July 30, 2010 – SADDLE WEIGHT

How heavy can a saddle be before its too heavy for the horse?

That depends on several factors:

• The size and strength of the horse;
• The weight of the rider; and
• The weight of other cargo the horse will be asked to carry.

Essentially, any particular horse can only carry so much weight. If near that limit, we have to make tradeoffs as to what is more important. Bigger riders use up more of the maximum weight capability of the horse meaning the saddle and/or cargo must weigh less while a lighter rider has more options.

Older Western saddles sometimes weighed as much as 50 or 60 pounds — that's a lot! These days, there's no need to use such heavy saddles and most Western saddles weigh less than 30 pounds. My Aussie saddle weighs just 20 pounds and my synthetic Western saddle weighs about 17 pounds. Many English saddles weigh only eight or nine pounds.

But consider this: even if you're a small and light rider, why use a heavy saddle if you don't need to do so? Use a modern, lighter saddle and give your horse a break so he/she doesn't have to carry any more weight than is truly necessary. Your horse will secretly thank you for it.

July 29, 2010 – INCLUDE DOORS ON A NEW BARN?

My husband and I are designing a new barn and we're unsure whether or not it should have doors. Any comments?

Yes! Install doors. You've likely read many articles about how important it is that barns have good ventilation and that horses can tolerate the cold — this is all true. BUT, there are times, such as high winds in the coldest of the winter on an icy night that you may want to keep that wind out. Similarly, you may also want to keep the snow out from a very windy blizzard and you can't do that with no doors. Doors will let you do this, and you can leave them completely open the entire rest of the year.

I generally think options are very good!

July 28, 2010 – SLANT OR STRAIGHT TRAILER?

What's better for your horse, a slant or a straight trailer?

There are certainly many opinions for one or the other. I've heard many claims made based about studies exalting one design over the other, and about just as many counter-studies promoting the other design. Unfortunately, for all these claims, I've never been able to find the purported studies. I do know that most people prefer one design over another, as do I. But the fact is, you see lots of both designs, as well other designs, such as stock trailers and box trailers. All these designs appear to satisfactorily bring an owner's horses to the desired location.

Generally, a slant horse trailer will allow you to haul three average-size horses in just a little larger trailer and weight than a straight 2-horse trailer, though the horse will have less room. Conversely, a straight 2-horse trailer provides more space for two larger horses than they'd get in a slant trailer. When you think about what the two foregoing sentences really mean, you realize that this is exactly what you'd expect from each design and that you're making a trade-off one way or the other.

Therefore, I suggest you learn as much as you can about both designs you asked about, think about the size of your horses and how many you expect to haul at a time, and select a trailer based upon the design that is most appealing and best meets your needs. Regardless of the claims and stories you may hear, I've found absolutely no true studies showing one design to be superior to another. In addition, in discussions with manufacturers that make both designs, they explicitly stated that they found neither design to be superior to the other for a horse's safety or health.

July 27, 2010 – MONEY'S TIGHT; WHAT INSURANCE SHOULD I DROP?

I'm out of work and can't afford to keep all the insurances I have on my horse, so I'm going have to cut some of them out for now. Is mortality insurance the best one to keep?

You don't say whether or not you're an equine professional or just a horse owner, nor which insurances you already have that you're considering dropping, so it's harder to advise you. For the purposes of answering your question, I'm going to assume you're just a horse owner. However, I'm including some links at the end of this response that will be of help to owners and professionals with equine businesses.

If I could only afford one insurance, it'd be liability insurance. That's the insurance that pays if you get sued for damage or injury caused by your horse. In fact, I would never even own a horse without having a good equine liability insurance policy. Such a policy is not very expensive, but not having it if you need it definitely will be. Compare the following ramifications of not having each of these basic kinds of insurance:

Equine Mortality Insurance
If you don't have mortality insurance and your horse dies, you won't collect anything, and maybe you won't be able to buy another horse for a while.

Equine Major Medical Insurance
If you don't have major medical insurance, you'll have to pay for medical care and procedures out of pocket. While you may feel that could be hard to afford, let's be honest and recognize that most people only have a few thousand dollars of medical insurance on their horses in the first place. Plus, when you renew each year, you have to identify which maladies your horse had during the year and the insurance company usually excludes those problems from being insured from there-on out, so coverage is eliminated when you need it except in the year of the first occurrence.

Equine Liability Insurance
But if you don't have liability insurance and your horse injures or kills someone, they could sue you for lots of money and you could lose your home and investments. As painful as it is to lose a horse, it'd be much worse to lose our homes and become penniless. No one should own a horse without having liability insurance. It's the first insurance we should buy and it should never be allowed to lapse while we own one or more horses — EVER!

There are other policies to consider if you're in some kind of equine business. Even then, the most important policies to assure you purchase are those related to liability, such as General Farm Liability, Workmans' Compensation Insurance, Care, Custody, and Control Insurance, Equine Shipping Insurance, etc. While these don't all include the word "liability" in their names, they represent the kinds of risks that could cost you many thousands of dollars if you would be sued in court for injuries to a person or a very expensive animal (think expensive racehorse, some rare breed, or a horse with very expensive training).

If you have any questions about what kind of insurance you should purchase, do a little research and speak with an equine attorney . You can also speak with an equine insurance agent, but because they stand to gain from the advice they give you, you'll probably feel better to first get advice from a professional unrelated to the insurance industry. Once you've built a relationship of trust with an insurance agent over time, you'll feel better trusting their advice.

You can learn more by reading these articles written by the Horse Girl. As an equine attorney, she's seen lots of ugly legal suits related to insurance issues — you don't want to be one of them.

