A GREEN HORSE is a NATURAL, ECONOMICAL and ECO-FRIENDLY WAY to a HEALTHY HORSE

War Horse Facts - The Unsung Hero

2013-02-01T19:20:00.000-05:00

WAR HORSE FACTS – THE UNSUNG HERO

The horse has served man all through his wars for thousands of years. Their fortitude and resolve permitted man to conquer many lands and achieve many feats. Over the years, billions of men willingly offered to serve, but similar numbers of horses were requisitioned to the clashes of war without uttering a sound in rebuttal.

Horses were in high demand during times of conflict. Needed for transportation, they were taken from every aspect of humanity that included both public and private facilities. Horses participated heavily in wars by moving soldiers, generals, messages, armaments and food to the business that lay ahead of them. Through appalling conditions the horse took on the labor of these duties; some carrying soldiers and weapons up to the front line and returning as ambulances transporting wounded soldiers to makeshift medical wards for care.

The horse used in battle required skill and had to prove it was fit for the post. The horse required training to overcome its natural instinct to flee from the slightest uncertainty, which is a regular occurrence in the field of battle. Accepting any sudden or unusual movements of humans while using a weapon or avoiding one was an important ability the horse had to achieve to survive to the next day. Some horses were taught to bite, kick and strike in close combat, thus becoming weapons themselves for the warriors they carried.

As well as being taught to work together in close proximity with other animals, certain horses were trained for battle situations under chaotic conditions. During chariot warfare, and later for transporting people and items to the conflict, these loads were pulled by a team of two to four horses. As man evolved, so did his methods and tools used in warfare. The techniques man utilized in training a horse for war constantly changed, as warriors tried to find a system that would accomplish their goals in warfare. Some men devised practices that achieved their intended results, but many of these attempts were without merit and merciless. The horse suffered some of the negative impacts of these failed strategies, which prompted a few individuals to take a serious look at finding a healthier means for the horse's training and care. The earliest written training manual for war horses was a guide for the conditioning of a chariot horse. It dates back to 1345 BC and was written by Kikkuli who was the horse master to the Hittite king Suppililiuma. Kikkuli's training program produced superb horses for the Hittites that allowed them to become a mighty power rivaling Egypt.

As training methods and technology developed, formal cavalry tactics replaced chariot warfare and the effectiveness of horses in battle was also revolutionized. Having studied under the great philosopher Socrates, and with the experience of a Greek cavalry officer, Xenophon searched for the ideal training techniques that incorporated an ethical treatment to affect the horse in a positive manner. Read more... Horsemen in History

He wrote an extensive piece from his research on the art of horse training for military purposes (Hippike or On Horsemanship) around 360 BC. His theoretical ideas of unifying humane training and care methods for horses found use in practical military applications. Xenophon's approach changed the systems of horse training forever; it was the beginning of what became known as good horsemanship. Xenophon lectured on teaching the horse to trust humans through civilized means, thus allowing the horse and human to unite their capabilities and simultaneously perform complex cavalry maneuvers.

Whether ridden by soldiers or used by them to tow other soldiers or weaponry, developing the balance and agility of the horse was crucial in fighting wars effectively. Horses were trained to be both obedient and maneuverable by reacting to various commands and cues from the rider or handler. Learning to react appropriately to certain situations the horse might encounter on the battlefield was a required combat skill. Xenophon and his works on cavalry training methods developed successful maneuvers designed for the battlefield. These classical horsemanship exercises were expanded over the centuries into the discipline of dressage and modern-day Olympic equestrian events.

From the first time that man first captured the horse from its freedom and required him to perform labor to the millions who served in war, the horse has made an unfaltering contribution to history. The horse deserves to be placed on a high pedestal not only for their dutiful service, but also as a memorial to the great misfortune of the ones who suffered and died. The voices of these “Unsung Heroes” are now silent, but their honor has in effect earned a loud reminder.

GENERAL FACTS

There were no green pastures of retirement for the faithful horse that survived war.

Perhaps the most pervasive component of an artillery division was not the equipment piece itself, but rather the horse that pulled it.

Cavalry mounts were the best horses selected from a pool of high quality animals.
Soldiers took advantage of every opportunity during a halt in a march to give extraordinary care to the animals on which so much depended. The troops would cut grasses, wheat and oats for feed wherever possible to give to the horses.
The men often slept in their saddles on long marches while the horses would tread wearily along in a somnambulist state.

The cavalry could cover about 35 miles a day without overburdening the men or horses. Under normal circumstances, at a walk, cavalry could cover four miles in an hour; at a slow trot, six; at a maneuvering trot, eight; at an alternate trot and walk, five; at a maneuvering gallop, twelve; and at a full extended gallop, sixteen.

Because of their status, generals usually rode horses and did not walk like the ordinary soldier.

Mounted horses during attacks had advantages and disadvantages for generals. The horse added height, facilitating them to see their men on the front line. This towering height also allowed their voices to carry over battlefield noise enabling their voices to be enhanced, thus extending their commanding abilities of the troops. Additionally, the men could spot their general without difficulty; above all the confusion on the ground and the sight of their commander majestically poised on his horse possibly strengthened them. However, there was a definite downside to the height and superiority of a mounted general; not only was the general more visible to his men, but the other troops could fix him as a target with ease.

The cavalry reached its height of prominence during the Civil War. This outstanding position marked the best moments the horse soldier would ever hold in the American military.

Artillery horses were generally selected after the Calvary chose the finest specimens. The cavalry used their horses hard but the artillery used the greatest number of horses and subjected them to the worst duty.

In addition to battle injuries, they suffered from disease and exhaustion from long marches, typically 16 miles in 10 hours pulling massive loads.

The movement of the artillery horse was made difficult because several were harnessed together into teams carrying weapons and supplies.

The capacity of a healthy horse to pull a load was affected by a number of factors. The main issue was the nature of the surface over which the load was being hauled. Horses were required to pull enormous weight. Documentation of certain wars offers astonishing abilities for a number of equines. Records indicate a single horse could pull 1,100 over rough ground individually, but if this horse carried a rider on its back, the pulling ability was reduced by one-half. In later wars where macadamized roads were available, the weight increased to 1900 pounds and eventually over a hard-paved road a single horse could pull 3,000 pounds 20 to 23 miles a day.

As time passed, safety factors were enacted that helped to prevent the massive loss of artillery horses due to fatigue from working extensively under brutal conditions. New safety guidelines required the pulling capacity of each horse be reduced to no more than 700 pounds. The number of horses in a team increased to six. Even though this team of six had only seven-ninths the pulling capacity it would have had in a team of two; the results extended the length of time a horse was employed.

Horses paid with their lives, after heavy fighting, during the Mexican Revolution.

Artillery and saddle horses had to endure ample danger in battle and many lost their lives. When a battery was under attack, horses were easier targets than men because of their mere size, as well as being a more tactical target. Supplies and weapons were impossible to move if the horses harnessed to them were dead or disabled. Horses are difficult to bring down and keep down, and during assaults their strength of mind and loyalty proved them able to endure much punishment. Unfortunately, even if the severely wounded horse could regain its footing, it was usually killed by another hit.

Despite the millions of horses killed or wounded in battle, the highest number were lost to disease, starvation and exhaustion.

EARLY WARS

The horses of the great Roman and Asian warriors were highly prized. One notable difference, the Asians favored pony sized horses, preferring their sure footedness to the large horses that the Romans desired. In fact, Alexander the Great used ponies to defeat his enemies as they battled throughout the mountains because of this trait. It is noted, after the dynamic pair of the Great Alexander and his horse, Bucephalus, it was all but expected of a conqueror that he have a favorite horse. See more on Bucephalus… Horses of Military / War

From the Revolutionary War to the middle of the 20th century, the horse served the U.S. Army in almost every military exploit. The last cavalryhorse, named “Chief” was given partial retirement in 1949 and full retirement in 1958. When Chief died on May 24, 1968, he was given a funeral with full honors with the Commanding General of the Army in attendance. Read more on Chief… Horses of Military / War

REVOLUTIONARY WAR
1775 - 1783

General George Washington established a mounted force and on December 11th, 1776, he wrote to Congress:

"From the experience I have had in this campaign of the utility of Horse, I am convinced there is no carrying on the war without them and I would therefore recommend the establishment of one or more Corps . . . In addition to those already raised in Virginia."

In the 18th century, armies relied on horses, mules and oxen to move their artillery and supplies as well as their cavalry. Without the animals, they would have been paralyzed.

CIVIL WAR
1861 - 1865

Total U.S. horse population in 1860 was put by the census at 6,115,458, of which only 1,698,328 were in the seceding states.

At the start of the war, the Northern states held approximately 3.4 million horses, while there were 1.7 million in the Confederate states. The border states of Missouri and Kentucky had an additional 800,000 horses. Adding to these totals, there were 100,000 mules in the North, 800,000 in the seceding states and 200,000 in Kentucky and Missouri.

In the North the government furnished the cavalry mounts and remounts, whereas in the south the soldier was expected to furnish his own.

It is estimated that the Union army alone had 825,000 horses and the Federals spent $124,000,000 acquiring them.

An enlisted man was paid forty to fifty cents per day for providing his own horse.

The average price of a horse was $150.00 a head. Occasionally, high-class horses were found, but the reverse was commonly true.

Horses that were between the ages of five and seven years old were usually selected for war.

The South had a fondness for horse racing. Race tracks were everywhere and the sport developed a superior stock of pure-blooded, fleet-footed animals. Ideal for the Calvary mount and these horses were superior and preferred to the North’s stocky, strong draft horses used in fields, ordinary carriage horses and riding horses.

Horses selected for military service needed to fit certain requirements. From writings and pictures of the war, various breeds of horses were used. Many were typical “Grade” quality, while some were “High-class” purebreds. The breeds native to and developed in the South were probably the most dominant. With long, hard hours spent in the saddle, the Tennessee Walker and the American Saddlebred were most widely used because their gaits were smooth and comfortable to ride and they had tremendous endurance. Morgans are depicted in papers and may have been widely utilized because of their small and compact confirmation. These features in a horse typically result in incredible endurance. One breed, not yet widespread in the United States during the War shows up in documentations; the small Arabian which is noted for being fiery, courageous, and having remarkable stamina.

During the Civil War, most of the fighting was done on Southern soil. Involuntarily, the South furnished many horses to the North because the local horses were easily seized by Northern troops. Some horses were bought, but many were taken from farmers within the area of the battles. There were instances that children's ponies were confiscated. Even though the Confederates had opportunities to take Northern horses during the occasional raids into Northern territory, the number taken was small compared to the thousands seized by Union troops, who occupied large areas of the South for several years. Eventually, both sides commandeered horses that belonged to enemy allies; not always out of necessity but simply to deprive the enemy of horses.

John Gibbon, a Major General for the Union, writes in his diary the qualities most valued in a horse intended for artillery.

"The horse for artillery service should be from fifteen to sixteen hands high ... should stand erect on his legs, be strongly built, but free in his movements; his shoulders should be large enough to give support to the collar but not too heavy; his body full, but not too long; the sides well rounded; the limbs solid with rather strong shanks, and the feet in good condition. To these qualities he should unite, as much as possible, the qualities of the saddle horse; should trot and gallop easily, have even gaits and not be skittish."

When the war was over at the surrender in Appomattox, VA, 1865, the horse played a very important role of unification between the North and South. Lee insisted on a provision to be granted to every Confederate cavalryman. When the men returned to civilian life, each of them was entitled to take his horse home. It was imperative that a soldier take his horse for without it the soldier wouldn't be able to work or eat. Lee knew and it was understood by Grant that the economic success of the Southerners depended more than ever upon the horse. This action was a crucial issue for the south to be capable of having an economical rebound. Accepted by Grant, this expression was part of the surrender terms.

The horse paid a dear price for America during the Civil War.

It has been estimated that 2.5 million horses died and close to 1 million mules were killed in the Civil War. These are astonishing numbers; horse and mules died at a rate almost six times the number that both Union and Confederate soldiers were killed.

Many historians believe the battle of Gettysburg was the most deadly for the horse. Both sides, Union and Confederacy used about 72,000 horses in the battle. After the fight, an estimate of three to five thousand animals lay dead on the field. Death was everywhere; scholars have calculated approximately 5000 to 7000 human lives were lost in the conflict. Over 51,000 casualties resulted (killed, wounded, captured and missing on both sides) in the entire campaign. At Gettysburg, the soldiers were buried and the dead horses and mules were dragged into piles and burned. Many of the wounded horses were taken to a field* near Rock Creek and shot. Their bodies never buried and for many years the bones lay in a brush on a run which flowed into Rock Creek.

At the Battle of Gettysburg, Major General Gibbon commanded the 2nd Division, II Corps on July 1 and July 2, 1863. While observing the horses of Chushing's Battery, Gibbon commented on the sight.

“One thing which forcibly occurred to me was the perfect quiet with which the horses stood in their places. Even when a shell, striking in the midst of a team, would knock over one or two of them or hurl one struggling in his death agonies to the ground, the rest would make no effort to struggle or escape but would stand stolidly by as if saying to themselves, 'It is fate, it is useless to try to avoid it”.

*The site was south of Culp's Hill, just east of the Abraham Spangler Farm and along the Baltimore Pike. It holds no marker on today's battlefield, but it is within sight of the Park's Visitor Center".

The horses of Bigelow's (9th Massachusetts) Battery lie dead on the battlefield after the fighting at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Even though many horses were killed in battle, starvation was another major cause of death for the horse in the war. Several diaries written by soldiers indicate the fluctuation in food available for the horses. During good times, an artillery horse was portioned 14 pounds of hay and 12 pounds of grain, usually oats, corn or barley each day. A cavalry horse received 12 pounds of hay and 10 pounds of grain. Often, these allotments were far less to nothing at all. There are accounts of horses eating merely two ears of worthless corn per day; as well as those having nothing to eat. The writings continue to speak of the affects the lack of food brought to the horses. These horses became so famished that eerie sounds bellowing from their mouths as to plead for food; some horse devoured tails and manes of other horses.

Although battle kills and starvation were major factors for the mass number of losses, illness, disease and intentional kills contributed to the foremost reasons why horses lost their lives during war. Poor food qualities and extreme changes of food caused many illnesses. The horse is an unusual creature; it can endure herculean feats but it is also extremely susceptible to an inexplicable number of ailments.

The North and South both faced the equine aliment of lameness. Problems ranged from a bruised hoof to diseases of the hoof i.e. hoof rot, grease-heel or the scratches. These diseases are caused by improper care, wet conditions, and lack of quality food. Frequently with these highly contagious diseases, the infected horses were deliberately destroyed. Even a bruise caused by a stone or misstep could develop into a more serious condition, hoof abscess. This too doomed the horse to death. If a horse came up lame or too physically distressed to continue its duties, they were killed by the soldiers on purpose. Many horses met this fate; even those that were not mortally ill or wounded were destroyed because there was no time to wait for them to heal. Time was of the essence in many situations of war and soldiers could not wait for the fatigued horses to recover after an extreme battle. They were shot by the retreating army rather than letting them fall into enemy hands. War is life and death and it can rarely convey compassion.

Lieutenant Frank Aretas Haskell, an aide-de-camp to General John Gibbon wrote a letter to his brother where he related the faithfulness of his horse,

"I am weary and sleepy, almost to such an extent as not to be able to sit on my horse. And my horse can hardly move--the spur will not start him--what can be the reason? I know that he has been touched by two or three bullets today, but not to wound or lame him." He goes on to say that try as he might the horse just would not move along at more than a walk. Lt. Haskell finally came upon an ambulance and borrowed their lantern to look at his horse and see what was wrong. "With a light I found what was the matter with "Billy". A bullet had entered his chest just in front of my left leg as I was mounted, and the blood was running down all his side and leg, and the air from his lungs came out of the bullet hole. I begged his pardon mentally for my cruelty in spurring him, and should have done so in words if he could have understood me".
Billy, the Lieutenant's horse, died not long after.

Of the Civil War Horse, Chaplain S.L. Gracey of the 6th Pennsylvania Cavalry said in a tribute to the war horse,

“A man may ride from Winchester to Petersburg, through rain and mud and cold and get little to eat and sleep and yet not suffer in health very much. But the horse that carries him on the trip is apt to reach his journey's end in pitiable plight. Hunger and cold have starved him, pitiless rain has pelted him, deepening mud has mired him and tired him. His back has been galled with pinching saddle or frozen blanket; he is leg weary and foot sore; decrepitude is in his gait and dejection in his eye; great scars are scalded on his weather-beaten front, and on his ribs and rump famine might hang her banner. Some indomitable wills bear up through it all, though, and these deserve to be rewarded of their country”.

Hard service and malnutrition were a great threat to the civil war horse.

Robert A. Niepert wrote in “The Expendable Horse In The Civil War”

“It is the great misfortune of horses that they can be saddle-broken and tamed. If the horse was more like an ox, not suited for riding, the war would have been drastically different. But no matter what the horses were put through, they soldiered on. Whether plodding through choking dust, struggling through mud, rushing up to a position at a gallop, or creeping backward in a fighting withdrawal, the horses always did what they had to do. They served their masters.”

THE McCLELLAN SADDLE

Captain George B. McClellan was in Europe to study the latest developments in European tactics, weaponry, and logistics many years before the first shot of the Civil War. Influenced by many books and manuals, McClellan constructed a final report of his studies. The majority of the information he wrote was adapted from Russian cavalry regulations which lead to the manual for American cavalry troops. Impressed by the Hungarian saddle, its influence is apparent in the design of McClellan’s cavalry saddle. This saddle was adopted by the U.S. War Department, in 1859. It was standard issue for the cavalry horse's remaining history.

SECOND BOER WAR

The Second Boer War also known as the South African War (outside South Africa), the Anglo-Boer War among most South Africans, was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902. Fought between Dutch–Afrikaner settlers, known as Boers, of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic (the Transvaal) and the Orange Free State and the British Empire; the British used shiploads of soldiers and horses that set sail from Australia for the Cape of Good Hope. Eventually, horses were pulled from around the world.

The number of horses killed in the war was unmatched at the time in modern warfare. Husbandry was not readily practiced during the Boer War, horses endured extreme hardship and died in unprecedented numbers. 60% of the horses died in combat or as the result of mistreatment as opposed to 3% of human combatants. As with all wars, the depletion of horses was not only due to combat fatalities but from unnecessary abuse. The reasons held true for the Boer War as well; overloading the horses with equipment, failure to rest and adapt horses after long sea voyages and later in the war, poor management by inexperienced mounted troops and distant control by unsympathetic staffs. Horses were on occasion slaughtered for their meat.

The BRITISH MOUNTS

Animals were an important part of the logistics for the Boer War, drawn from across the British Empire as well as Europe and the Americas. Of the more than 500,000 horses used by the British, almost 400,000 had to be shipped into South Africa including 50,000 from the United States and 35,000 from Australia. The sea voyage proved to be a terrible trauma and a horrific ordeal for the mounts of the British army. The horses suffered awfully and had undergone a loss of more than 13,000 during the journey.

The army had various breeds for their mounts, using everything from large English chargers and mongrel Argentines to the light wiry Australians and Burmese ponies, who although little, had great strength and endurance.

Argentine Horses

The Army only gave £16 ($25.00 US) on an average for the horses of cavalry type in Australia, while the English cavalry horse cost £40 per head ($63.00 US).

For the first time, mules were shipped from America to South Africa for military purposes. Mules played a vital part in the war despite suffering horrendous losses in their voyages to the area. Of the 150,000 mules purchased, some 50,000 perished before ever reaching the war region.

The weeks-long trip for the animals by sea was not over once they reached land. Many continued to travel to their destination by railroad, and the already weary creatures experienced continued losses. The average life expectancy of a British horse from the time of its arrival in South Africa was around six weeks.

British War Horse Hospital
(Illustration : Fortunino Matania)

Animals injured during battle were brought to Weston to recover from their wounds.

THE BOER MOUNTS

Boer mounts were hardy Cape Ponies who served loyally alongside their masters.

Cape Ponies

The HORSE MEMORIAL OF SOUTH AFRICA

Most of the horses brought to South Africa for the Boer war landed at Port Elizabeth. In 1901, an interest in the movement to establish a monument to the horses started. A ladies committee was formed with Mrs. Harriet Meyer as president. Those ladies with whom the idea of raising a monument to the horses originated raised enough money to have the monument erected in Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa.

The horse and the soldier are life size.

The horse and soldier are erected from a rock base. Carved from the base there sits a drinking trough for the wants of horses and of any thirsty traveler passing by.

Above the now shut off dripping water lion heads that once supplied the trough, an inscription reads:

The Greatness of a Nation

Consists not so much Upon the Number of its People

or the Extent of its Territory

as in the Extent and Justice of its Compassion

And below the trough reads:

Erected by Public Subscription

in Recognition of the Services of the Gallant Animals

Which Perished in the Anglo Boer War 1899-1902

With the trough that can still provide quenching pleasures and the depiction of the kneeling soldier offering the bucket for his horse, the observer can perhaps take away a lesson in kindness from the design of the monument.

It is not beneath ones’ self to attend the needs of an animal placed in their care.

Horses continued to be a vital part of other wars in the first half of the 1900s.

WORLD WAR I
1914–1918

All the major military participants of World War I began the conflict with cavalry forces.
However, as the war progressed and trench warfare predominated, new tactics and technical advancements changed the duties of the horse in combat. The use of cavalry underwent changes as barbed wire, machine guns, aircraft and tanks were introduced to the battlefield. The Central Powers of Germany and Austria-Hungary stopped using cavalry on the Western Front not long after the war began but continued their deployment on the Eastern Front well into the war.

On the Allied side, the United Kingdom used mounted infantry and the cavalry throughout the war where as the United States used cavalry for only a short time. For the most part, the cavalry was not successful on the Western Front for the Allies but they did achieve accomplishments using the cavalry in the Middle Eastern theatre. Russia used cavalry forces on the Eastern Front, but with limited success. The Ottoman Empire used cavalry extensively during the war. Horses were used for logistical support throughout the war; horses were better than mechanized vehicles at traveling through deep mud and over rough terrain.

Horse trailers were first developed for use on the Western Front as equine ambulances.

When the war broke out in Western Europe in August 1914, both Britain and Germany had a cavalry force that numbered about 100,000 men each. Aside from this, the horse population in Britain was estimated between 20,000 and 25,000. These totals were not enough for Britain to sustain the large numbers needed to maintain a well supplied force. The U.S. helped provide Britain with remount efforts, even before it had formally entered the war. Between 1914 and 1918, the US sent almost one million horses overseas, and another 182,000 were taken overseas with American troops.

Horses were packed on to ships from around the world and sent overseas to fight in the war.

In the early days of the war, the German army mobilized 715,000 horses and the Austrians 600,000. Combining the Central Power nations, the ratio of horses to men in Central Powers nations was estimated at one to three.

Most accepted estimates put the number of horses that served in World War I at around six million; the majority of them died due to war-related causes.

Replacing horses became difficult as the war continued. In 1917, some troops were told that the loss of a horse was a greater tactical concern than the loss of a human soldier. Eventually, the Allied blockade was successful in preventing the Central Powers from importing horses to replace those lost. Even though the U.S. Army was well supplied, it too fell short of horses by the end of the war.

In October, 1917 the Australian mounted troops had characteristics of both cavalry and mounted infantry in the Great War. At the Battle of Beersheba in Palestine, the Australian 4th Light Horse Brigade made the last successful cavalry charge in history.

One of the last attempts to use cavalry in an offensive on the Western Front occurred at Moreuil Woods in March of 1918 when a Canadian mounted unit attacked German infantry armed with machine guns. Only 4 of the 150 horses used in the charge survived.

The 6th Australian light-horse regiment camped outside Jerusalem. On Oct. 12th, 1918, they marched in Sheikh Jarrah, on the way to Mt. Scopus.

During the war, two and a half million horses were treated in veterinary hospitals with about two million being sufficiently cured that they could return to duty.

Over the course of the war, British Army Veterinary Corps hospitals treated 725,216 horses and successfully healing at least 529,064.

On the Western Front alone, over a million horses died.

Over one million U.S. horses served in the war and by the end of the war, only 200 returned to the US.

By the middle of 1917, Britain had procured 591,000 horses and over the course of the war, Britain lost over 484,000 horses, one horse for every two men. A small number of these, 210, were killed by poison gas.

Soldiers used make shift gas mask for their horses because of Germany’s use of poison gas during World War 1.

Of those used by the British Army, approximately 60,000 are said to have been returned to Britain at the war's end.

Winston Churchill held an understanding for equine support after the Great War. Winston Churchill, aged 44 and Secretary of State for War for the United Kingdom took a personal interest to return the tens of thousands of the horses stranded in Europe after the First World War. The horses were at risk of disease, hunger and even death because unskilled officials couldn’t get them home when hostilities drew to a close.

Churchill reacted with fury when he was informed of their treatment and intervened to secure their safe return. Churchill sent angry memos within his own department and to the Ministry of Shipping. Rapidly extra vessels were sent off for repatriation; bringing the number of horses being returned to their homeland from approximately 3,000 a week to 9,000.

Horseshoes for the War Horse

It is unknown who invented the first horseshoe, but probably from the very beginning when man first domesticated the horse he realized how susceptible the foot of the horse was to wear and tear and injury. The need to have these animals serviceable as much as possible was important. Man developed equipment to protect these sensitive areas and throughout time the “horseshoe” evolved. Read more on the Horseshoe….

Asians equipped their horses with booties made from hides and woven from plants. Basically these wraps were used for therapeutically purposes providing protection for sore hooves and helped guard against future injury.

Sometime after the first century, the roadways set down by ancient Romans proved detrimental to the horse’s feet. Inspired by the sandals strapped to their own feet, the Roman riders outfitted their horses with coverings made from leather and metal called "hipposandals" which fitted over horses' hooves and were fastened with leather straps.

During the Crusades of the 12th century, England was casting coins as well as horseshoes from iron. Sometimes the value of the horseshoe exceeded that of the coin and horseshoes were accepted in lieu of money to pay taxes. With horseshoes circulating like currency, there was a supply available for mounts ridden during these holy wars.

U.S Army shoeing a Horse
(1909 - 1949 exact date unknown)

During the Industrial Revolution, horseshoe production reached new heights. The first machine to cast shoes on a large scale was introduced in 1800. During the Civil War, the Union forces had a horseshoe-forging machine that gave them a distinct advantage over the Confederate armies.

World War II

1939 - 1945

During the Second World War, the automobile replaced many of the duties the horse performed, however there were more horses used in World War II than in any other war in history.

The German and the Soviet armies used horses throughout the war for transportation of troops and supplies. Hitler’s armies reportedly used more horses and mules in WWII than the German armies used in WWI. The Germans had to use its automobile factories to produce tanks and aircraft for the war thus creating a shortage of motorized vehicles. The Nazi war machine also experienced frequent shortages of fossil fuels. Around 2.75 million horses filled this transportation deficiency in the war.

In Normandy, in 1944 one German infantry division had 5,000 horses.

The average number of German Army horses maintained during the entire war period was around 1,100,000.

The German military used the services of 37,000 farriers and 236 companies of veterinarians. Their hospitals treated over 100,000 horses a day, with the remarkable success rate of 70 to 75% of sick and injured horses being sent back into service.

The Soviets used 3.5 million horses.

In America, more than 6,000 horses were kept on post at Ft. Riley.
A well-known model of the horse used in World War II was during the 1939 invasion of the Nazi Germany armies marching into Poland. The under equipped Polish army used its horse cavalry to defend its country.
By the end of World War II, horses were seldom seen in battle, but they were still used extensively for the transport of troops and supplies.

Last American Charge

American had only one mounted tactical cavalry unit in combat during World War II. The 26th Cavalry (Philippine Scouts) was stationed at Ft Stotsenburg, Luzon. It fought both mounted and dismounted attacks against Japanese invasion troops in 1942. It was the last mounted charge in America’s annals, and proved the climax of the 26th Cavalry’s magnificent but doomed horseback campaign against the Imperial Japanese Army during the fall of the Philippines in 1941-42.
According to a Bataan survivor interviewed in the Washington Post (10 April 1977), starving US and Philippine troops ate all the regiment’s horses.

Horses at War Today

Although horses have little combat use today by modern armies, the military of many nations still maintain small numbers of mounted units for certain types of patrol and reconnaissance duties in extremely rugged terrain, including the current conflict in Afghanistan. Hungary, some Commonwealth countries, Balkan countries, and the former Soviet republics of Central Asia maintain cavalry units as part of light infantry and reconnaissance formations for use in mountainous terrain or areas where fuel supply may be difficult. In addition, mounted units are used for ceremonial, educational purposes and crowd control purposes. The only remaining fully horse-mounted regular regiment in the world is India’s 61st Cavalry.

Mules in War

Mules have been used in war for millenniums. They are patient, sure-footed and enduring. A horse of similar size shares the ground covering ability of a mule, but the mule is relatively stronger. Also, mules tend to require less food than a horse of similar size. These attributes are important for the role they have played and continue to carry out today in warfare. The job of carrying supplies, food, and weapons for the armies has allowed the mule to be a vital soldier.

Ancient Roman soldiers marched with one mule for every 10 men and during the French Revolutionary Wars, Napoleon Bonaparte rode a mule across the Alps. He used them in his baggage trains as well. The Manual for Mountain Artillery, adopted by the U.S. Army in 1851, stated that the mountain howitzer was "generally transported by mules." This was a choice based on their fitness for the task.

As with all previous wars, the mule was commonly used in the Civil War to pull the supplies, food and guns. However, a document depicted of Confederate Brigadier General John D. Imboden’s account of the Battle of Port Republic in June 1862 is quite stunning on the danger of using mules in battle. Imboden was instructed by “Stonewall” Jackson to take his men and the mules, carrying the guns and ammunition, to a location he could fire upon the Union after the enemy retreated from their attack. Imboden found refuge in a shallow ravine about 100 yards behind Captain William Poague's Virginia battery, which was hotly engaged fighting Union soldiers. The sounds of Union artillery shells were screeching above the heads of the protected men and mules. Imboden recalls the following description of the action:

"The mules became frantic. They kicked, plunged and squealed. It was impossible to quiet them, and it took three or four men to hold one mule from breaking away. Each mule had about three hundred pounds weight on him, so securely fastened that the load could not be dislodged by any of his capers. Several of them lay down and tried to wallow their loads off. The men held these down and that suggested the idea of throwing them all to the ground and holding them there. The ravine sheltered us so we were in no danger from shot or shell which passed over us."

Even though mules were well-known for their defiance under fire, the superiority of their abilities to transport cargo in rough country offset this difficulty. Still today, mules are used as pack animals by U.S. Special forces and marines in rugged regions of Afghanistan.

In all the actions involving the American military from its inception up until the last charge in 1942 by the 26th Cavalry of Philipine Scouts against the Imperial Imperial Japanese Army, horses and mules have played a vital role to sustain soldiers. Although mules did immense work carrying necessities, the loyalty of a horse made it a better choice during critical events in battle, such as when the air was engulfed with the echo of weapons.

Throughout the history of mankind and his wars, a wide variety of animals have functioned and contributed their lives in combat, intelligence gathering, and other ways.

This list includes:
Bats
Bees
Camels
Cats
Dogs
Dolphins
Elephants
Microorganisms
Monkeys
Pigeons
Snakes
Squirrels

The Animals in War Memorial

On November 24, 2004 a magnificent 3.15 million dollar memorial to animals in war was unveiled by the Princess Royal. It is located on the eastern edge of Hyde Park in London, England.

Designed by leading English sculptor, David Backhouse, the memorial is dedicated to all the animals that served, suffered and died alongside British Commonwealth and Allied forces in wars and campaigns throughout time. The memorial was inspired by Jilly Cooper's book, Animals in War, and was made possible by a specially set up fund of public donations.

This commanding and touching tribute puts on view a wall constructed from Portland stone; displaying engraved images of various struggling animals. Two heavily laden bronze mules are moving ahead towards the stairs of the monument, and a bronze horse and bronze dog are beyond the wall with the dog looking back while the horse boldly leads the group onward.

The main header of the memorial reads: "Animals in War”. There are two other separate inscriptions on the front, one directly beneath the header reads:

"This monument is dedicated to all the animals
that served and died alongside British and allied forces
in wars and campaigns throughout time"

Etched to the right of the first inscription the second, a smaller message simply reads:

"They had no choice"

Front of Monument

Back of Monument

Upon the rear of the memorial these words are inscribed:

"Many and various animals were employed to support British and Allied Forces in wars and campaigns over the centuries, and as a result millions died. From the pigeon to the elephant, they all played a vital role in every region of the world in the cause of human freedom."
"Their contribution must never be forgotten."

Go Green Tips:

Plant leafy, deciduous trees blocking the summer sun around the barn. This will help shade it in summer, and in winter, when the leaves have dropped off, sunlight can stream through the branches bringing in the warmth. Try planting trees that can provide the horse with some edible benefits, but keep in mind that a grazing horse may have a natural desire to totally consume any plants it can access.
We installed a protective fence around a Weeping Willow tree we planted. As the Willow matures, the lower branches will provide a good natural and healthy “munch” for the horses without fatal consequences for the tree.

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

Why did this animal that had prospered so in the Colorado Desert leave his amiable homeland for Siberia?

There is no answer.

We know that when the horse negotiated the land bridge...

he found on the other end an opportunity for varied development that is one of the bright aspects of animal history.

He wandered into France and became the mighty Percheron,

and into Arabia, where he developed into a lovely poem of a horse,

and into Africa where he became the brilliant zebra,

and into Scotland, where he bred selectively to form the massive Clydesdale.

He would also journey into Spain, where his very name would become the designation for gentleman, a caballero, a man of the horse. There he would flourish mightily and serve the armies that would conquer much of the known world.

James Michener

Toxic Plants for Horses

2012-03-27T20:30:00.000-04:00

TOXIC PLANTS for HORSES

Listed by scientific name, the following plants are known to be toxic to horses. See post "Non Toxic Plants"... for a listing of non toxic plants for horses. If your horse ingested a poisonous plant, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.* They have a fabulous website http://www.aspca.org/Home/Pet-care/poison-control.aspx.

Various common names and similar plants follow the scientific name of several of the plants below. Try to be conscious of those that are native and grow in your pastures. The list of poisonous plants on this blog does not necessarily include every poisonous plant. Talk with your veterinarian and reference other sites for your area such as state universities and state extension offices.

* Please note: A consultation fee may apply.

A

Scientific Name: Abrus precatorius
Family: Leguminosae

• Prayer Bean (Buddhist rosary bead, Indian Bead, Indian Licorice, Love Bean, Lucky Bean, Rosary, Pea, Seminole Bead, Weather Plant)
• Precatory Bean

Scientific Name: Acer rubrum
Family: Aceraceae

• Carolina Maple (Acer Sanguineum, Curled Maple, Rufacer Rubrum, Scarlet Maple, Soft Maple)
• Red Maple
• Swamp Maple

Scientific Name: Achillea millefolium
Family: Asteraceae

• Milfoil
• Yarrow

Scientific Name: Achillea millefolium
Family: Compositae

• Dog Daisy (Dog Fennel)

Scientific Name: Adenium obesum
Family: Apocynaceae

• Desert Azalea (Impala Lily, Mock Azalea)
• Desert Rose
• Sabi Star
• Kudu Lily

Scientific Name: Aesculus spp
Family: Hippocastanaceae

• Buckeye
• Horse Chestnut

Scientific Name: Aglaonema modestrum
Family: Araceae

• Chinese Evergreen

Scientific Name: Allium ampeloprasum
Family: Liliaceae

• Leek (Elephant Garlic)

Scientific Name: Allium cepa
Family: Liliaceae

• Onion

Scientific Name: Allium sativum
Family: Liliaceae

• Garlic (Comphor of the Poor, Nectar of the Gods, Rocambole, Rustic Treacle, Serpet Garlic, Stinking Rose)

Scientific Name: Alocasia spp.
Family: Araceae

• African Wonder Tree
• Alocasia (Elephant's Ear)

Scientific Name: Ammi majus
Family: Apiaceae

• Bishop’s Weed
• False Queen Anne’s Lace
• Greater Ammi

Scientific Name: Amsinckia species
Family: Boraginaceae

• Fiddleneck

Scientific Name: Anthemis cotula
Family: Asteraceae

• Mayweed
• Poison Daisy
• Stinking Chamomile

Scientific Name: Anthemis nobilis
Family: Compositae

• Chamomile (Barnyard Daisy, Corn Feverfew, Manzanilla, True Chamomile, Turkey-weed)
• Garden Chamomile
• Ground Apple
• Roman Chamomile

Scientific Name: Apocynum androsaemifolium
Family: Apocynaceae

• Bitter Root
• Dogbane Hemp
• Indian Hemp

Scientific Name: Aralia spinosa
Family: Araliaceae

• Angelica Tree (Devil's Walking Stick, Prickly Ash, Prickly Elder)
• Hercules' Club

Scientific Name: Arisaema triphyllum
Family: Araceae

• Jack-in-the-pulpit (Bog onion, Brown dragon, Devil's dear, Dragon root, Memory root, Pepper turnip, Starch wort, Three-leaved Indian turnip, Wake robin, Wild turnip)

Scientific Name: Arum maculatum
Family: Araceae

• Adam-and-Eve
• Arum
• Bobbins
• Cuckoo-pint
• Lord-and-Ladies
• Starch Root
• Wake Robin

Scientific Name: Arum palestinum
Family: Araceae

• Black Calla
• Solomon’s Lily
• Wild Arum
• Wild Calla

Scientific Name: Asclepias species
Family: Asclepiadaceae

• Milkweed

Scientific Name: Asparagus densiflorus
Family: Liliaceae

• Emerald Feather (Asparagus, Asparagus fern, Emerald Fern, Lace fern, Plumosa fern, Racemose asparagus, Shatavari, Sprengeri fern)

Scientific Name: Astragalus and Oxytropis species
Family: Fabaceae

• Loco Weed

B

Scientific Name: Barbarea orthoceras
Family: Brassicaceae

• Wintercress
• Scientific Name: Barbarea vulgaris
• Family: Brassicaceae
• Yellowrocke

Scientific Name: Berteroa incana
Family: Brassicaceae

• Hoary Alyssum

Scientific Name: Brassica kaber
Family: Cruciferae

• Charlock (California Rape, Wild Mustard)

Scientific Name: Brassica species
Family: Brassicaceae

• White/Black/Yellow Indian Mustard

Scientific Name: Brunfelsia species
Family: Solanaceae

• Brunfelsia
• Franciscan Rain Tree
• Kiss-me-quick
• Lady-of-the-night
• Morning-Noon-and-Night
• Paraguayan Jasmine
• Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow

Scientific Name: Buxus sp.
Family: Buxaceae

• Boxwood

C

Scientific Name: Caesalpinia pulcherrima
Family: Fabaceae

• Dwarf Poinciana (Barbados Pride)
• Peacock Flower

Scientific Name: Cannabis sativa
Family: Cannabaceae

• Hashish
• Indian Hemp
• Marijuana

Scientific Name: Celastrus scandens
Family: Celastraceae

• American Bittersweet (Bittersweet, Waxwork, Shrubby Bittersweet)
• Climbing Bittersweet
• False Bittersweet

Scientific Name: Centaurea repens
Family: Compositae

• Russian Knapweed

Scientific Name: Centaurea solstitialis
Family: Compositae

• Barnaby's Thistle
• Yellow Starthistle

Scientific Name: Chenopodium botrys
Family: Chenopodiaceae

• Ambrosia Mexicana (Feather Geranium, Jerusalem Oak)

Scientific Name: Chrysanthemum spp.
Family: Compositae

• Chrysanthemum (Daisy; many varieties)
• Mum

Scientific Name: Cicuta species
Family: Apiaceae

• Cowbane
• Poison Parsnip
• Water Hemlock

Scientific Name: Citrus aurantifolia
Family: Rutaceae

• Lime

Scientific Name: Citrus Aurantium
Family: Rutaceae

• Bergamot Orange (Bergamot, Citrus bergamia)

Scientific Name: Citrus limonia
Family: Rutaceae

• Lemon

Scientific Name: Citrus mitis
Family: Rutaceae

• Calamondin Orange

Scientific Name: Citrus paradisii
Family: Rutaceae

• Grapefruit

Scientific Name: Citrus sinensis
Family: Rutaceae

• Orange

Scientific Name: Clematis sp.
Family: Ranunculaceae

• Clematis
• Leatherflower
• Virgin's Bower

Scientific Name: Clivia minata
Family: Amaryllidaceae

• Kaffir Lily (Clivia Lily)

Scientific Name: Coleus ampoinicus
Family: Labiatae

• Bread and Butter Plant (Maratha, Militini, East Indian Thyme)
• Coleus
• Indian Borage
• Spanish Thyme

Scientific Name: Colchicum autumnale
Family: Liliaceae

• Autumn Crocus
• Meadow Saffron

Scientific Name: Conium maculatum
Family: Umbelliferae

• Poison Hemlock (Poison Parsley, Spotted Hemlock, Winter Fern, California Fern, Nebraska Fern, Deadly Hemlock)

Scientific Name: Convallaria majalis
Family: Liliaceae

• Lily of the Valley

Scientific Name: Crotalaria albida
Family: Papilionaceae

• Rattlebox

Scientific Name: Cynoglossum amabile
Family: Boraginaceae

• Hound's Tongue

D

Scientific Name: Delphinium species
Family: Ranunculaceae

• Larkspur

Scientific Name: Digitalis purpurea
Family: Scrophalariaceae

• Foxglove

E

Scientific Name: Echium plantagineum
Family: Boraginaceae

• Patterson's Curse (Viper's Bugloss)
• Viper's Bugloss

Scientific Name: Echium vulgare
Family: Boraginaceae

• Viper's Bugloss

Scientific Name: Eichhornia crassipes
Family: Pontederiaceae

• Water Hyacinth

Scientific Name: Erigeron speciosus
Family: Asteraceae

• Fleabane
• Horseweed
• Seaside Daisy
• Showy Daisy

Scientific Name: Erysimum cheiranthoides
Family: Brassicaceae

• Wormseed Mustard

Scientific Name: Equisetum arvense
Family: Equisetaceae

• Field Horsetail (Common horsetail, Western horsetail)
• Scouring Rush

Scientific Name: Eucalyptus species
Family: Myrtaceae

• Eucalyptus (Many cultivars)

Scientific Name: Euonymus atropurpurea
Family: Celastraceae

• Burning Bush (Wahoo)
• Spindle Tree

Scientific Name: Euonymus occidentalis
Family: Celastraceae

• Wahoo (Burning Bush, Spindle Tree)

Scientific Name: Eupatorium rugosum
Family: Asteraceae

• White Snakeroot (fall poison, richweed, tremetol)

F

Scientific Name: Fagopyrum species
Family: Polygonaceae

• Buckwheat

Scientific Name: Ficus benjamina
Family: Moraceae

• Fig (Indian Rubber Plant)
• Weeping Fig

G

Scientific Name: Gardenia jasminoides
Family: Rubiaceae

• Cape Jasmine (Gardenia)

Scientific Name: Gladiolus species
Family: Iridaceae

• Gladiola (Many cultivars)

Scientific Name: Gloriosa superb
Family: Liliaceae

• Gloriosa Lily (Climbing Lily, Glory Lily)
• Superb Lily

Scientific Name: Gypsophila elegans
Family: Caryophyllaceae

• Maidens Breath (Baby's Breath)

H

Scientific Name: Haplopappus heterophyllus
Family: Asteraceae

• Rayless Goldenrod

Scientific Name: Haplopappus heterophyllus
Family: Mimosaceae

• Jimmy Weed (Burrow Weed)

Scientific Name: Hedera helix
Family: Araliaceae

• Branching Ivy (California Ivy)
• English Ivy
• Glacier Ivy
• Hahn's Self Branching English Ivy
• Needlepoint Ivy
• Sweetheart Ivy

Scientific Name: Heliotropium species
Family: Boraginaceae

• Heliotrope

Scientific Name: Helleborus niger
Family: Ranunculaceae

• Christmas Rose
• Easter Rose
• Hellebore
• Lenten Rose

Scientific Name: Heracleum maximum
Family: Apiaceae

• Cow parsnip
• Giant Hogweed

Scientific Name: Hibiscus syriacus
Family: Malvaceae

• Hibiscus
• Rose of China
• Rose of Sharon

Scientific Name: Hosta plataginea
Family: Liliaceae

• Hosta (Funkia)
• Plantain Lily

Scientific Name: Hydrangea arborescens
Family: Hydrangeaceae

• Hills of Snow (Hydrangea, Hortensia, Seven Bark)
• Hortensia
• Hydrangea
• Seven Bark

Scientific Name: Hyacinthus orientalis
Family: Liliaceae

• Hyacinth

Scientific Name: Hypericum perforatum
Family: Clusiaceae

• Goatweed
• Klamath Weed
• St. John’s Wort

I

Scientific Name: Ilex opaca
Family: Aquifoliaceae

• American Holly
• English Holly
• European Holly
• Holly
• Inkberry
• Oregon Holly
• Winterberry

J

Scientific Name: Juglans nigra
Family: Juglandaceae

• Black Walnut

K

Scientific Name: Kalmia augustifolia
Family: Ericaceae

• Lambkill (Sheep Laurel)

Scientific Name: Kalmia latifolia
Family: Ericaceae

• Laurel ( Spoonwood, Mountain Ivy, Calico Bush, Ivy Bush)
• Mountain Laurel
• Sheepkill (Mountain Laurel)

Scientific Name: Kalmia poliifolia
Family: Ericaceae

• Bog Laurel (Bog Kalmia)
• Pale Laurel

L

Scientific Name: Lathyrus latifolius
Family: Fabaceae

• Everlasting Pea (Sweet Pea)
• Perennial Pea
• Sweet Pea

Scientific Name: Leucothoe davisiae
Family: Ericaceae

• Black Laurel (Sierra Laurel)
• Dog Hobble
• Fetter Bush

Scientific Name: Ligustrum vulgare
Family: Oleaceae

• Common Privet or Privet (Amur)
• Wax-Leaf

Scientific Name: Lobelia cardinalis
Family: Campanulaceae

• Cardinal Flower (Indian Pink)
• Lobelia

Scientific Name: Lycopersicon spp
Family: Solanaceae

• Tomato Plant

Scientific Name: Lyonia sp.
Family: Ericaceae

• Fetterbush
• Maleberry
• Staggerbush

M

Scientific Name: Malus sylvestrus
Family: Rosaceae

• Apple (Includes crabapples)

Scientific Name: Melia azedarach
Family: Meliaceae

• Bead Tree (China Ball Tree, Japanese Bead Tree, Paradise Tree, Persian Lilac, White Cedar)
• Chinaberry Tree
• Pride-of-India
• Texas Umbrella Tree

N

Scientific Name: Nandina domestica
Family: Berberidaceae

• Heavenly Bamboo (Nandina, Sacred Bamboo)
• Sacred Bamboo
• Nandina

Scientific Name: Narcissus spp
Family: Amaryllidaceae

• Daffodil
• Narcissus
• Jonquil
• Paper White

Scientific Name: Nerium oleander
Family: Apocynaceae

• Oleander (Rose-Bay)

Scientific Name: Nicotiana glauca
Family: Solanaceae

• Nicotiana (Mustard Tree)
• Tobacco
• Tree Tobacco

O

Scientific Name: Oxalis spp.
Family: Oxalidaceae

• Good Luck Plant (Sorrel)
• Shamrock Plant

P

Scientific Name: Paeonis officinalis
Family: Paeniaceae

• Peony

Scientific Name: Persea americana
Family: Lauraceae

• Avocado (Alligator Pear)

Scientific Name: Petroselinum crispum
Family: Apiaceae

• Spring Parsley

Scientific Name: Phoradendron flavescens
Family: Viscaceae

• Mistletoe "American" (American Mistletoe)

Scientific Name: Pieris japonica
Family: Ericaceae

• Lily-of-the-Valley Bush (Andromeda Japonica, Pieris)

Scientific Name: Pinus ponderosa
Family: Pinaceae

• Blackjack Pine
• Bull Pine
• Ponderosa Pine
• Western Yellow Pine
• Yellow Pine

Scientific Name: Podocarpus macrophylla
Family: Podocarpaceae

• Buddhist Pine (Japanese Yew, Podocarpus, Southern Yew, Yew Pine)
• Yew Pine

Scientific Name: Podophyllum peltatum
Family: Berberidaceae

• American Mandrake (Duck's Foot, Hog Apple, Indian Apple Root, Raccoonberry, Wild Lemon)
• Indian Apple
• Mayapple
• Umbrella Leaf

Scientific Name: Polyscias guilfoylei
Family: Araliaceae

• Coffee Tree
• Geranium-Leaf Aralia
• Wild Coffee

Scientific Name: Portulaca oleracea
Family: Portulacaceae

• Moss Rose (Pigwee, Pusley)
• Rock Moss
• Purslane
• Portulaca

Scientific Name: Prunus armeniaca
Family: Rosaceae

• Apricot (Group also includes Cherry, Peach, Plum)

Scientific Name: Primula vulgaris
Family: Primulaceae

• Primrose

Scientific Name: Prunus species
Family: Rosaceae

• Cherry
(Similar plants)
• Apricot
• Peach
• Plum

Scientific Name: Pteridium aquilinum
Family: Polypodiaceae

• Bracken Fern (Adelaarsvaring, Hog-Pasture Bracken, Eagle fern, Pasture Bracken, Umbewe, Umhlashoshana)
• Brake Fern

Q

Scientific Name: Quercus species
Family: Fagaceae

• Oak

R

Scientific Name: Ranunculus acris
Family: Ranunculaceae

• Figwort (Buttercup, Butter Cress, Burwort, Crowfoot burwort)

Scientific Name: Ranunculus sp.
Family: Ranunculaceae

• Buttercup (Butter Cress, Figwort)

Scientific Name: Raphanus raphanistrum
Family: Brassicaceae

• Wild Radish

Scientific Name: Rheum rhabarbarium
Family: Polygonaceae

• Pie Plant
• Rhubarb

Scientific Name: Rhododendron spp
Family: Ericaceae

• Azalea
• Rosebay
• Rhododendron

Scientific Name: Ricinus communis
Family: Euphorbiaceae

• Castor Bean Plant (Castor Bean, Castor Oil Plant)
• Mole Bean Plant

Scientific Name: Robinia species
Family: Mimosaceae

• Locust

Scientific Name: Rumex sp.
Family: Polygonaceae

• Dock (Sorrel)

S

Scientific Name: Senecio species
Family: Compositae

• Golden Ragwort
• Ragwort
• Groundsel (Ragwort, Senecio)

Scientific Name: Solanum dulcamara
Family: Solanaceae

• Climbing Nightshade (Blue Blindweed, Blue Nightshade, Devil's Apple, Felonwort, Poisonous Nightshade, Scarlet Berry, Soda Apple, Violet Bloom, Woody Nightshade)
• Deadly Nightshade
• European Bittersweet
• Nightshade

Scientific Name: Solanum nigrum
Family: Solanaceae

• Black Nightshade (Deadly Nightshade, Nightshade)

Scientific Name: Solanum pseudocapsicum
Family: Solanaceae

• Jerusalem Cherry (Natal cherry)
• Ornamental Pepper
• Winter Cherry

Scientific Name: Sorhum vulgare var. sudanesis
Family: Gramineae

• Sudan Grass / Hybrid Sudan

Scientific Name: Sphenosciadium capitellatum
Family: Apiaceae

• Ranger's Button
• White Heads

Scientific Name: Strelitzia reginae
Family: Strelitziaceae

• Bird of Paradise Flower (Crane Flower)
• Bird's Tongue Flower

Scientific Name: Symplocarpus foetidus
Family: Araceae

• Skunk Cabbage (Polecat Weed, Meadow Cabbage, Skunk Weed, Swamp Cabbage)

T

Scientific Name: Taxus baccata
Family: Taxaceae

• English Yew (Anglo-Japanese Yew)
• Japanese Yew
• Pacific Yew
• Western Yew

Scientific Name: Taxus canidensus
Family: Taxaceae

• American Yew

Scientific Name: Taxus sp.
Family: Taxaceae

• Yew (japanese yew)

Scientific Name: Thevetia peruviana
Family: Apocynaceae

• Yellow Oleander

Scientific Name: Thlaspi arvense
Family: Brassicaceae

• Field Pennycress

Scientific Name: Trifolium hybridum
Family: Leguminosae

• Alsike Clover

Scientific Name: Tulipa species
Family: Liliaceae

• Tulip

V

Scientific Name: Vinca rosea
Family: Apocynaceae

• Periwinkle
• Running Myrtle
• Vinca

W

Scientific Name: wisteria species
Family: Fabaceae

• Wisteria

Y

Scientific Name: Yucca sp.
Family: Agavaceae

• Yucca

Z

Scientific Name: Zamia furfuracea
Family: Cycadaceae

• Cardboard Palm (cycads and zamias)

Scientific Name: Zamia pumila
Family: Cycadaceae

• Coontie Palm (Cardboard Palm, cycads and zamias)
• Cycads
• Fern Palm
• Sago Palm

For more information on safe, healthy feeding see post "Treat with Respect"

Go Green Tips:

Fewer flies and other insects will be attracted to the barn if it is kept fairly dark inside during the day. A strong fan or breeze can help, and fly masks/sheets are excellent nontoxic insect controls
Always store chemicals safely:
• keep substances in their original containers or always label recycled containers
• secure lids properly
• check expiration dates
• keep out of reach of horses / other farm animals
• keep separate from feed, water and equipment / house petroleum products separately

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

"Bread may feed my body, but my horse feeds my soul."

Author Unknown

Non Toxic Plants for Horses

2012-02-23T14:03:00.000-05:00

NON TOXIC PLANTS for HORSES

Listed by scientific name, the following plants are known to be non toxic to horses. See post "Toxic Plants" ... for a listing of toxic plants. If your horse ingested a poisonous plant, contact your local veterinarian or the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435.*, they have a fabulous website http://www.aspca.org/Home/Pet-care/poison-control.aspx.

Various common names and similar plants follow the scientific name of several of the plants below. Try to be conscious of those that are native and grow in your pastures. The list of non poisonous plants on this blog does not necessarily include every non poisonous plant. Talk with your veterinarian and reference other sites for your area such as state universities and state extension offices.

* Please note: A consultation fee may apply.

