Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Horses: The Detailed Guide- Section 1

This is a detailed Guide about none other than...HORSES!! Breeding, Feeding, Pasture, Fencing, Halters, Leads, Riding Tips and some Basic Grooming cares. Take a peek and see if you find something you never knew before.

Chapter One: The Breeds Of Horses

There are many breeds of horses, some known for their abilities as Sport Horses, Dressage competitors and Gaming. Any breed of horse can do anything, but some breeds are better suited for some things.

Thoroughbreds for instance are Impeccable Racing Horses, they have an unique ability for Stamina and Speed.

The term Thoroughbred describes a breed of horse whose ancestry traces back to three foundation sires — the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian and the Byerly Turk.

Named after their respective owners — Thomas Darley, Lord Godolphin and Captain Robert Byerly — these three stallions were brought to England from the Mediterranean Middle East around the turn of the 17th century and bred to the stronger, but less precocious, native horse.

The result was an animal which could carry weight with sustained speed over extended distances, qualities which brought a new dimension to the burgeoning, aristocratically-supported, sport of horse racing.

So began a selective breeding process which has been going on for more than 300 years, breeding the best stallions to the best mares, with the proof of excellence being established on the racecourse.

The New World of North America was quick to adopt the pastime. Although there are records of horse racing on Long Island as far back as 1665, the introduction of organized Thoroughbred racing is traditionally credited to Gov. Samuel Ogle of Maryland, at whose behest racing “between pedigreed horses, in the English style” was first staged at Annapolis in 1745.

As the country developed so did Thoroughbred racing, spreading across the nation from coast to coast. Today, the volume of racing in America far outweighs that of any other country in the world. American bloodlines have come to be respected in the four corners of the earth as well.

Another Interesting Breed would be Paint Horses, Paint horses are often confused with Pinto Horses. A Paint Horse is A Quarter Horse or Thoroughbred that is Painted either Overo, Tovero or Tobiano. A Pinto is Any other Painted Breed other than Quarter Horses or Thoroughbreds.

Pinto Horses were raised by the American Indians, they say that the First Pinto Horse was a mystical horse which galloped down from the heavens and granted a Solid Mare with Foal. The foal then came out painted with extraordinary markings.

But this is just a myth from ancient storytellers. Many other tales explain the creation of Pinto horses. But realistically Pintos came from Paint horses or vice a versa. The American Indians used their Pintos for many things but mostly as war horses. The pinto horse is very much treasured among the Native American Indians for their unique colored coats.

Paints and Pintos come in many colors and patterns but they've been narrowed down pretty well.

Here are a few to take a look at.

The Paint Horse includes every original color for horses, From Classic Blacks to the Astonishing Cremello or Perlino. The Basic Paint Coat Patterns are, Overo which means One Color. Tobiano Which means Two Colors and Tovero which is a blend of the two prior.

OVERO:

The Overo Colored Horse has a Colored Base, with white markings that tend to start from the stomach upward across the shoulders. The white never crosses over the back, Overo's often come with Blue eyes as this is an Overo trait. Medicine Hat is also an Overo trait. A Medicine Hat horse has black or colored ears and a whole white face.

Overo horses will never have the common face pattern of a Quarter Horse or Arabian. The white crosses over the cheek bone and across the eyes. Overo's can have a Splashed Face, which to basic terms would look like someone poured white paint on their face and it covered them. This is the most common face pattern. Overo's can have a half white face as well. There are many interesting patterns for overo's and it's interesting to see them all. If the Horse has Two PAINT parents but is not colored itself it is known as a BREEDING STOCK paint. Overo's can have a Splashed white face and a small spot on their side, belly or white over the hocks on their legs to classify as a Paint. Overo and Tobiano are the most common paint pattern.

TOBIANO:

Tobiano Horses are very interesting, unlike the Overo which has a COlOR base the Tobiano has a White base. Meaning that their body is colored white and the Coat color such as Black is the Paint on them. A Tobiano Horse will always have A Strip, Snip, Star or Solid Face. They never have the white extend over their cheek bones, if they do their referred to as TOVERO. Tobiano horses always have what is called a SHIELD over their chest. This is what separates them from Overo's. The white is over the back, the color is on their sides and all four legs are often completely white. And the tail is often two colors. Usually following the coat color. So Chestnut body color, chestnut and white tail would follow.