Equine Insurance and Why it Matters
Buying Horse Insurance
Agent Madness – Are you liable?
Gaps in Liability Protection for Equine Professionals
Liability Traps for Stable Owners & Lessors

July 26, 2010 – MORE ABOUT HOT WEATHER RIDING

Hi! I would like you to address the question of riding on high heat/high humidity days. I've been told to add the outside temperature to the humidity index and if the total is 160 or above don't ride. Is that the rule of thumb you go by? It would seem that if it were that but you are taking a slow ride in the forest or if there is a good breeze that you could still ride. What is your opinion?

I just responded to a similar question last week (7/19/10). I've never heard or read about any "rule of thumb" regarding combining the temperature and humidity index to determine whether or not it exceeds some safety threshold. And I dislike that approach because it doesn't consider other important factors, such as the condition of your horse and you.

I prefer a more common sense approach similar to that which you espoused in your question, namely: it depends. As you note, taking it easy at a slow gait and walking in the shade of the forest might let you ride on days that would otherwise be unsafe if you were doing it in the direct Sun.

But I want to again make clear that the physical condition of both you and your horse come into play quite a bit and are a very important consideration. Let's look at it another way that may be easier to see. In the winter, people out of shape are at significant risk of a heart attack when shoveling heavy snow. But if you're in good condition, the risk is much less because the body is less stressed due to being in shape — it's the same when being active on hot, humid days. So, let's list the factors you need to consider:

1. The temperature;
2. The humidity;
3. Whether or not you're in the Sun or under a tree canopy;
4. Whether or not there's a breeze;
5. The altitude at which you're riding (riding at higher altitudes is more dangerous);
6. The physical conditioning of your horse;
7. Your physical condition;
8. Your travel gait, flat or hilly, rough or smooth terrain, essentially, how hard you're both working and the load being carried (your weight, that of carried supplies, etc.);
9. How long you're both out riding;
10. How hydrated you both are while riding;
11. Whether you can take one or more breaks and rest during the ride; and
12. Whether you both can cool off, perhaps in a brook or pond during the ride.

I can't claim the foregoing considers every important factor, but I do believe it at least lists most of them. Certainly, we could expand on some of them, such as the conditioning of you and your horse by considering salt levels, how rested, fed, and hydrated you both were when you left on your ride, etc.

Essentially, I'm saying we're much better assessing all the factors and making a decision than following any arbitrary rule that attempts to be all things to all people. If you're really uncomfortable outside on a hot day, so is your horse and you should consider postponing a ride for another day with better weather. Another option is riding at dawn or dusk when it's cooler rather than in the middle of the day. It may be even more humid at dawn or dusk, but it's generally significantly cooler and safer than with the hot Sun overhead.

July 23, 2010 – BULB SIZE FOR BARN LIGHTING

How should I determine the wattage of each bulb to use in my barn?

Well, this is not exactly rocket science. If you try a bulb and you don't have enough light, you need a bigger bulb — it's that simple.

From a cost standpoint, you should use some form of fluorescent lighting, whether four foot tubes or compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs). If you stick to standard wattages (equivalent to 60W, 75W, 100W, etc.), you'll also find those to be among the cheapest bulbs because they're the ones most often bought and therefore benefit from huge productions of scale.

Generally, using 27W CFLs equates to about 100W incandescent and will likely provide the most light for the least electricity and cost of purchase and ownership. It's just a matter of installing enough fixtures to assure you have enough light and are not working in too dark conditions, especially when working closer to the ground, such as when picking hooves.

July 22, 2010 – WEARING A HALTER & BRIDLE SIMULTANEOUSLY?

Is it ok to use a bridle and halter together?

What, you mean one on top of the other? I've seen it done, but it often seems to present problems that irritate the horse. That's likely because the tack item on the outside (usually the bridle) is pressing down on the item beneath. That can put pressure at certain points on the horse's head and cause skin irritation, which quickly leads to horse irritation. A friend of mine once tried it on a ride and while the horse seemed fine with it initially, she was going crazy 20 minutes later. We removed the halter and everything was fine again — it clearly was uncomfortable for the horse.

If you want the convenience of both, just buy a halter/bridle. That way, you can pull the bit from the bridle, and "voila!" — you now have a halter. Reattach the bit to make it a bridle. This works really well for letting your horse graze while you eat lunch out on the trail.

July 21, 2010 – HORSES AND RAIN

Do horses mind being out in the rain? Should I bring mine inside when it does?

Actually, horses don't seem to generally notice rain unless it's very heavy. Mostly, they just keep on grazing.

Obviously, when the temperature drops below 40 - 50°F, getting a thorough soaking can expose the horse to possible hypothermia and you're better off bringing them in. If they're already wet, bringing them in gives them an opportunity to dry off and rebuild their body heat. If you don't have a barn, give them a space, such as a "run-in", where they can go to avoid the rain and stay dry. Above 50°F or so, most horses seem to be able to maintain their body temperature even when wet due to their large mass. Conversely, if it's really hot, the rain can be soothing and helps to cool a horse down.

July 20, 2010 – LIGHTS OUT IN THE BARN AT NIGHT

Should I leave some lights on in my barn during the night so my horses can see?

No. They can see just fine in the dark. Even if they couldn't see, where would they need to go? Even a bathroom stop for them is in their stall.

Generally, you should do "lights out" around 9:00 pm or so and leave your horses alone so they will get their needed rest.

July 19, 2010 – HOT WEATHER RIDING DANGERS

This is a very hot summer here this year. Is it ok to ride in this weather?

