separately or put the hay in two piles widely spaced so that if your mare chases him off one pile, he can retreat to the next pile.

There are many signs. Some of them are: they stick their tongue out; they dip their chins to their chest; they toss their heads when you pull; they bob their heads back, forth, up, and down; and they "mouth the bit" frantically. Of course, all of this also means the bit is hurting the horse — that's why he's evading it, so you'll have to examine that issue carefully.

A bit that causes the horse to exhibit undue evasion tactics is no fun to ride. And it's not fair to the horse, either. The process also teaches the horse really bad habits that can render him unsafe, so do watch this issue carefully and be ready to change bits.

The Horse Guy has tried the Myler family of bits and is quite happy with them. The premise of this bit is that it should not hurt the horse. It might be worth checking out if this is a constant issue with your horse.

September 9, 2009 – What does it mean when my horse follows me around the pasture?

It could mean several things: Your horse might think that you're carrying some food and could be going to feed him. It could also mean that he thinks you're the herd leader. He might just be curious and wants to see what you're going to do next. Or, he could just be bored — horses like it when people show up to play.

First, you have to do an investigation to determine why the horse is excitable. Here are some possibilities to explore:

If none of those circumstances apply, then you might just be dealing with an excitable horse. In that case, enlist a trainer on settling firmly the alpha issue with the horse so that he trusts that you are his boss and will keep him safe. At the same time, do an assessment: are you sure your skills are enough to keep you safe with this horse? Don't bite off more than you can chew on this one; there are always more horses available, and because you're asking this question, be honest with yourself about whether or not this one is truly for you. Remember, safety first in all things!

September 4, 2009 – Is there any liability for spooking a horse on a public trail?

There could be. It depends on the rules of the public trail, and how likely it is to encounter horses. For example, if there is a rule that no ATV vehicles can ride on certain designated trails, and yet an ATV vehicle does so and spooks a horse which ultimately results in property damage or an injury to a person or horse, then there could indeed be negligence proven that will result in liability. So, as a proper lawyer, I will have to give you the proper lawyer answer: a definite maybe!

If this is not an idle question, call an equine lawyer, and sooner rather than later. In this kind of case particularly, you want an attorney that understands the behavior of horses.

September 3, 2009 – New Equine Legal Article
Because of the current economic climate, there have, sadly, been many more abandoned horses recently, and subsequent questions regarding that issue from a boarding farm's perspective. As a result, I've prepared an article that helps provide a legal path that farm owners can pursue should they find themselves in such a situation. It's entitled: The Abandoned Horse Problem - Solve it Quickly.

September 2, 2009 – Can a horse become alpha over a rider if pastured alone?

Of course. But it has nothing to do with being pastured alone — the two circumstances are not related. A horse has a natural urge to settle the issue of who is boss no matter who he is communicating with. It's the first order of business, because, he can't know how to respond until that point is settled. It is true that a horse pastured alone will be lonely, and will be more likely to be happy when you appear to break the monotony. But he may also relish the opportunity to be a big boss himself, if you, the rider, allow it. All horses are individuals. Funny, so are all humans. It makes for an interesting time!

September 1, 2009 – I live in Massachusetts as you do. Do you know how much land I need so as to be able to keep my horse here at home?

Actually, this is a town zoning issue rather than a state requirement. So, you'll have to check your local zoning regulations on that one. Each town defines how many acres of land they require per horse. This is not the actual amount of grass needed to feed a horse year round, but some amount of land deemed necessary by the town. You'll have to determine how much pasture you'll require to graze a horse depending on his size, how much he eats, etc. The amount of pasture needed for grazing could be significantly more than the minimum amount of land the town requires to be able to keep horses.

August 31, 2009 – Will using overreach boots stop my horse from clicking as she walks?

If the click is caused by your horse's rear hooves striking her front hooves, then it usually will stop the clicking. Otherwise, you need to explore further for the actual cause of the clicking before buying the boots to assure overreaching is the cause — it could be something else. Enlist the help of a horse trainer or your vet to observe the horse's gaits if in doubt.

August 28, 2009 – I have a horse that does not graze enough on his own. What should I do?

Are you telling me this horse does not like grass? That is, if you left him in a field with knee high grass, he would not eat? Does he have any trouble with the rest of his foods? That is, does he eat hay and grain? If it's a general malady, then you could be looking at a dental problem. If he won't eat just grass, then it may be the amount or kind of grass that you're grazing him on that he disdains. I would not second-guess your horse on this one because he knows what he can and not eat when it comes to grasses. All you can do is offer him different or better pasturage or more pasturage at more leisure. Try that and see what happens.

August 27, 2009 – My horse sometimes rears while tied. I don't know how to stop him and it scares me. Please tell me what to do.

This is tough one. I had a horse that pulled back and broke a leg doing it — he had to be put down.

I would enlist the help of a trainer that has appropriate expertise in dealing with this kind of problem. This is one vice that you really have to try to eradicate, because it's dangerous for the horse and you can't really use a horse that won't stand tied. I've heard of tools used, such as a tractor trailer tire filled with cement that's heavy enough to move, but too heavy to drag, and so forth. But I would be afraid to use such approaches for fear of hurting the horse. Again, this is really a job for an expert.

DO NOT RIDE HIM! Call a veterinarian IMMEDIATELY! This is a veterinarian issue that should be addressed immediately for the safety of yourself and the horse.

There is no typical fee. This is one where you have to get out there and see what the market demands. I would go to a licensed hauler though, just for safety's sake. You can get cheap deals, but you will not have confidence in the ride and safety of your horse.

Snaffles are not the toughest bit in the arsenal, but they can be used in a way that produces a tough effect. Also, how the horse is configured may produce more of an effect with its use. You really have to watch your horse to see how that horse responds. If he displays signs of pain, evasion, or worse, has blood or sores from its use, you'll know that it's too much and that you need to check out its fit and how you're using it.

August 21, 2009 – Is it dangerous to ride without stirrups? Is it hard to do? Is there any advantage to do it?

Riding without stirrups, that is, bareback or on a pad, can be unsettling for those who don't have good balance on a horse. Stirrups can help a rider because they allow him to push and steady himself with his feet when he gets unbalanced, and to get back into a more correct position. It is a bit of a "catch-22" in that sense: poor riders like the stirrups because, by definition, they're "poor riders" and easily become unbalanced. And yet, having stirrups there all the time will prevent them from learning how to balance themselves and become better riders.

I would not go so far as to call the situation without stirrups to be "dangerous". However, beginning riders don't use stirrups correctly anyway. That is, they allow their heels to come up and their feet to slide too far into the stirrup. This prevents good body posture and can be a definite hazard if they do fall off and get their feet hung up in the stirrup (from being too far forward). That can lead to getting dragged, which all agree is a dangerous situation not to be tested at home (or anywhere else, really).

So, when I teach someone to ride, I do often have my student practice with his feet out of the stirrups. By doing so, the student learns how to keep his back straight, his heels down, and how to use his leg muscles and back muscles to keep his body in the correct position. Once the student is riding in balance NOT using stirrups, then using stirrups becomes much easier.

Then again, you also have to look at where and how the riding is taking place. A calm horse, a beginning rider, and a walking pace in a place where the horse is familiar and comfortable with other calm horses around and an instructor right there is an ideal time to try riding without stirrups. Conversely, wild terrain, spooky horses, long rides, and no one else nearby leads me to use stirrups — it's all a matter of judgment!

August 20, 2009 – I'm never sure whether or not I'm riding my horses enough, too much, or too little. Can you offer some guidance?

Sure. As a polo player, I watch this all the time. A horse that is used too much will lose flesh, will get small lameness and stiffness problems, will get saddle sores, will evade being caught with much enthusiasm (his attitude will shift from, "you can't catch me!, hee, hee" to "you will not under any circumstances catch me!"), and will in general wilt.

A horse that is not used enough will have no top line of muscles over his back and loins, will be flabby in musculature elsewhere, will be very frisky when you get on, yet will sweat up and get winded immediately, and then will resist working any more.

Does any of this sound familiar? If not, then you are probably working your horses just right!

There is an old wive's tale that horses will NOT leave a burning barn. I can believe this, although I've not witnessed or heard of a specific situation proving or disproving it. It likely has to do with the fact that the horse is in fear, feels safest in its stall, and does not trust the human to lead it anywhere in the midst of the scary smoke and flame. Blindfolding the horse may work, as that will shut out the scary sights. I hope I never have to find out what the real story is on this one!

I think so. They can hear the approaching storm and smell it and feel the change in air pressure. Wait a minute, so can I!

August 17, 2009 – Every time I ask my horse to trot, she wants to turn around; why?

Turn around as in run home? Or, turn around as in run in circles? Barring some kind of injury, I really can't think of what might cause a horse to do this without more details. Send me another question with more information and I'll be happy to help.

August 14, 2009 – How can I evict a boarding tenant? We have no written agreement or lease.

If you're talking about evicting only the horse, then you as the owner of the land has the right to warn off anyone from trespassing on that land. The owner of the land could, for example, give written notice of trespass to someone he wanted removed. If your question involves a boarder of the horse who also lives on the land, then you're talking "eviction law" which is very complex and beyond the scope of this forum. Therefore, the practical details of making it happen are very messy and you really need to get proper legal advice before embarking on this course of action. Remember, what I gave you above is NOT LEGAL ADVICE and you should not do anything without contacting a lawyer.

August 13, 2009 – I have a 17 year old, pregnant, Thoroughbred mare that makes a clicking sound when she walks. But, when she trots, I can't hear it. Could you tell me why she does that?

This sounds like a joint click. I'm 48 and much the same thing happens when I walk. In other words, it doesn't sound to me like a hugely worrying thing.

August 12, 2009 – I have a 4 year old quarter horse. When we got her she wasn't broke and needed some refreshing, so we worked with her all day. She did great, but the next day I rode her and squeezed her to make her trot, she tried to bite my boyfriend and she wouldn't go. She also laid her ears back. What do I do to make her trot and run.? I am going to use her for barrel racing and my boyfriend said use spurs?

The problem with green horses (inexperienced horses) is that they're not consistent in their reactions to our suggestions. Training for a horse consists of repeating a series of cues over time followed by a desired reaction for which the horse is praised. After a while, the horse decides of his own volition that doing what you ask is a good thing and even could be a fun thing. The point is that the horse always has a choice, and so, if you introduce spurs or a whip without figuring out what is going on, you could be introducing real trouble.

It appears as though here, she did what you asked initially, and you responded by working the heck out of her by working with her all day. Overnight, she came to the independent decision that doing what you ask leads to lots of work, so she has indicated her desire to not participate in the future.

Your best bet is to enlist a horse trainer to help get her mind settled and happy to work again. If she tries to bite, reprimand the biting behavior. And when working her, start out slow, reward obedience, and then get off.

Each day, add a little more. After a while, she'll like going out of her pen for jaunts — add trotting when she appears comfortable. Again, with every positive thing that she does, reward with pats and then stop working. This takes great patience and most people don't have the time to do this, which is why I said to enlist a horse trainer. You can send her out for training for thirty days and you'll be amazed at the results.

The basic deal of a "free lease" is: you take care of the horse, and as long as you do, you can use him for free. Some people will charge a lease fee for the horse ON TOP of the horse's maintenance, which is a lease which is NOT free.

In either case, it's best to hire an equine attorney practicing in your state to review the lease's terms to avoid pitfalls. A good percentage of my cases involve lease deals that have gone wrong. The unifying theme is usually one of two causes: these individuals did not get good legal advice and/or did not write anything down first.

August 10, 2009 – Why does my thoroughbred shake and toss her head whenever she's not at the front of the pack?

She's likely saying, "look at me, "I AM THE BOSS HERE!!!" The rest of the horses may or may not agree. But I am sure it makes for an interesting equine discussion carried out in non verbal cues about which we have only a very minor possibility of interpreting.

Well, which is it? If he's lonely, he's not bored — he's lonely! Or is he bored? It's important not to confuse the two — they're not the same.

Loneliness can only be addressed by providing companionship. Remember that horses are designed by nature to live outside in company, so if they're not in the company of others of their kind, they will be lonely, AND possibly bored — give the horse a friend!

Some horses are bored even when they have a friend. While some may play together, others do not. In that case, give the horse something to do, such as a good pasture with adequate grazing, or during the non-growth colder months, some free-choice hay.

Overall, good companionship with other horses, regular interaction with you, and good feeding practices, will help ensure a happy, healthy horse.

WHEW! I would say, GET HELP and don't put yourself in the same enclosure with the horse again. A horse that has ill intent resulting in an actual charge is a dangerous animal, and you should under no circumstances put yourself in a situation where it can happen to you. Some Thoroughbred stallions, the über nasty of the breed, who also have fleetness in their genetic makeup, will have trained stallion handlers who are able to actually breed the horses without being in the same enclosure with them. It just keeps the staff healthy, which is a good thing.

That being said, a horse that charges a human is a rare thing. Horses are prey creatures and do not typically charge a predator, which is what we are. They may run past you as you try to corner them, which is not quite the same thing. If it is just a brush as they skate by, well, then, the extreme warning is not required. You may still want to get experienced help, but that help will revolve around how to catch the horse, not how to keep you alive while you get in the paddock with him. The difference in intent should be clear: a horse that wants your demise will lay his ears back, glare at you, open his mouth, and will try to do the deed himself.

August 5, 2009 – Hi, I see that you have been getting some questions regarding bit problems lately and I have a question regarding bits too. My nine-year-old quarter horse gelding has always fought against having a bit placed in his mouth. I had his wolf teeth removed when he was first purchased (just before he turned 2) and my vet tells me that he sees nothing there to bother him, but he still fights against having the bit placed in his mouth. While riding, he will throw his head somewhat, though I try to be very careful to ride with a loose rein and not use any more pressure than necessary. After riding, when it is time to take his bridle off and the bit out, he throws his head very high and violently away from me and the bit. All of his actions seem to say to me that he has a problem either with the bit hitting tender areas of his mouth or with some other issues. The only bit I have ever used on him is a simple D-ring snaffle, no port or shanks have been used nor do I use a curb strap.

I decided to purchased a side-pull bridle to see if that would help and he actually accepts it willingly and rides well with it and when it comes time to take it off, he lowers his head and it is removed easily with no head throwing and no angst at all on his part. I have to say that part of me, before I purchased the side-pull, thought that he was just being lazy and didn't feel like working, but I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt and with his reaction to the side-pull, I can come to only one conclusion, and that is that he actually must have been having at least some pain from the bit. I have decided to go with the side pull and not try anything else on him. I respect your thoughts so I would like to know what your opinions are regarding this? Thanks for your time.

All bits act in the same way: through pressure. Some bits apply more pressure than others, and each horse is different and individual in makeup. That includes how their mouth is designed and whether they feel pain in certain areas or not. So I believe that it is entirely possible that a snaffle bit, which actually puts pressure at the roof of the mouth, on the bars, and at the corners of the lips, could cause a horse distress, even if it's just a simple "D Ring" snaffle. In my experience, lazy horses act differently than horses in pain, and what you were describing sounds like a horse in pain. So, side pull away!

August 4, 2009 – Some of the horses at my barn drag their back toes. Why do they do this?

I don't know. Horses will drag behind due to neurological problems, injury, or arthritis. But, it would be very unusual to have a collection of such ailments. This is another question for your vet. He/she will likely have to see this behavior for the themselves to determine the cause.

August 3, 2009 – My horse keeps stopping when I'm leading her and I have to fight her to get her started again. Help!

This problem boils down to the fact that she does not quite trust you as alpha — many questions submitted by readers about an uncooperative horse have to do with this very problem. Work on round pen work until she obeys your ground commands unhesitatingly. If it's only occasional refusals, then lead her to one side rather than straight on. Many horses will refuse a straight pull on their halters (which puts pressure behind their ears), but will follow a side pull.

July 31, 2009 – I bought a horse recently and learned after buying him that he cribs. What recourse do I have?

As in legal recourse? Cribbing is not considered such a serious vice that it would defeat the value of the horse, as most horses continue being useful horses even if they crib. There may be an exception if the previous seller warranted that the horse did NOT crib. In any event, the full answer will depend on the circumstances of YOUR particular situation, for which you'll have to get legal advice from an equine attorney that practices in your state.

If your question regards how do you keep a horse from cribbing, there are many devices out there including collars which fit around the brow of the horse's head to his neck and prevents him from sucking air in. This is not a complete cure, however, as the horse will still try to latch on to any surface and make the crib attempt.

All research points to a genetic predisposition to cribbing Therefore, the tales of horses learning to crib by being with a cribbing horse is now thought to be unfounded. Cribbers crib more if they're stressed or bored in their stalls with little to do and eat. The cribbing process itself purports to release endorphins that make the stressed horse feel better, which is why the habit can be difficult or impossible to stop. But as mentioned before, your horse is otherwise normal and can do all that horses can do. It is worthwhile to examine your stable regimen and see if there are any improvements you can make towards keeping your horse fed with free-choice hay, busy, happy, and occupied.

Yikes! If your horse is a Quarter Horse, it could be HYPP, a vile genetic condition passed on by the famous stallion "Impressive". It could also be sleep deprivation as well as a host of other strange neurological conditions. You really need to call your veterinarian on this one, and don't ride your horse until the problem has been diagnosed. You are in danger if you do.

July 29, 2009 – My horse is afraid of a rider when mounted. He gets very anxious. Why does he do this and how do I fix it?

