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Tags: British Columbia, Dawson Creek British Columbia, Equestrian, horse, Lower Mainland, North America, northern horse, Sports, United States

September 2nd, 2008

Posted by admin in Uncategorized | Comments

Squeeze box for mustang taming

This article was originally published on the Temple Grandin website.

A PBS show called the New Explorers featured a box where a wild horse is restrained in wheat to “tame” it. This device applies even pressure all over the horses’s body and its head is outside the box. Some people are concerned that this may not be a humane method for training and breaking a wild horse.

Practical experience with the horse pressure box has shown that it has the greatest calming effect on high strong fearful horses. It may not work on horses with a calm disposition. It is most effective on horses where fear is the main cause of bad behavior and it may have little effect on willfully disobedient behavior. When I watched their device being demonstrated a wild horse calmed down and allowed people to touch its head. After it was removed from the box the calming effect lasted about 30 minutes. During this time the trainer can work with the horse and show it that he/she will not hurt it. The horse should be brushed and touched over it’s entire body. Touching the horse all over immediately after removal from the wheat box will help in desensitizing the animal. I want to emphasize that the pressure device must be used correctly. Horses must NOT be left in it too long. Thirty minutes is the maximum time a horse should be left in the box buried in wheat. Therapists who work with autistic children have found that the relaxing effects of pressure wear off in about 20 to 30 minutes. The nervous system habituates to the pressure. The maximum calming effect is greatest during the 20 to 30 minute period before the horse would habituate. Leaving a horse in the box too long could cause discomfort.

The trainer must be careful not to frighten the horse. Novel objects should be introdused gradually. When the horse is first placed in the box, the trainer should stroke his head. If the horse shows signs of stress such as hyper-ventilating the trainer should back off and leave the animal alone. Rough sacking out must NOT be used.

Some people have wondered why pressure would have the same effect on both wild horses and people with autism. Both autistics and wild horses have very high fear levels and the nervous system is in a high state of arousal. Pressure is most calming to people and animals that experience anxiety, fear, and high nervous system arousal.

It is my opinion that the horse pressure box is humane provided the horse is not left in the box too long. it must be used by sensitive careful people who care about horses. The pressure box is definitely more humane than some of the very rough training methods that some people use. The box is preferable to some of the common methods where horses are tied up and severly frightened. I have observed some very abusive training methods used on mustanges.

This discussion does not address the issue of whether or not mustanges should be caught and trained. That is an entirely different issue. However, if one wants to train highly flighty and fearful mustanges, the pressure box will probably be very useful.

When I read this article I was struck by how universal the calming effect of gentle squeezing action is on animals. There is a new, non-drug treatment for dog anxiety called the Thundershirt that works exactly the same way.

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September 21st, 2011

Posted by admin in Uncategorized, horse training | Comments

Portable Poultry House – Construct A Cartable Chicken House, What Issues To Watch?

Portable coops can be a handy asset to owners with tiny yards, given their portability they can be set up in different areas of the yard to prevent environmental overload in any one place.

Conveyable coops are generally smaller in scale than standard chicken coops for simple movement. They’re not intended for massive scale operations, but instead for the backyard farmer with one or two hens.

To start building a coop for your chicken that’s transportable you’ll need to keep a watch on three things.

Light: You have got to make sure that the coop you are building has enough light. If not, then your chickens will lay fewer eggs.

The Ventilation: You’ve got to make sure that there is a good ventilation system in the portable coop for your chickens. Why? Because of two things you’ll need to have a good air flow system.

1. The heat or cold can’t go out making your chickens sick.
2. Your chickens will smell like their own excreta which is not healthy in any way.

Feeding system: The very last thing to keep a watch on is the most vital, The feeding system. You’ve got to come up with a feeding system so your chickens can drink and eat whenever they desire.

Also, keep under consideration that when you’re building a portable chicken coop that you make a feeding system that can resist cold and hot days.

The best way to build a portable Chicken Coop
So now that you know what to watch out for, now it is time to actually commence building a portable coop for your chickens, right?

To build a transportable chicken coop alone, its strongly recommended to start using building plans. Such plans have gathered all of the information you need like what materials to collect, the proper way to build the transportable coop for your chickens and the way to place it. These building plans will tell all of this to you by step-by-step instructions.