Hot weather riding can be safe, or dangerous — a lot depends on the conditioning of your horse and the shape you're in. A horse and rider out of shape are a disaster waiting to happen and both could get seriously ill or die by excessive exposure to this heat.

Even if you and your horse are both in great shape, you still need to avoid too much exposure to the heat, have access to adequate water, and not push too much physically. And high humidity just makes the whole situation worse because even your perspiration and that of your horse will not evaporate enough to keep you both cool.

Generally, you're better off if you can ride in the cooler air of a forest out of the direct Sun. Also, don't be cantering or galloping much, if at all. Limit your riding to walking and some trotting. For a horse, trotting is his most efficient, faster gait. If your horse gets tired, dismount to reduce his workload and walk beside him. A brook, stream, or pond with clean water is a good place to let him drink and cool off some. For yourself, make sure you're carrying ample water along on your ride; a quart canteen or more is a very good idea.

When not being ridden, if your horse spends much of his day in a paddock, there is hopefully some shade for him. If not, you should consider bringing him in for a part of the day to cool down. And whatever you do, make sure your horse(s) have plenty of fresh water to rehydrate themselves. You should also have loose salt or salt blocks available in your horse stalls so they can replenish sodium lost through perspiration. If your horse acts lethargic and is not hungry and thirsty, get him out of the Sun and call your vet. If he is developing heat stroke, it can be fatal — don't wait.

July 16, 2010 – GROOMING IN A STALL

Is it ok to groom my horse in her stall? Or is that dangerous?

I groom my horse in his stall all the time. I also sometimes groom him out in his paddock, or in cross ties, or at a tie ring near the tack room, or when tied to the horse trailer. Fact is, I groom him wherever I like, and he generally likes it.

Horses usually like to be groomed. And why not? It's attention from their leader; it's a massage that feels good. It removes clumps of stuff stuck on their hooves that may be affecting their step. It's generally a safe procedure.

But there are some things you should look out for. A horse that doesn't respect the groom could be a problem. That usually means that groom needs to earn the horse's respect and assert control — that means being in control, not being mean to the horse. Also, I won't groom a horse while standing between him and anything else, like a wall. Instead, when I need to groom the other side and the horse is near a wall or some item, I move the horse so there's lots of space beside him. I don't want to find myself in a "squeeze play" should the horse spook and come toward me. It would be bad enough to be hit and pushed by a scared horse — worse to be crushed by one up against a wall.

Finally, don't stoop down low or sit on the ground when brushing the lower legs or picking hooves. Instead, stand and bend over, but keep your legs straight so you can always quickly step away if something happens. You don't want to be accidently walked or jumped upon.

July 15, 2010 – SAFETY STRAPS JUST FOR WIMPS?

I'm ordering a new saddle and am unsure about something. It's going to be an endurance saddle and I have the option of having a horn, a strap, or nothing. I already have a western saddle and want to be able to occasionally jump a log or other obstacle but feel unsafe with the horn. But the strap looks somewhat wimpish and I'd hate to get laughed at for having that on my saddle.

Go with the strap. I have one on my Australian saddle, and I gotta tell ya, I have no concern for whether other riders or observers think I'm a wimp for having it or not. I'm a lot more concerned with doing everything I can to avoid hitting the ground and getting injured.

Consider these points:

• Because some jumping is in your plans, make sure the tree and saddle design are made for jumping — not all saddle trees are designed to take the landing forces and to properly distribute them safely on your horse's back. Read our article on Is it Safe to Jump in a Western Saddle? to learn more.
• Also because your jumping, you're wise to exclude a horn — it introduces you to a potential abdominal injury source — think no more about considering it.
• Finally, horses are powerful, fast, and can be unpredictable, especially when frightened. That means they can quickly shy five feet or more to the side, spin right around in a half second, rear, or perform some other very fast and unexpected maneuver that could leave you in the air just before you hit the ground hard, get bruised and scraped, or worse. Having something solid to grab and keep you in the saddle in those situations goes far to protecting you from harm.

Many English riders add a strap, western riders grab the horn, and having an available solid grip when you need it is a wonderful idea to enhance your safety. Forget about anyone who may laugh at you — the joke's on them — be safe — safe is REALLY, REALLY COOL!

July 14, 2010 – FLY MASKS

There are so many flies around this year and every fly spray I try doesn't seem to work good. Should I switch to a fly mask?

Unfortunately, I feel there isn't any one cure for flies bugging horses, or even bugging us, for that matter. A fly mask does provide some protection, but you should still use a good fly spray because flies also attack a horse's legs, back, and stomach. If you use a fly mask, be sure to check several things:

• Make sure the mask doesn't touch your horse's eyeballs or rub against them.
• Make sure the mask is put on properly and sealed all the way around.
• Make sure there are no holes in the mask. If it's not properly put on, sealed, or has holes, flies can get in and drive your horse mad inside the mask. It's worse to have one or more flies inside a mask than for a horse to have no mask at all.
• Make sure to check the mask regularly. Horses often rub the mask against their legs, a fence, tree trunks, and other objects, so it's important to check it regularly so it's still on properly, doesn't have any bugs inside, and doesn't have any holes created by the constant rubbing.

I've found that I prefer to put my horse's mask on only when I'm riding him or staying with him while he's grazing. That way, I can immediately intervene if something goes wrong or a bug gets inside. The rest of the time, I'd rather he have no mask at all and can deal with flies in whatever way he feels appropriate. You'll also find the mask will last a lot longer this way than if you turn your horse out with a mask and he destroys it with all his rubbing while you're not around to resolve problems.

