Horsekeeping in northwest Montana (college, horse, best)

[mitchmountain]

Well I never saw a horse with fleas. I didn't know they ever got them.
It is my dogs, flealess for years because of the high altitudes I have lived in, that I am concerned about. I want to be sure the farther north but maybe lower elevation, I still would not have fleas on the dogs.
Thanks everyone!

[rangerider]

Couple things: Horses use sunlight to metabolize vitamin D. The more sun the better.

Quality of hay is real important. Too hot of feed on a mostly idle horse is not a good thing. Too many oats almost as bad. Decent mix of 70% grass/30% alfalfa (or thereabouts) works pretty well. If you have to feed hotter hay go for second or even third cutting stuff.

Don't fall for the horse blanket thing. Horsehair works best standing up and creating zillions of pockets of insulation. Shelter is the thing so they can get out of rain/snowfall and keep relatively dry. Room to run helps, too. Some snow on a horse's back won't hurt 'em a bit if they are healthy and well fed.

No shoes in winter unless you have to for some reason. Lets feet breathe and flex for a few months, bare hooves ride much safer on slick surfaces (unless you use ice nails or borium). If your horses are barefoot, make sure yourself or your farrier knows the difference between a summertime and wintertime trim.

If you can provide warmer water in the winter it will cut your feed bill and make the horses happier. They use an awful lot of energy to heat all that water every day. 70F water or so is perfect, even a little cooler if your waterer has a setting.

[mtboy]

I just love to hear horse people talk....

Listen, grew up around horses all my life, broke a few, always got the crap horses growing up cause dad gave me the pleasure of getting bucked off so he didn't have too. Lived on a large cattle ranch were we use horses for work, no 4-wheeler crap, can't get to places where the cattle are, no joy riding or area riding unless it was during a roping or rodeo. We never had fleas on any horse here, feed our horses mostly alfalfa (80% +/-), and never had any problems. Rarely give grain unless hard 10-20 miles put on them, hay prices have go up especially during winter so buy enough hay in the summer for the following winter. Never been into the regulating the feed usually buy our hay in round bales. But if they are not active i would regulate their feed, don't want to get them fat.

All our horses have been born and died on our place. Most lived to be 20 plus years old before they were given a vacation and not rode anymore. My parents just celebrated their 27th wedding ani and the horse my dad got as a colt before the wedding is still alive and kicking. Only shoe ours in the summer when we are riding alot, and usually then just the front, the terrain we ride they throw the back shoes within a week or so, usually don't need triming unless they are idle during winter. Most of them usually are not idle. Horses will maintain their feet fairly well if they are rode alot. Blankets are a joke, just like those toy ball things I see in so many people horse shelters. Which is another thing, as long as they can get out of the wind in the winter don't need them in a heated building or anything. I agree with the climatizing thing, don't shock them to the climate, but outside should be no problem. Sorry, I like venting.

[AQHA]

You wont see those play balls in with the horses of anyone who is a real cowboy. Those things are for folks who are new to horses and dont know any better. They mean well.

As for the blankets on horses-- they are not always a good thing. Once you start using them on a horse you have to keep it up or they will freeze. I have used them to slick a horse up for a sale but other than that I can keep a horse warm by feeding him well. A horse stays warm from the inside out not the outside in. Warm (high protein) feed keeps a warm horse.

[AQHA]

One thing I forgot to add. The way some get a horse to throw the winter hair off in the spring is to leave the barn light on. If your barn (or stall) light is left on the horse will think its a change of season because its staying light longer. His body will then start to drop the heavy hair they need to stay warm. Dont leave your barn light on unless you are sure they will be warm enough.

[rangerider]

Originally Posted by mtboy

...Only shoe ours in the summer when we are riding alot, and usually then just the front, the terrain we ride they throw the back shoes within a week or so, usually don't need triming unless they are idle during winter.

Okay, I'll bite, and I won't bore you with what kind of country I ride in. How come you're losing the hinds that quick?

[seven of nine]

[quote=AQHA;6995187]You wont see those play balls in with the horses of anyone who is a real cowboy. Those things are for folks who are new to horses and dont know any better. They mean well. Now that is just funny!

[seven of nine]

Originally Posted by AQHA

You wont see those play balls in with the horses of anyone who is a real cowboy. Those things are for folks who are new to horses and dont know any better. They mean well.

As for the blankets on horses-- they are not always a good thing. Once you start using them on a horse you have to keep it up or they will freeze. I have used them to slick a horse up for a sale but other than that I can keep a horse warm by feeding him well. A horse stays warm from the inside out not the outside in. Warm (high protein) feed keeps a warm horse.

that is just plain funny, the play balls, right up there with pretty pink halters!

[mtboy]

I know i see advertisements for those balls on RFDTV... not sure if you have seen them or not. I always laugh my but off when I see them.

As far as the back shoes, not sure could be the shoer and could could be the horse's I ride. One is a pretty big powerful gelding (mom was a large quarter horse, and father is half thoro Bread). Other one I ride is alot is a larger build paint horse. Both about 16hh.

As far as the country, we ride in a lot of rocky country, w/ some trees, alot of steep coulees, not sure if you have ever been to the Pryor Mtns, or the Big Horns but that is the country. It is much different from the western part of the state, sure you could find pictures on the net if one looks. Family leases alot of land on the Crow Res. and has a ranch in the Pryors.

Wasn't trying to make a point by saying they throw the backs, just know alot of people in Carbon County that have horses that should not have horses. Makes me frustrated with people paying too much for horses which are not worth a crap, then everyone thinks their horse is worth $$$. The two horses I ride now one was given to me for free when I was young for doing some feeding and the other was bought for $175 as a colt and he is a registered paint. Put alot of miles on them and trust them in any situation. In my opinion, if you don't need a horse you are of no business having one. For instance, the drive from Laurel to Red Lodge you will see hundreds of hundreds of horses and few of them I think are even rode. I just think some people have them to say.... "yeah I have horses..... live in MT..... have a log cabin... I am a cowboy.... yeah I have settled the west.... and I have a bally type thingy that my horse plays with...and I paid $3000 dollars for him...... yah! Ok I will leave it alone.

[AQHA]

Originally Posted by seven of nine

that is just plain funny, the play balls, right up there with pretty pink halters!

And what about people who leave the halters on their horses... not good.

My sister knew better but when she was queening she washed up her horse one night and left the halter on because she had to be on the road with the horse at 5:00 AM the next morning. When she went out the next morning the horse was bleeding out its nose real bad. Apparently it had got the halter stuck on something or maybe got a back foot caught in it, we never knew. The vet was called but the horse died before he arrived.

This was probably a $10,000 dollar horse and in the 1980's that was a lot, especially for us! She was half way through her season and had to start over with a 3 year old horse-- not a good year for sissy.