In case you desire to find out much more about How to Build a Small Chicken House – please check out this website How to Build a Small Chicken House.

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September 29th, 2010

Posted by guest in Chickens | Comments

Looking At Horse Fencing Materials – Which Is Best?

When it comes to horse fencing, making your decision about which material you should opt for is not always going to be easy. With so many things to take into consideration, like the durability and safety, the horse fence you choose is a long-term decision. Of course, you don’t want to have to replace your horse fence on a frequent basis.

Understandably, you want to know which materials for horse fencing are considered to be the best, so here is a brief overview.

Wood

Wood is a very traditional form of horse fencing. Not only has it been used for horse fencing it is also the preferred choice for garden fencing too. People are often quick to choose wooden horse fencing, but its not actually the best choice. The number one concern is the fact it is bad for the environment. You are likely to find that a wooden fence has to be replaced quite often and this makes it more damaging to the environment.

Plastic

Another popular choice is plastic horse fencing, but this has only really become popular over the last few years as more people are now aware of it. There is a lot that can be done with plastic horse fencing and this makes it more attractive and also better for the environment. Think of it like this – if we all stopped using wood and used plastic instead, there wouldn’t be as much environmental damage. Unfortunately, it may take some time to convince everyone that plastic horse fencing is the way forward, but those in the know are already using it.

Barbed Wire

Not many people still use barbed wire for horse fencing to be honest. Many feel that barbed wire is bad for safety reasons – not only for the horses but also for the children. Young children would have to be kept away from the fence so its worth looking at plastic horse fencing instead.

You could always consider some of the other horse fencing options, like the electric fence, but in all honesty, it is the plastic fence which is the safest and most environmentally friendly option.

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Technorati Tags: Barbed wire, Business, Electric fence, Fencing, horse, Sport, Vinyl fence, Wood

Tags: Barbed wire, Business, Electric fence, Fencing, horse, Sport, Vinyl fence, Wood

September 28th, 2010

Posted by guest in facilities | Comments

Keeping Your Horse Occupied in the Stable

In an ideal world your horse spends most of its day outside where it obtains physical exercise and clean air. If your horse has to be confined in its stable its essential to keep it entertained. If your horse is bored, it may cultivate bad habits such as wind sucking, habits which are very difficult to get rid of.
The most effective way of keeping your horse entertained is to have sufficient light, air and visibility. Horse’ sense of smell and sound are a lot more powerful than human beings and they like to see where those aromas and noises might be coming from. If your stable is dimly lit and confined, odds are that your horse will get depressed or outright hostile.
Having sufficient hay to munch on is another essential aspect when trying to keep your horse occupied. An eating horse is rarely bored. Its a good idea to use a hay net when feeding hay as it will make getting hay just a little more difficult.
Another great method to keep your horse entertained is providing it a toy to play with. The equestrian market is full of devices that horses can kick around and play with or that could be loaded with goodies or feed.
You are able to also get a mineral lick that attaches towards the ceiling of the stable and twists around when poked, making it much more difficult to get to it. Horses will do everything to get food or sweets so these are guaranteed to keep your horse entertained.
Apart from the wide range of manufactured toys, its easy to make toys of your own. Tying a lidless milk carton from the ceiling and filling it with goodies will give the horse something to do as it tries to turn over the carton to get towards the goodies.
Some animal psychologists recommend installing a mirror in the stable as some research indicate that this is a specific aid in relieving the effects of anxiety and ensuring proper horse health . Consult an expert prior to installation as too large of a mirror can be overwhelming.
It might take a while to discover the greatest answer to stable boredom. It is important to go through this process as keeping your horse entertained in a steady will save you from having to deal with an anxious horse.

