I do know a major change occurred when I went from being just a horse owner to becoming a responsible horse owner. My horses are no longer my pets, they are my companions and partners. What I have learned in the last 2 years has changed mine and my horses lives forever.
It started with a free Pat Parelli clinic when my eyes were opened to what a horse is and how they think. I began to think, listen and "talk" like a horse. I started reading everything in sight by the natural horsemen writers-Gwani Pony Boy, Sam Powell, John Lyons- to name a few. Understanding horses and the herd mentality gives me insight when dealing with people too.
The first good thing was waking up without aching all over. The horses no longer nipped at me, stepped on my feet, knocked me over or pulled against me as I established myself as the "Bossmare".
I know that some of the horses will require finishing by a regular trainer and our racing prospects will go away to a professional, but now I can do all the basic training with confidence and in less time.
I now have a game plan. I know where I want to be in 1 year and where I hope to be in 5. I'm very fortunate that I work at a college with a very big Equine Library. We offer courses in all aspects of horse care and anyone within driving distance of Ocala should attend some of them. We attended the 4th Purina Seminar in Ocala recently and listened to many experts in various fields concerning nutrition, vaccinations, older horses, sports medicine and hoof care.
My horses ask only 3 things of me...safety, food, and shelter. In return they give me their heart. How can I not work at giving them the best of everything?
I have 2 great vets, Dr. Silvia DoValle of Ocala and Dr. Erin Denney-Jones of Clermont. Both are AAEP members and stay on top of the latest medicines and methods. The AAEP website is a goldmine. (www.myhorsematters.com)
Our farrier is a son of a farrier and comes out about every 6 weeks.
The property is well lit and properly signed but we make sure the boarders carry additional insurance anyway.
The main pasture and paddocks are board fenced with a strand of barbed wire at the bottom to keep out dogs and varmints. Tom drags regularly for manure and I take a wheelbarrow between the trees for weeds, limbs and manure.
Unfortunately, we both work 2 jobs so we have to use automatic waterers, even on the trough. But we make sure they are always clear of algae, sand, hay and feed.
The horses are turned out every day and fresh hay is always available in the paddocks.
The barn is a well designed 38X84 wood frame building. There are 12 stalls with removable 2X4 dividers. The aisle is 16 feet wide and made of roughened cement. The floors are clay with sand and pine shavings. The feed and tack room is pest proof but we keep the open grain in metal trashcans anyway. There is a seperate room for medicine and supplies, with a shower and hot water heater. Tom installed a fire sprinkler system, fly control, an LP heater and large fan for the safety and comfort of our horses.