I'm not sure I fully understand your question. Are you saying that your horse, when being ridden, cannot approach other horses who are being ridden without getting anxious? This sounds as though he has insufficient respect for and attention placed upon you, his rider. If he believes that you're his alpha and trusts you, then his fear of other things, including other horses, whether mounted or not, will fade. We have a number of articles on the QueryHorse site which dealing with questions about this common topic. Start with this article, which also links to the others:

I would start with round pen work and enlist a trainer to help you. Building your horse's respect for you will make him feel safe whenever he's with you and also make him easier to control and train by you. Let's face it, horses that can't ride with other horses are a drag!

July 28, 2009 – How can I tell if my horse doesn't like the particular bit that I'm using?

There is no mistaking it. He'll let you know by mouthing, resisting, shaking his head, sticking his tongue out and otherwise showing you that this particular bit stinks as far as he is concerned. Read the June 25th, 2009 posting below describing "evading the bit" which is closely related.

July 27, 2009 – I own a Thoroughbred that I have had for about 4 months. I have noticed that when on a trail, she does not want to go down hills if she is in the lead. If it is on a flat trail, she will lead all day long. She will follow another horse down a hill. How do I get her to go down hills on her own, in the lead? Thanks.

It sounds as though she's uneasy carrying your weight downhill. Unless you tell me that she does this by herself in the pasture, I have to think this is related to her not being quite strong enough to be confident to easily carry you on her back when on a slope. Remember that for horses, the feeling of carrying a rider on a downhill causes more strain on the forehand and on the back.

I would say the thing to do here is to practice and practice some more. Trotting, particularly up hill and down, is a great way to build strength and confidence. If you go for long enough rides and enough trots, soon you'll be able to trot beside another horse and then ahead of the other horse, first on a slight slope, and then on a steeper slope. Soon, your horse won't even know the difference.

July 21, 2009 – My horse always fights me when I'm trying to bridle her, especially when I try to put the bit in her mouth. What should I do?

Horses will fight if they think they can get away with fighting, especially when the fighting produces the desired result, such as you backing off from bridling. The trick is to move smoothly, quickly, and to reduce the amount that the horse can fight so that it ceases to be an issue. Here are some tricks that I use:

Put a lead rope high up around the horse's neck and have someone stand right behind you holding it, then pull hard on it if the horse moves his head to the side to fight you. You should stand on the left side of the horse by his neck with the bridle in your right hand and with your back to the horse's rump. Bend your right arm so that your elbow is pointed up over your head and use your left hand to cup the bit so that when your horse's head goes into the headstall, you can place the bit against his teeth and pull the headstall over his ears with your right hand in one smooth motion.

Practice this. If your horse gives in to you at all, pat him and tell him what a good boy he is and then take the bridle off and walk away. He will soon associate giving in with pleasant things and he will stop fighting so hard.

July 20, 2009 – I realized the other day that when my horse walks, his hind hooves click with the back of his front hooves. Is this fixable? Why does he do it? And does it cause him pain? I also realized that his right hind leg seems stiff and when he turns, he pivots rather then turn his entire body, but it doesn't seem to bother him while going faster than a walk.

Is it very serious? He walks like it is painful to step with it. Or are his feet just sensitive considering he didn't start doing this till after his feet were trimmed, but it is only one hoof.

Many horses will overreach in their stride. If the horse is shod and he does this, you have to protect the front shoe from being struck off by the hind foot with a bell boot fitting around the horse's pastern to protect the horse's heels. It does sound as though your horse has a foot issue going on. It could be just the result of the recent trim.

What did your farrier say about this when he did the trim? Call him and let him know of your observations and see what he says. Many farriers have a plan for each individual horse that will take several trims over a period of time to execute. These plans typically involve correcting a conformation flaw in the horse through farrier work.

For example, I have a horse that, although she looks straight, when you pick up her feet, the whole bottom of the hoof points inward towards the middle of the horse — a very strange sight. It takes constant attention to the feet to keep her on the straight and narrow, so to speak, and I would bet that something similar is going on with your horse.

Do keep an eye on the "ouchiness", and if it does not abate after a week or so, then get your farrier back out there for an inspection.

July 17, 2009 – My OTTB would previously not pick up his left lead. After trying a few new techniques my trainer and I finally found something that worked consistently. However now (about three months later), he is strongly avoiding picking up the lead while being ridden, but he picks it up while lounging and in the pasture area, so I know he's physically capable of doing it. I'm getting my saddle and his back hocks checked to ensure there is no discomfort being caused by either. Can you think of any other reasons for him not picking it up?

Ex-racehorses are no different than any other horse. And it's good that you're having your saddle and horse checked as part of your search for a solution. Too many times, horse owners think a horse is being difficult when there is actually some other problem at fault and the horse might actually be in pain.

Another possibility is that your horse might not be strong enough under saddle to manage it. Remember, your weight on his back taxes him in ways that you have no idea about, and some horses feel uncomfortable balancing that weight as they move. I, too, once had a horse with the same problem. You just have to work on it, extending the time he does it, a little more each day, until he gets strong enough. But before you do, complete your check of the saddle and hocks to assure there's no physical limitation.

July 16, 2009 – My five year old gelding nips at other horses on the trail (and recently nipped my friend's knee in the attempt). He has always been the lowest ranking horse at home, and other horses have often nipped at him; he never tries it at home. I try to catch him when he's about to bite and make him do something else, but sometimes I miss the cue. Is there anything I could fasten to the side of his bridle to make nipping sideways uncomfortable? Any other suggestions?

Rather than install a punishment on the bridle, which is not a good idea anyway because he'll grow to hate the bridle, you could put a muzzle on him when you ride. This is what I would do in your circumstance, as it's not fair to the other riders and could be dangerous if one of the other horses spooked due to the attempted biting. You may also want get a trainer involved to help assess possible root causes of the problem and try to resolve the issue for the longer term.

July 15, 2009 – When my Mom rides my 10 year old paint gelding, he is fine. But as soon as I get on everything changes. He starts out okay for the first 15 minutes and then he refuses to go forward. When I squeeze him, he rears or bucks. My mom said to tap him with the crop lightly whenever he does that. What do you think?

Your horse has zeroed in on the critical difference between you and your Mom, which is that you don't have the intestinal fortitude that your mother does and are not as much of an alpha as your Mom. When I was a kid, I had the exact same thing happen one day. My horse wouldn't leave the paddock. I remember that my mom got on and whomped my horse on the butt, and not lightly either, and sure enough, he left the paddock. I was able to ride the horse after that through acting as Mom acted.

In your case, I think that's not the best way for you to start because it sounds as if your horse is further down the road with his behavior. That is, at this point, I think I need to differ with Mom's advice. You first need to regain control of the situation using ground work or you could be in danger as your horse continues to resort to extreme resistance — rearing and bucking is dangerous.

You can start by doing some reading on how to get alpha status with your horse from the articles on this site or from other books (there are plenty on the topic) and then enlist a trainer to help you once you understand its important and how it'll affect every aspect of your relationship with your horse from safety when around him to riding and training. Once a horse displays hesitation or resistance, you only have a critical few seconds to show him that you're boss, and if you waiver, he'll rightly feel that HE's the boss and that what HE says goes. This is a pattern that you must not replicate for your own safety.

July 14, 2009 – How do I connect with a horse if he won't let me even get 15 feet from him? Should I isolate him from the other horses in order to form a trusting relationship?

You certainly will accelerate his friendliness if you isolate him. He'll get bored and then look to you for companionship. But don't forget about him and leave him isolated without you or any of his buddies around for too long. Horses easily get stressed and feel frightened when alone.

Food works pretty well as a connection device. That is, feed him and then stand back. Each time you feed, stand back, but a little closer. When you finally get close enough, don't do anything but talk to him nicely, then groom him briefly.

Another good way is to do round pen work with a good horse trainer establishing your alpha status. A combination of all these techniques should help win his friendliness quickly, and you won't have to coerce his closeness with any of them.

July 13, 2009 – I would like to ask you whether you are aware of any breakthroughs in the prevention of Potomac Horse Fever? I live in dread of summer because it seems that at least every other year my horses have come down with this horrible disease. My vet has explained some of the reasons that this can happen but it is just SO frustrating! It is also very frightening to see your horse go from their normal happy selves to so close to death almost overnight! The treatment seems to be effective but I am wondering if you have heard of any breakthroughs or promising studies in the prevention of it. Also, is PHF as bad in the eastern states as it is here in Michigan? It seems we have so many cases of it here. I understand that water and the bugs and snails that live around and in the fresh water are apparently responsible for much of the outbreaks in Michigan. I am hopeful that they will come up with something that will make PHF a frightful memory from the past and not a yearly dread.

I'm sorry. I have not heard of any good preventative measures or of any research to that effect either. What you write underscores the fact that, though horses as a species are tough, individually it seems, nothing is more fragile. Whenever I hear the phrase, "healthy as a horse", it makes me grit my teeth.

They might. I've heard conflicting advice on whether to give it to them, but as some colic events are caused by impaction, I would say sips are fine and even helpful. If you can walk the horse and offer him water over time, that seems to help some kinds of colic. Of course, in any colic situation, prompt veterinary attention is absolutely necessary. Don't wait; colic kills more horses than any other ailment.

July 9, 2009 – My horse was kicked by another horse and has a cut about 7" above the tail. The cut is about a half an inch deep and I am afraid it is going to get infected. What should I put on it?

This sounds like quite a deep cut, so you'll have to wash it well with cold water and Betadine. Then, put an antibiotic cream such as Furacin; it's a bright yellow, gooey cream that tends to stick with the horse. The main thing is to keep the cut clean, keep antibiotic cream on it, and keep the flies off it. If you go to your local tack shop, you'll see many compounds that aid in these tasks, but you asked me for my suggestion and that's the one I use. If you have any doubts about the injury or notice any signs of infection, call your vet. Good luck with it!

You may not have a choice on that. If the laminitis has progressed significantly, the pain being experienced by the horse could be horrific and he may literally be having trouble standing up. The only thing I've found to work is the Enduro NEST, which is a sling unit with a NASA patented device on it that offloads and redistributes the weight so the horse's body is not being pressed, plus the weight placed on each foot can be indivually controlled from normal weight down to none. This device is located at an equine rehabilitation hospital in Windsor, CT, at Rivermeadow Farm. Understand, the lying down will eventually hurt the horse worse than the laminitis, but if the horse cannot stand up in the first place, there is no other choice.

Call a vet. If he's an old horse, he could be losing his ability to take in nourishment from his food. If it's a disease, the sooner the problem is diagnosed, the better your odds at helping your horse recover.

Don't wait to do this, call the vet now. Your horse's health and even his life could depend on it.

Is he bracing against your push against his shoulder or butt? Or is he bracing against your pull on the reins? I can't tell from this question.

If he braces against your pull on the reins, then you need to develop a more sensitive hand. You don't want the issue to revolve around brute force. On the other hand, you don't want him to run the show. So, you'll need a good mix of reprimand (the pull) followed by the reward (looser rein) until he does what you say with the reins.

As to bracing against your push, well, that sounds pretty normal if you push on the butt or on the shoulder. Most horses will move if you push on their flank, higher on the belly, or near the back of the ribs. You don't want to hurt them, but be firm. They need to move when you say.

This is an equine statement; he's saying: "Let's get this show on the road! I'm BORED HERE, AMUSE ME!!!" You can either amuse him or ignore him. I usually ignore this statement. Of course, he should only be tied there for any length of time as you get him ready to go to work. When you mount and that work starts, he'll get the idea after a while.

Because you let him. Personally, I think this is a bad idea because he needs to keep his mind on you and his work. Don't let him graze when he has a bit in his mouth. If he lowers his head to graze, resist it, and if he pulls, "pop" the reins. Repeat this when he tries again until he gets the idea that grazing is not cool when the bridle is on. He's a smart lad and will figure it out.

July 1, 2009 – My horse is getting bald patches. How can I stop them from spreading?

You have to find out first why he's getting bald patches. It can be a fungus or a skin irritation, such as from an ill-fitting blanket or saddle pad, or from some other equine skin ailment.

Remove the ill-fitting equipment or blanket and give him a bath with a good fungicide/anti-bacterial compound, such as betadine. Then see if it spreads. If it still spreads, call your vet. A naked horse is not a beautiful sight.

June 30, 2009 – Why does my horse feel threatened when another horse approaches faster than a walk?

How do you know that he feels threatened? Does he lay his ears back and bare his teeth? If so, to me, that would be aggression and not fear.

I know of a horse that does the "ears back and flashing of teeth" routine no matter who or what approaches. It seems to be recreational on the horse's part. In such cases, I demand his attention (away from the ongoing horse) and reprimand him for signs of outwardly directed aggression. The thought is, he should pay attention TO ME, not another person or horse.

If the horse trembled in fear and gave signs that he was ready to run away, then that would be a reaction to a threat. If that's what you're seeing, try working to be your horse's alpha, because if you do that, your horse will know that you're there to protect him. We have an article about the importance of becoming your horse's alpha entitled: Alpha? It MUST be you! - IS IT?. We'll also be adding an article in the near future that'll give some hints and tips on how to become the leader of your own personal "herd". This is something worth doing and may stop the issue entirely.

You haven't made clear whether your question is asking if your horse needs medical care for this one slip, or if it has to do with an ongoing problem of slipping while lunging. If your horse was hurt while lunging, you need to get a vet to check him over. If the question is about habitual slipping while lunging, then you need to look at the footing where you're lunging him and consider changing locations. Also, if you're lunging in very small circles while requiring speed, then he could slip there, too. It all depends on what's happening with your circumstances.

I had an interesting case recently when a horse owner was in jeopardy of losing the ability to care for his family's horses on their own property. The case revolved around a neighbor's complaints about flies and the smell of horse manure purportedly coming from the horses being kept. This neighbor had been complaining to town officials and the officials responded by telling the horse owner that he didn't have a stable permit, but needed one to keep horses. Never mind that the town had never issued a stable permit in its history, nor did it have any application available with which to apply for one. As a result, the outcome for our fearless horse owner was looking rather bleak�until�

May 22, 2009 – I have a 10 yr old Tennessee Walking Horse that was an orphan foal with issues around the barn. He does not mess with me or my husband, but if we are working in the pasture, we do keep a stick with us to keep him away; we dont use it, we just carry it. I do not let people in my pasture because he is very pushy, however I do have a petsitter that I have explained that she needs to keep a stick with her. One time, she did not and walked behind the barn to call other horses up to eat, he came to her, she petted him, then she turned to walk to the barn and he bit her on the shoulder. She thinks I need to do Pat Parelli games with him. My thing is he knows I will not put up with it, but how do I teach my petsitter to not put up with it. I do not think that playing games with him will make him not want to bite people. Do you have any suggestions for me? Thanks.

You're right! Your refusal to let your horse push you around does not translate into him knowing that he can't play games with other humans.

Here's a suggestion: enlist a horse trainer; it needn't be a specific approach like a Parelli trainer or anyone else, but should be competent (get references). Get him/her to come to your place for a training session with you and the pet-sitter. Then, have the trainer show the pet-sitter what the issues are and work with the horse in front of both you and the pet-sitter. That should help a lot and give both of you a better understanding of the horse's issues and more techniques with which to work with him. Biting people is not habit you want to allow a horse to get reinforced in his mind.

May 21, 2009 – I cant get a bit into my 19 year old horse's mouth. She refuses it. Is it safe to use a hackamore bit on her? She is a very stubborn horse!

Try to use the hackamore in a small pen and see if she listens to your directions to stop and turn. The issue here is safety; if she resists the hackamore, then it's not safe to ride her with it. You mentioned she was stubborn, but, if she does indicate comprehension as to your wishes using it, and obedience to those wishes, then by all means, use the hackamore and avoid the daily battle with the bit.

It sounds to me like a medical condition. Horses won't do this on purpose. Contact your vet immediately!

Round pen work until he acknowledges you as alpha is really the only way. Horses are smart and realize that your presence means work, and most want to avoid that. So they vote with their feet!

It depends on if you've addressed the cause of the laminitis and how severe the laminitis was in the first place. Note that unless you're using something like the ENDURO NEST, which is a sling device that offloads pressure from the horse's other feet and his body, then the new hoof tissue will be malformed by pressure as it re-grows, and so, it may never become normal under those circumstances.

If you can offload the pressure, the healing will be accelerated. I know this for a fact and from personal experience and wrote an article about it entitled: A Way to Treat Laminitis?. I had a polo horse that had sinking founder, and in the NEST he re-grew new hoof tissue in eight days. That is an extraordinary result, though, being written up by the pathologist that did the post mortem on the horse, after he died of the poisoning that caused the founder in the first place. Because laminitis is such a difficult ailment to treat, you should really consult your vet on this question, as it will be specific to your own horse's situation.

You can get a tie down or a martingale so that his head tosses won't break your nose. This will NOT change his way of running, however. He'll run however it feels natural to him. You can get a horse to collect himself, or work on muscling his back and loins so that keeping his head down while exercising is easier on him, but that takes a fair amount of work. I wrote an article on collecting your horse which deals with this entitled Collecting a Horse & Keeping Him "On the Bit".

May 14, 2009 – Hello. I saw a question quite similar below, but I am going to ask mine anyway. I have a new horse, a thoroughbred, off the race track. He is 8 and a great mount for the most part. I have had him for 3 weeks. He shakes his head and kicks out his rear leg in-between bites while eating. He also spooks easily. I do not believe he has been desensitized to the new surroundings as he has been stalled most of his life and in his new home, he is only stalled during very bad weather. Should this be a concern before finalizing the purchase; he is on a trial basis.

