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All articles by Ron Petracek -
Conformation—the way a horse is put together—will determine not
only how sound a horse remains throughout his life, but will also
determine to what extent he will excel at his particular
discipline. While some points of conformation vary with the type of
horse and what job he is doing, there are some general rules of
conformation that most horsemen agree on.
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Is your horse exhibiting uncharacteristic performance or behavior
issues? Well then, check his saddle. Badly fitting saddles account
for a vast array of issues in the horse. Yet they often go
undetected, either because people don't recognize the signs and
symptoms of an improperly fitting saddle, or because they have no
idea how to fix the problem.
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The jury is still out on whether the American Quarter Horse is the
first breed to be produced on American soil. Regardless, if it
wasn't the first horse to be bred here it was certainly one of the
first, and its history traces back to before the earliest days of
the American colonies, back to the official royal breeding farms
established here by the Spanish.
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It is not uncommon that trends in veterinary medicine to mirror
trends in human medicine. To that end, it's not surprising that
alternative medicine is being used more frequently on sick and
injured horses. Instead of prescribing the latest wonder drug, some
veterinarians are instead prescribing a little hands-on healing in
the hopes that less invasive techniques will bring about a return
to health. In this article, we'll examine two alternative healing
practices that are becoming very popular in the horse world:
chiropractic and massage.
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If you rely on your horses for income, you are going to have to
have good marketing skills just like any other business. That's
right, horses don't sell themselves! If you are a breeder, riding
instructor, trainer, boarding facility, or horse dealer, you are
going to need to reach and impress your potential customers in
order to sell them your products and services. How do you do that?
Just follow the steps illustrated below and you'll be well on your
way to enjoying a successful horse-related business!
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You've got it! That beautiful stallion or mare that is the perfect
example of everything a horse of its breed should be. It's got
great conformation, a perfect temperament, and has performed well
in its chosen discipline. You know this horse could benefit its
breed by passing on its progeny.
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Protecting your horse against parasites is part of good barn
management. Whether you are the owner of single horse or make your
living as a boarding stable, you should have a good parasite
prevention plan in place. Deworming your horses at regular
intervals will keep parasites at bay and will ensure your horse's
maximum health and safety.
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If you are anything like Robert Botine Cunningham-Graham, Scottish
horseman, writer, and adventurers, then you know that there is no
heaven without horses. If you eat, sleep, and breathe horses, then
why not parlay all your time and effort into a career in the horse
industry? Can you imagine a better way to spend your days?
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A good photograph portrays your horse in his best possible light. A
bad photograph, by contrast, draws attention to every fault, no
matter how insignificant, and sometimes even exaggerates those
faults!
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There's a chill in the air and winter is imminent. And just like
peanut butter goes with jelly, winter goes hand-in-hand with the
age-old question: should I clip my horse, or blanket him?
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