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Technorati Tags: Animal, Equestrian, Equine, Health, horse, Mammals, Sports

Tags: Animal, Equestrian, Equine, Health, horse, Mammals, Sports

September 26th, 2010

Posted by guest in horse care | Comments

Best 3 Techniques For Utilizing Building Plans For Hen Houses

Utilizing building plans for hen houses might be the beginning towards the end of our dependence on the outside globe for our food. I began by having a little garden and then on to raising my own chickens and it feels truly great to have the ability to step outside my backdoor and get vegetables and eggs. So you might wish to begin out having a garden and move on for your hen home but these days were going to talk about hen houses.
It doesn’t matter what project you might be attempting, obtaining superb, info can assist you. I’ve 3 superb approaches established that may effortlessly show you how you can finish any project rapidly. Try these ideas and you’ll get quicker outcomes.

Even though you’re interested in building a hen house you may not wish to invest a ton of money,nevertheless, it’s important that you just do things right. If you do not, the end results may prove to be disappointing. You may end up having a hen house that isn’t ideal for your hen family, or even a place in which they may not have everything they need to stay well and safe.. Lets talk of three techniques to eliminate this.

1. You will need to very carefully choose a style which will meet the topography for the land. When designing your hen house structure,you should use common sense in every part. It is advisable to make use of building materials where the clean up as well as disinfecting strategies are going to be fast and simple. The doorways you put in will need to open out. inwards, not in an outward direction..
2. The floors will be simple to hose as well as spray down with little puddling if you slightly slope the flooring This should help avoid spending costly and needless hours of your time cleaning.. Neglecting to do this will certainly make uncomfortable conditions for your hens. So avoid making the mistake of passing up this crucial action!
3. And now you must decide how you will make your hen house safe from the elements as well as safe from predators. Nearly as vital as cleaning,you will want to carefully choose a design which will match the topography of your land. When dealing with domestic animals the most important thing will be to make sure they have appropriate ventilation that will help take away the ammonia build-up as well as dampness that could grow within its walls.. Im letting you know, it truly is nothing to ignore. You will need to get rid of moisture. Poultry like humans, need fresh air and oxygen.
4. Moving on to getting our plans together and establishing the dimensions of our hen house.

And finally, before you choose a plan you need to be certain that its large enough with regard to the number of chickens you are planning That run needs to be about 4 square feet per hen. ( These are just guide lines) It will always be better to have an over sized chicken coop than one that is to small.

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Technorati Tags: Agriculture, Chicken, Chicken coop, Design, EGG, Food, Home, Poultry

Tags: Agriculture, Chicken, Chicken coop, Design, EGG, Food, Home, Poultry

September 25th, 2010

Posted by guest in Chickens | Comments

Choosing Show Jumps – What You Need To Be Aware Of.

Purchasing horse jumps is not an easy decision to make. You need to make sure the equipment you purchase is from a well known manufacturer because this is going to not only guarantee the safety of your horse, but it will likewise make sure that the equipment you buy will be very durable. You will also need to consider the price of the horse jumps, if you choose to buy jumps that are less expensive, just remember that they must be of the identical high quality as the higher priced types. Horse jumps are available to purchase in wood or PVC, and you will have to choose which one you would want to use.

For many years, wood was utilized to make all the horse jumps, but like any veterinarian will tell you, wood is actually harmful for several reasons. The first is the dark coloring of the wood often blends together with the background. The problem because of this is that the horses find them difficult to be able to see and they are consequently more inclined to strike their legs on these products. Kicking these types of wooden jumps can cause serious injuries to the horse.nbsp; They may crack bones, become badly bruised or even come back with splinters. Wood is also more likely to rot when allowed to remain out in less than ideal weather. Western trail competitions tend to be more inclined to use wooden jumps as the wood looks like the environment that is found when riding on trails.

Youll find lots of information and facts regarding the numerous choices of show jumps there are to purchase when you pay a visit to – horse jumps – additionally, you will acquire advise on precisely what to watch out for when selecting your own jumps.

Equine show planners, however, think that PVC jumps are much better compared to the wooden jumps. PVC can be manufactured more cost effectively when compared to wood due to the advances in technology in fact it is now less expensive to buy than wood. One of the biggest advantages you get with the PVC jumps is that you can change the weight of them depending on the horse. Also, these types of jumps are incredibly easy to work with because of their weight, are sturdy and resilient in most weather conditions and require hardly any upkeep. The PVC jumps are consequently practical and they have also been built to be breathtaking as well. Horses schooled for dressage, also known as dancing, make use of Cavalletti jumps in their dressage displays.