The real issue here is whether his temperament is such that you can live with it right now. Being fresh off the track, he could settle down in the future, or, maybe that is just the way that he is. There is no way to tell at this point, so make your decision based on whether you are comfortable with his current habits right now.

I must say that I think the feeding behavior you describe will not go away. That is usually an ingrained habit. Desensitizing his spook tendencies are something that you or a trainer will have to work with.

May 13, 2009 – When riding my horse, why does she turn her head round, as if a fly was bothering her, but there is no fly. She only tends to do it when asked to go into trot, not canter, and tends to go for her right side when schooling in the ring.

This is either an expression of an opinion, or a reaction to a physical sensation that crops up when you ask her to perform a particular action. I can't tell from your description which one it is. Look for more signs of either and you'll be able to place it in perspective after a while. Then, you'll be able to deal with it on that basis.

Sure, but why would you want to do that? It will make her sad. If you have to do it because she's getting too picked on to hold onto her food, well, then try to ameliorate her loneliness. Keep a friendly horse in the next paddock, for example. Or, keep her with the others until it's time to eat and separate her then so she'll be able to eat all the food you provide for her without the others taking it.

May 11, 2009 – My instructor is always yelling at my horse. He gets angry when my horse doesn't do what he wants and this makes me uncomfortable. What should I do?

If it were my horse, I would get a new instructor. Yelling and horses don't mix, and if he doesn't know that already, he's not much of an instructor.

May 8, 2009 – My horse bucks more and more as his workout continues; what should I do?

First, I would check your tack. You may have something that's uncomfortable or hurting him. If so, he could be trying to get rid of it.

However, if his tack is fine and he's just expressing his opinion regarding YOU, that is, if he's trying to get you off his back, then sell the horse. Life is too short to be constantly auditioning your horse for a rodeo bucking string.

Does he have a cut or an abrasion there? If he doesn't, does he have any other persistent behavior issues, such as weaving or cribbing? If he has a cut, get him seen by a vet. If he displays persistent behavior that otherwise doesn't make sense, then that is more difficult to deal with. I have heard of dogs that get fixated on licking, and I would not be surprised if horses could get "stuck" that way too. In such cases, consult your vet AND your horse trainer.

May 6, 2009 – Is there any possibility I could hurt my horse by using a Pelham bit?

Any bit necessarily involves the application of pain to the horse's mouth. Ergo, a leveraged bit, such as a Pelham, gives you the ability to apply more pain and therefore, can definitely hurt a horse if misused. More to the point is the reason you're asking this question.

Does your horse test your limits or resist stopping so that you feel you have to use a stronger bit to ride? Or are you a "steering a car" type rider that relies on the reins more than your seat and legs for control? And do you ask a lot of the horse in terms of stopping and starting?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then it might be a concern and you should consult a horse trainer and riding instructor. Controlling a horse should not be a battle of two forces. Rather, it should be a cooperative relationship between two well-trained partners: the horse and the rider.

You may be one of the rare humans that have formed a real attachment with a horse, that is, an attachment from the horse's point of view. He's telling you that he doesn't want you to leave and that he misses you. You are very lucky! Few people get that kind of royal treatment from their horses.

May 4, 2009 – My pony is lying down a lot and has sore legs. What should I do?

Call your veterinarian immediately. Horses are not built to lie down for any length of time. So, though the list of things that could be wrong is endless, the bottom line is that he needs diagnoses and treatment right now.

May 1, 2009 – How do I make my horse move? He won't move his feet while being led.

Is it that he doesn't want to move forward? Will he move to one side if you make him? If you're sure he's not avoiding being led for medical reasons, work on lunging him; that will help his leading capability as well. And every time he stops while you're leading him, turn him in circles a few times and try leading him again. If he stops again on his own, turn him in several more circles. Keep this process up until he moves forward when you ask and doesn't stop on his own.

Sure, if you're not too far north (or south I suppose, in an Antarctic sense.) Domestic horses generally do better when shelter is available so they can go in and out at their pleasure (as in a run-in shed or a stall door that opens onto turnout), so keep that in mind.

April 29, 2009 – Why does my horse shake his head and kick his front hooves?

Most horses do that when they're impatient and disgusted with what's going on at the time. You can get a horse to stop expressing his editorial opinion, but it involves work on your part, simply make him work when he acts this way. If he has to work for the pleasure of negative self-expression, he'll quit it fairly quickly. If he's rewarded for positive self-expression, he'll naturally move in that direction.

April 28, 2009 – I have a blue-eyed, essentially bald-faced paint. His right eye is surrounded by a large patch of dark hair and the skin around the eye itself is black as if he has eyeliner on. The left side of his face is totally white and the skin around this eye is pink. His eye on that side seems to be teary throughout the summer and I have heard that blue-eyed horses tend to go blind more easily.

Could you tell me your experience with that and whether that is your understanding? I keep him masked all summer long and into the fall with a fly mask that has UV protection. I would also like to know if the UV protection is necessary or if any type of good quality fly mask will do? Should I keep him in a fly mask all year long, winter as well, when the sun is out and bright? Thank you.

UV protection is, in fact, necessary for some horses. I have heard of horses going "sunblind", and though not a vet, this seems like what you're talking about. It does sound as though your horse is telling you that the sun is too much for him. Therefore, your idea of providing some form of UV protection seems reasonable. As you've mentioned, the biggest risk is to the horse's vision and there may be other risks. BUT, most importantly, this is not my area of expertise, so I strongly encourage you to consult your veterinarian about these issues, and not too wait too long.

April 27, 2009 – Sometimes on the trail, my horse sees something that scares her and refuses to move. It can be something stupid like a handkerchief. How do I get her to go by without being scared?

Generally, one or both of two things could be at work here. Your horse may be easily spooked, and she may not trust you enough to feel safe because you're with her. You want her to trust you as the alpha of her herd.

There are a couple of articles on QueryHorse that you may want to read. One involves the importance of being viewed by your horse as her alpha, and the other discusses despooking your horse. And in the future, we'll be adding an article about techniques you can use to become your horse's alpha.

April 24, 2009 – I read a book that had me riveted to every page and was wondering if the author, Tom Crampton, is still living in your area of the country. He rode Jay Trump, a 50/1 long shot in the most prestigious steeple chase race of its time, and mayby all time, in England, called the Grand National. Its a must read for all lovers of horses.

I enjoyed your fascinating article on the center of gravity for a jockey. I remember taking a dance class in ballroom dancing and the instructor told us the importance of the head when turning. Thanks for having such a great web-site and may the horse rise to greet you as you come walking by.

P.S. Do they still give horses timothy hay and molasses as Tom Smith the trainer of Seabiscuit did.

I will have to read that book. I did just took a look at the Youtube video of the race, and it was similarly riveting. I don't know if Tom Crampton still lives in this neck of the woods.

Regarding your question about the timothy hay and molasses, I don't know the answer, but one thing that's true in racing is that, if it's been done before, it'll be done again.

Thank you for the tip about the book and I hope that you continue enjoying our site!

In the last few years, local governments have been intruding upon the rights of farm and animal owners as communities and urban areas have expanded. These intrusions and limits on rights have extended to horses and horse owners as well as horse farms. The result has been increasing prohibitions of where horses can be ridden, pastured, and boarded. And worse, these changes in laws have often happened without many farm and horse owners even knowing about such changes. And when towns do act, the window of opportunity to protest and appeal town actions is very small, difficult to use, and when attempted, it is often not done properly and frequently results in a failed appeal.

Sure. Just check the girth very carefully and make sure that you're secure, because a wet horse is a slippery horse.

If he's eating while turned out, you don't have much of an option other than changing his turnout to somewhere that doesn't have evergreens. I don't recommend a muzzle as a turn out device because it will interfere with eating and sometimes drinking.

April 20, 2009 – I'm having trouble keeping my horse in a canter. What do I do?

I'm assuming there is nothing physically wrong with your horse. Usually, this problem stems from not having a firm enough seat and quick enough reaction time when your horse attempts to drop into a trot. Your reaction should be to offer a firm squeeze with the legs to provide more power. Some school horses become deadened to these signals, and riders will have problems as a result, but most of the time, this problem is due to the fact that the rider does not have a strong enough seat and legs.

When your horse is unruly, make him pay the penalty of increased work. Don't let him stride ahead of you, don't let him yank the line, and don't let him hold you back if he doesn't want to go. Get after him and either circle him or back him up every time he does so — horses dislike being circled or backed up. If you consistently tie work with unruly behavior, he'll learn very quickly to behave like a lamb.

Model your behavior after the lead mare in the herd; have you ever actually watched a biddy in action? She's an impressive disciplinarian, worthy of a Marine drill sergeant rating. If you don't know how to maintain discipline, then enlist a trainer who can help you with timing and correction. It's a skill worth knowing for anyone handling horses!

April 16, 2009 – Greetings from the Noosa Australia! I have a mare arriving tomorrow who is very quiet and has not been ridden for a couple of years. She has one major problem: she lost a eye a year ago. Please, what is the best why to retrain her. I do understand about giving her plenty of warning when approaching her blindside. I would welcome some further input as to ground training and riding. Many thanks!

Some animals, horses included, naturally adapt to the loss of a body part or function. You first need to determine if this eye loss has changed her from typical horse behavior in any way. For example, is she spooky in general, or just on the blind side? Has she learned to give herself extra space on her blind side when passing through opeinings into a stall, paddock, and such? Your first goal is to figure out how "normal" she is about her blindness and build on that.

If she seems to act quite like a normal horse, then treat her as one. If she has come to accept her blindness, then train her as though it isn't there. A courtesy cluck of your tongue when you approach her or go to touch her on her blind side definitely can't hurt and may help build her trust.

If she has definite issues with her blind side, seems to hurt herself on that side, even in turnout, or is easily spooked by sounds or motion on that side, then I would advise you to get the help of a trainer experienced in dealing with blindness. If you try to train her without the help of an expert, you'll likely make errors that will increase her anxiety and cause her to lose her trust in you altogether.

Is this a situation where you're trying to catch him in the pasture, and he wasn't so much charging you as trying to get away past you to enjoy a few more hours of liberty? Or, did he rush the stall door or pasture gate and deliberately knock you down?

If the first, well, round-pen work will teach him and you how to make the catch easier. If the second, sell him immediately and be sure you fully disclose this issue about the horse with the buyer. Horses can be very dangerous once they learn to intentionally use their greater size against a human, and no horse is worth endangering your safety.

Keep his head up and direct his attention to your commands of circling, changing gait, or whatever it is you are working on at the time. If he's busy and contained, he won't be able to crow hop!

April 13, 2009 – Why does my horse paw me with his front feet when he wants to go back to the herd?

Horses are smart enough to figure out who's responsible for keeping them from their playtime, and that would be you. He's telling you he knows this and he's expressing his displeasure that you're keeping him from his friends and grazing.

This sign of disrespect can be very dangerous, so when he does it, say, "NO!!!" in a terrible voice, and then back him up or move his hind end around in a circle. Repeat this every time he shows impatience. He'll soon learn to keep his opinions to himself and to do as his leader expects. You may also want to work with a horse trainer to learn on how to get respect in general. This is an important issue, so don't let it go.

For more information, the Horse Guy wrote an article about the importance of being the leader entitled: Alpha? It MUST be you! — IS IT?. Also, our resident trainer, Jen Goddard, wrote a related article, but pertaining to training entitled: Step 0: Before Training, You Need Respect. Both offer information about the significance of being your horse's leader and how that allows you to control him and stay safer.

April 10, 2009 – My horse is always sick and I think it's the barn's fault, so I want to move him. Can I break my horse-boarding contract for this reason?

Do you know why your horse is sick or are you just guessing? If you can prove your barn is making your horse sick, then you likely have grounds for breaking the contract on the theory that their breach requires it.

I once had a case where the barn decided to feed the pony bute on a regular basis to keep it in work. Never mind that the owner had expressly forbidden this practice because the pony was allergic to bute. Unfortunately, the pony ended up having his tongue amputated, but the barn owner was on the hook for all those expenses.

If you're just guessing, though, your better bet is to give notice according to your contract and move as soon as possible. Of course, treat the illness, and try to learn from the vet if the cause can be determined. If so, you can tell the barn and go from there.

April 9, 2009 – I'd like to start a career in horse brokerage opportunities, but don't know how to start.

This is a tough market to start in, but if you're truly interested, it is possible. Some of your choices will depend specifically upon the discipline in which you're interested. For example, if you're into Thoroughbreds, then apprenticing yourself with the big auction firms, such as Fasig Tipton or Keeneland, would be a good way to start. Once you know the industry and get a reputation for having an eye for a horse, then people will start trusting your judgment on horse picking.

If you prefer hunter-jumper, then again, train your eye first by working for a well-known trainer locally, or in the industry in South Florida. As with most businesses, it's comes down to "who you know", and what your reputation is. Both are gained by hard work and building a reputation and connections in the field of the discipline in which you're interested.

Remember, a horse broker is a middleman; both buyer and seller trust the broker's judgment in finding one another. That means a sterling reputation for honesty and horsemanship. Not a bad gig, in my opinion.

April 8, 2009 – My horse eats grain slowly and doesn't even want to eat hay. What should I do?

Is the horse in good flesh? How old is he? Is his non-interest in hay a recent thing? Do be concerned if this is a change in his regular pattern. If not, and if his current pattern and weight works for him, then so be it. If he is losing weight and it's a change in behavior, then do the following: get his teeth seen to by an equine dentist. Then, get a vet to check him, do a blood test, and perform an evaluation. Horses express their care via how they appear, so be guided by that. Also, keep in mind that older horses are harder to keep in condition, and do better if in work and indoors.

April 7, 2009 – Will working a herd-bound horse alone break them of the habit?

Possibly, but it will depend on how you do this, and on your relationship with the horse. The Horse Guy wrote an excellent article on this topic, so I suggest you tune into that! The article is entitled: Dealing With the Herd-Bound Horse.

April 6, 2009 – My horse is a Quarter Horse and she is very pretty, but she pulls her neck and gives me a rein burn. What should I do?

Does she do this because you're holding onto the reins too tightly? If so, she'll have discovered a self-help method to ease the pinch on her mouth from the bit.

The fix is not hard, but it takes timing and good hands. Loosen up on the reins so you're not holding onto her mouth all the time. She'll likely still pull somewhat because you can't ride with the length of rein she'll prefer, which is, with her head down around her ankles. But, not to worry. Just make sure that the reins are loose enough so she can walk along with normal head position and a slight curve in the reins.

Then, at the exact instant she pulls the next time, yank back with a pop in the reins (one ping only, Vasili — sorry, Hunt for Red October reference here). This obviously takes great attention on your part — no wool gathering and day dreaming up there. A look of comical surprise will appear on her face, which you'll not be able to see, but which I'm telling you about now so that you can imagine it.

She'll stride along for a while (on a loose rein) thinking about this unfortunate development, then she'll be tempted to try again to see if it was a fluke. Make sure that your response is not a fluke, and that you can deliver the pop immediately upon her next pull. If you wait, the lesson won't work. She needs to believe and understand that this is the new standard to which she must adhere and that she can't pull back on the reins. BUT, you need to be consistent and not be pulling at her mouth — remember, she likely started this behavior to avoid mouth pinch from too much pull on the bit.

Horses are very smart beasts, especially quarter horses, and if you're quick and consistent, this unfortunate behavior should end. Like any horse, she'll always be tempted to start up again to see if you're paying attention (they test each other and us all the time). And if you continue to hold onto her mouth, she'll be compelled to pull on the reins so as to give herself some escape and relief from the pain — a pinched mouth is not fair to her. In that case, you'll need riding lessons to learn how not to balance yourself using the reins.

April 3, 2009 – What do you do when you realize you've bought the wrong horse?

Sell it immediately. But be especially careful if the horse is dangerous, aggressive, or has any other problems of which you're aware. If you sell a horse that you know has problems to an unsuspecting buyer and don't reveal them when asked, or the horse presents danger issues, you may be found liable for damages later. It's best to consult an equine attorney if you're thinking of selling a horse, because the contract of sale is important and can be written to protect you.

April 2, 2009 – When a horse jumps, why is the rider forced forward towards the horse's head?

The horse goes up with a leap, and then it goes down. The rider is jerked up to follow the horse, and then falls back to earth pulled by gravity. There is really no way to avoid moving forward under those circumstances, and believe me, moving forward is better than being left behind.

April 1, 2009 – I'm hoping you can help me with my Arabian mare. I started her under saddle myself one year ago and we did extensive ground work. She has always been a nervous and excitable horse, though has made great strides in the past six months. My goal for her is endurance riding and I have hit the wall on training. We have a two fold problem, but I think it is the same problem, just different outcomes of the same issue.

When riding her alone on the trail, she is content at the walk, though always vigilant rather than relaxed. If I move her up to a trot or a canter, at some point she will slam on the brakes or spin back. When ridden in a group of three or more (does great with one other horse along), she is the opposite, she wants to charge ahead of the other horses and will not settle in and relax unless she is way off ahead of the pack. It is important that this 5 year old be started slow at distance and learn to be confident at the trot, and save the canter for a few years down the trail. Am I right that this is a confidence issue? If so, how do I correct it and build her confidence so she is not either balking or rushing with no middle ground? We currently have 500 logged trail miles and I thought that time would make it better for her, but so far it has not. Our first LD ride is coming up soon and I'd sure like to re-group and work out the problem and not have a sticky horse.