July 13, 2010 – WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

I just started towing a two horse trailer with my SUV. The owner's manual says I can tow 6,000 lbs. directly and up to 8,000 lbs. with a weight distribution system. What is that system and should I get one?

You likely don't need the weight distribution system (WDS), but may want to use one anyway. Most 2-horse trailers weigh between 2,400 - 3,200 pounds or so depending on whether or not you've got a tack room. Add 1,000 pounds or so per horse and you're up to about 4,400 - 5,200 pounds — still under your maximum weight rating without a WDS. If you have large horses or draft horses, you need to know what they weigh plus the additional weight of your trailer if it's for larger horses or drafts. The weight of your trailer will be on its nameplate. That plate is usually mounted on the left-side of the tongue frame. The combined weight of large horses and a large trailer may exceed the 6,000 pound limit and mandate a WDS.

Weight Distribution System

Even if you're under 6,000 pounds and don't need a WDS, using one will not only give you a buffer in case you carry additional weight, such as water or extra tack, it will also make your tow vehicle and trailer ride more level, respond better and provide better driving control, and it will be more stable overall as well as handle better in the wind. That's because a WDS helps to distribute the trailer's weight evenly on its own wheels as well as on all four wheels of the tow vehicle. If you don't use one, you may notice that the front of the trailer leans down and makes the rear of your tow vehicle sag while lifting its front end. That means it won't steer or brake as well because more of the weight is on the rear wheels of your tow vehicle and on the front wheels of the trailer. A WDS will resolve all these problems.

See your trailer dealer for a closer look at a WDS and for prices.

July 12, 2010 – TRAIL RIDING WITH MUSIC?

I've been riding on our trails while listening to my ipod for the last couple of weeks and my barn owner made some disapproving comments about it today. I'm not doing anything wrong!

No, you're not. However, I suspect your barn owner feels you're missing the point of being with your horse and riding. Certainly, with radios in every kind of vehicle from cars and trucks to motorcycles and tractors, we humans enjoy music while we're moving. And portable players from the original Walkman to today's iPods and similar devices allow us to walk, hike, do housework, cut the grass, and much more with music. Being not only a music lover, but also a musician, I definitely understand music's appeal. But, I also understand your barn owner's perspective.

Riding horses is different than driving. Unlike driving a vehicle, a horse has a brain and that brings with it some unpredictability. In addition, at least for us trail riders, there's something magical about partnering with our horses while exploring nature. Horses see and hear much more than we do, but with their help, we can join in when they stop, raise their head, point their ears, and look in a direction to determine what something is or what is happening. With the help of my horse, I've seen foxes, owls, hawks, many deer, and lots of other critters and such that I would never have otherwise noticed and enjoyed seeing. There's also something wonderful about being "in the moment" and aware of everything going on around us. We just don't usually have the time to enjoy that when we're working and focused on responsibilities. But many of us find it very satisfying when riding, even the clip clops of our horse's footfalls.

So, between the added safety of being aware of what's around us and what our horses are doing at each moment, there's also the sense of partnering that gets lost when we're focused on something else, such as bopping to a song. Of course, it's your choice, but when we have music with us and around us so much in the rest of our lives, isn't it nice to leave it at home or in the car when we're with our four-legged friends?

One other thing, there are many disciplines incorporating riding to music in the ring — that's a much safer way to enjoy riding and music together. You may want to try it. When on the trail, you really should be focused on your horse and what's happening around you for safety's sake.

July 9, 2010 – BUMPER HITCH TO TOW GOOSENECK TRAILER?

How can I use my bumper hitch to tow a small gooseneck trailer?

You can't. Bumper and gooseneck hitches have different design considerations that go beyond just the hitches themselves. For example, gooseneck hitches are much higher above the ground and are designed to place the trailer's weight IN FRONT of the rear axle — NOT BEHIND IT as bumper hitches are designed. This makes the trailer more maneuverable and lessens its effects on the tow vehicle — this is especially important because gooseneck trailers are generally used for towing heavier loads. Therefore, you wouldn't want to connect a gooseneck trailer to a bumper hitch even if you could manufacture your own adapter to allow them to connect together.

July 8, 2010 – USING A CAR GPS ON THE TRAIL?

Can I use a car GPS for trail rides?

Yes, you can if the GPS is removable from the vehicle and has its own battery. Many after-market units designed for dash or windshield mounting have self-contained batteries that allow them to be used anywhere. Even some of the units "built-in" to vehicles are removable and have this ability, meaning they just "snap out".

Whichever unit you use, there is one more ability they should have to truly be helpful out on the trail: you need to be able to load it with topographical (topo) maps for the area in which you intend to ride. Without topos, you'll see your movement on large blank areas between roads and highways — it won't be very helpful other than getting to those roads and highways. With the topo maps, you'll also see land elevations and contours and may even see some established trails as well as unpaved park roads. In fact, for some units, you can even buy maps specifically of state parks and national forests. That makes the maps much more useful and you'll easily be able to tell where you are and how to navigate to your chosen destination.

July 7, 2010 – EASY PADDOCK MUCKING?

If I have a big enough paddock, can I just leave horse piles there to break down on their own?

You can, but you'll usually have burning of the grass under the pile. It'd be much better if you at least break up the pile and spread it around a little. That will have it disappear in several days to a week rather than the multiple weeks or months it'll require if you leave it "as it fell", so to speak. Generally, the bigger the pile, the longer it'll hang around.

July 6, 2010 – TURNING TOO TIGHTLY?

Can a horse fall over if turned too tight?

