EASY HORSE
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
Your attitude.
CHAPTER 2 THE APPROACH
Seeing it through the horse’s eyes – equine psychology. Discipline: What does it mean in horse training?
CHAPTER 3 THE METHOD
Introducing anything new: how to create confidence instead of fear.
CHAPTER 4 WEANING
Getting the foal relaxed and confident. There is a way and a better way.
CHAPTER 5 THE TWO YEAR OLD
What to do the first day the two year old comes in from pasture. First bond, then train.
CHAPTER 6 THE FIRST WEEK
Building mutual trust. Getting the colt accustomed to touch over its body – head to hindquarters. Getting fear out of the way.
Shying – its causes and treatment.
Head Shy – why horses are head shy and how to treat the problem.
CHAPTER 7 FLEXION AND COLLECTION: THE FOUNDATION OF A BALANCED HORSE
Getting the horse supple – various methods. The bitting rig. Developing the ideal form. Side Passes. Backing. A small gem not to be ignored – the advantages and how to acquire it. Getting control over viciousness, fear and excessive spirit.
Successful horse training – it is impossible without a good mouth. Among the most common mouth problems are:
Tongue over bit
Dislocated vertebrae
Inexperienced / cruel trainers
Conformation and bloodlines
Dryness of mouth
Wolf teeth
CHAPTER 8 FURTHER PREPARATION TO DRIVING AND RIDING
Blinkers – making the colt accustomed the easy way. Standing still. Stopping on command. Preparation for shoeing – making it easy.
CHAPTER 9 MOUNTING AND PREPARING UNDER SADDLE
Make your first ride easy and accident free by thorough preparation. Bitting – getting used to the bit the easy way and prevent a bad mouth.
CHAPTER 10 EXERCISES FOR THE RIDER
Five exercises which will improve your balance by sixty percent within a week – and keep you in the saddle instead of on the ground.
CHAPTER 11 HOME REMEDIES AND TIPS
Hoof dressings: for dry, brittle hooves, and for hardening soft hooves. Joints and swellings. Swellings and splints on legs. Mixture 1. Swellings which are not painful. Swollen pasterns, painful, horse limps. Tails. Alternative mixture. Home remedy for wounds, cuts and sores. How to estimate a horse’s weight for the purpose of dosing etc. The importance of proper de-worming. Thrush. Greasy heel. Treatment. Coughing. Diarrhea. Cuts which cause loose flaps of skin. Mane rubbing.
CHAPTER 12 A FEW BASIC HINTS FOR GAITED HORSES (SADDLEBRED, BOERPERD ETC.)
A summary of the sequence in which the various techniques should follow one upon another, from the time the green horse is brought in, up to riding and driving. Racking.
CHAPTER 13 CONFORMATION AND MOVEMENT. BASIC GUIDELINES AND SKELETON OF A HORSE
Head. Neck. Shoulder. Chest. Withers. Back. Loins. The hind quarters. Front legs and hooves. Hind legs. Tail and mane. Coat. Way of going. Diagrams of a horse’s skeleton.
CHAPTER 14 GENERAL TECHNIQUES AND HINTS
Trotting poles. The technique of applying trotting poles. The pessoa – one of the least known, but one of the most valuable pieces of equipment in a horse’s development in preparation for training.
CHAPTER 15 ACUPUNCTURE IN HORSES by Dr. Jan Still
Indications for the use of acupuncture in horses. Clynical diagnosis and acupuncture treatment. Safety of acupuncture treatment.
CHAPTER 16 EQUINE DENTISTRY by Bennie Walden EqDT
In the beginning. It all starts here. Permanent teeth include the following. Why are dental checkups so important for your horse. Equipment and procedure. Identifying potential problems.
CHAPTER 17 GROOMING, CARE OF MANES AND TAILS
The curry comb. The body brush. The towel or cloth. The hoof pick. Shedding tool. Damp sponge.
THE MANE AND TAIL
The first important point is………….