This answer will take some time. If I was there, I would be able to observe some of the clues that would shed light for me as to what was going on and respond accordingly. Not having access to that information, I have to hazard a general guess. Some preliminary thoughts that come to mind are the following:

First, your horse is still very green, in the sense that she hasn't had enough hours in the saddle yet to handle scary stuff like an old pro. Second, her whirling and stopping, besides being fright, could also be her statement that gosh darn it, she's worked enough today. Both of these issues stem from one source: you are not yet so trusted and determined a leader that she's going to do what you say, come what may. The issue is that the "lack of respect" problem is something that could be very dangerous to you, and you do NOT want to be working out who is boss on the trail. Also, the fright issue can be fatal if she bolts.

I should tell you that there are horses out there that I will not mess with. And given the prospect of a show down or a runaway, I'll just decline to engage in the fight and will get rid of the horse on to someone more knowledgeable than myself, with full disclosure of the problem that is.

One way to help short-circuit dominance issues is to engage a horse trainer and do some round pen work on the ground with your mare. Also, for now, resign yourself to riding with one or two other horses through the first few endurance contests until she "gets" the program. Arabs are WICKED smart as we say here in New England, and once she figures out that there is a program, she might be more willing. I've learned that horses like programs.

The jigging you can control with circling (horses dislike circling). Every time she jigs, make her go in a circle. Bring her to a walk, and see how many strides she'll walk before she tries to get ahead. Once she makes that first jiggy move, turn her in a circle. She'll figure out fairly quickly that the path to less work is walking. Also, it will take her mind off of the other horses and put it firmly on you, which is where you want it.

March 31, 2009 – Hey, I really like a girl who loves horses and her birthday is coming up. Any ideas?

Horse books are always acceptable, from the expensive coffee table photo spreads and useful books written by riding experts, to how-to-books and peripheral topic books, such as about barns, saddles, bits, breeding, training, business and...well the list goes on and on. This would be for a girl that you like and would like to get to know better.

If it is a girl that you are, say, engaged or married to, well, my husband bought me tack as a wedding gift when we got married — a better spouse does not live! I don't want to set the bar too high for you though, so keep in mind some fallbacks: horse jewelry or horse themed furnishings for the home (rugs, prints, cups, plates, etc.) — these are also good. You can use QueryHorse to find online catalogues of these types of goods.

If you really want to impress her, you can also buy her clinic time with an expert in her riding discipline. She'll be overwhelmed that you even know how to do this. If you need further guidance on this topic, write back. There are lots of good clinics nationwide in every conceivable discipline.

Because he has not been trained how to follow your hand as you handle the reins. Race horses, for example, actually use the bit to brace themselves for the next leap, and so take a lot of training on how to yield to the bit. Consult a horse trainer on how to soften your horse's mouth — it will be worth the effort!

March 27, 2009 – What is the current status on the horse slaughter issue in the United States?

At this time, there are no domestic slaughterhouses, the last one having been closed a few years ago in Illinois. However, the issue may come up again for legislative re-evaluation because of the recent numbers of unwanted horses caused by the economy. The argument goes that a humane, regulated slaughterhouse here is better than the unregulated Mexican or Canadian slaughterhouses to which horses have been getting hauled to over long distances. Another question being asked is what happens to a horse whose owner just can't afford to feed, euthanize or give it away, resulting in slow starvation.

You can find out more information about this issue by reading the Website of the American Horse Council.

March 26, 2009 – Do I want to keep my heels up or down when riding without stirrups?

You want to keep your heels down whether you have stirrups or not. If your heels are down, then your toes are up, and your head is back over your center of gravity. If your heels are up, then your toes are down, and your head is likely heading forward and away from your center of gravity. You'll have to fight to avoid going over head first — pulled off by the weight of your head — that's one fight you don't want to lose.

March 25, 2009 – My horse bit another horse at the farm where I board. Why would he do that?

To express his editorial opinion to the other horse, as well as to explain in horse language who is really the boss of the situation.

Hah! I know the answer to this question because I read an article on the topic. Horses can kick with the force of up to one ton, or a force of up to 10,000 Newtons (2,250 pounds) to the body. Not something you want to experience, believe me. This is more than enough force to ruin a perfectly good skull.

You can't. They each have to establish their place in the pecking order. So, if you feed them within range of each other, they will act according to their natures.

Now, that being said, horses that are "lovey dovey" with each other will share a bucket. That is up to the personal preferences of the horse, though, and nothing you can dictate. If you have the space, you can stop the fighting by separating horses that fight into separate paddocks. That will allow you to feed them separately to resolve the problem.

It might comfort you to know that the intransigent quality of horses has been noted from time immemorial. I had to laugh once when reading an old US cavalry manual in which the author tersely noted that, in the event of a pairing of a recruit and horse who did not reach accommodation within a few days, that the best course of action was eternal separation.

March 20, 2009 – I have a 12yr old gelding, he loads perfectly fine in any trailer, but we recently bought an older two horse straight load, and he refuses. I've tried bribing with oats, but he will step two feet in and back out fast. What can I do?

Jen Goddard, our resident horse trainer, recently wrote a good article on how to teach a horse to load and it's entitled: Trailering. Read that and then take an afternoon to train him to load. It's not hard to do, it just takes patience and the willingness to stay with it. Your horse needs to learn that he works harder if he refuses to load than if he does it willingly, especially if he already knows how to load. Currently, he's just figured out that it's more pleasant for him if he refuses — you need to convince him otherwise and it has nothing to do with being harsh.

Possibly because you aren't feeding him enough? Also, is your horse in work? Horses in work need more feed. If you're feeding enough hay (free choice, which means as much as he'll eat) and grain, 10% of the horse's body weight per day fed in frequent small feedings during the day is a good start. For example, a 1000 pound horse will get a total of ten pounds of grain per day broken up into two or more feedings using a good quality pellet with 10% protein.

If you're doing the foregoing already, then contact your vet and look for a medical cause.

Without knowing the circumstances, I really can't offer any universal suggestions. Horses will usually land a kick on humans in the following circumstances:

A scared horse that acts on his instincts is no joke and can be very dangerous. He could bolt causing you to fall off and potentially get hurt, or bolt while you're hanging on without control. There isn't much reasoning that you can do in that case. You need to enlist a trainer to help you work on the problem, and don't ride your horse without that expert assistance.

March 16, 2009 – My horse has lost a huge amount of weight almost overnight. What could be the problem?

I had this happen to one of my horses andt I ended up having to euthanize. Not to scare you or anything, but CALL YOUR VET RIGHT AWAY!

March 13, 2009 – Is it a good idea to put shoes on your horse if you ride in the woods?

I don't think "riding in the woods" is the determining factor, but instead, how much work the horse is doing and how his feet are standing up to that work. If he's a "one trail ride a week at a walk" type worker, then barefoot will probably work fine. Conversely, if he's going every day for five or six hours and is consistently sore and "ouchy", then by all means, put shoes on him. You also want to speak to your farrier about this issue and get his opinion.

March 12, 2009 – How do I get my horse to stop with his hind legs, therefore not putting as much pressure on his front legs?

He might be stopping primarily with his front legs because his back end and back are too weak to put much weight there. A horse stops in the manner that his frame and musculature demand. Horses have to learn how to carry themselves and how to manage with a rider on their backs. Before they are taught that, their muscles just aren't ready to work that way. Believe it or not, when I train polo ponies, about 80% of the work is just to build their muscles up so that they can physically perform the moves that are necessary in the sport. Here's how I train a horse to use his back end:

Start slowly, then stop your horse. When he stops, then give the command to back up a few steps — do this every time. After a while, your horse will anticipate the back up. As he does, he'll automatically move more and more weight onto his hind end.

For variety's sake, then employ the "roll back". That means, turn your horse after he has backed up a few steps so that his front end moves and performs the turn while his hind end stays in place. Practice this until he's handy either way.

Then, employ a lot of trotting and cantering in circles that get smaller and smaller, and which terminate in a rollback. Then break up the circles so that you start circling one way and then circle the other way in a figure eight. Start with large circles and then move to tiny circles.

Also practice walking, trotting, and cantering up steep hills. Long trail rides help too, along with regular ring work as mentioned above. Over time and with work, your horse's back end and back will become more and more developed and he'll be able to take more and more of the strain of the turn and stop onto his hind end.

You can build a horse up with regular daily work of about a half hour in ring work to three hours on a trail ride in about 4 months. This program really works. My horse Deedee, a thoroughbred off the track, was so weak in her back end when I started that if I turned her in at too sharp angle, she had great difficulty. Now she looks like a quarter horse, with muscles over her hips and angling down her croup, and she's able to turns like one too!

March 11, 2009 – What are some good ways to bond with your horse but also make him use his mind? I don't always have time to ride so need some ideas on fun exercises. I would appreciate your advice.

Ground work is always good and appreciated by the horse, by which I include, grooming, picking hooves, round pen work, lunging, driving, desensitizing the horse to scary objects or water hazards, backing up, and generally any scenario in which you tell the horse to do something and insist on his conformance. The fun for you comes in watching your horse try to figure out what you mean by the command, and observing the learning and decision making process. The fun for the horse comes when he figures the command out correctly, and complies immediately, at which point you reward him.

Believe it or not, horses get bored without people. Attention is always appreciated, even sometimes when it's negative attention! Horses that have been exposed to abusive people can learn with a patient trainer. However, in that case, I recommend you get a professional to start you off and not try this alone.

Our resident training author, Jen Goddard, wrote an excellent article on lunging a horse that articulates the specifics of that exercise with all the particulars spelled out. You can find it at: Step 5: Controlling Speed and Gaits

March 10, 2009 – What are the potential hazards of buying an underweight horse?

At minimum, the horse will not be up to hard physical labor until he is more fit. Or worse, the horse might potentially carry an illness, or could be dying. Good vetting prior to purchase is a necessity.

Is the horse completely wild or does he have some ground manners? If your horse is used to people, then getting a rope around his neck is not hard as part of his routine care. From your question, then I take it that the horse is completely wild. In that case, extreme caution is required. Horses can learn to trust people, especially if food and consistent quiet calm interaction by the person is involved, but until then, they're a wild animal and will defend themselves to the limit of their extreme capability.

This is not rocket science; it's just gradual desensitization requiring some time and patience on your part. But in all of this, consider safety first. Always pay attention to his body language, especially his ears and eyes so you can identify and back off if you sense he's uncomfortable about something you're doing or something else around him.

The rule is about 10% of body weight, so, in this case, about 9 pounds of grain per day broken up into two or more feedings. Make sure to get a good quality pellet with about 12% protein.

The "cure" depends on what work the horse is doing. If the horse is in the pasture being a lawn ornament, then only time is needed for the hoof to re-grow. But if the horse is working, then a farrier can help by building up the missing parts of the hoof and gluing on a shoe. Talk to your farrier and see what he recommends. Of course, the foregoing presumes you don't want to use the same person that caused the problem in the first place unless you watch them closely.

March 4, 2009 – I have recently gotten a wood chewing horse. I mean she literally tears off hunks of wood and is eating them (which I'm afraid will make her sick-colic or something). Do you have any suggestions on why she is doing it or how to get her to stop? I put my mini in there thinking she was lonely, but it hasn't helped.

This is a very bad habit! It's also likely a habit now set in stone because of the endorphins that are released by the chewing.

I would cover all available wood surfaces with a product for this purpose, such as McNasty (made by Eqyss), and try to reduce the amount of wood that your horse can reach by using electric fencing and covering wooden surfaces with plastic or steel. Also, give her plenty of free choice hay to occupy her time until she has access to pasture grazing in the warmer seasons.

Chewing wood can be dangerous for her, so it is up to you to make sure that she can't get at it!!!

March 3, 2009 – I barrel race and I am having problems getting my horse to slowdown and set up for the turns. She has her head way up in the air. I have a tie down on her but it doesn't seem to help. Is there anything I can do? Maybe a different type bit? She doesn't have these problems at home too much only at shows on bigger patterns where she gets very excited and has more room to fully run.

You may not like this answer because it will take some time and effort — this is not a "quick fix". Essentially, you have to convince your horse that, THIS time, she may not run the pattern that she has fixed in her head, and instead, she had better listen to you for the second by second update on where you are sending her next.

In order to do that, you have to start by running half a pattern, and then break off to run circles somewhere else. Then, go back and run a bit more, then break off. Inconsistency of pattern is more what you're aiming for here. As you do this, aim for correct head posture. See my previous Horse Girl response about how to get a horse "on the bit" (Feb. 3, 2009, below).

Start this inconsistent pattern at a slow pace, such as trotting. Then, move up to a slow canter followed by faster and faster, and don't be afraid to mix it up. The point is to keep her guessing. In other words, she needs to learn how to set up for each turn as an independent matter, listening to you, and not as part of the larger "run". When she starts listening on the turn and sets up correctly, praise her and then let her rest for a few minutes. If you can manage this in a show environment, do so!

This process should take anywhere from a month to six weeks if you ride consistently five to six times per week. But it's important that you not overdo any individual training session: work no more than 20 minutes or so after the warm-up and try to end on a "good pattern" so you can immediately tell her what a good horse she is and then end the lesson for the day.

March 2, 2009 – I would like to know by having a cryptorchid horse, is it uncomfortable for him when I ride? I just bought him and I noticed his condition afterwards.

Are you asking because you noticed something wrong with how he's acting? All that the cryptorchid factor means is that one or both of the horse's testicles is still up inside the body cavity — it never descended. It does not mean that he's uncomfortable. YOU might be uncomfortable with how he acts around a mare in season, though, because he'll have all of the willingness of a stallion, fueled by the offending part. Just keep an eye on how he behaves. If you have a concern, you should call your veterinarian!

This is serious and you need to get a trainer to help deal with the problem. From the point of how to stay safe around any horse because some do kick, don't get in range of his hind end. And some horses can cow kick, which is to say, they can kick forward. I once had a horse that could kick a fly off of his ear. However, most horses aren't that athletic, so if you stay near their shoulders, you should be safe. Also, if you stand just to the side of the point of their hips, they'll also be unable to reach you. Of course, another way to reduce the risk is just to never walk directly behind your horse, especially if his head is unsecured.

February 26, 2009 – I'm a barn owner with boarders, but have no boarding contract. What are my rights?

Your rights depend on the laws of your state, so you should consult an equine attorney in your state on this one for specifics. However, generally, states allow "stableman's liens", which means that you're due repayment for monies spent caring for the horse, which lien is secured by the body of the horse itself. So typically, letting a horse go off the property before the owner has paid for its food would defeat your right to use the horse for collateral on that obligation. In other words, don't let a horse leave if his boarding is not paid up because, once the barn door closes, it'll be too late for you to recover unpaid costs.

And if a boarder involves the police department to try to recover their horse that you're holding for nonpayment of boarding fees under the mistaken impression that the owner can get the horse back BEFORE payment, contact an equine attorney faster than the speed of light. You'll need legal assistance to educate the "boys in blue" as to the state laws surrounding stable liens. Sadly, I spend a fair amount of time in this endeavor.

You can better protect yourself and have many more rights by using a boarding contract, such as the right to sell the delinquent owner's horse to repay the debt. There are many more that spring to mind that I share with my clients. I'm very serious about it being a good idea to invest in hiring an equine attorney to help you draw up a good boarding contract. He/she will not only know conventional law, they'll also know the vagaries of horse law and how they work with the laws specific to your own state and/or municipality.

One very important caution, do avoid the online, generic versions of contracts because they'll likely not be designed for your state and will not be keyed to your operation. As a result, using them could end up being worse than having no contract at all. You may think I'm kidding about this last point, but I assure you that I'm not.

Free choice, good quality hay and frequent small feedings of grain during the day in the amount of about 10% of the horse's body weight per day is a good start. For example, a 1000 pound horse will get a total of ten pounds of grain per day broken up into three or more feedings. For grain, get a good quality pellet with 12% protein.

Then, exercise daily, walk-trot-canter. The combination of food and muscle work builds them up pretty quickly. So, for example, this worked for me to put a skinny thoroughbred filly up about 200 pounds in about 12 weeks on this regimen. In fact, I had to knock off the grain to keep her from getting too fat.

This is the Horse Girl "bulk up" method. I'm sure others out there have other recommendations.

Wow! That's an article, not a Horse Girl question. Stay tuned and I'll write about how the Horse Girl has started unbroken horses, just to allow reader feedback, as I'm sure this will provoke a lot of comment.

A horse's hoof never stops growing while they're alive; it's sort of like our fingernails. If you're referring to the size of the hoof itself, well, they get to be close to adult size at a little over a year old.

February 20, 2009 – While walking the horse I lease, she slipped, fell, and hurt herself. Do I have any liability?

Here's how it works: If you were negligent, and that negligence caused the injury to the owner's property (the horse), then you may be held accountable. It also depends on what your lease contract or agreement stipulates — that's why I often advise readers to contact an equine attorney BEFORE making any agreements, written or verbal.

Working a horse in moderate below freezing (>10 °F) winter temperatures will not usually hurt a healthy horse. Of course, Arctic Circle type cold or severe windchill factors are another story. But if your horse gets sweaty and then cools off too fast, he could get hypothermic. Just use caution and coolers that allow your horse to dry off while not losing too much body heat all at once.

February 18, 2009 – What does it mean when a horse licks your hand? I have been told it is a sign of affection and also told it is a sign of disrespect.

