CARING FOR HORSES THAT DO WHAT HORSES DO
The work that my son, Chuck, and I do with improving the health and happiness of horses, I have coined the phrase "Performance Paradox." Let me start with a story from many years ago.
My bride of 30 years had a soft and empathetic heart. One day, her daughter Laura visited her and brought her German Sheppard named Tequila. While the ladies would visit, I would play Slobber Ball or stick toss with Tequila. Myra came out and warned me that I would wear this dog out if I weren't careful. Let me ask you a question, Have you ever worn out a 2-year-old doing the same thing over and over and over? I didn't think so. I also doubt that I would wear out Tequila by throwing the slobbery ball over and over and over.
This story brings to mind what horses do when they get stressed out. Even when they turned out to graze, they would never stop moving. If you watch them long enough, they will spontaneously break into a full gallop around the pasture. This IS what horses do. It is not healthy to keep a horse in a stall for an extended period. They are built to move.
We are most familiar with Performance horses. My granddaughter got good at Barrel Racing. Who doesn't at least stop for a moment on a channel showing the Kentucky Derby? These horses are well trained and taken care of.
Even our pet horses are ridden and run from time to time. The consideration is Caring for these majestic animals with a very long spine and 1000 pounds of self to carry around every day, much less with a 150-pound passenger and a saddle. All this being a horse can take its toll on their bodies. Just like humans that train and perform, they need a way to rest and recover.
We spend a lot of time taking good care to clean and groom our friends after a ride or performance. It is also essential to consider the need to care for their internal care as well. Much research and testing have gone into the products to do just that. Much attention is paid to the industry's Best Practices. Ramard is a long-standing member of
Thank You for Caring for and about Horses
NEIL TAFT
Taft Enterprise
