Comments on: How to Care for a Horse in a Pasture

on 3/30/2008 I have a dominent horse that can not get along with other horse. I hope someone outthere could give me some advice on this one.

on 12/13/2007 Great INFO MARCI THANKS

on 10/1/2007 Clean fresh water is essential, but a horse will usually only drink between five and ten gallons a day, more if it's hot or the horse has been excercising vigorously (make sure he is cool before offering water), not the 25-30 gallons indicated. If you are watering out of a pasture trough it should be checked at least every day, preferably more often.

on 9/4/2006 If your horse's field meets with a public road or footpath, make sure you put up a sign asking people not to feed the horses.

Well-meaning people who don't know about horses might dump their grass cuttings in your field, thinking they are being nice to the horses. But cut grass can give horses colic. They may even dump weeds that they may not know are poisonous to horses. Which is another point. You need to know what is poisonous, and keep your field clear of it. Most horses know, and will avoid eating poisonous plants, but some horses will eat anything.

Children might also try to feed horses things like chocolate and sweets which aren't good for your horse.

It's essential you know as well as you can what your horse is eating so that if a health problem arises, you are better prepared.

on 8/15/2006 If you have to tie-out your horse, it is a good idea to check your horse 2-3 times a day due to a the rope winding itself around a hoof or other body part.

on 4/16/2007 I have 5 horses and a pond with goldfish. There was a tip that you can put goldfish to clean the water tank; bad idea. For one thing, goldfish poop, would you drink water with gold fish poop in it? Also they have a slime coating and that will get horses sick if they drink it. Goldfish are living things too, they need food, clean water and a good place to live. You should clean the water tank every week to keep your horses happy and healthy! If you never clean the tank you are not taking proper care of your horse.

on 8/8/2006 Never let mud pile up. Your horse can get sick from mud fever (usually occurring in the lower legs and legs that are white colored). Also, it is good to see where your horse drops manure the most and clean that place thoroughly as well (and everything around the area). Horses usually go to the bathroom in one spot, and it will save you some work!

on 6/30/2006 If you have more than one horse in a pasture, be sure that they have plenty of food, water, and shelter. Also, be aware of unwanted strangers.

on 6/30/2006 Never leave a halter on a horse at pasture. It could get caught on something and choke your horse, or he could panic and hurt himself. You can buy breakaway halters if you need to keep one on your horse, but I don't recommend them.

on 2/15/2006 The amount of feed each horse eats varies according to type and size. Each horse should be fed according to age, temperament, condition, and exercise schedule. Horses need about 2 pounds of food per 100 pounds of body weight. Ponies need about 1 and a half pounds per 100 pounds of body weight. You should wait about an hour after the horse has eaten before you exercise him.

on 2/14/2006 Some people say that putting goldfish in a horse's water supply will deal with algae and other bacteria it might eat; I have to disagree with this fact. Yes, It might be useful at eating away the contamination, fish have their own special bacteria which protects them. Once fish have established their environment with their bacteria, It grows in the water on its own, and while this might protect the fish, it could be harmful to a horse. Also keep in mind that fish poop. This could contaminate the water.

I'm not a scientist, but I have a new fish tank, and since the good bacteria hasn't been established yet, my tropical fish keep dying. You might consult with a local pet store clerk, or veterinarian, and ask them if a goldfish's bacteria might be harmful for a horse's water supply.

on 2/14/2006 My mare is pastured with a friend's three other horses: a mare, and two geldings. Keep in mind that if you want to separate horses into pastures, than it is good to keep a gelding with a mare. My horse is usually pastured with the older gelding, while the mare and second gelding are usually pastured together. Two mares or two geldings might be aggressive toward each other for want of the same alpha position in the herd. It is best to keep one gelding to one or more mares.

Also, in the winter months, if you have a shelter, make sure it is on high-ground. I live in Washington, and I have found that since it rains all the time in the winter here, the water tends to run into the shelter. Horses hooves are like rototillers - a lot of weight on one small shovel shaped foot, and when it rains, horses hooves and standing water do not mix. I found out the hard way. Gravel or bark near a shelter's entrance do a lot of good with absorbing. A drainage ditch is also helpful.

Lately, my friend has been concerned about her horses weight. So she has been giving them about a pound of rolled oats. Not the way to go! If you aren't riding, like my friend because of the rain, you don't even need to give your horses oats! Keep in mind that they still need vitamins, and if the hay doesn't provide that, you should be feeding a supplement. If you don't ride often, you should be giving your horse 100 - 95% roughage (hay), plus vitamins. If your horse doesn't want to keep weight on, you can pour some canola oil into their feed/supplement. Adding about 1/3 of a cup of oats will get them to eat their supplement if they dislike it.

Remember, horses should be getting 10 pounds of hay a day for every 1,000 pounds of horse.

on 11/22/2005 My horses aren't in the pasture, they get turned out twice a day for an hour, but that's it. I do know that you don't need your horse to be immaculate, they need those natural oils and dirt to keep them warm.

on 11/22/2005 It is important to remember that a pasture with rich, tall, spring grass can harm horses that are not use to rich food and cause them to founder or colic. Never dramatically change a horses diet, work them up to it a little at a time. Talk to your veterinarian or local feed store for specifics.

on 11/22/2005 If you dread cleaning out the horses water trough's you can just stick a goldfish or two in the trough! The goldfish don't need to be fed, they feed off of the scum in the water troughs. If the horse pulls out the goldfish or kills them, you can go to your local pet store and buy more! Instead of dumping out and washing the trough every two weeks (which should regularly be done) you only have to empty and clean (which there wont be much to clean) the trough once a month!