I think it is neither. They just like the salty taste of your perspiration. Or possibly, they can taste other food items you may have touched, such as a fruit or vegetable.

February 17, 2009 – Under what conditions should I bring my horses into the barn?

Driving cold rain, sleet, or snow would do it for me. Also, extreme cold under 20 degrees or so, especially with wind.

Finally, you want to pay attention to how your horse seems to be doing at all times of the year. If he's ok, he'll usually look ok. If he looks miserable, bring him in. It might not even seem that cold outside, but your horse could be fighting a cold or have some other problem. When in doubt as to what to do when things don't look right, you want to investigate. If you don't feel competent doing so, ask a more experienced horse person for help or call your vet. You'd feel terrible if you ignored signs of trouble and your horse developed a serious problem that could have been avoided.

February 16, 2009 – How do I stay warm riding in the late autumn and winter?

Dress appropriately. The Horse Guy recently wrote an article on this very topic entitled: Winter Riding & Staying Warm. You should read it.

Horses survive in cold weather with long winter coats and by creating adequate heat. They do that by eating hay and processing it in their guts with lots of water. Obviously, this means they need adequate hay and water everyday to survive the winter.

February 12, 2009 – Can a horse get frightened when being away from his herd?

Yes. A lone horse is a dead horse in the wild, and they instinctively know that. So, when a horse is alone, he is always afraid.

As in with a lunge line? Are you also trying to circle your horse the other way or are you letting him decide which way to go. If the latter, you need to set the direction. And if you still can't get him to go that way, you need to consider other possible causes.

Have you investigated a medical cause? If there is one, that may make it difficult for your horse to turn. You should get a trainer to evaluate the problem. If a medical cause is to blame, you next step would be to have your vet assess the problem and its resolution.

February 10, 2009 – Many books and videos have been made regarding how to "bombproof" your horse. The word "bombproof" is a relative term I guess, but are there any books, videos or clinics that you recommend for helping a horse to overcome his/her spook?

All that the concept of "bombproofing" means is getting your horse to quietly accept scary and or loud stuff without protest. The way to do that is to get him used to strange and scary items slowly over time, introducing each new object slowly until he no longer reacts.

After a while, if you consistently work on the task of bombproofing as an end unto itself, your horse will come to recognize that lesson time means "oh yeah, time to meet another monster", and get more and more blas� about the strange and silly things he's likely to meet.

I don't know of any particular video or clinic, so I entered the following phrase into QueryHorse and clicked the Ride! button:

I got back 495 documents and looked at the first page of results — they discussed the subject itself or books and clinics on the subject — that should give you a good start.

February 9, 2009 – I have just bought a new horse and his hind leg seems to be very stiff and it takes him a while to put it down... also he is always resting it? What could it mean?

There are a number of possibilities. Stringhalt is an equine malady that has the effect you describe. There are also a number of other candidate causes and they all require veterinary diagnosis.

Did you have the horse vetted before you bought it? That's always a good idea and is money well spent; otherwise, you really don't know what you're buying.

Get a vet to look at your horse to determine whether you've got a real problem or not. Then if necessary, contact an equine attorney if you feel that you were misled during the sale.

February 6, 2009 – I want to be an equine vet once I'm done high school. What kind of courses should I take to be accepted into an equine vet school?

Good question! The main thing to keep in mind is that veterinary school is medical school for animals, which is to say that, in the US, that means graduate school. Since you're still in high school, your main concern will be getting good grades. So, work hard to achieve and maintain the very best grades possible — go for straight As, if you can. Then in college, you can start to think about pre-med course work, which shall include, naturally, biology and chemistry — but it will all be worth it.

Yikes! Call a vet if there is bleeding, and a farrier if there is not. Both, if it's really bad.

As a species, isn't that what the domestication angle is all about? Oh, you mean treats as a reward?

I myself do not like using food treats as a reward. Unlike dogs, when working with a horse, physically getting a carrot to the right place quickly enough is almost impossible, in the sense that the horse will fail to make the food connection to his action by the time you find the carrot and give it to him. Also, in horse language, the horse that takes the food is the dominant animal, and that is not a lesson you want to be teaching him.

Instead, use horse language to give a reward. Horses understand pats, caresses, soft language, and cessation of work, including letting down a girth or setting them at liberty, as rewards. The cessation of work thing is the best way, because that really does mimic the boss mare or stallion in the herd, who finally lets his poor underling alone once the underling has displayed sufficient submissiveness to the boss's program.

Develop what they call a "listening hand". That is, you want to provide enough forward motion or impulsion through your legs, such that the horse's head naturally extends forward into your waiting hand on the reins. At first, he will pull on the reins. Then it becomes a conversation between his mouth pulling, and your hand lightly resisting. As your hands resist, you don't want to let the horse "set" his jaw nor over-bend at the poll so that he falls entirely away from the bit.

The first time he meets your light pull, he may "give" slightly with his mouth, and will move his nose closer to his chest. When he does this, you want to immediately relax the pull as a reward. Then move him forward again into the bit. He will then meet the bit more eagerly, trusting that you won't hurt him. This time provide a little more resistance, asking him to bend his neck and drop his nose down towards his chest. If you do this lightly enough, and he trusts your hands, what will eventually happen is that your horse will move forward into the bit, and then feel your intention that he contain his energy by arching his neck and bending lightly at the poll so his mouth "rests in your hands" while you trot, canter, walk, or whatever. It does not much matter which gait you use, the process is the same. But for what it's worth, when I'm teaching a horse, I like to use a trot.

This is all a process and may take a little time, or even some expert instruction. However, the rewards are worth it!

Boy and girl horse anatomy roughly corresponds to people anatomy. I won't say more.

January 30, 2009 – What does it mean when your horse walks around you in a circle?

It depends. If you're lunging him, that is what you want him to do. If you're trying to lead him in a straight line, then he needs to learn some manners.

Circle him every time he deviates from what you want him to do. Horses are lazy and don't like to do extra work. He will figure out soon enough that you're the boss and he works less when he does what you want.

January 29, 2009 – How can I stop my horse's rope halter from rubbing and bruising his face?

Don't leave it on him all the time. Just put the halter on him when you need to lead him places and not in the paddock or in the stall on liberty.

January 28, 2009 – I have an outside pen with no shelter and the rain is making it really messy. What can I use as ground cover?

Footing is very important to a horse, and deep mud will make his life miserable. If the mud gets too deep, your horse can develop foot problems or foot rot from standing around in it all the time, so this is an important factor to watch for. What you need to do is give the water someplace to go so the surface doesn't get muddy in the first place. Try sand or gravel with small stones — nothing large or with sharp edges. You won't have to treat the whole paddock in this way, but at least one area needs to be dry enough for your horse to stand upon and be out of the mud.

I had a horse at one time that had just gotten back from being away for awhile. Upon her return, she was temporarily turned out into a very muddy paddock. She (a young filly) stood in the middle of the paddock picking up one foot, holding it there like a stork, and then putting it down. Then she'd pick up the other foot, and so forth, all with a disgusted look on her face. You could just see the thought balloon over her head: "This STINKS!!!". She was a princess it's true, but I think she just expressed a little more overtly what all horses feel about fetlock-deep mud!

January 27, 2009 – When riding my horse, she plants her feet and refuses to move and sometimes bucks when you ask. How do I get her to stop this misbehavior?

As you have correctly identified, your horse does not feel that she should obey you. Now, as long as the reason is not medical, that is, you're not asking her to do something that hurts her due to some unidentified back, leg, or foot problem, then you need to regain her respect. This is important for your safety, so waste no time in changing her attitude.

One of our contributing writers, Jennifer Goddard, is a horse trainer and wrote an article on this very topic as part of her ongoing training series. It's entitled: Step 0: Before Training, You Need Respect. Also, our own "Horse Guy" wrote a related must-read article just last week about the need for you to be your horse's alpha. It's entitled: Alpha? It MUST, be you! — IS IT?.

Percentage of what? Upon sale of the horse? Like all business transactions, this is a matter of negotiation between you and your trainer. The trainer will charge what she thinks you will pay. There is no standard rate and you don't have to agree to the trainer's rate; you can negotiate and attempt to reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

January 23, 2009 – What kind of insurance should person get if she takes a horse on trial?

That is a matter of negotiation between you and the seller. Some sellers will insist on "mortality" insurance, but be aware that getting such insurance might delay things while the insurance company gets needed documentation. Other sellers require only "perils", which would compensate the owner in the event of poison, a trailer accident, and so on. This is cheaper insurance and does not need so much documentation to bind coverage.

If the seller doesn't insist on any insurance, just make sure that you don't owe the money for the horse until after the trial period is over, and that if the horse does unexpectedly die or become injured, that you don't owe on the contract. I always recommend using an equine attorney for transactions where there is any real money attached because you'll save yourself a lot of potential headaches in the future.

Essentially, you want to avoid ice and any slick surfaces so your horse doesn't slip and fall, avoid getting your horse wet in cold weather so he doesn't get hypothermia from the cold, and avoid running over frozen ground so he doesn't develop shin splints or trip and fall on the uneven ground. Also make sure your horse has plenty of hay and water so he stays warm digesting the hay.

Horses actually don't mind the cold as long as they have a good thick coat and available hay and water. It's just the riders that complain!

January 21, 2009 – How do you break horses of the habit of fighting over food?

You can't. All you can do is separate them when feeding. Posturing over food and the eventual assertion by the herd's leader is simply following their natural, equine instincts.

January 20, 2009 – How do you stop a horse that kicks when I fly-spray his legs?

You need to desensitize your horse of his concern about being sprayed. Get someone to hold your horse, go gently, and use a water bottle sprayer to gradually desensitize him. You want to do this until he accepts the attention without kicking.

January 19, 2009 – How can I stop my horse from running away from me when I'm leading her?

She needs to be taught to respect you. One of our contributing writers, Jennifer Goddard, is a horse trainer and has written an excellent article on this very topic as part of her ongoing training series. It's available here on QueryHorse and is entitled: Step 0: Before Training, You Need Respect.

This is something that you need to work on quickly because your horse is a danger to you as it stands. And by all means, DO NOT wrap the lead rope around your hand or arm, and get assistance in leading her until you've had the training.

January 16, 2009 – What are some common indications that your horse is bored when left in his stall?

The "Horse Guy" answered this very question with a fairly comprehensive article he wrote on the subject, and you can read it. It's entitled, appropriately enough: Reducing Stall Boredom.

I'm not a veterinarian, so keep in mind that there are a number of health conditions which could cause muscle wasting and would likely show up in the hind end primarily. Assuming your horse is otherwise healthy, young horses or horses that have not had work will not have muscle tone. If you want to build that up, lots of walking uphill and trotting, plus circles at a canter in steady riding will help.

I get a lot of questions about riding problems that are related to balance. So I've prepared an article to help riders better understand balance and how to correct out-of-balance riding issues. It's entitled, appropriately enough: Riding Balance.

January 13, 2009 – I have several unused stalls at my barn and am considering accepting a border or two. Is this a bad idea?

It is not a bad idea, but it takes preparation. You'll now have lots of issues to consider, especially liability and safety concerns. Please contact an equine attorney and a good equine insurance agent to have these concerns addressed. If you do NOT take my advice, and take in boarders anyway without this protection, THEN it IS a bad idea.

January 12, 2009 – At what temperature is it too cold to let horses outside?

Horses actually handle the cold fine if they have a winter coat and plenty of hay and water. I suppose that if I lived in the Great White North where temperatures reached below zero regularly, I would hesitate to put my horse outside on a cold day or especially overnight. But other than that, they do fine. Remember that horses live year round in Iceland and in Mongolia where the cold is certainly far beyond what most of us are used to.

If your horse has been inside and has no winter coat, then of course, blanketing and keeping him indoors on really frosty days would be a kindness and a good idea.

Are you sure it's a stone bruise? Sometimes abscesses masquerade as stone bruises. In any event, rest, and soaking the foot in cold water helps.

January 8, 2009 – How do I correct a horse that kicks when I'm cleaning his rear feet?

Practice foot care with him. Start with the front feet, pick up, and then put down. Move to the back feet, pick up, and put down. Practice three or four times each day.

If you make this a part of his routine, pretty soon the kicking will stop from boredom's sake. Of course, when you do this, make sure that safety is your primary concern. That is, stand at the horse's hip, because most horses find it difficult to kick sideways. And if the problem is serious enough, don't risk getting your head kicked — get a professional horse trainer to help you!

January 7, 2009 – I have just one horse. I keep him at my home, by himself, in a large pasture with 24/7 turnout. I trail ride alone often and he is wonderful. The problem is when I ride with my friend once a week he gets so excited to see the other horse he tries to bolt when we trot or canter. He also does a lot of crow hopping and chomping at his bit in irritation. When with other horses he looses all respect for me and it's getting dangerous. Please help!!! What can I do to stop this behavior?

You can stop the behavior, but it will take some work on your part. You have two issues going on here: first, the horse does not respect you sufficiently as the alpha in the relationship. His attention wanders from you and your direction while you're riding, and you just don't have sufficient "street cred" with him to drag his attention back to you. One of our contributors, Jennifer Goddard, wrote an excellent article on how to get respect from your horse — I suggest starting your reading there. It's entitled: Step 0: Before Training, You Need Respect. You may also wish to enlist a trainer and a round pen to show you how to achieve this respect more quickly than on your own.

Then, once you have the horse's attention, you will also have to deal with the second issue, which is that your horse justifiably feels starved for some attention from other horses. So when he sees another horse, he naturally expresses his excitement and heartfelt desires. You're right to be concerned about your safety here, because it's clear from your description that your horse now resents your commands to "cool it" when he's acting out this natural instincts.

The "Horse Guy" just wrote an excellent article entitled: Dealing with the Herd-Bound Horse. It goes into a good method on how to cure a horse of this malady.

Also, try riding more often with other horses and change your stabling routine to allow your horse to interact with other equines on a more regular basis so that he doesn't pine quite so hard for the contact. Certainly, humans can substitute for needed "horsey" contact if they spend enough time with their horse, but few of us have so much leisure time. It's much easier to delegate companionship duties to other equines. So, more work, more equine contact, and more respect should cure the problem.

January 6, 2009 – I scared my horse with a whip. Now he won't come near me. What do I do?

As you've noticed , horses have a long memory. However, they are capable of distinguishing you when carrying a whip versus you without a whip. Your job is to replace the unpleasant memories of being frightened with the more pleasant memories of following you, his trusted leader. If you have doubts about how to proceed, work with a trainer in a round pen and see if you can't convince your horse that you're really on his side.

January 5, 2009 – My horses like oranges. Is it okay to feed a half orange or so with their feed every now and then or does the citric acid cause them trouble?

The issue isn't so much the citric acid as it is the sugar, I think. I see that citric acid is the component used in many equine supplements and treatments, used as an additive and also as an activating agent. I would be careful of giving a horse excess sugar though, because it can cause laminitis and other gut ailments, mainly because some horses have an insulin response that can cause problems for them. This is the reason that some horses in the spring will founder or colic on new spring grass. So, although one orange or one orange slice may not be a problem, a diet of them might be. The same goes with any sweet feed or food item.

The "How-to" Horse Guy wrote an excellent article on stall boredom, which this is likely a sign of. It's entitled, appropriately enough: Reducing Stall Boredom.

Exercise, turn out, toys in the stall, and adequate company, along with good food, will help the horse manage his confinement better. Once this is a nervous habit, however, similar to cribbing or weaving, a horse will often pursue the action for its own sake and the endorphins it releases. If that's the case, there's usually no way to stop them completely other than tying them up or a straight stall with no room to turn around — those approaches are unfair and harsh to your horse. Let's hope that's not the case here and you should do all you can to prevent the action from becoming a destructive habit.

Try the suggestions recommended in the article above as they may resolve your problem.

It's his way of releasing nervous energy — he wants to get going. He's saying very loudly, "Let's get this show on the road!!!"

Horses grow quickly in the first few years, but the rate of growth continues to slow down. They will usually top out at around five years old.

December 29, 2008 – Does a young horse lack muscle tone in the chest and hindquarters?

Yes, usually. He hasn't had the time to develop big muscles, and typically has not worked or carried weight, which, as with people, can lead to a more defined musculature.

A high port presses the tongue of the horse down with more strength and pressure than a straight bit. If overused or improperly used, it can cause severe pain and can lead to frenzied resistance on the part of your horse, or worse, it can even damage your horse's tongue or roof of his mouth — these are all bad things.

December 24, 2008 – What does it mean when one foot on a horse is larger than the other?

That one foot is larger than the other. Horses sometimes emerge from the factory with asymmetrical parts.

December 23, 2008 – How do I stop my horse from stopping and backing up while riding?

When the horse stops, try to circle rather than go forward. As soon as you meet resistance to going forward, circle in tighter and tighter circles. After a while, he will figure out that resisting takes work, and going along is much easier.

Horses will avoid a particular lead due to a number of causes, some of which are fixable and some of which aren't. If the horse avoids the lead due to inadequate muscling and weakness, then that can be built up with a steadily improving circling at a trot to the left. Building over time, this will help his flexibility and strength to the point that he'll be able to take the left lead, if weakness is the problem.

Sometimes, horses get an injury that prevents them from taking a particular lead. A good trainer can observe the shortening of the stride and subtle clues to this problem, although there is no guarantee the injury can be cured.

At other times, a horse will just have a bad habit that will lead to weakness on one side. For example, American racehorses that are accustomed to circling one way only on the track, sometimes develop a fixed lead.

