“Senior horses hold a special place in a horse owner’s heart. They’re the sweetest, the kindest, and the oldest….which sometimes means that it’s even harder for them to stay warm in winter weather. The icy chill isn’t always good for our senior horses, and while we want what’s best for our horse it’s not always practical or affordable.”
“You might not be able to afford to stall board your senior, or even be able to purchase him the right winter blanket, but that does NOT mean he has to suffer the cold. Here are some practical and costless changes you can make to your horses care schedule to keep him warm….”
A big thanks to the Savvy Horsewoman Equestrian Blog & Shop for publishing my second ever guest post on their site! Be sure to read the rest of the post here! I hope you find the tips you need to keep your Senior equine (or your non-senior equine) warm & happy this winter!!!
I have sad news to share with you guys today. One of my horses, Holly, had a seizure and passed away. I witnessed the whole thing and I think the worst part was their was nothing I could do. I couldn’t get the vet here faster or give her the medicine I didn’t have or stop the war that was waging in her body. But I got to comfort her as she passed and got to get comforted by my family and friends.
“Don’t cry because it’s over, SMILE because it happened.”
-Dr. Seuss
And even tho I cried for the passing of my sweet horse Holly, today I am gonna SMILE at the time I did have with this horse.
I am gonna focus on the happy times. Not the time my foot got stepped on or the time everything went wrong, but the happy times, the times that brought smiles & joy. So as I look back on Holly’s life that’s what I see. The joy I felt bareback riding on her for the first time! The time my friends & I laughed hard because I hadn’t tightened the girth enough so that me & the saddle slid right off Holly. *not just something ya see in the movies.* I think about the peace that comes with riding a horse like Holly: my cowgirl who liked people better than other horses. A horse I could really trust and enjoy. Holly was my friend, she deepened my love for horses and instilled in me confidence to ride.
I know that I am not the only one who will miss her. Her prior owners, my family, & all the cousins and friends that rode this wonderful horse will too. So as I look back on Holly’s life, I feel thankful to have been gifted with such a beautiful horse friend. That’s really what horses are- a gift from God.
Tails & trails; *with love for Holly & all my horses,*
The passing of an equine friend is never easy, as I know all too well. Recently, one of my oldest horses, Penny, passed away. This horse has been with me since 2010, for over ten years! She started as one of my first lesson horses at a riding stable, and later was purchased by my family. This segment from My Horses & Dog best describes this sweet & sassy quarter horse!
“This sorrel little pony was my second horse! She has been through a lot with me and is currently owned by my little sister. She is a gentle sweetheart, but she is one stubborn pony! She will make up her mind and stand her ground. She taught me and continues to teach me patience and persistence.”
My Horses & Dog
The pictures above feature a little me riding Penny for the first time, my sister Quinn on Penny, and my other sister Jenna petting her! My sister and I had had big hopes for keeping Penny in the Stables that is still under construction; however, she may never be able to be in the Stables physically, but her picture will be seen hanging in the tack room in loving memory of her! Her memory will live on as I continue to spread my love of horses through this blog, teaching riding lessons, and all the horsey things I do! We LOVE you Penny!
PS. Here’s a sneak peak of the Stables for those of you who have been following the blog! Hopefully the construction will be finished this spring and I can post a virtual tour on the blog!*
Have you ever heard of the Great British Equinery of Indiana? I am so glad I had the opportunity to learn about the Great British Equinery through The Backyard Horse Blog and receive their products by winning The Backyard Horse Blog’s 2021 Winter Contest! Whether this is your first exposure to this wonderful company or you’ve already purchased their products, I hope this review inspires you to go check out the Great British Equinery’s website & take advantage their latest sales! The Great British Equinery sells several different brands of high quality horse tack and horse treats including Harrison Howard Fly Masks and Hilton Herbs herbal supplements, which are both products I will be reviewing in this post!
I can happily say that I was very pleased with the Great British Equinery’s customer service and shipping process. I received email updates to keep me informed on my products’ shipping and my email inquiries were answered quickly by Debbie of the Great British Equinery. I definitely plan on ordering again!
For me, blogging has led to trying a lot of new things, including using a fly mask for the first time! I have owned horses for many years, but up until recently I had never used a fly mask! In answer to your question of why I had never used one before; I think it is simply because fly masks weren’t on my list of necessities so I never thought to purchase one, not to mention I was content to just do what I have been doing every summer for the past several years to combat the flies. Nevertheless, I was thrilled to try out this product that I won’t necessarily have purchased myself!