A

Scientific Name: Abronia fragrans
Family: Nyctaginaceae

• Prairie Snowball
• Sand Verbena
• Wild Lantana

Scientific Name: Albiflora
Family: Commelinaceae

• Giant White Inch Plant

Scientific Name: Aloe retusa
Family: Aloaceae

• Cushon Aloe

Scientific Name: Althea rosea
Family: Malvaceae

• Hollyhock

Scientific Name: Alyssum spp.
Family: Brassicaceae

• Alyssum (Alyssum varieties)

Scientific Name: Amaranthus hypochondriacus
Family: Amaranthaceae

• Cocks Comb (Lady Bleeding, Pile Wort, Red Cocks Comb)

Scientific Name: Antirrhinum glandulosum
Family: Scrophulariaceae

• Antirrhinum Multiflorum (Withered Snapdragon)

Scientific Name: Antirrhinum majus
Family: Scrophulariaceae

• Common Snapdragon (Garden Snapdragon)

Scientific Name: Antirrhinum orontium
Family: Mimosaceae

• Lesser Snapdragon

Scientific Name: Asarina erubescens
Family: Scrophulariaceae

• Creeping Gloxinia (Maurandya)

B

Scientific Name: Beaucarnea recurvata
Family: Agavaceae

• Bottle Palm (Elephant-foot Tree)
• Pony Tail

Scientific Name: Beta vulgaris
Family: Chenopodiaceae

• Beets (Beet Root, Red Beet, Roman Kale, Sugar Beet, Swiss Chard)

Scientific Name: Brodiaea pulchella
Family: Amaryllidaceae

• Blue-dicks 3 (Wild Hyacinth)

C

Scientific Name: Calathea insignis
Family: Marantaceae

• Caeroba (Peacock Plant, Rattle Snake Plant, Zebra Plant)
• Calathea Lancifolia 3

Scientific Name: Calathea lancifolia
Family: Marantaceae

• Calathea Lancifolia

Scientific Name: Callistemon species
Family: Myrtaceae

• Bottlebrush
• Callistemon Brachyandrus
• Callistemon citrinus
• Callistemon viminalis
• Crimson Bottlebush
• Prickly Bottlebrush
• Weeping Bottlebrush

Scientific Name: Calochortus luteus
Family: Liliaceae

• Calochortus nuttalli 2 (Butterfly Tulip, Cat Ear, Mariposa Lily, Sego Lily, Star Tulip)

Scientific Name: Calochortus nuttalli
Family: Liliaceae

• Calochortus nuttalli (Sego Lily, Star Tulip, Mariposa Lily, Butterfly Tulip)
• Cat Ear

Scientific Name: Camellia japonica
Family: Theaceae

• Camellia (Peony Camellia)
• Common Camellia

Scientific Name: Canna edulis
Family: Cannaceae

• Achira
• Arrowroot
• Canna
• Queensland Arrowroot
• Tous-les-mois

Scientific Name: Carissa grandiflora
Family: Apocynaceae

• Natal Plum

Scientific Name: Carya aquatic
Family: Juglandaceae

• Bitter Pecan
• Water Hickory

Scientific Name: Carya cordiformis
Family: Juglandaceae

• Bitternut

Scientific Name: Carya glabra
Family: Julandaceae

• Pignut Hickory
• Small Fruited Hickory

Scientific Name: Carya laciniosa
Family: Juglandaceae

• Big Shagbark Hickory (Big Shellbark Hickory)
• Broom Hickory
• King Nut
• Shagbark Hickory
• Shellbark Hickory

Scientific Name: Carya tomentosa
Family: Juglandaceae

• Mockernut Hickory (Squarenut)
• White Heart Hickory

Scientific Name: Castanea dentate
Family: Fagaceae

• Chestnut (American Chestnut)

Scientific Name: Celosia globosa
Family: Amaranthaceae

• Celosia Globosa (Globe Amarantha, Perpetua)

Scientific Name: Celosia plumose
Family: Amaranthaceae

• Celosia Plumosa (Cockscomb)

Scientific Name: Celosia spicata
Family: Amaranthaceae

• Celosia Spicata (Flamingo Feather)

Scientific Name: Ceratostigma larpentiae
Family: Plumbaginaceae

• Plumbago Larpentiae

Scientific Name: Ceratonia siliqua
Family: Fabaceae

• Carob (Algaroba, Beans, Carob Tree)
• Kharoub
• Locust Pods
• Sugar Pods

Scientific Name: Ceratostigma willmottianum
Family: Plumbaginaceae

• Chinese Plumbago

Scientific Name: Cinnamonium
Family: Lauraceae

• Cinnamon

Scientific Name: Cissus rhombifolia
Family: Vitaceae

• Grape Ivy (Venezuela treebine)

Scientific Name: Cleome hasserlana
Family: Capparaceae

• Spider Flower

Scientific Name: Clintonia borealis
Family: Liliaceae

• Blue Bead (Corn Lily)

Scientific Name: Clintonia uniflora
Family: Liliaceae

• Bride's Bonnet (Queencup)

Scientific Name: Coreopsis
Family: Compositae

• Coreopsis
• Tickseed

Scientific Name: Cortaderia selloana
Family: Poaceae

• Pampas Grass

Scientific Name: Crataegus douglasii
Family: Rosaceae

• Black Hawthorn (Aubepine, Black Haw, Blackthorn, May Bush, Thorn Plum, Oxyacantha)
• Haws
• Haws Apple
• Hawthorn
• Pirliteiro
• Red Hawthorne
• Thorn Apple
• Washington Hawthorn
• Weisdornbluten

Scientific Name: Crataegus laevigata
Family: Rosaceae

• English Hawthorn (Midland hawthorn, Smooth hawthorn)

Scientific Name: Crossandra species
Family: Acanthaceae

• Crossandra

Scientific Name: Cucumis anguria
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Bur Gourd (Goareberry Gourd, Gooseberry Gourd)
• West Indian Gherkin

Scientific Name: Cucumis dipsaceus
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Hedgehog Gourd
• Teasel Gourd

Scientific Name: Cucurbita maxima cv turbaniformis
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Turban Squash

Scientific Name: Cucumis melo
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Casaba Melon
• Honeydew Melon
• Muskmelon
• True Cantaloupe

Scientific Name: Cucumis sativa
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Cucumber (Garden Cucumber)
• Gherkins (Immature cucumbers)

Scientific Name: Cucurbita ficifolia
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Fig Leaf Gourd
• Malabar Gourd

Scientific Name: Cucurbita maxima cv buttercup
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Buttercup Squash

Scientific Name: Cucurbita maxima cv butterfly
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Butterfly Squash

Scientific Name: Cucurbita maxima var. banana
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Banana Squash

Scientific Name: Cucurbita maxima var. hubbard
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Hubbard Squash

Scientific Name: Cucurbita pepo
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Acorn Squash (Similar plants: pumpkin)
• Zucchini Squash

Scientific Name: Cucurbita species
Family: Cucurbitaceae

• Yellow-Flowered Gourd

D

Scientific Name: Darlingtonia californica
Family: Sarraceniaceae

• California Pitcher Plant (Chrysamphora, Cobra Lily, Cobra Orchid, Cobra Plant)

Scientific Name: Daucus carota var. sativa
Family: Umbelliferae

• Carrot Flower (Garden Carrot)

Scientific Name: Davallia fejeensis
Family: Davalliaceae

• Dainty Rabbits-Foot Fern (Lacy Paw, Lacy Hare's Foot)

Scientific Name: Dichelostemma species
Family: Amaryllidaceae

• Dichelostemma (Several varieties)

Scientific Name: Dichelostemma pulchellum
Family: Amaryllidaceae

• Blue-dicks
• Brodiaea Pulchella
• Hookera pulchella
• Wild Hyacinth

Scientific Name: Dimorphotheca pluvialis
Family: Compositae

• Cape Marigold (African Daisy)

E

Scientific Name: Echeveria elegans
Family: Crassulaceae

• Chickens and Hens (Mother Hens and Chicks)
• Hens and Chickens
• Urbinia Agavoides

Scientific Name: Echinops
Family: Asteraceae

• Globe Thistle

Scientific Name: Elaeagnus sp.
Family: Elaeagnaceae

• Autumn Olive (Silver Berry)
• Russian Olive
• Silver Berry

Scientific Name: Epilobium angustifolium
Family: Onagraceae

• Blooming Sally
• Fire Weed
• Great Willow Herb
• Willow Herb

Scientific Name: Eriogonium inflatum
Family: Polygonaceae

• Desert Trumpet

Scientific Name: Eriogonium umbellatum
Family: Polygonaceae

• Sulfur Flower
• Umbrella Plant
• Wild Buckwheat

F

Scientific Name: Fatsia japonica
Family: Araliaceae

• Figleaf Palm (Big-leaf paper plant, Formosa rice tree, Glossy-leaved paper plant)
• Japanese Aralia

Scientific Name: Felicia amelloides
Family: Compositae

• Blue Daisy (Blue Marguerite, Felicia)

Scientific Name: Fragaria
Family: Rosaceae

• Strawberry
• Wild Strawberry

Scientific Name: Fuchsia triphylla
Family: Onagraceae

• Honeysuckle Fuchsia

G

Scientific Name: Gerbera jamesonii
Family: Compositae

• African Daisy (Transvaal Daisy, Veldt Daisy)
• Barberton Daisy
• Gerber Daisy

Scientific Name: Gleditsia triacanthos
Family: Fabaceae

• Honey Locust

Scientific Name: Gloxinia perennis
Family: Gesneriaceae

• Canterbury-bell

H

Scientific Name: Halesia Carolina
Family: Styrnaceae

• Silver Bell (opossum wood, snowbell tree)

Scientific Name: Hedychium coronarium
Family: Zingiberaceae

• Butterfly Ginger (Cinnamon Jasmine, Garland Flower, Ginger Lily)
• White Ginger

Scientific Name: Hedychium gardnerianum
Family: Zingiberaceae

• Kahali Ginger

Scientific Name: helianthus angustifolius
Family: Compositae

• Sunflower
• Swamp Sunflower

Scientific Name: Hemerocallis graminea
Family: Liliaceae

• Orange Day Lily

Scientific Name: Heuchera sanguine
Family: Saxifragaceae

• Alumroot (Coral Bells, Heuchera)
• Coral Bells

Scientific Name: Hookera pulchella
Family: Amaryllidaceae

• Blue-dicks 2 (Wild Hyacinth)

Scientific Name: Hypoestes phyllostachya
Family: Acanthaceae

• Baby’s Tears
• Flamingo Plant
• Freckle Face
• Measles Plant
• Pink Splash
• Polka Dot Plant

J

Scientific Name: Jasminium species
Family: Mimosaceae

• Jasmine

Scientific Name: Jacaranda procera
Family: Bignoniaceae

• Caroba (Bignonia, Caaroba, Carob Tree, Carobhina)

K

Scientific Name: Kaempferia
Family: Zingiberaceae

• Kaempferia
• Peacock Plant
• Resurrection Lily

L

Scientific Name: Lagerstroemia indica
Family: Lythraceae

• Crape Myrtle
• Crepe Myrtle
• Lagerstroemia Indica

Scientific Name: Larrea tridentate
Family: Zygophyllaceae

• Chaparral (Creosote Bush, Greasewood)

Scientific Name: Leucospermum incisum
Family: Protaeceae

• Pincushion Flower
• Scabious

Scientific Name: Lilium longiflorum
Family: Liliaceae

• Easter Lily

Scientific Name: Lilium orientalis
Family: Liliaceae

• Stargazer Lily

Scientific Name: Lilium species
Family: Liliaceae

• Lily

Scientific Name: Lilium speciosum cultivar
Family: Liliaceae

• Rubrum Lily

Scientific Name: Lilium speciosum
Family: Liliaceae

• Japanese Show Lily

Scientific Name: Lilium tigrinum
Family: Liliaceae

• Tiger Lily

Scientific Name: Lilium umbellatum
Family: Liliaceae

• Red Lily
• Wood Lily

Scientific Name: Liriodendron tulipifera
Family: Magnoliaceae

• Tulip Poplar (tulip tree)

M

Scientific Name: Magnolia stellata
Family: Magnoliaceae

• Magnolia Bush (Star Magnolia)

Scientific Name: Mahonia aquifolium
Family: Berberidaceae

• Creeping Mahonia (Holly-leaved Barberry, Oregon Holly)
• Mahonia
• Mountain Grape
• Oregon Grape
• Tall Mahonia

Scientific Name: Maranta insignis
Family: Marantaceae

• Calathea Lancifolia 2

Scientific Name: Morus sp.
Family: Moraceae

• Mulberry Tree

Scientific Name: Musa acuminate
Family: Musaceae

• Banana (Plantain)
• Edible Banana
• Musa Paradisiaca

N

Scientific Name: Nephrolepis biserrata
Family: Dryopteridaceae

• Bold Sword Fern
• Crisped Feather Fern
• Dallas Fern
• Roosevelt Fern
• Sword Fern
• Tall Feather Fern
• Verona Fern
• Verona Lace Fern
• Whitman Fern

Scientific Name: Nolina tuberculata
Family: Agavaceae

• Bottle Palm 2

P

Scientific Name: Pellaea rotundifolia
Family: Pteridaceae

• Cliff Brake (Button Fern, Cliff Break, Green Cliff Brack)

Scientific Name: Phoenix canariensis
Family: Palmae

• Canary Date Palm

Scientific Name: Phyllostachys aurea
Family: Gramineae

• Bamboo (Golden Bamboo, Fishpole Bamboo)

Scientific Name: Pilea microphylla
Family: Urticaceae

• Artillery Plant
• Pilea Microphylla
• Pilea Mucosa

Scientific Name: Pilea nummulariifolia
Family: Pilea: Uriticaeae; Plectranthus: Lamiaceae

• Creeping Charlie (Swedish Ivy (Plectranthus))
• Creeping Pilea

Scientific Name: Pilea pumila
Family: Urticaceae

• Clearweed (Richweed)
• Coolwort

Scientific Name: Pittosporum tobira
Family: Pittosporaceae

• Japanese Pittosporum (Australian laurel, Mock orange)

Scientific Name: Platycerium bifurcatum
Family: Polypodiaceae

• Common Staghorn Fern

Scientific Name: Plectranthus australis
Family: Pilea: Uriticaeae; Plectranthus: Lamiaceae

• Swedish Ivy (Creeping Charlie)
• White Edged Swedish Ivy

Scientific Name: Plectranthus coleoides
Family: Labiatae

• Candle Plant

Scientific Name: Ploystichum munitum
Family: Polypodaceae

• Giant Holly Fern (Imbricate sword fern, Sword fern)
• Western Sword

Scientific Name: Potentilla spp.
Family: Rosaceae

• Cinquefoil (Rock Cinquefoil, Rough Cinquefoil, Shrubby Cinquefoil, Silver Cinquefoil, Sulfur Cinquefoil)

Scientific Name: Prosopis limensis
Family: Mimosaceae

• Algaroba (Kiawe, Mesquite)

R

Scientific Name: Rosa Species
Family: Rosaceae

• Rose

Scientific Name: Rubus pedatus
Family: Rosaceae

• Creeping Rubus (Strawberryleaf, Raspberry)

S

Scientific Name: Saintpaulia spp.
Family: Gesneriaceae

• African Violet (Cape Marigold)

Scientific Name: Salix purpurea
Family: Saliaceae

• Pupleosier Willow

Scientific Name: Salvia coccinea
Family: Labiatae

• Scarlet Sage
• Texas Sage

Scientific Name: Sanvitalia species
Family: Asteraceae

• Creeping Zinnia

Scientific Name: Sedum morganianum
Family: Crassulaceae

• Burro's Tail (Horse's Tail, Donkey's Tail, Lamb's Tail)

Scientific Name: Selaginella kraussiana
Family: Selaginellaceae

• Club Moss ( Krauss' Spikemoss, Spreading Club Moss, Trailing Irish Moss)
• Cushion Moss
• Irish Moss
• Japanese Moss
• Moss Fern
• Tropical Moss

Scientific Name: Sinningia speciosa
Family: Gesneriaceae

• Gloxinia

Scientific Name: Smilax glabra
Family: Liliaceae

• Cat Brier (Shiny Leaf Smilax)
• Chin-lao-shu
• China Root
• Greenbrier
• Kuang-yen-pa-hsieh
• Shan Ku'ei-lai
• Ti hu-ling
• Tu Fu-Ling

Scientific Name: Smilax glauca
Family: Liliaceae

• Sawbrier
• Wild Sasparilla

Scientific Name: Smilax herbacea
Family: Liliaceae

• Carrion Flower
• Jacob's Ladder

Scientific Name: Smilax hispida
Family: Liliaceae

• Bristly Greenbrier
• Hagbrier
• Hellfetter
• Smilax Tamnoides Vas

Scientific Name: Smilax laurifolia
Family: Liliaceae

• Bamboo Vine
• Blaspheme Vine
• Laurel-Leaved Greenbrier

Scientific Name: Smilax lanceolata
Family: Liliaceae

• Jackson Brier

Scientific Name: Smilax rotundifolia
Family: Liliaceae

• Bullbrier (Horsebrier)
• Common Catbrier
• Common Greenbrier

Scientific Name: Smilax sp.
Family: Liliaceae

• Mulberry Bush Greenbrier

Scientific Name: Smilax walteria
Family: Liliaceae

• Red Berried Greenbrier (red-berried-bamboo)

Scientific Name: Sophronitis
Family: Orchidaceae

• Brazilian Orchid

Scientific Name: Stapelia hirsata
Family: Asclepiadaceae

• Carrion Flower 2 (Hairy Toad Plant)

Scientific Name: Stephanotis floribunda
Family: Ascleopiadaceae

• Madagascar Jasmine (Wax Flower, Bride's Flower, Clustered Wax Flower)

Scientific Name: Stewartia ovate
Family: Theaceae

• Mountain Camellia (Showy Camellia)

Scientific Name: Streptocarpus spp.
Family: Gesneriaceae

• Cape Primrose (Twisted Fruit, Bavarian Belle)

T

Scientific Name: Thea japonica
Family: Theaceae

• Thea Japonica (Common Camellia, Peony Camellia)

Scientific Name: Townsendia sevicea
Family: Asteraceae

• Easter Daisy
• Giant Aster

Scientific Name: Toxicodendron species
Family: Anacardiaceae

• Poison Ivy
• Poison Oak
• Poison Sumac

Scientific Name: Trachelospermum jasminoides
Family: Apocynaceae

• Confederate Jasmine
• Star Jasmine

Scientific Name: Trachycarpus fortune
Family: Palmae

• Fortunes Palm (Chusan palm)

Scientific Name: Tropaeolum majus
Family: Tropaeolaceae

• Nasturtium

Scientific Name: Tsuga canadensis
Family: Pinaceae

• Canada Hemlock

Scientific Name: Tsuga caroliniana
Family: Pinaceae

• Carolina Hemlock

Scientific Name: Tsuga species
Family: Pinaceae

• Hemlock Tree (Many varieties)
• Weeping Sargent Hemlock

V

Scientific Name: Viburnum lentago
Family: Caprifoliaceae

• Black Haw (Cowberry, Nannyberry, Nanny Plum, Sheepberry, Sweetberry, Sweet Viburnum, Tea Plant, Wild raisin)

For more information on safe, healthy feeding see post "Treat with Respect"

He doth nothing but talk of his horses.

William Shakespeare

Horses of Myth, Legend, Folk tale

2011-10-09T00:00:00.000-04:00

Horses of Myth / Legend / Folk tale

Instead of jumping right into the meat of this blog, a brief description of oral narratives may offer clarity on them.

For millenniums, storytellers have passed down oral narratives to friends and family. Continuing the practice from generation to generation, along with the invention of script, many stories live to present day. Some stories have parallel versions in many cultures; even though there may be variations in the events or characters the main idea behind the narrative is still preserved. Today, traditional stories are categorized into different genres (illustration 1). There are several genres of oral narratives while myths, legends and folktales are the ones highlighted in this post. Today, myths, legends and folktales are often used interchangeably in common speech because of their similar characteristics.

Several elements of a story can hold narratives to certain genres, but the degree of truthfulness within a story and determining how much of the story is based on a true event is an evident distinction. Even though fact can be used as a direction in categorizing, there are some stories that will shift between the different genres, and others will not fit into any group. Illustration 2, tries to show how the oral narratives merge into each other as well as how the identifiable difference of fact dissolves and the meaning of the story becomes paramount between the genres.

Now, on with some of the narratives confirming the impact the horse has held and continues to hold in human culture.

The human fascination with horses dates back to our caveman ancestors and perhaps beyond. No other creature has shaped the history of man like that of the horse. With the diffusion of the horse, it found its way into the deepest facets of human culture. From the first horse that labored for man to the most precise event winner, the loyalty, power and strength of character have the horse ranking high marks of honor and admiration with man.

The beauty, elegance, and spirit of the horse are a source of inspiration, creating thoughts capable of carrying one to faraway places. They abound in the stories man has carried with him through time. The horse easily wins a special seat in history, and naturally it has figured strongly in our stories. The value of the horse is historically present in many narratives often making the horse an icon in man's own history. There is enough horse lore to fill shelves and shelves with narrative, both in work and art and below are just a few stories expressing the force the horse has left on our lives.

The never-ending influence the horse bestows upon the world’s cultures leaves man with feelings of respect, value and affection.

LEGENDS

NATIVE INDIAN

Art by Linda Bergkvist

The Enchanted Horse

A Malecite Legend -
Running from the Devil and his black horse, the Gray Horse carries Louis to the sea. The Gray Horse was a beautiful, powerful creature with a silver tail and gold mane and ears.

Glacier Song of the Horses

A Navajo Legend -
Johano-ai, the Sun-God, rides across the sky each morning from his home in the east to his home in the west caring with him his shining gold disk, the sun. He has five horses--a horse of turquoise, one of white shell, one of pearly shell, one of red shell, and one of coal. His horses graze on flower blossoms, and drink from mingled waters. When the skies are blue and the weather is fair, it is said the Sun-God rides his horse of turquoise, or the one of white shell, or the one of pearly shell. But when the heavens are dark with storm, he mounts the red horse or the horse of coal.

Water Spirit's Gift of Horses

A Blackfoot Legend –
As he turned around, Water Spirit saw a strange animal at the end of a rope, it was a horse. A voice told him to mount the animal and he did so. Water Spirit headed towards camp and by the time he arrived many other horses were following him. Frightened by these strange animals, the people of the camp were hesitant to approach him and the different looking creatures that trailed behind him. He gave all his people horses from the herd that had followed him and soon thereafter all of them had mounted their horses. He began to show everyone how useful the horse could be. His people made him chief when he grew older and since then every Blackfoot chief has owned many horses.

AMERICAN

Widow-Maker was the name of Pecos Bill’s horse. According to the legend, Pecos Bill’s parents journeyed west with their eighteen children in a covered wagon. Pecos Bill was an infant during this travel and fell out of the wagon unnoticed by the rest of his family near the Pecos River. A pack of coyotes took him in and raised him.

After many years, Pecos Bill was found by his real brother and managed to convince him he was not a coyote. Now, back in civilization, Pecos Bill became a cowboy. His horse Widow-Maker was a slender horse with brown fur and a blonde mane and tail. He was so called because no one could ride him except Pecos Bill and live. Widow-Maker was also called Lightning for his speed.

Born James Butler Hickok in 1837, Wild Bill was a lawman, gambler and gunfighter. His horse, Black Nell, was a mare that would lay down just by Hickok’s touch, come on command and even jump up on a pool table. When coming off the table Bill sprang upon her back, dashed through the high wide doorway, and at a single bound cleared the flight of steps and landed in the middle of the street. William F. Cody owned several horses throughout his life. Below are some of the others.

Buffalo Bill was the name of Cody’s beloved mustang. This horse was used for hunting and gave Cody his name and sealed his reputation.

Charlie was another equine partner of Wild Bill which he rode in many performances. Charlie died on a sea crossing from Europe and it is said that Cody lit candles throughout the ship deck and assembled the cast to sing Auld Lang Syne as old Charlie was wrapped in an American flag and lowered into the ocean.

Isham was Buffalo Bill’s favorite steed. He rode this white stallion in his Wild West shows for 25 years.

Tall Bull was a fine horse mounted by an Indian sub-chief. William F. Cody spotted this horse and ambushed and killed the Indian and took his mount. Cody ran the steed in a number of races and won a considerable amount of prize money.

Tucker was the name of another horse Buffalo Bill performed on before hundreds of spectators.

GREEK

"The Horse and the Maiden" is an Urban Legend from Ancient Athens. The maiden, Leimônê, meaning “Taming of the Horse”, is punished by her father, Hippomenes, meaning "Spirit of the Horse. A girl of such social status is educated preparing her for marriage; it is a process of taming. Leimônê failed to complete the taming process and so she remained wild like a filly. Since she acted like an untamed horse, then she will be punished by a horse. Hippomenes shut Leimônê in a building with a horse and there she died.

ENGLISH

In ancient British legend, the well-known King named Arthur owned a few horses. Hengroen, meaning "old skin", Spumador, meaning "the foaming one" and the other, probably his favorite steed, Llamrei, meaning "the curveter" – A curveter is one who curvets which is a leap by a horse in dressage in which its hind legs are raised just before the forelegs touch the ground. Llamrei was a powerful mare; she bore great loads, for once she carried four of Arthur's wounded companions after they had been thoroughly beaten by the Black Hag in her cave. Later French sources call his horse Passelande.

Brigadore or Brigliadore is the name of Sir Guyon's horse in Spencer's Faërie Queene. Braggadochio had stolen Brigadore from Guyon long ago. Wishing to establish Guyon's claim properly, and Braggadochio refusing to fight over Brigadore, Sir Artegall began to ask how the steed had been taken away and if he could describe any secret token born by the horse. Sir Guyon mentioned the distinguishing black spot in its mouth, like a horse-shoe in shape. Men tried to verify this marking, but Brigadore would not allow anyone near him until Sir Guyon himself spoke to him, and called him by his name, "Brigadore." Instantly the horse understood his voice and stood perfectly still and allowed everyone to see the secret mark. After that, Sir Artegall plainly saw to whom he belonged. Brigliadoro is the Spanish form of French Brigliadore, meaning "golden-bridle."

Bronzomarle is the name of the horse that belonged to the Arthurian legend, Sir Launcelot Greaves. Bronzomarle means "a mettlesome sorrel."

Art by Theodore Gericault

Legend of Sir Robert de Shurland -
According to legend, a 14th century member of the family, Sir Robert de Shurland had a quick temper which impelled him to commit impetuous acts of violence. After one of these incidents which resulted in the death of a monk, Sir Robert visited the Isle of Sheppey in 1327 in hopes of obtaining a royal pardon for his involvement. Sir Robert's horse, Grey Dolphin, carried him over land and through the water to where the king's ship lay anchored. The king was so impressed by the feat of horse and rider that he granted forgiveness.

However, upon returning to shore, Sir Robert encountered a witch who told him that his horse would be the cause of his death. In another fit of rage Sir Robert quickly dismounted and cut off Grey Dolphin's head. By some accounts it was almost a year later when Sir Robert was travelling on the same stretch of shore and thought he saw the same cackling hag who had made the prophecy. Once again Sir Robert's rash nature overcame him and while attempting to chase the witch, he was pierced in the foot by a sharp bone fragment protruding from the ground where Grey Dolphin had collapsed after being slain.

Sir Robert contracted blood poisoning from his wound and died within days. The remains of this earliest baron lie beneath an altar on the south side of Minster Abbey, or to give it its full title, the Abbey Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Sexburgha. A recumbent statue of Sir Robert decorates the top of the tomb and an image of the head of his horse, Grey Dolphin is sculpted beside the statue's legs.

Gringolet was the name of the Arthurian Legend Sir Gawain's horse, famous for his ability in combat. He first appears in Chretien de Troyes's Erec and Enide where he is borrowed by Sir Kay for a joust against Sir Erec. Gringolet probably has the meaning of "white-hardy" or "handsome-hardy."

Sir Carados Briefbras is remembered in Arthurian legend as a Knight of the Round Table. His horse named Luagor, means "host splitter".

FRENCH

The Italian epics of Torquato Tasso (Rinaldo), Orlando innamorato (1495) by Matteo Boiardo, and Orlando furioso by Ludovico Ariosto are all founded on the legends of the paladins of Charlemagne that first appeared in the chansons de geste, manuscripts about legendary incidents, sometimes based on real events, in the history of France during the eighth and ninth centuries; later categorized in the late eleventh to fifteenth centuries.

Bayard is the magical bay horse in the legends of the chansons de geste (“Songs of Heroic Deeds”). Bayard, once was the property of Amadis of Gaul, but later belonged to Renaud, one the four sons of Aymon. Before being given to Renaud by Charlemagne, it was found by Maugris, who was Renaud's cousin and a magician, in a cave guarded by a dragon which the magician slew.

Bayard had remarkable swiftness and the capability of understanding human speech. In addition, it had the ability to grow larger or smaller as one or more riders mounted it. Because of Bayard’s exploits, Charlemagne punished Renaud and had a large stone tied to Bayard's neck and then pushed the horse into the river. Before falling into the water; Bayard smashed the stone with his hooves and escaped to live forever more in the woods. According to tradition, the horse flees at the approach of man; so that no one can ever hope to catch him. Many believe one of its foot-prints may still be seen in the forest of Soignes, and another on a rock near Dinant. (French: Bayard; Italian: Baiardo; Dutch: (Ros) Beiaard)

Brigadore is the name of Orlando's famous charger in Orlando Furioso, second only to Bayardo in swiftness and wonderful powers.

Tachebrun was the name of Ganelon's war-horse. The charger was fed the finest of grains, carried a silver- broidered saddle upon his back and reins decorated in gold lined his neck.

Vegliantino is Roland the paladin's trustworthy and swift horse in the stories derived from the chansons de geste. Known as "the little vigilant one, he is renamed Brigliadoro in “Orlando Innamorato” and “Orlando Furioso.

ITALIAN

Aquiline was the name of Raymond's steed in Tasso’s “Jerusalem Delivered”. He was sired by the wind to a Lusitanian mare on the banks of the Tagus. Aquiline was particularly remarkable with a Roman nose, powerful body and exceptional level-headedness.

Raymond was Count of Toulouse and commander of some 4000 infantry. He was remarkable for his wisdom and coolness in debate. He owed a measure of his success to Aquiline; this horse probably saved him from annihilation upon more than one occasion.

Hippogriffs were the offspring of a griffin and a mare. They had the beak, wings, feet and crest of a bird but in all other aspects it resembled a horse. Much easier to tame and faster than the griffin, a hippogriff was usually the creature of either a knight or a sorcerer.

SPANISH

Clavileno the Winged is the name of the wooden horse ridden by Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. This horse was an elaborate trick arranged by pranksters wanting to humiliate the Knight of the Mournful Countenance, Don Quixote and his gullible sidekick, Sancho Panza. They rode Calileno to achieve the liberation of Dolori'da and her companions. The horse was governed by a peg in its forehead.

Frontaletto is the name of Sacripant's charger in Orlando Furioso. He was a horse with a little head able to do extraordinary things. Sacripant was the King of Circassia and would hold secret consultations with Frontaletto in which the steed understood every word of his master.

Rabicano or Rabican is a Spanish name meaning "dark tail but with some white hairs." This is a horse produced by enchantment and nourished only by the air. Made of hurricane and flame, this magical horse is light on its feet leaving no footprints behind and at full speed it can run faster than an arrow. He is the horse of Argalia in Orlando Innamorato who rides him until he is defeated by Aridana and falls into the underworld. Afterward, Astolpho rides Rabicano on to Alcina’s whale and to escape enchantment. In Orlando Furioso, Rabicano is described as having a coal-black hue and being exceptionally swift. He is ridden by Melissa, the good sorceress, who freed Astolpho from Alina’s spell.

Rocinante is the name of Don Quixote's loyal steed. Don wanted a name that signified a horse belonging to a knight so famous as he, one showing merits of the horse and incorporating the horse’s condition as a hack before he became what he is now. It took four days of thinking by Don to arrive at the distinctive name of Rocinante. Rocín in Spanish means work-horse or low-quality horse ("nag").

ARAB

The Foal’s Blood-stained Shoulder -
During the times when nomadic tribes of Bedouin people wandered the deserts of what is now the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa, Mesopotamia and Persia, the legend of the Bloody Shoulder Arabian was born. For hundreds of years, this story was handed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. A Bedouin warrior saddled up his most prized Arabian mare that was with foal. During the act of battle, the mare gave birth to a strong healthy filly. Struggling to keep up with the mare and with the enemy quickly gaining on them, the warrior took his lance and pieced the foal through the shoulder. The mare understood the act and realized the foal would no longer be following her. Even though she was filled with grief, the loyal mare carried her warrior rider safely to his camp.

When the warrior awake from sleep, he noticed something astounding through the tent door, a day-old filly standing by the mare’s side. This was the same foal he had killed the day before. With no injuries, the foal carried just a patch of blood-stained hair across its shoulders. Believing the foal was a treasured gift from God, the warrior vowed to raise the foal and take special care of it. The foal’s blood-stained shoulder was never lost and she passed on these special markings to her offspring.

There are different versions of this legend as well as the various names used to described the blood-stained shoulder, i.e. blood marks, blood stains, blood markings, and bloody-shouldered Arabian.

INDIAN

Zuljanah was the horse of Husayn ibn Ali, grandson of Muhammad. The original name of Zuljanah was Murtajiz. When Husayn ibn Ali was a child, he visited the stable of Zuljanah, owned by an Arab named Haris. Zuljanah was a beautiful, powerful white stallion. Muhammad would watch the two together and on several occasions noticed his grandson looking curiously at the horse as if some mysterious conversation was taking place. Muhammad asked Husayn if he wished to ride the horse and with a response of yes, Muhammad ordered the horse saddled. When Husayn approached the horse, the horse suddenly lowered itself to the ground to allow the boy to mount him. Muhammad purchased the horse from Haris for his grandson.

Husayn rode this horse in the battle of Karbala and it is believed Zuljana killed 31 enemies of Husayn. After Husayn died, filled with sorrow, Zuljana went to the camps of Bibi Zainab and then he jumped into the Furat lake.

GERMAN

Grane is the name of Brünnhilde’s horse in the Germanic legend, “The Ring of the Nibelung”. Siegfried and Brünnhilde are lovers and when Siegfried goes off to new adventures, he rides away on Brünnhilde’s horse, Grane. After the death of Siegfried, Brünnhilde rides her grey-colored horse into the flames of the funeral pyre for Siegfried.

SERBIAN

Jabucilo was a winged horse belonging to Momcilo, a man of immense size and strength who possessed magical attributes. Momcilo carried a saber with eyes while upon Jabucilo.

Sarac was the wonder horse of Prince Marko Mrnjaveevic. He and his horse were inseparable. His companion and friend, Sarac was piebald and could talk. Legend has the Prince looking for a horse that could bear him. In order to test a steed, Marko would grab him by the tail and sling him over his shoulder. One day Marko noticed a spotted piebald foal and he grabbed it by the tail, but could not move him at all. Marko bought and tamed the foal, naming him Sarac (after sara "dapple"). Sarac grew up into an extremely powerful horse. The horse could leap three spear-lengths high and four spear-lengths forward, which enabled Marko to pursue and capture the dangerous and elusive vila called Ravijojla.

Zdral was the extraordinary horse of Milos, a medieval Serbian knight in the service of Prince Lazar. Milos was celebrated as the hero of supernatural birth and strength. His father was said to be a dragon and his mother was a fairy. Supposedly, Milos got his strength from the milk of the mare.

MYTHS

NORSE (Scandinavian)

Arvak and Alsvid were the names of two horses that pulled the sun goddess Sunna's chariot. It was said that the sunlight came from their manes, while the sun itself, only gave off heat. Alsvid wears bellows beneath his shoulders to cool him down. They are also called by the Icelandic names Arvakur and Alsvidur. Arvak is also known as Aavak and Alsvid is also known as Alswider

Falhofnir, Glad, Glær, Gíslis and Gyllir are horses not assigned to any specific deity, but are the horses among the many steeds ridden by the gods each day when they go to make judgments..

Greyfell is a Norwegian name meaning "grey colored." This is the name of Siguror's horse.

Gullfaxi means golden mane and was a horse originally owned by Hrungnir, and was later given to Magni by Thor as a reward for helping him in the fight against Hrungnir. Also spelled Guldfaxe , it was equally fast on land, in the air and on the water, but not quite as fast as Sleipnir, Odin's horse.

Gulltopp is a Norwegian form of Old Norse Gulltoppr, meaning "golden mane." This is the name of the horse of Heimdall.

Hofvarpnir is an Old Norse name meaning "hoof-thrower." This was the name of a horse belonging to the goddess Gná, a handmaid of Frigg, said to be able to move through the air and across water. Also, Hofvarpnir was able to "act as a go-between” earth and sky and the world of mortal men and the underworld. Hamskerpir and Garðrofa are a pair of horses who sired Hófvarpnir.

Hrimfaxi and Skinfaxi were the names of two horses belonging to Dagr "day" and Nott "night." Skinfaxi pulled a chariot across the sky from east to west bringing day and Hrimfaxi pulled his chariot west to east while his bridle (or bit) dripped the morning dew (rime-drops) which every night bedewed the earth.

Sleipnir was the name of Odin's grey, eight-legged steed, the greatest of all horses which could traverse either land or sea and his speed far exceeded that of any other horse. Sleipnir is an Old Norse name meaning "gliding; smooth." He was said to be an exceptionally smooth riding horse, which is where he got his name. He was the offspring of the shape-shifting trickster god Loki who transformed himself into a mare as well as the giant stallion Svadilfari. Sleipnir carrried his rider into the underworld and the Tjängvide image stone is thought to show Odin entering Valhalla riding on Sleipnir.

Sleipnir is also the ancestor of another gray horse, Grani, who is owned by the hero Sigurd. Grani is the horse that Sigurd receives through advice from an old man, Odin.

Svadilfari is an Old Norse name meaning "disaster; ill-fated." This was the name of a magical stallion belonging to the disguised and unnamed hrimthurs who built the walls of Asgard. A hrímthurs is any one of the particular tribe of Giants who are made of ice and inhabit Niflheim, a land of eternal cold. The stallion Svaoilfari performs twice the deeds of strength as the builder, and hauls enormous rocks to the surprise of the gods. Loki needed to devise a scheme to cause the builder to forfeit the payment for the wall to please the gods. While fetching stone with his stallion, Svaoilfari, a mare (Loki transformed) ran from the woods. The mare neighs at Svaoilfari which makes him frantic. The mare runs back to the woods with Svaoilfari chasing after her. The two ran around all night allowing a delay in building the wall and the momentum once held by the hrímthurs and the stallion was never to be again. After time from the dealings Loki had with Svaoilfari, Loki gave birth to a gray foal with eight legs; the horse Sleipnir who was known as the best horse among gods and men.

SLAVIC

Svantovit was the god of war, fertility and abundance. He was the most important Slavic god. Svantovit owned an oracular white horse which was kept in his temple and taken care of by priests. His saddle was of gold and silver. It was believed Svantevit rode this horse at nights against those who denied his divinity; also he used the white stallion for predicting the future.

IRISH

Aonbharr having the meaning of unique supremacy, Aonbarr was the name of the fabulous steed of the sea god, Manannan mac Lir. The horse could gallop on land and water as fast as the spring wind and no rider has met their death while on his back. Lugh, the foster son of Manannan, often had the privillage of riding this fine steed. Aonbharr is also known as Splendid Mane, Enbarr and Enbharr. Manawydan, who was married to the horse goddess Rhiannon, is the Welsh equivilent to the Irish Manannan.

Liath Macha and Dub Sainglend are the two chariot-horses of the hero Cuchulainn in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. A gift from either Macha or her sister the Morrígan, the two horses appear to Cuchulainn from a pool of water. Interested in these beasts, Cuchulainn leaps upon their backs. Both horses gallop all around Ireland trying to dislodge Cuchulainn from their backs, but with Cuchulainn’s success he is able to maintain his seat and tames the horses.

GREEK

The Hippoi Athanatoi were the immortal horses of the gods. The majority of these divine steeds were offspring of the four Wind-Gods who themselves were said to draw the chariot of Zeus in the shape of horses. They were mostly the offspring of the Anemoi (Wind-gods), the Harpyiai (Storm-Daimones) and of Poseidon.

A list of Hippoi Athanatoi:

In Greek mythology, the Anemoi were the gods of the four directional winds. Each disguised as a horse, the wind gods drew the chariot of Zeus.

Boreas was the god of the North-Wind
Euros was the god of the East-Wind
Notos was the god of the South-Wind
Zephyros was the god of the West-Wind

Celestial horses pulled the sun across the sky each day. The sun god, Helios drove the chariot led by 8 fire-breathing horses. These strong white horses were immortal. The Horse Nymphs would tie them to the chariots to pull the sun throughout the day and by night the horses would graze on magical herbs on the Islands of the Blessed.

The eight horse’s and alternative names were:
Actaeon
Aethon also known as Aethiops, Ameethea Purocis, Erytheros, Pyroieis, Sterope
Astrope
Bronte
Eous
Lampon
Phaeton
Phlegon

The Dioskouroi twins, Castor and Pollux (in Latin they are known as the Gemini), were excellent horsemen.

Their four Immortal Horses:
Harpagos
Kyllaros
Phlogeus
Xanthos

The Horses of Poseidon by Walter Crane, 1892

Poseidon was the god of the sea, earthquakes and horses. He was the creator of horses. He created them out of the breaking waves and within the beautiful underwater palace he built for himself, Poseidon included vast stables for keeping his team of prized chariot horses. Their beauty was astounding and no other steeds could compare to these creatures. They were white in color and sported both brazen hooves and flowing manes of gold.

Poseidon was thought to have educated men in the art of taming horses for the bridle. Also, it was believed he was the originator and protector of horse races.

Two immortal horses of the sea-god Poseidon:
Skylla
Sthenios

Hippokampoi - Fish-tailed horses of the sea, four of which some say, drew the chariot of Poseidon.

The immortal steeds of the dawn-goddess Eos:
Lampos
Phaethon

The fire-breathing steeds of Ares:
Aithon
Konabos
Phlogeus
Phobos

Pluto's chariot was pulled by four black steeds said to be made of night.

Their names:
Abastor - This steed was said to out speed the stars.
Abatos – A fast horse, this steed was said to be as fleet as thought.
Aeton or Eton – The name given to the black steed, usually rendered "swift as an eagle."
Nonios – This horse was said to be "quick as light."

Podarkes and Xanthos are the names of a pair of immortal horses owned by Erekhtheus, king of Athens.

Abrax is the name of one of the steeds of the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora. She was charged with opening the sun gates of the East.

Phaeton is another of the four white steeds that drew Aurora’s rosy chariot through the skies.

Rhaebus was the horse of Mezentius in Roman myths.

Balios is the name of one of two immortal horses gifted to the hero Peleus by the gods. It drew the chariot of his son Achilles during the Trojan war.

Xanthos is the other steed that drew the chariot of Achilles. Both were the offspring of the harpy Podarge and the west wind Zephyros.

Pedasus was Achilles' mortal horse killed by Sarpedon at Troy.

The Mares of Laomedon were the pair of horses Zeus gave Tros. Tros was a ruler of Troy. Zeus abducted his son, Ganymedes and Tros grieved immensely for him. Sympathetic to Tros, Zeus gives Tros two horses so swift they could run over water and the heads of standing grain.

The Trojan Hippoi were the twelve immortal horses owned by the Trojan Kings Erikhthonios and Laomedon. They were promised to Hercules as reward for rescuing princess Hesione from a sea-monster.

Phallas was the name of a stallion horse belonging to Heraclios.

Hector was a Trojan prince and the greatest fighter for Troy in the Trojan War.
Ethon, Galathe, Lampus, Podargus and Xanthus were the names of Hector's horses.

Diomedes or Diomed was one of the greatest Achaean strategists in the Trojan War. His steed was Lampos. Later, Diomedes became King of Argos.

Areion is the immortal horse that was owned by Hercules and later given to the hero Adrastos, king of Argos. This fabulous dark-mane horse was born of Demeter and Poseidon. Poseidon pursued Demeter and in order to escape him, the goddess had transformed herself into a mare. Poseidon, aware of Demeter’s plot, deceived her by himself assuming the figure of a horse.

There are several others traditions in the birth of Areion. According to the poet Antimachus, Areion and Caerus were the offspring of Gaea. In other versions, Poseidon or Zephyrus produced the horse by a Harpy. Yet another story connected Areion to the goddess Athena. Poseidon created the horse in his contest with Athena. The ownership of Areion changed several times. From Poseidon the horse passed through the hands of Copreus, Oncus, and Heracles, from whom it was received by Adrastus.

Heracles, the son of Zeus, waged war with the Eleans and acquired this horse from Oncus. He rode upon Areion, an extremely swift immortal horse, when he seized Elis. Later, Heracles gave Areion to Adrastus. Adrastus' life was saved by Areion in the war against Thebes. Antimachus mentions that Adrastus was the third lord who tamed Areion.

Caerus or Cetus was the name of the horse belonging to Adrastus. This steed was swifter than the wind.

Mares of Diomed were four wild, man-eating horses belonging to the giant Diomed, the king of a Thracian tribe called the Bistones; he fed his horses on the strangers who visited his kingdom. As his eighth Labor, Hercules was to take these horses for Eurystheus. Hercules defeated the tyrant and gave the carcass to the horses to eat. They became docile after eating Diomed and Hercules brought them to King Eurystheus who dedicated them to the goddess Hera. There are differing versions of this myth, in one the mares are eaten by wild beasts and in another, Hercules tames the horses from his own chariot.

Dinos was the name of one of the Mares of Diomed.
Lampon is another name of one of the Mares of Diomed.

In Greek mythology, Opheltes was the son of the Nemean king Lycurgus and Queen Eurydice. His nursemaid, Hypsipyle, put Opheltes on the ground, in a bed of wild celery, to show the Seven Argive generals who were marching against Thebes where the nearest wellspring was. While Hypsipyle was distracted with this task, a snake strangled Opheltes.

Following this episode, the generals held a funeral celebration for Opheltes. Sport games were arranged to honor him. According to one myth this was the beginning of the famous Nemean Games.

The names of the horses that took part in these games are:
Aethion was one of the horses of Euneus 1
Aschetos and Cygnus were the horses of Amphiaraus
Caerus was the offspring of Gaia and one of the horses of Adrastus 1
Cydon was one of the horses of Hippodamus
Iris, Pholoe and Thoe were the names of the horses of Admetus 1
Podarces was the horse of Thoas
Strymon was one of the horses of Chromis

During the games in honor of Patroclus, who was Achilles' beloved comrade and brother-in-arms, Menelaus yoked a mare named Podargus.

Aethon was the horse of Pallas who was an ally of Aeneas in Italy.

Parthenia and Eripha were the names of the mares of Marmax. He was the first suitor of Hippodamia and who was slain by Oenomaus. Oenomaus sacrificed Parthenia and Eripha at the tomb of Marmax.

Pegasoi is a breed of winged immortal horses.

The most famous Pegasoi:
Pegasus was a white winged immortal horse was the son of Poseidon and the gorgon Medusa. Pegasus and his brother Chrysaor the giant are said to have been born of Medusa's neck when Perseus beheaded her. Everywhere Pegasus struck hoof to earth an inspiring spring burst forth. He is devoted to Hades (Pluto) and Ares (Mars).

Pegasus was useful in Bellerophon's slaying of the Chimera. Pegasus threw Bellerophon from its back, leaving him crippled for the rest of his life. After throwing Bellerophon, Pegasus flew on to Olympus where he served Zeus by bearing his lightning bolts.

Cabeirian Horses were crafted and brought to life by the Greek god Hephaestus. These metallic horses made of scorching bronze possessed the ability to breathe fire, had burning collars and pulled the chariot of the Kabeiroi, the two sons of Hephaestus. These horses were also known as Hippoi Kabeiroi.

Centaurs were the name of a type of creature part human and part horse. Most were wild, uncontrolled and unwelcoming, having truly animalistic passions. The father of Centaurs was Centaurus, who was held in disgrace by both men and gods. Some accounts say he was fathered by Ixion. He gave birth to the race of Centaurs by mating with Magnesian mares.

Chiron, the surgeon was of two centaurs said to have been good-natured.
Pholus, of the cave or den was the other pleasant centaur.

Other named Centaurs were:
Eurytion
Hylaeus
Nessus
Rhoecus

Silenus was the name of one of the Ipotanes/Sileni; a race of beings having the ears, tail, and legs of a horse. They were followers of the wine god Dionysos and were said to have been ugly drunkards. Silenus was the oldest and wisest of the Ipotanes, possessing the knowledge and power of prophecy.

Selene was the Moon goddess and the daughter of the Titans, Hyperion and Theia; she rode a silver chariot pulled by a pair of horses that drew the chariot of the Moon across the night sky. At the end of each ride, the vision would sink low in the west; the weary horses after such a feat had flaring nostrils, bulging eyes, and a drooping jaw.

The Horses of Hera:
Ariadne
Hypnos
Theseus

RUSSIAN

Barushka Matushka was the magical horse and mount of the Russian hero Ilya Muromets. It had extraordinary strength and stamina. The horse was also known as Kosmatushka, Sivushko or Sivusko.

CHINESE

Tianma or "heavenly horse" is the Chinese equivalent to Pegasus; a winged 'celestial' horse.

Longma was a fabled winged horse with dragon scales in Chinese mythology. Also known as the "dragon horse" in several East Asian countries, Ryōma is commonly used as a Japanese name.

KOREAN

Chollima was the name for a mythical horse in Korea. Roughly translated it means "thousand-mile horse". Often portrayed as a winged horse, several statues of this majestic creature are found in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. It is said that this winged horse is too swift and elegant to be mounted by any mortal man.

TURKIC and MONGOL

Tulpar was a winged horse in Central Asian Mythology. Tulpar is the legendary horse that appears in the culture of Turkish-speaking nations and in the mythologies of the Turkic and Mongol peoples. He was a swift horse with wings. The Tulpar did not actually become airborne, but the wings emphasized the speed they could gallop over the ground. These horses were so valued they shared their lives with their masters.

INDIA

The Man Eater of Lucknow was a horse whose actions terrorized the 19th century Indian city of Lucknow. It is said that the English thoroughbred stallion was presented to the Maharajah of Oudh by King George IV. For unknown reasons, the horse became a notorious killer by slaying and eating the local citizens. After many deaths, the horse was ambushed, captured and held behind bars. The maharaja ruled Oudh from 1827 to 1837 and declared a fight between the savaged horse and his prized tiger, Burrhea. This episode was a one-sided encounter when ultimately the stallion through a powerful blow from his iron-clad hooves shattered Burrhea’s jaw.

Rarer than all other colors of horse, the White horse has a special significance in the mythologies of cultures around the world.

NATIVE AMERICAN

In Blackfoot mythology, the snow deity Aisoyimstan is the White God and “Cold Maker”. He symbolizes Snow and Ice. His powers create the snow and ice that blankets the earth bringing cold weather. Aisoyimstan is practically invisible as he is completely white; a white-colored man with white hair in white clothing and even rides a white horse.

CHILEAN

The Caballo marino chilote is an aquatic creature in Chilean mythology. This creature was invisible and could only be seen by those with magical powers. The creature had a golden mane, four feet in the form of fins and a long tail resembling the tail of a fish. In various accounts, the Caballo marino chilote existed in several sizes, from dwarfs to giants. The Brujo Chilote were a type of sorcerer and warlock and would use this creature as transportation to get to the Caleuche ghost ship.

KOREAN

In the Korean story of the kingdom of Silla, the people gathered to pray for a king. A huge white horse appeared from a bolt of lightning and gave a respectful bow of the head to a shining egg. The horse flew back to heaven and the egg opened exposing the boy Park Hyeokgeose. When he grew up, he united six warring states.

HINDU

Uchaishravas was one of the most precious objects in the sacred Hindu texts called Puranas. Uchaishravas was a snow-white horse with seven heads that emerged while devas and demons were churning the milky ocean. A white horse of the sun is sometimes also mentioned as emerging separately. Indra, lord of the devas had a liking for white horses and would occasionally ride Uchaishravas.

The sun God, Surya, drove through the heavens in his triumphal chariot drawn by seven mares called Harrits. The seven Harrits were depicted as a single horse with seven heads, sometimes in the seven colors of the rainbow representing the seven chakras which are energy producing centers of the body in yoga. The Harrits are also occasionally depicted as seven white horses. These lead horses were the great horses of the sun in Hindu mythology.

The various names of the seven mares:
Arusha and Arushi
Bronte (thunder)
Eos (day break)
Ethiops (flashing)
Ethon (fiery)
Erythreios (red producer)
Philogen (earth loving)
Pyrois (fiery)

Indra is the king of the lesser gods, known as the Devas. As he extended his powers, he became the Lord of Heaven, and the national god of the Aryans. Sort of an Aryan chieftain and warlike God, he would stand on his war-chariot, drawn by five fawn-colored horses, and gave victory to his people in battle. He sometimes was assisted by other gods, but he more frequently fought alone. Indra held the earth in the hollow of his hand and preserved all life by distributing the Devine gifts.

Hayagriva is considered an Avatar of Vishnu, the supreme God, in Hinduism. Worshipped as the God of knowledge and wisdom, Hayagriva has a human body and a horse's head wearing all white garments and seated on a white lotus. The myth represents the feat of pure knowledge, guided by the hand of God, over the demonic forces of passion and darkness.

Kalki, the tenth incarnation of Vishnu and final world savior appears riding a white horse, or some believe he takes the form of a white horse.

Keshi is the horse demon killed by Krishna. Kans, the evil king of Mathura sent for Keshi to kill Krishna. The duel turned violent, Keshi’s terrifying neigh roared like a lion and he charged Krishna with an open mouth and struck him with his hooves. Krishna’s arm grew large and strong and choked Keshi to death.

BUDDHIST

Kanthaka was the favorite horse of Prince Siddhartha, who later became Gautama Buddha. This white horse, probably an Akhal-Teke, was a royal servant to Siddhartha and he used Kanthaka in all major events prior to his renunciation of the world. After the departure of Siddhartha, it was said that Kanthaka died of a broken heart.

ISLAMIC

Pul Sirat means the straight path of God in Islam. It references a very narrow and long path, which the souls of the dead must cross on the judgment day to reach heaven. There are several versions of the tale and in one version; the souls of the worthy are helped to navigate it because their good deeds turn into a white horse they can ride to the end.

Al Borak (Al Boraq, El Borak) was the name of the horse which bore the prophet Mahomet from earth to the seventh heaven and back. The myth describes Al Borak as a celestial creature resembling a fine-limbed, high-standing horse that was the color of saffron and its glossy coat shined like marble. A star adorned his forehead and a thick tail that swept the ground. Al Borak’s strong frame enabled every pace to be equal to the farthest range of human sight. He was as swift as lightening and hence given his name, which means “the lightning”. In some versions of the story, Al Borak is portrayed as a milk-white mare and is simply called Borak (Buraq, Burak).

Fadda was the name of Mahomet’s white mule. Al Abbas rode Fadda in the dead of the night to investigate the enemy camp during the capture of Abu Sofian.

In Islamic tradition, Haizum is the name of the horse God gave to the archangel Gabriel for pleasing Him. It was a white, flaming, spiritual horse, winged like Pegasus and said to be able to fly swiftly from one cosmic plane to another in a second.

IRANIAN

In the ancient Persian religion Zoroastrianism, Tishtrya (also known as Tir), the benevolent divinity associated with life-bringing rainfall and fertility, takes the form of a pure white stallion in a cosmological struggle for control of rain against the drought-bringing demon Apaosha. Apaosha transforms himself into a fierce black stallion and soon gains the upper hand in the struggle because humankind lacked sufficient prayers and sacrifices.

After calling upon the Creator, worthy people of worship, prayed to him. The Creator intervened with a sacrifice and Tishtrya was able to overcome Apaosa with the infused power brought by this offering. Tishtrya provided the rains to the scorched fields and pastures forced by drought. Later, Tishtrya was merged with the Semitic God Nabu-Tiri and was identified as being the Dog Star, Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky.

White horses are also said to draw divine chariots, such as that of Aredvi Sura Anahita, the name of an Iranian goddess who is the Avesta's divinity of the waters. This cosmological figure is associated with fertility, healing and wisdom. She is the divinity to whom priests and pupils should pray for insight and knowledge. Riding a chariot drawn by white horses and representing various forms of water, her four horses are named "wind", "rain", "clouds" and "sleet".

CHRISTIAN

Saint James, as patron saint of Spain and Saint George, the patron saint of horsemen were Christian saints associated with white steeds. Saint James rides a white horse in his martial aspect and Saint George from Novgorod, among other things also rides a white horse.

