Natural Touch Equine Farms

Some simple stretches you can do at home to help your horse’s core strength!

So many people have and love horses. Some love to trail ride, some love to compete. Some love riding green horses and others just want a pet. If you do compete ...in dressage, cutting, barrel racing or any other equine sport, you should ride your tail off and leave your heart on the arena floor. Too often people punish or mistreat the horse for not winning the blue ribbon or 1st, or not performing to expectations. Then your horse is left wondering why. You were so excited to compete, he did the best he could and all of a sudden he feels your disappointment He doesn't know if he won 1st or 15th, blue ribbon, yellow ribbon or no ribbon. Dont compare your horse or yourself to others. It's ok to admire others as you reach your goals, but ride your horse for what he is at that moment . No matter how your day goes, you should pat his butt, loosen his saddle and hug his neck. He didnt choose to compete or his owner, and he cant help when the human miscues him or often times doesnt even know what they need the horse to do. Ride him like you love him every single time through the wins and losses . Remember someone else less fortunate would kill to have a horse period. See more

Swirlology 101- (whorl patterns). Have you ever wondered what the whorl pattern on your horse's forehead means? Some old timers have said it can be the gateway ...to the soul. Show us your horses swirls in the comments below. A swirl located between the eyes indicates an easy going, uncomplicated horse. Swirls higher on the forehead indicate intelligence and a more reactive nature. Long swirls, especially those that extend below the eye indicate a friendly and agreeable nature. Multiple swirls can indicate multiple personalities. High and tight side by side swirls can mean a horse that is super focused and talented, but challenging and difficult in the wrong hands. 2 swirls on top of each other can mean extreme personality swings and unpredictability. Multiple swirls that form a Z pattern can signal a horse that is dangerous and violent. The direction that the whorl turns can tell you if the horse is right or left "handed" (or hoofed) . If the whorl flows counterclockwise it is left "handed". If the whorl flows clockwise it is right "handed". Tell us any other wives tales you have heard about whorl patterns.

To help you understand what the horse feels when you sit crookedly in the saddle "Load a wheelbarrow heavily to one side as in the center illustration. Now pu...sh the wheelbarrow, and feel how it pulls to the weighted side and how you are forced to lean in that direction to compensate. That’s how your horse feels when you sit unevenly in the saddle, as shown in the left image. When you sit evenly, the horse will be centered and balanced as shown in the illustration on the right." Sharon Sweet Illustration by Sandy Rabinowitz This Solutions concept is brought to you by Practical Horseman magazine's Summer 2019 issue.

!!!Potomac Horse Fever Alert!!! Our vets at Moore Equine have seen a number of horses recently that have been diagnosed with Potomac Horse Fever (PHF). This dis...ease is commonly seen from early summer to late fall in Alberta. It is caused by a bacteria called Neorickettsia risticii which affects the gastrointestinal tract of the horse. As part of the life cycle of the N. risticii, the bacteria lives inside of snails/slugs and aquatic insects (mayflies, caddisflies, etc). Horses ingest these bugs by accident when they are drinking water or eating hay/grass. Infected horses are more quiet than usual, they don’t eat as much as normal (or not at all) and they may have a fever and diarrhea. It is important to note that some horses with PHF still have normal manure. Depending on the severity of the disease PHF can be mild to life-threatening for your horse. Adequate treatment is important to treat dehydration, electrolyte and protein loss, and inflammation. Prevention of laminitis (founder) is very important in horses infected with PHF as these horses are at high risk to develop this potentially fatal inflammation of the hoof. Please contact your veterinarian if you have any questions or concerns about your horse(s). Radiograph of a horse showing rotation of the coffin bone downwards within the hoof, which is indicative of acute severe laminitis. Potomac Horse Fever infection can lead to severe life threatening laminitis. See more

Looking for an English saddle for a difficult to fit mare. If you have one available please leave comment with picture and price.Looking for an English saddle for a difficult to fit mare. If you have one available please leave comment with picture and price.