Everything you need to know about horses

[KBCraig]

I've often commented that I know everything you need to know about horses: one end bites, the other end kicks, and everything in between costs a lot of money.

That's all you need to know.

Horses are relatively fragile, as large livestock go. They do require specialized knowledge. You can't run their tanks full of PRI-G and park them in the barn for the winter.

Give me a mule any day. A saddle mule is thing of beauty, and is rather libertarian in that you have to convince him that what you want him to do is truly in his best interests. If I fail him, he'll survive just fine on his own (quite unlike a horse).

Kevin

[bailey228]

Actually taking care of a horse is no more complicated than taking care of a mule. Feed them, turn them out in a pasture (if you stable them during the night), clean the stall (again, if you stable them at night) trim their hooves every 2 months. Horses are only expensive if you have money. I've managed to keep my horse on a after school high school job. If you do all the work yourself, it should cost you 50 a month to feed a horse. (same as a mule actually) Vaccinations for a horse are pointless unless you travel with them somewhere it's required. If you can tell the difference between a healthy animal and a sick animal you don't need a vet to check up on them. Don't leave the grain bin open and you shouldn't have any problems. Horses actually thrive on less care. Stables make them sick, open pastures and fresh grass and hay are ideal for them. They will grow a thick winter coat so you typically don't need a blanket. Grain really isn't that good for them either unless you work them hard enough to need the extra calories. A steady supply of fresh hay, no barbed wire fences, a brushing or 2 and you have a healthy happy horse.

[AlanM]

I worked for a guy whose wife bought a VERY expensive Arabian. A couple of weeks after they brought it home, the horse got in the grain bin. She called in a panic. He rushed home and the two of them spent the next 8 hours walking the horse. Too much grain is bad for horses. I guess it swells in their stomachs.

[Lex]

Horses will not stop eating until they are so sick they can't eat anymore, at that point they can get colic and may die.

[bailey228]

Yup, all grain is is candy. It's not natural for horses at all. That's why a horse will eat til they die if given the chance. Horses are designed to eat 16+ hours a day because grass has very little in it. So naturally they will eat the concentrated food as if it's grass.