Uastyrdzhi is the Ossetian name of Saint George and embodied both the warrior and sun motifs. Allegedly the deity Uastyrdzhi merged with a pagan deity of Scythian religion and became identified with the figure of St. George after the region adopted Christianity. Often associated with white horses, Uastyrdzhi is frequently depicted as a cavalryman with a long beard, riding on a white horse.

A description of the First Crusade in Gesta Francorum depicts soldiers fighting at Antioch claiming to have been uplifted by a vision of St. George and white horses during the battle.

PHILIPPINES

A white stallion serves as the symbol for the city of Pangantucan. The white stallion is memorialized as the one who saved an ancient tribe from massacre by uprooting a bamboo and thus warning them of the enemy's approach.

VIETNAMESE

In the city of Hanoi, a white horse is honored as its patron saint with the White Horse or Bach Ma Temple. This temple is dedicated to the respected spirit of the horse. The 11th century king, Ly Cong Uan (also known as King Ly Thai To) had a vision of a white horse representing a river spirit which showed him where to build his citadel.

FOLK TALES

In many cultures, especially for Christians during medieval times, horses were used in stories to help followers be mindful of sinning by explaining in explicit detail the striking difference between Heaven (good) and Hell (evil). These Horses of Doom were black or sometimes transformed themselves into white horses that would lure the unwary to their doom.

Various Names of the Horses of Doom:
Cheval Mallet (French) – is a horse that would appear at night as a beautiful white or black horse, saddled and bridled, that tempted unwary travelers exhausted by a long journey to mount. Unless these travelers wore the medal of St. Benedict as a protection spell, Cheval Mallet would then carry them away never to return.

Gytrash (England) – is a creature that would haunt lonely roads awaiting travelers and lead people astray. Taking several shapes, it would appear as a horse, mule, or dog. Although usually feared, they could also be kind, guiding lost travelers to the right road.

Buckland Shag – is an evil Water Horse from Devon, England that would gallop to shore and crush villagers to death. It is said that the red stained rocks of this coast is the blood of the Buckland Shag’s victims. Eventually the local priest banished the beast back to the waters with a book, bell and candle consecrated by the power of God.

Kelpie (Irish, with a watery twist) – is a strong, powerful, and breathtaking horse. The horse's appearance is supposed to be black (though in some stories it was white), that will appear to be a lost pony. Several stories differ depending on the region where it is told. Kelpies lure humans, especially children, into the water to drown and eat them.

Brag was a mischievous creature in Ireland. They could transform into a horse or other animals and punish those who were ungrateful. Friendly to animals; they have been known to rescue them from bogs, but a trickster to humans.

Glashtin is an evil or mischievous creature that is a shape-shifter. It assumes human form at times, but gives up his identity when he fails to conceal his ears which are pointed like that of a horse. It would appear out of its aquatic habitat to come in contact with the island folk. Some describe the Glashtin as a water-horse.

In Scottish folklore, the water horse is the each uisge and is far more vicious than the kelpie. This deadly supernatural water demon transforms in to a fine horse or a handsome man. When in the shape of a horse, it offers itself to be ridden and if a rider mounts and stays away from water it will be fine but, if the each uisge sees water it runs off and carries its rider to the bottom of a lake of which it lives and devours its victim.

In Scotland, the Dunnie was a trickster that was known to take the form of a horse or donkey. It is said to be the ghost of a man who stole from a granary, stored vast amounts of treasure in a hidden cave and thus was killed for these actions. He would trick a rider into mounting him and gently ride away for a while, then without warning the Dunnie would disappear leaving the rider in the muddiest part of the road. Some versions have the Dunnie buck off its rider, shake off its reins and then either gallop away or more strangely, if by a river it would dive into the stream laughing. The Dunnie is also said to disguise itself as a plow-horse only to vanish when the farmer takes him into the stall.

DANISH

A helhest is a three-legged horse associated with death and illness. One version suggests in past years, in every churchyard before any human body was buried in it, a living horse was interred. This horse re-appears and is known by the name of 'Hel-horse.

NORSE (Scandinavian)

Backahast was a deceitful water horse that could transform itself into a useful looking boat or log floating upside down in a lake and when someone approached the trickery they were sucked down and eaten by the Backahast.

TIP from the Trail

The mare in nightmare is not a female horse, but a mara, an Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse term for a demon that sat on sleepers' chests, causing them to have bad dreams.

ENGLISH

The White Horse of Uffington, in Berkshire dates back at least to the Bronze Age and is thought to be the oldest hill figure in Britain. The White Horse is a feature on the banks of Uffington Castle. Its graceful lines of white chalk bedrock are an image of a galloping horse. The steep sided valley below the horse is known as the Manger and folklore says that the horse grazes there at night.

The horse is attributed to a number of famous figures, one of these is the figure of a horse goddess connected with the local Belgae tribe. The goddess is generally believed to be one form of Epona, worshiped throughout the Celtic world. Another is King Alfred, who some believe had it created to memorialize his victory over the Danes in 871. Others suggest the horse was engraved by Hengist, the leader of the Anglo Saxon horde in the 5th century AD. Yet others suggest that the shape represents the steed St George rode when he killed the dragon on nearby Dragon Hill.

Dragon Hill is a low flat-topped mound situated in the valley below the White Horse. In folklore, when St George slew the dragon, its blood spilled on the hilltop and left forever a bare white patch where no grass can grow. Some put forward that the shape is a representation of the slain dragon.

The Headless Horseman is a creature created in stories of many societies. The story has similar versions, but with variations in the events or characters. However, the main idea behind the narrative is still conserved.

IRISH

The dullahan or dulachán (meaning "dark man") is a headless man riding a black horse and carrying his head under one arm. Sometimes he can be seen holding it high to see at great distance. Brandishing a whip made from a human corpse's spine, when the dullahan calls out a name and stops riding, a death occurs; at which point the named person immediately perishes.

The Irish have another version with the gan ceann or “headless” driver of a black carriage. If one wears a gold object or cast one in his path, the creature can be frightened away.

SCOTTISH

A man named Ewen was decapitated in a clan battle at Glen Cainnir on the Isle of Mull. This battle denied him any chance to be a chieftain. He is seen riding his headless horse haunting the area.

ENGLISH

The Middle English poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, exploits a decapitation myth.

GERMAN

Two most prominent accounts of a headless horseman are from The German Legends of the Brothers Grimm (Deutsche Sagen).

The first one is of a woman from Dresden, in eastern Germany who gathers acorns at a place called "Lost Waters", one Sunday morning. Behind her she hears the sound of a hunting horn. Hearing it again, she turns and sees a headless man in a long grey coat sitting on a grey horse.

The next tale, set in Brunswick, speaks of a headless horseman called "the wild huntsman". This figure blows a horn which is said to warn hunters not to ride the following day because they will meet with a misfortune.

Still other versions exist of the headless horseman in German folk tale. Some say he seeks out the perpetrators of capital crimes while another has the headless horseman among a pack of black hounds with tongues of fire.

AMERICAN

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by John Quidor (1858) is set circa 1790 in the Dutch settlement of Tarry Town (based on Tarrytown, New York), in a secluded glen called Sleepy Hollow.

Ichabod Crane was an extremely superstitious schoolmaster from Connecticut, who competes with Abraham "Brom Bones" Van Brunt, for the hand of Katrina Van Tassel. Crane leaves a party he attended at the Van Tassel home and is pursued by the Headless Horseman. Allegedly, this headless rider was the ghost of a Hessian trooper who had his head shot off by a stray cannonball during "some nameless battle" of the American Revolutionary War. Nightly ee rides to the scene of battle in quest of his head.

After Ichabod’s encounter, he mysteriously disappears from town. Now, Brom Bones is left to marry Katrina. Although the nature of the Headless Horseman is left open to interpretation, the story implies that the Horseman was really Brom in disguise.

PHILIPPINE

Tikbalang has the head and feet of an animal, most commonly a horse and lurks in the mountains and forests. They show themselves to scare travelers and lead them astray. Sometimes they will play a trick where the traveler keeps returning to the same spot no matter how far he travelers or how often he turns.

GREEK

Bucephalus was the horse of Alexander the Great. Alexander the Great was seen as a god or the descendent of a god. Therefore, Alexander’s horse was seen as a mythical creature. His sire was a famous powerful and strong horse. Bucephalus grew up to be an incredibly wild and formidable horse that no one could tame. While Alexander was a young boy, his father, King Philip held a competition to see who could overcome the untamable horse. No one was able to tame Bucephalus including King Philip himself! Amazingly, Alexander was able to approach Bucephalus and mount him. The hose remained calm and Alexander had great control over the horse. Alexander came to tame the horse forming a life-long bond.

Another version suggests that Bucephalus lived confined to prison since it was so wild. Alexander the Great noticed the horse and asked his father if he could try and tame the beast. After approval by King Philip, Alexander claimed the beast and converted Bucephalus to a loyal steed.

The name Bucephalus means ‘ox-head’ which implies to some that it had at least one horn on its head. In some medieval scripts, Alexander the Great is seen as riding a horse with one or two horns… Unicorn? More on Bucephalus...See Horses of Military and War

Hippalektryon was a hybrid creature of Ancient Greek folklore that has the foreparts of a horse and the rear parts of a rooster, with yellow feathers.

RUSSIAN

Polkan is is a half-human, half-horse which possesses enormous power and speed. In the first story, Polkan appears as an enemy of the hero Bova Korolevich, but after a battle with him Polkan becomes his loyal friend and ally.

CHINESE

The Good Luck Horse is a story in Chinese culture about a little cloth horse that had been turned into a real horse. When Wa Tung had made it, he had forgotten to cut out eyes for the horse causing destruction in the garden. This made Wa Tung's father very angry and he called the horse “bad luck”. But, when the wizard had the horse walk backward through the garden, the spell reversed all the damage. Now Wa Tung’s father called him "good luck horse". From then on, he was known as “Good luck - Bad luck horse”.

Still, this horse continued to break things and so Wa Tung's father sent him away. In his new environment, Good luck - Bad luck horse met a mare named No good mare whom he later married. Missing Wa Tung, Good luck – Bad luck horse and No good mare traveled together to see him.

Now going to war, Wa Tung chose to ride Good luck – Bad luck horse into battle. As luck would have it, Good-luck Bad-luck horse calculated a plan and convinced all the other horses not to carry their masters into battle. The men made peace and Good luck - Bad luck horse from then on was called only "Luck" and his wife, No good mare, was called "Luck's wife."

INDIAN

Dyaus Pitr, the Sky Father, has been represented during the day-time as a red bull who bellows thunder or as the night heavens in form of a black horse adorned with pearls, symbolizing the stars.

Sub-Genres of FOLK TALE

FAIRYTALE

Art by Laurie Pace

In the fairy tale "Virgilius the Sorcerer" by Andrew Lang, Virgil’s magic takes many forms. Among his creations, he invents and animates a horse, rider and dogs out of copper to assert his will. This horse displays more attributes than the usual magical powers to the ancient Roman poet Virgil. In the tale’s Roman battle, Virgilius formed his copper horse and rider who ordered all men indoors. Only the honest obeyed, and the horse trampled those it found outside. The following day, the surviving thieves tried to stop this powerful machine by using ropes and to seize it, and others used rope ladders to escape it. Virilius created two copper dogs to jump up and bite the thieves to death.

The Fox and the Horse

All his life the powerful white horse ploughed the fields and worked hard for his master. The day came when the horse grew old and could no longer perform work for his master. His master would no longer feed the horse since he was no use to him, but his master still meant well by the horse and allowed him to prove himself still strong. He offered to maintain the horse if it could bring him a lion. “Go to the woods and leave my stable” his master said to horse.

With his head hung low in sorrow, the horse met a fox. The fox asked the horse why he was so unhappy and the horse told him his plight. The fox offered a plan to help the horse and instructed the horse to lie on ground as if he were dead. Running to the lion’s den, not far from the horse, the fox told the lion of an immense meal waiting in the woods. The fox told the lion that he should eat the horse in the privacy of his den and convinced the lion that he could tie the horse to the lion and drag him home. The fox tied the lion's legs together with the horse's tail, and twisted and fastened it all so well and so strongly that no strength could break it.

When he had finished fastening the lion to the horse, the fox tapped the horse on the shoulder and said, pull, horse, pull. The horse stood up and drew the lion away with him to his master’s door. When the master saw the lion, he was of a better mind, and said to the horse, you shall stay with me and fare well, and he gave him plenty to eat until he died.

The Little Horse Gornok

Ivan was the youngest of three brothers living with their father on a Russian wheat farm. The farm was their only source of income and havoc would happen in the fields at night. An unknown creature would tromp around destroying the crops and Ivan was the only brother who succeeded in finding the culprit.

Ivan discovered a mysterious and magical horse rustling in the wheat. The horse had pearl hooves and a golden mane. For her freedom, the mare offered Ivan three horses; two of them beautiful and the third a deformed, humble horse he names Gornok. Soon, Ivan and Gornok became very close friends. Ivan’s brothers try and steal the two prized foals and in order to stop this crime, Ivan and Gornok take a journey to find them. They end up at the feet of the almighty Tsar, who offers Ivan a job in the royal stables. What seemed like the perfect opportunity soon turns into a taxing venture when the Tsar begins sending Ivan on almost impossible quests for mysterious creatures. Ivan is threatened that if he returns empty handed, the Tsar will have him beheaded.

Traveling all of Russia, through forests and over oceans, on the wise and trusty steed’s back they always returned triumphant. Over time Ivan fell in love with the beautiful fiancée of the Tsar. To stall the wedding and to find a way to ruin the Tsar before it was too late was the most difficult challenge they both faced. If they were not successful, Ivan’s true love would be lost to the Tsar forever.

FABLE

The Golden Horse

A beautiful wild horse colored in gold would run fast and free across the green hills. A dark man with a gloomy expression envied the golden horse’s beauty and riches. Putting his devious plan in place, one night he set a trap for the golden horse. This trap was deceitful to the horse; made of flowers and the sweetest grass. The golden horse went to the offering and the dark man entrapped it and ensnared it with ropes and with chains. The golden beauty reared and kicked but all the time, the dark man just laughed for he had tied his end of the ropes and chains to a tree that was stronger than the golden horse could ever be. As time passed, the horse could no longer stand, and it sank to its knees. Its beautiful golden face touched the ground and at that moment there raised a ghostly form, from the horse. A white form of pure light, of pure radiant light and beauty, and it was a unicorn being born and released and rising fully from the fallen horse. The dark man came and took the wounded horse to a dingy stable. Many years later, a “magic being” noticed a saddened unicorn. Asking who and why it was here, the distressed unicorn replies, “I do not know”. Helping the unicorn, the “magic being” relocates them to another place. The unicorn appears as a soft ghost to saddened twins who just lost their parents. Together the children and the unicorn discover the golden horse and win its freedom.

The Horse and the Ass

A horse and an ass were travelling together, the Horse prancing along in its fine trimmings while the ass was carrying with difficulty the heavy weight in its panniers. "I wish I were you," sighed the Ass; "nothing to do and well fed, and all that fine harness upon you."

The next day, however, there was a great battle, and the horse was wounded to death in the final charge of the day. His friend, the ass, happened to pass by shortly afterwards and found him on the point of death. "I was wrong," said the ass.

Moral of Aesops Fable:
Better humble security than gilded danger

The Horse and the Stag

The horse had the plain entirely to himself. One day a stag intruded into his domain and shared his pasture. Desiring to revenge himself on the stranger, the horse asked a man if he were willing to help him in punishing the stag. The man replied that if the horse would receive a bit in his mouth, and agree to carry him, he would contrive very effectual weapons against the stag. The horse agreed, and allowed the man to mount him. From that moment the horse found that, instead of obtaining revenge on the stag, he had enslaved himself to the service of man.

Moral of Aesops Fable:
He who seeks to injure others often injures only himself.

The horse which is my mind flies like the wind.

He gallops on the plains of great bliss.

Author Unknown

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE ANY INFO/PHOTOS YOU MAY HAVE RELATING to

MYTH / LEGEND / FOLK TALE HORSES

Your Comments and Corrections are Always Welcomed

info@agreenhorse.com

Monetary Costs of Owning a Horse

2011-06-14T22:09:00.000-04:00

MONETARY COSTS of OWNING a HORSE

Want to know how much a horse owner can expect to spend for the maintenance of a horse for one year?

Owning a horse is a serious duty. All those concerned and/or affected need to know some of the basic expenses in sustaining such an undertaking. Having experience with public boarding as well as costs encountered with horses on my property, the following description should provide valuable information for decision making and budgeting.

The costs estimates used here are based on maintaining one healthy horse used for recreational riding and general enjoyment for one year. Outlays may vary tremendously depending on the area of the country and the type of horse purchased. How the horse will be enjoyed is also a significant factor in determining expenditures. Horses that are shown or sold for profit can increase costs considerably.

RECREATIONAL HORSE BUDGET GUIDE

FEED:

NOTES:

There are no estimates for costs of land, shelter, equipment or insurance(s) included above.

The above costs are based on the horse kept at home or for other options requiring the purchase of feed.

It is beneficial to know the actual weight of a horse when developing rations. This allows a more accurate estimate of the nutrient requirements and expected intake of the horse being fed. The above totals are based on a 1300 lb horse. As a general rule, a horse should consume greater than or equal to 1.0 percent of body weight in forage (hay or pasture grasses and legumes) each day, and less than or equal to 1.0 percent of body weight in concentrate per day.

The “hay or hay pellets” quantities above assume that a horse consumes hay at a rate of .5% of his body weight daily – remaining .5 to 1% to be consumed in quality pasture grasses.

Hay bales vary in size; totals in this guide are based on the bale of hay weighing 50 lbs. A 2 wire/string bale will range from 40-75 lbs. while a 3 wire bale generally runs 95-110 lbs.

The annual amount of hay the horse consumes will vary depending on your location and the quality of the pastures the horse will graze. The importance of good pastures should not be under estimated. The consumption of purchased hay can decrease drastically if pastures are maintained with proper mineral levels and the proper horse/pasture size ratio. For more info … Horse Boarder Checklist - Writing on the Stall

A majority of horses are fed grain/pellets; however there are those who may disagree with the viewpoint of feeding any grain/pellets. This judgment may be based on the quality of pastures and hay available, exercise and/or feeding philosophy. If grain is added to the diet of a horse that is fed quality pasture and hay, all rations of feed will need to be adjusted to suitable levels for the proper maintenance of the horse. The quantities used above are based on a 1300 lb horse consuming .5% of his weight in grain daily.

A true value for all feed may vary. An accurate value is only obtained by weighing a volume of the actual feed.

Salt consumption assumes a horse will need/use one four pound block per year. Depending on where the horse will live, its health and exercise program are variables that will affect the salt intake of the horse.

There are no estimates for the costs of treats or supplements in this guide.

MAINTENANCE:

NOTES:

The quantity of bedding will vary depending on the stall size and how often the horse will utilize the stall.

The cost of bedding in this guide is based on a 12’ x 12’ stall and that the horse is sheltered a few hours every day, 7 months a year and approximately 8 hours a day for the remaining 5 months.

The costs for “horse care products” include basic items for essential grooming and care of a horse. They comprise of a hoof pick, brushes, shampoo, fly spray, wound dressing, scraper and two buckets.

Vet estimates assume that the horse will have one or two minor injuries or illnesses during the year and may also get a minor check-up.

The types and frequency of administering vaccines as well as a “worming routine” will vary considerably depending on the region in which the horse lives, the conditions of the facility, overall health of the horse and its age. Both “vaccines” and “worming” estimates assume the owner administers them, not the vet.

Tack is equipment a horse owner will need to interact with the horse. The costs can vary from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. Once purchased, the majority of these items will last many years. The cost of tack is not included in the above list.

Private Riding and /or Horsemanship Lessons would be another cost to consider. Here to, the fees can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. The cost for lessons is not included in the above list.

HORSE BOARDING:

NOTES:

The price range is wide because of the numerous types of facilities and options available; another factor is the location of the facility. Is it in a rural setting or near a busy city?

Full boarding costs generally include feed, a stall and someone to feed and turnout the horse. Some barns allow various options from full board to just field board for the horse. There are co-op barns which supply only the facility while the horse owner is required to purchase everything for the horse as well as working around the facility. Usually, co-op facilities require each horse owner to supply their time for the care of all the horses on the property. This is often on a rotating schedule with all the boarders.

As noted, there can be several arrangements offered for boarding a horse; however they are not available in all areas.

Shoeing, vet, horse care products, worming, vaccinations, riding instruction/lessons are usually extra at all barns. Considering facilities to board your horse? See…Horse Boarder Checklist - Writing on the Stall

The boarding cost amounts used in this guide are based on research done in 2012, in the states of the Mid-Atlantic region.

None of the above estimates include taxes, delivery charges or personal vehicle expenses (example; picking-up hay, purchasing items, etc).

Monetary costs are just one element one needs to consider with owning a horse. Anticipate this as well, time is a valuable commodity and much will be required from you when you bring a horse into your world.

A horse should receive proper care and this requires several commitments from the owner.

See the “5 Freedoms” … Horse Bathing

Go Green Tips:

Reuse plastic gallon jugs for grain scoops. Thoroughly wash and dry the container and lid. Cut to shape the container with a knife. Glue lid permanently in place. Mark sides with a permanent pen indicating feed quantities or measure out the feed ration for your horse and mark a line. Write the name of the horse on the line.
Metal coffee cans (the ones with the plastic lid) make sturdy feed scoops too.

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

A pony is a childhood dream. A horse is an adulthood treasure.

Rebecca Carroll

The Progress Before and After / The Dining Room

2011-02-23T21:04:00.000-05:00

The Dining Room - Before

The Progress Inside...

The Dining Room

I cannot believe we have been in our home for nearly a year now. We waited so long to get here, but wasted no time to start making our mark. We have accomplished so many things, I thought posting some before and after pictures of the work that has been completed so far would help tell our story of restoring the old farm house and property. We have "Gone Country".

One of the reasons we wanted an older home was for the woodworking details that are rarely replicated in homes built today. These handcrafted raised panels cried out for attention. This picture does not show the separation of the raised panels or any other defects the room held, but all of them poked loudly when you walked inside. Each panel had all the caulking removed; then was sanded and re-caulked. This took many evenings, but after three weeks they were ready for paint. I moved on to the walls which needed the same care and time to prepare them. Holes were filled, along with a lot of scraping and sanding of the imperfections.

The Dining Room - After

I favor the deep rich colors and painting the walls “Red Delicious” was a success for creating the ambience I wanted to achieve. It is made by Glidden and was in an egg shell finish. I chose “Crisp White Linen” for the trim and I will carry this color, on all the trim work, throughout the house. It too is made by Glidden but the finish was in a semi-gloss.

Everything we have completed so far started with a game plan before we ever moved forward with the actual work. Debating back and forth, we decided to leave the baseboard heating vents in place until we remove all of them throughout the house at one time. New units for heating and AC were installed and these vents are no longer needed. My husband changed the chandelier to the one we brought with us from our previous home. I purchased this chandelier many years ago and it was bare boned compared to what it is today. I searched for crystal pendants and chains of varying shapes and sizes. As time went on, I added them to the skeleton creating our dining room chandelier.

Many more projects to complete, inside and outside, so stay tuned.

Go Green Tips:

Look into buying salvaged items. Of course, think safety first, but in certain areas a salvaged item could be better than new one. Can a rustic, reclaimed door for a room work or can it be used as a coffee table? Be creative and look around; there are a lot of items laying around out there just waiting for ideas.
List items you no longer have a use for on sites like "Craigs List". The chandelier we took down in the dining room went in 1 week after posting it.

One man's trash is another man's treasure!

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

"To understand the soul of a horse is the closest human beings can come to knowing perfection."

Author Unknown

Changes

2010-05-30T20:07:00.042-04:00

After living out of a hotel room, our possessions stored all over town and with quite a bit of time passing, we finally did it. It took countless truckloads to get everything moved in. Now unpacking, planning, restoring, and rebuilding engulf every minute of our free time. With all comes many changes. The previous posts have been removed until we settle and reorganize. Periodically, I intend to release older blogs in some organized manner as time allows. We have so many things to accomplish with moving into our new home, along with the necessary work around the property. Time will be of the essence, but oh how we will savor every minute!

Looking forward to the future and a whole new way of living; bringing it all to the blog will be interesting. We have come so far, and although our journey to reach our farm concludes, a new journey begins as we strive to make our mark in our new home.

We have “Gone Country” – we are home.

GONE COUNTRY!

Front Drive

Go Green Tips:

donate unusable items in good working condition
when moving, collect reused boxes from your local stores for packing up your items

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.

Henry David Thoreau

Change Your Thoughts

2010-04-10T21:17:00.019-04:00

Norman Vincent Peale

Looking back over the past four years, our lives have been filled with so many discoveries, both personally and professionally. These years have flown by adding more of them to the pile we have already accumulated. They have allowed us to grow internally and to truly focus on our future and a new way of life; one less complicated, simpler, in the country with our horses. This dream started with just a thought so many years ago and has led us to where we are today.

     We really worked hard mentally, physically and, emotionally to be where we are in our transformation, and we continue to live each day with the same solid effort and determination. We knew at the onset of our voyage that a lot of things had to change in order to realize our dream of a country life. At times, the idea of change was very scary, but we knew our minds, hearts and souls needed to be open to receiving, exploring, and learning in order to reach our destination.

    Reaching for our new life in the country, planted from that tiny seed all those years ago, was set in motion when we left the family business. This was the time for us to go for it! We started planning right out of the gate. The roads we traveled were unfamiliar and new; up and down, round and round we went, dealing with everyday life, our new business, and the ongoing move added even more twists and turns to our existence. Ironically, the roller coaster ride of emotions that we experienced is what gave us the mental strength to finish the ride.

    The chances and changes on the journey of life are unpredictable. Of all the roads we went down, astonishingly, one path landed us in a very familiar place. Our travels took us back to a world we left behind…back to the family business. Who would have thought that we would ever return, but due to the business's situation, it was necessary to take the plunge and dive back in. How does one's life change in so many ways, yet land in the exact spot they started ...and oh gosh, how will all this fit in to our “simpler country life”? Gratefully, the return did not stop us from moving forward. However, we did juggle for a while whether to move or not, but we stayed on target and decided to MOVE!

    Learning more and more from each and every journey, and keeping this knowledge close; we realized and understood the importance of focus and perception. This is how we achieved genuine change in our lives. When it all remains the same; the people, the places, the things, ourselves, we gain comfort and we feel secure. But idleness breeds stagnancy; change is what breeds growth. For some, the familiarity of consistency is satisfying, but for others, their dreams are what fuel their ambition. To change your world you must change your thoughts and step outside of your comfort zone. Authentic change occurs from within.

Change your thoughts and you change your world.

Upon returning to the family business, we sensed a difference because we had changed, we were different. We grew so much from all of the challenges we met along the way, and we were prepared to join our old professional lives with our new personal ones. Our thoughts focused, and with the learned knowledge from our experiences, we moved forward with our dream - that simpler life in the country. But where would we live? Work is in a fast growing city and our ideal property would not be obtainable there. We brought out the maps and started planning the trips to look for our new home. A reasonable drive time to work was now an important factor on where to settle. Originally, we were looking about three hours away (our new business was mobile), but this was not possible now because the family business is a brick and mortar building. Ironically, our limitation on drive time to work carried us across the state line for possible prospects. Not holding back, we set out again and again to find our new home!

WE FINALLY DID IT!

Before this blog has posted, our home sold and we found a property we truly adore. We were so fortunate to stumble across such a place. The peaceful serenity, the majestic mature landscape, and the home holding historic significance in the area drew us in - perfect for us! The lush green pastures and a quaint red barn - perfect for the horses!

“We changed our thoughts, our thoughts changed us; this changed the way we saw the world";

The Beginning of a Whole New Life

Our New Home

Our Back Pastures and Barn

Our Side Pastures

Our Accomplishment -
Fulfillment, a sense of peace

Go Green Tips:

once moved and unpacked, recycle your boxes - cut and fold them down before placing in recycle container or place an ad on Craigslist offering them free to someone else who can reuse them
recycle bucket water the horses didn't drink - water the plants with it

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

The great thing in this world is not so much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving

Oliver Wendell Holmes

Herbs for My Horses…Their Names

2010-02-27T08:13:00.002-05:00

Herbs for My Horses…Their Names

HERB NAMES A - H and S - Z:

the rest of the alphabet is coming

There is a variety of herbs available to use in the gardens. Listed below are the more widely accepted herbs that are great for maintaining healthy equines, each with a short discussion. Caution here, some herbs are for internal and external applications, some just internal and while others just external. Before administering anything to the horse, discuss with an equine health professional.

Adder’s Tongue – (Ophioglossum vulgatum) A fern-plant grown naturally in fields and waste areas. A wound ointment can be prepared infusing the leaf and spiking in warm olive oil and brewing gently, but not boiling. Mix equal parts of olive oil, nut fat, and either white wax or preferably bees-wax melted over a low heat until fully dissolved. Add finely chopped adder’s tongue (use the whole plant) stir well until absorbed, about 10 minutes. Pour into jars keeping uncovered until well “set”. Apply to all wounds, sores, bruises and ulcers.

Agrimony – (Agrimonia eupatoria) Grown in fields, this plant bears small “rose” like yellow flowers. Horses will not eat this vegetation in the wild. A valuable astringent to stop bleeding and a remedy for sore throats; but mainly used as a remedy for jaundice, given to a fasting animal as a drench.
Another option, finely cut the entire plant and mix with equal parts of bran administered as feed.

Used in lotion form to treat sprains or strained limbs. To prepare, place one handful of chopped herb (use the whole plant) in one-quart infusion made with wheaten flour; bring to boil, boil for 30 minutes and steep for two hours. Stir in two tablespoons beer. Apply by messaging lotion well into treatment area of the body.

The plant grows in many textures of soil and has no preference to acid or alkaline levels. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires dry or moist soil. It is in flower from June to August, and the seeds ripen from August to September.

Alder – (Alnus glutinosa) A deciduous tree grown in moist places such as riverbanks. Leaves and barks of this short, stout tree can be used to reduce swelling by its cooling and astringent properties. Bonding a cold poultice bandage of fresh leaves in position can be applied externally to reduce swelling and relieve inflammation. Combining alder leaves or bark with bran can be administered internally for the treatment of blood ailments and rheumatic illnesses.

Alder grows on a wide variety of soils, from well to somewhat poorly drained with light to moderate textures. It does not do well on drought or wet sites. Alder grows well on acid soils, and reduced growth occurs under the alkaline or near-neutral conditions that are desirable for many other species.

At maturity, the tree can grow to 45ft. Its flower bloom period is mid spring. Small, winged seed are produced inside little woody cone-like fruits. The seasonality of the fruit/seed is summer to fall. The bark is dark brown, with prominent warty strips.

Alfalfa – (Medicago sativa) A flowering plant in the legume family. It resembles clover with clusters of small pale purple flowers. Alfalfa grows in meadows, along the edges of forests, among bushes, on riversides, along roadsides, and on hillsides. Under normal conditions, wild horses would not have access to this particular type of alfalfa; however, they would to other legumes, such as clover. Feeding horses alfalfa is a matter of much controversy. Generally, the sugar levels of this legume range from low to moderate. Many equine nutritionists agree that if a horse can tolerate the richness of this legume, it is a good idea to feed alfalfa as a small part of the horse's overall diet. A great fodder crop, Alfalfa is primarily processed and used in the form of dried hay or cubes, silage, and fresh forage known as "greenchop," or the most beneficial form comes as natural growth, that simply the horse grazes. In addition, it is available in tablets or capsules and in the form of liquid extracts.

Alfalfa is a perennial plant sown in spring or fall and does best on well-drained soils with a neutral pH of 6.8 – 7.5. Alfalfa requires a great deal of potassium to grow healthy. It is moderately sensitive to salt levels and soils low in richness; fertilize with manure, but correction of pH is particularly important. Flowering time is early spring into summer, May-July; seeds ripen in July-September.

Nutrient analysis demonstrates the presence of protein, calcium, potassium, iron, and zinc, vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K. The roots of this highly nutritious plant penetrate deeply into the soil, providing one of the best sources of natural Vitamin K as well as vitamins C and E. An excellent herb for tonic that is refreshing and energetic when administered internally. The young alfalfa leaves can be used for disorders related to the digestive tract and the kidneys. Alfalfa seeds ground into a cold poultice bandage of seeds applied externally and bound in position can be used to soothe insect bites and boils.

Almond – (Prunus dulcis) The almond is a moderate size deciduous tree usually growing from 20 to 30 feet high. Its natural habitat is mainly woodlands. The plant prefers a well-drained, moisture-retentive, medium (loamy) soil.

The flowers are white or pale pink produced before the leaves in early spring from March to April. The seed is mature in autumn, 7–8 months after flowering usually ripening in October. The nut kernels and extracted oil have internal and external uses. To administer as an internal nutrient for the young and sick, the kernels can be whole or blanched depending on the recipient's condition and mixed with milk after being finely grated. This mixture can relieve lung ailments and cough and can serve as a mild laxative for newborns. A light covering of the extracted oil can be applied externally as a skin remedy with a soothing effect. It aids tremendously in the cure of sore places that refuse to heal. Sore eyelids, cracked noses and lips obtain relief and curative results from the oil which in addition is an excellent remedy for sore teats in lactating mares.

Internally as a nutrient for the young and sick, kernels whole or blanched, depending on the recipient’s condition are finely grated and mixed into milk for administration. Externally, a light covering of the extracted oil applied to wounds and sore places, refusing to heal, aids in cure tremendously. Additionally, the oil is an excellent remedy for sore teats in lactating mares; sore eyelids, cracked noses and lips obtain relief and curative results.

Aloes - (Aloe communis) Native to warm climates and distinguished by its fleshy, cactus-like appearance, aloes grow naturally along hillsides in sandy, dry places. A perennial, tolerant of poor soils requires dry out periods in-between watering. A full hot sunny position indoors or out is necessary and when grown in colder zones outdoors, some protection from winter cold (a glass frame) is crucial.

The leaves and stems of this plant can be used in both internal and external remedies. The internal uses include treatments for constipation, indigestion, worms and urinary ailments. The stems can be stripped of their skin and applied raw, as a pulp. The pulp can be massaged into the udder as a mastitis treatment or applied as comfort for skin ailments, wounds, sores, bruises and tumors. A procurable solid “juice” is removed from the leaves and sun-dried. Exclusively from this solid, aloe “balls” are prepared, used by old-time farriers as a sluice and conditioner. Internally, these “balls” have a laxative effect.

Angelica – (Angelica archangelica) A deep, moist loam, in a shady position usually near running water is the natural growing habitat of angelicas. A very hardy plant tolerating severe frosts without damage requires moist soil with a pH in the range 4.5 to 7.3. Although by nature biennial, if prevented to set seed, the plants can become reliably perennial. A beautiful and powerful plant with all parts of it, the roots, the stems, leaves and seeds used for medicinal purposes.

The root can be dug up in the autumn of the first year, dried rapidly then placed in airtight containers to retain their medicinal qualities for many years. Shaved root can be given raw to remove stones and hard matter of the bladder and bowels. When the whole herb is used, collect in June and cut directly above the root at ground level. The hollow stems, harvested in the spring for best results, can be prepared into a tonic to aid in fertility. The obtained essential oil from the roots and seeds hold beneficial uses as a rub to relieve rheumatic conditions. Keep the juices derived from this plant out of eye contact.

Harvest and dry the leaves in late spring before the plant comes into flower. The flowers are small and numerous, yellowish or greenish in color blooming in July to August, and are succeeded by pale yellow, oblong seeds when they ripen from August to September. The seeds are a digestive tonic and both the odor and taste of the seeds are pleasantly aromatic. If the seeds are required, gather when ripe and dried. Pick a warm spot where air circulates freely, spread the collected seed heads thinly on a heavy cotton canvas. Allow the tops to dry for a few days then using a medium stick beat out seeds with a light thrash, care taken not to injure the seed. Strain the seeds (fruits) to remove portions of the stalks; retaining the seeds, discarding the stalks. Again, in the sun or in a warm and sunny room spread seeds out in a very thin layer; allow to remain for a week to 10 days turning every day to remove the last remnant of moisture.

Aniseed – (Pimpinella anise) An annual plant with lacy leaves and heads of creamy flowers that give way to seeds containing flavorsome oils. Sown near coriander, the plant will improve seed formation thus germinating more rapidly. Aniseed prefers full sun and a light moist soil that drains well. It will tolerate dry soil conditions; however, during dry periods, aniseed requires water frequently.

The flowering period is July to August and harvesting the flower heads should occur after the flower umbels have become heavy with ripe brown seeds and the flower head has died, but before they drop. Collect dried seeds from mid to late summer and dry them in a cool, dry location. If possible, expose to direct sunlight to allow the seeds to dry out completely. When crisp and dry, rub seeds between palms to separate from the hull, strain to separate seeds from the husks, and store seeds in airtight containers.

Used internally, the application of seeds is unsurpassed in relieving colic or gas flatus; also used for a persistent irritable cough. Externally, the extracted volatile oil can be applied to the treatment areas for parasitic infestations such as lice and scabies.

Arnica – (Arnica Montana) Also known as leopard's bane, wolf's bane and mountain tobacco is a tall stemmed plant, supporting usually a single flower head. The flower heads are yellow and appear from late spring through summer. Arnica is a perennial of hillsides, stony plains and rocky places. It is versatile and requires only partial sun and normal watering conditions. Arnica prefers poor acidic soils thriving in a mixture of loam, peat, and sand.

The flowers and the roots are the parts used in herbal healing remedies, but especially the flower heads. Pick off the whole flowers in mid to late summer and dry them on a flat screen in an airy room. For the root, dig up after the leaves have died in autumn.

Exercise great care when using this plant. Use Arnica for external applications only because it contains the toxin helenalin, which produces severe gastroenteritis and internal bleeding of the digestive tract if ingested. Others may be particularly sensitive to the plant and poisoning can occur. Take caution with skin contact; applied to broken or sensitive skin can cause skin irritation. Externally, it is prepared as creams, ointments, liniments, salves, oils and tinctures (sprays). A handful of the flowers or whole plant brewed in two cups water make an excellent tincture for treatment of muscle aches, joint stiffness, reducing inflammation and swelling from fractures, sprains, bruises, and insect bites. It has been found to relieve itching and scratching of wounds and assists in healing, leaving no scars. When making tincture do not strain plant parts from water and allow cooling before messaging externally into the affected areas. A teaspoon of arnica tincture added to 3 ½ pints of water or witch hazel for use as a general wash-down for cooling tired, bruised muscles and legs.

Asparagus – (Asparagus officinalis) This plant enjoys a sunny position on dry banks in rich soil that is well drained and sandy. Easily grown in any good garden soil; asparagus prefers a pH of 6.5 or higher, though it tolerates a pH in the range 4.3 to 8.2. Harvest the shoots in the spring while the harvesting of the roots are in late spring, after the shoots have been cut as a food crop, and are dried for later use. It is in flower in August and the seeds ripen from September to October.

In the Middle East, asparagus grows wild and is much sought after by horses and cattle. Beneficial to both horse and human, the shoots are a good source of protein and dietary fiber. The seeds possess antibiotic activity. Medicinally, both the roots and the shoots are used; they have a restorative and cleansing effect on the bowels, kidneys, bladder and liver. Male plants produce the best shoots. Caution in harvesting the plant, for over harvesting will weaken it in the following year. Asparagus is a good companion plant for tomatoes, parsley and basil. When grown together, tomatoes help to protect asparagus from the asparagus beetle and asparagus repel the nematodes that can infect tomatoes.

Avens – (Geum urbanum) This is a perennial plant of the fields growing in shady places such as woodland edges and near hedgerows. Sow in all pastures for avens is a very safe and useful herb. Avens prefer shade and a well-drained soil rich in organic matter. Rather small for the size of the plant, the flowers have five bright yellow petals. Flowers are in bloom all summer and autumn and often as late as December. Flowers are less prominent than the round fruit heads, which succeed them.
From very early times, medicinally this kind herb existed as a heart tonic, cleanser of the liver and spleen, cure for dysentery and strengthener of the digestive tract. Therapeutic properties lie within all the various segments of the plant, but especially inside the root. Procure the roots in the spring when the soil is dry. At this time, the root is at aroma height, so give care in the drying process. Once dried, slice then powder the herb accordingly, the powder form retains more properties than sliced reserves.

Balm – (Melissa officinalis) Easy to grow, it succeeds in any light rich moist soil that is well drained located in a sunny to partial shade position. The leaves emit a fragrant lemon odor when bruised and having a distinct lemon taste both edible and appetizing to horses. The flowers, white or yellowish are in loose small bunches that flourish from June to October. The whole plant is available for therapeutic value used fresh or dried. For drying, harvest just before or just after flowering. Cut the plant back hard after flowering to produce a fresh flush of leaves. The plant dies down in winter, but as a perennial will return yearly.

Used internally as a mild sedative, calming agent, to increase milk yield and to prevent miscarriage. It is excellent in colds attended with fever, as it promotes perspiration. The growing plant repels flies and ants while the leaves rubbed on the skin act as a repellent. Although the essential oil containing citral and citronella would be more effective here. Excellent soother when applied externally to insect bites and stings.

Add a small twig with leaves to a bucket filled halfway of hot water; let steep and cool for 20 minutes. Add tepid water to fill for an herbal bath or rubdown, a delightful experience for the horse.

Barley – (Horrdeum species) This annual grain is an important wild and cultivated grass. Barley plants are annual grasses, which may be either winter annuals or spring annuals with its most active growth period in the spring and summer. Grown in temperate areas as a summer crop, it prefers cool conditions but is not particularly winter hardy. The greatest bloom usually observed in the early summer, with fruit and seed production starting in the summer and continuing until fall. The spike, which contains the flowers and later the mature seeds attach to a central stem.

Barley enjoys full sun and is somewhat tolerant to drought and restricted water conditions. The soil texture can vary, but prefers a pH range of 6–8.5. Barley is a major ingredient of animal feed; as feed, it is nearly equal in nutritive value to kernel corn. In addition, barley grows as a hay crop in some areas when only smooth-awned varieties or awnless is used. Winter barley also may be pastured moderately before the stems start to elongate. It furnishes nutritive pasturage for horses as well as therapeutic remedies used for blood cooling and tonic cereal feed.

Borage - (Borago officinalis) A hardy annual plant that seeds itself freely and comes up year after year in the same place, if left alone. Borage is cultivated primarily as a decorative ornament to attract bees for its bright blue and star-shaped flowers that yield excellent honey. Borage flourishes in ordinary soil and its natural habitat is cultivated ground, beside field walls, and often along waysides. Its average height is approximately 25 inches. Generally, early planting results in higher seed yield and blooms occur in June. Seeds may also be sown in the fall, but will flower the following spring, in May.

The Borage leaves are widely used as a culinary plant in Mediterranean countries. Leaves should be gathered when the plant is coming into flower. Strip them off individually and use as spinach, in pickles and salads, and in claret cup and iced drinks. The flower is reminiscent of cucumber and can be used in salads, soups, and some vegetable and meat dishes. Borage flowers are also used as a colorful, edible decoration in foods.

Uses of Borage include the treatment of jaundice, coughs, fever, dermatitis, and kidney ailments. It has also been used to stimulate lactation and employed as a tonic, diaphoret diuretic, demulcent and emollient. The medicinal value derives from the high concentration of -linolenic acid in the seed oil. Borage has supportive effects on the skin and can help support the production of natural oils in the skin. Caution, Borage is slightly poisonous if taken in excess.

Bramble -

Blackberry - (Rubus fructicosus, Rosaceae) A common thorny hedgerow and wasteland herb, known for its juicy and edible fruits. Blackberries are perennial plants and are found growing wild almost everywhere in the northern hemisphere, except in the deserts. Blackberries can withstand periods of reduced rainfall, but should get at least an inch per week.

The white, pink or purple rose-like flowers are produced in late spring and early summer on second year stems. These stems die back after the ripe purple-black berries follow during September to October. Maximum fruit production comes from berries grown in full sun.

Blackberries are used in foods and for medicinal purposes. They can be consumed fresh, or used in prepared foods, such as desserts, jams, seedless jellies, yogurt, and sometimes wine. Bramble is an important wild plant that all animals will eat with avidity therefore; it should be grown in every pasture or along a fence line.

The fruits of the Blackberry are astringent. It is said, fresh plucked leaves, warmed over a fire, will heal most skin aliments. Apply the white underside to the skin, this draws while the green upper side soothes. Pulped leaves can be applied to burns and foot blisters.
A brew made from the root is an effective remedy for prolonged diarrhea.

Make an external brew of one handful of leaves to 1 1/2 pints of water. Bathe the affected areas twice daily.

Raspberry - (Rabus idaeus. Rosaceae) A bramble-like woodland shrub, raspberry is known for its juicy red berries. The berries are mildly laxative and very cooling and soothing in fevers. The leaves are gathered throughout the growing season and can be used as a tonic herb in pregnancy to prevent complications. In addition, raspberry leaves can also be made into a brew for inflammation and ulcers in the mouth.

Broom Tops - (Cytisus scoparius. Leguminosae) Being found in abundance on sandy pastures and heaths in Europe and Asia, it can be found sparingly naturalized in sandy soil in North America. It grows on numerous long, straight, slender bright green branches that are tough and very flexible. Reaching a height of 3 to 5 feet, the branch tops produce fragrant flowers. The tiny leaves are distinguishable and the bright yellow flowers bloom from April to July. Flowers are succeeded by flattened pods, about 1 1/2 inch long and turn nearly black when mature. They burst when the seeds are ripe flinging them to a distance by the spring-like twisting of the valves or sides of the pods. Seedlings may be transplanted in autumn or spring to their permanent position.

Broom is used both in the fresh and dried state. The young, tips of the flowering branches are collected in early spring, generally in May. Broom tops have active properties and are used for medicinal purposes. Broom seeds contain active properties as well and are used sometimes. Water and alcohol extract their active properties. In Russia, peasants use broom tops as a very successful remedy for rabies.

For external parasites and severe forms of certain skin ailments, infuse one handful of flowers in one pint of hot milk. Variation: One handful of broom tops, brewed in two pints boiling water for 15 minutes and then strain.

Buckwheat - (Fagopyrum esculentum) This is an annual grain that was introduced to the United States from Europe. Buckwheat tolerates a majority of well drained soils. Buckwheat thrives in cool, moist climates. It often wilts during the hottest part of the day, but it quickly recovers in the damp evening air. Growing 1/2" to 2 1/2" tall in size, this plant will mature quickly from seed and produces flower clusters at a small size. The clusters (racemes) are 1-3" long and they are densely crowded with whorls of flowers. Each flower is up to ½" across; they are white and sometimes become green toward the throat of the flower.

Buckwheat grows naturally in fields, along roads and roadsides, irregularly mowed lawns, and waste areas. This plant is cultivated occasionally as a source of fodder for animals. It may also be planted as a green manure for agricultural fields because it increases phosphorus, soil organic matter content and improves soil structure in the root zone. Sow seeds from the middle of spring to early summer. Germination usually occurs in 5 days. The seeds are an attractive source of food to various birds and small mammals, including squirrels. The foliage is occasionally eaten by rabbits, deer, and livestock. However, a photosensitive reaction occurs in light-skinned animals that eat the foliage while in the presence of sunlight. This reaction is called "fagopyrism," producing such symptoms as swelling of the head and neck, blistering of the skin, and seizures.

For herbal applications, dried aerial parts are used along with seeds/nuts for flour production. Collection occurs during the flowering stage and is excellent for any circulatory problems. Buckwheat is rich in calcium, potassium, magnesium, iron and trace minerals.

Burdock - (Arctium lappa) These plants are rather coarse perennials which are weeds that grow freely along roadsides, pastures and in abandoned lots and in fairly damp places. Burdock is a thistly plant that may grow 2-6 feet tall. It will grow in almost any soil, but the roots are formed best in a light well-drained soil. Tops die down in winter with new sprouts rising from roots in spring. Leaves are large that have a thin, wooly down on their undersurfaces. The flower-heads expand during the latter part of the summer and well into the autumn. Flowers are plum-colored and are quickly replaced by prickly, very adhesive fruits.

Roots, leaves and fruits (seeds) are used as food and medicine. The dried root from plants of the first year's growth forms the official drug. The roots should be unearthed in the fall. Dried roots are used to support the digestive system and treat gastrointestinal ailments. Less used than the root, leaves are collected in July. The extract from bruised leaves, applied externally, is a remedy for many skin aliments: ringworm, infection, slow-healing wounds, itches and insect bites. The seeds (or fruits) are collected when ripe. They are shaken out of the head and dried by spreading them out on paper in the sun. The roots and fruits make an excellent lotion for the treatment of burns. The culinary uses of Burdock include raw spring leaves of first year plants can be peeled and eaten raw or prepared like spinach to fresh root, added to stir-fries, simmered in soups and stews, steamed, or sautéed.

Below is a recipe for Arctium that can be used as a nutritious snack:

Recipe for Pickled Arctium

Arctium root
Water-enough to steam the Arctium
soy sauce
vinegar

Steam the Arctium roots and save the water. Combine 1/3 part of the saved water with 1/3 part of the soy sauce; and 1/3 part of the vinegar. Add it to the steamed Arctium and place in a container that can be sealed. Let sit for 2 weeks and then enjoy.

C

Calendula – (Calendula officinalis) Also, know as pot marigold, it is native to the northern Mediterranean countries, but can be cultivated easily elsewhere. This annual plant is related to sunflower and it’s name is based on its tendency to bloom with the calendar – usually once a month or every new moon. Calendula has strong, coarse stems and coarse aromatic leaves, topped by a large and conspicuous daisy-type flower in shades of bright yellow and orange in summer and autumn. It is a tough plant, and grows in most conditions, performing well in sun and dry soil or semi-shaded borders and rainy gardens. Calendula will grow one to two feet tall.

It is generally planted in the fall for winter and spring bloom and will self-seed very easily. USDA hardiness zones are 9, 10, and 11. Calendula may be used internally and or externally. The flower heads are much prized for their coloring and flavor. The colonists used the petals to color butter and cheese and added the dry petals to soup and stew for flavor.

Calendula is traditionally renowned for its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and healing properties. It can be found in abundance in many creams, tinctures, extracts and ointments that speed the healing of inflammation of the skin and for any bleeding, burns, bruises, cuts, fungal problems, insect stings and bites. Calendula oil is often used to aid in lessening scarring after wounds heal and after stitches are removed; it is also know for building the blood and for stress.

Catnip – (Nepeta cataria) A perennial plant that thrives in well-drained soils and is commonly considered a weed. It is commonly used as a cat treat. The flowering tops are attractive to bees with its purple-spotted white flowers. When harvesting catnip for cats, all parts of the plant are utilized. Harvest during full bloom and allow to dry in the shade for preservation of color and fragrance.

Chamomile - German - (Matricaria recutita) There are several different varieties, with the German chamomile usually being preferred. Chamomile is an annual plant that usually grows near populated areas. Native all over Europe and temperate Asia, it is naturalized in North America and Australia and extensively cultivated. German chamomile will tolerate many soils, but prefers a sandy, rocky, well-drained soil with a pH of 7.0-7.5 and lots of sun. This plant spreads by reseeding itself. and the seeds need open soil to survive, it often grows near roads, around landfills and in cultivated fields as a weed. Reaching about 1-2' tall, stems produce small feathery leaves. Upon each upper stem usually 1 or 2 daisy-like flower-heads grow, spanning about 1-2" across. The crushed flower-heads are highly fragrant, carrying the scent of apple that horses may find particularly appealing; sometimes the crushed leaves are fragrant as well. Blooming usually occurs during the summer and can last 1-2 months.

The flowers yield oil much praised by herbalist. Collect the flowers in the summer and do not pick them if they are wet. Take care to dry completely; drying temperatures must not be too high. Chamomile is safe, gentle and effective in a broad spectrum of applications. Traditionally used as a blood cleanser, relaxant and pain reducer. As a tonic, it is very soothing to the throat and stomach/digestive tract; stimulates digestion and can be used for inflamed gums.

Chamomile is a common ingredient in herbal teas. Make into a tea; one handful of flowers brewed in two pints water. Add one tablespoon honey. Give orally (warm, never hot) with a clean syringe. Or just add a small handful to regular feed for gastric upsets and for reducing stress and tension in the horse. Externally, chamomile can be used for inflammation of skin, wounds and mucous membranes caused by fleabites. A poultice can be made with equal parts of chamomile flowers and flower heads of the poppy (wild red poppy can be used), crush well. For every two handfuls of the herb mixture, mix in one handful of linseed meal. Stir into a paste with boiling water; place on a square piece of flannel. Fold up and dip again in boiling water. Cool to a temperature of about 99 degrees and apply to the areas to be treated. Note: Use during pregnancy should be limited.

Chicory - (Cichorium intybus) A perennial plant that grows on any type of soil, but, when cultivated grows best on mellow, deeply tilled, fertile soil or sandy loam. This plant grows wild in fields and pastures, also waste places. A cool weather crop, it tolerates only moderate summer temperatures, and requires well-distributed rainfall, with good drainage, or some irrigation in drier areas. Chicory is reported to tolerate pH of 4.5 to 8.3. To insure proper root-growth, apply lime or marl to acid soil to neutralize acidity. Chicory is distinguished by its very long taproot, and its frail, many petaled, blue flowers.

Harvesting should take place as late in the season as possible as there is usually a marked increase in size and weight of roots during cool weather. Tops are cut off with a heavy knife, and left on the ground to decay as green manure, or fed to livestock. In general growth characteristics, chicory is very similar to carrots. It is used in the treatment of general debility, including weak failing appetite and all liver weakness, including jaundice. Feed two ounces of finely shredded root given in bran mashes twice daily. The leaf, boiled with honey for a gargle is said to cure cancer of the mouth. The root, boiled in water is said to help cancer of the breast and face (Hartwell, 1967-1971).

Chives - (Allium schoenoprasum) Chives are perennials belonging to the onion family and are native to Northern Europe and parts of North America. The small onion-like plants grow in clumps; leaves are reed-like dark green, tubular and hollow, about 6 inches long. They produce very attractive clusters of violet-colored flowers at the head of a single stem. The tender leaves can be harvested at any time during the season and used fresh. Roots are narrow, white, with a strong onion flavor. They can be grown on most soil types found in ditches, hedgerows and pastures. This healthful herb appeals to the appetite of wild and domestic animals and will be sought out by them. Used as a tonic as an internal cleansing aid. Give a handful daily in bran mash for worm removal.

Cinquefoil - (Potentilla species) A common weed of grasslands, shrubby/forested areas, logged areas, waste lands and roadsides. Cinquefoils grow wild in most cool and cold regions of the world. It is a perennial plant that prefers full sunlight and has adapted to a wide range of soil conditions. Typical cinquefoils look most similar to the strawberries, but differ in usually having dry, inedible fruit. It can grow from one to three feet in height. Its leaves are a distinguishable five-fingered palmate shape. The single flowers are usually yellow and resembling buttercups arranged in open, terminal clusters. Flowering dates usually range from April - September. The single, woody taproot is persistent and may have some lateral growth, but will have no rhizomes. Seeds are comma shaped, dark brown, have net-like ridges, and narrow winged edges. This plant can spread through seed and by root. Clinquefoil can be used for treatment of thrush in horses.

Cleavers - (Galium aparine) A rampant annual plant with habitats that include woodlands, thickets, weedy meadows, fence rows, barnyards, ditches, flower beds, and edges of dumps.