TOVERO:

Possibly the hardest Coat Pattern to Describe, simply it's a mixture of Tobiano and Overo. A Tovero can display the Coat pattern of an Tobiano and have the face pattern of a Overo, most often they have a half colored face and Tobiano body, or they have a Medicine hat and a tobiano body. Usually Tovero's are always painted, I have never seen a Solid Tovero with the face characteristics of an Overo. But I would be surprised and happy if I saw one.

BELOW is a list of Coat Colors and they're description. Starting with the Most Familiar.

Black: The Coat is Pitch Black with no light spots, Black horses can also be a SMOKY BLACK in which the mane and tail are black and the body is a smoky gray. NO DUN STRIPE.

Chestnut: A Reddish body color, Mane and Tail are same color.

Sorrel: Deep Red color, Mane and Tail are flaxen.

Gray: Coat color varies from dark Gray to Shocking white, skin color is black and nose, eye liner and tips of ears are always black.

White: White Body color, Skin Pigment is Pink. Skin around the eyes is also pink. Mane and Tail are also white.

Bay: Mane and Tail are Black, body color is a deep red, often a dark brownish color. This is known as a DARK BAY.

Palomino: The coat will be a yellowish or Copper color, mane and tail are white. Sometimes the Mane and Tail can be the same color as the body. The coat color varies.

Perlino: Brown Hazel eyes, Pink Pigmentation on the skin a Champagne color to the body, Mane and Tail follow suit.

Cremello: Blue or Amber eyes, Skin pigmentation is Grayish, Coat color is a Gold color. Mane and Tail are often white.

Dun: Buckskin Body Color, Black Mane and Tail. Legs are also black, followed by a Black stripe down the back known as a DUN STRIPE.

Grullo: A form of Dun, The body color is similar to a Smoky Black, legs are Black followed by a Dun Stripe. Often what's called Zebra stripes can be seen on the coat color, these are just darker stripes usually along the shoulders and legs.

Red Dun: Body color is almost a Palomino, can range from Palomino to

Chestnut red. Mane and Tail are red, followed by Red Legs and A red Dun Stripe. Zebra Stripes can often be seen on the legs and shoulders.

Silver Bay: Bay colored with a Silver shine to the body coat.

These colors can be suited to any Paint Pattern.

OTHER BREEDS: Most Common

ARABIAN:

Another Popular breed is the Arabian, coming over from the Deserts of Arabia and Iran. They braved the sandy winds and hot days. Living in the desert for so many generations gave the Arabian and it's ancestors the Strong ability to go many days without water where any other horse would die from Water Dehydration a Arabian can withstand up to a Week without water. But when they find it, boy do they drink!

Arabians make good Gaming horses these days, their small size allows them quick speed and agility. The only problem with using Arabians for Gaming is their legs can break down easily. If you start an Arabian as a Gaming horse make sure they're old enough and that their knees have grown in. Because their so small a horse and their legs are thinner boned than a Quarter Horse or Paint they have a better chance of weakening their legs. This goes for any horse under the age of two but some breeds are more susceptible because of conformation. We'll talk about that later

There are so many breeds out there to explore, from Ponies to Draft Horses. There are books on the market which explain where the breeds originate from and their Colors they come in. I'd love to name them all but it would take months.

APPALOOSA:

Appaloosa horses are descendants of horses imported to America by the Spanish conquistadors in the 16th century. The Nez Percé indians of Northwest America Developed this unique breed of horse. The name Appaloosa is derived from the Palouse river which ran through the Indians territory. The Nez Percé Indians were the first and certainly the most selective at breeding their horses.

They were the first indians Interested in Selective breeding and they were the most skilled at doing so. The Nez Percé Indians created herds by gelding or trading any horses that were not of the highest quality which was maintained by a standard. Of course by the mid-1700's the Nez Percé had established their herds and had of course gained considerable reputation, For their Horses unique and fine quality. What is really very interesting is that they did not only breed the Appaloosa horse for it's attractive spotted markings, which made for excellent camouflage but also for it's Stamina, Speed, Endurance and Athleticism.

During the Late 1800's the Appaloosa was virtually destroyed when the U.S army captured the Nez Percé Indians and slaughtered nearly all of their horses. I guess USA didn't like losing. Then in 1938 a group of breeders revived the breed using the early descendants which had survived the brutal destruction. With these descendants they were able to bring the breed back to it's feet. The Appaloosa is closely related to the Quarter Horse, both historically and Genetically. And Both breeds reflect the similar influences. The Appaloosa horse club boasts over 400,000 registered horses and they continue to grow in popularity. They make excellent kids horses and have a disposition about them that is genuine.

