What do I need to feed my horse?

[ShrekDawg]

He was a big young horse, and I over-estimated my abilities as a horse keeper. I was mostly a pony keeper but always wanted an Arabian. Sometimes dreams don't work out the way you expect them to. That horse went on to be a great performance horse. He just wasn't my speed.

Ohhh that makes sense. That's awesome he made a good performance horse.

What about the other one? The one kicked the guy? Bad horse or accident?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ohhh that makes sense. That's awesome he made a good performance horse.

What about the other one? The one kicked the guy? Bad horse or accident?

The neighbor that got kicked was him being stupid enough to bend over behind a horse without the proper warning to the horse, which generally is a hand on the butt and talking to them. I personally wouldn't bend behind any skiddish horse no matter the circumstances. And I definitely wouldn't wave the hat after I picked it up like he did to shake the dirt off.

 

[ShrekDawg]

The neighbor that got kicked was him being stupid enough to bend over behind a horse without the proper warning to the horse, which generally is a hand on the butt and talking to them. I personally wouldn't bend behind any skiddish horse no matter the circumstances. And I definitely wouldn't wave the hat after I picked it up like he did to shake the dirt off.

Ohhh I see. Yeah, definitely stupid waving the hat around LOL especially behind the horse. Should have moved first.

But I've seen some say you should be able to do whatever you want and they even crawl under the horse, etc. If you both have enough trust

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Ohhh I see. Yeah, definitely stupid waving the hat around LOL especially behind the horse. Should have moved first.

But I've seen some say you should be able to do whatever you want and they even crawl under the horse, etc. If you both have enough trust

Should, but in the end horses are prey animals, and they react first and think later.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Should, but in the end horses are prey animals, and they react first and think later.

True. I kinda think it's dangerous and stupid to do that stuff but this guy is like really against babying horses and supposedly knows how to read them and behavior and stuff and says a lot of behavior things are just horses being horses and the owners fault. Idk

 

[Folly's place]

I want to add that if you don't have a lot of experience around horses, and riding lessons, DO NOT go out and buy one! Find a good stable and instructor, and take lessons, for at least six months to a year. If that's not possible financially, or timewise, neither is horse ownership!
I'm also not riding any more, and still have horses at home. The ground gets harder every year! And, my old 'steady eddy' mare is buried out here, and no way am I getting on my 'sweet young things'!
As everyone has said, grass pasture or grass hay is the base diet, with salt and mineral blocks, and then extra calories as needed. Some are fat on pasture, and some need lots more.
Horses are great, but they are not toy poodles!
Mary

 

[Susan12]

I agree horses have delicate digestion buying one without experience would be a huge mistake.besides there are too many people who would sell you a horse that has major issues.i have seen horses that were drugged too disguise there temperament.you need an experienced professional too help you with a purchase.

 

[Folly's place]

The term 'horse trader' and 'used car salesman' have similar contexts. Great people, many of them, but the there are others...
Horses are easy to buy, and hard to sell, and can live into their thirties. Be a smart buyer, and that takes experience, training, and a more experienced and trained helper.
Mary

 

[ShrekDawg]

I want to add that if you don't have a lot of experience around horses, and riding lessons, DO NOT go out and buy one! Find a good stable and instructor, and take lessons, for at least six months to a year. If that's not possible financially, or timewise, neither is horse ownership!
I'm also not riding any more, and still have horses at home. The ground gets harder every year! And, my old 'steady eddy' mare is buried out here, and no way am I getting on my 'sweet young things'!
As everyone has said, grass pasture or grass hay is the base diet, with salt and mineral blocks, and then extra calories as needed. Some are fat on pasture, and some need lots more.
Horses are great, but they are not toy poodles!
MaryView attachment 1445729

Thanks for all the info!! I think I need to take lessons again. I took a bunch when I was younger and then I finally took lessons again like 4 years ago and went there a while but then I stopped because we had a lot of snow storms that year and couldn't get to a lot of lessons and with my anxiety I was too nervous to call back and/or apologize so we just kinda ghosted. I still feel bad about it but oh well. She said I was good though and the horses all liked me. I guess one kind of tolerates most people but apparently he truly liked me and she could tell. And I rode a few babies (a 5 year old Morgan and a 6 year old Belgian) and one Quarter Horse I think in teens who only lets certain people ride her. She was like the energizer bunny lol not in a bad way but compared to the lazy lesson boy I started on she was cause she would keep going and going if you asked and once you asked her to do something, she'd keep doing it until told otherwise unlike the boys who you usually had to keep pushing and asking lol so in some ways she was easier cause you could go on autopilot but that's bad in a way so the other ones took you off autopilot and made you a better rider aha

Anyway, eventually she even trusted me to help bring horses in, muck the paddocks/pasture and stalls, even watered horses once or twice, bathed them, etc. There was one pretty hot/spooky one I was kind of afraid to lead. I need more experience or calm, non spooky horses. I get nervous amd they get nervous. Also a couple times the horses crowded/ganged up on one in particular and if my instructor wasn't there to swing the lead rope in air/be like hey get out of here/knock it off, it could have ended badly. I think they ended up moving him cause he was older and being bullied by the babies.

 

[ShrekDawg]

I agree horses have delicate digestion buying one without experience would be a huge mistake.besides there are too many people who would sell you a horse that has major issues.i have seen horses that were drugged too disguise there temperament.you need an experienced professional too help you with a purchase.

That's sad people would drug a horse instead of being honest :/

And you're right about experience. Jist mentioned it in my most recent reply. I still get nervous about/cannot discipline or stand up to horses