The preference is partial sun to light shade, moist conditions, and a rich loamy soil with higher than average nitrogen content. Full sun is tolerated if there is sufficient moisture. It has a weak central stem with whorls of 6-8 leaves that are rather widely separated from each other. Above the upper whorls of leaves, single flowers of 2-3 flowers are produced. Each flower is about 1/8" across and consists of 4 white petals with pointed tips. The blooming period occurs from late spring to mid-summer and lasts about 1-2 months.

Both the central stem and leaves have stiff hairs that point downward; this enables the plant to cling to adjacent vegetation for support and to the feathers of birds, fur of mammals, and the clothing of humans; this assists in the distribution of the seeds to new locations. The seeds usually germinate during early spring and grows about 1-3'high. This plant spreads by reseeding itself. All animals eat it. Poultry and especially geese seek it, hence its popular name of goose-grass.

Clover - There are a number of clover varieties, almost all originating from Eurasia. The two most common are white clover (Trifolium repense) and is the best-known variety, and red clover (Trifolium pretense) White clover was introduced from the Mediterranean and western Asia. Red clover was introduced from Asia and Europe. All clovers are perennials and their preference is full or partial sun and a soil consisting of loam or clay loam. This plant fixes nitrogen into the soil. Habitats include pastures, fields, grassy meadows, lawns, parks, mowed areas along roadsides, paths through woodlands, and waste areas. This plant prefers disturbed areas that are grassy and subject to occasional mowing or grazing. In more natural areas, it is not tall enough to be very competitive with the native vegetation.

Clover has trefoil leaves (having three leaflets), with red clover leaves having a characteristic white marking in the form of a chevron (an upside down "V") As a legume, it was introduced into the United States from Europe a long time ago as a source of forage and hay. Most varieties of clover are regarded as a good foraging crop for horses as the plant provides protein, fiber and energy, though these qualities also mean clover should often be fed in moderation. Cover reproduces by seed, though white clover can also reproduce by stolons (above-ground reproductive stems). The stems and leaves of American strains are generally hairy.

White Clover - (Trifolium repense) It produces several compound leaves from a short stem that grows only a little, after which this stem rapidly elongates and becomes up to 1' long. Each flower-head has 20-50 flowers and is more or less globular in shape. The blooming period occurs intermittently for several months, from late spring through the fall. The flowers gradually turn brown and are replaced by seedpods. Each little seedpod contains only a few seeds, which are flat, round or slightly heart-shaped, and variously colored. The root system consists of a shallow branching taproot and the rootlets formed by the elongated stems. This plant reproduces by seed or vegetatively, and often forms colonies.

White clover is an old-fashioned, but effective remedy to cleanse the blood. Give two handfuls twice daily. It can be used externally to heal old sores by making a strong brew and applying as a lotion.

Red Clover - (Trifolium pretense) The flowers of red clover are typically reddish to purple and turn brown and papery after seed set. Egg-shaped pods contain one seed. The stems and leaves of American strains are generally hairy. Red clover grows 24 to 30" tall with a strong, deep, extensively branched taproot. Erect, hollow, hairy, leafy stems with 4-6 branches originate from a dense crown. Red clover requires an annual rainfall of at least 27 inches. It performs best on well-drained fertile loamy soils of moderate to heavy texture. Tolerant of acid soils, however it performs best in a pH range of 5.5–7.0. Red clover does not thrive on poorly drained soils.

The whole plant is sedative. The flowers are used in a powerful tonic for curing nervous twitches, wasting bodies and coughs.

CONTROL:

Only moldy clover causes toxicity problem in horses. Growth of mold on clover is occasionally encountered and fencing off horses from clover rich pastures during high rainfall years and periods of high humidity is the best control strategy. To decrease the possibility of mold, you can increase air movement, by mowing, thinning clover stands, or improving drainage. Molds can grow on a variety of clover and legume, but appear to be more common on white and red clover.

White Clover - Trifolium repense - has moderate cyanogenic potential.

When clover is attacked by the mold, Rhizoctonia leguminicola, rust colored patches appear on the upper side of the leaf. The mold produces the toxin, slaframine usually at toxic concentrations, causing the most characterized mold problem in horses, "slobbers". This toxin stimulates the salivary glands and horses will salivate excessively; literally filling several 5 gallon buckets in a day. Likely, not life-threatening if the horse is removed from source and has adequate water. It can cause dehydration in warmer weather or over prolonged periods. The mold on clover normally lingers for about 2 to 4 weeks, depending on weather conditions.

Swainsonine may also be produced but the amount present may be unlikely to pose a substantial toxicologic hazard. Red clover also may contain isoflavone estrogens. High oestrogen levels in some varieties can lead to a reduction in the fertility of stock grazing red clover at mating time. Selecting a low oestrogen variety of red clover for planting will help avoid infertility problems that have been associated with broodmares grazing on high oestrogen varieties.

A more serious threat, Black Blotch Disease of clover and other legumes, is caused by an infestation with Cymodethea trifolii mold. The disease is identifiable by the black blotches growing on the underside of the leaf. Usually occurring near the ground where humidity is highest. This mold has been associated with excessive sunburn, or photosensitivity, which is really a thickening and reddening of the white areas of skin due to liver damage. Dark horses can still experience liver damage even if the sunburn is not visible. Symptoms of photosensitisation include swelling of the lining of eyelids (conjunctiva), inflammation of the muzzle, mouth and tongue, brownish urine and clay colored manure. Generally, a horse has to consume mold-infected clover for a few months before the liver effects are severe enough to diagnose. Death may result.

Comfrey – (Symphytum officinale) It is native to Europe, growing in damp, grassy places, on river banks and ditches. English comfrey is a perennial that grows to 2 to 3'. It is a fast growing plant, producing huge amounts of leaf during the growing season. It is hardy to zone 5 and is not frost tender. Comfrey grows from a black, turnip-like root, and boars large, hairy/prickly leaves that bears clusters of small bell-shaped flowers of various colors, typically cream or purple. The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soil. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

It is in flower from May to June, and the seeds ripen from Jun to July. Roots should be unearthed during spring or autumn - do not feed roots long-term. Leaves can be fed fresh or dried. Collect seeds after they have dried on plant. Remove and properly clean, seeds can be successfully stored. Propagate by dividing the root ball.

Comfrey’s alternative name of "knitbone" has been used remarkably to heal bone, cartilage and soft connective tissue. Often used to make as a pain soothing poultice or as an Infused Oil to help heal severe cuts, swellings, mend sprains and broken bones, and promote the "coming to head" of boils and abscesses. Comfrey Infused Oil may also used for dry, chapped skin, calluses, cuts, abrasions, bites, stings, and other skin irritations. Make an oil or ointment by infusing the root and leaf in sunflower oil. Massage bony swellings like splints (of recent origin) for 10 minutes a day with comfrey, olive or castor oil. Note: When purchasing comfrey oil, distilled is best. Leaves can be used on swellings. Gather fresh leaves. Bruise leaves and apply directly onto the swelling and hold gently into place with cool wet bandages.

Note: Cuts, wounds, bites - because comfrey may heal the skin so quickly, be sure that the site is well cleaned as any dirt/debris may be sealed in (which could then cause infection). Make sure that you plant/use the English Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) and NOT the potentially toxic and much hairier Russian Comfrey.

Poultice:

Place a good handful of chopped comfrey leaves mixed with bran and wrap in a piece of cotton, flannel or towel. Add to water; bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Wring well, apply hot or wait for it to cool and wring out excess water. Apply to affected area. Hot or cold, leave poultice on for 8 to 10 hours. Once poultice is applied, wait at least 8 hours before reapplying a new poultice. A great poultice used for ulcers and soft swellings.

Comfrey is a popular pasture weed and horses with respiratory indications will graze on it for as long as their body requires. Its pulmonary action is excellent for respiratory conditions, where it will soothe and reduce irritation as well as act as an expectorant. Comfrey is still used widely in Eastern Europe, Germany, Japan and Russia as a fodder plant for horses and cattle.

Couchgrass - (Agropyron repens) A pervasive perennial grass with smooth, hollow stems produced on a long, creeping rhizome. Found in Europe, Northern Asia, Australia and America. Other names include wiregrass, dog grass, witch grass and devilgrass.

A grass of regions with warm summers and cool or cold, damp winters. Couchgrass grows 5 to 6' in height, on most soil types, but prefers heavy land. However in lighter soils it will spread more readily. It is sensitive to low pH soil levels and shading. In these conditions, it will gradually die out. Couchgrass has brown flower spikes that bloom from May to September. It reproduces by seed or spreading rhizomes and once established, it is very hard to contain in a garden environment unless planted in tightly controlled pots.

The leaves are sought by many animals as a spring tonic. Couchgrass increases the flow of urine making it an important herb for the urinary system. Birds and poultry eat the seeds eagerly and dogs and cats will eat the leaves to promote cleaning, vomiting and also as a laxative when they semi-digest the leaves. Couchgrass has a high silica content that strengthens beaks, claws, teeth and hooves. It also causes worms and other parasites to be expelled from the intestines. For these reasons it would be a great addition to your pasture.

The rhizome, root, and seeds are all collected for use. The rhizomes can be harvested anytime throughout the growth season, but are usually unearthed in early autumn. The most benefits are achieved from fresh rhizomes, but dried ones can be used if utilized within a year of unearthing.

Dandelion – (Taraxacum officinale) It is one of the most common and generally considered, a problematic weed of landscapes throughout the United States, but judged one of the most valuable to the herbalist. A perennial plant, the dandelion has erect, hollow flowering stems that are approximately 2 to 6 inches in height, grown from a basal rosette. Its deep taproot can grow to 1/2" in diameter and for herbal usage should be collected from mid to late summer. The leaves (basal) are oblong and jagged shaped. They range in size from 2 to 16" depending on the environment, but normal is 2 to 6". The name "dandelion" comes from the French phrase "dent de lion" which means "lion's tooth", referencing the identifying characteristic leaves. Leaves can be collected anytime for herbal remedies.

The dandelion prefers open, sunny places and produces a bright yellow flower, approximately 1 1/4 to 2 inches in diameter. The flower grows from a single hollow stem and blooms from May through October. The small fruit forms a feathery pappus. This white seed head resembles a puff-ball and aids in wind dispersal of seed.

The dandelion is a great blood cleanser and commonly used as a liver and kidney tonic. The root can be used for any liver or kidney disorder. The old English name, "Pee-the-Bed" was given the dandelion for the leaves have a very powerful diuretic action. When the body is leached of potassium, the leaves rich in potassium, replace the loss of the valuable potassium. The dandelion is also rich in magnesium and calcium and containing vitamins A, B, C and D. The vitamin A levels in dandelion are higher than those of carrots. Horses have been reported actually digging up dandelions in order to reach the potent properties of the dandelion root.

When given the dandelion internally, it must be the medicinal Taraxacum officinale variety, not the subspecies, as in South Africa, that is toxic and can cause a stringhalt type lameness if eaten in large quantities. Some theorize that this type of dandelion can become infected with a toxic mold that grows on it and is linked to outbreaks of Australian stringhalt.

Devil's Claw - (Harpogophytum procumbens) A plant of the sesame family that is indigenous to South and East Africa. It is a sprawling plant with a stout, perennial rootstock that has a group of secondary storage tubers arising from it. Its annual stems allow it to live in very arid places, usually disbursed in patches on plains, dune bases and inter-dunes where soils are sandy.

The plants flower mainly from about November to April (summer). The flowers are trumpet-shaped in various shades of red, purple and pink. Fruits are produced from about January. The very distinctive spiny fruits, from which many of the common names are derived, are woody, oval and flattened capsules armed with central spines and lateral rows of horny arms bearing hooked spines. The fruits are well adapted for dispersal by animals as the hooks get caught in feet and hair or skin and are carried away. In time, they drop off, break open and release numerous seeds. Seeds are roughly oblong and dark brown or black. Wind may also help in dispersal and trampling will help bury the seeds.

Sow seed in a trench during mid- to late summer. Little fertilizer and water are needed because over watering may lead to fungus problems. Flowers should appear in about the second summer after planting. The first harvest should be collected after 4 years and should yield about 4 pounds fresh or a bit less than a pond dry tuber from each plant. Devil's claw has long been known as a medicinal plant where the roots are used. Roots are collected after the rainy season. Used for pain or inflammation in cases of arthritis, degenerative joint disorder or bony changes. This is an excellent substitute for bute, aspirin and cortisone without the side-effects.

Note: The seasons listed for this herb are for the southern hemisphere.

The Dog Rose - (Rosa canina) A native species of rose to Europe, including Britain, northwest Africa and western Asia, it is one of the most common species of rose. This deciduous shrub scrambles across the woodlands producing hedges offering a protective habitat and food supply for wildlife and livestock. This great hedge grows particularly successfully in a clay or partial-clay soil. It prefers semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade, and requires moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerate strong winds but not maritime exposure.

This fast growing shrub produces strong shoot like stems that can reach 7'. The long arching stems are green with shades of purple blended throughout and are covered with sharp, strong, hooked spines. These spines have points that are angled downward aiding the plant to climb by catching onto surrounding plants or objects. As the rose ages, the stems will turn brown. The oval leaflets range in color from dark green to blue-green and are pinnate. The leaves alternate on the stem and there are usually 3 to 4 pairs with a single leading leaf. Leaves can have either single or double-toothed saw-edges. The leaves, when bruised, have a delicious fragrance. The dog rose flowers in June or July and their sweet-scented pink or white blooms are solitary or in 2 to 5 corymbs. Each bloom spans
about 1 1/2" and has numerous stamens and sepals which fall before the fruit is ripe. This fruit or hip is oval in shape and ripens to a reddish orange color, in autumn.

Rose foliage, even cultivated species, is enjoyed by all animals and horses particularly like eating the fruit or 'hips'. These hips are edible and high in vitamin C as well as a vast array of other vitamins and a high mineral count. They are often used to make syrup, jellies and other preserves as well as in the treatment of certain disorders. In autumn, when the hips are well-ripened they can be collected. Leaves should be gathered in late spring while the roots must be unearthed at the beginning of spring. The flower petals can be picked before they are in full bloom and are tonic and astringent.

As an astringent, boil 1 ounce of hips (topped and sliced), in 34 ounces of water till decreasing the volume by a third. Strain and pour into a spray or squirt bottle. Keep unused portions in an air-tight container.

As a tonic for humans, infuse 2 ounces of hips in 34 ounces of water. For horses, mix 15 to 20 hips, topped and sliced, with bran.

As an anti-inflammatory for the eyes, pour boiling water over 1/3 ounce of dry flowers. Allow to cool, but just enough not to burn the eye, soak a cotton cloth with the liquid. Put the soaked compress on the eye(s).

An active stimulant to calm the nerve, heart and brain.
Humans:
Infuse a spoonful of dried flowers per cup of water. Take 2 glasses per day.
Horses:
Five drops of essential oil of roses mixed in one cup of warm milk.

Note: The roots have been known to cure rabies, hence the likely origin of the name Rose canina, dog rose.

Dill - (Anethum graveolens) Native originally to southwestern Asia, but today has been naturalized in many parts of Europe and the northern US. Dill is an erect, annual herb that grows 3 to 5 ' on stiff hollow stems. Blue-green in color, the leaves are free branching, fine and feathery. As a fast growing plant, the large, round umbels of pale cream to yellow flowers can turn to seed within 2 months. It prefers full sun and well drained sandy or loamy soil. Even though dill is an annual, their seeds can winter over in the soil and sprout up the following year.

Sow several crops in succession, three weeks apart, to assure a supply over the entire growing season. Leaves are best when fresh, so pick the leaves just as soon as they are large enough to use, usually 2-3 weeks after the flowers have finished.. Do not cut leaves during the day, early in the morning or in the late evening are appropriate times. Clip close to stem and store in a glass jar filled with water, covered with plastic, up to three days. Keep refrigerated. To harvest dill seed, after the flowers have turned to seed, cut the seed-heads when the majority of seeds have formed; cut seed-heads where a stem of about 6" remains with the seed-head. Place seed-heads upside down, in a brown paper lunch bag, leaving the stems protrude outside the bag. Tie the top of bag with string and hang in a cool, dry place. The seeds will fall into the bag when they mature and dry out. Store dried seeds in an airtight jar.

Dill has many culinary uses and is a staple in Greek cooking as well as in Scandinavian and German food. Fresh or dried leaves are used in salads, fish, vegetable casseroles and soups, dill adds a distinctive flavor. Used whole or ground, dill seeds add zest to breads, cheeses, and salad dressings. Closely resembling the anise plant in medicinal properties, dill can be used in the treatment of all digestive ailments.

Echinacea – (Echinacea purpurea, Echinacea angustifolia) Common names are American Purple Coneflower, Black Sampson, Missouri Snakeroot or Kansas Snakeroot. There are nine species that are indigenous to North America and of them three species – E. purpurea, E.angustifolia, and E. pallida – are traded on herbal markets. Echinacea is a perennial that belongs to the Aster family and is found growing in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas.

A drought-tolerant plant, the various species have a range of 2’ to 5’ in height. Good drainage in light- textured or gravelly, clay-type soil is best suited for the plant and it will grow on relatively poor soil. However, too much water will cause disease and possible death. Full sun is required and if planted in groupings it will show a beautiful display. The daisy-like flowers are collected together into single rounded heads, with pale to deep purple ray florets surrounding a central cone which produces yellow pollen. The purple coneflower is called that because of its flower color and the petals of the outer ray florets tend to point downward once the flower head opens, thus forming a cone. Blooming from early to late summer, the purple flowers (rarely yellow or white, unless a hybrid) draw butterflies as an added attraction to the pasture or meadowland. The plant has lance shaped green foliage which are most numerous at the base of the plant. After blooming, the central cone will dry to black seeds. The plant naturally spreads through seed drop at the end of the growing season. The plant will do best when planted in the fall, around mid-October.

Marketed plant parts include wet and dry roots, leaves, and flowers. For medicinal purposes, it is primarily the root that is harvested. Generally roots are harvested in the fall after the first frost when vegetative growth is dry and brown. Leaves are harvested in the summer when plants are in or near full bloom. Roots usually dry in two to four days and drying can be done on racks, screens, or boards.

Years ago, this plant was the most widely used medicinal plant of the Central Plains Indians, being used for a variety of conditions. Today, it is widely used as a preventative for infection and for chronic viral and bacterial infections, and weak immune systems. In addition, it is used for skin complaints and to encourage wound healing in general. Echinacea can be used internally, and externally, as a poultice or compress. The antiviral and anti bacterial properties of this plant not only benefit humans, but animals of all species as well. For horses, it can be used as a prophylactic to protect them from infections such as strangles, cystitis and urethritis. It has also been used as a post-viral treatment to boost the immune system and help eradicate whatever bacteria or virus remains in the horse’s body. Safety Information: Should not be used for long periods of time or be given to mammals with abnormally functioning immune systems such as for AIDS or sclerosis in humans and, diabetes mellitus in all mammals or feline immunodeficiency.

Elder, Elderberry - (Sambucus nigra) It is native to western and central Europe, North Africa, and Western- and Central Asia, with a long history of medicinal use. A perennial shrub or small tree, elderberry can grow up to 33 feet. Elder¬berry can grow in a variety of conditions, but the most important habitat factors are high light availability and nutrient-rich, neutral to basic soils (pH 5.5 to 6.0). A woody shrub found naturally bordering streams and in adjacent bottomlands, on forest margins and in forest gaps. The plant is less common in forests, because it cannot survive under deep shade. Elderberry has an extensive root system that is useful for stabilizing stream banks, lakeshores, and other moist, erosion-prone sites.

The creamy-white flowers bloom in June and July usually in the third or fourth year of growth, rarely in its second. The flowers have a strong odor that deters some animals while luring others. The fruit is a black drupe sometimes greenish-yellow that is globular in shape. Each fruit grows ¼ to 1 inch round that can contain 3 to 5 seeds. The fruits ripen in August or September. Leaves are 8 inches in length, with 5–7 leaflets. Leaflets are 1 to 3.5 inches long and are broad and round at the base and tapers towards the tip and serrate. Rubbing the leaf produces a strong odor. Elderberry reproduces from seeds, sprouts, layers, and root suckers. The plant produces seeds in the fall to survive in cold conditions during the winter. Complete germination often takes 2 years.

The bark, leaves, flowers and berries are all used for medical purposes. The leaves, when bruised:

keep away flies

are offensive to most insects

can be used in a decoction to sprinkle on plants to keep away aphids

can be used as an antiseptic poultice for external wounds

Caution: Elder can be toxic, especially the fresh stems as these contain cyanide.

Eyebright – (Euphrasia officinalis) The plant is native to Europe, Northern and Western Asia and North America. Succeeds in most soils, but prefers low fertility grasslands with chalk or limestone soils including alpine or sub-alpine meadows, roadsides and lightly grazed pastures. It can grow in semi-shade or full sun.

Eyebright can grow to 8 inches in height. Its branchy stems produce round to pointed leaves and the flowers are borne in spikes from the upper leaves. Its small white bright-eyed flowers bloom from July to September. Other common flower colors are purple, blue-white, and violet. Some species have yellow markings on the lower petal to act as a guide to pollinating insects. It is an annual plant; therefore it must set seed each year to carry on from year to year.

Eyebright seed must be sown between August and December as it needs a prolonged period of cold, such as that produced through the winter, to generate germination the following spring. Eyebright is a semi-parasitic plant, growing on the roots of various species of grass, so to cultivate sow seeds around a suitable host plant. Eyebright grows wild in the meadowlands, and may be added to your pastures for easy free grazing. Eyebright can be sown as part of a mixture, or on its own into established grassland. Aerial parts of the plant are used for culinary and medicinal purposes. Parts used for medical remedies include the leaf, the stem, and small pieces of the flowers. The edible parts of the plant are the leaves and they are occasionally used raw in salads for their slightly bitter flavor. Gather the whole plant while it is in bloom, during late summer or autumn.

Eyebright may be used to cleanse the eye for eye irritations and can be used internally to aid mucous conditions. As a great tonic for the eyes, it is used extensively for conditions such as inflammation, weeping or stinging of the eyes. The herb is also used for eyestrain. Typical preparations using leaves include a warm compress or tea and is excellent when combined with witch hazel, for an eye wash, brew 30 grams of the herb in 1 pint of boiling water. A poultice can be made using eyebright with or without concurrent administration of a tea for the redness, swelling, and visual disturbances caused by blepharitis and conjunctivitis. Its astringent properties are excellent to relieve inflammation and reducing excessive mucus associated with colds, coughs, sore throats, hay fever, sinusitis, problems with middle ear and upper respiratory conditions.

Flax Seeds – (Linum usitatissimum) It is an annual plant that grows to a height of 12 to 36 inches. Having slender stems, flax will have a distinct main stem with numerous branches at the top which produce flowers. Most natural and commercial varieties have pale blue petals, with five petals; they can also be white or different shades of purple, blue or pink. The flowers open within the first few hours after sunrise on clear, warm days, and the petals usually fall before noon. The leaves are green and slender, tapering to a point. The fruit is a round, dry capsule containing several glossy brown seeds that are flattened and resemble the shape of an apple pit. Depending on the variety grown, the seeds may be various shades of yellow, brown, greenish-yellow, greenish-brown, or nearly black.

It is generally a cultivated plant, but does grow naturally in crop fields. Flax is also grown as an ornamental plant in gardens. It succeeds best in deep, moist loams that contain a large proportion of organic matter and are firm and not loose. It does not do well on heavy clays, or gravelly or sandy soils. Flax is normally self-pollinated, but insects cause some natural crossing. The seed must be kept dry, and is sown in March or April on ground carefully prepared. The crop must be kept free of weeds and within 2 months they will reach optimal growth. The plant should be harvested in August, before the seed is fully ripe.

Flax is one of the first crops domesticated by man and the plant is amongst the oldest fiber crops in the world. Flax is grown both for its seeds and for its fiber. Flax has been used for the production of linen for thousands of years. Dyed flax fibers have been found in a cave in Dzudzuana (prehistoric Georgia) dating back to 30,000 years ago. The seeds produce a vegetable oil known as flaxseed or linseed oil. Linseed oil is one of the oldest edible oils, and for centuries it has been used as a medicinal treatment and as a drying oil in many wood finishing products. The oil is also used as a nutritional supplement. Linseed oil is used to evacuate the bowels of sheep and horses curing constipation and worms.

The oil is extracted from the seed with little or no heat. After this process, a cake remains containing the starchy part of the seed. This cake, known as oil-cake, is an excellent protein source for livestock containing about 35% crude protein; used largely as a fattening food for cattle. This cake can be crushed (crushed linseed) or ground into linseed meal. Either crushed or ground, linseed meal can be used for making poultices either alone or with mustard. Commonly used for abscesses, it alleviates irritation, pain and promotes pus or discharges pus as a result of an injury or infection. With the addition of a little lobelia seed, the poultice works effectively in cases of boils.

Linseed oil is an exceptional remedy for burns and scalds. Mix with an equal amount of lime water. This mixture is known as Carron Oil.

Linseed oil mixed with honey, can be used for removing spots from the face.

Caution: Flax straw makes a very poor quality forage because of its high cellulose and lignin content and furthermore green flax straw is high in prussic acid. The danger of prussic acid poisoning is greater immediately following a freeze.

Fennel – (Foeniculum vulgare) the British perennial not the Italian annual. Fennel is a hardy, perennial herb which grows naturally over most of Europe and is considered indigenous to the shores of the Mediterranean area. Over the years, it has become widely naturalized in many parts of the world, especially on dry soils near the sea-coast and on riverbanks. It can grow to a height of 5 feet, provide amble space when planting to prevent it from spreading out and easily invading its neighbors. Fennel succeeds in most soils, but prefers a dry earth containing limestone; it can tolerate drought once established and needs a sunny position.

Fennel is an erect plant with hollow stems and soft green threadlike foliage and yellow flowers produced in terminal compound umbels. It can be easily mistaken for dill because of its similar leaves and blooms. It is in leaf in early winter and in flower from August to October. The fruit is a dry, grooved seed that ripens from September to October.

Fennel is pollinated by insects and uses its own pollen to fertilize itself (self-fertile). Spring is the best time to sow seeds in meadows and cultivated beds. It is noted for attracting wildlife and is a highly aromatic and flavorful herb with culinary and medicinal uses.

The seeds yield a sweet oil of high medicinal value and the stems yield a gum known as fennel gum. The fresh herb including the seeds can be used to treat gastric ailments, including colic, severe inflammation of the bowels and acute constipation. For constipation, raw root is sliced and mixed with bran and molasses administered daily. Added to teas, the seeds cure indigestion and the brewed foliage makes a valuable eye medicine.

Fenugreek – (Trigonella foenum-graecum) Fenugreek is an erect annual herb, growing to an average height of 2 feet high. Its native habitat is areas along the eastern shores of the Mediterranean. Usually found down field borders, uncultivated ground, dry grasslands and hillsides. Enjoys full sun and sandy soils; seeds can be sown any time between April and August, planting in a protected, sunny area. Fenugreek likes it hot; can tolerate drought conditions and will withstand some frost.

White to pale yellow flowers bloom from June to August. Once fenugreek flowers, thin seed pods will be produced which typically occurs in late summer or fall. The seeds are brownish, about 1/8 inch long, They are contained, ten to twenty together, in long, narrow, sickle-like pods. Fenugreek is used as an herb (the leaves), as a spice (the seed, often called methi) as well as for medicinal treatments. Harvest the leaves anytime throughout the growing season. Cut the stem, slightly above the base; the quality of leaves will decline once flower buds start to appear so try and harvest before then. Leaves can be used fresh or dried. Fresh leaves have a mild flavor and a more pronounced bitter taste when dried. When harvesting for seeds, allow the pods to ripen and turn yellow on the plant, sometime from Aug to September, then harvest shortly before the seed pods pop open. Dry the seedpods in a sunny location for about one week then break open the pods to extract the seeds. Store them in an airtight jar or plastic bag, where they will remain dry. The seeds have a pungent bitter taste and characteristic smell. The seeds can be ground and are extensively used today; it is a key ingredient as a spice in curry powder. It is used in condition powders for horses and cattle, for flavoring cattle foods and to make damaged hay palatable. In many parts of the world, the aerial parts of the plant are used as a fodder crop for livestock. It is very eagerly sought by all animals as a tonic. Fenugreek’s chemical composition is very similar to that of cod-liver oil and is a trifoliate like alfalfa and clover.

Fenugreek is the principal ingredient in many remedies used by grooms and horse keepers. It is an appetite stimulant and is effective to entice the horse to eat. Add about 1 teaspoon of seed to regular grain.

Externally, the seeds can be ground into a powder and used as a poultice for abscesses, boils, blisters, ulcers and burns.

Fenugreek can be found in Asian grocers (often called Methi or Mathi), local health food stores or online.

Caution: Do not use internally for long periods and do not use during pregnancy. Always consult a professional.

Feverfew – (Tanacetum parthenium) is a traditional medicinal herb which is native to Eurasia, but today cultivation has spread it around the world. The plant grows into a small bush topping 20 to 24 inches high and spreads rapidly, possibly becoming invasive. It will cover a wide area within a few years. A short lived perennial herb, but usually self-sows effectively. Prefers full sun and any ordinary good soil is suitable, but it prefers a well-drained, stiff, loamy soil, enriched with good manure. The stem is finely grooved and hairy, with alternating citrus-scented leaves covering it. Atop, are small, daisy-like heads of yellow flowers with outer white rays; feverfew is in flower from July to August. The plant can be gathered as it comes into flower and can be dried for later use. The seeds ripen from August to September.

To relieve the pain and swelling of bruises those caused by bites of insects and vermin, make a tincture from feverfew and apply to affected areas.

Make a repellent for biting insects by mixing two teaspoonfuls of tincture with 1/2 pint of cold water in a mixing bowl. Sponge freely all over animal – avoid eyes and muzzle. The mixture may be applied with a spray bottle. A tincture of the leaves of the true Chamomile and of the German Chamomile will have the same effect.

The dried flower buds are a source for insect control. Steep 1 cupful of the dried flowers in one quart of hot soapy water for an hour; strain, and allow cooling before use.

A tea made from the whole plant is used in the treatment of arthritis, colds and fevers.

Feverfew can be useful in cats as an alternative to aspirin.

Planted round dwellings, it is said to purify the atmosphere and ward off disease.

Caution: Fresh foliage should not be fed to animals; may result in mouth ulcers. Use dried leaves. Do not use internally for extended periods. Do not use during pregnancy. Always consult a professional before using.

Garlic – (Allium sativum) Garlic has a very long history of use in culinary and medicinal purposes, dating back over 6,000 years. It is native to Eurasia and its natural habitats are waste ground, roadsides, railroads, fields, meadows, thickets and grassy areas.

Garlic is a perennial plant growing from a bulb. They prefer to grow in a moist, light well-drained soil containing a high content of organic material. Dislikes very acid soils and bulbs are liable to rot if grown in a wet soil. Garlic succeeds in a sunny position. A stalk rises directly from the bulb producing aerial stems that are erect with flat or slightly folded leaves. Small flowers occur May through July and are greenish, whitish, or pinkish and tubular. Bulblets grow to mostly or entirely replace the flowers. Bulblets are whitish or more commonly, with reddish tinge.

Garlic is easy to grow, by planting individual cloves in the ground. In cold climates, cloves are planted in the fall for an early summer crop; about six weeks before the soil freezes. Plant the cloves with their noses just below the soil surface. Harvest the bulbs in late spring when leaves begin to yellow and droop.

Wild animals seek out all species of garlic for a general protective and cleansing herb. Gorillas are known to often plant areas of garlic where they have their colonies. Garlic is one of the best known and most widely used herb in the horse world; available in an array of horse products as well as being available in powder form for addition to feed. Garlic is a supreme remedy for all infectious ailments of the blood-stream, lung and digestive areas. Externally, it is used for the disinfecting and healing of all types of sores and worms, also parasitical infections.

For internal applications, crush 6 to 8 fresh cloves and administer in feed daily or 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of pure garlic powder daily.

Make a strong brew for external purposes. Add a handful of minced cloves to a pint of cold water, cover with lid. Bring contents to a boil, and then simmer gently for several hours, keeping covered. Allow to sit and brew. Do not strain and apply directly to affected areas.

Garlic plants are said to repel rabbits and moles.

Golden Rod – (Solidago virgaurea) A perennial plant native to Europe found in the meadows and pastures, along roadsides, ditches and waste areas. The golden rod plant is a common weed in several countries typically found in fairly moist soils, but not found on waterlogged sites and only rarely on very dry sites. It grows best in full sun being fairly shade intolerant but has been found in sparsely wooded areas.

Golden rod has a single, erect, woody stem, growing to a height of 6'. The leaves surround the central stem and alternate on the stalk up to the flower heads with larger leaves occurring near the bottom. The leaves are clear green and can either be toothed or have fine edges. The eye-catching bright, golden yellow flower heads are arranged in dense clusters forming large, tight colonies. The plant is in bloom July through October. The fruit does not open to release its dry single seed.

All aerial parts of the plant are used for medicinal purposes. Collect leaves and flower tops in early summer through to autumn.

Consuming the leaves and flowering tops is helpful for urinary infections and kidney stones. It also helps digestion.

A poultice is used for boils, burns, headache, toothache, wounds, and sores. Native Americans chewed the leaves to relieve sore throats and chewed the roots to relieve toothaches.

Gotu kola – (Centenella asiatica) It is a perennial creeper found throughout tropical regions of the world. Gotu kola has been used as a medicinal herb for thousands of years in India, China and Indonesia. Preferring habitats in low wet areas, such as paddy fields, grass areas and riverbanks, their long-stalked, fan-shaped green leaves have also been known to grow on walls in the wild; therefore drier conditions may be tolerated.

The smooth leaves can reach a width of 1 inch and a length of 6 inches. Born in an umbel from the slender stems, small, inconspicuous, light purple to red flowers arise in a sessile manner, usually containing 3 to 6 blooms. Fruits are also small, and oval in shape are borne throughout the growing season. The fruit is 2 inches long with 7 to 9 ribs and a curved, strongly thickened fruit wall.

The leaves and shoots are the parts of the plant used internally and externally as a medicine. Usually collected from the wild, gotu kola can be harvested at any time of the year and is used fresh or dried. There are reports that say the dried herb quickly loses its medicinal properties, so it may be best if used fresh.

Externally, the herb is applied to slow healing wounds, treatment of bruises, sores and ulcers. It can help reduce swelling, repair connective tissues and rheumatic joints, and improve circulation.

A poultice of the leaves can be made to treat open sores.

Hawthorn - (Crataegus oxycanthus) It is a shrub or small tree that thrives in hedgerows. Often they are found in open woodlands, on the edge of the woods and in fields as lone trees in the temperate regions of Europe and the British Isles. Because of the ability at interbreeding, hawthorns have created many cross forms and there are different species that are native throughout the northern Hemisphere, including all parts of Europe, northern Africa, Middle East, Asia and even China. Hawthorn is a hardy and thorny tree of the rose family with a dense crown that rarely grows to more than 30 ft.

With a preference of full sun exposure, hawthorns are adaptable to different soil conditions but grow particularly successfully in clay or partial-clay soil. 3-lobed leaves emerge before the flowers develop. They are deeply cut, green in color and about 3 inches long. In the autumn, the leaves turn yellow. Flowers are produced in late April and early May and the small, fragrant, showy, white five-petaled flowers grow clusters and cover up almost every inch of the tree and hence receive one of its most popular names, May-blossom. Each flower is about 1/2” in diameter and is moderately fragrant. In the autumn, the flowers turn into an abundance of bright red hard little berries called 'haws', which attract wildlife, but are not especially palatable to humans. A haw is small and oblong, similar in size and shape to a small olive or grape. Haws develop in groups of 2 to 3 along smaller branches.

The edible parts of the hawthorn are the haws, petals, and leaves. If the leaves are picked in the spring when still young and tender enough can be used in salads. The flowering tops are harvested in May then dried quickly in the shade to avoid discoloration. The berries are collected in the autumn. Again, dry quickly and thoroughly in the shade to avoid mold formation. Hawthorn's therapeutic actions come from the haws, as well as flowers and leaves. It is a good heart and circulatory tonic. Hawthorn has also been used for nervousness and as a digestive tonic to help with constipation and aid digestion of fatty foods.

The leaves or the pulped raw fruits can be made into a poultice and used as a drawing remedy for deeply embedded splinters and thorns.

Hawthorns are popular as hedgerow trees because of their spines and close branching habit render it effectively livestock and human proof with some basic maintenance. An added value is the wildlife habitat hawthorns create for small critters with their impenetrable tangle of thorns and craggy habit providing them many little hiding holes and crannies.

Hazel – (Corylus avellana) It is native to Europe and western Asia and is common in many European woodlands and hedgerows. Hazel is a small-nut tree reaching heights from 10’ to 26’. The deciduous leaves are rounding, shiny, crisp and hairy on both sides. The attractive flower catkins are produced very early in spring, before the leaves and are yellow-green in color, touched with red. After wind-pollination, the flower will generate the nut of the hazel called hazelnut; appearing in autumn. The nuts are produced in clusters of one to five together, each nut held in a short leafy husk which encloses about three quarters of the nut. Roughly spherical to oval in shape, the nut has an outer fibrous husk surrounding a smooth shell. The nut falls out of the husk when ripe; usually occurring about 7 to 8 months after pollination.

For generations, the tree has been known for its magical powers. Popular among believers and much used, the twigs are used to locate such things as underground water; called a water-divining rod. Placing woven hazel twigs on horses was believed to protect them from bad luck; including theft and poison and twigs nailed to livestock buildings guarded against fire and flood.

The foliage fed to milking animals can increase their milk supply. The nuts will fatten livestock.

Heath - (Erica species)The plant family Ericaceae has over 800 species throughout the world, most of them native to South Africa. , Erica and Calluna, grow profusely on the moorlands of Europe and are part of what gives those expanses their distinctive appearance. Erica are commonly called heath, and the similar Calluna is known as heather.

Heaths vary in size from dwarf shrubs 6 to 12 inches high to large, tree-like shrubs up to 16 feet high. Heaths are superb landscape plants and are especially beautiful when surrounded by varying-sized Heaths and Heathers. The low-spreading slow-growing ground cover is an evergreen with needle-like leaves about one-third of an inch long. The foliage comes in a wide variety of colors including gold, silver, red, gray, and an unlimited range of greens, from olive to lime.

Heaths bloom in winter and spring and they bear delicate, but very showy flowers bell-shaped flowers in a range of colors of white, lavender and scarlet depending on the species. Flowers are sometimes between the leaf and stem and sometimes in terminal umbels or spikes, and are usually outward or downward facing. Heaths are relatively low-maintenance plants. They may occasionally need pruning which should be done in the spring (after flowering). A light trimming to remove spent flowers and branch tips is suggested. A hard pruning (resulting in leafless branches) is not recommended.

The seeds are very small, and in some species may persist in the soil for decades. Heaths need acidic, sandy, peaty soil, much like the moors they naturally inhabit. Since heaths have a shallow, fibrous root system, an absolute requirement for survival is soil that is able to retain moisture, but at the same time be well drained with an ample content of essential organic matter. The plants need some full sun to maximize flowering as well as having a location with part shade.

Heath plants make a good fodder for horses. Cut and dry leaves and flowers. Heath leaves dry easily and several handfuls can be given daily mixed into bran.

Strawberry Leaves - (Fragraria vesca,) The strawberry is a creeping perennial plant indigenous to Europe. It has spread to cover the whole of the Northern Hemisphere, exclusive of the tropics. Typically it chooses a slightly sheltered position and it is found growing naturally along trails and roadsides, hillsides, meadows, woodlands edges and sparse forest.

The plant prefers full sun and a well-drained soil that is rich in organic matter. This compact plant grows 4 to 8” tall and spreads indefinitely by runners that root as they go. Numerous, small, 5-petaled white flowers with yellow centers appear throughout summer. The thin and delicate green leaves are tri-foliate and coarsely-toothed which produce edible, fruits with small cone-shaped, scarlet berries (1/2” long) and studded with tiny, brown 'seeds. The red strawberries may be harvested throughout summer. Flowers and fruit are usually simultaneously present on plants in summer. Seedlings planted in spring should begin ripening their first berries that same summer. In years to follow, the plants will begin fruiting in spring.

The whole plant is considered refrigerant. A much valued herb, being highly rich in minerals and antiseptic. The fruit contains malic and citric acids. The easily assimilable iron in the leaves makes a good tonic for livestock, especially racehorses. The leaves and rhizomes (roots) are used mainly for medicinal purposes. The leaves should be collected after the flowering stage.

Strawberry leaves are diuretic and astringent. The leaves and root are used in fevers and wound healing and have a long history of being made into mild teas. Traditionally, people have used the teas to treat diarrhea, intestinal and urinary complaints. Some people also add the leaves to their bath water to relieve minor aches and pains. A herbal bath can be made for your horse using strawberry leaves and a basic recipe; visit Herbs for My Horses…Their Uses.

Juice from the berries or pulped and slightly heated foliage can be applied to inflamed areas, skin rashes and ulcers.

Something for us…

For the Teeth:
Remove discoloration of the teeth with the fresh fruit juice of the strawberry. Cover teeth with the fresh fruit juice and allow it to remain on for about five minutes. Clean the teeth with warm water, to which a pinch of bicarbonate of soda has been added.

For the Skin:
A cut Strawberry rubbed over the face immediately after washing will whiten the skin. It will also aide in removing slight sunburn. If skin is badly burnt from the sun, it is recommended to rub the juice well into the skin and to leave it on for half an hour. Wash off with warm water to which a few drops of simple tincture of benzoin have been added; no soap should be used.

Southernwood - (Artemisia species Family: compositae) Its origin is uncertain but it is thought to be native to the Mediterranean. Its native habitat is on disturbed sites such as roadsides, hillsides and open fields. It has run away from cultivation in the Northeastern United States and occurs there sparingly.

It withstands drought and prolonged freezing temperatures and prefers a sunny location with moderately acid to moderately alkaline soils. Southernwood can tolerate elevations above 10,000 feet. It forms a small bushy shrub growing to 4ft tall by 3ft wide. It has a rather thick, tapering root and its green-grey foliage is of a sweet, pungent scent. The flower-heads are small and numerous, in long, slender, drooping racemes, the green-yellow flowers are in bloom in late August and September.

It is an excellent wash for skin parasites, like fleas, and is a tonic for the hair. Dried Southernwood leaves can be place in sachets amongst clothes as a moth repellant.

Skin Wash or Hair Tonic:
Use one teaspoon of finely cut southernwood leaves with one teaspoon sage herb and six spice cloves. Add a large cup of cold water and make a brew. Let cool.

Insect repellent:
The fresh plant can also be rubbed onto the skin to deter insects. The shoots can be dried for indoor use; they remain effective for 6 - 12 months.

Sunflower Seeds - (Helianthus annuus) Black oil sunflower seeds, referred to as "BOSS", are an annual plant native to the Americas. One of the few cultivated plants native to North America, it is believed that wild sunflowers covered thousands of square miles of land that is now the western United States.

Sunflowers generally grow best on well drained soils. Planting sunflower can begin anytime after soils have warmed to 50 degrees F, April to mid July. Plant the seeds 1-2 inches deep and 8-12 inches apart in loose soil and full sun. Sunflowers are rapid growers and they produce large, rough leaves on strong sturdy stems. Reaching 3’ tall, each sunflower head is composed of two types of flowers. The band of yellow petals around the edge of the head is ray flowers. The face of the head is comprised of hundreds of disk flowers. These disk flowers mature to seed approximately 3 months after planting, usually in early fall, forming black faces. It is these seeds that are the sunflower seeds and can be harvested.

Cut the flower heads off each stalk and hang upside down to dry. When completely dry, the seeds can be rubbed off with your hands. For this process, place a container to catch the falling seeds. Store seeds in a brown paper bag in a cool, dry place so they will stay fresh.

NOTES:

A good idea is to stagger plantings of sunflower seeds on several different dates, over several weeks to allow plants to mature at different times to ensure an ongoing supply.

Cover the heads with mesh to prevent birds from feasting on them prematurely.

A relatively "new" supplement for horses, black oil seeds compared to striped sunflower seeds have higher oil content and are meatier. They are also easier to crack open.

Adding BOSS to the daily allotment of horses has positive effects. Two visible affects are great shiny coats and weight gain. A tablespoon a day will give your horse a nice shiny coat without the weight gain. Feeding at higher levels will increase calorie intake, adding weight gain. BOSS is an alternative to adding an oil to feed; with the nutrients providing an added plus. Caution should be taken when feeding more than a tablespoon per day; the seeds are too oily and can cause skin problems in excess. Consult your vet for any change you plan on making to your horse’s diet.

The internal values of BOSS are numerous. They are packed full of vitamins and minerals.

General Nutrients:
Protein
Carbohydrates
Fiber
Sugars
Fat
Water
Omega-3Fatty Acids
Omega-6 Fatty Acids
Lysine

Vitamins:
Vitamin A
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Niacin
Vitamin B6
Vitamin C6
Vitamin E
Folate
Vitamin K
Pantothenic Acid

Minerals:
Calcium
Copper
Iron
Magnesium
Manganese
Phosphorus
Potassium
Selenium
Sodium
Zinc
They are also high in amino acids; which are very important for muscle building and maintenance.

Leaves of the sunflower have been used as cattle feed.

Tansy – (Chrysanthemum vulgare) A robust perennial that is a native of Europe and Asia and has become widely naturalized in North America. This perennial plant spreads via an extensive, spreading rhizome root system and profuse seed production. It grows naturally along roadsides and waste places, but is perhaps found foremost along riverbanks where the disturbed soils beside quick flowing water spread the seeds for miles downstream. Needless to say, this plant self sows readily. Growing on erect stems, the average height of the plant ranges from 2 to 4 feet, but may reach 7 feet. It prefers sites in full sun and requires well-drained loamy or sandy soils, but will tolerate mild drought. Adjustable to a wide climatic tolerance, it prefers cooler continental climates.

Bloom time is from July to October. The flowers are yellow and cushion shaped. Both the flowers and leaves have a pungent camphor scent. The flower head mounds are comprised of daisy-like disk florets that measure .5 inch wide. With its 6 inch long leaves that are deeply dissected and hairy, the foliage has a ferny appearance. The leaves and flower tops of this herb are mainly used as a vermifuge to expel intestinal worm infections such as those of threadworms. Seeds are used for these purposes too. Horses and cows may sometimes browse the tender young leaves of the common tansy, but they leave it alone as it becomes established. The aromatic fresh young leaves and flowers may be used in foods and beverages as a flavoring agent. It can be used as a substitute for sage in cooking.

Tansy is rich in volatile oils, mainly thujone, which is a potent and bitter substance often used medicinally as a wash to treat roundworm, or it can be given internally to expel intestinal worms. The volatile oil can be distilled from the plants.

Tea Tree Oil – (Melaleuca alternifolia) The plant is native to the northeast subtropical coastal region of New South Wales in Australia. Its habitat is restricted to the swamps and water-courses and is found naturally forming impenetrable thickets. It is a small evergreen tree or tall shrub, reaching heights of 19 feet. Grown best in full sun and fertile, moist soil conditions with irrigation, the plant is very slow growing and can be kept as a bush for many years.

Its narrow linear, needle-like leaves are 1.5 inches long and release a distinctive aroma when crushed. The plant has white 1 to 2 inch flowers that bloom from late spring to summer. The tiny woody, cup-shaped fruits grow in spike-like clusters. The volatile oil derived mainly from the leaves of the Australian native plant Melaleuca alternifolia has been used for almost 100 years in Australia, but is now available worldwide. Through the process of steam distilling, the oil is extracted from the leaves. The oil is pale yellow to almost clear in color and has a cool, fresh odor slightly resembling camphor.

Although not grown wild in pastures, the plant makes a good hedge or screening shrub (out of horse reach) and one should not be left without this useful herb. Propagation is by seed only and for the domestic gardener, this is not always successful. Historically, the oil properties have been capitalized on for its natural soothing and cleansing assets. The antiseptic, antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory actions of the oil are effective for treating many ailments: minor cuts, abrasions, external parasites, stings, burns, and skin and fungus infections. It also successful in the relief of boils, blisters, acne, warts, cold sores and athlete's foot.

A few drops of oil mixed with water or vinegar makes an effective Fly repellant … see Pest Control. Tea Tree Oil has been used for skin conditions such as rain scald … see Rain Rot. It can be used to message strained, bruised, damaged or rheumatic muscles and can be added to water and used as a compress or as an inhalant for horses if excess or infected mucus is present.

Therapies:

Athlete's foot – dilute the oil to 25% to 50% and apply for 4 weeks

Fungal nail infections - apply 100% tea tree oil for 6 months.

Combine Tea Tree oil with baking soda and vinegar for a natural antibacterial cleanser.

Caution: Tea tree oil is safe to use for topical applications, but as with any essential oil, neat (undiluted) tea tree oil must never be used directly on the horse. It may be toxic when ingested internally in large doses or by children. Do not give internally to humans or animals.

Thyme – (Thymus vulgare) It is an ancient herb that is indigenous in Britain, Europe, northern and central Asia. It can be found growing wild on banks and some mountain highlands. Thyme grows in a fairly moderate climate and requires full sun and a sandy, well-drained soil. It tolerates drought well and will survive an occasional freeze. A slow growing, low, woody plant, sometimes almost shrubby and occasionally prostrate; thyme is a perennial living for years. Generally planted in the spring, it can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or by dividing rooted sections of the plant.

Thyme has tiny leaves that can be wooly, shiny or edged with a silver color. Its aromatic scent is released when the leaves are disturbed. Blooming tiny purple blossoms in late summer, the leaves and flowering tops are used as a culinary and medicinal herb. The best time to harvest is in August as it breaks into bloom. The branches are cut off the plant leaving two inch nubs above the ground for continual growth. Tie the sprigs together and hang them upside down in a dry, dark location until completely dry. Once dried, strip the leaves off the stems and store in a jar.

The expressed oil yields the powerful antiseptic and worm expellant substance, thymol. Another volatile oil, thyme is prohibited by Jockey Club and FEI rules. It is a traditional cure for all manner of respiratory illnesses, digestive complaints, including colic, and nervousness. Thyme can be used externally as a brew for skin infections and irritations. An infusion in vinegar can be made as a repellant for biting insects. Thymol is toxic in large quantities, use with caution. It should not be given to pregnant mares.

Uva Ursi - (Arctostaphylos uva ursi) Also known as kinnikinnick, beargrape, or bearberry. It flourishes in alpine forests in many regions, including North America and Europe. Uva Ursi grows on sites that are moisture deficient because of rapid drainage such as dry walls of canyons and rocks, this low growing ground cover forms dense, 15" spreading mats 6" to 12" high. The leaves are evergreen, shiny, small, and feel thick and stiff. They remain green for 1–3 years before falling. New stems can be red if the plant is in full sun, but are green in shadier areas. Older growth stems are brown and woody. In April and May, they bloom small, urn-shaped, white or pink flowers followed by clusters of bright red berries, in late summer. Persisting through winter, the berry or fruit is edible, but sour tasting. It is unpalatable to domestic livestock, but relished by wildlife. Bears are said to be fond of the shiny, bright red fruit, hence the common name of bear berry was given.

Only the leaves, not the berries, are used in medicinal preparations. Collection of the leaves can be performed at anytime, but preferably in the spring and summer. This herb has been used for urinary tract complaints, including cystitis. Do not use more than two weeks, repeatedly or on a long-term basis. Uva Ursi, can cause serious organ damage. Available in your local feed store or some supplement companies, like Horse Health, are now packaging Uva Ursi leaves.

Valerian – (Valeriana officinalis) A hardy perennial plant, found throughout Europe and Northern Asia, and is common in England on the banks of ditches and rivers and along the sides of old walls. With its rich, dark green leaves and its erect, sturdy growth, valerian can generally be seen towering above the usual herbage. Reaching heights of 5’, its round, but grooved and hollow base divides in two or more pairs of flowering stems. The crowning masses of blooming heads are comprised of small sweetly scented pink or white flowers that display themselves from June to September. The flower extracts were used as a perfume in the sixteenth century. A sun loving to semi-shade plant, valerian does well in all ordinary soils, but prefers rich, heavy loam, well supplied with moisture and food. The roots of this important herb are perennial and have a peculiar pungent aroma. This may account for its ancient name of “phu” or “fu”. Dogs and cats have a desire for this plant and will chew all parts including the roots.

The root is the medicinal part and growth of at least two years is suggested before lifting. In September or early October, all the tops are cut off with a scythe and the rhizomes are harvested. Clean and place in brown sack to dry. Keep out of direct sunlight. The medicinal properties of the root have earned the plant its popular name of all-heal. It is powerfully nervine and sedative, without being addictive and is believed by some as a remedy for epilepsy. It is used for conditions of colic, stomach cramps, stress, anxiety, insomnia and nervous irritability. Cut or powdered root can be given to help relax and calm a horse without them becoming doped or affecting their performance. Externally, the expressed oil can be used as a rub for cramps and muscle tension.

Note: Can cause digestive upset if used in large doses. Not recommended during pregnancy.

Vervain – (Verbena officinalis) A perennial herb grown naturally by the roadside and on barren ground, also known as Simpler's Joy, Holy Herb and Herb of Grace or more ambiguously as "mosquito plant". A very easily grown plant that prefers well drained but moisture retentive limey soils in a sunny position, a plant very tolerant of neglect and will maintain itself for a number of years. For aesthetic affects, plant Vervain in groupings of odd number. The lobed leaves toothed; the delicate spikes hold closely growing pale lilac flowers. Harvest the plants just as flowering begins in the summer and dry for later use.

Used traditionally for rheumatic pain, to strengthen and restore the nervous system, nervous exhaustion and in healing wounds. Internally, consumption of the whole plant treats all fevers, anxiety, liver and gallstone complaints. Make an infusion for external treatments of minor injuries, eczema, sores, inflammation of the eye, neuralgia, gum disease and ulcers.

W

Witch Hazel – (Hamamelis virginiana) A beautiful deciduous large shrub that flourishes on shaded north-facing slopes, along fence rows, country roads, and the stony banks of brooks. This shrub prefers a moist, cool, acidic soil in full sun to partial shade. Fall bloom of yellow spider-like flowers produced in October and November after foliage drop seeds. The plant has a habit of producing flowers at the same time the previous year's fruits mature and disperse seed. Witch hazel produces a capsule-like fruit enshrining two shiny hard black seeds with white, oily, edible interiors, which are expelled explosively from the capsules in fall. The seeds’ flavor is like that of pistachio nuts.

The whole shrub is medicinal, but the bark is the most potent part. Major properties for medicinal purposes are antiseptic and astringent. Make decoctions for external use on sore or inflamed eyes and as a compress to stop bleeding. Witch Hazel treats wounds, sores and an excellent relief to itches and skin irritations such as certain insect bites. Great when added to water for an herbal wash and applied to bruised legs and tired, sore muscles.

Wormwood – (Artemisia absinthum) A perennial plant growing naturally on uncultivated, arid ground, on rocky slopes, and at the edge of footpaths and fields where the soil is dry with bright exposure in fertile, mid-weight soil. Its leaves are dark green, covered in silky grayish hairs, which gives them a downy feel. Its flowers are pale yellow, tubular, and clustered in spherical bent-down heads. Flowering is from early summer to early autumn with small, greenish-yellow, nearly globular flowers arranged in a leafy panicle; the fruit is a small and seed dispersal is by gravity. Gather the leaves and flowering tops when the plant is in full bloom and dry naturally or with artificial heat.