I, myself, had a horse growing up that would do only the right lead while riding, never the left, no matter what I did. I did see him use the left lead in the pasture sometimes, so I knew he was capable of it. It made no difference to me at the time because I didn't show that horse.

A good trainer will know how to tackle this issue, so I would consult one to try to correct the problem.

I'm not a veterinarian, so if you suspect infection, you need to call one. That being said, any wound needs to be immediately treated and infection prevented on a horse much as you would do for yourself. Wash the cut well, put antibiotic ointment on it, and then cover with a bandage as needed. It is for certain that the conditions which lead to an infection start with a day's inattention, so it's best to act when the cut is fresh.

December 18, 2008 – I have a nice little Arabian mare that I bought from a horse rescue. She's a nice little horse except that she's so very worried about her food that she totally comes unglued when my gelding gets ANYWHERE near her while she is getting her first mouthfuls of hay. This lasts for the first one or two minutes after I have placed the hay in their feeder. I always give them their grain in their stalls, so that is not a problem. But I have a common feeder for their hay, so each time I go out to put more hay in the feeder, she comes flying at my gelding with ears pinned and squaring off to kick him. I am not sure if this is "lead mare" behavior or if it stems from her being nearly starved (according to the vet's report, she was about 350 pounds underweight at the time of her rescue).

I can put my hand in her bowl while she feeds or pull hay around right under her nose and she is not at all aggressive with me. She is very sweet with me and I feel absolutely no attitude from her at all. My big Quarter Horse gelding is not hurting in any way and she has never actually connected with him. He will bring his butt around at her if she gets too carried away.

I am worried though that while she is squaring off at my gelding, she may end up getting me or someone else may unknowingly get in the middle of one of her tantrums and get hurt! I know this isn't safe behavior and I thought that it would pass, but it hasn't. I have had her since April. Lately, I have been bringing my lunge whip out with me while I spread the hay in their feeder and she will pace around at a distance until I'm done. Then, as soon as I clear out, she is in there squeaking, grumbling, and kicking at my gelding. I can fill the hay feeder while they are eating their grain, and that way, I'm not involved with their argument when they get outside, but that doesn't clear up the root of the trouble.

This is one problem that you'll likely not be able to fix, because your mare's behavior is not directed at you. You're in the same position as a mom watching the fighting and squabbling between two siblings. That is, you can legislate from on high that one sibling may not pound the other sibling while you're watching, but as soon as your back is turned, of course, you know what's going to happen: one is going to kick the "you know what" out of the other.

Your best recourse here is to separate them, and keep them in adjoining stalls or turnout. They can be together when not feeding, but other than that, they need their own corner to retreat to.

This is a question that has bedeviled horse owners for ages. There are medicines and therapies for which you need to consult your veterinarian, but the most hopeful treatment that I've seen recently involves the use of the ENDURO Nest. The Nest allows the horse's weight to be lifted and adjusted independently from each of his hooves to allow the healing of the laminae to occur without deformation of new tissue due to weight pressure.

I posted an article on this site recently involving my horse Bandito that provides more information and photos entitled: A Way to Treat Laminitis? For additional background, you may also want to read the article: How Hooves Work.

December 16, 2008 – Is it cruel to muzzle your horse to stop him from cribbing?

It would be cruel to put a muzzle on him that interferes with his eating or drinking. Some muzzles allow horses to still drink, if you can train the horse to try it — eating is more difficult. The problem is that the holes in the front of the muzzle must be small enough to limit or prevent cribbing and the result is that when they are, they tend to be too small to allow decent eating. And while a feedbag usually works ok for grain, it doesn't work for hay.

December 15, 2008 – What do I do when my horse puts his butt to me or another person when in his stall?

He is clearly signaling his lack of desire to interact with you. If there is any danger that he's going to kick you as you enter the stall, then don't enter the stall without a lunge whip in hand. When you do enter, move his rear end away from you before entering the stall completely. That is, gently tap his rear end from a place of safety until he moves his hind end away from pointing directly at you. Keep up the pressure until he turns around and faces you.

You may have to do this for a while until he learns that when you come into his stall, you want him to face you. You can also reward good behavior or tempt him to turn around with a bit of hay as you go in. Try the hay first, and if he still ignores you, move into a more proactive training mode.

If your horse has a habit of doing this, you might consider that this horse is too dangerous for you to ride safely. Especially if it is a fear response, there is not much you can do to prevent your horse from bolting. Once he's in motion, all you can do is put him in a tight circle and let him run until he gets tired. If you're in the woods, this is obviously not going to work well.

Also, some horses learn the dastardly trick of allowing you to pull their heads all the way to the side while running full speed ahead. Essentially, they realize that they can see well enough with one eye to keep running. Once a horse learns that, you're toast; and so is any subsequent rider. So if you try to sell the horse, you MUST give full disclosure of this tendency to any prospective buyer or face legal liability.

You should consider hiring a qualified trainer to work with you and your horse to build trust and reduce his fear. Not all horse bolting problems can be fixed, but many can.

This is an issue that needs to be dealt with because a bolting horse is no joke.

Why do you want to stop him from doing this? Unless he's using it as an evasion to the bit's action, it can be a sign that he's listening to your commands with the bit. If he is using his playing as an evasion, however, there are a number of techniques you can try.

First, change bits. Go with one that has fewer bells and whistles, so to speak. A smooth bit, snaffle or shorter pelham, would work well.

Second, get his teeth floated and check him out, dentally speaking, so as to make sure that he's not telling you of a toothache or other oral problem with his mouth action.

There are additional techniques, but they require an experienced trainer to work with your horse, and that being the case, would be beyond the scope of these suggestions.

He's a prey animal, and evolution demands that he get frightened right away so as to save his life. The faster he reacts to something unusual, the more likely he'll survive to have little horses of his own.

The best way to keep your horse from driving you crazy with this fear response is to show him that you're the herd boss and you're the one that will keep the predators at bay with your awesome powers of protection. Once he's convinced of that, he'll stand by your side even in the face of quite frightening spectacles. Otherwise, horses would never have been able to be the great war machines that they've been over the centuries.

December 9, 2008 – What can I put on my horse to keep him warm during this winter?

It depends on how much turn-out your horse is living with, and what kind of horse he is. If he spends a lot of time outdoors and he's the thin-skinned Thoroughbred type, there are excellent, heavy all-weather rugs or horse blankets that you can buy in which your horse can virtually live in during the cold weather. If he's a shaggy pony or quarter horse, the easy keeper type, and spends more time indoors, you don't have to worry so much about blanketing your horse.

Something not to forget to keeping your horse warm in both circumstances is the importance of providing free choice hay. Hay in the gut is like a heater for horses, so don't skimp on it. But equally important is to provide adequate water. Metabolizing hay requires lots of water, add in the moisture lost to breathing dry winter air all day and the importance of providing sufficient water is critical to keeping your horse from dehydrating.

December 8, 2008 – What should I feed my barrel racing horse, she's getting really skinny. Should I be giving her supplements and some other foods? Right now, I'm not feeding her anything but hay.

Horses in competition need grain to keep weight on, as you've discovered. I would use a good quality pellet with no less than 12% protein.

Here's a site I've suggested in the past that provides some good information about equine feeding and digestion:

"The basic feed requirements of the horse are relatively simple. As a general rule of thumb, a horse will typically consume 10 to 12 gallons of water, greater than or equal to 1.0 percent of body weight in forage, and less than or equal to 1.0 percent of body weight in concentrate per day. Horses should also be given free choice salt."

So as I posted before, feed the grain (900 pound horse is 9 pounds of grain or roughly two big scoops per day total) in no less than two portions or more per day. If your horse gets too fat, cut back. If he's too skinny, add on. Make changes incrementally until you are satisfied with his weight. The amounts will change over time depending on how much work your horse is doing, and how much growing he is doing.

I have more than one horse, but less than ten horses. I can safely say that at any given moment.

No more than it hurts you to trim a finger nail. If the trim gets too close to the quick, it could hurt, but usually not at all.

December 3, 2008 – I'm split-leasing a horse, but now I've just learned that the owner is expecting me to also pay for half the vet, farrier, and any other related bills for her care. Is this normal with a half-lease?

It can be — it all depends on your deal. If this wasn't agreed on in the beginning though, you have the right to stop the lease right now or to renegotiate. Of course, if you can't agree, neither of you have a deal. So, consider what is critical and what you can accept, and the lessor should do the same.

Once you both figure out what you both want and can agree, WRITE IT ALL DOWN, PUT AN END DATE ON THE LEASE, MAKE TWO COPIES, AND BOTH SIGN BOTH COPIES! Then, each take a copy for your records. Better yet, contact an equine attorney. I'm not saying this to get more work for all attorneys, rather, if you have any doubts about any aspect, make sure your needs and liability exposure is covered properly — you'll need some help if this gets sticky.

December 2, 2008 – My horse's hooves are slitting and cracking? What do I do to stop this and let them heal?

A horse's feet will split and crack due to a number of factors, including footing, nutrition, work, and shoeing habits. Also, due to the fact that some owners feel they must keep a horse shod all the time, the shoes will leave nail holes in the hoof and contribute to the problem. The fix takes time and patience.

First, pull off the shoes and let your horse go barefoot for six months or so. And now that it's almost winter, this is a good time to do that because you'll also avoid snow bunching problems caused by snow freezing to the shoes, and therefore, won't need to use winter shoes. If your horse has been in shoes for a while, he'll be tender at the beginning; but carry on and just don't run him over rocks or pavement, or work him hard over hard ground.

Second, trim the hooves at the normal schedule. And while doing that, review your feeding regimen. Is he getting good quality hay and grain, and the occasional grass turn out, with a mineral block at choice? Good food cures most ills.

In terms of supplements, I know there are many. My view on them is that if used carefully, they won't hurt the horse. On the other hand, I don't know that they help all that much over the foundations of good hay, grain, grass, and free choice mineral block. So consider that thought as you make a decision regarding what supplements really make a difference and are worth the cost, if any.

Lunge him first until his "ya yas" are out. Follow that with at least a half hour to forty five minutes at walk, trot and canter, varying speeds, and insisting on obedience. You should also occasionally work him at walk, trot and canter on the trails for an hour or so. If he jigs at the walk, circle him or make him do a side pass, that is, bend his neck to one side or the other, and then use your opposite leg to make him go sideways while he's going forward also. Do the side pass or circle and then ask for the walk again.

This is all a lot of work for your horse and he'll soon figure out that if he obeys you, it will go easier on him.

It really depends on the musculature, size, and frame of the pony. Some ponies, such as Icelandics, Fjords, or Highlands are really small draft horses and are wide, broad, strong, and easily capable of carrying most adults, topping out at around 250 pounds. Lighter framed, smaller, and slender ponies should not carry much more than 160 pounds or so. Minis and lighter Shetlands, of course, should not carry anything but 50 or so pounds.

You really don't want to injure the pony's back, so be conservative on these estimates.

Here is how I see the 4 quadrants from a Natural Horsemanship perspective. There may be other ideas out there.

That depends on the horse. If you're very heavy or are bouncing up and down, he probably won't like it. If the horse wishes, he probably could take some retaliatory action that you won't like either. On the other hand, if he's a "good old Joe", he might just look at you patiently with a disgusted expression on his face.

It's hard to tell what might happen in your case. But don't sit on his kidneys intentionally.

November 24, 2008 – You previously answered a question regarding bitless bridles, but I am wondering if a side-pull also falls in that category? I am using one on my horse because he has some issues that a bit interferes with. It was suggested to me and since I have been using it there seems to be no problem. Would a side-pull fall under the category of hackamores?

A bitless bridle can be a number of things, starting with the classic bitless bridle and ranging from the lower jaw rope favored by the Plains Indians buffalo culture to the hackamore. The hackamore has a stiff rawhide bosal around the nose. When the rider pulls on the reins, the bosal depresses the soft tissue above the nostrils and pinches the soft tissue on the underside of their jaws — it can be very punitive in the wrong hands. A side pull bridle has less pulling power and is gentler on the horse.

November 21, 2008 – Why do some mares get angry when you tighten their girth? I am a learning rider and a couple of mares at the stables do this.

Some mares get very moody when they come into season. Some may be especially sensitive to girth tightening during this time

On the whole though, I think this is a training issue and not a horse issue. In other words, I know lots of geldings who'll do a back flip on the tightening of the girth and it has lots to do with their training and temperament and nothing to do with the gender of the horse. You should always lead the horse forward for a few strides after tightening the girth and before getting on. This will prevent inadvertent pinching of the skin behind the horse's elbow and will head off many a back flip.

November 20, 2008 – Is there an ointment that I can put on my 18 year old mare prior to excerise? Something to warm up her legs, something like deep heat?

Ventolin is a "bracer" sometimes used AFTER exercise. I don't know of any warm up liniment; usually exercise is the warm up, followed by the liniment as a muscle relaxer and bracer. That would be my prescription; we all get stiff as we get older, and moving out is the best cure.

November 19, 2008 – For my horses, I have a few bales of grass hay with a small amount of alfalfa in them, but save them for the colder winter days (I live in Michigan). My horses pick through the grass hay that I feed them and a lot of it falls out of the feeder and eventually gets trashed on the ground. I have two horses and feed them two to three flakes of grass hay at a time throughout the day when I am working at home so that less is wasted, but still have waste.

I am wondering if I could enhance the grass hay by maybe misting it with a mix of water with a little molasses in it or something like that? I find that if I first put the grass hay in the feeder and then sprinkle some of the tastier alfalfa mix flake on top they don't waste as much, but I don't have enough bales of the alfalfa mix to dress the top of the grass hay all the time. Otherwise I would just do that.

I would appreciate your input on this. The cost of hay is up as is everything and I just HATE to see that grass hay trashed out!

Waste is a huge problem with hay. Though there is no way to reduce waste entirely, there are some tricks to reducing waste.

I do know some trainers who allow hunger to deal with the wastage issue on the theory that if horses get hungry enough they'll eat it. I don't subscribe to that theory because sometimes a horse will refuse hay for other, but very good reasons.

One way to reduce waste is to feed smaller amounts more frequently. For example, feed 1.5 flakes three times a day if you can manage it. Another way to do that is to put the hay in a hay-net which makes them work harder to get the precious scraps out, thus reducing waste.

Soaking hay in water is practiced by some, though not for reasons of waste reduction, but because the practical effect of that is to soak the sugar out of the hay — high-sugar hay is tied to one of the causes of laminitis. Hay has varying quantities of fructan, the sugar part of the grass plant, and this can be removed by soaking. You can see the brown water left after soaking hay, which is the sugar content.

I haven't heard that misting hay with molasses works; it seems a colossal effort for not much effect. Besides, you'd get your horses used to eating only sweet hay, which is not quite what nature intended, as evidenced by the laminitis factor.

I would try a hay-net and making them work for their dinner. A little effort might also increase their appetite. Do make sure the hay is good hay by asking your veterinarian.

Aside from the height thing, which I presume you do not mean since that would be a matter of opinion and depends on how tall you are, I think it means that the horse has too much spirit and fire to be a safe ride. However, that's just a guess because I've not heard it before either. I don't think it means that the horse has been smoking marijuana, in other words.

November 17, 2008 – Bandito
This is a much shorter series of posts reporting on Bandito than I had hoped for. The Horse Guy and I spent the last four days working at the Equine Affaire and the updates about Bandito have been a roller coaster, but generally positive. But this morning, things got a lot bleaker.

Essentially, we've had some major improvements, but it appears the end is not going to go our way. The worse part is that Bandito's hooves are healing well while the intestinal toxicity which started this whole problem is killing him. Let me explain.

Bandito's hooves are well on their way to a full recovery, with new frogs, new soles, and new hooves growing cleanly and without pain or malformation from compression. His coronet band on each foot has firmed up with new tissue, and the new frogs and soles peep out from the old as smooth and whole as a baby's bottom. But irrespective of this phenomenal and hitherto unseen progress, the original condition that caused the laminitis, a toxicity in Bandito's intestine, is now more obvious than ever and causing his health to swiftly deteriorate.

His condition is not responding to any treatment, is worsening, and is diminishing Bandito's musculature to the point where he cannot proceed further. The saddest pat is that he is still bright eyed, eating and drinking well, eliminating well, and not in any apparent pain, but he is just getting weaker and weaker, especially in his hind end, an effect unrelated to the laminitis which had affected his feet.

Dr. Stewart has been tirelessly consulting every expert he can contact about other approaches we can try to resolve the root, intestinal ailment, but has today informed me that we've run out of options. I've had to make the difficult decision to euthanize. The sorrow that I and everyone involved with Bandito feel is just so frustrating. The NEST has completely resolved the original reason we would have had to euthanize a week ago, but the original cause of that laminitis has evidently caused vital organ damage that we cannot resolve and his deterioration is accelerating. If the toxicity could be treated, Dr. Stewart feels Bandito could recover completely. I cannot tell you how sad and powerless I feel.

I have some solace in that the NEST saved Bandito from a form of laminitis that would have been a very painful death and that we have given his body every opportunity we know of to continue to live. And I feel that his trial will live on in the records of veterinary science and be of immense help to other laminitic horses because of the existence of the NEST.

To help others, I'm giving Dr. Stewart permission to share Bandito's medical records at River Meadow Farm, Windsor, CT, with others. My sincere thanks to Dr. Michael Stewart, DVM (which in this case stands for wonderful, tenacious, and skilled, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine.) I also want to thank Ken Messier of Enduro Medical Technology so very much for giving Bandito a fighting chance.