Upon opening the fly masks from their very nice & labeled packaging, I was surprised by how large the masks looked! I was worried they would be too big, and sadly they were just a little too big for my Haflingers. I had gotten two cob sized masks for my half-sized Halfingers, however; since their cob size halters are kept on the tightest whole, I figured that the masks might not fit. Luckily I have four other normal sized horses to use the fly masks on! Max is the smallest of the four boys so the red mask fit perfectly and is officially his! This was his first time wearing a fly mask. After a few head shakes, he was good to go and spent the rest of the day in his Harrison Howard 60% UV Fly Mask.
Obviously, I am no fly mask expert, but I do have the ability to tell when a product is good quality. The fly masks I received from the Great British Equinery were very well made and I could tell they were very durable. A fellow horse blogger reviewed these products on her blog and wrote, “I have masks that are almost a year old and have no tears yet.” *You can read The Backyard Horse Blog’s full review here!* The material of the masks appears to be easily clean-able as does the fleece covered nose band that adds a comforting amount of padding to prevent rubbing. The masks are secured by velcro straps that stayed securely in place! Max didn’t seem to mind his ears being covered much to my surprise. The only thing I did not particularly like about the masks was the mesh nose covering. My dislike may be solely based on looks; however, I think that unless your horse needs his nose protected from the sun, he could do without the mesh nose extension.
More horsey posts: Does Your Horse Need A Fly Mask?
I think Tatum would have eaten the whole bag if I let him!
Max wasn’t the only horse to benefit from the Great British Equinery! All of my horses enjoyed the Hilton Herb treats that accompanied the masks!! These organic herb balls are officially my horses and I’s favorite horse treats! I absolutely love the fresh herbal smell they gave off the second I opened the bag! Proudly made in the UK and favored with oregano and mint, these treats contain all natural ingredients and no molasses or added sugars meaning they are great for horses with laminitis. These treats will be great for Spartacus who has laminitis and my chubby horses & pony that do not need the extra sugars! The bag of treats I received was very large and contains a good quantity of treats that I hope will last awhile! My horses really enjoyed these tiny treat balls! Even Max, who generally isn’t a fan of horse treats, eat his share!
As summer roles around the corner and the pesky flies come out of hiding, I will be glad to have added the Great British Equinery’s fly masks to my reservoir of fly fighting products! A big thanks to the Great British Equinery, I look forward to purchasing more products from your site! *Speaking of fly fighting products, I am all out of fly spray & before I purchase more would love to know what brand of fly spray you use to combat the flies? Comment with the brand of fly spray you use!*
“I first heard about My Happy Lesson Binder by entering a giveaway held by Sparkles Rainbows and Unicorns. After receiving one of the prize copies of the digital binder, I became an affiliate of the program.”
“My Happy Lesson Binder is a super fun, creative, and successful way to keep track of all your lessons. I have had nothing but good experiences with this binder and would love to share my three reasons why I love this binder as well as some of my favorite pages…”
These are the beginning paragraphs of a guest post I recently wrote for the colorful & fun equestrian blog Sparkles, Rainbows, and Unicorns. I hope you click on the link below and read the rest of the post!
*I would love to take a moment and give a little Rosemary Update. She has fully recovered from her founder episode and after taking a break for over a month, I am going to start their official training back up this week. Thanks for the all the advice & concern you all have had for Rosemary!! I always enjoy reading your comments! Comment below on a topic or blog post you would like me to write! I actually really enjoying doing research, so hit me with your most pondered horse related questions! I would love some blog inspo right now! Thanks so much! Enjoy your day!
The days are getting longer and the grass greener, sure signs that spring is almost here! And what a better way to kick off spring than to have a SPRING BREAK! This is especially helpful for equestrians who have lots of preparations to make for the good weather and growing grass. Plus what a great time to ride horses in cool, sunny weather!
Let me just say that that is what I wish spring break looked like for me- 100% horses!! However, my break is usually 100% snow, because my family has gone skiing every spring break I can remember. I love to ski, and was super bummed when my once a year snow vacation was cancelled due to the corona-virus outbreak. But hey, at least I will get to ride horses all week! Yet to my dismay, rain is on the forecast for EVERY day of spring break! I am determined; however, to still get things accomplished despite the dreary weather. So instead of conquering the snowy slopes, I will be conquering my tack room!