Wormwood shrubs are very coarse, sprawling, and aromatic. Its leaves and flowers are bitter, and the leaves and roots give out a substance that restricts many other plants from growing nearby. The plant's characteristic odor can be useful when added in remedy sprays against pests. Used since the time of Rome’s occupation in Britain to rid livestock of worms, today it traditionally remains a treatment to expel roundworm and threadworm when administered internally. It should be used internally by the experienced only, for Wormwood is a very potent herb. For internal applications, replace Wormwood with the milder Southernwood. Safely used externally, wormwood is great for deterring skin pests. Externally used as a compress to alleviate pain from rheumatism and to stimulate poor circulation. Use with caution and avoid excessive or long-term use.

Y

Yarrow – (Achillea millefolium) Grown naturally in pastures, hedgerows and wastelands in dry sunny areas, these plants prefer a temperate climate. Generally described as a perennial favoring full sun; this plant appears best grown in groupings of odd number such as 3 – 5. A medium textured soil with a pH range of 6–8 pH flourishes a healthy plant. Green foliage and finely feathered leaves with inconspicuous white or pinkish disc-form flowers. The bloom period is early summer and these flowers will dry in the fall and produce a moderate amount of noticeable brown fruits or seeds. The whole plant, stem, leaves and flowers collected while flowering are prepared for remedial applications. Used externally to aid in healing wounds and burst blood vessels, additionally, it helps control fever, colic and lowers blood pressure when taken internally.

Visit the previous posts linked to this blog:
Part 1 - "Herbs for My Horses...the Gardens"
Part 2 - "Herbs for My Horses...their Uses"

I will post more herb names as they are written, so visit often.

Herbal Internet Sites:

botanical.com
umm.edu
dcdoctor.com

FODDER TREES

Just a few words on fodder trees; first, they are trees or shrubs used as feed for livestock. Some trees make excellent fodder crops while others do not and each variety affects different animals differently. These trees provide edible foliage, flowers, fruits, roots, seeds and seedpods for confined animals. Our pasture and garden designs include fodder trees, not as a sole component of feed for the horses, but as a compliment to their daily rations. We incorporate fodder trees/shrubs throughout the property along with other purposeful trees for the many benefits humans and animals gain from them. Agriculturally, they contribute immensely not to mention the environmental impact they deliver. The fodder trees below are safe and highly palatable for horses, therefore plant far enough away from the fence so that the horses cannot gorge. The distance should allow the horses to reach the trailing branches only, once trees become well established.

Ash – (Fraxinus excelsior) A woodland tree that makes excellent fodder for horses. Let the horses feed off the leaves ad lib or occasionally cut down some branches and throw in pastures. Ash is a valuable broadleaved tree due to its ecological characteristics, outstanding wood properties and high economic value. Interestingly, the ash is referred to as the “Tree of Life” in Norse Viking mythology. It was thought to have medicinal and mystical properties and the wood was burnt to ward off evil spirits, hence its name "ash". Additionally, it is believed that a shepherd's crook made of ash-wood will protect flocks and herds and a thrust with an ash-staff will overthrow an attacking wolf or snake.

Ash is a fairly abundant tree native to most of Europe. It is a large deciduous tree growing 60' to 80' with a 60' to 90' spread when fully mature. Ash occurs on a wide range of soil types, but is particularly associated with fertile, pH-neutral, deep, freely drained soils. It is common in woods and if allowed to get a foothold, on northern and eastern sides of hills where the atmosphere is moist and cool. As is easily recognized by the large black buds that are displayed prior to leaf expansion. In the springtime, the black buds open to reveal petal-less flowers with purple stamens. The female flowers ripen into clusters of 1.5", winged fruits called "keys"; so called because they look like old fashioned keys. Also, they spin in the wind as they fall to earth so they are also called “spinners”. The keys will turn brown and can remain on the tree well after the leaves have fallen, in autumn. All parts of the tree are used for medicinal purposes; leaves, bark and seeds ("keys"). Treatment of rheumatism, bowel inactivity and fevers; chopped leaves are added in a bran mash for rheumatic cases. Ash bark is an astringent, diuretic and febrifuge.

Beech - (Fagus sylvatica) A deciduous tree that grows naturally in the woodlands of central and southern Europe. Given space to breathe, the beech will spread its branches out wide, normally sweeping the ground, and produce a dense, upright oval growth habit. The tree grows slowly at a rate of 1' per year, but over the years it will become large 50' to 60' shade tree with a trunk up to 50' wide. Trees are shallow rooted and this might make them less wind resistant.

The beech does not tolerate salt air or a salty soil. It is best grown in deep, rich, moist but well-drained soils in full sun to part shade. Intolerant of wet, poorly drained soils. The whole tree is beneficial; buds, leaves, bark and nuts. It usually flowers in April or early May, but considered not ornamentally important by most. The seeds ripen into shaped nuts, from September to October. Even though they are safe for human consumption, they are not common food. However, deer and horses find the nuts edible and enjoyable. Several varieties of beech exist with the copper beech being the most popular. A brew made from the leaves or bark is a remedy for ailments of kidneys and liver, also diabetes.

Chaste Tree Berry – (Vitex agnus-castus) Native of the Mediterranean region, it has now been introduced worldwide in warm temperate and subtropical regions. A deciduous shrub/tree growing to 10 to 15'.The fruit/berries, leaves, tender stem parts, and leaves are all used from this plant. Its delicate-textured; foliage; is aromatic. The Flowers of lavender color bloom in late summer.The berries somewhat like peppercorns have an aromatic odor; taste warm, peculiar. The berries are harvested by gently rubbing the berries loose from the stem. It prefers full sun to partial shade in well drained soil. The leaves, flowers, and/or berries may be consumed as a decoction, traditional tincture, cider vinegar tincture, syrup, elixir, or simply eaten straight off the plant as a medicinal food. Used for hormonal imbalances in mares, regulates menstrual cycles and increases milk production and has been found beneficial for horses with Cushings disease. The fresh ripe berries can be pounded to a pulp and used in the form of a tincture for the relief of paralysis, pains in the limbs, weakness, etc.

Ginkgo Tree - (Ginkgo biloba) Also known as Maidenhair Tree is native to a small area of China. Reaching a height of 66–115', Ginkgo trees are long-lived, with some specimens more than 2,500 years old. Rarely suffering from disease problems and the lack of large insect attacks contribute to their longevity as well as the capability of producing aerial roots on the undersides of large branches in response to disturbances such as crown damage; these roots can lead to successful clonal reproduction upon contacting the soil. Found along stream banks, rocky slopes, and cliff edges, this shade-intolerant species grows best in environments that are well-watered. A fine, silty soil with good drainage and a pH range of 5 to 5.5 is their preference.

Its tenacity has been shown in the 1945 atom bomb explosion on Hiroshima, Japan. After the devastation was examined, Ginkgo tree(s) were found charred but still alive between 1/2 to 1 mile from the hypocenter. Soon these trees were healthy again and are alive to this day. Today, the tree is widely cultivated for its various uses as a food and medicine. Ginkgo is mainly used as memory and concentration enhancer, and anti-vertigo agent. The leaves are used for the treatment of circulatory disorders and to improve cognitive function in horses. The tree is the national tree of China.

White Willow - (Salix babylonica) A tree native to dry areas of northern China and has become naturalized in North America. A medium- to large-sized deciduous tree, growing up to 80' in height with a 35' spread. It grows rapidly, up to 10 feet a year, but has a short lifespan. It grows in damp, low places, especially along riverbanks, and thrives in moist-to-wet, heavy soil in sun. The willow produces lance-shaped, finely-notched leaves that are a paler green on the underside. White willow branches were once regarded as a symbol of desolation and grief and were displayed by those who experienced "lost love". Many have often planted willow in burial grounds, symbolizing grief at the death of a loved one.

Cattle and horses eat the young shoots and foliage. Used for colic and cramp and willow is a refrigerant herb, valuable in fevers. Also, an anti-inflammatory and an assistant in pain relief. Willow is tonic, astringent and antiseptic.

An External Brew:

Brew two ounces flaked bark in two pints of water. Use hot and massage well into sore or cramped muscles.

White Willow Bark- Willow bark has been used throughout the centuries in China and Europe, and continues to be used today to ease pain and reduce inflammation. In 1897, the Bayer Company used white willow to develop aspirin. Pain relief with white willow appears to be slower than when aspirin is administered, but its effects may last longer. However, at a much lower dose, willow is as effective as aspirin for reducing pain and inflammation (but not fever). White willow bark is a bitter, astringent, cooling herb that reduces fever, increases perspiration and cools the body. Used externally, white willow bark's antiseptic properties extend to its help in treating cuts, burns, wounds, sores, sweaty feet, dandruff and as a mouthwash to ease tonsillitis, sore mouth and sore gums.

Go Green Tips:

Prolong the life of cut flowers or revive wilting ones:

Crush the chamomile plant (about two dessertspoons) and infuse in half pint hot water. Add to flower vases.

Lemon Fresh Linen Wash

This formula can be used for any type of laundry, but it’s especially nice for cotton linens that are allowed to dry naturally in the sun after washing. The aloe vera juice and vinegar soften, while citric acid and grapefruit extract brighten and sanitize.

2 cups liquid castile soap
1/2 cup aloe vera juice
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 cup water
1 tablespoon powdered citric acid
2 teaspoons grapefruit seed extract
15-20 drops lemon (or lemongrass) essential oil
Combine all ingredients into a plastic container, preferably one with a pour spout. Give this formula a gentle shake, or just turn it upside down once or twice to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly distributed before adding it to the washing machine. For an average load, use ¼ cup.

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

At its finest, rider and horse are joined not by tack, but by trust. Each is totally reliant upon the other. Each is the selfless guardian of the other's very well-"

Author Unknown

Herbs for My Horses...Their Uses

2010-02-27T08:10:00.095-05:00

Herbs for My Horses…Their Uses

This is the second of a three part series on “Herbs for My Horses”. Prior to this posting, “Herbs for My Horses…The Gardens”, covers basic preparation and layout of the venture we deem the “Freedom Garden”. Taking the discussion to the next level, this blog conveys collection, preservation and recipes for some herb applications designed to offer possible advantageous effects on horses. Each process within this series of blogs is an undertaking; joining them creates a scrupulous mission dedicated to supplying your horse with natural, economical and Eco-friendly alternatives. Going “green" with horses is an endless journey of changeable roads covering much terrain. The trip continues to generate a lifestyle of learned experiences that are priceless feats.

Some Order on the Collection and Preservation of Herbs

The following “best-times” to gather plants are an average harvest timetable and depending upon the circumstances, your location and conditions may require a varied period for the collection process other than stated.

Generally, at the time when the plant reaches full maturity the usable parts are gathered. This harvest is mostly in the spring and summer months. The best time of day is during the early morning, after the passing of dew. The plant needs to be in good health; no signs of mold, discolor or disease. Take your time when collecting or preserving herbs; or you could jeopardize the plant's much-valued properties. Drying herbs correctly is a slow and gentle process. Once dried, store herbs appropriately; take necessary precautions concerning pest. If dried correctly, herbs remain usable for two years. Form the habit of always labeling the container with contents and date!

Flowers:

Whether a flower is required “fresh” or “dried” for herbal applications, it is at its finest stage when the petals are just beginning to unfold.

Leaves:

Leaves are also best collected in the early stage of unfurling. Only “fresh” leaves should be used before they become yellow or faded.

Some options to dry and prepare leaves and flowers:

Keep out of direct sunlight during the drying process.

Hang in bunches in a cool, dry place with good airflow.

Place on wire netting (old screen windows work great) directly on dry ground with large squares of muslin held in place with stones over them.

Dry between newspaper sheets – do not press.

Store dried herbs loosely in tightly tied cotton bags, or torn into small pieces and placed in dark-colored glass jars with lids.

Seeds:

The peak time to pick seeds is in autumn after the seeds have dried on the plant and before it has shed its leaves.

Some options to dry and prepare seeds:

Seeds require some length of time to dry out and the same applies to fruits of certain vegetation.

Dry between newspaper sheets – do not press.

Seeds and Fruits can be sun-dried or dried slowly in a low-heat oven with door slightly ajar.

Slice larger fruits while still fresh before drying.

Barks:

Typically, gathered in autumn.

Roots:

When preserving roots, gather them either in spring before the sap rises or after leaves fall in autumn.

Barks and Roots require a long and careful drying process. Remove all dirt and debris before drying with a careful washing, then dry out before storing in wooden boxes, sacks or tightly tied cotton bags.

Herbal Recipes and Remedies for Horses

Thus far, discussion has been on the design to grow herbs, their yield and some collection and preservation methods. Once mature and gathered, herbs can be prepared in functional applications for remedial purposes to provide far reaching therapeutic values for horses, both internally and externally. Many different parts of the plant make up these herbal preparations; seeds, flowers, roots, leaves and barks, or in a few instances the whole plant.

Applications made from Plants for Supportive Therapies:

Infusions
Decoctions
Liniments
Tinctures
Poultices and compresses
Salves and ointments
Essential oils
Flower essences

Description of Applications with a Few Recipes:

INFUSION

(Brew)

The product derived from steeping plants with a desired property in water, edible oil or vinegar. Infusions are achieved by pouring the liquid, at appropriate temperatures, over the plant or parts of the plant. The most commonly used infusion is tea.

Note: Remedy may call for straining the herbs and the discarding of them before using or storing. Store brew in a dark-colored jar with a paper lid secured by a rubber band. Since water based preparations ferment fast, a fully airtight lid will speed this process. Fresh daily brews are preferable, but they will keep in refrigerator 2 – 3 days.

1)
Leaf or Flower Brew

Shred herb finely with scissors before use. A basic preparation is to place shredded herbs in an enamel pan with the required cold-liquid amount added and cover with lid. Heat over low-heat just until boiling, immediately remove from heat source and allow steeping for a minimum of 3 hours, 6 hours is better.

2)
Seed Brew

To prepare a brew with seeds first requires a 24-hour soaking of the seeds to crack open the casings. Place the seeds in an enamel pan with the required cold-liquid amount added and cover with lid. Heat over low-heat just until boiling, immediately remove from heat source and allow steeping for a minimum of 3 hours, 6 hours is better.

3)
Root or Bark Brew

Grate bark or slice roots finely before making brew. A brew using roots or barks is prepared following the directions above except simmering at a heat just before boiling. This process requires at least one hour. Remove from heat keeping covered, steep from 3 – 6 hours. Fresh daily brews are preferable, but will keep in refrigerator 3 – 4 days.

4)
Infusion #2 (a variation to basic “brew” recipes above):

To prepare an infusion, ready liquid for use, bring water/vinegar to a boil and for oil, bring to a temperature around 325 F; keep oil well below smoke point. Place herbs in an enamel saucepan with a lid and pour hot liquid over the herbs. Cover the container and allow the herbs to steep for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, strain the mixture into a heat resistant container, cover with lid. See storage instructions above. Depending on the liquid used, safe storage time may vary from recipe to recipe. In addition, depending on the required potency, steep time and the quantities of herb/liquid will vary.

DECOCTION

Slightly differs from an infusion. A method of extracting the fluids from the plant or parts of the plant by boiling in water or other chemical substances for 8–10 minutes, then straining the residue. The liquid is now a decoction. For ingestion, stir in honey or an aromatic herb to improve the taste. Add honey when fluid is tepid, not hot. One part aromatic herb to three parts medicinal herb is usually sufficient.

Decoction 2 (a variation to basic recipe above):

Place the herbs in boiling water and then reduce heat until the water is gently simmering. Simmer for about 15 minutes, then strain.

The use of all herbal medicines, raw or freshly brewed is best, but there are those applications and situations where the preservation of the herb is necessary; the following information provided came from a 300-year old recipe printed in the journal "Health from Herbs".

Prepare infusions and decoctions in the usually way and before cooling, strain through a metal sieve; then strain them through muslin. Using a clean bottle with a small neck (not to exceed 1 ¼” across), pour in liquid just to run out top, eliminating froth; once froth free, pour some liquid out leaving about half an inch down the bottleneck empty. Melt lard or white wax (paraffin) and pour gently into bottleneck over top of liquid. This will float to top sealing the liquid below from air. With a piece of parchment, mutton or beef skin, pull it over top of bottleneck and tie down with string. Do not use cork to seal. After the lard or wax is set, store in a dark, cold area. This should keep indefinitely.

General Proportion Suggestion:

a heaped handful of leaf, flower, seed, root or bark brewed in one-pint liquid

General Dosage Suggestions:

internally - a quart of herbal brew given daily, in pint doses morning and night (can sweeten with molasses or honey - add honey/molasses when fluid is tepid, not hot.): applies to external applications as well
most edible, safe herbs can be fed freshly gathered and raw, in handfuls, or finely cut and mixed with a mash of bran and molasses
usually prescribed for several weeks and for longer periods in deep-seated aliments

PILLS

Gather the required herbs and cut very finely or when using dried herbs it must be in powder form. Mix with thick honey and wheaten flour; better yet use slippery elm bark, which holds the herbs more firmly than wheaten flour. Roll mixture into balls.

The following recipe is an edible delight (herbal pill) for horses to entice ingestion of those not so appealing supplements or medicines.

Edible Herbal Do Ups:

1/2 cup powdered or finely crushed herb (preferable powdered)

1/4 cup powdered Slippery Elm Bark (a binding agent holding the mixture together)

1/4 cup pure honey or cane molasses

In a medium size bowl, mix the first two ingredients together and then add honey or molasses. Mix with your fingers or in a food processor and then kneed into dough. Divide dough into 16 pieces evenly and roll into balls. Dust balls with a little bit of Slippery Elm powder to coat.

One ball equals a 1/2 Tablespoon dose

NOTE: use thick pure honey or blackstrap molasses for best results

LINIMENT

Liniments typically used to relieve pain and stiffness, from sore muscles or from arthritis. They are a topical solution applied to the skin and of similar thickness to lotions, but significantly thinner than an ointment or cream. Balm is another name used for this type of preparation. Unlike other herbal preparations, a liniment requires friction when applied; meaning always rubbed into the skin. Used diluted or take precautions if using at full-strength. Blistering of the skin can occur, if the liniment is too strong. Remember, what we put on our skin and our horse’s skin is absorbed into the bloodstream. With that said, when applying a topical solution consider wearing gloves to prevent the solution from being absorbed into your bloodstream as well.

General Preparation:

Materials:

A clean colored (amber, green, blue or brown) glass jar with lid – 4oz size

A cup of chopped fresh herbs or ¼ cup of dried herbs

1/2 pint of grain alcohol ( such as Everclear - a grain spirit that is available at concentrations of 75.5% alcohol (151 proof) and 95% alcohol (190 proof).

Note: Hard liquors such as rum and vodka typically contain only 40%–60% alcohol (80–120 proof).

1/2 pint of distilled water

Place the herb into the jar, fill with equal parts grain alcohol, and distilled water. Close lid tightly and label the jar with the ingredients and the date. Store the container in a cool, dry, dark place. Every 2 days, shake the jar vigorously. After four to six weeks, strain the mixture above a bowl catching the liquid. Wrap the herbs in a towel or pillowcase and squeeze as much liquid as possible from herbs, catching this fluid in the same bowl as the strained liquid. This strained liquid is your finished liniment.

Applications:

Usual preparation is to add liniment directly into a bucket of warm water then sponge it on the horse. A popular procedure is to apply liniment to horses, with elevated body temperatures, after a workout in hot weather to help cool them. The alcohols quickly evaporate leaving the oils that cause the capillaries in the skin to dilate and increase the cooling process. Another option is to apply liniments to the legs as a brace, and then wrap over it.

NOTE: Do not apply liniments to sensitive areas such as the head, genitals or groin of the horse, or if the horse was recently clipped.

More information on liniments visit blog ...Horse Bathing .

Topical Applications made from Plants for Supportive Therapies:

Cream – Blending oil and water in approximately equal proportions.

Ointment – Combining a mixture of oil (80%) and water (20%); forming an effective barrier against moisture loss.

Gel – Born from a three-dimensional cross-linked network within certain liquids; a solid, jelly-like material, exhibiting no flow, formulating an easily dissolvable substance when applied to the skin.

Paste – An ointment in which a powder is added and balanced from mixing three agents being oil, water, and powder.

Powder – A substance composed of very fine particles not bonded together.

Make Your Own Ointment

Oil is the base for ointments. Choose saturated oils that are stable to heat such as Coconut, Sunflower, Almond or Olive oil. Infused into the oil are ingredients such as herbs, tinctures or fragrant oils. Then, these oils need a process to "set" giving the ointment its consistency. This “setting” procedure uses beeswax, emulsifying wax or paraffin.

Materials:

oil base of choice

enamel/stainless steel saucepan

double boiler

herbs of choice

colander

muslin cloth

glass jars

beeswax, emulsifying wax or paraffin

Two options to infuse herbs into selected oil:

Option #1)

Lightly simmer the oil in a saucepan, over med-low heat. Stir in herbs and heat through making sure all the moisture is out of the herbs. Strain the mixture over a muslin cloth into a glass jar. Discard the herbs. The infused oil is now ready to add to the beeswax, emulsifying wax or paraffin.

Option #2)
Infuse the herbs into the oil by adding them into a glass jar, seal and place on a windowsill. After two weeks, strain the mixture over a muslin cloth into another glass jar. Discard herbs and add more herbs into strained oil in jar; seal, leaving again in windowsill for another two weeks. Repeat the straining process. The infused oil is now ready to add to the beeswax, emulsifying wax or paraffin.

To “Set” the oil:

Melt wax using a double boiler. Add the infused oil to the melted wax and stir well. Pour into glass jars and allow “setting”. The ointment needs to have a consistency that spreads easily on the skin.

Tip:

Adding Vitamin E oil to the ointment helps preserve it.

1)
Calendula and Lavender Ointment

1oz of fresh calendula and lavender flowers

12oz of water

2oz of emulsifying ointment

.75oz of glycerin

four drops of tincture of benzoin

Make a strong infusion with approximately 1 ounce of fresh calendula and lavender flowers with approximately 12 ounces of water. Cool then strain. Discard herbs.

Place emulsifying ointment and glycerin in a double boiler over medium heat; stir until melted. Remove from heat; add 5 ounces of the calendula and lavender infusion with four drops of tincture of benzoin, stir until cool and substance reaches the texture of cream. Pour into a glass jar and let it “set”. Cover.

An easy enhanced ointment #1:

Sorbelene cream or Aveeno

add a tincture of the desired herb and mix well

An easy enhanced ointment #2:

Mix dried Wormwood with cream or hot oil, cool; apply externally to areas alleviating deterring skin pests. Visit blogs...Pest Control and Pest Control B for more information on plants that help control pesky pest.

Caution when applying ointments to horses skin; rubbing too much can cause hair loss and skin blisters. Patch test first.

Correct storage of the infused oil will further extend its life:

Store out of the light preferably in an amber glass or a tin container
Store well capped and in a near full container to reduce the oxygen available
Store in a cool place, preferably a refrigerator

TINCTURE

A process also known as maceration, which combines raw, dried or preserved plants, fruits or vegetables, softens or breaks them into pieces, and then soaks them in liquid to soften and absorb the beneficial ingredients of the extract.

General Preparation:

Materials:

A clean, colored (amber, green, blue or brown) glass jar with lid – 4oz size

A cup of chopped fresh herbs or ¼ cup of dried herbs

1 pint of vodka (use 40% alcohol (80-85 proof), DO NOT use 100 proof vodka)

1 pint distilled water or

Substitute vodka and distilled water with 1 quart alcohol (a cheap surgical spirit is fine) or 1 quart vinegar.

Storing:

Tinctures made from at least 25% alcohol can be stored indefinitely.
Store in 4oz dark colored (amber, green, blue or brown) tightly sealed glass jar.
Keep stored tincture in a dark place. Tinctures are for external use only.

1)
Witch Hazel Tincture:

Scrape off the bark from a few dormant winter branches, and then soak in twice its weight of dilute grain (ethyl) alcohol (containing 50 percent distilled water) for about two weeks. Isopropyl or rubbing alcohol will work too but label the bottle "for external use only." Shake or stir the tincture once or twice daily. Strain mixture, pour into a bottle and store in a cool dark place. Before use, dilute this tincture with at least two parts distilled water; undiluted, this tincture may be too harsh for sensitive skin. Apply this tincture to relieve the itching and oozing of poison ivy rash.

Tinctures are sometimes the base for compresses and poultices.

COMPRESS

A compress is a cloth made of non-woven textile fabricated from air laid fibers (cotton linen, no synthetic fabrics or wool) containing super absorbent material. Usually soaked in an herbal decoction, infusion or tincture applied to painful areas or wounds, thus providing the area a moist/clean environment relieving inflammation and encouraging the healing process. A compress can be any temperature (cold, lukewarm, or hot) and it can be dry or wet; applied under pressure and held in place for a period. This is one of the most important methods of applying herbs to the body.

Possible Herb Compress Uses:

comfrey for sports type injuries
plantain for insect bites and bee stings
St. John's Wort and rosemary for pain relief
chamomile for cramp relief
mallow for bruises and inflammations
nasturtium for abscesses
castor oil for falling hair
yarrow for wound healing

1)
Yarrow Compress Preparation:

Make an infusion of yarrow by pouring a cup of boiling water over three teaspoonfuls of herb; allow steeping for 15 minutes, applying to affected area when tepid.

POULTICE

Also known as, a cataplasm, a poultice is a soft moist mass, often heated and medicated, spread on cloth (cotton, linen, no synthetic fabrics or wool) over the skin to treat an aching, inflamed, or painful part of the body. Placed under a bandage and remaining in place for a period, the poultice relieves the afflicted site. A poultice aids in treating abscess wounds, where a build-up of pus needs to be drawn. Poultice can also be used on the lower legs of a horse in treating the easily injured tendons of that area or as a precautionary measure to prevent heat and filling after the horse has exerted. A heated poultice placed on the affected area encourages extra circulation.
Note: Never reuse a poultice. Always administer a fresh, new one.

1)
General Poultice Preparation:

one-cup herb

a heat tolerant bowl

one-cup boiling water

Place a cup of the chosen herb in a heat tolerant bowl; pour the boiling water over the herbs. Allow mixture to steep until the herbs have cooled enough for skin tolerance. Place a clean cotton cloth over the affected area, strain the herbs and place the warm/semi hot herbs on top of the cloth; cover with another piece of cotton cloth. Keep the poultice in place until the herbs have cooled completely. Discard the herbs and wash the poultice cloths before reusing. The usual application is three to four times a day for best results.

More information on poultices, visit blog ..."Horse Grooming - Behaviors"

2)
Linseed Poultice:

heat resistant bowl

two pints boiling water

¼ lb linseed

½ oz olive oil

warm linen

Warm the bowl by gentle pouring one-pint boiling water into it; discard water. Pour remaining one-pint boiling water into bowl. Using one hand, sprinkle slowly the linseed into the water. With the other hand, using a strong spoon, stirring quickly and strongly until made into a smooth dough. When fully mixed, stir in olive oil. Quickly spread the mixture on to a square of warm linen; fold ends over then apply poultice to area requiring treatment. Note: Apply mixture warm – never hot to scald the skin.

3)
Herbal Poultice Bandage:

powdered slippery elm bark

boiling herbal brew – choose herb for the ailment being treated

Leave the finely cut herb in the brew – do not strain. Sprinkle the powered slippery elm bark into a small bowlful of the boiling water/herb mix; stir until a thin paste forms. Spread warm paste on a linen or cotton bandage and apply over the wound or area to be treated.

4)
Cold Poultice Bandage of Fresh Leaves:

Wash the chosen herb for the ailment being treated, in cold water. Place a long piece of cotton wool cloth in cold water; soak well. Place cold, wet herbs against treatment area and cover with wet-soaked cotton wool cloth. Bind firmly in place with cotton cloth strips – do not tie tightly. Repeat 4 times a day with new leaves (herbs) for each application. Leave unbandaged overnight. A preferred method in treating wounds and sores; leaves heat up thus drawing impurities out and removal of this application is painless and leaving scab intact.

HERBAL BATHS

An herbal bath is a water based infusion or decoction designed to treat the skin or to deliver the herbs’ properties through skin absorption. They have great soothing affects and can benefit when weather, time or whatever does not permit a complete traditional bath. They are for external administration only. For ease of use, make a gallon at a time (recipes can be prepared in advance). Store the herbal bath in a sealed container in the refrigerator until next use.

Note: Remove from refrigerator and allow herbal bath to reach room temperature before using.

More information on bathing visit blog...Horse Bathing.

For the following two recipes:

When using fresh herbs use 3 tablespoons fresh herbs per cup of water or

3 cups of fresh herbs per gallon of water

When using dry herbs use 1 tablespoon dried herbs per cup of water or

1 cup of dried herb per gallon of water

1)
Wound Sluice

Materials:

16qt pot

1-gallon jar with lid

colander

Ingredients:

Calendula (calendula officinale)

Chamomile (matricaria recutita)

Comfrey (symphytum officinale)

1-gallon water

Boil water and remove from heat. Add herbs, stir just until combined then pour into a glass jar; tightly seal. Let sit 15-20 minutes, remove lid and strain off herbs. Discard herbs. Use generously on wound area as a wash or rinse.

2)
Trauma Tea

Materials:

16 qt pot

1-gallon jar with lid

colander

Ingredients:

Arnica (arnica montana) (do not use on open wounds or broken skin)

Calendula (calendula officinale)

Mint (mentha piperita)

Rue (ruta graveolens)

St. John's Wort (hypericum perforatum)

1-gallon water

3)
Oat Wash

Materials:

blender

clean old cotton sock

4qt plastic bucket

Ingredients:

2 cups of rolled oats (not quick oats)

2 quarts of hot water

5 drops of lavender oil*

In blender, add oats and break up into small bits. Pour ground oats into thin cotton sock and tie off sock. Put oat-filled sock into bucket of hot water to infuse. Wring out the oat-filled sock a few times and return to bucket. Allow the water to cool down reaching a temperature suitable for horses. If desired, add the lavender oil to the water and mix well. Continue stirring well throughout the application to prevent the oil separating and floating. Apply warm oat infused water to the irritated skin, using the oat-filled sock. Permit to dry naturally; do not use towels or blowers. This wash is terrific for irritated skin areas.

*Optional ingredient –

Adding essential oils to the wash can have added benefits, but exercise caution when using citrus oils, keep the horse out of the sun for the following 48 hours after the wash to prevent blistering. A horse blanket will block the suns rays if the oil-applied section is under the blanket’s covering area. Essential oils are for external use only; and skin irritation may still occur. Applying a few drops of oil around the barn is an application used to experience the herb through scent. The application of oils requires knowledge and techniques. Great resources are available in many ways: books, herbal stores and internet.

BASIC ESSENTIAL OILS

Basil – when tired or weak restores mental alertness
Bergamot – alleviates anxiety
Chamomile – soothing, restful, relaxing
Cypress – comfort effect
Frankincense – eases issues of great fright
Juniper – seeking peace and clarity
Lavender – calming, gentle, kindly
Lemongrass – consider, memorize
Marjoram – calming and soothing effect on sore and tired muscles
Melaleuca Alternifolia also known as Tea Tree Oil – used in a body wash to cleanse and condition the skin for insect bites, minor cuts, or fungi
Patchouli – attention, focus
Sweet Orange – warmth and contentment
Vetiver – reassuring, feeling, grounding ones emotion

Note: Create a combination of essential oils to form your own recipe. Select oils appropriate for the intended purpose of the spritzer. In addition, the amount of essential oil used depends on the purpose of the spray.A general outline is indicated below:

To 4 ounces of distilled water, add:

8 to 10 drops for the face

30 to 40 drops for an all over body spray

80 to 100 drops for a room spray/air freshener

Calming Spray Recipe:

128 oz distilled water
80 drops lavender oil*
16 tsp alcohol**

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle; label and mist in air throughout the barn.

* Chamomile oil can be used instead of lavender oil
** Rubbing alcohol is optional, but it will help to combine the water and oil

FLOWER / HERB ESSENCES

Essences are made by dissolving one to two ounces of the essential oil extracted from the flower/herb in one-quart alcohol: surgical grade spirit or vinegar can be used. Storing essences in a dark place, in a dark-colored tightly sealed jar is appropriate.
NOTE: Essences are for external use only.

Tips from the Trail:

Some Variables to Consider before Administering Herbs to Equines:

Activity Levels
Age
Breed
Body Mass
Gender
Natural Behavior
Pregnant or Lactating mares – Requires special considerations before administering anything.
Pasture/Upkeep
Physical Illness or Injury

No two horses are the same.

A trained equine professional should determine the appropriate herb and dosage for the horse.

Most herbal remedies include several herbs because all herbal traditions believe in the synergy of plants. However, too much of a good thing is not necessarily good; there are limitations in herb mixing – so seek advice.

As with anything new and different, it is best to start out slowly using small amounts of the herb and increasing levels daily, usually by quarters until reaching the desired amount.

Monitor the horse for any changes in appearance or behavior. Physical progress may be subtle. Periodic photos during the process may be helpful in concluding the effectiveness of the herbs.

Re-evaluate the horse and re-dose or eliminate, if required.

Next and Last in the Series...

Herbs for My Horses... Their Names

Previous Series...

Herbs for My Horses..The Gardens

GO GREEN TIPS:

Recycle dated herbs by scattering them around garden plants making a healthy mulch
Consider a "Green Grid Roofing System". Popular in Europe since the early 70s, these roofs are designed to hold vegetation. They reduce storm water run off, contribute to a healthier environment and improve energy performance. Heating and cooling costs can be reduced 25 to 50%

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

He knows when you're happy
He knows when you're comfortable
He knows when you're confident
And he always knows when you have carrots

Author Unknown

Herbs for My Horses...The Gardens

2010-01-04T23:28:00.224-05:00

Flowers for My Friends...
Herbs for My Horses

The Gardens

For quite some time gardening has regularly engaged our lives for personal use and pleasure. We find this undertaking satisfying, and it continues to develop and progress. Always appreciating the beauty of a flower and the palate of an herb, the infatuation has transformed into something even more gratifying growing plants for the horses. Our horticultural design is never quite complete, and we are constantly adding more blooms to the landscape making possible the continuous bouquets of splendor for our family and friends. These blossoms are “Flowers for My Friends”, but we have to say the plants that are valued for flavor, scent, and therapeutic qualities for the most part will remain, “Herbs for My Horses”.

With the thoughts of spring right around the corner, views of the herb garden for the horses in union with ours have sprouted again, but this time germinating into something more; pen to paper creating from seed this campaign, “Herbs for My Horses”. With our philosophy on natural horse care, growing and utilizing herbs for them has always existed. At present, with the farm planning underway, we are ready to sow these seeds into reality, but first we embarked on a few experimental garden beds and hordes of extensive research.

As with any research, you run into inconsistent information. From this, we emphasize the importance of careful studies using all the resources available; books, internet and most significantly the professionals. This will construct an educated concept; therefore furnishing the best, most ecological and safest management possible for the horse. At the end of the day, making sound decisions and safe choices for the horse is the responsibility of the owner or caregiver.

Exercising the use of herbs is a serious venue; just because herbs are natural does not guarantee their safety. In learning about herbs for the horse world, we found it unfortunate that horses could be at risk because of the careless and unconsidered choices in herbal feeding. Misconceiving herbs as food is serious and sometimes fatal. Herbs are not food and feeding in this manner is extremely dangerous. Providing herbs to your equine is an enhancement, not a replacement for proper feeding programs or direction from a professional veterinarian. In addition, herbs are powerful, and acquiring an understanding of their abilities is vital in preventing the dangers associated with the mishandling of them. The usage of herbs has been studied for thousands of years, yet none of them are a cure all any more than the conventional drugs of modern day. But through knowledge they can provide advantages for your equine. Certain herbs are the origin of many drugs and their use can produce a similar outcome. Thus, the practice of utilizing herbs can be supportive or destructive.

Find a professional veterinarian and or equine nutritionist familiar with both herbs and drugs who can offer expert opinions and aid in your decisions on what herbs might be appropriate for your horse. Not all veterinarians are experienced in the use of herbs for natural care, so it may take some time to find one who can assist you. It is important to understand that herbs can sometimes do things that drugs cannot and sometimes they can do the same things, but then other times they cannot match the safety and effectiveness of certain modern day conventional drugs. Herbal preparations should not replace veterinary care, but can work in conjunction with medical aid. Better yet, the use of herbs can be practiced as preventative measures. Always have your horse examined by a professional veterinarian. In the event of illness or injury, get a diagnosis and discuss a treatment plan designed for your horse. Never diagnosis symptoms or treat unless you are qualified.

Conventional medicine is often clinical, but there are instances when alternative methods used in combination with conventional medicine for treatment can promote a healthy prognosis. Conventional medicines are prescribed to help with an illness or injury, thus they are reactive to the problem. However, even though herb applications can offer reactive treatments to medical problems, also, they can be administered as proactive measures. Trying to prevent is always better than trying to cure. It is important to keep in mind that not all herbs are alike. Some herbs relevant and safe for humans can pose problems or even death in horses. It is imperative to know which herbs are suitable for the individual horse before administering them. Discuss and choose herbs with your veterinarian, especially when used with prescribed medications because some herb and drug combinations are lethal. Whether used as a treatment or supplement, feeding herbs responsibly and prudently can provide horses with countless health benefits.

As herbivores, horses are born to forage freely on a variety of herbs and grasses. In the wild, horses will roam the land and graze about 20 hours a day covering an average of 20 – 25 miles seeking water, grasses and assorted vegetation. Nature is amazing, left in healthy pastures where herbs grow wild, horses instinctively know which plants are best to eat and when it is best not to eat them. With the limitations of pastures, not all flora within the boundaries will be safe. Healthy soil will reduce the poisonous plants but, no matter how we slice and dice it, grazing for the domesticated horse is limited and they are solely dependent upon owners or caregivers to provide their provisions. Know what is growing in your pastures. Everyone has situations in carving out their unique equine world, and businesses have catered to these conditions quite successfully with their commercial interest in mind. There are many viable options available to supply equines with essential nutrients and treatments. Whatever arrangement you patronize, the system will have elements of convenience as well as necessity. Not everyone is a gardener or has the capability to produce a more natural approach for the horse. Nevertheless, with the following information, one can dabble while another can dive head on.

The GARDENS:

Having the opportunity to plant an assortment of quality vegetation suitable for horses is now in its early stages for us. Affording horses the freedom to forage the vegetation they desire and need, whenever their bodily urges, provides them mental and physical benefits. The ability to provide these advantages is quite fulfilling to us. Natural, economical and “green” are the objectives for our gardens and pursuing this aim spun the decision to integrate equine garden with human garden, thus creating the “Freedom” Garden for our horses. Feeding from the land, maintaining a balance between growth and consumption and discovering ways to conserve is rewarding in so many ways. One such gratifying practice is contributing to healthy grazing in the freedom garden and therefore providing proper nutrition and diet essential for healthy happy horses. Joining the two gardens, human and equine into one, along with the separate gardens contained within it, the “Freedom” Garden brings the discussion that follows on its purpose, preparation, and effect.

This is the first of a three part series on herbs. The other two blogs are near completion, and will be posted consecutively after they are concluded. Each blog covers a singular focus from design and groundwork to various vegetation definitions, and finally to the preparation and uses of remedial applications. Our goal was to supply our approach and experiences from a beginning position to a point of fruition. It brought us a knowledgeable view on the process; hence, these blogs turned out rather lengthy. We are always open for comments or corrections; if you have any, please contact us. Let's grow on...

First Things First:

Taking into account a fundamental characteristic of the horse, the instinct to roam and graze, encouraged the design to plant the vegetation in several different areas. This layout persuades horses to travel the entire field and not collect in one section, therefore avoiding the damage of overgrazing in any particular area. This one practice of grazing management allows time for plants to rebound, generate strength and engender new growth. In the pastures, multiple grasses with certain field herbs added make a diverse mixture of forage for the horses. Select hardy and safe vegetation apt for abundant grazing; start by considering the plants’ growing cycles. With several grass choices blended together, they can be randomly scattered throughout the field. These freely planted grasses allow ad lib grazing which is wonderful for the horses. One must keep in mind certain vegetation need more controlled and contained devises due to the risk they can inflict on horses. For this reason and to prevent overgrazing, a plan for these "controlled" herbs planted in several sections developed into another garden within the “Freedom” Garden, called the “Fence Line” Garden. This garden follows the outside fence line of the pasture sanctioning the horse’s access. Understanding that some herbs must remain out of the horses’ reach, since there is some vegetation for our consumption which can be deadly if ingested by horses; another garden is born within the “Fence Line” Garden called the “Restricted” Garden. Under sufficient conditions, horses normally stay away from toxic plants, but accepting as true the aphorism, prevent vs. trying to cure, we take no chances.

For anything to flourish, it requires the proper environment to do so. The closer you maintain a safe, natural environment for the entity, the more triumphant the result. Developing knowledge of the land and supplying it with the appropriate nutrient levels provides benefits to the recipient whether it is plant, horse or human. Nutrients in soil need to be in balance and are essential for vigorous, healthy plants. This topic requires in-depth discussions so, saving that for a future blog, this herbs series will remain on the design and yield of planting and some basic administration of certain herbs to horses. In staying “green”, the cycle of the plant suggests herbs are only going to be as good as the soil in which they grow; therefore, management needs to follow the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil building, conservation and pest management.

Plants grown in depleted soils have a reduced nutrient content thus, we strive to be attentive to soil conditions and what we add into the soil; the plant’s food becomes food for horse and human. Take the time and obtain a soil sample. For a nominal charge, the local Cooperative Extension Office will analyze it and report the levels of nutrients present. They can advise on the proper procedure in collecting the soil. Other testing centers maybe available. If a university is nearby, they may provide the analysis, or one can check for other reputable research testing labs. This step is the beginning in supplying a nutritionally balanced soil, which will encourage growth of vigorous fresh plants for the horses to graze on, benefit from and enjoy.

Prepare and Share:

For healthy pastures and gardens seek expert advice that is usually free and abundant in the livestock feed and seed stores, garden centers, from local farmers and on the internet; free aid that is truly priceless. It will supply advantages through information, soil preparation and the balancing of nutrient levels to name a few. Have a plan for your garden and design a layout.

OUR GARDEN LAYOUT - The “Freedom” Garden consists of lush pastures and two gardens, the “Fence Line” and the “Restricted”. Layout the design of the two gardens with string, hoses, rocks, etc, just something to indicate the areas. Choose a planting area away from equine reach for the “Restricted” Garden"; account for an extended neck. Establish the planting beds by removing any unwanted grasses, plants, weeds, etc and cultivate the soil to a depth of 6”. Mix compost (organic waste…manure; that one is easy) and any necessary top dressings into the soil until well blended; composting returns nutrients into the soil allowing the cycle of life to continue. Rake the areas smooth, water and let rest for 1- 2 weeks. If any undesirable seedlings sprout, let them grow to 2” tall then pull or hoe them out and rake the soil smooth again. Now you are ready to sow your plants.

Consider the herbs for planting carefully. Doing so provides the horses nutritionally rich sources fortified with the vitamins, antioxidants and minerals they require for a healthier, more contented existence. Several of the more common herbs that grow readily in meadows and pastures usually naturalize successfully in a garden. Select vegetation for their appeal, nutritional and therapeutic values to horses. Consider the plant’s growing habits such as height, and whether it is recurrent. Several forms are available for purchasing; seeds, seedlings, established plants so, choose the course of action best suited to your situation. For pasture seeds and garden bedding plants, sow in the early spring after all danger of frost has passed, in early summer or late fall where winters are mild.

Knowing your planting zone will provide precise planting information that is essential. For pasture seeds, mix as one the different seeds chosen and scatter evenly over the designated area. Lightly rake seeds into soil or cover seeds with soil no deeper than ¼”. Tamp soil gently to ensure good soil-seed contact, water soil gently keeping it moist for 15 days to encourage germination. For the garden beds, follow the specific instructions according to the plant’s individual packing label for they will differ with between the assorted plants. Horses need to remain off these areas until plantings are well established. Keep everything watered and watch it all flourish. Once deep-rooted; share the harvest with equine family and their friends.

A Bit on Pasture Grasses:

Numerous pasture grasses are available to purchase for horses, but their ability to grow varies with temperature, light, soil conditions, land formations, etc. Determine the best-suited grasses and/or legumes to plant in the pasture for producing successful results and a nutritional harvest for the horses. Some types follow; consult with experts to help with this task.

PASTURE GRASSES:

Bahia Grass
Bermudagrass
Bluegrass
Buffalograss
Crabgrass
Dallisgrass
Fescue (Tall)
Festolium
Lovegrass
Native Grasses
Orchardgrass
Ryegrass Annual
Ryegrass Perennial - Timothy

FORAGE and LEGUMES:

(Planted in the “Fence Line” Garden, these forages should be controlled.)

Alfalfa
Clovers
Lab Lab
Kale
Lespedeza
Millets
Oats
Rape (Canola)
Vetch
Winter Peas

For the most efficient use of the pastures, a program to manage grazing needs implementing. Horses are grazing machines and can over-graze a field if not properly controlled. Arrive at a plan to limit access while maintaining proper care of the horse and the fields. Having two small lots and rotating the time spent in either will help the food source go farther. Grasses/legumes, for the most part, are planted in the pastures, but many are in the “Fence Line” Garden for control purposes. In exchange for this, mixing different pasture grass seeds with a few field herbs such as calendula, dandelion, fennel, mint, and Queen Anne’s lace for pasture planting will truly afford horses a variety of healthy and palatable forages. As with herbs, some grasses are harmful and even fatal for horses. A blog on pasture preparation and planting is in the future.

Do Not Plant the Grasses Below / Avoid for Horses:

Sorghum

Sudangrass

Johnsongrass

Sorghum-Sudangrass hybrids

Horses can develop paralysis and urinary disorders from grazing these species. In addition, it is unsafe to feed hay from these grasses.

Kentucky 31 Fescue or any of its varieties containing endophytes are extremely toxic to pregnant mares. It is said that there are safe varieties of Fescue available for horses and one such grass, MaxQ, is noted as an excellent Tall Fescue pasture grass. Mississippi State University tested pastures planted with just MaxQ Tall Fescue and found no symptoms of fescue toxicosis. Use only an endophyte-free fescue for equine grazing.

Design of the Beds in the “Freedom” Garden:

The most practical solution is to establish a quality forage pasture surrounded by an herb bed. Planting the herbs on the outside of the fence line permits the horses free access; but with boundaries to avoid trampling and overgrazing.

Whether there are several interlocking paddocks, one pasture or even a small-designated area, the possibilities are endless on arrangements available for the gardens. Many possibilities will arise when you focus to limit the purchase of processed goods, and instead choose those capable of giving back to the earth and aiming for “green”.Our design is a continuous “Fence Line” Garden approximately 8ft wide (12ft wide in certain areas) with an array of vegetation planted purposefully throughout. Knowing the mature height and perimeter of the plantings determines the placement in relationship to the fence. Plants that need a more controlled access, sunlight amounts and those that reappear every year also affects the position they hold within the garden. Edible vegetables for human and horse consumption are scattered along the beds. Strategically planted for controlling foraging access, some vegetation is planted close to the fence while other vegetation is planted further away, developing a “No Reach Zone” for the horses. These segments are in the “Restricted” Garden and are in the 12ft wider beds along the outside border of the fence line. The plants in the “Restricted” Garden are conveniently accessible by us and are the herbs, vegetables and flowers we command and or consume along with the plants horses cannot ingest. Edible vegetables for human and horse are grown in the “Restricted” Garden intentionally, for control purposes and are a wonderful benefit for both. These are just some of the applications used in managing the “Fence Line” Garden. See blog, "Treat with Respect" for information concerning some plants horses can and cannot eat.

Depending upon the extent of the layout, it may take quite some time and effort to establish and maintain the garden for the horses. Periodically, the beds need overhauling with nutrients, cleaning up, trimming, and mulching, but the outcome is an advantage, which is rewarding to many. The experimental beds are underway as a pilot and with plans in hand. Soon we will continue with and look forward to the next steps for growing the “Freedom” Garden.

Tips from the Trail:

A split rail fence approximately 4ft high for the pasture works best.

Plants need to be well rooted before allowing the horses access to them.

Keeping the beds weed free gives the plants a much better growing opportunity. However, allowing certain volunteer weeds to grow makes good alternative grazing unless of course they are toxic or overwhelming the beds.

Planting groups of the same plant in odd numbers creates a more natural look.

Determine the safe and restricted plants for horses and plant in beds accordingly. Then, follow sunlight requirements before all other necessities of the vegetation when deciding location within the beds. Know the full sun, semi-shade and shade areas of the garden.

Plant shorter vegetation that is safe and allowed as free access for the horses right along the outside fence line of the pastures.

The above arrangement of plantings is broken up with a grouping of two shrub types that are incredibly safe and extremely healthy for horses to nibble. Grown directly on the outside fence line as a hedge adding excellent benefits for the horses are the Hawthorn Crataegus oxycantha and the Dog Rose Rosa canina. Plant the hedge as groupings of three; alternating between the two shrub types – one grouping consists of two Dog Rose shrubs divided by one Hawthorn in between them. These hedges are not continuous along the fence line, but planted along the fence in occasional groupings usually in front of the “Restricted” Garden. This allows Dog Rose to climb the top fence post and produce a crown freely, but controlling the plant through trimming its base, both height and width. Thus, permitting horses free access to shorter vegetation planted in the areas beneath the shrubs.

The development of the gardens evolves over years so, first plant vegetation desired to be extensive and far-reaching providing the space required for full maturity.

Plant as many different types of perennial vegetation possible; eliminates replanting.

The safe and more palatable the herb, the more groupings should be planted. This will help to prevent any one plant from being overeaten.

The controlled or more “restricted” plant, the fewer groupings should be planted; examples are rosemary, lavender and wormwood, yarrow, thyme and sage. These herbs are quite powerful, containing volatile oils like thujone and thymol. Horses normally would only choose to eat limited quantities when necessary, but too much consumption of these herbs for too long can cause toxicity issues. These herbs are in the “No Reach Zone” of the “Restricted” Garden.

Each herb variety has properties determining the best application of its use. In addition, these individualities establish the appropriate times to harvest the plant for the intended purpose. Research will help indicate the times for harvesting based on the projected application, and the properties of each part of the plant.

When trimming your plants for maintenance, thinly spread cut herbs that are safe over the grass in the pasture so that they dry out in the sun. Watch the horses enjoy this unexpected delight.

Go Green Tips:

Want a smaller, controlled garden? There are possible items around the farm to reuse as containers capable of accommodating the plants:

old tires
feed/water buckets
wheel barrows
troughs / bathtubs
barrels
fence posts / logs / poles
and there is likely much, much more

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

Next Series

Herbs for My Horses... Their Uses

Last Series

Herbs for My Horses... Their Names

“A good farmer in our times has to know more about things than a man in any other profession. He has to be a biologist, a veterinary, a mechanic, a botanist, a horticulturist and many other things. He has to have an open mind, eager and ready to absorb new knowledge, new ideas and new ideals.”
Louis Bromfield

Horses of Military / War

2009-12-01T13:02:00.010-05:00

Perhaps the most famous warhorse remains disputed; nonetheless, according to legend The TROJAN HORSE became the instrument allowing access into the city of Troy, thus ultimately the Greek’s victory.

The Achaeans fought an unsuccessful war with the people of Troy for ten years, usually dated to the 12th or 11th centuries BC. The Achaeans pondered on the thought, perhaps Troy could be seized by slyness instead of by force. Executing this thought, the construction of The Trojan Horse became the strategy of their victory. The Achaeans hid an armed military force inside the horse and left it in plain view of the Trojans. Simulating a retreat, the Achaeans enticed the Trojans to bring the horse within the walls of their city. The horse had a deceitful inscription: "For their return home, the Achaeans dedicate this thank-offering to Athena."

Without the horse, most wars would have died within a very short time.

This blog is the first of a series dedicated to horses in history. We felt it appropriate to start here for without the valiant contributions of horses in military and war; man’s march through time would be much different. Horses were the most neglected among the many heroes of war serving by the billions, over the millennia in a variety of ways, large numbers suffered painfully and died in service. Life was not easy for the warhorse and was often ended by disease, starvation, severe injuries or being ridden to extreme exhaustion. Few received proper care, but the majority were mismanaged and cruelly mishandled. The severity of the work is not what killed them but the wretched conditions under which they did their work.

Pulling heavy loaded wagons or riding one into battle, the utilization of horses in war changed as time passed. The first use of horses in warfare occurred over 5000 years ago. Images of those early horses pulling wagons in conflict with primitive equipment gave way to the impetus of the chariot. As history goes, new improved designs and tactics replaced the chariot with the cavalry. By 360 BC, the Greek cavalry officer Xenophon wrote an extensive paper on horsemanship. In it, Xenophon details the selection, care, and training of horses for the use both in the military and for the public. This treatise along with numerous improvements in technology including the invention of the saddle, the stirrup, and later, the horse collar transformed the effectiveness of horses in battle.

Good horses were always in demand by the military during warfare; riding horses were necessary for cavalry charges, scouting, raiding, communication, and drawing horses were needed for transportation of military supplies and heavy armor. The horse was deeply embedded in military life until after World War I when the method of warfare changed completely. The use of trench warfare, barbed wire, machine guns and tanks rendered traditional cavalry almost obsolete and the cavalry began to phase out. Some horse cavalry units were used extensively for the transport of troops and supplies in World War II, but by the end of the war, horses were rarely seen in battle.

For a horse, the best thing man ever did was develop technology to the point that it no longer had to participate in war. They were the unfortunate servants of war; their suffering was extensive and without falter; their heroic performances proven by the immense numbers that have lost their lives throughout history. Many warhorses had their names written upon the scrolls of history by their evident bravery, faithfulness and good judgment on the battlefields and some of them became almost as famous as the brave men who fought with them. Exposed to tedious marches and bullet-swept battlefields, yet somehow realizing their importance in the conflict continuing onward until the end. The horse has contributed to the success of man more than any other animal.

Today, the horse in war has almost disappeared, but it remains connected to man’s world. From working on the farm to the leisurely trail ride, the horse and human interactions are rooted in cavalry skills and classical horsemanship of days gone by. The riding and training skills of today were once used by the military on the horses in history.

HORSES in HISTORY
Military / War

After endless reading and viewing thousands of photos in archives, extensive information has been found on certain steeds, while hardly a trace exists for others. To a large degree, names of horses in the American Civil War were easier to obtain for the amount of data available, while horses of various other conflicts were vastly unspecified. As time passes, their identities will be lost forever and they will remain countless, nameless, everlasting, true, unsung heroes.

We Honor their Courage and Valor

ALMOND EYE was the warhorse of Major General Benjamin F. Butler, nicknamed “Beast Butler” and together they rode into several battles of the American Civil War. Almond Eye acquired his name from the unusual shape of his eyes.

BABIECA was the white Andalusia warhorse of Spanish hero, Ruy Diaz, better known as “El Cid”. Babieca was never ridden again after El Cid’s death in 1099. Babieca died 2 years later at the incredible age of 40. Allegedly, upon his death, El Cid left instructions for Babieca to be buried alongside him and his wife at the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña and that his body be secured on Babieca in full armor and with sword raised. The request was initially fulfilled but later the remains were exhumed from the monastery and then interred at the cathedral in Burgos where they rest today.

BAYARD was the mount for General Bosquet in the Crimean War fought between the British Empire, France, the Ottoman Empire and the Kingdom of Sardinia against the opposing Russian Empire (1853 – 1856). The Crimean War was the first war to introduce technical changes affecting the future course of warfare; first war thoroughly documented in photographs and the first tactical use of railways and the telegraph.