Untangling the mane.
Untangling the tail.
Keeping the tail and mane clean.
Care of tail and mane in freezing weather.
Rubbing the tail and mane.
How to estimate a horse’s weight for the purpose of dosing etc..
The importance of proper de-worming.
Horses which chew each other’s tails, manes etc..
Training the mane to stay on one side.
Care of the mane.
Caring of the tail.
Super fast mane and tail growth formula.
Bandaging a tail for traveling or breeding.
Prevention and cure of mud fever.
Nutrition with regards to tail and mane growth, and glossy coat.
Getting horses to drink water when away from home.
Mane and tail color, condition and care.
Shedding earlier.
CHAPTER 18 THE X FACTOR: THE BIG HEART OF A CHAMPION
X, Y and other definitions. Heart score. Double copy. Single copy. What makes a heart score. Research supports heart score. What this means in Quarter Horses, Saddlebreds and Standardbreds. Light hearted sires often don’t pass on their greatness to their progeny. The importance of exceptional mares.
CHAPTER 19 PRACTICAL BREEDING PRINCIPLES USING THE AMERICAN SADDLEBRED AS EXAMPLE
Evaluation of sires and broodmares. The influence of different types. Sire Ratings and Broodmare Hall of Fame mares. The performance of a sire is being influenced by the type of mare which is available at the time. Horse versus pedigree. Enhancing a pedigree by limited introduction of other types. Other breeds and other species. Summery.
PART 2 FEEDING
CHAPTER 20 RULES OF FEEDING
Feed plenty of forage. Feed little and often. Avoid making sudden changes to diet. Feed at regular intervals. Feed each horse as an individual. Choose good quality feed and forage. Feed horses according to body weight. Allow time after feeding before working. Provide a clean, fresh water supply. Keep feed buckets and scoops clean. Look after the system.
CHAPTER 21 FEEDING BY WEIGHT, NOT VOLUME
How much does my horse weigh?
CHAPTER 22 CHANGING YOUR HORSE’S DIET
Changing over from high molasses diets.
CHAPTER 23 MAINTAINING CONDITION IN WINTER
Points to remember
CHAPTER 24 FEEDING BRAN
Bran mash is great for my horse’s digestion! Fact or fiction?
Why we feed bran. The reasons they give for feeding mashes include:
Not a change for the better. Should bran mashes be avoided altogether?
CHAPTER 25 WHAT ARE ANTI-OXIDANTS AND HOW DO THEY WORK?
The major factors that can increase the rate of oxidation in a horse include:
How do anti-oxidants work? What problems can result from anti-oxidant deficiency? How do horses obtain anti-oxidants?
CHAPTER 26 WHEN TO FEED YOUR ATHLETE
What and when should I feed my horse before exercise or competitions. Concentrated feed (hard feed or grain). Feeding hay. The days leading up to the competition. Fasting before competition? Competition day.
CHAPTER 27 ENDURANCE RACING by Ray Geor, BVSc, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM
Athletic demands. Key nutrients. Liquid and electrolyte losses. Before, during and after a ride.
CHAPTER 28 COLIC IN HORSES
What is colic? A tour of the gastro-intestinal tract.
Major types of colic: Impaction colic, Gas colic, Spasmodic colic, Displacement /Volvulus/Torsion, Enteritis/Colitis, Gastric Distention/Rupture, Unknown
Signs of colic. What to do. Prevention of colic. References
CHAPTER 29 GASTRIC ULCERS
Reducing the risk of stomach ulcers.
CHAPTER 30 THE IMPORTANCE OF FIBER ON DIGESTIVE HEALTH
Fiber digestion and micro flora in the hind gut. How does Equus approach this? Fiber and digestive disorders. How much fiber is required and how often? A word on forage quality.
CHAPTER 31 LAMINITIS AND RELATED METABOLIC DISORDERS (Cushing’s Syndrome, Insulin Resistance and Tying Up {Monday Morning Disease})
Diagnosis and Treatment. 10 ways to help avoid laminitis.