I'm presuming you mean while riding? If so, it depends on the speed. At the walk, a horse can turn in a tight circle — they don't like tight circles, but they can do it. At a trot, you've got to allow for a larger turning radius. As speed increases to a canter or gallop, the turning radius needs to be greater still.

Are you asking this question to better understand the one-rein emergency stop? If so, it's important to understand that you can't yank one rein hard all of a sudden on a runaway horse. If you do, your horse will likely fall over and get hurt, and so will you. In such an incident, either of you or both could also break bones — you need to perform the technique properly.

Even at slower speeds, doing this technique incorrectly can cause a more spooked horse, rearing, losing balance by you and/or the horse and still both falling. That's because there's much you need to know, such as, you can't do it on a hill; you can't do it on uneven ground; you can't do it if the horse is rearing, you don't want to stop completely, you MUST remain balanced in the saddle, you can't lean forward, etc., etc.

Therefore, to learn the emergency stop properly, you should enlist the help of a riding instructor. He/she will be able to teach you the technique and you'll be able to practice it at slow speeds in just one 30 - 60 minute lesson. It's well worth the small cost of one lesson.

If you were asking about something else, please resubmit your question with more information.

July 2, 2010 – BRUSHING YOUR HORSE'S FACE

Is it ok to brush my horses face when grooming her?

Yes, it is. But use a soft brush instead of the stiffer bristled brush you use on her body — it will be gentler on her face and ears. Be careful as you brush her face that you don't accidently brush her eye. It's a sensitive area and can be easily bruised.

You should also use the soft brush on her fetlocks and pasterns rather than the stiffer brush.

July 1, 2010 – LONG LIFE BULBS

Is there really such a things as long-life bulbs for horse trailers?

Yes, there are. These bulbs use thicker than average filaments and cost a little more, but they hardly ever burn out. So, you save on the recurring costs of regular bulbs as well as the hassle of having to replace them, and the avoidance of even being pulled over by a policeman to notify you of a failed tail or stop lamp.

However, there are even better lighting options these days. LED lighting is already replacing most of the lights on newer horse trailers, as well as on cars and trucks. This lighting form has the same advantage of long life. In fact, they almost never fail, no matter how old the vehicle and bulbs. Plus, they use far less power, about 1/8 that of incandescent bulbs.

June 30, 2010 – MOLD GROWING ON TACK

I'm having trouble fighting mold on my tack, especially my saddle. I keep it in the tack room of my barn and clean and oil it often, but the mold starts growing again in just a few days. What can I do?

Unfortunately, your problem is not uncommon — many riders have your problem. Worse, the best way to ruin tack is to let mold grow on it because it breaks down the leather. The actual cause of mold on leather is the high humidity it requires to grow. I'm sure you can feel the humidity when you enter the tack room on summer days.

The only way to stop mold is to get that humidity down. You should speak to your barn owner about adding a dehumidifier to the room. If he/she refuses, your only other option is to keep your tack at home and keep it in a dry place there. One other advantage to keeping it at home is that your tack should also stay much cleaner. Barns are usually dusty — those with dirt floors are the worst. Some of that dust invariably finds its way into the barn's tack room and forms a pasty grime with the humid air that can impregnate and really sully your tack.

June 29, 2010 – INCREASING SAFETY ON REMOTE RIDES

You recommend taking a cell phone and walkie-talkie on trail rides in case you need to call for help, but that still doesn't guarantee you'll be able to communicate with somebody if you really need help. What if you got hurt in a really remote area or in a deep canyon?

Of course, you're right — there are no guarantees that help will be forthcoming when we need it. But we can raise the odds in our favor. Besides the two recommendations you quoted, we can also do the following:

• Ride responsibly;
• Only venture into remote areas if we ride in larger groups so there will be others to help and to go get professional help if needed;
• Take along first aid kits and survival gear;
• Assure we plan our route carefully;
• Share that route with others at the barn and let them know our expected time of return; and
• Stick to the plan while we're out on the trail. That makes it much more likely a search party could find us if we have some kind of problem and don't return on time.

So, the foregoing is just incorporating responsible, inexpensive, common sense measures that further significantly raise the chances that we'll be ok and get help if we need it. As previously mentioned, it's not a guarantee; but how many true guarantees have you actually found in life? People who successfully take reasonable risks do so by using common sense, planning, and taking appropriate measures. This is no different than taking reasonable precautions when camping in bear country or wearing life preservers and using appropriate speeds when boating.

June 28, 2010 – INTENTIONALLY RIDING IN THUNDERSTORMS?

Everyone around here seems to be afraid of trail riding in a thunderstorm. I've done it before and I never even saw any lightning. I know of people that have gotten into car accidents, but none that have gotten hit by lightning. Is it really that dangerous?

You're correct that people getting struck by lightning is rare. That's because it's avoidable and most people actively avoid being out in a thunderstorm. From a commonsensical standpoint, why risk your life when it's so easy to avoid by going inside during thunderstorms? Also, we have no right to risk our horse's life just because we may not have enough common sense to come in out of the rain. And make no mistake, if you hear thunder, there is lightning. The sound of thunder is created by the flash of lightning itself. The bolt superheats the air to around 50,000°F causing the air to expand so rapidly it explodes — that sound is the thunderclap. So if you hear thunder, you know there's lightning because it caused the thunder.

But there are also other important reasons to avoid being out in thunderstorms:

• They can cause tornadoes;
• They can cause large, crushing hail;
• They can cause very strong winds capable of breaking tree branches that can fall upon you and your horse;
• If near a road, they can down high voltage (14,000 volts) electrical wires onto you and your horse;
• They can cause heavy rain that can itself cause flash flooding; and
• The wind gusts, the thunder, the falling branches, and everything else moving can cause your horse to spook and panic.