BEAUREGARD was the steed of James Russell Wheeler who left Union-held Baltimore under cover of darkness and joined the Confederate Calvary at Richmond, Virginia. Serving with Co. E of the 1st Maryland Calvary, he was captured twice in two years. Because of Wheeler’s capture, Beauregard became the property of his commander, Captain W. I. Rasin, who rode the horse to the surrender at Appomattox. Beauregard survived long after the war. He died in 1883.

BIJOU, French for, “jewel”, was the horse of Count Johan Augustus Sandels, in the Finnish War (1808-1809). The Count led the Swedish troops to victory against the Russian forces, at the Battle at Virta Bridge.

BILL was the mount of Henry Jackson Hunt, Chief of Artillery in the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War.

BILLY was the powerful and stout warhorse of Major General George Henry Thomas nicknamed, “Slow Trot Thomas”. Thomas was a hefty man weighing nearly two hundred pounds requiring a large steed capable of carrying him. Billy, named after Thomas’ friend, William T. Sherman, was a dark bay about 16 hands high. Billy was, like his owner, calm and measured in all his actions even in the turmoil of battle. Billy carried General Thomas in the march to Nashville, during the Civil War. His master defeated the Confederate arms in the winter of 1864. This was the last battle in which Thomas and Billy participated; it brought both to their death.

BLACK BESS was the warhorse ridden by John Hunt Morgan. Morgan led 2,460 troops racing past Union lines into Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio in July 1863. This campaign known as Morgan's Raid was the farthest north any uniformed Confederate troops infiltrated during the war.

Captain H. B. Clay possessed Morgan’s horses after Morgan died at the raid on Greeneville, Tennessee in 1864. Clay lived in Rogersville on Main Street and it was in Rogersville in 1864 when Brigadier General Alvin C. Gilliam attacked the town. While in Rogersville during the surprise raid, Sergeant J. H. Pharr, of Company A the 13th, captured a fine black horse belonging to Captain Clay; it was Black Bess. General Gilliam rode this horse throughout the campaign of East Tennessee.
GLENCOE was another horse ridden by Morgan as was SIR OLIVER. Sir Oliver was said to have been a magnificent chestnut sorrel thoroughbred.

BLACK HAWK was the favorite ride of Major General William B. Bate during the American Civil War. Bate was wounded three times and had six horses shot from beneath him throughout the war.

BLACK JACK was a black Morgan-American Quarter Horse cross. He was foaled in 1947 and was the last of the Quartermaster issue horses. Named to honor General J. (Black Jack) Pershing who is the only person to be promoted in his own lifetime to the highest rank ever held in the United States Army—General of the Armies.

Black Jack served a long and respectable military career. He was the riderless horse, with boots reversed in the stirrups, serving more than 1,000 Full Honor Funerals. He was a symbol of a fallen leader. Among the highlights of his career, he participated in four state

funerals of presidents John F. Kennedy (1963), Herbert Hoover (1964), Lyndon B. Johnson (1973) as well as a Five-star general, Douglas MacArthur (1964).

Black Jack died after a 29-year dedicated, dignified military career on February 6, 1976. He is one of few horses in United States history buried with Full Military Honors. Black Jack was cremated and his remains laid to rest in a plot at Fort Myer, Virginia.

Blackjack's Burial Plaque - Photo Courtesy of Ron Williams

BLACKIE belonged to Chief Sitting Bull. The Chief was a Sioux holy man who led his people as a war chief during years of resistance to the United States. He was an expert horseback rider. With Federal permission, in 1885, Sitting Bull left the reservation to join Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West show. He earned about $50 a week for riding once around the arena, where he was a popular attraction.

BOOMERANG had a tendency to move backward hence his name. Owned by the Colonel of the Twelfth Illinois Regiment, Colonel John McArthur who was a Union general during the American Civil War. McArthur became one of the ablest Federal commanders in the Western Theater.

BROWN BEAUTY was ridden by Paul Revere during his famous midnight ride on April 18, 1775. Paul was employed by the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety as an express rider hired to carry news, messages, and copies of resolutions as far away as New York and Philadelphia.

On the fateful night, Dr. Joseph Warren instructed Paul Revere to ride to Lexington, Massachusetts, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock that British troops were marching to arrest them. After crossing the Charles River to Charlestown, Paul Revere borrowed a horse from his friend Deacon John Larkin. This horse was Brown Beauty.

One, if by land and two, if by sea; while in Charlestown, Revere verified that the "Sons of Liberty" had seen his pre-arranged signals. Two lanterns had been hung in the bell-tower of Christ Church in Boston, indicating that troops would row "by sea" across the Charles River to Cambridge. Revere had arranged for these signals the previous weekend.

On the way to Lexington, Revere notified the country-side, stopping at each house, and arrived in Lexington about midnight. William Dawes was another rider who had been sent on the same errand by a different route. A third rider, Dr. Samuel Prescott joined them in Concord, Massachusetts. All three were arrested by a British patrol; two escaped while Revere was held for some time and then released.

BRIGAND was a large black horse belonging to General William Mahone. During the American Civil War, he attained the rank of major general of the Confederate States Army. Mahone is known for turning the tide of the Battle of the Crater against the Union advance during the Siege of Petersburg in 1864. Because of Mahone’s stature, he was nicknamed “Little Billy”. His wife Otelia served as a nurse in Richmond, Virginia.

BUCEPHALUS or BUCHEPHALAS was Alexander the Great's horse and one of the most famous real horses of ancient times. Legend has said Bucephalus was descended from the Mares of Diomed – see ... Horses of Legend, Myth and Folklore. Alexander the Great was an outstanding military leader of his age. Described as having a black coat with a large white star on his brow Bucephalus was a massive creature with a massive head. He was also supposed to have had a "wall", or blue eye, and his breeding was that of the best Thessalian strain. Bucephalus’ name means 'ox-head’, which they believe refers to the broad forehead and slightly concave profile that is characteristic of the local Thessalonian, strain.

Philip of Macedon bought Bucephalus and the steed was so unruly no one could ride him. Alexander noted that the horse was afraid of his own shadow and therefore rode him facing into the sun. As one of his chargers, Bucephalus served Alexander in numerous battles. Alexander rode Bucephalus for the last time in 327 BC (or 326BC) in the battle against the Indian King Porus, who they defeated at the Hydaspes River (now modern Pakistan). Bucephalus was 30 years old and died from his wounds at the end of the day. Buried with military honors the horse lies in Jalalpur Sharif outside of Jhelum, Pakistan. Alexander promptly founded a city, Bucephala, in honor of his horse. After the dynamic pair, it was all but expected of a conqueror to own a favorite horse.

Statue of Alexander the Great riding Bucephalus, Thessaloniki, Greece

BUCEPHALUS was the steed of Sterling Price who served in two wars, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.

BUTLER was Wade Hampton, III’s favorite horse. Hampton was a Confederate cavalry leader during the American Civil War. Another mount he rode was CAPTAIN.

CELER is a Roman name meaning "swift." This is the name of the horse of the Roman Emperor Verus. It was fed on almonds and raisins, covered with royal purple, and stalled in the imperial palace. Lucius Ceionius Commodus, the future Lucius Verus, was the son of Lucius Aelius Caesar. He was born December 15 A.D., 130. In 162 his brother, Emperor Marcus sent Lucius eastward to lead the Parthian campaign. In victory for Rome, Marcus shared the success with Lucius making him co-emperor. In between the wars Lucius participated in for Rome, Lucius Verus enjoyed life of self-indulgent pleasures of many kinds. One such pleasure was chariot racing. According to Lucius Verus, this was ranked above all other "sports”. VOLUCER, his favorite chariot horse, is buried on the Vatican Hill.

CETAK or CHETAK was the warhorse of Rana Pratap Mewar in India. Pratap rode Chetak during the gruesome Battle of Haldighati, June 1576 in which Chetak died. This warhorse was of Kathiawari or Marwari breed and a coat with a blue tinge. For this, Rana Pratap is sometime referred to as the Rider of the Blue Horse and both he and Chetak are forever immortalized in the ballads of Rajasthan.

CHAMP was the favorite charger of Ambrose Powell Hill. General A.P. Hill was a Confederate general in the American Civil War. He gained early fame as the commander of Hill's Light Division, becoming one of Stonewall Jackson's ablest subordinates. Killed in the Battle of Gettysburg; Sergeant Tucker possessed and rode Champ during the war.

CHIEF the last U.S. Army cavalry horse, at the age of eight, was bought by the U.S. Army for the sum of $163, this purchase changed his life forever; he became a cavalry horse. In 1941, he reported for duty at Fort Riley, Kansas for military training. After a year, he rose to the rank of Advanced Cavalry Charger. Many young cavalry officers rode Chief and remarked on the wonderfully obedient mount.

Chief served faithfully for eighteen years as a U.S. Cavalry Charger and because of age in 1958 retired to a beautiful pasture at Ft. Riley. In the 1950s and 1960s, all the remaining retired cavalry mounts passed on leaving Chief as the last. Entertaining hundreds of visitors at the Ft. Riley Riding Club each year, Chief represented the millions of dedicated cavalry mounts who served and died before him. Buried on the parade grounds at Fort Riley, Kansas with a military funeral and full honors Chief’s death came at the age of thirty-six on May 24, 1968. Honoring the duties, courage and devotion these horses performed faithfully, the Commanding General of the U.S. Army was in attendance.

A marble vault constructed by the Post Engineers allowed Chief’s body to stand upright interred ready to ride again. Buried at the foot of the "Old Trooper" statue lies a plaque of Chief’s final resting place.

CHIEFTAIN was the horse belonging to the Confederate General Daniel Harvey Hill. He was brother-in-law to Stonewall Jackson and referred to as “Little General”. With his legs severely shot by a Union soldier, at the Battle of Gettysburg, Chieftain died shortly after.

CHARLEMAGNE was Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain’s Horse. Chamberlain was given the honor of commanding the Union troops at the surrender ceremony for the infantry of Robert E. Lee's Army at Appomattox, Virginia.

CINCINNATI was General Ulysses S. Grant's most famous horse during the American Civil War. He was the son of Lexington, the fastest four-mile thoroughbred in the United States and the most successful sire during the second half of the nineteenth century. Cincinnati was also the grandson of the great Boston, who sired Lexington.

At an early age, Grant emotionally bonded to horses. Grant was an excellent horseman and owned many horses in his lifetime. Cincinnati was a gift during the Civil War and he stood at 17 hands. Handsome and powerful, he quickly became Grant's favorite.

After the battle of Chattanooga, General Grant went to St. Louis to recover from contracting dysentery (disease of the lower intestine) during the siege of Vicksburg. During this time, General Grant received a letter from an “S.S. Grant”, requesting the General’s visit for he had something important to say which might be gratifying to hear. With the initials identical of a deceased Uncle, the General’s curiosity created excitement and Grant obliged the offer.

Upon General Grant’s arrival, S.S. Grant uttered he had the finest horse in the world. He knew of General Grant's great liking for horses and wanted to give his horse to him with conditions. He desired the horse be in a good home with tender care, no ill-treatment and never fall into the hands of such. This promise was given and General Grant accepted the horse. He called him Cincinnati.

Grant rarely permitted anyone to mount the horse but there were two exceptions, Admiral Daniel Ammen and President Lincoln. With Cincinnati’s remarkable bloodlines, the grandson of Boston, the son of Lexington and a half-brother to Kentucky, many offers of money for the magnificent horse were refused by Grant, some as much as $10,000. Cincinnati remained Grant’s battle charger until the end of the war. Grant rode Cincinnati to negotiate Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House and the horse became immortalized. Grant went on to become the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877. Cincinnati, JEFF DAVIS and EGYPT all lived to enter the White House stables when Grant became president in 1869. Albert Hawkins was in charge of those stables at the time. Cincinnati died at his retirement facility, Admiral Ammen's farm in Maryland, in 1878.

Grant’s other war horses:

DYNAMITE

EGYPT was a remarkably beautiful horse seen by some people in Illinois, purchased by them and sent to Grant as a present, in January 1864.

Cold Harbor, Virginia. U.S. Grant's horses: on left, EGYPT, center, CINCINNATI, right, JEFF DAVIS 1864 June 14.

FOX was a horse that Grant purchased for field service. He was a roan color, very powerful and spirited horse and of great endurance. Grant road Fox during the siege and battles around Fort Donelson and at Shiloh.
JACK a gift to Grant while marching from Springfield, Illinois, to Missouri. Camping on the Illinois River for several days a farmer brought in a horse called Jack. The horse was a cream-colored stallion with black eyes, mane, and a tail of silver white. His coat gradually became darker toward his feet. He was noble, high spirited, very intelligent and excellent in every way.

Grant used him until after the battle of Chattanooga November 1863, as an extra horse and for parades and ceremonial occasions. At the 1863 Sanitary Fair in Chicago, General Grant gave him to the fair and bringing $4,000 to the Sanitary Commission for wounded soldiers from a raffle.

JEFF DAVIS, another wartime mount captured during the campaign and siege of Vicksburg. A cavalry raid or scouting party arrived at Joe Davis' plantation, the brother of Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederacy. The raid participants captured a black pony led it to the rear of the city and presented it to Grant. The horse badly worn reached headquarters with an eye of Grant’s upon it. With care, Jeff Davis began to pick up and soon carried himself in fine shape. Grant kept him until he died, which was long after the Civil War.
KANGAROO caught the eye of Grant. The Confederates left behind the horse on the battlefield, after the Shiloh battle. He was in poor condition rawboned and worn out. Jokingly, the officer who found the horse sent it with his compliments to Colonel C.B. Lagow, one of Grant’s aid-de-Camps and Acting Inspector General, a man of means who always kept an excellent mount.

When Grant saw the horse, he told the Colonel that the horse was a thoroughbred and a valuable mount. He asked Lagow, if he did not wish to keep the horse, he would be glad to have him. After Grant’s possession and within a short period of rest, feeding and care Kangaroo turned out to be a magnificent animal. Grant used him during the Vicksburg campaign. The horse was named Kangaroo because of his original appearance.
METHUSELAH was a white horse and Grant’s first horse on re-entering the Army in 1861. At that time, Colonel Grant rode into Springfield, Illinois and was astride Methuselah.

RONDY was the mount Grant rode into his first battle.

BUTCHER BOY was a horse Grant purchased when he was president. Grant with his son went on a ride one afternoon. With Grant running fast on his horse, a butcher's delivery wagon drew up and passed them. A bit up the road, it stopped to make a delivery. Soon, it caught up with Grant again and despite all Grant's effort; it passed a second time. Grant read the owner's name on the wagon and the following day he bought the horse pulling the wagon. The animal became a great favorite of Grants and he named him Butcher Boy.

President Grant's farm near St. Louis, Missouri, The old Dent homestead depicting ruins of former residence and the main stable.

c. 1875

Non-war horses of Grant's:
BILLY BUTTON (Shetland Pony)
ISMAEL
JENNY
JULIA
MARY
MAUD S.
REB (Shetland Pony)
ST. LOUIS

LEOPARD and LINDEN TREE were two magnificent Arabian stallions presented to Grant by the Sultan of Turkey, in 1879 when he made his celebrated tour around the world. The public was obsessed over the horses and went to the blacksmith shop that shod the horses asking for the nails, old shoes, and the clippings of the hoofs as relics.

COMANCHE was of mustang lineage, captured in a wild horse roundup, gelded and sold to the U.S. Army Cavalry on April 3, 1868, for $90. The bay, 925 pounds, standing 15 hands high with a small white star on his forehead, became the favorite mount for the Union Captain Myles Walter Keogh of the 7th Cavalry in the American Civil War.

Comanche was a noble warhorse wounded in many battles, quickly gained a reputation as a fearless and powerful steed. The massacre of General George Custer's command at the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876, Comanche was the sole survivor of man and beast, of the 7th U.S. Calvary, again sustaining serious wounds.

Two days after the Custer defeat, a burial party investigating the site found the severely wounded horse, very weak and barely able to stand. Transported by steamer to Fort Lincoln, he spent the next year recuperating there. Comanche remained with the 7th Cavalry, never again to be ridden and under orders excusing him from all duties. Comanche loved to roam the Post and flower gardens freely.

Orders for the Cavalry to relocate to Fort Riley, Kansas in 1888, Comanche, aging but still in good health, accompanied them and continued to receive full honors as a symbol of the tragedy at Little Bighorn. His honors present at formal regimental functions only led by hand, draped in black, stirrups and boots reversed, at the head of the Regiment.

On November 7, 1891, Comanche died of colic; he was about 29 years old. The officers of the 7th Cavalry, wanting to preserve the horse, asked Lewis Lindsay Dyche of the University of Kansas to mount the remains: skin and major bones. Accepted, but on condition that Dyche be permitted to show the horse in the Chicago Exposition of 1893. The 7th Calvary agreeing, Dyche completed the appropriate taxidermy.

The horse donated to the university's Museum and property rights vested in the University through L.L. Dyche. Comanche is currently on display in a humidity controlled glass case at the University of Kansas Museum of Natural History, Dyche Hall, Lawrence, Kansas.

COPENHAGEN was the Duke of Wellington's favorite horse, which he rode at the Battle of Waterloo. This Battle was the first time Wellington had encountered Napoleon. The horse was a magnificent chestnut stallion of 15 hands sired by Meteor who was a son of the even more famous Eclipse. Meteor was second in the Derby of 1786. However, Copenhagen was a failed racehorse, but a superb battle horse. After Waterloo, he was retired to the Duke's country estate at Stratfield Saye where he lived out his life. He died in 1836 at the age of 28. Honoring the horse, a funeral with full military honors on the estate was conducted. Today, Copenhagen’s grave is visible, marked by a magnificent turkey oak tree planted in 1843.

DANCER was Captain Richard Eggleston Wilbourn's horse. He was at the University of Virginia when the Civil War began. He was a Captain and chief signal officer on Lt. General Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson's staff. He assisted the wounded Jackson at Chancellorsville and reported this incident directly to General Robert E. Lee. He fought at Gettysburg uninjured but the battle at Second Manassas he suffered a severe wound in the left arm. After the war, he became a merchant in Mississippi and died in 1878 of yellow fever.

DANIEL WEBSTER was the favorite warhorse of Major General George Brinton McClellan. McClellan was a major general during the American Civil War. He organized the famous Army of the Potomac and served briefly as the general-in-chief of the Union Army. Daniel Webster nicknamed that “devil Dan”, by the members of the general's staff because of his speed with which the staff officers had great difficulty in keeping pace.

Daniel Webster was extremely handsome, with more than ordinary good judgment. A dark bay about seventeen hands high, pure bred, with good action, never showing signs of fatigue, no matter how hard the test. During the battle of the Antietam, the great horse carried the commander safely through the day. After McClellan retired to private life, Dan became the family horse at Orange, N.J., where he died at the age of twenty-three. McClellan said, “No soldier ever had a better horse than I had in Daniel Webster”.

McClellan had a number of warhorses. Another charger named BURNS was a fiery black horse named after an army friend who gave the horse to McClellan. His one failing was that at dinnertime he would bolt for his oats regardless. Running at mealtime became so much an obsession with Burns that McClellan was always careful not to be mounted on him at that hour of the day.

There is question; if yet another steed, KENTUCK was a McClellan’s favorite.

DILU was the personal steed of Liu Bei. Liu Bei was a general, warlord, and later the founding emperor of Shu Han during the Three Kingdoms era of China. Dilu was said to have a hex and marking on his face which would bring misfortune upon its rider.

DIXIE was the mount for Edward Porter Alexander. Alexander was the officer in charge of the massive artillery bombardment of the Battle of Gettysburg in the American Civil War.

DIXIE was the battle steed for Major General Patrick Ronayne Cleburne. While mounted at the Battle of Perryville, Dixie was shot from under Cleburne. The Major was last seen advancing on foot toward the Union line. DOLLY was another horse Cleburne rode and it too was shot from under him.

The EARL was the war mount of Lieutenant Richard Temple Godman. In May 1854, the young British officer was sent to the Black Sea during the Crimean War. Godman was in the 5th Dragoon Guards and rode in the successful Charge of the Heavy Brigade at Balaklava as well as other engagements. Despite the undertakings involving uncertainty and risk of war, Godman and The Earl came home unharmed. Godman took two other mounts to war in which returned home safe and sound also.

Godman sent many descriptive letters throughout the entire Crimean campaign home to his family at Park Hatch in Surrey. Once peace had been declared, Godman returned to England in 1856. Godman’s letters to his family were published in 1977 as “The Fields of War”. His writings are some of the most vivid accounts of life and conditions in the Crimean War.

FANCY was the favorite mount of John Fulton Reynolds who was a general in the American Civil War. Reynolds, one of the Union Army's most respected senior commanders killed at the very start of the Battle of Gettysburg.

PRINCE was another horse Reynolds would ride.

Statue of Reynolds on McPherson Ridge, Chambersburg Pike, Gettysburg National Military Park

EL MORZILLO was the gallant steed of Hernán Cortés de Monroy y Pizarro that became a deity. Hernán Cortés was a Spanish Conquistador who led an expedition that caused the fall of the Aztec Empire. Hernán Cortés rode an Andalusian stallion, El Morzillo, that was injured in the mountains around La Sierra de los Pedernalos and was in an Indian village on the shores of Lake Peten-Itza left.

As he marched on, Cortés left the wounded horse behind for the Indians had promised to cater to the horse properly. Cherished as a god, the horse was fed improperly and died. The people were terrified that Cortés would return one day and become angry about his horse’s demise. So the Mayans built a stone horse and prayed daily to their golden equine statue.

Cortez never returned. In fact, no new Spaniards arrived for one hundred-seventy-two years. One day, two lost and wandering Jesuit missionaries arrived and spotted the golden El Morzillo statue. Crying out idolatry, they destroyed the statue and tossed the remnants into the lake.

FANNY was the horse of John Gibbon who fought in the American Civil War and the Indian Wars.

FAUGH–a-BALLAGH mounted by Patrick Kelly, the Irish-American Union Army officer during the American Civil War. Kelly led the famed Irish Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg.

FAVORITO was the personal mount of Charles Albert of Savoy. Charles Albert was born in Italy and became the King of Sardinia. During the campaigns of 1848, Favorito was the heroic steed ridden by Charles. After defeat in 1849, the king abdicated to Porto and Favorito joined his master in exile until Albert’s death that same year. Favorito then returned to the Royal Stables in Turin.

Favorito lived for another 18 years and died in 1867. His pelt mounted on a life-size wooden sculpture and was equipped as for the wars of 1848–9, including the saddle used by the king. Along with this display are Charles Albert’s other military effects in the Royal Armoury.

FEARNAUGHT was the steed of William Henry Harrison. He was a white horse being very conspicuous to everyone, including the enemy in the Tecumseh's War at the Battle of Tippecanoe in 1811 where Harrison earned the nickname "Tippecanoe" (or "Old Tippecanoe"). During the battle, Fearnaught ran away and Harrison rode Col. Owen's horse. In turn, Col. Owen captured Fearnaught and mounted him in the combat. Knowing Harrison’s gallant white steed, the Indians shot the man on the white horse. Unfortunately, Col. Owen was the recipient of the shot and he died. In a way, Fearnaught’s flee saved William Henry Harrison's life.

Serving in two other wars, Northwest Indian War and the War of 1812, William Henry Harrison became the 9th President of the United States in 1841. He was the last president to be born before the United States Declaration of Independence making him a British subject and the first president to die in office. Harrison died thirty-two days after taking office being the shortest term in United States presidential history.

Other horses William Harrison owned:

After the death of Harrison’s father, Benjamin Harrison V, signer of the Declaration of Independence, an inventory and appraisement of the Estate “Berkley”, was conducted in 1791. Entered into Charles City Will Book in November 1797 was a list of horses at Berkley. The following is the list in Will Book 1789 – 1808 pp. 408 – 414:

5 carriage horses £ 95. 0. 0

1 bay mare and colt 20. 0. 0

1 ditto ditto Nester 30. 0. 0

1 gray horse Cade 16.10. 0

1 sorrel ditto 13. 0. 0

1 young bay Mare 8. 0. 0

5 work horses 16. 0. 0

2 mules 24. 0. 0

Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of President William Henry Harrison. Benjamin Harrison was a Civil War Brigadier General in the Union Army. His regiment joined William T. Sherman's Atlanta Campaign and moved to the front lines. He commanded his brigade through many battles of the war and after the surrender of Robert E. Lee, Harrison rode in the Grand View of the Armies. This military procession and celebration in 1865 paraded the Union Army through the streets of Washington D.C.

Harrison owned horses, but it is unclear which one(s) he rode into battle, their names ABDULLAH, BILLY, JOHN and LEXINGTON. Benjamin Harrison become the 23rd

President of the United States serving one term from 1889 to 1893; making him and his grandfather, William, the only grandfather – grandson presidents.

FIRE-EATER was an impressive bay thoroughbred ridden by General Albert Sidney Johnston on the battlefield. At battle, the steed stood unwearyingly while bullets hurtled on all sides but charging the enemy was conducted with fire and vim. General Johnston was killed at the bloody battle of Shiloh.

FIREFLY mounted by Robert Emmett Rodes who was a young Confederate general in the American Civil War. Rodes was killed in 1864 at the battle in the Shenandoah Valley.

FLEETER was ridden by the famous Confederate spy Isabella Sarah Marie Boyd in the American Civil War. Best known as Belle Boyd or Cleopatra of the Secession, she operated from her father's hotel in Virginia and provided valuable information to Confederate general Stonewall Jackson in 1862.

FLEETFOOT was the horse of Lieutenant Colonel Walter H. Taylor, an aide to General Robert E. Lee during the American Civil War.

GAZALA the horse of Baldwin I of Jerusalem. Baldwin was one of the leaders of the First Crusade. During the Crusade of 1101, the Egyptians were victorious and Baldwin lost most of his army. He escaped on the back of the mare, Gazala.

GIMLET was the celebrated war horse of John C. Babcock. John C. Babcock, a Secret Service man for the Union during the American Civil War. Under Maj. Gen. Joseph Hooker’s orders, deputy provost marshal, Col. George H. Sharpe, created the Bureau of Military Information. This unit gathered intelligence and was aided by John C. Babcock.

GREY EAGLE was a white horse ridden by John Buford, a Union cavalry officer during the American Civil War. Buford held a prominent role at the start of the Battle of Gettysburg. John Buford died in 1863, possibly from contracting typhoid. At his funeral, General Stoneman commanded the escort in a procession that included Grey Eagle, the horse he rode at Gettysburg. President Lincoln was among the mourners.

HERO was the favorite mount of James Longstreet. Longstreet was one of the foremost Confederate generals of the American Civil War and the principal subordinate to General Robert E. Lee, who called him his “Old War Horse”. In 1998, one of the last monuments erected at Gettysburg National Military Park was dedicated as a belated tribute to Longstreet; shown riding his horse, Hero, at ground level.

HEXMARK was the name of a steed belonging to Liu Bei, a powerful warlord and emperor of the Kingdom of Shu in ancient China.

HIGHFLY was one of the battle horses carrying General "Jeb" Stuart through many campaigns. Highfly became his favored companion through her intelligence and faithfulness transporting Stuart through the many frantic dangers. Once, Stuart was resting on the porch of a tavern, awaiting the arrival of General Fitzhugh Lee, nephew of Robert E. Lee, to discuss the next movement of the cavalry. The mare, Highfly, was unbridled and grazing in the yard near the road and a clanking of horses aroused the Confederate general. To see, Stuart walked to the roadway, leaving behind on the bench his hat, in which was a black plume, a pride of Stuart's. Suddenly, Stuart was within gunshot of Federal cavalry and was baffled believing to see Fitzhugh Lee. Quickly mounting his faithful and speedy bay he soon left the charging cavalry far behind. However, the enemy stole away the hat with its black plume.

Other notable steeds of Stuart's:

MY MARYLAND

SKYLARK was a proud, but friendly steed.

STAR of the EAST

VIRGINIA, a battle steed documented and credited with having prevented the capture of Stuart by jumping an enormous ditch, in the Gettysburg Campaign.

INCITATUS was the favorite horse of Emperor Caligula. Its name is a Latin adjective meaning "swift" or "at full gallop". Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, more commonly known as Caligula or Julius Caesar, was the third Roman Emperor, reigning from 16 March 37 until his assassination on 24 January 41. Many said Caligula loved his steed Incitatus, a beautiful white stallion, foolishly. Caesar kept Incitatus inside the palace in a stable box of marble with a carved ivory manger, dressed in purple blankets and collars of precious stones. Inviting dinner guests to lavish parties at the palace in the horse's name; moreover, the horse would dine with the emperor and drank wine out of a golden pail. Caligula wanting his horse respected by others considered making the horse consul.

JARMAN was a World War II Coast Guard veteran. After his duties were eliminated as a caisson puller in the Army, he transferred to responsibilities at the Coast Guard. Serving as a guard horse with the Coast Guard's Beach Patrol during World War II, Jarman guarded Pismo Beach in San Luis Obispo County California. Jarman passed away at the mature age of 40 in 1974.

JASPER was Robert Huston Milroy’s horse, a Union Army general in the American Civil War, most noted for his defeat at the Second Battle of Winchester in 1863.

JEFF DAVIS was John Bell Hood’s mount. Hood was a Confederate general during the American Civil War having a reputation for bravery and aggressiveness. Sometimes these characteristics of Hood bordered on recklessness thus possibly leading to his ineffectiveness and significant defeats.

JINNY was the battle horse of Isaac Ridgeway Trimble, a Confederate general in the American Civil War. Trimble is most famous for his leadership role in the assault known as Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg. During this charge and atop Jinny, Trimble received a wound in his left leg. His leg required amputation and Dr. Hunter McGuire performed the surgery.

JOE SMITH was the mount ridden by Brig. General Adam R. Johnson and the steed had remarkable speed and endurance.

KASZTANKA was the horse of Marshal Józef Piłsudski, interwar Polish leader and most likely the most famous Polish horse. She became the service mount of Commandant Józef Piłsudski, in the Polish Legions' battles at the side of Austro-Hungary and Germany in World War I, for the independence of Poland. The mare became Pilsudski’s favorite horse and faithful companion. For 13 years, she remained his riding horse until her premature death.

Kasztanka is the Polish word for the chestnut color in horses, and Piłsudski so named his horse due to her color. She was an elegant mare of moderate height, about 14.3 hands, with markings that included a blaze and four white stockings. She was not remarkable for any unique gait or for extraordinary feats of courage, but she was very loyal and when her master asked, she remained controlled and obedient under difficult conditions.

Marshal Piłsudski rode Kasztanka for the last time on November 11, 1927, at the Polish Independence Day parade on Warsaw's Saxon Square (now Piłsudski Square). On Kasztanka's journey by train back home, she was injured and died several days later. After her death, Kasztanka's body underwent taxidermy and when Marshal Piłsudski's died in 1935, she was given a place in the Belweder Palace museum. The rest of her remains were buried in a park at the barracks of the 7th Uhlan Regiment.

During World War II, under German occupation, the stuffed Kasztanka ended up in Warsaw's Museum of the Polish Armed Forces. The mount survived the war, but due to lack of routine care for the collections, it became badly damaged by moths. Probably, after the war, her remains were cremated. Kasztanka earned a place in the hearts of many. She became an equine celebrity. The first songs of Polish soldiers during World War I, written by K. Biernacki and B. Lubicz, featured Kasztanka. She was also a subject of Wojciech Kossak's 1928 painting Piłsudski on Horseback, which hangs in the National Museum, Warsaw.

KIDRON / QUIDRON was the famous horse of General of the Armies John J. ("Black Jack") Pershing's. Together they rode in early military campaigns, but Kidron became celebrated when they rode through the Arc de Triomphe at the end of World War I, in a victory parade. Kidron was easily identifiable by his white rear feet. After serving his master, Kidron died in 1942 at an impressive age of 36, in Front Royal, Virginia.

The War Department was hoping to have the horse mounted, however taxidermists were unable to mount the skin because of Kidron's

age at the time of his death and because the body had decomposed rapidly due to hot weather. Subsequently, they turned over the remains to the U.S. National Museum. On March 31, 1943, the Smithsonian accepted as a transfer from the War Department, the skin and skull of Kidron. These remains are now part of the research collection of the Division of Mammals in the National Museum of Natural History.

KING PHILIP was possibly the favorite horse of Nathan Bedford Forrest, who also owned and rode RODERICK and HIGHLANDER. Forrest was a lieutenant general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War.

KIT was the horse of Major General James Garfield whose allegiance was to United States of America in the American Civil War. In 1881, Garfield became the 20th President of the United States. Shot by Charles J. Guiteau in 1881, Garfield’s death came two months later and six months after his inauguration making his tenure, at 199 days, the second shortest (after William Henry Harrison) in United States history.

KITTY was the horse belonging to Baron Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim. The Baron was the Commander-in-Chief of Finland's Defense Forces, Marshal of Finland, a politician, and a military commander. He was Regent of Finland and the sixth President of Finland.

KITTY was Edwin Forbe's mare that he rode from 1862-1865, during the American Civil War. Edwin Austin Forbes was an American landscape painter and etcher who first gained fame during the Civil War for his detailed and dramatic sketches of military subjects, including battlefield combat scenes.

Kitty, Edwin Forbe's [sic] mare that he rode from 1862-1865

LANCER was General George Armstrong Custer’s favorite mount. Custer was an officer in the Civil War, but his fame came later, when he and all his troops were killed in a battle with Native Americans. Chief Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse led the Native Americans and the battle became known as Custer’s Last Stand.

Other possible horses Custer owned and rode into battle were:
DANDY
DON JUAN
HARRY
ROANOKE
VIC died at the Battle Little Big Horn.

Brigadier-General George A. Custer / Illus. in: Harper's weekly, 1864 March 19, p. 177.

LEOPARD was the mount of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Scott Venable. Venable was a professor at the University of Virginia and noted for authoring a series of publications in math. Venable was present at the firing on Fort Sumter in April 1861, serving as a lieutenant in the South Carolina state militia. He joined the staff of presidential military advisor to General Robert E. Lee as an aide-de-camp with the rank of major. He continued serving on Lee's staff when he took command of the Army of Northern Virginia on June 1, 1862 as general. He served on Lee's staff from the Peninsula Campaign to Appomattox Court House.

LEXINGTON was General William Tecumseh Sherman’s favorite warhorse. Sherman had many horses that carried him through the war. Sherman's first warhorse was killed early in the Civil War, at the battle of Shiloh. Two of his other chargers were killed while being held by an orderly. Of his many horses, Sherman had two holding a particular place in his affections, Lexington and SAM. Lexington was a Kentucky thoroughbred, and his excellent achievements attracted the admiration of all who saw him.

In 1864, when the Federal forces finally entered and occupied Atlanta, Sherman was riding Lexington. After the end of the war, in 1865, again Sherman rode Lexington in the final review of his army in Washington.

SAM was a half-thoroughbred bay, sixteen and a half hands high. This steed had great speed, strength, and endurance. Sherman marched his troops atop Sam from Vicksburg to Washington, through the cities of Atlanta, Savannah, Columbia, and Richmond achieving one of the longest and most difficult marches ever recorded in history. With his rapid gait, Sam could march five miles an hour at a walk. In 1865, Sherman retired Sam to an Illinois farm, where he received every mark of affection. The gallant warhorse died of extreme old age, in 1884. Occasionally, Sherman rode a mare named DOLLY.

LITTLE SORREL, also known as Fancy and Old Sorrel, became famous as the mount of the great Southern leader, General Thomas Stonewall Jackson. In 1861, while Jackson was in command at Harper's Ferry, the Confederates captured a trainload of supplies and horses, on the way to the Federal camps. One horse attracted Jackson's attention and he purchased the animal for his own personal use. Little Sorrel was chosen initially for Mrs. Jackson however, the General commandeered Little Sorrel because his horse, BIG SORREL, proved unreliable in battle.

Little Sorrel carried Jackson over many of the bullet-swept battlefields. During the swift campaign through the Shenandoah, in 1862, when Jackson marched his "foot cavalry" towards the citadel at Washington, the horse was his constant companion. In 1863, at Chancellorsville, Jackson while mounted on Little Sorrel was mistakenly wounded by his men in battle. Jackson died a few days later.

Immediately after Jackson’s death, Little Sorrel was pastured at Mrs. Jackson's home in North Carolina. Later he went on as a mascot to the Virginia Military Institute where the General had taught cadets he led to battle. Then, in response to requests from many Southern States, Little Sorrel was shown at fairs and exhibition. The gallant old warhorse of Jackson's was held in tender esteem in the South.

In 1885, very old and frail at the age of 35, Little Sorrel was retired to the Confederate Soldier's Home. The following year he died when the hoist used to lift him to his feet slipped; he fell breaking his back. His bones are buried at VMI near a statue of General Jackson, but his hide was stuffed and housed in a museum at the Veterans Home until 1949 when Little Sorrel was placed at V.M.I. Refurbished twice since 1886; Little Sorrel is presently on display at the Virginia Military Institute's Museum in Lexington, Virginia. Without question, no other horse in the War Between the States witnessed such fierce battle scenes — and survived — as did Jackson's horse: First and Second Manassas, Front Royal, Winchester, Cross Keys, Port Republic, Harpers Ferry, Fredericksburg, the Seven Days Campaign and that fateful final ride at Chancellorsville.

LITTLE TEXAS was the Great War horse ridden by Lt. Colonel Theodore Roosevelt during the Spanish American War. Little Texas, born in 1894 was bred as an army officer’s horse. Theodore Roosevelt purchased Little Texas when he created the Rough Riders and the group trained at Fort Sam Houston. Historians describe the chestnut gelding as a “pony” for its small size, but the heroism portrayed by this horse was anything but small. Little Texas, with Roosevelt astride, bravely led the charge up Kettle Hill in one of the fiercest battles of the 1898 Spanish American War: the Battle of San Juan Hill.

Little Texas retired at Sagamore Hill, Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, the summer residence of the Roosevelt's. He died in 1903 and was buried in a Pet Cemetery conceived by Mrs. Roosevelt which is located to the rear of the main house.

Theodore Roosevelt had a love for horses and owned several throughout his life. Other names include Rain-in-the-Face, and Bliestein. Mrs. Roosevelt's favorite riding horse was Yagenka.

LOOKOUT was the famous charger of General Joseph Hooker, a Union General in the American Civil War. Hooker was in command at the Battle of Lookout Mountain, during the Chattanooga campaign, in which his horse acquired its name.

Stabled in New York, Lookout was up for bidding and caught the eye of the General. Lookout was a rich chestnut color, stood nearly seventeen hands high, and had long slender legs. Hooker obtained him and rode him in the campaigns in which he later participated.

The grandeur of Lookout's stride and his height dwarfed many courageous warhorses and he has been termed one of the finest chargers in the army.

LOUIE, the oldest cavalry horse was specially honored during the final mounted parade of the 1st Cavalry Regiment, at Fort D.A. Russell, TX, on December 14, 1932. Receiving orders to transfer to Ft. Knox, Ky. the 1st Cavalry Regiment, the oldest mounted regiment in the U.S. Army, was to become the Army's first mechanized unit.

The event conducted marked the end of an era. At the bugle call of "Boots and Saddles," the 600 men of the command mounted their horses for the last time. After passing in review, the men dismounted and passed in review again, saluting their horses. The men stood in front of their horses for a long moment with hands on the polls of their mounts in a silent farewell. Then a trooper led a lone horse, caparisoned in black, to the front of the regiment. The horse was Louie, the oldest mount in the historic First Cavalry regiment.

Louie, a cavalry mount since shortly after the turn of the century, had served in the tropics, during the Mexican border troubles and during World War I. Now he stood tied to the reviewing stand. The regiment, now afoot, marched past, their sabers drawn in salute to their comrade. Taps sounded, the lines broke, and the troopers returned individually to their stables with their horses. At sundown, in solemn ceremony, Louie’s escort moving to the slow beat of the Death March went to his final resting place. With a ceremonial volley of shots and the sad notes of Taps, a squad buried the First Cavalry's oldest horse.

The other horses of the regiment were shipped to other border posts, but at age 34, Louie was too old to transfer and went to his final resting place on the lands of the First Cavalry since 1923. Established in 1911, this post continued in operation through World War II but abandoned in 1949 and the Army sold the buildings and the land. Louie's grave remained, a gray stone marker bearing the 1st Cavalry Black Hawk insignia, in the once wild country he had helped to protect.

What had once been Fort D. A. Russell, the artist, Donald Judd, established The Chinati Foundation on the grounds of the former fort, the home base of the First U. S. Cavalry. Named after a nearby mountain, the foundation was a desire of Judd's and the museum exhibits his work as well as that of several other artists.

Two friends of Judds, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, visited the foundation and noticed the crumbling marker of Louie’s. As a gift to the museum to preserve the history of the area, in 1991, an enormous horseshoe statue called Monument to the Last Horse, was erected on the site of Louie’s grave with a live horse, "OLD BLAZE," in attendance. The monument is inscribed, as was the former marker, with the phrase Animo et Fide or "spirited and faithful."

LLAMREI was the steed of King Arthur whose historical existence continues debate among modern historians. The particulars of Arthur's account are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention. According to medieval histories and romances, he was a legendary British leader who led the defense of Britain against the Saxon invaders in the early 6th century.

MAIDAN was an Arabian foaled in 1869 in the Najd (today's Saudi Arabia). Entered in horse races, Maidan won every race he was in during the next three years. Trained for battle, Maidan was sold for use as a charger and for the next 12 years his owner, Lieutenant Colonel Brownlow rode him in campaigns throughout the mountains of India and Afghanistan.

During the forced march totaling 300 miles from Kabul to Kandahar during the Second Afghan War, Maiden carried Brownlow to victory making a mark for itself in history. Still swift on its feet at the age of 22 years, Maidan won a challenging steeplechase and was still absolutely sound when he broke a leg and had to be killed.

MARENGO was Napoleon of France’s gallant gray Arabian war mount ridden at Waterloo and captured by the British. Although Marengo was a stallion, he never produced offspring. He was a small steed of only 14.1 hands, but was incredibly reliable, steady, and courageous. Named after the Battle of Marengo, through which he carried his rider safely.

Marengo was wounded eight times in his career, and carried the Emperor in the Battle of Austerlitz, Battle of Jena-Auerstedt, Battle of Wagram, and Battle of Waterloo. He survived the retreat from Moscow in 1812, but fell captive after the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 by William Henry Francis Petre, 11th Baron Petre.

Marengo outlived Napoleon by eight years and died of old age in 1831, at the age of 38. His remains were preserved and displayed as a trophy. The hide with the 'N' brand was lost, but his skeleton is on display at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London. The skeleton is minus a hoof because General Angerstein presented it to the officers of the Brigade of Guards for use as a snuffbox in the officers' mess.

Napoleon kept meticulous stable records showing many of his horses renamed. Some of the various horses owned by Napoleon were INTENDANT who was affectionately nicknamed COCO by the Imperial Guard. He was the tall, pure-white Norman parade horse. The rechristened MON COUSIN name changed to AUSTERLITZ while CIRUS and INGENU both became WAGRAM to commemorate famous victories. Just as, MOSCOU was known as TCHERKES after the disastrous Russian campaign, equally it is assumed that the stallion ALI was called Marengo.

The following story was recorded in The Cavalry Journal of the British Army, in April 1924.

Even though the Corsican, Napoleon was small in demeanor, he had conquered all of Europe. But one bold German cavalry officer stole seven of Napoleon's Arabs and dared the French Emperor to try and take them back!

His name was Major Schill who was a celebrated German Legion Cavalry Officer. In 1807, he took several beautiful Arabian horses from Napoleon. These horses were presented to Napolean by the Sultan.

Infuriated by this defeat, the Emperor set a price of 100 napoleons on Schill's head. Schill showed little concern over the bounty set by Napoleon. As this tactic did not present results, Napoleon sent a letter demanding the return of his horses along with promising to pay Schill 4,000 crowns in gold or whatever sum they might be worth.

Schill's reply: "Dear Brother, I am more than pleased at having taken seven of your horses, as I see by your letter that you put so great a value on them, but I cannot accept the 4,000 crowns in gold. I am not in any want of money and should the occasion arise I can always find sufficient in the military chests of the French Army, which I am sure to take. If, however, instead of this you will replace the four horses which you stole from the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, you shall have those which I have taken from you without further payment."

MARSALA was the steed of Giuseppe Garibaldi who is known as one of Italy's "fathers of the fatherland". He was an Italian politician and general who personally commanded and fought in many military campaigns that led eventually to the formation of a unified Italy.

MATSUKAZE was the personal horse of Maeda Toshimasu, better known as Maeda Keiji. He was a Japanese samurai of the Sengoku Period through early Edo Period. Matsukaze was not tamable or ridable, but through unknown methods, Toshimasu managed to tame the wild horse. From that time, the two were inseparable.

Matsukaze means, "wind in the pines". He was a horse of immense strength, able to carry his master's large frame for days. After his master's death, supposedly Matsukaze ran off and never seen again.

MERLIN was Sergeant George W. Tucker's mount. Tucker was with Stonewall Jackson when he received his fatal wound at Chancellorsville. Also there Capt. R. E. Wilbourn, Capt. William Randolph and Sergeant George W. Tucker, chief of couriers for A.P. Hill, several of the Sergeant’s men and two members of the signal groups present when the Union general, Hooker and his men surprisingly fired upon them. Jackson and his men were under heavy artillery attack and galloped back toward the Confederate line. Many knowing this would be a mistake; for the Confederates would assume they were foe. Severely shot by his own men, Jackson died within a few days.

Tucker upon Merlin rode with Robert E. Lee and the other generals to the surrender at Appomattox.

MILROY was the mount of Brig. General John Brown Gordon, who was one of Robert E. Lee's most trusted Confederate generals during the American Civil War. Gordon captured Milroy from the Union General Robert Huston Milroy at the Second Battle of Winchester; hence the steed’s name.

MONMOUTH was the gray Captain Philip Kearny rode during the Mexican War. His troop (First United States Dragoons) were equipped with horses all of the same color. Kearny was assisted by Abraham Lincoln in purchasing the horses in Illinois and found himself in possession of one hundred gray horses. While engaged in battle before the City of Mexico, mounted upon Monmouth, Kearny was wounded in an arm, which was finally amputated.

MOSCOW was the warhorse of Maj. General Philip Kearny during the Civil War. This charger was a high-spirited white horse. On the battlefield, Moscow was conspicuous because of his color, but Kearny was without regard of the protests his staff voiced against this needless exposure. Moscow was undoubtedly Kearny’s favorite mount. After Kearny’s death at the Battle of Chantilly, Moscow was in the possession of Colonel James K. Averill.

After the war in Sand Lake, NY with his master, Colonel Averill astride, he pranced proudly at the head of every Decoration Day parade. When the Colonel past away, on May 21, 1881 his son took over the care of the animal and rode the spirited steed in all subsequent celebrations until the day when Moscow’s age no longer permitted the event. Moscow went into retirement, under the care of Averill’s son and never ridden again.

During the next Decoration Day, Moscow heard the band playing its familiar numbers and he raced to the road on which the parade was taking place. Suddenly, he came to an abrupt stop, slumped to the ground and when those in the parade reached his side, they found him dead. Carrying the expressed wish of his father, his son had the beloved pet interred in the family cemetery plot, at the feet of his former master and friend.

Kearny had many noteworthy horses available for his use. Others included:

DECATUR, warhorse of Kearny’s with a light bay coloring who was shot through the neck in the battle of Fair Oaks.

BAYARD was a brown horse ridden by Kearny at the Seven Pines battle and his fame will ever stand in history through the poem by Stedman, "Kearny at Seven Pines." At the battle of Chantilly, Kearny and Bayard were advancing alone near the close of the struggle, when they met with a regiment of Confederate infantry. Bayard instantly wheeled and dashed from danger, with Kearny laying flat upon the horse's neck. A shower of bullets fell about the general and his charger. They seemed about to escape when a fatal bullet struck the general.

NELLIE was the favorite mare of the Brig. General Kenner Garrard who served in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Initially, assigned to the artillery but later transferred to the cavalry.

NELLIE GRAY was Maj. General Fitzhugh Lee's little mare, which was numbered among the dead after the battle at Opequon in the American Civil War. Lee was the nephew of Robert E. Lee.

NELSON was the heroic warhorse of General George Washington. Early on, it became apparent of Washington’s equestrian skills. Washington was known as the best horseman of his age breaking all his own horses; and an excellent and bold horseman, leaping the highest fences, and riding swiftly with ease. The Mount Vernon web site explains that Washington kept a large stable of horses and that he was active in breeding, racing, and training the animals.

One of Washington’s warhorses was Nelson, and probably his favorite steed. Nelson was a light chestnut gelding that was great in battle scenarios because he held steady under fire. Washington wrote a letter in August 1778, thanking Thomas Nelson Jr., who gave him the horse and for whom the animal was named. Nelson was the horse with him when General Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. Washington held great affection for Nelson. Washington went on to become the 1st President of the United States and to this day remains the only president to receive 100% of the electoral votes. The Electoral College elected Washington unanimously in 1789, and again in the 1792 election.

BLUESKIN was another charger, a dark iron-gray color that appeared almost blue. He was known for his fiery personality and great endurance. Blueskin was not the favorite warhorse of Washington’s because of his not standing fire so well as honored Old Nelson.

Both Blueskin and Nelson served Washington so faithfully that when independence was won the steeds retired to a life of ease at Mount Vernon.

ELLEN EDENBERG and ROGER LEO were two other mounts General Washington rode at Valley Forge.

Other horses in Washington’s stables:
CHINKLING
DOLLY
JACK
JACKSON
JOLLY
LEONIDAS
MAGNOLIA was an Arabian stallion that Washington raced in Alexandria.
RANGER
ROYAL GIFT (MULE)
ROZINANTE
SAMSON
STEADY
TRAVELLER

George Washington’s Mt. Vernon stables

OLD BALDY was the horse ridden by Union Major General George G. Meade at the Battle of Gettysburg and in many other important battles of the American Civil War.

After the first battle of Bull Run, there was a bright bay horse, white face and feet that stood alone and wounded, his rider seriously injured and dying. The horse was taken to recover from the wounds it received that day and months later, General Meade bought the horse and named him Baldy.

Baldy held a remarkable war record with Meade astride. Taking part in nine foremost battles of the war, Baldy suffered major wounds in many. In the last battle at Antietam, the gallant horse was left on the field as dead. Remarkably, in the next Federal advance, Baldy was discovered quietly grazing on that battleground, but wore a deep wound in his neck. Again, Baldy was warmly cared for and soon was fit for duty.

Once more Baldy and Meade charged at the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville and for two days, he was present at Gettysburg. Here, he received his most severe wound from a bullet lodged between the ribs. From Meade’s great affection for the horse, Baldy stayed with the army until the following spring.

Meade’s planning for their last campaign, the Army of the Potomac, included Baldy’s retirement. Baldy was sent to pasture at Downingtown, in Pennsylvania. After the surrender of Lee's army at Appomattox, Meade hurried to meet his faithful charger, fully recovered. For many years, the horse and the general were undividable companions, and when Meade died in 1872, the bullet-scarred warhorse followed the hearse.

Ten years later Baldy was euthanized on December 16, 1882, at the age of 30, when he became too feeble to stand. To honor this courageous steed, on Christmas Day of that year, two Union Army veterans (Albert C. Johnston and H.W.B. Harvey) disinterred Baldy's remains and decapitated him, sending the head to a taxidermist. Today the head mounted on a plaque in a glass case, under the care of the Old Baldy Civil War Round Table, is on exhibit in the Meade Room of the Civil War and Underground Railroad Museum of Philadelphia. They are protected and cherished relics of the George G. Meade Post. The museum claims to be the oldest chartered American Civil War institution in the United States.

Other horses Meade rode were:
BLACKIE
GERTIE
OLD BILL

OLD BOB was Ambrose Everett Burnside’s mount. Burnside was a Union Army general in the American Civil War. Burnside always wore a distinctive style of facial hair; derived from his last name today known as “sideburns”.

OLD FOX was the steed of Col. E G. Skinner of the First Virginia Infantry in the American Civil War.

OLD JIM was the mount for the U.S. Army officer, Colonel Strong Vincent. Vincent mortally wounded, during the fighting on Little Round Top at the American Civil War Battle of Gettysburg.

OLD SPOT was the ride for Hugh Judson Kilpatrick. Kilpatrick was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War, achieving the rank of brevet major general.

OLD WHIP was the great steed that Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna rode in many conflicts. Santa Anna was a Mexican political leader. Other major titles included president and general; Santa Anna greatly influenced early Mexican and Spanish politics and government. Santa Anna fought more battles than Napoleon and George Washington combined. He captured and caused the loss of half of Mexican territory (one million square miles) beginning on the battlefield of San Jacinto in 1836.

OLD WHITEY belonged to Brevet Major General Rutherford Birchard Hayes but found his place as the personal mount of Hayes’ friend and aide, Major Russell Hastings. In battle, 19 total during the Civil War, the big white steed proved himself fearless under fire. His speed, stamina, and ability to clear any fence or creek were legendary among the soldiers of the 23rd Ohio. Old Whitey’s heroic service made him famous.

After the war, Hayes assigned one of his men to take Old Whitey to his uncle Sardis Birchard at Spiegel Grove in Ohio. There he lived in retirement. Hayes went on to become the 19th President of the United States (1877 – 1881). While in office, on March 20, 1879, President Hayes was handed a dispatch from a White House telegrapher containing the words: “Old Whitey is dying.” Before the night was over, a second telegram arrived, notifying the president that, indeed, his beloved warhorse had died.

The celebrated warhorse had died of spinal meningitis at the age of 29. Old Whitey lies not far from the master he served so well. He was buried with hay and a blanket around him as a great worrier taking his rest. Today a moss-covered stone marks the grave of this noble animal.

OLD WHITEY was the mount for Major General Zachary Taylor in the Mexican-American War. Taylor was a popular career soldier and hero of the Mexican-American War and acquired the nickname “Old Rough and Ready”. Zachary Taylor led his men to victory at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterrey in the Mexican War. Taylor became 12th President of the United States from 1849-1850.

OLD WHITEY was the horse of Jubal Anderson Early. He was a lawyer and Confederate general in the American Civil War. He served under Stonewall Jackson and then Robert E. Lee for almost the entire war.

On the bank of the Shenandoah, at Snicker's Gap, Early atop Old Whitey took charge of an advance, and gradually drove back the enemy.

OLD WHITNEY was the usual mount of Mary Ann Bickerdyke, also known as Mother Bickerdyke, who was a hospital administrator for Union soldiers during the American Civil War.

PALOMO was the main battle horse of Simón Bolívar. He was a South American political leader and together with José de San Martín, played a key role in Latin America's successful struggle for independence from Spain. Palomo accompanied him on most of his campaigns of national liberation. The horse was white, tall, with a tail that almost reached the ground. Bolívar named it Palomo, meaning cock pigeon, for its gray color. It was a gift from an elderly peasant woman from Santa Rosa de Viterbo, Boyacá Department, shortly before the Battle of Boyacá in 1819.

Bolívar lent Palomo to one of his officers, and it died exhausted after a grueling march in the Hacienda Mulaló, in what is today Yumbo, Valle del Cauca Department. It was buried next to the estate chapel by a lush, very old ceiba tree. Palomo's horseshoes and other effects of Bolívar are on exhibit in the Museum of Mulaló.

POCAHONTAS was the steady steed of George H. Steuart. He was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. To avoid verbal confusion with Virginia cavalryman J.E.B. Stuart, he was nicknamed “Maryland Steuart”. When his brigade entered Maryland during the Gettysburg Campaign in June 1863, he is said to have jumped down from his horse, Pocahontas, kissed his native soil and stood on his head in jubilation. These celebrations proved short lived, as Steuart's brigade was severely damaged at this battle.

