Chances are that your hay bill is one of your highest bills in caring for your horse. The last thing that anyone wants to do is to waste hay, especially when the cost of hay is so high. Luckily for you, we’ve got some great tips to minimize hay wastage in your barn.

Bad weather and busy schedules can sometimes prevent you from exercising your horse or turning him out. This can sometimes cause high levels of stress for horses. Stress can cause issues such as ulcers, but it can also create an unhappy horse. If you want to minimize the boredom and resulting stress in your horse’s life, consider the following ideas:

Radios are common in many barns and arenas. But does playing music actually benefit your horse? You’ll find differing opinions, but here are some factors to consider when making up your own mind.

One of the major decisions that you will face when building or expanding your barn is selecting what style of horse stall you want. While there is plenty of variety between stall designs, stall doors come in just two styles – sliding and hinged. Unsure of which type of door is right for you? Here’s some information that might help in your decision!

Pastern dermatitis, often known as scratches, is a common problem of inflammation of the skin behind or around the pastern of the horse.  In most cases, the infection is caused by bacteria or fungus that entering through any openings in the skin – small wounds, cracks or even chapping. The most common signs of scratches are scabs and crusting around the pasterns. There may also be a clear liquid substance leaking from the area.

While many horse owners are used to trailering their horse for several hours, there may come a time when you’ll need to move your horse a much longer distance. This could be due to a move you will be making or the purchase of a horse that lives in another part of the country. If you have the time and the truck/trailer to do so, you can certainly trailer your horse yourself, but there are many benefits to using a professional horse hauling company.

With the constant changes of weather – warm to cold, wet to dry – it’s a common time for horses to develop a hoof abscess. A hoof abscess is a localized bacterial infection in the sensitive structures of the hoof, typically in the front feet in the sole of the hoof, but can also be found elsewhere.

When it’s time to bed your horse there are a wide variety of bedding options. Here are some things to consider when deciding on what your horse will stand and sleep on.

Leasing a horse is an ideal way to see if you want the responsibility of owning your own horse. You will have the benefits of riding the horse and bonding with it while also taking on the responsibilities that come with it. Too often people are quick to buy a horse and then realize it’s too much work. Sometimes the horse suffers from neglect when the owner becomes too busy or quickly sells the horse to an owner of even lesser interest.

Knowing your horses normal behavior when he is feeling good will help you to better realize when he may be feeling sick or not normal. Every horse owner needs to know what is “normal” for their horse. Being able to report these behaviors to your veterinarian when you contact him can help evaluate whether a visit is necessary and/or how quickly your horse needs to be seen.