Choosing your show jumps can be a complicated undertaking then again you can check out – show jumps – which will help you in your selection.

Jumps can be purchased on thier own or as part of package deals and there are even add-ons on the market to purchase which make the show ring more attractive to the eye. Purchasing horse jumps is making an investment in your sport and therefore it is best to buy the finest jumps the first time around. Show jumps can certainly be decorated in a number of different ways, they could be painted or even stained, they are usually brightly striped and embellished to complement the contest themes. Even though the appearance of the jumps isnt the most significant aspect, it certainly does increase the experience among the spectators. Spectators who watch these incredible animals at horse jumping competitions are usually mesmerised.

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Technorati Tags: dressage, Equestrian, horse, Shopping, Show jumping, Sport, United States, William Fox-Pitt

Tags: dressage, Equestrian, horse, Shopping, Show jumping, Sport, United States, William Fox-Pitt

September 24th, 2010

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Buy First-Rate All Purpose Horse Saddles

The quality all purpose saddle is constructed with the tree frame which is composed of a pommel, which goes over the horses withers, and sidebars that bend round into the hind-bow. A tree of the best saddles is made of durable wood like beechwood cut along the grain. Thin canvas fabric is glued to cover the wood to inhibit splitting, and then steel or iron fasteners are riveted on the head and cantle. Webs of linen are connected along the length plus also across, and then are covered with padding. To the tree are hooked the stirrup-bars. The leather covering of the tree framework could be durable pig-skin or long-lasting man-made material. The more visible covering parts the leather saddle are comprised of the hanging flaps, skirt, and seat.Find out about the sort of western show saddle would meet your needs.

While you learn more by conversing with the sales staff in stores or by getting reviews on the web, evaluate if the reviews are factual. Multiple article websites would help understand better the biased evaluations you might come across in just a single website. The best way to evaluate whether you are acquiring objective evaluations about the best all purpose saddles, jumping saddles, or horse supplies is to check a variety of websites to be satisfied that you understand enough before you buy the product.

Before you can begin to acquire barrel saddles, youth saddles, or reins you need to know the kind of gaited horse saddle, leather saddle, or used tack you are trying to find. This could look straight-forward, however this often is not. As you track down the best horse saddles, used English saddles, or saddlebags for horses, you might have plenty of decisions to make as you select the particular draft horse saddle, pony saddle, or horse tack inventory product that fits your needs.

In particular, if you intend to search for the very top and most expensive riding saddle, used dressage saddle, or equestrian tack for your objectives, you should determine if you must have all these expensive attributes. You should select whether you would benefit from a specific kind of cordura saddle, Arabian saddle, or tack trunk. In addition, you should choose the quality of youth saddle, dressage saddle, or western horse tack you really need.

Decide what you are willing to spend on western saddles. For any kind of merchandise there are trade-offs between features and price. For example, some gaited horse saddles, Arabian saddles, and western bridles consist of higher grade materials, but these kinds of higher quality draft saddle, treeless saddle, or western tack products often are higher priced.

Also, even whether you have enough money to buy the highest cost merchandise product out there, you ought to decide if getting the higher cost item is necessarily valuable to you. Some barrel saddles, dressage saddles, and reins may offer extra capabilities which might seem appealing, however you are recommended to decide whether those are features which you really want and need. If you get something because of high cost abilities that you leave unused, then you are simply pitching some of your money down the drain. A less costly product would have done sufficiently.

Also, find out before you buy the terms for getting a refund for the discount draft horse saddle, equine saddle, or western horse tack inventory item and whether there is a guarantee. While you perhaps will not get the cheapest purchase price, doing business with a trusted merchant providing a reasonable return guarantee is many times very useful. Typically only a minority of all some of the merchandise products that you purchase must be brought back, but understanding a merchant’s policies before you buy can assist you later on, if there are problems.

Where should you purchase a better dressage riding saddle? Before anything else when looking, you should have direct access to a very broad selection of products of the type of bargains that would satisfy your needs. Full merchandise access is best, when the product catalog you have found taps into the fullest array of sales merchandise on the planet. Next, it is valuable to you to search through the mass of merchandise that you could potentially get to get only those that are just right for you. To find things efficiently, you need to have access to a search mechanism that quickly will get you to what you want to find.

