Cherry
Hill's
Horsekeeping Newsletter
May
2001 LOOKING
FOR MR. GOOD HORSE This
time of year, many of you are looking to buy that perfect horse. Maybe you
are going to be a first time horse owner. Or perhaps your good horse is
starting to get a little age on him or her and you need to get a new
horse in place. Or you have moved up in the levels of your riding or competition
or changed events and need to find a suitable horse . So this month I've
included some articles related to buying and selling horses. But first here
are a few quick thoughts for May. Check
the fuel filter in your tractor: Over the winter, your tractor's
fuel tank could have taken on some water from fuel or condensation. If your
tractor puffs white smoke or chugs, it could be due to water in your fuel line.
Be sure to regularly check your fuel filter bowl to see if water has settled to
the bottom of it. Refer to your tractor's owner manual or call your local
equipment dealer to get advice on how to remove and empty your fuel filter bowl.
This is a task you should master. Musical
Pens: For the good of my pastures and the health of my horses, I
don't turn my horses out to graze until the pastures are about 4-6 inches tall
which is usually about June 1. So during April and May, I play musical
pens. What this means is that besides providing my horses with exercise
by riding and longeing, I give each horse access to a large pen on a rotating
basis. For example, I keep 3 mares by my north barn where there are 2 normal
size pens and one very large oval pen. Each day, I rotate the mares
clockwise so that every 3 days, one of those mares has a 24 hour period in the
large pen where she can rip and tear. Take
it one step at a time: If you are bringing your horse back into
work after a relatively idle winter, take it easy and gradually progress.
All you have to do to see that this is the way to go is to do 12 hours of yard
work in one day - the next morning, you'll wake up feeling like you've been "rode
hard and put up wet". Gradually accustom your horse to his summertime
workload. He'll have a more positive attitude and look forward to his work
because he won't be sore. TABLE
OF CONTENTS The
Process of Buying a Horse Selection
Criteria Heaves Interview
on The Horse Show ***************************************** The
Process of Buying a Horse
If you are in the process of buying a horse, here are some things to consider.
Sellers should read this too. It can give you some insight into the buyer's perspective.
buying_a_horse Selection
Criteria
What do you look for first when buying a horse? A set of pretty white socks
or a willing mind? There are many factors to consider when choosing a horse.
selection_criteria Heaves
If you find a horse that fits your
budget but find out he has heaves, what does it mean? heaves
That's
it for this month. Remember, often the slower you go, the faster you get
there. Keep your mind
in the middle and a leg on each side. 
"...there
ain't nothin' better than ridin' a fine horse over new country...."
-Augustus McCrea in "Lonesome Dove"
**********************************************************************
Ø Before you copy, forward or post anything from this
newsletter or Cherry Hill's Horse Information Roundup, be sure you read this
article! https://www.horsekeeping.com/copyright_information.htm Ø Don't forget to regularly check the Horse Information
Roundup at
https://www.horsekeeping.com/horse-training-care-info.htm to find information on training, horse care, grooming, health
care, hoof care, facilities and more. Ø Take the time to browse the complete Cherry Hill
Horse Book Library at http://www.horsekeeping.com | 2.jpg){kind=small}