We all know how it is. You go into it every day, you see the mess, but everything else seems to get in the way of cleaning your tack room! Well, I plan on using this rainy week to tidy up my tack shed and use the small space to its full potential. So here’s some things I did, hopefully you can use them as inspiration for your own tack room!
Putting winter stuff into storage
Putting your winter accessories away during the warm season frees up valuable space. Make sure that you clearly label your stuff and store it in a way to keep it in good condition- away from bugs & rodents. The rain subsided some, so I took the opportunity to wash Charles’ winter blanket so I could store it properly. I also brought my sprays and soaps back to the tack room. *had to bring em inside for the winter so they didn’t freeze.*
Scrubbing Charles’ blanket I used a wagon to bring “all my chemicals” back to my tack shed
Medicine and chemical storage
Speaking of soaps and sprays, I had previously stored my spray bottles in a box container. Caring for seven horses means you have lots of bottles and the box is currently over flowing, so I started to look into other ways to store my show sheen, fly spray, wound spray, and detangler. I haven’t decided which route I am going to take yet, but for now the box will work. I did found some cool ideas on the web. *Maybe you have a unique way you store your sprays! Feel free to share it in the comments!*
I also have several senior equines and a partly lame horse, so I have a few medicine bottles, pills, and some syringes that needed storing. I put them into a cool, little teal plastic box to keep them separate and easy to find.
Ask yourself two questions: Do I need this? Do I use this?
Of course as an organizer I also swept, cleaned up trash, and went through some stuff. Equestrians just accumulate A LOT of stuff: bits, girths, random lead ropes, brushes, you name it! With such a small space for my tack room, I don’t have room for unnecessary tack. So as you clean and tidy up, have a bin/pile to put stuff you don’t need or use. *Personally, I had a bottle of spray paint, some random hocks, and two old brushes that I relocated out of my tack house.*
Keeping a trash can in your tack room 24/7 helps to keep things tidy!
Location matters
As I looked at the outline of my tack room, I realized I needed to do some relocating. I needed to make the stuff I use daily more accessible and easier to get to. I placed the halters I use the most on the hocks nearest the door, and rearranged the feed bins. *I also spent part of the morning at the store getting a month’s supply of feed just in case. I don’t want my horses to go hungry because of the corona-virus outbreak.*
The bridles, on the bridle holder my father and I made, needed some rearranging.
In all, though it was wet and cold outside, I had a productive morning cleaning my tack room. Hopefully you can take the time this week and tidy up your tack space too! You’ll apprentice having a clean, neat space to store your tack!
Exactly one year ago, I shared this DIY horse popsicle recipe to help you keep your equine cool & hydrated all summer long! I hope this repost will inspire you to show your horse some love this summer by making these DIY frozen treats! Horse popsicles are not only safe for your horse, but aid […]
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It’s been awhile since my last update on the halfies. My newest followers may not know that I am training a team of Haflingers. Working with Rosemary & Jasmine has been a slow and steady process. We have had some rough days, and some really amazing ones. My last training session was one of those […]
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Do you remember the first time you put a fly mask on your horse? I do! I just recently started using fly masks, and it was not shorty afterward that all sorts of questions regarding this new piece of tack popped into my head! I knew very little about fly masks to begin with. I […]
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Have you ever heard of the Great British Equinery of Indiana? I am so glad I had the opportunity to learn about the Great British Equinery through The Backyard Horse Blog and receive their products by winning The Backyard Horse Blog’s 2021 Winter Contest! Whether this is your first exposure to this wonderful company or […]
Continue reading
This past week I had the exciting opportunity to share my equestrian story on Decidedly Equestrian! Decidedly Equestrian is a blog dedicated to giving their audience honest reviews of equestrian products. Run by a team of experienced equestrian women, the product reviews include a convenient scoring chart, lots of pictures, and an honest opinion, making […]
Senior equines have a special place in my heart. They are trained to serve us; they work hard their whole lives, and when they come to their end days- it’s our turn to serve them. Sometimes that means spending money on medicine or a special diet, or sometimes that means ending their suffering.
A few days ago, my father, sister, and I went out to ride horses, but that didn’t happen because we found Charles laying down in the field. I went to go get him, but he couldn’t stand up. After many attempts with human and tractor help, and a call to the vet, we got him up, but he fell right back down. He was too weak to stand and had exhausted all his efforts. We gave him food, water, and time, but this sweet guy was just too weak, not to mention he is at least 36 years old.