June 25, 2010 – CAUGHT IN THE RAIN

My riding friends and I were talking about what to do if we should get caught in the rain when riding. Mostly, we all felt we should gallop back? Is galloping back ok?

We get this question fairly often. So we 've prepared a more comprehensive response in the form of an article. Learn more at: Getting Caught in the Rain.

Horses can easily and quickly scramble up hills that prove difficult for humans to do the same. But when riding them, you want to do it properly. Similarly, there are right and wrong ways to go down hills. We have an article about this that you should read. It explains what to do and should also prove helpful in better understanding why. It's entitled: Leaning When on Hills.

June 22, 2010 – A MOOSE-NOSE HORSE?

What is a moose nose when referring to a horse?

I've heard the phrase "moose nose" used before, but I don't think it's a bona fide horse term. Generally, I've heard it used when referring to a horse who's nose is rounded down at the muzzle. Essentially, the nose has a "moose" look to it.

Purportedly, horses with this characteristic are somewhat bold and not afraid to try new things and explore new curiosities. Whether or not that's true, I think you can safely assume that you'll generally hear this phrase for horses that have a very willing personality and are far less skittish than most, especially when out on the trail.

If you should also notice the horse's nose truly looks "moose-like", please let us know. We certainly don't know everything there is to know about about horses and we'll share this with our readers.

June 21, 2010 – USING YOUR FIRST HORSE TRAILER

I just bought my first trailer, but am somewhat apprehensive about getting started. What will it feel like to tow a trailer?

Reposted as part of a separate article. See: Starting With Your First Horse Trailer article.

June 18, 2010 – SADDLE WON'T SIT FLAT

My western synthetic saddle won't sit flat on my horse's back. Will it straighten out?

This likely has nothing to do with your saddle being a synthetic. Rather, it might be because the saddle has a problem, such as the tree being warped, misadjusted, or it just doesn't properly fit your horse at all. You need to solicit the help of an experienced saddle fitter. If you don't know one, ask the barn owner and other experienced riders that are happy with their saddles. Ask where they got them and who determined the size and fit for them. Then, go there and ask that person to take a look at your saddle and horse. The owner or some of those riders may have enough experience to provide an initial check of your saddle and its fit to your horse.

If you do need to use the services of an experienced saddle fitter, some tack shops have one. They must be able to check the saddle and how it fits your horse, so there may be a fee if they have to come to your barn, but it will be well worth it. Alternatively, you can trailer your horse and saddle to the fitter. The salient point is that this person must be able to checkout your saddle and how it actually fits on your horse to evaluate where the problem lies.

Good luck!

June 17, 2010 – NIGHT RIDING

Some friends want to take some rides at night. Is it safe to ride our horses in the dark?

Sure it is; horses still function after sunset. But as with driving at night, you want to take reasonable precautions. If you're riding on the barn's property in a ring or outdoor arena, there should be no problem. Of course, you need to assure you have adequate lighting so both you and your horse can see well enough — you don't want him to trip in the dark. And proper lighting is even more important if you're going to practice jumping. You don't want you or your horse to misjudge a jump because of shadows causing a miscue.

A barn where I used to board had occasional moonlight trail rides through a large state forest. We'd go a few miles out and then return. The group was usually around ten or fifteen riders, so if a problem occurred, there was lots of help around (no problems ever occurred on our rides, but you want to be prepared).

If you're not riding by moonlight, you may want to purchase some of the new LED lights mounted on an elastic headband. In fact, it's a good idea to bring some of your own light along even on moonlight rides as we did. I, and several of the other riders, brought LED lights along on the moonlight rides and placed the band on our riding helmets. The LEDs are bright, but they're also very efficient, so we weren't worried about running low on the batteries if we were out for a while. The lights also have a red LED that provided sufficient light to see the trail, but didn't ruin our night vision.

For additional safety, we kept to the wider trails that we knew well and the dirt roads to further reduce the chances of surprises. Plus, with all of us talking, it's doubtful we'd inadvertently be able to sneak up on any animals.

Personally, I only walk and trot at night if out on a trail. Faster gaits require better seeing — why take any chances with safety? Also, don't ride too late and upset your horse's sleep schedule. But, if you're going to be back by 10:00 or 11:00 pm or so, that should be fine to do once in a while.

Whatever you do, enjoy your night rides! If you go with friends and take your time, night riding brings a fun and different experience to horseback riding.

June 16, 2010 – INDIVIDUAL STALL LIGHT SWITCHES

Presently, all the lights in my barn are on the same switch. When I turn it on all the lights in the stalls and the aisles come on together. With electricity getting pricier, I'm going to be putting a separate switch in each stall so I only need to turn one on at a time and can save some money on electricity. Is this ok to do?

I think it's a great idea! BUT, I would put the switch for each stall on the outside of the stall and not inside where your horse could play with it, break it, or get hurt by it. Even with sliding stall doors, the post the door latches to remains exposed and that it likely the best place to mount your switches. The switch you're currently using can still be used to control just the aisle lights.

Finally, be sure to replace incandescent bulbs you may have with CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamps). They only use a quarter of the electric power and will provide real savings even if that's all you do.

June 15, 2010 – FIRST HORSE CARE ITEMS TO GET

I'm buying my first horse and will be boarding her. I know I should be getting some things of my own, but don't know where to start. Can you help?