PRETTY a beautiful mare ridden by David McMurtie Gregg. Gregg was a farmer, diplomat, and a Union cavalry General in the American Civil War.

PLUG UGLY was Alpheus Starkey Williams gallant steed during the war. Williams was a lawyer, judge, journalist, U.S. Congressman, and a Union general in the American Civil War. Both survived the war, but Plug Ugly endured many injuries and eventually affecting him significantly.

Williams was riding Plug Ugly during the battle at Chancellorsville when passing through a low, muddy spot and a shell struck in the mud directly under his horse and exploded. Williams obviously shocked; quickly gaining composure realized he and Old Plug were alive. He dismounted and found Plug Ugly bleeding freely, but strange to say, not seriously wounded and only in three or four places.

With Williams astride Plug Ugly following Lee through Maryland's Pleasant Valley in July of 1863, during the post Gettysburg days, Old Plug Ugly had fallen eight or ten feet into a ditch. Williams quickly jumped off before the land, but Plug Ugly met the earth hard. As he groaned hugely, Williams believed his horse was finished at last. Again, surprisingly the worthy war torn horse luckily escaped with minor wounds. Finally, Plug Ugly gave out and became too worn for further use, and in 1864 Williams ignominiously sold him for $50. Williams learned the gallant steed died soon after he disposed of him. Williams stated he would have cheerfully paid for his bullet-bored skin, if he had it a home.
YORKSHIRE was another horse of Williams, being showier than Plug Ugly and barely used for battle. Yorkshire was his favorite show horse. He was a beautiful horse, admired, and pronounced by many as one of the finest animals in the army.
MAJOR was obtained by Williams in the spring of 1864 and started riding this horse since Plug Ugly was tattered from the battles of war.

RAMBLER was the favorite charger of John Sedgwick, a Union Army general in the American Civil War. Sedgwick died in 1864 from shots fired by Confederate sharpshooters at the beginning of the Battle of Spotsylvania Court House. He was the highest-ranking Union casualty in the Civil War. CORNWALL and HANDSOME JOE were two occasional rides of Sedgwick.

RECKLESS was a Mongolian mare that fought gallantly in the Korean War. She was the four-legged US Marine credited with making 51 trips in a single day during ferocious fighting. The mare carried 386 rounds totaling more than 9,000 pounds and walked over 35 miles without hesitation. Staggering up a hill and usually without a handler, she carried heavy 75mm recoilless rifle ammunition. She then descended to be reloaded and repeat the task she had just completed. During the combat of that smoked filled day with tracer rounds streaking in both directions and the injured and dead piling up, she continued her duty by valiantly transporting wounded soldiers. Reckless survived that March day in 1953.

In October, 1952 Reckless was purchased at a racetrack from a Korean boy for 250.00. The child sold the horse to buy an artificial leg for his sister who lost one from a land mine. The horse bonded quickly with the Marines at camp. She would stick her head in their tents for treats, she loved” Tootsie Rolls”. At night she would linger by the oil stove with the men to ward off the bitter cold and she was welcomed to sleep inside their tents. Reckless was taught to duck under barbed wire and how to lie flat if caught under fire in the open.

After the war, Reckless was brought back to the United States. Her bravery led the Marine Corps to honor her with the rank of Staff Sergeant and 9 other awards including two Purple Hearts and a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal. Reckless was also recognized as the first horse in the Marine Corps to have participated in an amphibious landing. She lived in retirement at the Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, in California. Reckless died there on May 13, 1968, she was 20 years old.

RED EYE was Richard Brooke Garnett’s horse. Garnett was a career United States Army officer and a Confederate general in the American Civil War. Garnett was in no shape to lead an infantry charge during Pickett's Charge at the Battle of Gettysburg.; he was suffering from fever and an injured leg because Red Eye kicked him and Garnett could not walk. Despite protests from other officers, Garnett insisted on leading his soldiers into battle on horseback, becoming a conspicuous target for Union riflemen. Garnett personally got within 20 yards of the "Angle" on Cemetery Ridge and was never seen again. His colleagues realized that he had been killed when Red Eye returned to the Confederate lines on Seminary Ridge without him.

RED HARE, also known as Chitu, was Lü Bu's horse from the Three Kingdoms period of China. This horse inspired the phrase "Among men: Lü Bu. Among horses: Red Hare." Historical records only mention the horse when Lü Bu temporarily became a subordinate of Yuan Shao, where he charged and defeated the armies of Zhang Yan while riding the Red Hare.

Red Hare was originally a treasured horse of Dong Zhuo, but at Li Su's suggestion, he gave it to Lü Bu to persuade him to murder his stepfather Ding Yuan, and join Dong Zhuo. Red Hare was said to be able to run one roughly 415.8 km or 258.2118 miles in a day (measurement during the Three Kingdoms period). Red Hare was of a uniform ashen red, with not a hair of another color. He measured 8 feet from head to tail and from hoof to neck nearly 7 feet tall.

After Cao Cao in Xiapi executed Lü Bu, he presented Red Hare to Guan Yu as a gift, as Guan Yu had managed to tame it after all other officers had failed. Cao Cao allowed him to keep the horse even after Guan Yu left Cao Cao's service and hospitality. Later, when Lu Meng captured Guan Yu after Lu Meng's invasion of Jing province, Sun Quan gave the Red Hare to Ma Zhong. However, following the execution of Guan Yu, Red Hare refused to eat and died of starvation.

RIFLE was the much-cherished steed of General Ewell, Richard S.Richard Stoddert Ewell. Ewell was a United States Army officer and a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Wounded on numerous occasions, Ewell was one of the first senior officers wounded in the war. His first encounter was at a May 31 skirmish at Fairfax Court House. Ewell wounded once again on July 3, but only in his wooden leg, a circumstance of a previous war injury. Defeated, he led his corps on an orderly retreat back to Virginia. His luck continued to be poor and was wounded at Kelly's Ford, Virginia, in November and again in January 1864, when Rifle fell in the snow and died.

RODNEY was an Army horse in the Cuban War. He was retired to Fort Myer, an Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River, from Washington, D.C. These pictures were taken around 1916. No other information was found.

ROMEO was a black gelding belonging to General George Edward Pickett. Pickett was a career United States Army officer who became a general in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. Best remembered for his participation in the futile and bloody assault at the Battle of Gettysburg that bears his name, Pickett's Charge leaving Pickett commemorated forever. Pickett astride Romeo along with his troops rode with General Lee to the Appomattox surrender. Early in the war, Pickett rode a sleek black charger named “OLD BLACK”.

Fort Pickett in Blackstone, Virginia, named in his honor. Originally a site for the Civilian Conservation Corps, it was an active U.S. Army training facility in World War II and currently occupied by the Virginia National Guard.

RONALD belonged to Lord Cardigan who was a Commander of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War. Ronald was lovingly brought to the valleys of the Crimea by ship all the way from Deene Park, Northhamptonshire, the Brudenell family home. Lord Cardigan was riding his cherished handsome chestnut horse, Ronald, at Balaclava, on 25 October 1854. This was the black day of the ‘Charge’where Lord Cardigan took Ronald straight into the jaws of the massed Russian canon. Ronald survived the charge, as did his master, without a scratch.

In remembrance of this loyal and magnificent horse, one of Ronald’s hooves was placed on a bronze pillow, surmounted by a small statue of Lord Cardigan riding Ronald. This artifact can be seen at The King’s Royal Hussars Museum, Peninsula Barracks, Winchester, UK.

SAM PATCHES was the white wartime mount of Andrew Jackson. Jackson partook in two major wars: the American Revolutionary War and the War of 1812, holding ranks of Colonel and Major General. Notorious for his toughness, he was nicknamed “Old Hickory."

Jackson was an exceptional horseman and had a number of horses and ponies. General Jackson bred and owned some of the finest and was known as the leading breeder and racer in the state. In 1804, the first official horse race in Tennessee was held in Gallatin. Andrew and Rachel Jackson attended the race, in which Jackson’s horse INDIAN QUEEN lost to Polly Medley. Soon after, he purchased a famous Virginia thoroughbred; TRUXTON who was a white racehorse foaled in 1800 along with GREYHOUND, a horse that had previously beaten both Indian Queen and Truxton.

In 1805, the famous match races between Andrew Jackson's "Truxton" and Captain Joe Erwin's "Plowboy" were run on the racetrack in river bottom, Davidson County near Nashville, TN. Andrew Jackson's Truxton beat out Captain Joseph Erwin's Plowboy and this race indirectly led to the fatal duel between Jackson and Irwin's son-in-law, Charles Dickinson. Dickinson challenged Jackson to the duel where Jackson shot and killed him.

Another prized racer of Jackson’s was PACOLET, foaled in 1808. Jackson's horses ran several races at Clover Bottom before he sold most of them in 1816. Jackson became the 7th President of the United States in 1829. After becoming president, Jackson took three horses to Washington to race them there. He was the last president to race horses in the nation's capital.

Other horses owned by Jackson:

BOLIVIA

EMILY

LADY NASHVILLE

SANDY was Major General Sir William Throsby Bridges’ favorite charger. Bridges served with Australian forces during World War I, and was the first Australian to reach general officer rank. Ironically, in 1915, killed in battle at Gallipoli, Bridges was the first Australian general to be killed during the war.

Sandy did not return to Australia with his master’s remains. His tour of duty included Gallipoli, Egypt and almost a year later transported to France. The Minister for Defence, Senator George Pearce, called for Sandy’s return to Australia in October 1917. Leaving Liverpool England nearly one year later, Sandy arrived in Melbourne in 1918.

Sandy was officially retired and turned out to graze at the Central Remount Depot in Maribyrnong. Almost five years later, becoming blind and in poor health, Sandy was put to rest in 1923. Of the 136,000 Australian horses sent away to World War I, Sandy was the only horse to return home to Australia. Sandy’s head is mounted in a showcase originally displayed at the 1st Australian War Memorial Museum in Sydney and later in Canberra at the AWM.

SANDY was the warhorse for Capt. J.H. Craige, U.S.M.C. Shown here on 7/1/25, no other information was found.

SARDANAPALUS was the favorite mount of the partisan of Missouri, Meriwether Jeff Thompson. He served the Confederate Army as a cavalry commander, and had the unusual distinction of having a ship in the Confederate Navy named for him.

SEFTON, ECHO and YETI, three horses that survived the 1982 IRA bomb explosion at Hyde Park and Regent's Park London, England. During British military ceremonies, two bombs exploded: in Hyde Park one along the Household Cavalry route, Sefton and Yeti’s course and the other detonated almost simultaneously in Regent's Park where Echo, a Metropolitan Police mount, was prepared to escort the Cavalry.

Four soldiers and seven horses were killed and many others, including spectators injured from the blasts. Incredibly, Sefton, Echo and Yeti survived. Yeti did not receive any bodily injuries, but Echo and Sefton were not as fortunate. Their wounds were brutal suffering from many including Sefton’s severed jugular vein in his neck. Miraculously all survived to a seasoned age. From their difficulty through their recovery, the courage and will to survive the horses revealed deeply influenced the public. Capturing the people's hearts, they all had become much-loved equine heroes.

Sefton was an army horse stabled at Knightsbridge Barracks and the stationed regiments there date back to about 1660 AD. The horses are usually all black in color; ironically most come from Ireland the original birthplace of the IRA’s movement. In 1982, Sefton was “Horse of the Year” at the Wembley Horse Show and notably that year the crowds were emotional. Two years later, Sefton retired from the Household Cavalry and moved to the Home of Rest For Horses at Speen, Buckinghamshire. In retirement, Sefton remained an instant attraction and noted for his love of rolling in the mud. At the age of 30, in 1993 Sefton died a national hero.

Echo, was a solid white mount. After his amazing physical recovery, within a few months of returning to the Calvary, Echo, then 11, became a mental wreck. The hero retired at the Home of Rest for Horses, Princes Risborough, Buckinghamshire UK where he spent the rest of his life. Settling down, but never succumbing worry Echo often had bouts of colic; eventually taking his life at the age of 32, in 2003.

Yeti of the Household Cavalry, escaped physically unharmed from the blast, but mentally traumatized. Recovering and able to return to service for four more years until 1986 when he too retired to the Home of Rest for Horses, Buckinghamshire meeting his old friend Echo. This is where he died at age 36, in 2004.

Yeti’s rest home chief executive, Brigadier Paul Jepson, called 16-hand high Yeti "the epitome of a grand old gentleman, increasingly frail but never losing his zest for life and never, ever forgetting his manners".

SHABDIZ was the legendary black stallion of Khosrau Parvez, one of the most famed Sassanid Persian kings (reigned 590 to 628CE). Shabdiz, meaning "midnight", was reputedly the "world's fastest horse".

SHADOWLESS was the personal steed of Cao Cao. Cao Cao was a warlord and the second to last Chancellor of the Eastern Han Dynasty who rose to great power during its final years in ancient China.

SLASHER ridden into battle by Maj. General John Alexander Logan and depicted by an artist as dashing along a line of battle with all four feet off the ground. Slasher participated at Fort Donelson where he received injuries and at the Battle of Belmont where he died in battle.

SLICKY was the steed of Alfred Pleasonton. Pleasonton was a United States Army officer and General of Union cavalry during the American Civil War.

General Pleasonton (right) and Captain George Custer (left) in Falmouth, Virginia.

SOVEREIGN was Eppa Hunton II’s steed used in the Civil War. Hutton was a U.S. Representative and Senator from Virginia and a brigadier general in the Confederate Army during the American Civil War. Hunton captured on April 6, 1865 at Battle of Sayler's Creek and paroled at Fort Warren, Massachusetts, on July 24 of the same year.

STREIFF was the horse of Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. He was founder of the Swedish Empire at the beginning of what is widely regarded as the Golden Age of Sweden. He rode his steed at the battle of Lützen.

SULTAN was the battle steed of Colonel George Clarke of the 2nd Dragoon Guards in the Crimean War. Sultan's hindquarter was branded "2D" for 2nd Dragoons. Sultan was wounded in battle, at Balaklava.

TAFFY was the warhorse of Corporal Austin Edwards, a mounted Australian patrol. Corporal Edwards was seriously wounded at the Battle of Romani, part of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign, in August 1916. During the battle, Taffy stood still for his wounded rider to remount and escape.

TAMMANY was the favorite charger used by Daniel Edgar Sickles. Sickles was a colorful and controversial American politician, Union General in the American Civil War, and diplomat. Two others steeds Sickles rode were GRAND OLD CANISTER and GRAPE.

TARTAR was purchased by the U.S. Army at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, in July 1857 to serve in Battery B, 4th Artillery. He was 4 years old and became part of the grueling work in the frontier Army. Tartar was picked by 1st Sgt. James Stewart to be his mount and when the 4th Artillery was assigned to duty with the Utah Expedition it meant a journey from Fort Leavenworth to Great Salt Lake City of some 1,200 miles over South Pass of the Continental Divide.

Tartar's first action was to hunt buffalo to supply meat for the battery mess. Tarter proved successful and the battery had fine steaks for dinner. After that, Stewart remarked, not a day went by that Tartar and he did not bag a buffalo or two for the regiment. Things were working well for the horse until October when Tartar came down with "malignant distemper" near Green River in what is now Wyoming. Capt. John W. Phelps, 4th Artillery commander, ordered to abandon Tartar while the expedition moved on. Tarter was left on his own.

The upcoming winter was soon to follow and they were extremely brutal on the Wyoming plains that year. With temperatures plunging to 45 degrees below zero that November and in one horrifying night, the expedition lost 600 animals, horses, mules and oxen to cold and starvation. In the spring, the battery was short of horses and Brig. Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston offered a $30 bounty for each stray horse carrying a government brand that was returned to camp. The Indians brought in the first horses and surprisingly Stewart recognized one of which as Tartar. Tarter was found last fall, by the Indians, in the same area he was abandoned near Green River. Ironically, Tarter was used all winter by the Indians to haul tent poles and had fared better with the Indians than other animals had with the battery.

Tarter returned to his duties with the battery. In the summer of 1860, the men of Battery B served double duty as mounted infantry in keeping the mail routes open and free from hostile raids between Salt Lake City and Carson City. Tartar's average work included 40 to 50 miles a day.

Then, early in 1861, in response to the Civil War, the battery marched and then went by rail to Washington, D.C., to the Army of the Potomac. Tartar and Lt. Stewart now, found themselves at the second battle of Bull Run. With the massive cannon firings, Tartar was struck by fragments that tore both flanks and carried away his tail. Believing Tartar was not going to survive, Stewart left him at a small farmyard. The next day, Tartar appeared at camp. The gallant horse had jumped a fence and followed the battery.
Throughout the battles of war, Tarter suffered injuries. At Fredericksburg, Va., Tartar was wounded again and from then on, not surprisingly, it was difficult to get him to stand under musket fire. Upon reaching Gettysburg, Tartar was lamed by running a nail into a fore hoof and did not ride into battle.

In the Union’s pursuit of Robert E. Lee after the fight, Tartar could not keep up the pace with the battery and once again left him at a farm on the road, along with a note explaining what command he belonged to and later Stewart learned Tartar was with another division. It was August 1863; Stewart located his great horse and found no further war wounds upon him. Tarter served to the end of hostilities. Tarter and Stewart were present at Appomattox Court House when the surrender was signed. Stewart left Tarter with the battery when he was transferred to the 18th Infantry in 1866.

THUNDER was the gallant steed of Jefferson Davis. He was an American politician who served as President of the Confederate States of America for its entire history, 1861 to 1865, during the American Civil War. Davis was a veteran of two wars, the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.
KENTUCKY and TARTER were two other horses belonging to Davis.

TOM TELEGRAPH was the warhorse of Turner Ashby, Jr who was a Confederate cavalry brigadier general in the American Civil War. Ashby was a striking figure, called by many the "Black Knight of the Confederacy". He generally rode horses that were pure white or pure black. He achieved prominence as Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson's cavalry commander in the Shenandoah Valley and might have been one of the most famous cavalry commanders of the war had he not been killed in battle in 1862. Near Harrisonburg, an attack on Ashby's position at Good's Farm resulted in Tom Telegraph’s death by enemy fire and Ashby charging ahead on foot. Within a few steps, a shot through his heart killed him instantly.

TRAVELLER was the famous warhorse of General Robert Edward Lee, the Confederate commander. Traveller was an iron gray Morgan horse who became legendary. Traveller was born and raised in the mountains of West Virginia and as a colt won first prize at a fair in Lewisburg, Virginia. When Lee first saw the gray in 1857, he attached instantly to him and referred to him as "my colt." Initially Major Thomas L. Broun owned the horse known as Jeff Davis, and paid $175 (in gold) for him. Soon the War Between the States was about to commence.

In the spring of 1862, the horse was five years old and finally became the property of Lee, who paid $200 in currency for him. He changed the name of his charger to Traveller and from that date forward, it became almost a daily sight to see the commander astride the gray, riding about the camp. His black points contrasting against his light color, a long mane and long flowing tail were easily recognizable aspects of the horse. Traveller stood sixteen hands high, was muscular with a deep chest and short back, strong haunches and legs, small head, quick eyes, broad forehead, and small feet. His rapid, springy step and bold carriage made him prominent in the camps of the Confederates. Without falter, Traveller could easily carry Lee's weight at five or six miles an hour.

Traveller became the special companion of the general. The steed solidly accepted and withstood the hardships of the war campaigns in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. When the last battle of the Army of Northern Virginia was fought in April 1865, the veteran warhorse was still on duty. When Lee rode to the McLean house at Appomattox Court House to surrender, he was astride Traveller. In addition, it was this faithful four-footed companion who carried the Southern leader back to his waiting army, and then to Richmond.

When Lee became a private citizen and retired to Washington and Lee University, as its president, the veteran warhorse was still with him. During the life of Traveller after the-war, he was the pet of the countryside about Lexington, Va. Many marks of affection were showered upon him and as the years passed and both master and servant neared life's end they became more closely attached. In 1870, the much-admired Lee died and the funeral cortege with Traveller marching behind the hearse, escorted Lee to his last resting place. Traveller with his step slow and his head bowed, as if he understood the impact of the occasion.

Two years later in 1872, turned out to pasture for grazing, Traveller stepped on a nail. With great effort to heal the horse, Traveller succumbed to lockjaw and died. Over time from the numerous requests to mount the valiant steed, the horse was disinterred and the skeleton mounted and displayed at Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. On May 8, 1971 after more than 60 years on exhibit, Traveller’s remains interred for the last time outside the Lee Chapel close to the Lee family crypt.

Although Traveller was the most well known horse and Lee’s favorite, he was not the only horse the General used during the war. However, the other horses broke under the strain and hardships.
LUCY LONG was a mare and the primary backup horse to Traveller. She remained with the Lee family after the war, dying considerably after Lee, when she was thirty-three years old. Purchased by General Jeb Stuart from Stephen Dandridge and presented to Lee, Lucy Long served for two years in alternation with Traveller.

During the war in the evacuation of Richmond, there was much confusion and mistakenly Lucy Long misplaced with the public horses was sent to Danville. Lee lost all trace of his warhorse and searched for her constantly. In 1866, discovered in eastern Virginia and brought to Lexington to pass her days in leisure with General Lee and Traveller. General’s Lee son, General Custis Lee, years after his father’s death and a few after Traveller’s, sent Lucy Long into the country to retire.
RICHMOND, an aggressive bay stallion acquired by General Lee in early 1861, died of colic in 1862 after the Battle of Malvern Hill.
THE ROAN or BROWN ROAN was a good-natured gelding purchased by Lee in West Virginia around the time of Traveller's purchase. The horse went blind in 1862 and had to be retired.
AJAX was a sorrel horse given to Lee after he injured his hands. The horse was too large for Lee to ride comfortably and thus used
occasionally. Ajax died after Lee's retirement from injuries sustained from a sharp prong on a gate latch.

Traveller is a historical novel written by Richard Adams in 1988. Traveller is the alleged author of this ghostwritten volume that depicts the Civil War as seen through equine eyes.

VILLEBOIS owned by General Villebois De Mareuil and his mount in the Boer War (South African Campaign). In 1900, Major General Lord Chesham noticed the horse and brought the horse to England where the General acquired him. The General was killed at the battle of Boshof, South Africa 5th April 1900 and Villebois was wounded. A simple stone mound is erected in Latimer, Bucks United Kingdom honoring Villebois.

VOLONEL was the steed of Frederick Sleigh Roberts. Field Marshall Earl Roberts of Kandahar commanded the British forces in Afghanistan during Baden-Powell's service in 1881-1882. He was later to become the Commander-in-Chief in India (1885-1893), in the South African War (1899-1902) and, finally Commander-in-Chief of the British Army (1901-1904). For much of Baden-Powell's active military service, Lord Roberts was among the highest ranking and most respected officers of the British Army. He became known as "Kipling's General."

Volonel was an Arabian horse and Roberts rode it during the 300 mile march from Kabul to Khandahar during the Second Afghan War. Volonel impressed the British so much that Queen Victoria awarded the horse a campaign medal.

WINCHESTER was General Philip H. Sheridan's horse during most of the Civil War. Originally, the horse was named Rienzi after Sheridan's raid on Rienzi, Mississippi; later changing it to Winchester after carrying Sheridan on his famous ride from Winchester, Virginia to Cedar Creek, Virginia in time to rally his troops and turn almost-certain defeat into victory.

Sheridan’s charger was foaled at or near Grand Rapids, Michigan, of the Black Hawk stock, and was brought into the Federal army, at nearly three years old, by an officer of the Second Michigan Cavalry. The horse was presented to Sheridan in the spring of 1862, while the regiment was stationed at Rienzi, Mississippi. He was a beautiful black horse with 3 white socks. It was over seventeen hands in height, powerfully built, with a deep chest, strong shoulders, a broad forehead, a clear eye and of great intelligence. In his prime he was one of the strongest horses Sheridan ever knew, very active, and one of the fastest walkers in the Federal army. Always holding his head high and by the quickness of his movements gave the impression Winchester was a hotheaded steed. Nevertheless, Sheridan was always able to control him by a firm hand and a few words. Winchester was as cool and quiet under fire as any veteran trooper in the Cavalry Corps.

In one of the closing scenes of the war, Five Forks, Sheridan was personally directing a movement against the Confederates protected by temporary entrenchments about two feet high. The General dashed ahead; followed by his command the gallant steed leaped the low works and landed the general fairly amid the astonished Southerners. Close behind him, Merritt's cavalrymen came in a resistless charge swept the Confederates backward in confusion.

The horse passed a comfortable old age in his master's stable and died in Chicago, in 1878; the lifelike remains were in the Museum at Governor's Island, N.Y., as a gift from his owner. In 1923, the Military Service Institution, Governor’s Island, New York, presented the mounted steed to the Smithsonian. Winchester can be seen in the Armed Forces History Hall at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History, Behring Center. Accession No. 69413
Catalogue No. 32870

Poets, sculptors, and painters have made the charger the subject of their works. Thomas Buchanan Read was inspired to write his immortal poem, "Sheridan's Ride," which thrilled the North.
ALDEBARON was an early mount for Sheridan who was then a Colonel. Aldebaron gave way to the gelding named Rienzi.

WARRIOR was the war horse who carried the Canadian cavalry officer, General Jack Seely. The trusted companion and courageous animal braved the bullets, barbed wire and shell fire of World War I. Warrior managed to survive several near death experiences and was nicknamed “The horse the Germans couldn't kill”. The brave life of the 32-year-old thoroughbred ended at Mottiston Manor, Isle of Wight in 1941; on that Good Friday Seely wrote, "I do not believe, to quote Byron on his dog Boatswain, that he is denied in Heaven, the soul he had on earth.'?

Go Green Tips:

Consider the energy used to bring the following items to stores

Find a local grower of oats and hay
In season, find local growers of fruits and vegetables - these are great treats for you and your horse
Plant a tree; it cleans the air and keeps you cool

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

Look back at our struggle for freedom,
Trace our present day's strength to it's source;
And you'll find that man's pathway to glory
Is strewn with the bones of the horse.
~Author Unknown

PLEASE CONTRIBUTE ANY INFO/PHOTOS YOU MAY HAVE RELATING to MILITARY / WAR HORSES
Your Comments and Corrections are Always Welcomed

info@agreenhorse.com

Treat with Respect

2009-10-22T00:43:00.155-04:00

How to Treat Your Horse

Treat with Respect

To treat or not to treat, that is the question. A topic of great debate; we realized we needed to figure this one out for our horses and ourselves. Considering our horses, we educated ourselves and realized treats are possible with a proper understanding of the horse/human relationship. In detail, our thoughts are expressed below.

People have sent us their horse's favorite treat recipes but we have not been able to try many. It has been quite some time since I have made treats for our guys, so for now they are receiving lots of fresh veggies and fruits. Looking forward to the move and getting back to baking goodies for the horses, dogs and cats.

We hope you get around to baking some of these treats and letting us know what your horses think. If you have an opinion and/or special treat recipe, send it along and we will share them. Oh, we cannot forget about the dogs and barn kitties. Some recipes are included for them at the end.

So…,“Hold Your Horses”, this blog is lengthy covering quite a bit.

TREAT with RESPECT

There is so much debate on whether to give horses treats or not and with this subject discussed from one side of the road to the other truthfully, one can only arrive at one’s own position. In researching the issue and conducting experiments, our conviction rides us down the middle road – what we call “treat with respect”. There is no reason for an informed intellectual human with a desire not to be able to design and implement a respectful relationship concerning any issue with a smart horse. Understanding the horse and what he needs for these values will make a world of difference in the relationship.

For some, our horses are such a significant part of our lives, our families. We extend to them all the securities and comforts of home and this includes positive structure. Humans (predator) and horses (prey) are obviously different by nature, but just as we learn to understand the character of other humans to build strong positive interactions and relationships, we must learn to understand the horse’s nature if we wish to achieve deferential connections with them. This knowledge creates a means for humans to contribute positively to a relationship with horses allowing something extraordinary to happen - a respectful bond between predator and prey.

Horses have a need for strong social organization; they are herd animals and survival dictates that members ultimately bond together and cooperate. In the heard, horses have systems they follow to live in harmony and survive successfully. They use a combined system of behaviors to bond, reinforce their social structures, and build relationships. Recognizing the psychology of the horse provides discovery of key behavioral elements in their systems and the conventions used to endure a successful coexistence. The importance of learning the characteristic temperament of the horse and understanding how he responds naturally to a specific set of conditions and how it manages these responses will enable humans to apply logical constructive techniques that the horse will understand in all situations from handling (offering treats) to riding. Learning how to incorporate these elements into the horse/human relationship is the human advantage. One must not abuse this advantage, but find the middle road by conducting positive exchanges to receive the horse’s cooperation, form a bond with and create respect for the human.

The combined systems of communication, affection and leadership are deep-seated behavioral elements of the social horse herd. An involved look into these elements helps the human identify with the horse’s world creating a closer connection to the horse. Horses relate and express thoughts, opinions or information through nonverbal means. They have no words but communicate through a language of sounds and physical actions. Body language is the predominant means of communication for the horse. This language supplies an association allowing access between them . Affection such as social grooming among horses is a contact that helps form a social bond and trust between individuals and the group. In addition, this act has been shown to reduce tension and stress preventing conflicts within the herd. This ritual reinforces social structures and helps maintain the social order of the herd. Rituals and traditions strengthen the group and helps form the “glue” that holds the herd together. Perhaps the most central and influential of the elements is leadership. Horses instinctively seek leadership. Every herd has leaders, followers, and a well-defined pecking order known as a dominance hierarchy. All those below the leader are calmed by the strength and consistency of the leader above, providing little need for expressions of anxiety and insecurity, which usually leads to a mass of issues in horses. These behavioral elements form a complex social dynamic holding the horse band together, allowing each individual horse to know his or her place in the order, thus providing security, comfort, play and food permitting well-built connections exist.

Great leadership is the driving force making a harmonious coexistence possible; generating respect, trust and a bond amongst the herd which is critical to herd relationships. This type of connection between human and horse is possible. Remembering horses are social hierarchy animals and that this sociability is what made it a candidate for domestication also offers us an open door into their world. Furthermore, horses are innately curious and may investigate any creature that is interesting but not threatening. The ability of humans to work in cooperation with the horse is based on both the natural curiosity of the horse and the strong social bonds that horses have with each other. Horse dominance hierarchies can transfer the dominant position to a human and follow the human instead of another animal in the herd. This is achievable not by force, but by the horse developing trust in the ability of the human and confidence that the human will be a responsible "herd leader." Trust and confidence are built quite firmly on a foundation of respect set forth by a leader.

The horse is most satisfied living in an unwavering hierarchy; it has done so successfully for millions of years. However, for harmony to exist between the domesticated horse living in the human world, one must understand and work with the horse’s instinct and herd mentality. To the horse, it is not imperative which position it holds in the hierarchy, but it is extremely vital that its position is defined. They are comfortable being beneath a clear consistent leader, but disorder arises not knowing who the leader is because the dominance is indecisive and irregular. To resolve such an impasse, conflict behavior emerges between horses and they become anxious and begin to display dominant behavior. This behavior escalates from gestures into threats and finally to aggressive behavior if the situation is not resolved, filling the void until a dominant leader emerges establishing order through a structured hierarchy. As aggression is largely unresolved fear, this fear arrives from the chaos of no decisive leader. Horses need leaders and will find safety and comfort knowing who is in charge. From the horse’s perspective, when a human is with a horse, they are a herd of two. Therefore, whether the leader is you or he, conflict behavior remains until the horse understands who is in charge!

Members of the horse herd diligently follow rules of band behavior. If a horse breaks the rules, it is rejected by its leader and therefore vulnerable. Punishment usually communicated swiftly; maybe through a head movement with ears laid back, a nip or it may even be a forceful kick. Rejection teaches horses to be submissive and dependent upon leaders for survival. Members of the herd are compliant to their leaders. Respect for the leader is gained from its exceptional role in providing for the well-being, of the herd, applying principles and allowing a social union in which members feel relatively comfortable and safe. Humans are able to dominate simply by assuming leadership in the herd hierarchy. The act of taking charge and teaching the horse something automatically puts the horse into the role of subservience; this is natural herd behavior. Therefore, mastering leadership for the horse is achieved by one’s own personal conduct, always assertive though never aggressive, by purposely taking a leadership role and by teaching the horse. One must progressively ask more of the horse; reward the horse when he submits, persist when he does not. Allow the horse to make a mistake, but be ready to correct it. This is how the horse will gain respect for its handler. That is, respect for you as a leader, in exactly the same way as it happens in nature. Remember to gain respect; corrections must be ethical and meaningful to the horse. Horses do not understand physical human actions of anger like smacking and beating. This spirals the horse’s fear and can create a volatile situation. Fear of a human and respect of a human have two very different meanings. Human handlers are more successful if they learn to properly interpret a horse's body language and represent their own responses accordingly – always provide clear communication in your requests/corrections and be consistent. Teach your horse that there are rules to be followed, just as the rules found in the natural herd. For true contentment, the horse needs clear consistent habits, where the rules do not change.

The horse’s senses are sharper than the humans and they have a superior memory, a great competency for learning by conditioning alongside an immense capacity to form habits. The horse is content by virtue of his predisposition to form habits therefore a happy horse is one which has clear consistent habits. Any routine, if there is no conflict, leads to contentment once the habits are formed. For this reason, consistency is extremely significant to the horse. You must be a reliable leader and persist on the horse’s respect of you at all times or he will become dominant. Do not offer affection/rewards of any kind to your horse if he is demonstrating bad behavior because these actions are indicative of a lack of submission. As a creature of habit, the horse will remember his actions in a situation and repeat them whether good or bad. As a leader, correct him ethically with consistent techniques and language he understands –backing him up, moving his front end, etc through steady or rhythmic pressure. The degree of energy you emit should be a notch higher than the energy the horse expresses. Once submissive, the horse becomes quieter. The horse is guided by positively or negatively reinforced actions, and if they occur repeatedly, then they will become automatic, and therefore habits. If you direct a horse's behavior at the time you give him a treat, it can understand the leadership and will be satisfied and respectful. At all times, direct a horse and he will exhibit well-mannered behavior, with or without a treat, when he is in your authority. Like all innate behavior, the instinct of social dominance does not act independently of learned behavior, and in the horse, it is enhanced or inhibited by the actions of those around him.

Horses do not associate with human words or love unless expressed through their perception of the terms. Only if the human meets these emotional needs of the horse, will he appreciate your gestures and entry into a respectful union will begin. Communicate with your horse in a language it will understand, visually and physically. Through the language of the body, the human and the horse can begin to recognize each others subjective presence. A mutual language between horse body and human body fosters a deeper emotional connection and supports the growth of a meaningful relationship between the two. In addition, great leadership is illustrated by eminence that is emotionally understood universally, but still requiring communication to be relevant. A leader role is essential in establishing and maintaining an alliance and dominance hierarchy and for building a coalition; this is how you gain respect and supply security and comfort for your horse. By no means does positive reinforcement/affection always have to be in the form of food, actually quite the contrary. Releasing the pressure of a cue (communication) and stroking (social grooming/affection) are rewards/treats for the horse when he is demonstrating approved behavior. These are extremely important aids in building relationships. Affection takes several forms and scratching, massaging, breathing softly into your horse’s nostrils in rhythm with his and walking with him while he grazes all work well. This affection of horses by handlers/riders serves the same purpose as social grooming in the herd and offers the same results. It relaxes the horse, and the handler reducing tension and stress, and builds toward trust forming a deeper bond. Show interest in your horse, pay attention as you groom him to see where his sensitive areas are and where he really enjoys a good scratching. Learning the skills of communication, affection and leadership in which the horse comprehends are fundamental to building and holding the human/horse relationship together. The horse will know his place in the pecking order providing him the securities and comforts of home. Additionally, mutual respect, strong bonds and deep trust form creating the positive structure for a harmonious world between human and horse.

Learning and implementing this savoir-faire will allow a respectful treat transfer from human to horse, but moreover the possibilities do not stop there, they are endless. Admire your horse for what it is, do not try and humanize the horse with human behavior for it will never be content. If you truly want to “treat” your horse, then exchange some respect and do what is best for him. Provide your horse the fundamentals it needs to be comfortable and fulfilled. Show your horse how much you care, treat him ethically, communicate to him, show affection, make sure he has clean water, feed him appropriately, keep him warm, exercise him mentally, physically and emotionally and carry it all out as his leader. What your horse truly comprehends and appreciates is his trust and dependence upon you – his leader.

Once his leader, you can afford him a “Treat with Respect”.

Great leadership is a never-ending process of principle, knowledge, preparation and instruction.

A Few Great Horse Leaders:
Left:Tom Dorrance (1910-2003)
Center: Ray Hunt (1929-2009)
Right: Bill Dorrance (1906-1999)

Tips from the Trail:

Qualities in a Great Leader:

They have – beliefs, values, ethics and character
They know - knowledge, skills, tasks, techniques and savvy
They do - selfless service, implement, motivate and provide direction

The best way to receive respect is to show respect. Respect is…

R – rules and consequences
E – encouragement/ethical expectation
S – show interest/concern
P – politeness and reasonableness
E – employ direction/communication
C – care and listen
T – trustworthiness always

Apply these Qualities in the Relationship with your Horse ...
You will become its Respected Leader:

Challenge – notice a process that needs attention

Inspire a vision / clear sense of direction - share vision through language and techniques that the horse understands

Enable the horse to act - give the horse the tools and methods needed to resolve the problem

Show/guide the way - when the process gets tough, a leader shows that it can be done

Encourage the heart/influence - share the glory with your horses' heart, while keeping the pains within your own

HORSE TREAT RECIPES:

CARROT AND APPLE COOKIES

1 cup sweet feed
2 cups bran
1 cup flax seed
4 large carrots, shredded
1 cup molasses
½ cup brown sugar
1 cup applesauce

Mix molasses, brown sugar, carrots and applesauce in one bowl. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients. Slowly combine the molasses mixture with the dry ingredients. Add only enough molasses mixture to form a thick dough, add more bran if necessary. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Using a tablespoon, drop batter onto cookie sheet and flatten slightly to form portions about the size of a silver dollar. Bake at 300 degrees for about 1 hour. Flip and bake for an additional 45 minutes until they dry out. Keep checking to make sure they do not burn.

WHINNY BARS

2 cups dry oatmeal
¾ cup grain
3 cups bran
1 cup molasses

Mix oats, grain and bran together in a bucket. Drizzle in molasses while mixing with you hands (you're looking for a consistency a little thinner than Play-Doh). Place dollops (about half a handful) on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. These have a tendency to burn. They never get completely hard, but they store nicely.

SUNDAY COOKIES

1 cup dry oatmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup shredded carrots
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons corn oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup molasses

Mix ingredients in a bowl in the order listed. Make small balls and place on a cookie sheet, spray them with Pam. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

YUMMY OAT COOKIES

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup bran
1 cup water
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses

Mix ingredients together, grease a cookie sheet. Drop spoon size balls onto sheet. Bake 350 for 8 minutes or until hard on the outside. Refrigerate any uneaten cookies.

OAT MOLASSES COOKIES

2 cups dry oatmeal
1/2 cup grated carrots
3 tablespoons molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients. Add enough water to make a soft dough. Stir well. Form cookies. Bake 350 for 8 minutes or until golden brown.

CARROT COOKIES

1 cup dry oatmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup shredded carrots
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup molasses

Mix ingredients in bowl as listed. Make little balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

APPLE COOKIES

1 cup margarine
1 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup bran
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced apples
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
2 cups quick cooking dry oatmeal
2 eggs

Cream the margarine and sugar until light and fluffy, beat in eggs. Combine flour, bran and baking soda. Blend into a creamed mixture. Stir in oats, carrots and apples. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown.

HORSE COOKIES

2 cups dry oatmeal
3/4 cup grain
3 cups bran
1 cup molasses

Mix oats, grain and bran together in a bucket. Drizzle in molasses while mixing with your hands. Place handfuls on a cookie sheet and bake at 375º for 8 minutes.

ELECTROLYTE COOKIES

2 cups oats (I use crimped oats or barley/mix)
3/4 cup grain (I use barley)
3 cups bran
1 cup molasses
1 cup water (may vary depending upon altitude)
12 - 24 1-oz. scoops of powdered electrolytes (depends how strong you want them)

Mix all the ingredients together. You should have a consistency a little thinner than play-doh. If it isn’t wet or sticky enough, add a little more water or molasses. Place large spoonfuls on a (greased) cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes. These have a tendency to burn so keep an eye on them.

COB COOKIES

8 cups dry cob feed (corn, oats, and barley mix)
3 cups ground carrots
1/2 cup corn oil
2 cups flour
2 cups molasses

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl until well mixed. Let stand for at least an hour (so the grain can absorb some of the moisture). Stir the mixture well. Drop by rounded teaspoonful on to a well-oiled cookie sheet. Using your fingers and the teaspoon, smash the cookie into a round slightly flattened shape. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 18 minutes, depending on your oven. These will burn easily so be sure not to leave them in too long. Put the cookies on racks to cool then store them in a tight container. Recipe yields approximately 6 - 9 dozen.

APPLE HORSE COOKIES

1 cup sweet feed
2 - 3 cup wheat bran
1 cup flax seed
1 TBSP salt
4 large apples, shredded
1 cup molasses
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup applesauce

Mix molasses, brown sugar, apples and applesauce in bowl. Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Gradually combine wet and dry ingredients together, only using enough of the wet ingredients to make a thick dough. Add more bran if necessary. Line cookie sheet with foil and spray with oil. Drop batter onto cookie sheet in tablespoon amounts. Flatten with a fork. Bake slowly at 300° F. for 1 hour, turn cookies over and continue to bake for another 45 minutes until thoroughly dried. Reduce heat if cookies begin to brown excessively or to burn. Store the cookies in covered container or zip-locked plastic bag.

HORSE COOKIES

1 cup uncooked oats
1 cup flour
1 cup shredded carrots
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. sugar
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup molasses

Mix ingredients in bowl as listed. Make little balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or light brown.

MORE HORSE COOKIES

15 cups sweet feed
4 - 12 oz jars of dark molasses
1 cup water
5 cups flour

Mix the first 3 ingredients, and then add flour to hold the dough together. Coat mini muffin tins with vegetable spray, then use a spoon to press dough into each compartment. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until dark brown. Let cool, then store in an airtight container.

"I DIDN'T BUCK TODAY" TREATS

2 sticks butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup raisins
2 cups dry oatmeal
1 cup alfalfa pellets

Mix butter with sugar and eggs until smooth. Add dry ingredients slowly. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes at 350º.

MICROWAVE HORSE COOKIES

2 cups of flour
5 cups of oatmeal
1/2 cup corn oil
1 clove of garlic
1 cup of diced carrots

Combine ingredients in bowl. Make small balls, place on microwaveable plate, and flatten balls. Bake at high for 6 minutes per batch.

EASY NO COOK SNAPS

4 cups of bran
4 cups of applesauce

Mix ingredients together. Batter should be doughy. Roll out with rolling pin, cut shapes with cookie cutter. Let dough dry and serve.

HORSE COOKIES

1 cup of uncooked oatmeal
1 cup of flour
1 cup of shredded carrots
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of molasses

Mix ingredients in bowl in order listed. Make small balls and flatten on greased cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes in a 350-degree oven until golden brown.

OAT 'N' APPLE CHEWIES

1 ½ cups unsweetened applesauce
1 cup oat bran cereal or ground oatmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour (approx.)

Preheat oven to 350F. Oil a 9inch x 9inch square cake pan. Spread the batter evenly in the cake pan and bake for 20-30 minutes. The batter will start to shrink away from the sides and it will be firm to the touch. Slice into squares while still warm. Keep “chewies” in the refrigerator in an airtight container or bag.

MOLASSES CRUNCHIE HORSE TREATS

1 ½ cup all purpose flour
1 cup bran
1 cup molasses
1 cup grated carrot or apple

Preheat oven to 375F and oil two cookie sheets. Put aside a small bowl of white sugar and a drinking glass with a flat bottom. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients thoroughly. The mixture should not be too wet, and should stick together. Add more flour to make the mixture firmer and hold together if necessary. Drop by teaspoonfuls, about 1 ½ inches apart on a greased cookie sheet. Grease the bottom of the glass, dip it in the sugar, and stamp the cookies to flatten them slightly. Bake for about 10 minutes. This makes about 25 cookies, depending on the size. Store the crunchy treats in an airtight container or bag.

BAKED CARROT CRISPIES

2 carrots, shredded
1 apple, shredded
1/3 cup molasses
3/4 cup flower
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup bran
3/4 cup oatmeal

Preheat over to 400 degrees. Generously grease a muffin tin. Mix carrots and apples into a bowl with molasses, bran, brown sugar, water, flour and oatmeal. Mixture should have a thick and doughy consistency. Add more bran if needed. Scoop dough into a muffin tin, sprinkle each muffin with brown sugar and bake in the over for 30-50 minutes until well cooked.

QUICK STICKY TREATS

apple or carrot
corn syrup
quick oats

Cut apple in half. Take core out. Roll in corn syrup then oats. Do the same for a carrot.

PEPPERMINT TREATS

2 cups of flour
1 cup of oats
1/4 cup of molasses
10 crushed peppermints
2 apples

Mix flour and oats together. Add molasses, and then add water slowly until it is doughy. Add peppermints and apples. Cook until golden brown at 350 degrees.

BANANA-GLAZED APPLE

1 apple
1 banana
1 handful of ice cubes

Cut and peel banana. Put into a blender with the ice cubes. Chop and blend it together until creamy. Cut the top off an apple and carve out the middle. Fill the apple with the banana mixture. Put top back on. Pour the rest of the banana on top and over the sides of the apple. Place in feed bucket and serve.

DELICIOUS MUNCHIES

1 cup dry oats
1 cup shredded carrots and apples (or either or)
1 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 cup molasses
Little less than a 1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients first then add everything else. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Keep in the fridge.

HAPPY OATS N' TRAIL MIX BALLS

5 chopped carrots
Molasses, as much as you want
2 cups oats or quick oats
Any type of grain

Soak carrots for 15 minutes. After they have soaked, place them in a large bowl. Add molasses. Stir until carrots are covered completely with molasses. Mix in grain. Add more molasses until grain is covered. Roll them in the oats and form a ball. Wrap the balls in foil and freeze them. Thaw before serving.

MEALTIME MAGICS

1/2 Apple
4 Carrot Chunks
Molasses (as much as desired)
Oatmeal (as much as desired)
1/2 cup Warm Water (approximately)

Mix oatmeal and water together until it becomes a warm mushy ball. Sprinkle apple and carrots on top. Pour molasses on top.

BUTTER CUP CAKE TREATS

3 packages apple-cinnamon flavored oatmeal
1 cup flour
1/4 cup water
Molasses
1 apple, cut into chunks
Peanut butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix oatmeal, flour, and apple chunks together. Then pour enough molasses to make a doughy texture. Use an ice-cream scoop or your hands to make dough into balls. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown. After cupcakes have cooled, spread peanut butter over the top for "icing."

NICKERS N NEIGHS

1 cup dry oatmeal
1 cup flour
1 cup shredded carrots or apples
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup molasses

Mix ingredients in bowl as listed. Make little balls and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

STICKY TREATS

1/2 cup rice
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups complete horse meal or any grain mix
1/4 cup seaweed meal
1/8 - 1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup Lucerne Chaff
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup plain flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 egg
1/2 cup milk

Combine all dry ingredients, mixing well. Add vegetable oil and milk and mix until combined. Add the egg and mix again. If the mixture is not moist enough, add a little more water or milk. Cover the container with Glad wrap and leave overnight. Feed as a treat.

CARROMINTS

Small scissors
Carrot
6 or 9 peppermints

Slice the carrot into two or three pieces, and cut off the ends. Hollow it out with the small scissors by removing the insides. Set aside. Crush three peppermints and put in one of the hollow carrot pieces.
Note: Do not make when humid!

REBEL TASTY MIX TREATS

1 apple sliced into small pieces
1 handful corn
1 handful uncooked oatmeal
A little bit of powdered sugar to sprinkle on top
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 handful grain or favorite treats
1 handful cheerios
3 tablespoons syrup, honey, or molasses

Mix corn, oatmeal, apple slices, grain, cheerios, and salt together. Drizzle on syrup and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Chill in refrigerator over night.

TRUSTED TREATS

1 large apple
Molasses
Honey
Sweet grain
Dry oatmeal
Oats
Shredded carrots

Cut a small square around the stem. Take it off and set it aside. Hollow out some of the inside. Take the molasses and the rest of the ingredients and mix them together in a bowl. Pour the mixed ingredients into the apple and put the top back on. Store any leftovers in refrigerator.

PEPPERMINT PATTIES

1/3 cup oats
1/3 cup grain
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 cup flour
Peppermints

Mix all the ingredients except for the peppermints. Take a peppermint and put it in the middle of a ball of the dough. Bake at 350 degrees for 21 minutes. This makes about 8 patties. You may double the recipe as many times as you want.

HEAD BOBBERS

1/4 cup molasses
3 or 4 apples, finely chopped
1 cup carrots, finely chopped
2 tablespoons corn oil
1 cup flour
1 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup bran or grain of your choice, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a large cookie sheet. Mix apples, carrots, oil, and molasses. Then mix in oats and flour. You can either spread the mix on a cookie sheet and break it apart after baked, or roll the dough out and cut into cookie shapes. Cook for about 20 minutes. Let cool.

CARROT TREATS

1 carrot
1 golden delicious apple or use any type of apple
Molasses

Core apple
Cover the inside of the apple in molasses
Shove the carrot inside the apple hole
Pour molasses into a large plastic bag and put in the apple with the carrot in the middle
Close the bag and shake very well
Wet hands slightly
Pull apple out of bag and feed to your horse

HORSE TACOS

Tortillas
2 cups molasses
Sliced carrots
Sliced apples
Sliced grapes
Bucket of sweet feed

Mix sweet feed and molasses. Then mix in the sliced carrots, apples, and grapes. Wrap the mixture in tortillas and serve.

NACHO HORSE TREATS

This is an ingredient:
Nacho's Famous Horse Treats Ever

Additional ingredients:
1 cup oats
1 cup water
1/3 cup molasses
1 tablespoon honey
Shredded carrots
Shredded peppermints

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Stir oats, water, molasses, honey, and shredded carrots. Let mixture sit for 10 - 15 minutes. Put all ingredients except peppermints on a greased pan, and bake for about 20 minutes. Take out of oven and sprinkle with shredded peppermint. Let cool.

HALLOWEEN HORSE TREAT

Get a small pumpkin and remove all of the insides being careful to get all of the seeds. Then fill with a mixture of sliced apples, carrots, grain. You can use whatever kind of fruit/veggie your horse may like. Put the top back on and give each horse his or her pumpkin. They have fun squishing the pumpkin to get the treats. Most horses will even eat the pumpkin.

CRACKER BOX COOKIES

2 cups quick oats
2 cups bran
2 cups corn meal
12 ounces molasses
1 cup dark corn syrup
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup flour

Mix all ingredients and let stand for 1 hour. Shape into cookies using about 1 teaspoon of dough. Place on a baking stone, and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until the edges are browning.

HORSIE PIE

3 sliced apples
2 teaspoons honey
8 peppermints, crushed
2 handfuls oatmeal, plain
3 teaspoons peanut butter
1/2 cup applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix honey, 1 handful oats, peanut butter, and applesauce in a bowl. Stir and put in microwave for 45 seconds. Spread apple slices in a baking dish. Add mixture on top of apples. Sprinkle peppermint and one handful of oats on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until peppermint melts. Let cool until warm and sprinkle a little sugar on the top. Feed a little at a time to make sure it does not upset your horse's stomach.

HORSEY B-DAY CAKE

4 cups sweet feed or oats
1 cup molasses or honey
3 carrots cut into sticks and shreds
1 apple

Mix the honey and sweet feed or oats together in a big bowl. When mixed fully, place the mixture on a plate and shape into the form of a birthday cake or a carrot. Use your imagination. Use the carrots as candles and garnish the rest of the cake with apple and carrot shavings.

HORSE OAT COOKIES

1/2 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup uncooked regular oatmeal
1 1/2 cups grated carrots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and cool for one hour.

BANANA APPLE TREATS

Apples
Bananas, very finely chopped
Honey
Powdered sugar

Cut the apples into slices, and spread the chopped bananas onto the apple slices. Drizzle honey over the fruit, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Store in the refrigerator until hard or until you to go the barn.

PEPPERMINT APPLES

1 large apple
1 shredded carrot
1/2 cup oats
1/4 cup honey
5 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon salt
3 crushed peppermints

Cut the apples in large chunks and set aside. Mix the honey, peppermints, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Mix the oats and carrots in a separate shallow bowl. Next, coat the apple chunks in the honey mixture and roll in the oat mixture. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate until you feed to horses. Use within two days.

APPLE EXPLOSION

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
2 spoonfuls molasses
1/2 cup water
1/4 diced apple

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in order listed excluding the apple. Grab some batter and stick a piece of the apple into the middle of batter – hiding it from sight. Do this to every cookie, and place them on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

SNACK TREATS

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 spoonfuls molasses
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup diced carrot

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add ingredients in order listed. Place batter in round balls on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes.

PUMPKIN HORSE STYLE

Grain
Molasses
Dried apple flakes
Oats
Apple
Any little things that your horse likes

Cut out all of the insides out of an apple as if you are carving a pumpkin. Put in a layer of grain, molasses, and apple flakes. Add another drop of molasses. Continue layering with the same ingredients or use pellets, shredded carrots, bran, and alfalfa. Once you have made all of your layers, put the top of the apple back. If you add bran, make sure you add hot water to the bran first.

SURPRISE TREATS

Molasses
Carrots, sliced
Apples, one for each horse you are going to feed
Oats
Raisins
Peppermints, crushed

Using a spoon, take the insides out of an apple. Mix what came out of the apple and all your ingredients together except the peppermints. Put the ingredients into the apple. Sprinkle the peppermint pieces on top.

NUMMY APPLE CINNAMON MUFFINS

1-1/2 cups apples, cut small
1-1/2 cups carrots, finely chopped or shredded
3/4 cup oatmeal, Quick Oats works great
1/4 cup apple juice
4 teaspoons molasses
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon brown sugar
Some cinnamon sugar

Cut apples and cut or shred carrots. Use a few larger chunks of apple. Add them in a mixing bowl with oatmeal. Add apple juice, flour, brown sugar, and molasses. DO NOT put cinnamon sugar in yet! Mix ingredients together. If mixture is runny, add more oats. If it is not sticky, add more molasses. Put mix into a lightly greased muffin pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 8 to 10 minutes. Take out one muffin at 8 minutes and check for doneness.

GOBLIN'S LUVIES

5 strawberries
1 cup Golden Grahams
2 1/2 cups Honey Nut Cheerios
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup crushed peppermints
4 baby carrots
2 cut apples
1/2 cup cinnamon
1/4 cup peanut butter
raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour all ingredients into a big bowl, and mix well. Shape into balls and place on a cookie sheet. Cook for 15 to 19 minutes.

HOLIDAY TREATS

1 cup flour
1 cup Grape Nuts cereal
1/4 cup light corn syrup (Kayo)
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
A few drops of food coloring (match color to holiday)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. Roll into balls or other shapes. These treats work well for holidays. Bake the treats for 15 to 20 minutes or until crispy.