When we came back to check on him, it was pouring and cold. It was a tough call to make, but for a horse who had worked so hard and lived so long, it was the least I could do to not let him suffer.
Charles, my first Tennessee Walker, was always a happy and content horse. He had a positive disposition about him that made you want to smile. I will/do miss this guy a lot, and will visit his grave often.
Horse’s truly are wonderful creatures. I am so glad that I have the privilege of having them in my life. The responsibility of caring for such majestic animals is trying at times. Domestic horses are completely dependent on their owners for their livelihood. Caring for equines is a big, yet rewarding task. The passing of Charles got me thinking about my history with horses and all that these special animals have taught me. It really is a privilege to have horses in my life. Because through the years, horses have taught me a lot. When I think back to the first horse I ever got, I see how much knowledge and experience I have gained- and still have to gain. Sometimes it takes looking back, to realize how far we have come (said some famous person I am sure). So buckle up, because it’s time for a story.
Roomer
Before I even got a horse, I got a saddle. I wanted a horse soooo bad. Sevenish year old me had been going to horse riding lessons at a little stable in Ozark MO. I had learned to stop and go, to weave in between poles, and I had even cantered once when the pony I was riding got spooked by a dump truck passing by on the nearby road. I could totally handle my own horse by now I told my parents. However, my parents pointed out that even though I could ride a horse, I didn’t know what it took to care for one. So before buying me a nice, well trained horse, they found a $75 horse on ebay. I think this was so that I could understand what it meant to care for a horse. We got in the truck and picked her up on a warm fall day. She was super old and her owners were moving and couldn’t take her with them.
Her name was Roomer. I never did put a saddle on Roomer. *I was sevenish so I couldn’t have reached if I tried * My father would lift me up to sit on her back, but for the most part I brushed her and gave her baths in the summer. She was my first horse and really sparked my imagination & desire to care for and love horses.
young me with Roomer
Penny
This stubborn, sorrel quarter horse was named by my sister. She is still alive and is currently “owned” by my other sister. After my family moved back to our farm in southern Mo, we got Penny so that I could continue to ride horses. (we moved too far away for me to keep taking lessons at the little stable) One thing this horse did teach me was to keep on tracking: to never give up and to always get back on.
Penny is now my sister Quinn’s horse
Penny might have been the first horse to buck me off, but NOT the last. While I truly enjoy the memories I have made and continue to make with this horse, I realize all we have been through together. I remember all the times her stubbornness or my own failure made me cry. But Penny never gave up on me, even when I wouldn’t ride her for long periods of time or brush her like I knew I should, she hung with me and I with her. She taught me that if it’s been a month since our last ride, to just go for it. To get back on and see what happens, and even when it all goes wrong, to get back on.
Phoenix
As time progressed, beloved and gentle Roomer passed away from old age. I kept learning more and more about horses by attending a week long summer camp a few years in a row, went on some great long trail rides with family & friends, and picked up a few extra horses. *ya know how it is, ya can’t just stop at one. Who can just have one piece of pizza when the whole box is right there!?!* So for my 11th birthday I got a new horse, giving Penny to my sister. His name was Phoenix. Read more about this amazing guy here.
This beautiful Rocky Mountain horse taught me a huge lesson- patience. Let’s face it, I was a little girl on a BIG horse. This horse has a big personality that requires a lot of patience to keep in check. Because of this, I have learned to be patient with my equines. They aren’t people; they are animals and will act as such. It took some tears and some falls, but with the help of Phoenix, I learned to be patient with my beloved equines and respect their horse tendencies while still being in charge of them.
Max
Max was purchased by my parents when they bought a nearby farm about 3 years ago. Small in size, yet big in heart, Max is still teaching me this very important lesson: relationships take work. You would have thought it was a no brainer really. You can’t just feed your horse, ride it, and except to have a relationship. Yet this is often the case, with people too I think. Relationships take work, take time, take effort, take resources.
Max, more about this dude here, is a complicated fellow. My other horses are easy to catch, come right up to you, yet Max lingers back and plays it safe. Once caught, he is easy to saddle and mount, however; he acts differently than the other horses- less trusting, more like he just wants to get this over with. He doesn’t want me to be in charge, to control his body, his movements. This might stem from the fact that he was abused as a colt. Whatever the reason, I realized that in order to be able to “ride” this horse, I needed to gain his trust- to work hard to form a relationship with him. Our relationship is in the making, and I can’t wait for the work to pay off, but if it never does: if Max never comes to fully trust me, well I will still be glad for the life lesson he taught me.