Internet competition to get your purchase helps assure that you buy things that cost less. Sellers understand that they have to give you access to quality service and products, as they have to give you very low prices or you will just buy from a competitor. When you want to find the best barrel saddles, pony saddles, and saddle supplies, search for the best site. The top shopping website offer you the easiest, most efficient shopping experience for roping saddle, used English saddle, or used horse tack stock.

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Technorati Tags: English saddle, Equestrian, horse, Horse tack, Saddle, Shopping, Sports, Tack

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September 23rd, 2010

Posted by guest in Tack | Comments

How To Assemble Your Own Poultry Shed

More and more folks are starting to have a look at chicken hutch plans to help them through the method of building their chicken coop. There still are a sizeable number of folk out there however who dont understand the need to consult a guide for the building process. This is a very major cock-up for a number of reasons noted below:

Wrong Size

The first reason why you definitely must use chicken hutch plans is to be sure you are building the perfect size for your chickens. Most chicken farmers have an idea under consideration on the fixed number of chickens they need to keep in their chicken coop, so making sure that youre following a particular formula for this number of chickens will be essential.

If you dont have a plan to follow and dont know the formula for size considerations, theres a really probable chance that you will build too small and the chickens will not stay healthy within the chicken coop.

Wrong Lighting

The second thing that chicken hutch plans are going to help you out with is ensuring youre putting the windows in the right location on the chicken coop and building them to the right size too.

Windows are going to play the dual role in the chicken coop of both letting in enough light and providing means for ventilation.

When the windows are not placed properly in the chicken coop, you are usually going to be forced to run in electrical light which gets intensely pricey over a period.

Improper Location

Finally, the third reason why you have to be making sure youre using chicken hutch plans is to find the best spot to build.nbsp; There are a spread of factors that go into choosing the location for your chicken coop so you do not need to overlook any of them.

Many people build where they believe it’ll look or work well apropos their overall layout of their farm, but more frequently than not this is quite in alignment with what would actually allow the coop to function correctly – making sure you get fresh eggs every morning when you wake up.

So take care you actually use chicken hutch plans for the building process. You may think you can go without and just use your own general information for the process but there are lots more specifics than many folks realize and its these specifics that frequently cost you ends in the long term.

Far better resources on making chicken coop at hen houses and Hen House Plans

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September 22nd, 2010

Posted by guest in Uncategorized | Comments

Easing Fear in a Horse While Grooming

Its that time of year again-time to body clip the Gypsy Vanner If the temperature where you live is above 70 deg F it is time to remove that fuzzy undercoat . Most Gypsy Vanners are used to being body clipped if they are from a warm climate area. If they haven’t ever been clipped, they may be afraid of the clippers. If they have never been clipped before, you will need to take the time to introduce them to the clippers.

Introduce the horse to the clippers slowly

We have found if you hold the clippers on them and also give them some lovin, they will start to understand that the clippers will not harm them. Horses are preyed upon in the wild , so they are naturally fright or flight animals. As a horse groomer it is our duty to make this a pleasant experience for them. If the big clippers scare the horse, try starting with smaller ones (the ones used to trim the face). The large clippers (the ones used on the body) make a loud noise, so understand that it is a fear reaction, not misbehavior.

Start with a clean horse

Brush and thouroughly clean the horses coat. At Gypsy MVP we use a medicated shampoo from EZ-Groom. We find that this shampoo prevents irritation.

Always keep your blades cool and clean

This makes the groomers job much easier plus it will give a better clip for the horse. Keeping the clippers cool and clean is very important. Clippers get hot rather quickly, so make sure you check them often. And if they are dirty they are louder and clip slower.

Always reward your horse with a treat when you are finished

Upon completing your grooming session, make sure you give the horse a treat, so it makes it a good experience for him. This way the next time you put the horse in a stall for clipping (or any other reason) they will look forward to the experience.

This article is compliments of Lisa the groomer for Gypsy MVP, America’s most trusted source for Gypsy Horses.

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Technorati Tags: Equestrian, horse, Horse grooming, Sport

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September 21st, 2010

Posted by guest in horse care | Comments