November 12, 2008 – Due to their participation in the huge EQUINE AFFAIRE! horse show in Massachusetts from Thursday, November 13th to Sunday November 16th, there will be no further posts from the "Horse Girl" or "Horse Guy" again until Monday, November 17th — SEE YOU THERE!!!

November 11, 2008 – The Horse Girl will be posting a regular update on the progress of Bandito, her 15 year old polo thoroughbred. Three weeks ago, Bandito suffered an acute attack of laminitis in all four feet to the point where he was on the brink of having to be euthanized. Fortunately for Bandito, he was accepted to serve as the first clinical trial for the prototype of the Enduro NEST device from Enduro Medical Technology, a new equine rehabilitation device developed to rehabilitate horses over the long term who have foot and leg problems.

November 10, 2008 – My husband's horse recently was seriously lamed by a bad horseshoeing job. It cost us several hundreds of dollars and a lot of vet checks to get him on the road to recovery. We have since learned that this happened to several other people who used this same shoer. Is there a place to report this man before he hurts more horses?

Your state's Better Business Bureau will likely have a forum to complain, as will the state's Attorney General's Office. But, be careful how you word your complaint, whether to these state offices or to other people in the community, unless you have proof that the bad horseshoeing job is indeed the cause of the lameness.

It's important that you don't put anything into the complaint that is the result of you drawing conclusions. Rather, you want to be sure that what you say to people or state in the complaint is limited only to the facts that you personally know. Certainly, the horse going lame right afterwards is a sign that the shoeing job caused problems, as do the tales of the other people. But if you state that this farrier caused the lameness and he could prove otherwise, you could potentially face a libel or slander suit.

However, if you say that you were not satisfied with the job that he did, and then mention that the horse went seriously lame immediately thereafter, and also that you've since learned from others that this scenario has happened before in several other situations, then your point will be made, and more importantly, you'd be able to defend yourself by pointing out that everything you have said is the absolute truth. The distinction is that you don't know whether the shoeing actually caused the problem — what you do know is that the lameness occurred right after the shoeing job.

Keeping to the facts that you know and letting the appropriate authorities investigate and draw conclusions from what they learn protects you and still has the benefit of protecting others if they find this farrier actually is the cause.

November 06, 2008 – I have a nice, eight-year-old Quarter Horse gelding which was used as a trail horse successfully for three years or so, but the former rider lost interest in him. He has not been worked or ridden in the past three years now and I have taken over his care and would like to bring him around to being a good solid trail horse again. He has gotten lazy and has developed some bad habits in his early retirement and I have been working with him on that with groundwork and a lot of Clinton Anderson tips. He is now doing okay except that he resists being mounted. He is a big guy and I need to bring him to a mounting block in order to get on him. When I lead him to it, he just overshoots it or steps around it, and I find myself in this dizzying merry-go-round type situation trying to bring him back to the block and then having him do the same overshoots and side-steps and such. I am thinking that he is just trying to ignore my attempts to bring him to it and thus get out of being ridden.

What are your suggestions regarding this behavior? I have not let him get away with it and I always stick with it until he finally stands and I am able to get up on him. I am hoping though that eventually he will just line himself up and stand like a good boy. What would you suggest?

By the way, I appreciate your answers to past questions. You have been very helpful. Thank you!

The trick is to let him move only when you say so. The way to get him to do that is, if does he moves on his own, then make him move in ways that make him work so when he does stop, he's grateful for it. You want him to come to understand that doing what you ask always means less work than resisting you.

So, the next time you go to mount and he steps off on his dance, insist he move in a pivot around his front feet so that only his hind end is moving around the mounting block. He won't like it and he'll eventually end up close enough to the mounting block to get on. Then, once on, don't move immediately off, stand there for a while. Then get off, then get on again. Repeat with the pivot move until he stands still. If he moves off while you're stepping up on the mounting block, step back down and move him around until he quits.

He's a smart horse and he'll figure it out more quickly than you might otherwise think.

November 05, 2008 – My horse keeps drinking bad water — how do I stop him?

It's good you're looking into this issue, because you really are responsible for your horse's health. I can't tell by your question what you're classifying as "bad water". What makes you think the water your horse is drinking is bad? Has it been tested and deemed "bad" by a professional? Is it obviously dirty? Is it something like pond water or stream water?

Keep in mind that the standards of "clean" water for humans and animals differs greatly — although you won't drink something like pond water, it's not necessarily bad for your horse to drink unless it's contaminated in some way. If you truly feel this water is bad, you need to prevent his access to it. And you do need to always make sure your horse has access to fresh, clean water at all times. You may not see him drink often, but he does and it's vital to his health and overall life.

If your horse is hitting the ground hard at the canter, make sure he's properly warmed up and supple before asking for a canter. Also make sure he's collected and responding to your leg and seat.

If your horse is built downhill, that is, with a higher hip point than a shoulder point, then he'll carry more weight on his forehand. In that case, try to engage his hind end and bring it under him before asking for a canter, because a horse built that way will tend to hit the ground harder at canter, whereas most of his energy should instead be coming from his hindquarters.

Arthritis and soreness could also be a contributing factor, along with weight (an overweight horse will have a harder time carrying himself and will hit the ground much harder). In these cases, talk to your vet.

Another issue to explore is short, upright pasterns. They, too, can cause a horse to "pound" at the canter. And being on the wrong lead can also cause a "pounding" sensation.

Lastly, make sure you, yourself, are not pounding on the horses back at every stride as this will inhibit him from moving properly. If you have trouble sitting to your horse's canter, see if he has the same pounding sensation while you lunge him or ride in a two-point position. Or have a friend ride him and see if the pounding goes away. If either of these "tests" fix the problem, you may want to look into your own riding technique and see what could be improved.

If none of the foregoing helps, it's time to enlist the help of your vet or a good instructor/trainer to help you diagnose the problem. You don't want to ignore it because if there is a real problem, continuing this pounding could result in serious injury to your horse over time.

This may drive you crazy, but the answer depends on the skill of the rider and the individual horse. A bitless bridle can offer less control over your horse, and so, it can be more dangerous in the hands of the unskilled. I distinguish hackamores from this definition, which can be quite severe due to the hard nature of the "bosal" around the horse's nose.

So, if you feel adequately skilled as a rider, try it and see how your horse reacts. BUT do not sacrifice or risk your safety under any circumstances.

If you really feel that your horse isn't drinking enough, talk to your vet. If this is a recent development, it could be a sign of a number of illnesses — the first thing a horse usually does when it's not feeling well is to stop eating or drinking.

If you have an automatic waterer, try switching to a bucket with water — yes you'll have to carry and fill it all the time, but it's a good way to see exactly HOW MUCH your horse is drinking and a lot of horses don't like drinking from automatic waterers or haven't really learned what they are. Adding something flavorful to the water may also encourage drinking (such as Gatorade powder). Adding electrolytes to your horse's feed will also increase drinking, BUT BE SURE to talk to your vet before putting your horse on electrolytes — not every horse should be on them.

Sore teeth could be a problem and may keep a horse from drinking water that is too cold. Call a horse dentist if you feel that this may be the case.

High stress levels will also cause a horse to not drink — could he be stressed?

The majority of horses will drink when they're thirsty. It goes with the old saying: "you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink". Chances are, if your horse needs water, it will drink — if it isn't thirsty, it won't. If you're concerned about your horse being dehydrated, you can do a skin-pinch test.

But I can't emphasize enough that the thing you should do first is to check with your vet — he/she is the safest way to determine the real problem.

October 29, 2008 – I have recently picked up a very sweet 15-year-old Arabian mare from a rescue agency. Of course, besides neglect, nothing is known of her past. She is a great little trail horse and just an all around joy. Recently when trail riding, we turned a rather sharp corner and quickly came across a limb in our way. Rosie kind of set back and acted like she was going to try to jump the thing, but it was setting off the ground and was too high for her at such a short distance from it to do so. She came back down in the front and walked through it.

My question is this, since I don't know what her past life has been, nor does anyone else, how can I find out if she would enjoy jumping and whether or not there has been jumping in her past life? I am in my 50's and have only been a laid-back trail rider, so jumping isn't something that I am used to, but I think I would enjoy it in moderation.

The best way to see if a horse likes to jump is to try it in small, limited, and controlled ways in a ring, first with a pole across the ground, and then moving up in tiny increments. If she seems familiar with the idea and jumps, you'll know. It's very easy to tell horses that haven't been trained because they seem confused as to what to do with themselves once the jump is raised more than a few inches off the ground. They'll walk over it, step very high, hit it with their back end, and so forth. Only horses that have been educated tend to do the nice round controlled jump.

If you have a horse that hasn't been educated and you'd like to have her trained, then seek the advice of a professional trainer. At age 15, she certainly could comfortably handle low jumps, and as long as she's sound, you should have a great time with it.

October 28, 2008 – My late-gelded, ex-racehorse still thinks he's a stud. What can I do?

You could have a vet check to test to see if he's a cryptorchid (the absence of one or both testes or their failure to descend) to rule out a medical reasons. If he is, then he's still producing testosterone and this would explain his studdish behavior.

However, there are some horses that will never get un-studdish, especially if they've been bred before or were gelded late. It could also be a learned behavior or have developed from improper socialization (which is common in ex-racehorses). Increased exercise should take the edge off and administering clear corrections when the horse exhibits unwanted behavior will be your best bet here.

The first thing to do is to try and figure out WHY your horse is pawing and kicking. There are several factors that can cause a horse to kick and paw a stall:

You may be putting too much oomph into a stiff brush. A horse's skin is sensitive. Or, he may just be antsy — that is why God created cross ties.

October 22, 2008 – How do I correct a horse that kicks when I'm cleaning his rear feet?

Well first, you need to make sure that your horse is not in pain and kicking for that reason. There could be a problem with his feet, legs, knees, or hips. To rule that out, you at least should have a more experienced horse person check him, or maybe even your vet.

Once you've ruled out pain, it's likely an issue of fear or lack of respect. Presuming it's fear, you can get your horse more used to having his feet cleaned in steps. As with most situations, start small and progress in increments. So start with one foot, pick it up, then put it down. Move to the next foot, do the same, then move to the next, and so forth. Once your horse is used to you picking up his feet, then gradually extend the time the foot is in the air. Over time, he should learn that the procedure doesn't hurt and you're not going to give up. Once he knows that, you should be well on the way — repetition and patience will win the day. You may also want to get an experienced farrier to show you a few additional tricks on how to proceed.

As for kicking, keep in mind that a horse that has his leg up in the air can't kick with the other foot — it's supporting him; he can only kick with the foot you have in your hand. And, if the foot is curled upwards, there's an even greater limit to the degree of force he can get into the kick. As long as you're standing by his hip and you pick up the foot before he kicks, then you should be safe.

Finally, if the real reason is that your horse doesn't respect you, you'll need to work on that issue first. One of our writers, Jennifer Goddard, is in the middle of a series of training articles. Her first installment, entitled Before Training, You Need Respect, discusses that issue.

October 21, 2008 – My horse doesn't like to be touched because of a skin problem. What can I do?

This one will take some judgment on your part, and since I am not there to tell you how to judge, all I can do is describe what I would do and what I would look for. Remember, your safety is paramount.

You didn't say what kind of skin problem your horse has. Get a vet to look at it if it appears to be serious or your horse seems to be in real pain — in fact, you should probably do that anyway — I had a horse once die of skin cancer that started very small. Your vet will offer a trained eye and good advice.

If the degree of sensitivity when touched is mild, and your horse cross ties, I would cross tie him, get a friend to stand in front with some hay, and go gently while you treat the affected area. If he doesn't cross tie, then do the same thing, only in front of a wall, with the friend holding your horse on a lead line with the hay on the ground. Again, go gently and keep him occupied.

If the horse is in real pain and freaks when you get near the skin problem, and the condition simply must be treated, you definitely should have him seen by your vet. We all prefer to save money when we can, especially in these times. But a horse that truly freaks could have a serious problem and you don't want to waste time letting it worsen while you experiment.

To see further than they can with their heads down; perhaps they heard something and need to see and hear what it is to stay safe. Or, if you're riding them, because they want to go faster and you're pulling on the reins.

October 17, 2008 – How do I deal with a horse that is easily frightened and untrusting because he used to receive harsh treatment?

You need to do so very carefully, gently, and with great patience over time, with close attention to your own safety. In my opinion, these horses really require expert care, which by your question, you may not have. I would be very cautious about taking on such a project unless you have access to expert advice — which does not mean the "Horse Girl", and you are fully paid up on all your insurance, with no dependents. Then get on.

October 16, 2008 – How important is it to lunge a horse before you get on him?

It depends on whether the horse needs the warm up, in terms of his ability to pay attention to you once you're in the saddle. If the horse is likely to try to buck or to otherwise "dump" you off first thing, because he has an excess of energy and high spirits, then lunging him with saddle on and stirrups flapping is a great way to "take the edge off" so to speak. Work until he gets down to business. Then get on.

October 15, 2008 – I notice that the quarter horses I've seen don't all look alike in conformation. Are there different "types" of quarter horse?

Oh my yes. The typical working quarter horse that you'll see on ranches has the archetypal conformation of being close-coupled, with a large and muscled hindquarter and a broad, muscled chest, to the point that the horse looks "bull dog" in form.

Other kinds of quarter horses, the running kind, look almost like a thoroughbred does with a more sloping shoulder, more slender "pins" underneath, and lighter overall. Even the show type, halter class, has changed over the years, with the current fashion having a super-muscled appearance with much smaller feet than in days gone by. I, myself, don't like the small foot look. I seem to remember a saying, no foot no horse!

October 14, 2008 – My horse got a small cut on his leg. It's been a few days now and the cut hasn't healed yet, but it doesn't look infected. Is it ok to ride?

In my opinion, yes, but I'm not a vet and health questions you have should always be directed to your vet. As for your horse's cut, you said it's small, even with a minor cut, the wound may still seep with a little clear serum, but as long as the wound and the area around it doesn't get raised and puffy with pus or show other signs of infection, then that seepage is not usually harmful. If the serum continues for another few days or turns color, such as yellow, call your vet immediately. Otherwise, you may want to cover it with Corona or some other topical ointment that will help prevent infection from setting in, as well as to keep the flies off.

Generally, as long as the horse is not lame and the wound doesn't become infected, then he should be fine.

October 10, 2008 – My horse, after a bout of rain that lasted five straight days, now has these raised bumps and dandruff all over his shoulders and rump. What is that, and how do I get rid of it?

This skin disorder is affectionately known as "rain rot" and does indeed set in after damp and dark conditions let moisture stay on a horse's skin for too long. These conditions allow an organism, actinomyocetes, which is present in the horse's skin anyway, to flare up. Although you can get specific treatments for it, I've also heard that the shampoo "Selsen Blue" does a good job of getting rid of this organism. Rain rot is very common, is contagious, and can distress your horse, so persistent treatment until it's gone is recommended.

Studies show that cribbers do have an increased incidence of colic, in this case, called "air colic" due to the ingested air that must pass through the digestive tract. Therefore, if you have a cribber, it's a very good idea to take active steps to prevent the cribbing using a cribbing collar or muzzle.

Another thing you can do is to assess your horse's environment. Often cribbing is a response to a horse being stressed. Reduce the stress and the horse will crib less. Such stress can be caused by a bullying pasture mate, harsh treatment from humans, etc.

Also, a cribbing horse will generally crib more when in his stall. Turning him out daily when weather permits significantly reduces cribbing because he's now able to socialize and graze.

Taking actions to reduce your horse's stress and giving him ample turn out will make your horse crib less and be much happier. Not only will his surroundings stay in better repair, his insides will too.

October 7, 2008 – How long does it take a horse to get used to and settle in to a new barn?

Settling into a new barn usually takes about four days, sometimes less, sometimes more. The trick is to determine whether or not the horse feels safe enough to sleep. You won't necessarily be able to see this, but you will be able to tell, because he'll get perky instead of anxious when you take him out of the stall.

October 6, 2008 – What do I do when a horse won't move forward, and rears or bucks if I insist?

Rather than move him forward, lead him via a rein to one side. That is, turn him completely around if you have to, but then continue the turn forward. If he still won't go, do it again. Eventually he'll figure out that it's easier to move when you tell him.

Don't hit him or yell at him during this process. He may be frightened, and neither of those two actions will help. In fact, it may ensure that you get dumped, which is not a lesson you want him to learn. You don't want him to think: "Hey wait: if I do THIS, then I get rid of that annoying human entirely...hmmmm..."

October 3, 2008 – I am a breeder with too many horses on my hands and facing winter. What are my reasonable options under the law? What are the dangers I face?

First, I assume you've already tried all the obvious options to sell or lease the horses to a good home? Have you tried auctions? Have you tried private sale or lease by advertising at locations likely to get the word out? Have you utilized all your contacts? If you've not done all these things, then do them. If you have and you're still stymied, then you can look at the various rescue operations in your area. Most locations across the US do have them, though they may charge you for the "donation" of each horse; still, you'll get them to a good home that usually has public oversight over how the horses are treated, if the rescue is a nonprofit corporation, at any rate. That's because nonprofits are usually regulated by the attorney general's office of the state in which you're located.

Unfortunately, from here, your options look less and less viable, not to mention morally offensive and cruel to your horses. If you can't get a non-profit to take your horses and you decide to brave the storm, so to speak, by keeping them, be careful that your lean times do not affect the health of your horses to the point that they're neglected or abused. This is a crime and the horses will not only be taken away from you, but you also could be subject to fines and criminal penalties.