ANDALUSIAN:

The Andalusian, the Spanish Rose. Andalusian Horses are one of Spain's most famous horses. They have a past that is somewhat veiled in mystery which makes them all the more interesting. There are three complex theories about how the Andalusian came to be, whichever you believe they are indeed mysterious and most certainly ancient.

It is believed that during the Moorish invasions of the eighth century that the Barbs and the Arab horses belonging to the Moors crossed with the native Spanish stock to produce the Andalusian Horse.

There is also a Theory that the Andalusians is a descendant of the 2,000 Numidian mares that were shipped to spain y the carthaginian general, Hasdrubal. Lastly there is to debate whether or not the andalusian is descended from Equus ibericus , which was also influential in the development of the Barb.

Of course whichever you choose to believe one of them could possibly be true, there is no doubt about the influence the Andalusian horse had on the tremendous numbers of breeds. In europe their influence is seen in the Holstein, the Oldenburg, the Lipizzaner and many others. Most of them from Spanish roots.

The Andalusian Horse is a beauty to look at, with a beautiful head, large kind eyes. They are used in shows and are seen displaying their most beautiful Gait which is called Gait Paso de Andatura.

QUARTER HORSE:

Our very last lookout for breeds, this breed probably has the longest history. The QUarter Horse is America's oldest and most popular breed of horse. It was developed during the 17th century from the horses that the spanish conquistadors too to AMerica with them. Mainly Andalusian, Barb and Arabian. This was the stock base was then crossed with the early Thoroughbred horses that were imported to America is 1611. Thus the Quarter Horse foundation was laid.

The Early Quarter Horse was a solidly built small horse, standing at approximately 15 hands. Quarter Horse nowadays can reach up to 16 hands high sometimes taller. They can also be as small as 14.2 hands. Remember anything below 14 hands is considered a Pony. The Quarter Horse is favored for it's powerful hind hindquarters. It was very quickly realized that Quarter Horses were far superior to Thoroughbred horses over short distance races. And to this very day the Quarter Horse is still faster over short course than the Thoroughbred. ALtogether the Quarter Horse is certainly an admirable breed, they make glorious Reining Horses and Barrel Horses. And excel at Western Pleasure and English Equitation.

BUYING A HORSE: Taking Care Of Your New Friend

Okay..first of all you're wanting to buy a horse. You must always look to your age and your riding level. If your a GREEN rider, this means inexperienced, than you want an older horse to start out with. If you're pretty good at riding you can go for the younger horses but I always advise buying an older horse first. The advantages of this are: The older horse has already been trained and will respond to you when you ask him or her to do something, whereas a young horse will always ask "WHY" when you ask for something. It's not because their bad horses it's because they're curious. The other reason is an older horse is less likely to spook at something, whereas a young horse will probably spook at everything.

I have met many young horses suited for carrying unsure riders but if you buy a young horse just remember, if they spook and you fall off they didn't do it on purpose. A horse that will always mean to hurt you is not a horse you want, these horses need special training and bonding. You want to enjoy your first few rides on your horse, not be scared half to death because your mount could care less whether you fell into the fence or not.

When buying your equine friend remember to always ride your horse before you buy him or her, riding the horse will give you a feel as to how they react to new things, your cues and how good they are at reigning and direction. If your confident enough try the horse at all three gaits. This way you'll know whether he or she has any vices, bucking, crow hopping or STARGAZING as it's been so subtly called.

A Star Gazer will lift its head straight up in the air to avoid the bit, this is a BAD HABIT and if you own a horse that does this CORRECT IT IMMEDIATELY. A lot of bad things can happen if your horse does this, you can crash and seriously injure yourself and your horse. Remember a Human can come back from a broken leg, but a horse can't. Thousands and Thousands of dollars are needed to correct a broken leg and sadly most often the horses colic from stress and because they can't be walked they can't be relieved. Good thing is that veterinarians are getting close to solving the problem and have had many successful stories. But better safe than sorry right?

After you've ridden the horse you're looking at spend a few moments just you and the horse by yourselves, is the horse interested in you? Or does she just hang her head and stand their bored. These are important, you don't want a dead head. But you don't want a Squirrel either.