Sure! First, you don't need to get everything at once. And some barns provide or will let you use some tack, such as lunge lines, lunge whips, leg wraps, first aid items, etc. But there are some items that you should have for your own horse.

Start with the following:

• Her own halter;
• Her own lead line;
• Fly spray;
• A salve you can put on wounds caused by flies that will keep flies away so it can heal;
• A pail and sponge for washing/cooling your horse;
• A hard and soft brush for grooming your horse;
• A curry comb or loose hair scraper;
• A hoof pick;
• A mane/tail comb or brush; and
• A mane/tail detangling agent.

This is a good start. If you can avoid it and can borrow them, don't buy a saddle and bridle at this time. Just make sure the ones you borrow properly fit your horse. It's good to take the time to try many different saddles to get one that truly meets your needs before putting down your money for one. I spent a very involved full year trying and shopping for saddles before finding the style and size I wanted. But it paid off because I absolutely LOVE my saddle (see The Saddle Search)! Once you've selected it and its color, you'll likely want a bridle that matches it.

Similarly, you'll want to add tack and other items, such as a fly mask (or fly ears), several first aid items, possibly a breast plate, cantle bag, etc. But because you don't need these other items now, it's best to wait and get to know your horse and your own needs before spending your money. Of course, you should already own a good quality riding helmet and riding boots, whatever your riding discipline — you do have those, RIGHT?

June 14, 2010 – HORSE FIGHTS GOING OUT ON TRAIL ALONE

I'm having a hard time getting my horse to go out onto the trail. He's always fighting me. But he's great in the ring. Would it be better if I rode with another person?

I presume you normally ride in the ring rather than the trail? And now you're trying to ride out on the trail alone? If so, the problem is that your horse is less comfortable on the trail because it's new to him, and it's likely even scarier for him because it's just the two of you without other horses. Remember, horses are herd animals and instinctively know they're safer when with others. Therefore, the goal is to teach him that he's also safe when in a herd of two when you're the other herd member.

Please realize that some horses will never be as comfortable as you'd like when riding alone while other horses will be fine — they're all individuals and each have their own quirks, fears, and other characteristics to their personalities. But even those that prefer the company of other horses can build enough confidence in their rider to go alone, though they may still initially protest somewhat. The trick is to proceed gradually and to go frequently.

Start by going with another rider and make a short loop back to the barn, such as a quarter mile. After doing this a few times, split up mid-way and return by yourself, but do so at the walk — don't let your horse run back. The key is for him to learn that he can trust you and that nothing bad will happen when the two of you are out alone. As your horse gets used to the sounds of the trail, and the same quarter mile path, he'll become more comfortable. As he does, lengthen the ride a little, but not so much that he gets frightened. By gradually increasing the distance, your horse is learning that it's ok to be out there alone.

In time, you should be able to go out on the original quarter mile trail completely by yourselves and increase the distance. But an important part of this is doing it frequently. You should also mix it up with trail rides with other riders and their horses.

Another good thing to do is to let a friend go out midway and you leave 10 minutes later and meet them in the middle and come back together. This way, your horse may have a little concern going out, but will start to realize you'll sometimes meet other horses out there and return together. By mixing it up, he won't know what will happen, but he will learn that it's ok. In time, you should be able to go out alone for as far and as long as you'd like. At that point, you horse will have learned that he's safe whenever he's with you regardless of whether or not you're with other horses.

June 11, 2010 – IS IT DANGEROUS TO RIDE TRAILS?

I'm an English rider thinking of trying a ride on the trail, but some of my fellow riders tell me it's much more dangerous than riding in the ring and that I don't need to ever go there. Do you agree?

I need to start my response by revealing that I am a trail rider and LOVE it! Therefore, I'm likely biased and want you to know that as you read my response.

I started as an English rider and never really enjoyed the ring, but I do feel there's lots to be learned in the ring. It's a safe venue to try new things, to train your horse with fewer distractions in a place he'll feel safe, and if it's an indoor ring, it can be a refuge to allow riding in inclement weather.

On the other hand, trail riding also has value and can provide true adventures. It's a break from the monotony of riding the rail, riding in serpentines, etc., etc. I feel they both have value to all riders regardless of discipline.

For your first trail rides, you should go with one or more other riders that are experienced in trail riding and are riding experienced trail riding horses. This will make both you and your horse feel safer. For example, many horses are squeamish about crossing a wooden bridge for the first time. But after your horse sees other horses in the group crossing, he'll feel safer doing so himself. The same will be true of crossing a brook, and also listening to all the sounds of the forest and its animals that don't generally exist in the ring.

Plus, where else can you actually gallop from time to time if not the trails and open fields? Horses are natural runners and love to gallop in a herd for fun, not just to elude a dangerous pursuer. If you occasionally do ride the trails, you'll find it gives your horse a needed break and he/she will have better spirits in the ring. Who knows, your friends may see the difference in you and your horse, hear you're excitement from your occasional trail rides, and may even want to join you to see what they're missing.

June 10, 2010 – GETTING A LOAN TO START A HORSE BUSINESS

Can you tell me how I might get the money to start a horse farm business? Don't other businesses get loans to start?

Yes, they do. The way it's done is to give the lender, usually a bank, good reasons why they should give you money for your intended business. You need to remember that banks WANT to lend money — that's one of their biggest ways of making a profit. But there is risk associated with the lending of money and you need to persuade them that the risk of lending to you is manageable and that you're likely to succeed. The way you do that is as follows:

1. Business Plan – You need to create a business plan. While this is something so many potential business owners never want to hear, that means they don't understand what it really is. A business plan is a plan of what you want to do. It includes the prices you intend to charge, the costs you expect to pay for all supplies and services, and what you've done that should convince YOU that you'll be a success. I would never start a business without a business plan, and I have three businesses.