Other related metabolic disorders: Cushing’s Disease, Insulin Resistance, Tying Up (Monday Morning Disease).
CHAPTER 32 PROTIËN REQUIREMENTS IN THE EQUINE ATHLETE
Amino Acids. Protein quality. Protein requirements. Protein research. Why do athletes need more protein? Is it safe to feed more protein? Too little protein. Too much protein. Does protein cause fizziness? A typical protein requirement calculation. Additional factors to consider. Our approach at Equus. In summery.
CHAPTER 33 GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING HORSE FEED COST EFFECTIVELY
When it comes to horse food, cheap can be very expensive! Guidelines for choosing horse feed cost effectively!
CHAPTER 34 FEEDING OF MARES DURING PREGNANCY AND LACTATION
by dr. Francois van Niekerk (PhD) (Agric) (PrSciNat)
Feeding requirements of the mare
Protein intake
Minerals
Breeding season
Feeding of non-pregnant mares
Feeding of the pregnant mare
Feeding of the mare during lactation
Summery of important phases in lactation and pregnancy
Nutritional requirements during various periods in the pregnant and lactating mare
Early pregnancy
Feeding during lactation
First 3 days after foaling
First 120 days after foaling
First 3 months of lactation
35 to 45 days after fertilization
Foal 3 to 4 months old
90 to 120 days after fertilization
Wean foals at 4 to 5 months
Months 7 to 9 of pregnancy
Last 3 months of pregnancy
CHAPTER 35 FEEDING AND LEG PROBLEMS IN GROWING HORSES
by dr. Francois van Niekerk (PhD) (Agric) (PrSciNat)
Developmental Orthopaedic Disease consists of various types:
Epiphysitis and metaficial enlargements
Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)
Subchondrial bone cysts
Osteochondrose (OCD)
Contraction of the tendons
Bent limbs deviations
Bio-mechanics: a new perspective
The role of feeding and the origin of DOD
Mineral imbalances
Over feeding
Environmental influence
Summery
CHAPTER 36 FEEDING OF UNWEANED FOALS
by dr. Francois van Niekerk (PhD) (Agric) (PrSciNat)
Nursing foals
Mares and foals on grazing
Feeding behavior
Feeding requirements
Protein
Energy
Minerals and vitamins
Weanlings
Mass increase and growth
CHAPTER 37 FEEDING OF YEARLING FOALS
by dr. Francois van Niekerk (PhD) (Agric) (PrSciNat)
Feeding of foals after weaning
Nutritional requirements
Protein intake
Energy
Carbohydrates
Oils and fats
Fiber
Minerals
Micro minerals
Copper (Cu)
Zinc (Zn)
Manganese (Mn)
The role of Silicon (Si) in bone growth
CHAPTER 38 FEEDING OF HORSES IN TRAINING
by dr. Francois van Niekerk (PhD) (Agric) (PrSciNat)
Muscle types. Skeletal muscle.
Type of horse:
Type 1 Slow firing
Type 2 Fast firing
Muscle injuries and abnormal metabolism
Feeding of the working horse
Protein
Energy
Fats
Vitamins
Minerals
Recommendations for feeding horses in training
CHAPTER 39 FEEDING OF THE BREEDING STALLION
by dr. Francois van Niekerk (PhD) (Agric) (PrSciNat)
The examination for breeding fitness, which should preferably be done by a vet, comprises the following:
- General physical examination
- Examination of the external genital organs
- Examination of internal additional sex glands
- Semen collection and evaluation
Feeding requirements. Hoof care and joint problems. Fitness of stallions. Process of spermatogenesis. The effect of feeding on sperm quality.
PART 3 GENERAL
CHAPTER 40 TELLING A HORSE’S AGE BY ITS TEETH
Galvayne’s Groove. Bit seat.
CHAPTER 41 WRAPPING IT UP