A Dead head horse could care less about what's going on, nonetheless what you have to say about it. They'll just stand there like their falling asleep, not good. A horse that isn't interested in you probably won't be so apt to learn anything you want to teach it either.

A Squirrel horse Cannot Stand still for two seconds, this isn't happy either. Mostly young horses will do this but I've seen a few Old timers adapt this habit as well.

After you've deduced whether this horse is interested in you or not it's time to take a look at where the horse has been staying, what she's been eating, and what her routine is. Owners are always nervous about selling their horses, they want them to go to good homes and any horseman would. If you have a barn and pasture of your own your horse should be quite comfortable. Make sure for the first few weeks you feed the same feed that your horse had been on with his or her previous master. If you want to switch your horse to a different feed (Often times this refers to a cheaper feed like Cobb or Alfalfa pellets) Make sure you do so incrementally. That means slowly, If your horse was getting a half can of his old food make sure that a quarter of that can is the new grain you wish to feed. Feed like this for at least a week, then slowly begin to even out the feeds.

By week two you should be feeding a quarter can of your new feed and a quarter can of the old feed. By week three you can be giving a half can of your new feed and a quarter can of the old feed. By week four you should be completely on your feed. By doing so this way the change is slow and does not cause stress to your horse. They've already been moved to a weird and strange place, being fed something completely new first off is a shock to their system and can cause colic along with many other things.

DISEASES:

While you own a horse you will experience many things, your horse may get sick. Have things happen to their feet, their skin, mouths and teeth. We will discuss a few important "Lookouts" you will need to always be observant for in Horses.

COLIC: Colic is the most common causes of death in horses, the word colic simply means abdominal pain: It refers to the symptoms rather than to a specific disease or cause of pain. Many things can cause Colic in horses. Horses or very susceptible to colic. In fact they are most likely to colic, more so than some other animals, such as cows or sheep. This is partly to blame because horses cannot vomit to unload the stomach the stomach of any harmful substances they may have in their digestive tract. Colic can be fatal, if your horse is suffering from Colic this is what you must do.

1. Keep the horse walking, do not let him roll. If he rolls he can twist his intestine and after that happens a loving goodbye is accepted. A twisted Intestine can only be corrected by major surgery which costs thousands of dollars. And the outcome can be worse, mostly because if your horse passes while in surgery there is no chance you will be able to take the body home. It's already at the vet's office and because a horse is such a big animal there's little you can do.

2. A lot of people suggest giving the horse Mineral Oil, this is done by inserting a tube down the throat into the stomach. This is done in hopes that the oil will break up whatever is causing the blockage. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't.

Often enough if you catch it early walking the horse is a simple solution, begin too late and you're in trouble. If you see your horse beginning to weaken while your walking it you should call your vet. If your horse has had colic before call your vet.

3. Check their gums for coloration, press your finger against the gums if the color does not return this means your horses heart is failing.

Many Horses do not experience serious colic, the ones who have survived their cases were either caught early or experienced a miracle. But Serious Colic can be fatal. As a rule of thumb it is good to watch your horse, if they roll on the ground look for these signs.

Biting at the Stomach

Rolling and getting back up, doing this repeatedly

Standing with their feet camped out behind them ( This is a sign they are trying to relieve the pain )

Singling itself out of the herd, if your horse is not pregnant and does not usually venture a great distance from his buddies keep an eye on him. He might be looking for a place to lie down at, and once they lie down they begin to roll.

Conclusion: In serious Cases of Colic horses can roll up to one hundred times, and this is in serious cases. Also horses who have colic will not drink or eat, if you see all your horses drinking from their water source and only one horse standing back not drinking at all then something is wrong at this stage you would bring the horse into a paddock or stall by itself and watch for the other symptoms. Usually Rolling would be next, and then thrashing but if you watch your horse carefully Colic should not be a problem.

FOUNDER: Founder is when the Hoof wall begins to collapse, Digesting too much rich feed or too much green grass can cause founder. A horse who has Foundered before will often have special shoes, or need to have their feet trimmed a certain way. Most horses who founder always have to have special shoes after, and these shoes keep the hoof wall from collapsing.