These are just some of the things horses have taught me. I wanted to share them with you so that you could fully understand the place horses have in my heart. The place Charles has in my heart, because this guy taught me a lesson too. He showed what it means to be content, you could see it in his eyes- happiness for just being a horse.
We all know a horse gals dream, riding into the sunset with her trusted horse, hair blowing in the wind. Her desire for a relationship, a friendship with her beloved equine; much like the horse movies she watched as a little girl. But for a country gal like me there was always another addition to this dream…a stable, with a stall just for my horse. Mucking stalls, the smell of horses & hay, and a barn that I can call my own. This has been part of my horse dream forever. The other parts are already fulfilled even better than I could have imagined! I have eight amazing horses and a pony I get to care for. I get to teach kids to ride and spread my love of horses through my writing on this blog, my social media, and with friends I have over to ride with me. Plus a wonderful dog named Zeus! Farm land and trails to ride on for miles. I couldn’t want more! Yet I am human, so I do… or did.
A stable, a barn, I place for my horses to call home. Not some field or fenced in grass patch. A wooden structure, with stalls, a feed room, Dutch doors for my horses to peak their heads out of! This was the missing part of my dream, the part I didn’t think would happen. But it is! That’s right, its real I tell myself, I am getting a horse barn. It’s being constructed on the property as you read this!
I must apologize for not posting about this sooner- after all construction is well under way. But its my dream, and I wanted to make absolutely sure that it was coming true before I got you all excited about it too! *Plus who wants to see a patch of dirt or concrete, this way you get to see actual structure!*
The Stables under Constriction. Notice the nice view of our lake!
The building of this horse barn has been one wild ride! My Father and I were the designers for this project. It was so neat to be able to cater the barn to our needs and put the space where we knew we needed it. Which is why the barn only has five official stalls. Despite the fact that I have nine equines, I know that each horse is different. The ages of my horses span from about two years old to 23 years old! Furthermore each horse has a different work load. And as the property has plenty of grass and fields, I still plan on giving my horses lots of turnout, even still keeping some on full time pasture. Yet I also knew my senior horses were in need of a stall to stay warm this winter, and that as I begin to teach more horse lessons, walking all the way out to the pasture to get my lesson horse is not always efficient.
I want to have stalls for my horses, but I also want to use the space I have been given to serve the purpose I need…..So my tack room is gonna be awesome! Currently; my nine saddles, blankets, feed bins, and everything else is being stored in a 12 foot by 12 foot “little house” that actually belongs to my sister…. who really wants it back! Thus, I designated a considerable amount of space to my tack/feed room, with a separate space for weekly hay storage and mucking utensils. Also included in the barn is a wash/grooming room with hot water excess and a carriage room to store my lovely wedding carriage and harnesses.
I am super duper excited about my Stables! And so very thankful for my Father and my family who have always supported my horse filled dreams & aspirations. They have helped to make them a reality. I have big plans for the horse barn, ideas and possibilities are running through my mind! I am also excited to share this information with you and invite you once again to join me on my equestrian journey. Expect more Stables updates & posts in the future!
This past week I had the exciting opportunity to share my equestrian story on Decidedly Equestrian! Decidedly Equestrian is a blog dedicated to giving their audience honest reviews of equestrian products. Run by a team of experienced equestrian women, the product reviews include a convenient scoring chart, lots of pictures, and an honest opinion, making the reviews and articles of Decidedly Equestrian professional, informative, and relatable! Truly a great resource for every horse-owner, I encourage you to check out Decidedly Equestrian!
I discovered Decidedly Equestrian through Instagram; one of their posts encouraged me to share my story with Decidedly Equestrian & their audience! Complete with pictures of my horses that my followers will recognize and an overview of my equestrian journey, I invite you to READ MY STORY and comment below to share your own!
Scrubbing Charles’ blanket 
I used a wagon to bring “all my chemicals” back to my tack shed
Keeping a trash can in your tack room 24/7 helps to keep things tidy!
The bridles, on the bridle holder my father and I made, needed some rearranging.
young me with Roomer
Penny is now my sister Quinn’s horse