Stable Management

Basic—Regular exercise and frequent grooming (at least daily and certainly always after riding), in addition to a proper diet, are required to maintain a horse in good condition.

When approaching a horse from the rear, speak to him in a calm voice so that he will not be startled and perhaps kick.

FORAGE—The basic elements of a horse's diet are hay (for bulk and energy) and oats (for energy). However, many additional foods are needed to provide a well balanced diet. These include principally, bran, corn and greens. Other foods nutritious for horses are barley, wheat, rice, millet, rye, beans, peas, linseed, carrots, potatoes and apples. Vitamin-mineral supplements are frequently added to the regular diet.

A bran mash once a week is most beneficial for a horse. It is made by steeping several pounds of bran in as much boiling water as will be absorbed, stirring it well, adding a little salt and allowing it to steam until it is cool enough to eat. The mash is made either with two parts of bran to one of oats or equal parts of each.

Alfalfa, meadow hay and clover hay all have a high calcium-phosphorus content and are, therefore, high in bone making properties.

Corn and, to a lesser degree, rice and millet are high in fat, heat and energy-producing properties; therefore, they are most usually fed in winter.
Salt is usually fed as blocks or bricks of rock salt placed in the manger or as a "lick" in a special container on the wall near the manger.

HAY—The hay generally considered best for riding horses in the United States is a mixture of upland timothy with clover and some alfalfa.

A riding horse of medium height and weight, which is getting an average amount of work, should consume about ten pounds—from nine to twelve depending largely upon its size. Usually hay is fed before or between a feed of oats. If it is desired to reduce the amount of oats in a horse's diet and replace it with hay, a good rule of thumb would be to substitute three pounds of hay for each quart of oats.

OATS—Good oats are characterized by being plump, short, hard, of uniform size, clean, odorless, white in color; they should weigh not less than 38 pounds to a bushel; they should rattle when dropped on a solid hard surface; break sharply across when bitten and taste like good oatmeal.

A riding horse of medium height and weight, which is getting an average amount of work, should consume about ten quarts (or pounds) —from eight to twelve depending largely upon its size and the amount and severity of work—in three feeds a day. In the case of large horses and "big feeders," oats may be fed four or five times a day.

EATING AND DRINKING—Horses should be given water, hay and grain in that order. Water, given after grain, will tend to dilute its digestion; since hay provides bulk, it should be eaten before or between feeds of grain.

The tendency of some horses to bolt their food may be corrected by one of several methods: (a) including a portion, not exceeding 10%, of chaff (loose stems, leaves, flowers, etc.) with each feed; (b) spreading the feed out thinly over a large surface; (c) placing several bars over the top of the manger to divide it into compartments; or (d) placing a few large stones or other bulky non-edible substances in the manger.

When a horse is first put on grass, be careful that it does not overeat, since flatulent colic is almost certain to result—especially if the grass is wet or frostbitten.

BEDDING—Straw, sawdust, shavings, commercially prepared chopped sugar cane residue, and (except in damp or cold climates) peat moss and pine needles, all make good bedding for horses. Hay should not be used for bedding horses since horses are apt to eat it.

CONDITION—If a horse is in poor condition, but has no specific ailment, he may be brought to good condition through gradually increasing the amount of regular exercise and food progressively over a long period and grooming him thoroughly each day. Check with a veterinarian as to a well balanced diet containing appropriate quantities of protein, minerals and vitamins.

Thrush and canker frequently affect a horse's hoof if the hoof is not kept clean.

GROOMING—Grooming stimulates the circulation in the horse's hide and is beneficial in improving health and appearance. Two types of brushes are usually used—a body brush and a dandy brush. These are cleaned with a curry comb. A rubber comb is used directly on the body only to remove caked mud and then not on the legs or head!

To determine whether a horse has been properly groomed, run the fingers through the coat against the natural lay of the hair pressing firmly against the skin. If the horse has not been properly groomed, flakes of dandruff and lines of gray will appear on the horse's coat and the tips of the fingers will be covered with scurf. Places where a thorough grooming job is frequently neglected are under the crown piece of the halter, below the ears, under the belly, on the inside of the forelegs and thighs and in the bends of the knees and hocks.

TWITCH—This is a small piece of rawhide or rope passed through a hole in a stick of wood about 22 feet long and 12. to 2 inches in diameter. It is used to restrain a horse by twisting the thong about his upper lip. A twitch needs to be used occasionally when a horse is shod or clipped.

STABLE VICES—The most usual stable vices are: weaving, wind-sucking, cribbing (gnawing the woodwork), biting, kicking against the stall, tail rubbing, tearing blankets, halter pulling and eating dung. For correction of vices it is best to consult a veterinarian since such measures will vary with individual horses.

SORE BACK—A sore back is prevented by using a properly fitting saddle; properly placing and adjusting the saddle; sitting properly in the saddle and not shifting the weight unduly (not slouching, sitting on the cantle, standing on one stirrup); keeping the underside of the saddle clean; dismounting occasionally on long rides to lead or rest; not removing the saddle too soon after hard work; and maintenance of good condition in the horse.

STALLS—The dimensions of a box stall are usually from ten to twelve feet square. A standing or straight stall is as long and half as wide.

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