GIRTH ITCH: Girth Itch is a Fungal skin problem that occurs in the girth area, generally after the horse has been ridden with a saddle for a long period of time. The Girth begins to irritate the skin ( especially around the elbows and in the armpits) the fungus enters in through the broken skin and then begins to peel. Unless it is halted the infection leads to Raw skin spots in the girth area. The horse may become so sore that he will resist being touched or wear a saddle until the infection is healed. Girth Itch can spread from Horse to Horse by using the same equipment on different horses. Make sure each of your horses has his/her own girths and brushes. If one horse used the tack it will spread to the next horse it is used on.

TREATMENT: Most Good fungicides halt girth itch, but make sure that it's not a chemical that will be irritating to tender Girth skin. Pure Iodine is too harsh but "Tamed" Iodine ( Betadine ) will suit just fine.

RAIN ROT: Rain Rot or "Rain Scald" affects most horses in wet weather. It's most common in Fall or in a wet climate. Patches of Hair may come out in clumps, there may be random crusty patches on the skin that are sensitive to the touch. Rain Rot is caused by a fungus like organism that lives in the soil. It is often present in dust particles. The combination of water and dirt only succeed in making this problem worse. Hair will form into clumps and begin to fall out creating bare spots. This happens when a horse rolls in the dirt and then becomes wet, the mud is then able to stay on the skin for several days. Scabs will appear in the hairless areas and the skin will become raw and sore. Rain Rot is not contagious from Horse to Horse, but can occur if other horses are in the same pen because then they are also exposed to the same dirt which contained the fungus. Be sure to keep your grooming equipment clean.

TREATMENT: Treating Rain Rot is simple enough, but a long process. It requires washing the affected area with Iodine Shampoo and then applying a mixture of Betadine and mineral Oil to the crusty areas. Daily cleaning is needed to thoroughly remove all of the fungus. Massage your fingers into the crusty parts to soften them up, gently working them loose so you can pick them off. Leaving them will only cause them to itch more and more. Removing them allows the medicine to enter the broken skin and begin healing the raw parts up. If you keep your horse out of the rain he will heal quicker, if you cannot assure the horse to be confined out of the rain place a blanket on him. Be sure to keep him well aired, removing the blanket to clean the affected areas and waiting until the skin and hair are dry before putting the blanket back on. Putting a blanket on a wet horse with Rain Rot is a bad idea and will only prolong your horses Healing time. Be sure they are completely dry before the blanket goes on.

SCRATCHES: This occurs when the fungus enters through a scratch on the leg, most boggy areas have this. But wet swamp-like areas can harbor this fungus too. The infected leg area becomes scabby, crusty and thickened. In very severe cases the skin may ooze or the lower leg may swell. If the case is serious enough the horse could go lame. This condition does affect Pink Skinned horse more readily than Dark Skinned horses.

TREATMENT: An Betadine base in used, medicated shampoo and removing the scabs. Legs may be wrapped to soften them up so they may be removed. If serious enough the vet may prescribe a special ointment to be used.

All this information may seem like a horse is really more trouble than it's worth, but not all Horses experience these diseases and problems. In fact many horses go through life without experiencing any of them. So don't think that if you get a horse you'll be paying vet bills every month.

Horses also amplify stress, a small thing to us can seem like a big deal to horses. A tarp that flaps with the wind will sometimes seem like a scary monster and should be reacted as such. Thus, shying away, jumping forward or standing still in complete shock and awe.

You'll find many laughs with your Horse Buddy, and I'm certain he'll laugh at you a few times as well. Making life easier for your horse is simple, especially when you have a new horse. Horses adjust much quicker if they have another horse to bond to. Also when let out to pasture with this other horse, he/she will show your new friend the boundaries of the pasture. Have you ever watched horses going out to pasture for the first time? If you have an old mare or gelding who has been spending all year outside they will know the pasture by heart. So when you let your yearlings out to pasture with the older horses watch closely. You will see them make at least one full round of the entire pasture this will last up to three hours. They slowly graze their way around the perimeter and then you will never see them do it again. Not all horses do this, but mares who were always good mothers have been known/seen showing yearlings their new home and sometimes giving them a manner lesson as well.


Look For Section Three- which will focus on these SUBJECTS:

1. Fencing

2. More Explanation on Grain And Feed

3. More Saddle Explanation

4. Shoeing

Section Four-

5. Farrier Training Tips

6. Halter Breaking

7. Preparing For Your Mare To Foal

8. Taking Care Of Your Young Foal

9. What You Will Need To Wean Your Foal

10. Explanation on Weaning Your Colt