If you sell a horse for slaughter in Mexico or Canada, be aware that some venues will impose penalties against you if they find out; e.g. some racetracks now have a "no slaughter rule", which if violated, will have an adverse impact on you and your business. It is not against the law to euthanize your own horse, but it's expensive, and again, the social judgment you would face could destroy your business and your standing in the community.

About the best advice I have is to do your best to sell or lease your horses and exercise caution in the breeding shed until your circumstances improve. You have a responsibility to these horses, so you have to live up to it on their behalf.

To my understanding, a sport horse is a larger, athletically bred saddle horse aimed at the showjumping, eventing, equitation, and dressage crowd. I recently saw some pinto sport horses that were among the most beautiful that I've ever seen. YOWZAH!!! Be still my heart.

Not unless another horse stomps on him stomping for flies. More seriously, there have been reports of horses developing shin splints from too much stomping for flies, and on a very hard surface, such as concrete or tightly packed earth, but I've never seen it or heard of it locally. The bigger issue is that horses lose weight and can lose too much blood from flies, and they can hurt themselves running around in the pasture to get way from them. Therefore, good fly management practices are very important, such as keeping their stalls and grazing areas clean of horse waste products and other fly attractants, plus judicious use of fly sprays.

September 29, 2008 – I'm having trouble getting my horse to go downhill. Any suggestions as to why he's reluctant to ride downhill?

He may be sore on his front feet. Look for thrush, a stone bruise, a "hot" nail from the horse shoe stuck into a sensitive part of his foot, or founder. Get a farrier and then a vet to look at the issue. If he's not sore, then it could be a training issue.

September 26, 2008 – I am thinking of buying a jumping prospect. Besides soundness, what are some conformation characteristics that you feel are the most important?

Whenever I'm looking at a horse that'll have significant athletic performance duties, I consider a number of areas:

First, I look at the shoulders and the set of the neck, as well as the width of the chest. A horse that has a wider chest and more sloping shoulders will have a bigger lung capacity.

Next, I look at the hind end: is there sufficient power behind to get the job done? A horse that's weedy behind and large up-front may be muscled up, but if the general shape is working against you, you'll have difficulties getting sufficient power for the job.

Finally, look at the legs: is there sufficient bone and are the feet big enough and in good shape? Are the pasterns the right length and slope? One way you can tell all of this is to watch how the horse moves. A well put together horse has a spring in the trot that looks like he's floating as if a natural gait.

Overall, balance is what you're looking for, as well as legs and feet in good condition. So, don't just jump at a warmblood because it's a warmblood; make sure the horse's structure can get the job done.

September 25, 2008 – Going to look at a horse, supposed to be calm and all. But requires web shoes to be on or is tender-footed. Is this normal or should I steer away from this horse?

Though I've never heard of web shoes on a horse, I do know that some horses have shoes that cover the bottom of the foot in whole or in part, if that is what you're referring to. This shows that the horse is not sound at the moment, but is not a statement as to whether it will always be unsound.

Get a vet check before buying this or any other horse, and don't accept delivery or buy the horse until you get the results, including acceptable results from a blood test.

September 24, 2008 – Should I take the water from my horse if he looks like he's going to colic? I had heard that this was the right way to treat the problem.

Well first, if you think your horse is "going" to colic, that means that he is in fact colicking, because "colic" is a nonspecific description which is simply defined as "abdominal pain". So, if you see signs of incipient colic, that means actual colic.

As to the actual cause, that's for your vet to decide. And no, don't restrict your horse's access to water during this time unless directed to do so by your vet. If your horse dehydrates, you'd likely make a bad situation worse. You can take food away until your vet arrives, but not water.

September 23, 2008 – Will the thoroughbred industry slow down its production of foals given the economic situation in the country?

The American thoroughbred industry is not immune to the laws of supply and demand. There is some indication that the country's economic downturn has already had an effect, as seen by the fact that "buy back rates" at prominent auctions are rising. It is too soon to say if the Wall Street meltdown will result in fewer foals being bred overall, though.

September 22, 2008 – Why do some pony riders at the race track during the races use western saddles, and some not?

Each track has their own rules on the subject. Personally if I were a pony rider, I would want a western saddle for the extra support and gripping power of all that leather. One massive animal hurtling through the air is enough.

September 19, 2008 – I recently got a new horse that is extremely fat. I'm worried about his health and have tried feeding him less and riding him more often, but nothing seems to help. How can I help keep my horse healthy and at a good weight?

One way to tell if he's healthy is to look and see if he has any muscle tone in his croup, chest and shoulders, and neck, and if he can run and gallop without getting too winded. If so, even if he has a bigger belly, then he's fine. However, if he has no muscle tone, and puffs like a steam engine after moderate exertion, then you need to stop the grain and feed hay only, plus work until he loses some of the weight.

Some horses, especially a few quarter horses I can think of, I swear, you could feed them nothing but air and they'd still be fat.

September 18, 2008 – What are the common indications that a horse is bored in its stall?

Symptoms of stall boredom can be indicated by listlessness, chewing, kicking, and more. And there are several different causes. The Horse Guy wrote a fairly comprehensive article about that very topic just two weeks ago entitled: Reducing Stall Boredom.

If you have any additional questions not answered by the article, please feel free to submit it here and we'll try to help you out.

September 17, 2008 – Are horses better turned out in group situations or alone?

Believe it or not, this is a flash point and dividing line in many barns. Some barn owners feel, with justification, that if you turn expensive horses out together, that they'll kick each other and cause serious bodily injury. Others feel that it's cruel to turn horses out alone, and that they should always have company. There is also support for this position as well. I myself think both positions have merit, but which you use for your horse should depend on the individual set up. That is, if a horse can see and smell companions in neighboring paddocks, he should not suffer too much from loneliness. So if you make it a practice to make sure that he always has neighbors, you can keep him alone in his paddock.

On the other hand, keeping a horse completely alone really is hard on the poor beast — they like company. For horses turned out together, you have to keep an eye on the situation and make sure there isn't a dangerously bossy individual in tight quarters with the others. As long as the others have somewhere to go in a hurry to get away from Bossy, they should be fine. But if trapped, a kicking war can ensue that is dangerous to all.

September 16, 2008 – How can I tell if my horse is being fed moldy grain? I worry that, with the economy the way it is, my barn might start cutting corners.

If the feed is being bought in bulk and deposited into a silo, it may be tough to see the mold itself. But, if the horse starts losing weight, or refusing the grain, or having constant runny bowels, or starts to get laminitis, or in other ways exhibits distress, then the first culprit to look for is the feed.

Also keep in mind that cheap grain is usually accompanied by cheap hay, and unfortunately, horses cannot constitutionally stand hay that is too poor in quality. They will colic and die before too long. So, look first at the grain; think warning bells if it is kept in a silo, and thus, difficult to inspect; then look at the hay quality and frequency. Once hay starts being limited, that is a slippery slope that leads to places you don't want your horse to go.

Start looking for alternative barns if you have any concerns. There are plenty out there!

September 15, 2008 – I need to sell my horse quickly. What is the best way to do that?

As with most things, if you insist on a fire sale, you'll get a fire sale return. Horse auctions (and not the fancy Thoroughbred ones, mind you) but the local auctions, are typically where you can let a horse go quickly, but for very little. Most auctions will allow you to put a reserve on the amount that must be bid before the horse can be sold, but be careful with that figure, because if the horse doesn't sell, you'll still have to pay the auctioneer's fee, which would defeat the purpose entirely. Sometimes certain other disciplines might have an organized auction, but in those cases, the horse had better have a recent showing or competition history in order to get any kind of decent return on the sale.

A better plan might be to figure out some way that the horse can be useful and earn his keep via a lease arrangement while you look for a buyer or use a competent agent to find you a viable buyer. Agents will typically charge a commission for their services, but you should still come out ahead. Make sure you put all deals in writing and have an "escape hatch" or agreement expiration date for the contract with the agent if the horse isn't sold within a specified period of time.

September 12, 2008 – It turns out that the horse I bought is blind in one eye. I did not know that before buying him, and I would not have bought him if I did. The seller swears she did not know either. Can I get my money back on the sale?

Did you have the horse checked by a veterinarian before the sale? What training and experience does the horse have? Does the eye prevent him from undertaking any activities? If the horse is prevented from any horsy activities, then you may have grounds to show that the seller DID know about the eye. If the seller was a dealer in horses, you may have a breach of the warranty of merchantability.

Regular readers will notice that I often end my advice with "Contact an equine attorney". That's because all legal matters must be thoroughly examined to determine whether or not they have adequate legal standing to pursue. This is another such case.

September 11, 2008 – I have a friend who bought a horse at an auction, but later found that the horse was vicious and attacked him causing serious injury. Does he have any recourse against the seller or the auction company?

Perhaps. Much will depend on the known history of the horse, the terms and conditions of the sale, and what was said at the time of the sale. Most auction companies will try to protect themselves from such suits by disclaiming all warranties, which disclaimer they usually require the buyer to sign.

However, if the auctioneer or the seller made any express statements about the horse before the sale, upon which the buyer relied, then depending on the wording of the disclaimer, these words may later serve as a basis to sue the seller or the auction company. Even if a warranty claim is no longer viable, there may be a fraud or a consumer protection claim out there. As always, you need to contact an equine attorney so he/she can review the specifics of the case to make a legal determination.

September 10, 2008 – I have a boarder that is far in arrears of board payments. Can I sell the horse to cover my expenses of feeding it over the last few months?

The short answer is yes, BUT. The long answer is, yes, but you need to follow the laws of your state in doing so, or you may be sued for horse theft. Therefore, there is no simple, standard approach. And you also need to assure you've given proper notification to the horse's owner of his overdue status and intention to recover your costs through the sale to give him the opportunity to pay up promptly. Call an equine attorney to find out how to manage the process and possible sale to recover your expenses.

September 9, 2008 – For my barn, why can't I just have riders sign a waiver that says that they assume all risk and waive all liability?

If you do that, you run the risk the court will find that the risks involved were so generally described, and that what happened to this individual was so unexpected, that this person was not put on notice of the specific harm that occurred in this particular matter. By the same token, if you exhaustively list all harms, you may miss the one thing that happened to this person, and at that point, the court may find that you intended to list all risks, and didn't list this one, so the waiver is not applicable.

The courts sure have you both ways, don't they? That is why you should in fact get an equine attorney to review your specific situation. It is both an art and a science.

September 8, 2008 – I've had my 7-year-old horse for about 8 months, and he's always been calm-natured. Recently, he's started spooking when people approach him when I'm mounted and also at the rail when someone approaches. How can I fix this?

Have you had his eyes checked? Believe it or not, if a horse has an incipient vision problem, it can manifest itself just like this. Otherwise, if his vision is fine and he's just full of beans and takes any opportunity to express his physical nature, then I would say, reduce the grain and up the work.

September 5, 2008 – While swimming, if water gets into the horse's ear, does it effect his balance so he doesn't know which way is up?

No, it shouldn't. But horses can panic if that happens, and if they do, that could cause them to drown. Horses have also drowned when a rider has tried to swim their horse and hasn't remembered they put a martingale on him (as unbelievable as this sounds, some riders have done this).

September 4, 2008 – I just bought a pony and his feet look like dinner plates, they are so large and untrimmed. How long will it take to get them back to normal?

Your farrier should use caution in returning the feet to a normal outline. Remember that the horse's legs get used to the stress of extra long toes, and if you hack off the excess, the horse might go lame just from his tendons stretching to the new position. Go slowly, and in six months, he should be back to normal.

September 3, 2008 – My horse is very fat. He looks very cute, but I am concerned about his weight. Should I be?

Yes. Horse obesity, which is almost unknown in the wild, can occur in domestication due to serving too much concentrated feed (grain). But obesity is not healthy for your horse and should be reduced by putting him in work and limiting his grain. Your horse will look even cuter when he's in shape.

September 2, 2008 – When should I keep shoes on my horse, and when should I let him go barefoot?

Horses need shoes if they're in competition, or in circumstances where their feet take a pounding on pavement or rocks. If your horse is out at pasture, he likely will not need shoes. If he's in light work, try the barefoot route with trimming every five to six weeks and see how it goes. Also, keep in mind that even for horses in competition and such, it's not a good idea to keep a horse in shoes year round because the hoof wall can get torn up from the pulling of nails out over time. After pulling shoes, you may notice a period where your horse is "ouchy" for a while until he gets used to the barefoot life, but he should be fine after that.

Let common sense be your guide on this one. And always remember, no hoof, no horse.

August 29, 2008 – I boarded my horse at a place that did not make me sign a board contract, but did require that I pay ahead for two months at a time. Now I want to leave. Am I owed any money back?

If you have no written contract, it appears as though your arrangement was one of fee for service. If you have not obtained the service, you should not pay the fee.

Give your notice, and let the stable owner know what you wish to be refunded any unused board. Then contact an equine lawyer if you have trouble. Good luck!!!

August 28, 2008 – Can you explain "floating teeth" to me? I don't understand why teeth should be filed. And will it hurt my horse?

Horses naturally eat grass, one of the toughest plants. To successfully do that, horse teeth grow at a quick rate over the horse's life. This growth wears away at a more or less even rate in the wild. However, in domestication, the teeth wear less evenly with a diet of grain and hay. The result is that the teeth grow points and spurs which can cause the horse to have difficulty eating, thus affecting his ability to keep on weight. It may also cause your horse to have problems carrying a bit and can, therefore, affect his performance when riding.

Old time horse dentistry involved taking a rasp to the points on the side of the horse's mouth and filing the edges down. This so called "floating" of the teeth was better than nothing. But it was sometimes incomplete because a horse has a long row of molars extending back into his head; the rearmost teeh can be very difficult to reach in full with just a rasp. As the science has progressed, modern equine dentistry now uses a high speed mechanized tool that takes off the points more quickly. Plus, there are devices that open the horse's mouth more fully so the back molars can be reached and any hooks in back also filed off.

Horses need their teeth attended to every eighteen months or so, no less than every two years, and every year if the individual circumstance warrants it. And, no, it doesn't hurt the horse. In fact, those previously mentioned spurs can be painful and after a horse has had his/her teech floated two or three times, they're very accomodating because they know they'll feel better as a result. Just like with people, tooth care pays off with a happy, healthy, and longer-lived animal.

August 27, 2008 – What is the deal with hay prices? How high can they go? Aren't farmers planting more hay given the demand?

For the same reason that many athletes in almost all sporting events have been caught using this class of drugs: for the performance enhancing aspects of its side effects. The problem, of course, is that these drugs have many more side effects, including heart damage, liver damage, reproductive damage, and effects on temperament and disposition. It also gives an unfair advantage over those not taking drugs.

Therefore, all major sporting groups have banned their use, and the horse world is starting to follow suit, albeit slowly because there is no national governing body that covers all equine sports, including racing. Of note, Kentucky has just banned steroids in horse racing and it is expected that many more states will follow suit as time goes on.

August 21, 2008 – Some people say that horses don't know if they have won a race. I think they don't either, how could they?

All I can tell you is that horses do race against each other in the paddock when at liberty — there is a clear competitive urge among horses. Take Cigar, a famous racehorse. He rarely lost, but when he did, he would refuse to eat his favorite treat: peppermint candies. And anecdotally, War Admiral, when he lost to Seabiscuit, well, go read Lauren Hillenbrand's book "Seabiscuit" on that topic. In addition, racing photos are replete with images of horses trying to take a bite out of a competitor who is beating them as the winning horse runs on by, and with an unmistakable "sour grapes" expression.

So I would say, in fact, that horses do know when they lose, if they're invested in winning at all. Some horses don't care, I agree, and those may not know. But those horses racing for real, I'd bet that they definitely know.

August 19, 2008 – How can I get into working in the horse industry in such a way that I can actually earn a living?

This is an age old question. Most people seem to start in the industry in one of two ways: either hire on with one of the satellite businesses that service the horse industry (tack, equipment, and so forth) and pursue your horsey ventures on your own time, or acquire a horse related skill that people will pay you for. One way to acquire a marketable horse skill is to go to school and obtain an equine related degree. For example, I offer an equine law course at Concord Law School if you're motivated to be a lawyer, like myself. The bottom line seems to be that, if you invest the time and effort into your skill development, someone, somewhere, at sometime, will want to hire you. Whether you starve to death in the meantime is another issue entirely.

August 18, 2008 – I'm trying to integrate a small (mini) gelding into my group of mares and geldings (5). This little man (Addie) is 3yrs old, but was only gelded 6 mths ago. The integration part has gone well, BUT although Addie is great with the rest of the group, mares included, he insists on mounting the smallest mare; none too gently.

She does not return his adure. He simply over powers her. Addie was purchased as a companion for this mare. I have tried to let them sort it out, but she gets hurt; as yet I wont run them together. I realize that this is a learned behavior and I don't mind separating them for as long as it takes, but I need a plan besides waiting it out. Both horses are rescue/unwanted pets and will live out their days here. Any ideas? Or are they in single beds for the rest of their lives?

Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do about this. The mare is not sufficiently "unreceptive" to dampen Addie's ardor. The mare may, in fact, be sending signals indicating her active interest, by hormonal means.

I note that you say she doesn't return his ardor, but, she isn't shutting it down either, which she certainly has the wherewithal to do if she chose. I would keep them apart for another couple of months or so, to see if the behavior will ebb as he gets used to his new state, then reintroduce slowly.