   The most important part is a comprehensive spreadsheet where I estimate EVERY possible cost I can imagine and the income I expect to earn for the first three to five years. If it doesn't make sense or the analysis shows me I'm not likely to be able to meet my cost obligations, grow and finally make a profit, I shouldn't ever start the business or go to the bank looking for money.

2. Lined-Up Customers – Next, you need to show you've got some willing patrons that will buy your products or services. If you're going to offer boarding, provide a list of people the bank can call that will confirm they would like to board with you for the price you list in your business plan. If you're going to train horses and/or riders, provide a list so the bank can call those people that have committed to purchasing your training services for confirmation. It's always best to line up your customers BEFORE you start your business. If you can't get customers now, you'll likely not be able to get them later either.
3. Supplier List and Quoted Prices – Provide a list of your major one-time and recurring expenses and the names and contact information of the suppliers with the prices they gave you for these products and services so the bank can contact them and confirm the prices.

It all starts with your business plan to make sure you've thought it all through and can show yourself and the bank that it makes financial sense to take the risk and invest money in you and your plan. Several of our authors are successful horse-business owners and have written some great articles on this topic with more details — you should read them. They are:

1. Six Horse Business Myths
   
2. Buying A Horse Farm - Part 1
   
3. Buying A Horse Farm - Part 2
   
4. Building Your Dream Barn
   
5. Hiring a Barn Building Contractor
   

June 9, 2010 – LOW-DOOR STALLS

Are horses happier in stalls that have low doors so they can stick their heads out?

I think they are. At my barn, there are gates that come up to about 42 inches or so. Any horse or pony can put its head out over the gate. There are also full doors that go from floor to ceiling that can be closed, but the barn owner leaves them open unless there's a need to close it due to a particular problem. When someone enters the barn, many of the horses will often stick their head out and look to see who it is — the fact they do that indicates to me that they like the ability to do so.

Horses are social animals and the ability to see as well as hear each other makes them feel safer and calmer.

June 8, 2010 – WHY DO HORSES DROP & ROLL?

I know that most horses will drop and roll when being released into their pasture, but why do they do it?

Some of it is habit, but in the warmer weather, they roll to get sand in their hair to help keep the flies and mosquitoes away. The rolling also helps them to scratch itches they otherwise would not be able to get. The biting by insects causes most of that itching. In drier climates, the dry air itself can cause some cracking of the skin and itchiness.

June 7, 2010 – TRAILER TIRE PRESSURE

How much should I inflate the tires on my horse trailer?

Just as with your tow vehicle and your car, there is no "standard" pressure for tire inflation. The manufacturer of your trailer and the vehicle you drive place the recommended tire pressure for each on a placard. On a trailer, that placard will often be on the side of the tongue coming from the front of the trailer to which the hitch coupler is attached.

On a car, truck, or any other vehicle, the placard will usually be on the door or door jamb of the driver's door. The pressure listed on the side of each tire is the maximum pressure the tire can take. But you want to inflate to the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure for your respective vehicle. And that value will be on the aforementioned placard. You will also often find it in the vehicle owner's manual.

June 4, 2010 – RIDING EVERYDAY?

Is it ok to ride your horse every day?

Of course it is. But, you need to work your horse up to longer rides and more exertion. Take a simple example, such as public trail rides. These horses work every day and are athletes. But, they first get gradually conditioned at the beginning of each season before taking on their fulltime work.

If you normally take a one-hour walking/trotting ride each day, it won't take long to get your horse into shape. If your rides are several hours each and include some cantering and galloping, that's still ok, but make sure you take the time to condition your horse and gradually get him up to that level of activity by consistent work building up to it. What you don't want to do is too much, too soon. A gradual build-up will be good for both your horse and you, and maintaining that level of work will help keep you both in good physical condition.

June 3, 2010 – FLY SPRAY ON A HORSE'S FACE

My horse won't let me spray his face with flyspray. How am I supposed to protect his face? Flies go all over it.

STOP! DON'T SPRAY your horse's face with anything!!! Depending on the agent you're using, you could damage his eyes or make him sick if he inhales or ingests some of the chemical sprays out there.

Instead, spray a folded paper towel or a clean cloth and gently wipe the fly spray substance on his face. BUT, don't wipe it too close to his eyes or to his nose and mouth. Better to let him get some fly bites there than take a chance with his vision or risk poisoning him.

June 2, 2010 – HORSE SNAKEBITES

What do I do if my horse is bitten by a snake?

We've gotten several questions like this and felt there was enough to say that it warranted an article. Therefore, please check out: Horse Snakebites.

June 1, 2010 – HYPED UP HORSE AND LUNGING

Will lunging your horse calm him down or hype him up?

It will ultimately help him to calm down because he'll use up some of his excess energy. That said, if he's just dying to run, he may initially get excited when you start him off and you don't want to let him go too fast until he's warmed up a little. But lunging is a time-tested way to "burn off" excess energy before you mount up for a more leisurely ride.

Some of us prefer to ride that excess energy. If your horse is in good riding condition and you've got the space to run, mount up and work up to a gallop in stages. If you just burst into a gallop, your horse could strain something and hurt himself. Take him into a walk and then trot for a few minutes to warm up his muscles, get his heart gradually to a higher rate, and get his breathing up. As he warms up, allow him to quicken the pace. When he's fully warmed up, you can then let him go and enjoy the ride.