GRANOLA BARS

4 cups oats
4 cups cereal
2 cups bran flakes
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
2 – 4oz pkg applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix the oats, cereal, bran, wheat germ, cornmeal, and sunflower seeds. Add the oil, honey, and vanilla and mix well. Spread the granola out on the pan in an even layer and bake until the granola is golden brown, about 35 - 40 minutes.
Variation: If you like, you can form into small balls.

GRANOLA BARS (2)

1 cup flax seed
2 alfalfa cubes
4 cups cereal
2 cups bran flakes
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
2 – 4oz pkg applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grind alfalfa cubes and mix in large bowl, together the oats, cereal, bran, wheat germ, cornmeal, and sunflower seeds. Add the oil, honey, and vanilla and mix well. Place approximately one large spoonful in greased mini muffin pans and press down. Bake until the granola is golden brown, about 15 minutes.

YUMMY WHOLESOME TREATS

2 cups rolled oats or Quaker Oats (original)
½-3/4 cup apple juice
2 apples chopped into small pieces
½ cup dried mango or guava
½ cup shelled raw unsalted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons molasses
1 cup bran (wheat or rice)
Mix all ingredients together. Drop on ungreased baking pan by teaspoonful. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.

3 MINUTE HORSE BIRTHDAY CAKE RECIPE

1 cup quick oats
2 carrots, shredded
1/4 cup of molasses
1 sugar cube (optional)

Mix ingredients well by hand and place mixture into a small dessert dish to give the “cake” its form. Stuff the sugar cube into the mix, if desired. Flip dessert dish over until the cake releases onto a plate and refrigerate until hardened.

FROZEN APPLE CUBES:

Pour apple juice into ice cube trays. Freeze. Serve to your horse on a hot summer day by hand or place in water and watch them bob for them.

MASHES

BRAN MASH

Bran, which is the product of milling wheat and consists of wheat’s outer fibrous layer, bears no resemblance in appearance to what was broad bran in days gone by. This bran is almost impossible to get today because of changes in milling processes. In contrast to broad bran, modern bran would have been returned to the supplier as pollards (feed for chickens). Even though modern bran is not as nutritional as broad bran, it still has benefits and serves several good purposes for your horse.

The effects of feeding bran to horses can be positive and negative thus generating the years of study and discussion available on the topic. Just like humans, horses need a well balanced diet to remain healthy. First, we must understand the requirements necessary for a horse to receive a balanced diet, and then we search for knowledge to fulfill those requirements.

Bran can supply a horse with needed nutrients through avenues we can administer as feed for the horse. With accurate knowledge, we are able to provide the balance bran requires to maintain healthy rations for a horse. The proper balance of bran can be managed through horse feedings and one common food of bran is a mash. Bran makes a terrific mash for horses and with its good qualities; one just has to remember to keep a balance because it has its limits as well.

- Mashes are great comfort food.

- Welcomed by your horse on a cold chilly day, mashes will warm him from the inside out.

- Mashes can encourage your horse to eat/drink whatever you have to give him by disguising it in the mash.

- Horses may not drink much water in colder months and mashes are a great way to get more water into your horse during this time. Mashes can be used to supplement water intake; however, they must not be used as an only source of water.

- Wheat bran is comparatively high in riboflavin, thiamine, folate and niacin in contrast to other feeds; yet, it has less vitamin B than other feeds.

-Wheat bran is a low density, fluffy feed that is light in weight and has a similar nutrient content to oats. A full scoop only weighs about half a pound. The same volume of wheat bran when compared to other foods has a density one-half that of whole oats and one-fourth that of corn or wheat. Bran added at low levels to add bulk to a diet can be done without compromising the nutrient supply.

- The usually high phosphorus content in bran contains three to four times more phosphorus and has slightly more protein than oats. However, it offers less digestible energy for the horse than most other foods.

- Bran contains less roughage than hay or grass, but more than hard feed. Its energy content is similar to working or competition feeds.One significant advantage of bran could be increasing roughage in the horse's diet, which may enhance bowel motility.

- When fed bran, a horse will increase its fiber supply, decrease its starch intake while maintaining a similar amount of energy in their diet as compared to other feeds.

-Horses that have limited or no opportunity to graze may profit from a once a week bran feeding since it is probably necessary for them to acquire more roughage in their diet.

- Bran can be helpful for older horses that are having trouble chewing hay.

- A bran mash is a great treat for a hard-working horse. Although not recommended for horses that do a minimal amount of work or those that stay in a stall for extended amounts of time, an occasional bran mash can greatly benefit horses with large amounts of exercise and/or stress.

-Limit your adult horse’s consumption of mashes to no more than twice a week. Horses should be at least 3 years of age before consuming them.

- Caution if you over feed wheat bran … there is the probability that it will decrease calcium absorption. The concern is the phosphorus in bran will deplete the body of calcium. If bran is fed on a regular basis, the calcium may need to be adjusted in the horse's diet. The proper ratio of calcium to phosphorus in your horse's diet is 2:1. If you do not feed accordingly, it can cause an imbalance in your horse's diet. Therefore, if you are feeding your horse bran regularly, you should consult your veterinarian about supplementing your horse's diet.

-If a horse is suffering from a calcium deficiency, the body will seize calcium from the bones causing the bones to become less dense. Fibrin will replace the area where the calcium once was causing fibrous developments (swelling), creating an array of issues.

-Excessive phosphorus in the daily diet can cause bone development problems such as big head and the formation of enteroliths. Enteroliths is a condition where stones form around a foreign object in the intestine of horses much like a pearl develops around a grain of sand in an oyster.

STEAMED OAT MASH

1 or 2 TBSP salt
A ration of rolled, crushed or crimped oats
A few carrots cut up
A few apples cut up
1 cup molasses or 2 TBSP linseed meal for extra taste

Mix all ingredients in a feed bucket. Combine with suitable quantity of boiling water (completely soaked up by oats). Cover and let steam until cool enough to feed your horse. (30 to 45 minutes preparation)

Variation: Use applesauce instead of apples and carrots.

HOLIDAY BRAN MASH

2 cups of three different kinds of feed
1/4 cup rice bran, optional
1 tablespoon honey
2 cups water
Peppermints
1/2 cup sugar
2 carrots, chopped
1 apple loosely cut

Mix feed, honey, and water in a bowl and put in the microwave for 2 minutes. Add more water if needed. Add sugar, carrots, and apples and mix well. Add peppermints. This mash can be refrigerated and reheated before serving. Be sure that the mash is not too hot before serving to your horse.

MERRY MASH

3 1/2 cups wheat bran
1/4 cup brown sugar
6 pcs candy corn
1 peppermint stick

In a large bowl, mix first 3 ingredients. Break peppermint stick into pieces and add to mix. Pour enough warm water over mix to make an oatmeal consistency, stir well. Stand back and watch your horse dive in and enjoy.

WHEAT BRAN MASH

3-lb coffee can of wheat bran
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 grated carrot
3-4 cups hot tap water

Mix first 3 ingredients in a clean bucket. Add water slowly, stirring constantly, until mash is uniformly damp and "weeps" some of its moisture out in a gravy when you allow it to sit for a moment. Be sure to allow it to cool before feeding.

Variations: Substitute applesauce for the molasses; substitute a diced or grated apple for the carrot; or add 1 cup of your horse's regular grain (subtract that amount of grain from his regular daily ration, so you are not increasing his total grain intake).

A SIMPLE BRAN MASH

3 lbs bran
1 generous handful salt
Boiling water
Molasses to taste

Put the bran into a bucket and add the salt. A clean 5-gallon bucket works well for this, keep one on hand just for mash making. Slowly pour in the boiling water, as much as the bran absorbs. Be careful not to add too much boiling water, a mash should be moist and crumbly, not soupy. Add molasses. Stir well and cover.
Cool slightly, approximately 15-20mins. Mash should still be warm when serving it to your horses.
Variation - add a level scoop of oats to the mixture.

WONDERFUL BRAN MASH TREATS

1 1/2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 cup Grape Nuts Cereal
1/3 cup molasses
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 package Oats and Honey bar, crushed
1 apple, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1/8 cup flour
1 tablespoon cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Mix ingredients in a big bowl. Let chill before serving, and only serve 1 cup a few times a week. The good thing about this mash is that all the ingredients are optional. You may use whatever ingredients you want.

FLAXSEED MASH

This mash is a stick-to-the-ribs food that provides comfort to your horse in several ways. With its pleasing aroma and satisfying taste, this mash definitely whets a horse’s appetite. It is a great source of fiber benefiting the digestive system. Flaxseed is loaded with oil making it good for the horse’s coat. This mash is not a "hot" feed enticing emotion to flare.

The mash must cook all day for the tiny, hard seeds to soften, give up their oils and become digestible. Pour all the ingredients into a slow cooker. Make certain the surface area is clean and flat and place the slow cooker in a safe, out-of-the-way and off the floor area.

INGREDIENTS
- Combine equal amounts of raw flaxseed, barley, and oats (deduct this total from your horse's regular daily ration).
- If you choose to eliminate the oats, double the barley.
- The ingredients will double with cooking, so 1/2 cup of each ingredient will yield 1 cup of each for a total of 3 cups of mash.

HOW to COOK
- Place the flaxseed, barley, and oats in a slow cooker. To avoid boil over, make sure the pot is no more than half-full. A medium slow cooker is usually good for two horses; a large one comfortably holds enough for five or six.

- Level the dry ingredients and add boiling water to twice their depth.

- Stir well and set the slow cooker on "high"; when the mash boils (in about two hours for the large pot), turn it to "low" and let it simmer for the rest of the day (6-8 hours). If you are short of time, make sure you cook the mash for at least four hours or soak the seeds overnight to pre-soften them.

- The mash is ready when it doubles in bulk but be careful it does not lift the lid off the slow cooker. It will be bubbly and gelatinous. To check for doneness, you can "burst" a couple of seeds out of their skins by squeezing them between your fingers. Careful the mash is very hot and exceptionally sticky; it will burn you badly. Scoop out a tiny dollop and let it cool before you test.

- Turn off the slow cooker and cool the mash a bit, then scoop it into your horse's regular grain ration with a handful of bran. Remember to deduct the amount of mash you are adding from the regular daily ration.

- Throw away all leftover mash. It will quickly ferment and give your horse a severe stomachache (colic) if saved to feed for another time.

- Give your horse cooked flaxseed at the rate of approximately 1 cup per day, not to exceed 25 percent of his total daily grain ration.

- Check your slow cooker periodically for maintenance. A worn-out or malfunctioning electrical appliance is a deadly hazard especially in a barn.

HEALTHY SUBSTITUTIONS

So many people have sent us their horse’s favorite treat recipes and we want to thank all for the overwhelming response. With health conscious minds, many look to substitute healthier choices in their recipes. Here are a few alternatives you can try:

Granulated Sugar:
- 1 cup granulated sugar, use 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar OR use 1 cup corn syrup OR 1 1/3 cup molasses OR 1/4 cup honey (decrease liquid called for in recipe by 1/4 cup)

Flour:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, use 1 cup and 2 tbsp cake flour OR 3/4 cup whole wheat flour and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, OR 1 cup rye or rice flour, OR 1/4 cup soybean flour and 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, OR 1 and 1/2 cups bread crumbs, OR 1 cup rolled oats

- Whole wheat flour, use it for 1/4 to 1/2 of white flour called for in recipe

Eggs:
Ener-G Egg Replacer OR 1 mashed banana OR 1/4 cup applesauce per egg (best for baked goods)

Egg Whites:
- 1 Tbs. agar flakes whisked into 1 Tbs. water and chilled for 5 minutes OR 1 Tbs. ground flaxseed simmered in 3 Tbs. boiling water for 2 minutes

Butter/Margarine:
- Clarified butter (milk solids have been removed) OR olive oil OR sesame oil OR puree baby prunes

There are abundant sites out there pertaining to this subject and will get you in the right direction for substituting ingredients in recipes.

GREAT SITE:
http://www.foodsubs.com

NATURE’S HEALTHY HORSE TREATS

As we become more conscious of how food dramatically affects our health, both positively and negatively, we gain the awareness of a healthy diet. Valuing its significance, we strive daily to implement this consciousness to our lives. Constantly learning and forever evolving through research and experience, we have come to realize the function well balanced foods play in our health. A balanced diet impacts our mental, physical and emotional state. We seek the best combination of foods to ensure that a healthy diet is achieved. Carrying this responsiveness carried throughout our lives has widened to include our horses and all our animals.

The understanding of a healthy diet, has transformed treats for our horses into a wide variety of nature’s own fresh vegetables and fruits. We looked beyond the ordinary regulars like carrots and apples and the world opened to numerous possibilities. Healthy treats can benefit your horse’s life, from proper nutrition to training; treats from nature provide your horse healthy nutrients. With all its power and might, a horse has a delicate digestive system. Requiring knowledge in determining what is healthy for a horse carried us forward to search for accepted, safe, vigorous foods. The model is the wild horse in his natural environment. This is the foundation to approach a diet for a healthy equine, Horses evolved as grazers of prairie grasses. This is their natural diet. Even grain, per se, is an unnatural feed for them. Nevertheless, as we have domesticated the horse, we need to supplement their diets with healthy accessible foods that replicate nature’s intentions for the horse. In addition to natural grains, hays and grasses a horse will consume a variety of other substances in the wild. Some native vegetation of fruits and vegetables are available and suitable for horse consumption. Horses will use the extra moisture from fruits/vegetables to supplement water intake and provide required nutrients such as antioxidants. Therefore, supplementing fruits and vegetables into your horse’s diet provide excellent healthy additions to their daily grain diet.

Adding new healthy flavors to a horse’s menu is a great way to re-awaken the taste buds. The type of fruit and vegetables you select to feed your horse can vary from the common to the exotic. Start with a sample of the fruit or vegetable and if your horse enjoys it, increase the amount to one-half or one cup. Fruit and vegetables added to feed inserts variety to a horse's diet and may encourage poor eaters to consume their food or simply given as a treat will reap more rewards than just nickers and neighs from the horse. Make sure all feed rations you give are appropriate for your horse’s dietary requirements. Feed all foods in moderation. It is safer and healthier to feed a small portion than a large one. The best scenario is to stay as close to a natural diet for your horse as possible, but this may not always be possible. Understand that only wholesome treats (foods) provide vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and other nutrients a horse requires. So, when you look around the fruit and vegetable aisles searching for your healthy meal, keep your horse in mind.

Of course, a peppermint or oatmeal crème pie will not be detrimental to your horse if fed only rarely.

SAFE HEALTHY CHOICES:

Apples

Apricots

Asparagus

Bananas

Beets and Beet Greens

Blackberries

Blueberries

Broccoli - can cause gas, feed in tiny portions

Cantaloupe

Carrots

Cauliflower - can cause gas, feed in tiny portions

Celery

Cherries

Coconut

Corn

Cucumber

Dates

Figs

Grapes

Grapefruit

Green Beans

Guava

Horseradish

Lettuce

Lemon (juice is a great "top dressing" over feed)

Mangoes

Oranges

Papaya

Peaches

Pears

Pineapple

Plums

Pumpkin – no skin

Raisins

Raspberries

Rutabagas/Swedes - A large Swede hung up in the stall can help to prevent boredom.

Squash

Strawberries

Sweet Potato Greens

Tangerines

Turnips

Watermelon (both rind and pulp)

UNSAFE CHOICES:

Avocados

Onions

Peanuts

Persimmons

Pickles

Rhubarb

Species of the Potato Family also known as the Nightshade Family:

Sweet and Hot Peppers (Bell Peppers, Chili Peppers, etc)

Eggplant

Potatoes

Tomatoes

Tips from the Trail:

- Talk about your horse’s diet with your veterinarian/health care professional to make sure your horse is getting all the nutrition it needs, what it can consume and how much. Then you will know which treats you can give your horse safely. If in doubt, seek a vet about.

- Before feeding any foods to a horse, there are variables to consider; some horses may be allergic to certain food sources, some require specific diets, and so take care in what you do feed them.

- Always read the list of ingredients for any foods your horse consumes.

-Use human consumable foods and organic ingredients, whenever possible. Ex. - Molasses should be organic, as the sugar industry often uses many chemicals when growing and processing the sugar, which in turn, will be present to some extent in non-organic molasses.

- Our rule of thumb: If the ingredient is not good for a human to consume, it probably is not good for your horse either.

- From the horse’s perspective, it thinks and remembers how it was able to get the human to give up its food. The horse will revert to that time and behavior – was it dominance or respect? Always ask your horse to give you a behavior you like before you treat him, even if it is simply looking your way. Never give a treat when the horse depicts bad behavior, you allow the horse to dominate. If you respond to your horse's aggressive behavior by giving up space he invades, or if you show intimidation at his nipping, mugging, begging or thrusting back the ears, you are sending the message that the horse is in control.

- Use treats as reasons/rewards not bribes – the good behavior must come before the reward.

- Treats are not to replace the horse’s daily ration. Since they are not part of the horse’s daily ration, if fed sparingly, will not interfere with total intake.

- Supplements provide a necessary daily source of nutrients for the horse and its diet. The only way they should be administered is through discussion and monitoring by your veterinarian/health care professional.

- Do not use supplements as treats. Overuse can cause toxicity or gastric disturbances.

- Treats are not essential for life and if discontinued, deficiencies in your horse should not occur.

- Give treats sparingly. Two to four ounces of treats a day is probably sufficient for a 900 to 1000-pound horse. Giving too many treats can interfere with normal grazing and meals and cause weight gain or gastric upset.

- Remember horses have a blind spot just in front of their noses. They will not be able to see the treat or your hand when administering the treat. Keep your hand open and still and through the horse’s keen sense of feel and smell will lip it from your palm preventing nipped fingers. If offering a treat to a strange horse, it is safest to offer it from a bucket or place it in the feeding trough. You should always check with the horse’s owner before offering treats to their horse.

- Treats should not be difficult to chew.

- Treats do not have to come from the feed store. Fruits and vegetables or even bits of grain, wisps of hay or grasses can be great rewards. Just remember not to overfeed.

- Provide fresh, clean produce items regularly. Always wash fruit and vegetables well to remove harmful pesticides, parasites and fungicide residues. A standard practice includes soaking vegetables and fruits overnight in vinegar/water solution and then rinsing with water. This process ensures removal of harmful deposits.

- Remove all pits and stones from fruits and vegetables and cut them into strips to prevent choking. As with any foods, avoid moldy or rotten fruit or vegetables.

- A slice of fruit or vegetable is a much healthier treat than a sugary mint!

-There are some horses, though, that despite the excellent benefits in fruits and vegetables, should not consume them. Horses having insulin resistance, have foundered, or are susceptible to founder should not be fed fruits, vegetables or other horse treats unless your veterinarian has given the okay.

- For fussy or colic-prone animals, choose treats that contain ingredients that are in your horse’s normal feed.

- Horses can get excited and aggressive if they feel they must compete for treats; therefore, give treats to horses one-on-one.

- Store treats according to recipe or in refrigerator/freezer. Store them in airtight, flat-bottomed, re-closeable and rodent proof containers. Avoid storing treats in containers that can tip over, are not watertight and are chewable by animals.

Do not give a horse treats, if you cannot preserve your leadership throughout the whole process.

Another lengthy read but we hope full of beneficial information you can utilize with your horse.

As always, we are dedicated to promoting “natural” methods for horses.

HOPE U ENJOY!

KITTY TREAT RECIPES:

GOOD KITTY SNACKS

1 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup milk
¼ cup soy flour
2 TBSP wheat germ
1 TSP catnip
1/3 cup powdered milk
1 egg
1 TBSP unsulfured molasses
2 TBSP butter or vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Add molasses, egg, oil and milk. Roll out dough and cut with the fish cookie cutter. Place treats on greased cookie sheets and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

GOBBLE ‘EM UP COOKIES

6 ounces tuna - do not drain
1 cup Cornmeal
1 cup Whole-Wheat Flour
1/3 cup Water

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Measure all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix thoroughly with your hands. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into treat sized pieces. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden. Let cool.

NIPPIN TREATS

1/2 cup dry cat food
1/4 cup warm water or milk
3 TBSP catnip

Directions:
Put the cat food and milk in the bowl and mix well. Pour out any extra water. Sprinkle the catnip over the mixture and mix well. If you like, you may bake in a 350-degree oven for 15 min.

BETTER THAN GRASS SALAD

1 small carrot peeled and grated
1/4 cup peeled and grated zucchini
1/2 cup chopped alfalfa sprouts
1 tsp finely chopped parsley
1/8 cup chicken stock
1/4 tsp dried or fresh catnip

Directions:
Combine veggies in a medium bowl. Add chicken stock and toss. Sprinkle with catnip and serve at room temperature. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

KITTY COOKIES

1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup soy flour
1 teaspoon catnip
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons wheat germ
1/3 cup powdered milk
1 tablespoon unsulfured molasses
2 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. Add molasses, egg, oil and milk. Roll out flat onto oiled cookie sheet and cut into small, cat bite-sized pieces. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool and store in tightly sealed container.

MINI CAKE CAKES

2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup soybean flour
1 cup skimmed milk or water
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Canola or Sunflower oil
1 teaspoon sea salt

Directions:
Mix dry ingredients. Add liquid and honey. Mix and let the dough rest in a warm place for 15 minutes. Add oil and allow to sit another 1/2 hour. Take walnut size portions of dough and flatten into small cakes. Bake in oven at 400 degrees for 1/2 hour.

DOGGIE TREAT RECIPES:

GOOD DOGGY BONES

¾ cup hot water or meat juices/broth
1/3 cup margarine
½ cup powdered milk
½ tsp salt (optional)
1 egg, beaten
3 cups whole-wheat flour

In a large bowl, pour hot water or meat juices/broth over margarine. Stir in powdered milk, salt and egg. Add flour, a little at a time, mixing well after each addition. Knead on a floured surface until you get smooth dough - one that can be rolled out. Roll out to ½” thickness and cut out with a dog bone cookie cutter. Bake on greased baking sheets at 325 for 50 minutes. Allow to cool and dry out until hard.

PET PARTY MIX

2 cups plain Cheerios
2 cups Chex mix
2 tsp dry gravy mix
½ cup bacon bits – I use real bacon
2 cups spoon size shredded wheat
½ cup melted butter or margarine
½ cup grated American cheese
One piece of beef jerky

Preparation Instructions:
Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Pour melted butter/margarine into a 33x23 cm baking pan. Stir in cheese, bacon pieces, and gravy mix. Add cereal and stir until all pieces are coated well. Spread mixture until level and heat until crisp, approx. 45 min. Let cool and store in tightly sealed container.

DOGGY BIRTHDAY CAKE

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
½ cup softened butter
½ corn oil
One jar of strained beef baby food
Four eggs
Two to Three strips beef jerky

Preparation Instructions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour an 8x5x3 inch loaf pan. Cream the butter until smooth then add corn oil, baby food, and eggs. Mix until smooth. Mix dry ingredients into beef mixture until batter is smooth. Crumble beef jerky and fold into batter. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely. You can ice with plain yogurt or cottage cheese. Store any uneaten cake in refrigerator.

SUPER DUPER DOGGY BIRTHDAY CAKE

Cake:
2/3 cup ripe mashed bananas
½ softened butter
Three large eggs
Three quarters of cup water
Two cups whole-wheat flour
Two tsp baking powder
One tsp baking soda
Two tsp cinnamon
½ cup chopped pecans
½ cup raisins

Frosting:
Two cups mashed banana
One tbsp butter
Six tbsp carob flour
Two tsp vanilla
Three tsp whole-wheat flour
One tsp cinnamon

Preparation Instructions:

Cake:
In mixing bowl, beat together mashed banana and butter until creamy. Add eggs and water. Beat well. Stir in dry ingredients. Beat until smooth. Add nuts and raisins. Spoon the batter evenly into an oiled and floured Bundt pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack 5 minutes, remove from pan, replace on rack and cool.

Frosting:
Blend thoroughly and spread on cool cake. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. The frosting contains carob, which is a safe (almost tastes like) chocolate substitute.

FUN AND MESSY DOGGY DIP

Three tbsp peanut butter
Two tbsp honey
One very ripe banana (Can substitute jar of baby food)
16 ounces vanilla yogurt
One tbsp whole-wheat flour

Preparation Instructions:
Mix the peanut butter, honey, and fruit together until well blended. In a separate bowl combine the yogurt and flour, mix well. Add the fruit mixture to the yogurt and blend. Keep cold in refrigerator.

Use this dip to coat or dip biscuits and treats. Allow treats to chill in refrigerator until coating is set and firm, this prevents a big muddle.

PIZZA FOR DOGS

Crust:
Two cups cake flour
1 ¼ cups whole-wheat flour
¼ cup olive oil
One egg
One cup water
One tsp baking soda

Sauce & Toppings:
One tomato
One cup tomato puree
One clove garlic
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ tsp oregano
½ tsp basil
2/3 cup cooked rice

Preparation Instructions:

Crust:
Mix all ingredients together. Knead on a lightly floured surface. Spray a regular sized, 12 " pizza pan with nonstick spray. Next, spread the dough to the edges of the pan, forming a lip around the ends. Set aside.

Sauce & Toppings:
Blend tomato, garlic, and tomato puree in a food processor. Spoon the mixture over the pizza crust. Sprinkle the cheese and spices evenly over sauce. Cut the pizza into slices with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 25 minutes. Take out and sprinkle rice evenly over pizza. Return to oven and bake another 25 minutes. This recipe makes one 12-inch pizza.

BAD BREATH COOKIES FOR DOGS

1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour
1 ½ cups Bisquick baking mix
½ cup loosely packed mint leaves
½ cup fresh cold milk
Four tbsp butter or margarine
One medium sized egg
1 ½ tbsp corn or maple syrup

Preparation Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor, process until well mixed, mint is chopped, and a large ball forms. Press or roll on a non-stick work surface (floured board or ceramic) to a thickness of a quarter to half an inch. Cut into one by two inch strips, or with bone-shaped cookie cutter and place on non-stick cookie pan. Bake cookies at 375° for twenty minutes or until browned lightly. Cool and store in plastic container and seal with a lid. This recipe makes about 130 small cookies.

SPECIAL DOGGY BIRTHDAY BONES

Two cups whole-wheat flour
One cup natural peanut butter
One tsp baking powder
One cup skim milk

Preheat oven to 375-degrees. Combine flour, baking powder, in another bowl, mix peanut butter with milk, and blend. Turn out dough, knead, and roll to ½”. Cut out bones; bake on greased sheet 20 minutes or until light brown. For smaller doggy bones, shorten baking time. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container.

Special Notes:

Never feed your animal chocolate.

Use only the finest ingredients i.e. unsulphered molasses, sea salt, ...

Please check with your vet on the ingredients you wish to offer your pet, making sure they are safe.

Remember not to feed too many of any treat too often.

Go Green Tips:

try and use your empty feed or shaving bags as trash can liners in the barn
use empty supplement containers as buckets for cleaning items, i.e. tack or as storage for products, i.e. baking soda - Remember to label all containers correctly!
plant sunflowers for a healthy treat for you and your horse - caution, do not give a lot to your horse - ask your vet for an appropriate amount for your equine

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

A man, a horse and a dog never get weary of each others company.
~Anonymous

Have We Found It?

2009-08-22T16:33:00.031-04:00

Since we have been deep into the move, it is important to take some time out. I found this an opportunity to do some housekeeping for the blog and generate some light reading of previously acquired information. The blog has been organized a bit better and the layout spiced up with more visuals. I have saved loads of information over the years on horses and felt the time appropriate to unload from the cart some of the most recent blogs on Horse Sayings, Horse Idioms and Natural Horse Gaits. There is more to come, so please keep trotting back.

Of course, the process of the move is a big focal point in our lives right now. Still packing boxes, I wonder if it will ever end – HELP! Impossible to pack up everything, we will wait to have a definite closing date on the house before everything is in boxes. Still need those forks and spoons.

With prospects coming in and out of the house, we still wait for that one buyer. We continue with treks to the country looking for a property. We have decided to view only the ones that are move in ready and we have found an interesting property to visit. We called the listing agent and were excited to learn some of the past behind the home. The estate being steeped deeply in history has made it even more appealing. We are scheduled to meet with the realtor Wednesday for a showing – WOW!

The home is located in a very small rural town of 148 people, 2 churches, a feed and tack shop combined with a pizza parlor and karaoke bar. The only grocery store has remained in the same family for over 150 years and locals are still able to charge their groceries. However, the sign behind the old hand operated register reads “All charges must be paid within 30 Days”. Truly, a one-horse town, we look forward to our return visit.

Go Green Tips:

OPT OUT

sign up and stop phone solicitations. Go to www.donotcall.gov and get on the "do not call" list
stop those pre-screened credit card offers in the mail. Go to www.optoutprescreen.com

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

To me, horses and freedom are synonymous.
~Veryl Goodnight

Natural Horse Gaits

2009-08-09T17:36:00.316-04:00

HORSES LEAVE FOOT PRINTS on OUR HEARTS

As I research and study horses, much is passed on to my husband. Remembering his life with horses only started two years ago, finding helpful ways for him to gain understanding and skill creates many blog ideas. This new blog stemmed from a working session with our horses trying to explain the “footfall” patterns of gaits to him. To be effective with horses, one should know how a horse moves, how their feet work and where they are at all times, whether you are on the ground or in the saddle.

Horse gaits are different ways a horse can move. Each gait has a specific “footfall” pattern or beat a horse exerts. A horse displays five gaits naturally: walk, trot, canter/lope, gallop and back up; furthermore, each gait has three degrees of speed slow, medium and fast. Horses do have another tread, a place called halt. This is not considered a “gait”, but one of the most important abilities you can have your horse perform. Before continuing with the various gaits, "natural" gaits verses "trained" gaits is a big topic of debate within the horse world and touching on it lightly here is essential for thorough coverage. As gaits may be natural to one breed while training is required for other breeds; gaited horses i.e. Tennessee Walkers and Paso Finos have several other gaits not listed herein. Discussions of this matter are numerous on the internet and a great way of communicating your thoughts. For the purpose of this blog, the five “basic” gaits of a horse have been the preparation and will be discussed.

Each gait has a different “footfall” pattern and the number of beats that occur may differ. In addition, the distribution of the horse’s weight changes in the different gaits. Understanding the “footfall” patterns and weight distribution of a horse allows a rider to become effective. Rhythm, timing, along with a rider’s weight distribution are key elements of riding. The horse’s center of balance (drive line) is located near his withers. Riders need to keep their nose behind this line when riding*. These elements play an important part in the rider acquiring a natural balance and becoming one with the horse. Separating the gaits, covering each with facts and some visual effects helped simplify the learning process for my husband. Hope you may benefit as well.

* Some Exceptions - Jumping, Racing, Going Up Hill, Roping,
or Getting Bucked Off

HORSE GAITS:

ALK

4 beats

Averages about 4 miles per hour

1 foot raised while other 3 are on the ground

The horse moves his head in an up and down motion to maintain balance

The advancing rear hoof oversteps the spot where the previously advancing front hoof touched the ground. The more the rear hoof oversteps, the smoother and more comfortable the walk becomes.

"WALK" Footfall Pattern:

Eadweard Muybridge Photograph*

Starting with the Hind Leg:

1st beat - Right Hind
2nd beat - Right Front
3rd beat - Left Hind

4th beat - Left Front

"WALK" Body Weight Distribution:

60% on the Front Feet
40% on the Hindquarters

ROT

2 Beats - Diagonal Gait

Legs work in diagonal pairs

Averages about 8 miles per hour

Very safe, efficient and stable gait for the horse

Main gait horses use to travel quickly

Most difficult gait for a rider to sit because the body of the horse actually drops a bit between beats and bounces up again when the next set of legs strike the ground. Therefore, most riders post to the trot, rising up and down in rhythm with the horse.

To post to the left – Rise in the stirrups when the horse’s Left Hind and Right Front legs lift

This is the only gait a horse can perform in one place because a horse’s weight is evenly distributed. In dressage, it is called the Piaffe. There is movement without going forward or backward. This requires tremendous collection, careful training and considerable conditioning for a horse to perform.

"TROT" Footfall Pattern:

1st beat - Right Hind and Left Front
2nd beat - Left Hind and Right Front

"TROT" Body Weight Distribution:

Carries Weight Evenly

50% on the Front End
50% on the Hindquarters

ANTER / LOPE

3 Beats

Average speed is between 10-17 miles per hour – depending on the horse’s stride

There is a moment of suspension when all 4 feet are off the ground. This occurs after the leading front foot hits the ground and before the new stride starts with the hind foot.

Notice one of the three beats in a pair of diagonal legs hitting the ground at the same time. Study the diagonals of the trot to see the correlation.

"CANTER / LOPE" Footfall Pattern:

Left Lead

1st beat - Right Hind strikes the ground first
2nd beat - Then the diagonal Left Hind and Right Front
3rd beat - Then the Left Front hits last

"CANTER / LOPE" Footfall Pattern:

Right Lead

1st beat - Left Hind strikes first
2nd beat - Followed by the diagonal Right Hind and Left Front
3rd beat - Then the Right Front hits last

"CANTER / LOPE" Body Weight Distribution:

Tips weight back approximately 60% on the Hindquarters and 40% on the Front End

ALLOP

4 Beats

Fastest gait of the horse averaging 25-30 miles per hour

The horse's outline lengthens the most in the gallop.

There is a moment of suspension when all four hooves are off the ground

Horses seldom gallop for more than a mile or two before they need to rest

The American quarter horse achieves the fastest galloping speed in a short sprint of a quarter mile or less. Some have been clocked at speeds approaching 55 miles per hour.

Some believe the gallop is merely a faster version of the canter. Even though there is a leading leg and a moment of suspension following the leading leg are common characteristics, the key difference lies in the beat. The gallop is a four beat gait while the canter has three.

"GALLOP" Footfall Pattern:

Eadweard Muybridge Photograph*

Left Lead

1st beat - Right Hind

2nd beat - Left Hind
3rd beat - Right Front
4th beat - Left Front

"GALLOP" Footfall Pattern:

Right Lead

1st beat - Left Hind
2nd beat - Right Hind
3rd beat - Left Front
4th beat - Right Front

"GALLOP" Body Weight Distribution:

A horse’s body weight tips forward between 51 – 70%

ACK UP

2 Beats

Similar to the trot where the hooves move in diagonal pairs but the difference lies in the horse’s weight distribution and the direction. When moving backwards naturally and without interference, it is in a two beat pattern.

"BACK UP" Footfall Pattern:

1st beat – Right Front moves with Left Hind
2nd beat – Left Front moves with Right Hind

"BACK UP" Body Weight Distribution:

The horse tips his body weight on his Hindquarters between 51-70%. If more weight were distributed, he would sit down or tip over. If the weight goes under this percentage, the horse is probably doing a Piaffe.

ALT

All Hooves Stop

"HALT" Footfall Pattern:

"HALT" Body Weight Distribution:

When standing, a horse has most
of his weight distributed on his front end,
which is approximately 60%.

In the old westerns, we would see a common trend of the cowboy folding his arms on the saddle horn and leaning forward while the horse was at a halt. This action copied directly from the real cowboys, placing most of their body weight on the front end of the horse. Knowing how the horse displays its weight naturally, the rider will know how to distribute their weight in accordance with the “natural” balance of the horse.

You do what the horse does.

* Eadweard Muybridge:

The first practical application of high-speed photography was Eadweard Muybridge’s 1878 investigation into whether horses’ feet were actually all off the ground at once during a gallop. The photographs above are of his works.

Photographer: Eadweard Muybridge 1830 -1904

Go Green Tips:

Inside the barn, make stall doors approximately 25" in height versus all the way to the floor, 50" wide and the bottom should hang approximately 26" from floor. This will provide excellent air flow.
Use cordless clippers with rechargeable batteries.

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

Wherever man has left his footprint in the long ascent from barbarism to civilization,
we will find the hoof print of the horse beside it
~ John Moore

Horses Need 4 Conditions

2009-08-08T19:56:00.084-04:00

4 Conditions

The connection between us and our horses has increased tremendously. We contribute this to a few “changing” elements. Firstly, my husband and I continue the interaction with the horses daily, studying and learning new things constantly. We have become better teachers/students for the horses. Our knowledge and skills has not only been learned from books, but from the horses as well. They make the best teachers. Secondly, they are at a different boarding facility. Together these occurrences are key factors in the progress the horses and we are making.

Safety, comfort, play and food form a horse’s behavior. These four elements listed in order of importance are essential requirements for every horse. For the most part, when horses are boarded these conditions depend on the facility and manager. As a horse owner, one needs to build on these 4 conditions. It is so important to provide them allowing a solid foundation for a horse to grow physically, mentally and emotionally. Because of the wonderful provisions at our current facility, the horses have settled in nicely and there has been a noticeable change in their behavior. They feel safe, are treated with respect, get lots of play and hordes of good pasture to consume. These fulfilled necessities have had a positive affect on their behavior in which their willingness to participate with consistency in the relationship with us has increased greatly. The responsiveness to our cues has been incredibly established. It has been amazing to watch this transformation unfold. We often speak of what the future holds when we have our own place having total control over all these elements.

With the four conditions having a strong hold, we have been able to progress with the horses at a faster pace. Constantly using our imagination to create interesting sessions is one way we utilize"play" with our horses. This has become a successful technique. Imagination plays a key role in the learning process. It helps provide meaning to experience and understanding to knowledge. Right now, we are finding restrictions on our abilities to carry thorough with our thought-out constructions. We need more options. Our current boarding facility is beautiful, but busy. It is 80 acres with 20 in pastures and the remaining either thick forest or areas predisposed to certain duties. All this, and the fact that its layout lacks natural obstacles leaves limited possibilities for imagination. Furthermore, since the property is not ours, we cannot add to or change the layout. We are at a point where we need to expand our lessons with the horses. We truly enjoy our current facility, understand the limitations, but look so forward to our own place.

Go Green Tips:

In the barn, use a commercial coffee maker for instant hot water
Buy feed / shavings in paper bags. Roll them up and use to kindle fires in fireplaces or for bonfires outside

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

“Imagination is more valuable than knowledge.”
Einstein

Changes at Hand

2009-08-08T14:15:00.042-04:00

I t is said to keep articles short and sweet on the internet. No matter how hard I have tried to exercise this model, it is difficult for me to shrink the mammoth mounds of information researched into mini molehills. In addition, when I seek out information and come across the “short and sweet” version, I find myself continuing the search for “more”.

Most of my writings incorporate a horse topic and I somehow tend to create lengthy reads when I combine stories of our big move to the country along with the lives we share with our horses. Additionally, with the move around the bend more stories will be forthcoming on country living. I felt it best to make some changes and divide up the content on future writings to allow simplicity and more mobility within the site. Most blogs will be on a specific subject matter, although there will be times when blogs will be general in scope covering several categories. Either way, it is still not likely to guarantee a short read. There are various labels pertaining to horses and three new categories will be added “The Move”, "Changes" and later “The Journey” . These will cover the accounts of our lives with the move and the various roads we encounter with the horses. Whichever one I write, I do encourage and look forward to the exchange of experiences, comments or suggestions from readers. I hope these information swaps benefit all involved – and ultimately the horses, of course.

The move requires so much effort, from selling our home and uprooting everything to uncovering that special place we would like to call home, the current events seem endless. The course of the move has taken another setback, leaving us disappointed and exhausted. The deal on the house and property we wanted to purchase fell through about a month ago that left us drained and empty and we needed time to recover. Shortly, we understood a push forward was essential. So, with gathered energy and spirits we continue the travels back to the country in pursuit of finding a home. A general description of the property we are searching for includes; a historical home with plenty of acreage, in a small town – (actually, the smaller the better). Even with the current list of homes that meet our criteria narrowed down, applying the pros and cons of each property still generates a lot of discussion between those involved in the selection. Also, the decision remains open about whether to choose from among the homes we have already considered, or to keep the possibility of discovering another suitable property on the table. With all these limitations set forth, we are still eager to make the switch. We also await the sale of our current home.

Our home has been on the market for two months. There has been a moderate flow of buyers,but no bids yet. The current economy has affected the housing market and property values have dropped considerably over the past few years. Devoting many discussions to these conditions led us to make another change. We have decided to lower the asking price in selling our house, and in turn lower the offer on whichever property we choose. Let us hope this strategy works and increases the pace towards moving. We have been lined up and ready for quite some time now to get all these processes accomplished.

Go Green Tips:

most areas have recycling centers - learn what can & cannot be recycled in your community
set recycling containers next to the trash cans - paint recycle signs on them and labels for the intended contents

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

Feeling down? Saddle up.
~Author Unknown

Horse Idioms

2009-07-20T23:47:00.164-04:00

A
n idiom is a grouping of words that represent a different connotation from the actual meanings of the individual words themselves. When looking at the words of an idiom alone, difficultly in understanding the meaning of the phrase is probable. But the combination of these words, creates a phrase which is not taken literally but refers instead to a figurative meaning that is known only through common use. An idiom can have a literal meaning in one situation and a different idiomatic meaning in another situation.

The word idiom is derived from its root, the Greek idiousthai meaning, “to make one’s own”. Any individual using their imagination can create an idiom and usually these creations (phrases) do not always follow the normal rules of meaning and grammar. This group of words attracts attention and develops its own meaning as a whole – an idiom is born. Idioms are a collection of words commonly used in a group. They become fossilized – fixed over time. Popular sayings are often idioms. Recognized and used so commonly by an extensive number of people, the vast collections of idioms add color and curiosity to a language.

As it is said, some legendary greats like, John Heywood and William Shakespeare contributed many phrases and sayings to the English language. Captivating a wide and continuing audience through introductions in their writings, these idioms fueled their entry into popularity and eternity. Many idioms have been passed down probably since the beginning of man’s existence and every culture has its unique mixture. No one really knows the true origin of many idioms since countless expressions are constantly acquired and dropped over time, making most origins impossible to trace – the source is usually lost over time.

Some common horse idioms have been rounded-up and lined up below. Realizing the frequent utterances of idioms, we can understand their significance in our culture.

HORSE IDIOMS

a head start – begin early / to start with an advantage*
against time or against the clock – in a hurry to meet a deadline*
a run for one’s money – to do the best one can in a competitive situation*
a running start- a good start on something*

back the wrong horse – support for anything that does not succeed*
beat a dead horse – to continue to force /argue a situation that has been settled
bet on the wrong horse – misread the future / not choosing the winning person or solution*
blow it out your nose – disagreeing with someone’s statement
born in a barn – leaving things in disarray
by shank’s mare – by foot

change horse in midstream – make new plans or choose a new leader in an activity that has already begun
charley horse – leg cramp or stiffness
chomping at the bit – ready and anxious to do something
could eat a horse – very hungry

dark horse – someone or something emerging to prominence, being previously unknown*
dog and pony show – something that you disapprove of because you think that it has only been organized to impress you
don’t lock the barn door after the horse is out – to try and deal with something after it is too late
don’t look a gift horse in the mouth – complain when given something / critical
down to the wire – the last few minutes before something must be completed*

eat like a horse – to eat a lot

from scratch – from the beginning*

get off your high horse – begin to be humble and agreeable
grass is always greener on the other side – it appears to be better elsewhere

healthy as a horse – very healthy
hit one’s stride or reach one’s stride – to do one’s best*
hold your horses – be patient / wait
hoof it – to walk or run

horse and buggy times – long ago
horse feathers – hot air
horse for courses – what is suitable for one person or situation might be unsuitable for another
horse’n around – to play around in a rough, loud way
horse of a different color – something totally separate and different
horse of many colors – many attributes
horseplay – rough, loud play
horse sense – common sense / practical thinking
horse trade – to bargain in a hard and skillful way

inside track – information or position which will make it easier to win*
in the stretch, down the stretch or in the homestretch – the final stages of an event*

jump the gun – begin too soon*

long in the tooth – old

neck and neck – even*
nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse - your hint, allusion or other indirect comment about something is understood, you needn't say anything more

on the hoof – respond as it happens / done without planning
one horse race – no other possible winners*
one horse town – very small place
one trick pony – does one thing well, but limited skills in other areas
out to pasture – to retire someone or something

put it through its paces – move in a particular way*
put the cart before the horse – to do things in the wrong order

ride herd – to watch closely and strictly supervise someone
riding for a fall – to risk an accident or failure
runner up – to be second in competition*

scratch it – to eliminate or stop a project*
stalking horse – is a strategy or something used to conceal your intentions
straight from the horse’s mouth – directly from the person who said something / directly from a dependable source
strong as a horse – very strong

under the wire – just barely in or on time*

what horse did you ride in on - objecting to the suggestions of a statement made
white horse – good / gallant person who appears and resolves a situation favorably
who opened the barn door – something is continually flowing
why the long face –facial expression showing sadness or disappointment about something / pout
wild horses couldn’t drag me away – nothing can force someone or something to go somewhere or do something
win by a nose – to win just a bit better than the runner up*
work like a horse – to work very hard
won hands down – no question about the outcome*

you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink it – given an opportunity, you can not force them to do it
you sound like a bunch of wild horses – loud, noisy
your barn door is open – zipper is down

* idioms said to have origins in the horse racing industry

Go Green Tips:

- Keep the Flow Low - have nozzles on all your hoses allowing spray adjustments. The nozzles should include a trigger for shutting off the water when not in use.
Any Green Ideas?
Email us:info@agreenhorse.com

Horse sense, n.: Stable thinking. Author Unknown

Horse Sayings

2009-06-02T22:09:00.102-04:00

Today I woke with a wonderful sense of accomplishment that lasted throughout the day, but I did encounter moments when a bit of poignant times fell in-between the highs…nonetheless, the highlight...our house is officially for sale! We have finally reached the end of this road and it has been a long journey traveled to achieve this necessary step to move forward. We have had several setbacks and at times the trip was at a snail's pace, but with perseverance and dedication, placing one foot in front of the other we made it. Looking at the past, it has truly been a wonderful home for my family and for the future the magnificent memories go with us and will remain in our hearts and thoughts always. Who knows how long it will take to sell, but we are ready to turn down the subsequent road and take on our next journey - a new city, a new life - our home in the country with the horses.

Today is an important day - at times there were tears of sadness when reflecting on the past while others were filled with the excitement of the future. Our past has carried us to this moment and all the experiences on the journey have left impressions. We take all of them with us when we go and truly look forward to the future with jubilation. A lifelong dream is about to become reality, having our horses with us on our farm. Our horses are not aware of what lies ahead, but we know a sturdy foundation has been laid to construct a strong future. We have continued to build our partnerships with our horses throughout this transition and every day we recognize the connections becoming stronger. Today, is my two-year anniversary with Tsar and I took time to reminisce on how far we have come together – I have done a lot of recalling to the past lately. It is amazing to realize our achievements and the terrific memories we share. We are about to embark down another road in our fascinating journey with our horses and so we look forward to tomorrow’s growth from the learned knowledge of yesterday.

Over the years, I have collected many people’s words about horses. There is a variety; some may be familiar to you and others new. I dug fast and deep in our packed up belongings, keeping my horse material close at hand, to gather these sayings for my enjoyment recently and thought others may enjoy them too. With the emotions of these current times for us and the many changes we are about to endure in our lives, this blog comes forth after a minute to stop and reflect on the past, take a breath, and enjoy some down time. A long journey is winding down as well as the day; I take pleasure in putting together a nice short read, reflecting on the past and looking towards the future.

Hast thou given the horse strength? Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?
~Job 39:19

A horse is poetry in motion.
~Author Unknown

The outside of a horse is good for the inside of man.

~Author Unknown

The essential joy of being with horses is that it brings us in contact with the rare elements of grace, beauty, spirit, and fire.

~Sharon Ralls Lemon

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.

~Winston Churchill

He knows when you're happy

He knows when you're comfortable

He knows when you're confident

And he always knows when you have carrots.

~Author Unknown

The wind of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears.

~Arabian Proverb

To ride a horse is to ride the sky.

~Author Unknown

There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse.

~Robert Smith Surtees

It's a lot like nuts and bolts - if the rider's nuts, the horse bolts!

~Nicholas Evans

The horses paw and prance and neigh,

Fillies and colts like kittens play,

And dance and toss their rippled manes

Shining and soft as silken skeins; ...

~Oliver Wendell Holmes

All I pay my psychiatrist is the cost of feed and hay, and he'll listen to me any day.

~Author Unknown

When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.

~William Shakespeare, Henry VI

She lifted the drooping muzzle with both hands... It was a special embrace saved for special occasions.

~Jean M. Auel

The best horse doesn't always win the race.

~Irish proverb

Let us ride together, blowing mane and hair, careless of the weather, miles ahead of care, ring of hoof and snaffle, swing of waist and hip, trotting down the twisted road with the world let slip.

~Anonymous

A horse is a thing of beauty… none will tire of looking at him as long as he displays himself in his splendor.

~Xenophon

A Hibernian sage once wrote that there are three things a man never forgets: The girl of his early youth, a devoted teacher, and a great horse.

~C.J.J. Mullen

A canter is a cure for every evil.

~Benjamin Disraeli

In riding a horse we borrow freedom.

~Helen Thomson

God forbid that I should go to any Heaven in which there are no horses.

~R.B. Cunninghame Graham, letter to Theodore Roosevelt, 1917

Again the early-morning sun was generous with its warmth. All the sounds dear to a horseman were around me - the snort of the horses as they cleared their throats, the gentle swish of their tails, the tinkle of irons as we flung the saddles over their backs - little sounds of no importance, but they stay in the unconscious library of memory.

~Wynford Vaughan-Thomas

Wherever man has left his footprint in the long ascent from barbarism to civilization we will find the hoof print of the horse beside it.

~John Moore

To me, horses and freedom are synonymous.

~Veryl Goodnight

Where in this wide world can man find nobility without pride,

Friendship without envy,

Or beauty without vanity?

Here, where grace is served with muscle

And strength by gentleness confined

He serves without servility; he has fought without enmity.

There is nothing so powerful, nothing less violent.

There is nothing so quick, nothing more patient.

~Ronald Duncan, "The Horse," 1954

One reason why birds and horses are happy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses.

~Dale Carnegie

The horse through all its trials has preserved the sweetness of paradise in its blood.

~Johannes Jensen

Horses lend us the wings we lack.

~Author Unknown

The horse is God's gift to mankind.

~Arabian Proverb

If your horse says no, you either asked the wrong question, or asked the question wrong.

~Pat Parelli

A woman needs two animals - the horse of her dreams and a jackass to pay for it.

~Author Unknown

What delight

To back the flying steed, that challenges

The wind for speed! - seems native more of air

Than earth! - whose burden only lends him fire! -

Whose soul, in his task, turns labour into sport;

Who makes your pastime his! I sit him now!

He takes away my breath! He makes me reel!

I touch not earth - I see not - hear not. All

Is ecstasy of motion!

~James Sheridan Knowles, The Love-Chase

A thousand horse and none to ride! -

With flowing tail, and flying mane,

Wide nostrils never stretched by pain,

Mouths bloodless to the bit or rein,

And feet that iron never shod,

And flanks unscarred by spur or rod,

A thousand horse, the wild, the free,

Like waves that follow o'er the sea,

Came thickly thundering on,...

~Lord Byron, XVII, Mazeppa, 1818

Horses - if God made anything more beautiful, he kept it for himself.

~Author Unknown

If you want a stable friendship, get a horse.

~Author Unknown

To these animals, the ability to intuit fear in a distant herd member and act on this feeling without hesitation is a lifesaving skill. Their innate aptitude for resonating with another being's trust, joy, or confidence is a life enhancing skill.

~Linda Kohanov

My horse's feet are as swift as rolling thunder

He carries me away from all my fears

And when the world threatens to fall asunder

His mane is there to wipe away my tears.

~Bonnie Lewis

A dog may be man's best friend, but the horse wrote history.

~Author Unknown

A Horseman should know neither fear, nor anger.

~James Rarey

The horse. Here is nobility without conceit, friendship without envy, beauty without vanity. A willing servant, yet never a slave.

~Ronald Duncan

Horses Leave Hoof Prints On Our Hearts.

~Author Unknown

No hoof, no horse.

Old wise, horse saying, horse proverb.

No one can teach riding so well as a horse.

~C.S. Lewis

A man, a horse and a dog never get weary of each other's company."

~Anonymous

Whoever said a horse was dumb, was dumb".

~Will Rogers

When you are on a great horse, you have the best seat you will ever have.

~Sir Winston Churchill

If you climb in the saddle, be ready for the ride.

~Anonymous

The horse stopped with a jerk and the jerk fell off!

~Anonymous

Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear or a fool from any direction.

~Anonymous

All you need for happiness is a good gun, a good horse, and a good wife.

~Daniel Boone

Look back on our struggle for freedom,

Trace our present day's strength to its source;

And you'll find that man's pathway to glory

Is strewn with the bones of a horse.

~Anonymous

A horse gallops with his lung

Perseveres with his heart,

and wins with his character

~Tesio

"My horses are my friends... not my slaves!"

~Dr. Reiner Klimke

He doth nothing but talk of his horses.

~William Shakespeare

Don't be the rider who gallops all night and never sees the horse that is beneath him

~Jelaluddin Rumi

One who believes that he has mastered the art of horsemanship has not yet begun to understand the horse.

~Author Unknown

The wagon rests in winter, the sleigh in summer, the horse never.

~Yiddish Proverb

It's always been and always will be the same in the world: The horse does the work and the coachman is tipped.

~Author Unknown

Ah, steeds, steeds, what steeds! Has the whirlwind a home in your manes? Is there a sensitive ear, alert as a flame, in your every fiber? Hearing the familiar song from above, all in one accord you strain your bronze chests and, hooves barely touching the ground, turn into straight lines cleaving the air, and all inspired by God it rushes on!

~Nikolai V. Gogol, Dead Souls, 1842, translated from Russian (above is combination of translations by Bernard Guildert Guerney, Richard Peaver, and Larisa Voloklonsky)

A horse loves freedom, and the weariest old work horse will roll on the ground or break into a lumbering gallop when he is turned loose into the open.

~Gerald Raferty

I bless the hoss from hoof to head -

From head to hoof, and tale to mane! -

I bless the hoss, as I have said,

From head to hoof, and back again!

~James Whitcomb Riley

A lovely horse is always an experience.... It is an emotional experience of the kind that is spoiled by words.

~Beryl Markham

...I heard a neigh. Oh, such a brisk and melodious neigh as that was! My very heart leaped with delight at the sound.

~Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Chimæra," A Wonder-Book for Girls and Boys, 1852 (about Pegasus)

A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves - strong, powerful, beautiful - and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.

~Pam Brown

Among all the sights of the docks, the noble truck-horses are not the least striking to a stranger. They are large and powerful brutes, with such sleek and glossy coats, that they look as if brushed and put on by a valet every morning. They march with a slow and stately step, lifting their ponderous hoofs like royal Siam elephants. Thou shalt not lay stripes upon these Roman citizens; for their docility is such, they are guided without rein or lash; they go or come, halt or march on, at a whisper. So grave, dignified, gentlemanly, and courteous did these fine truck-horses look - so full of calm intelligence and sagacity, that often I endeavored to get into conversation with them, as they stood in contemplative attitudes while their loads were preparing. But all I could get from them was the mere recognition of a friendly neigh; though I would stake much upon it that, could I have spoken in their language, I would have derived from them a good deal of valuable information touching the docks, where they passed the whole of their dignified lives.

~Herman Melville, Redburn. His First Voyage, 1849

To understand the soul of a horse is the closest human beings can come to knowing perfection.

~Author Unknown

A horse is worth more than riches.

~Spanish Proverb

There is just as much horse sense as ever, but the horses have most of it.

~Author Unknown

Feeling down? Saddle up.

~Author Unknown

Horse sense, n.: Stable thinking.

~Author Unknown

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.

~Anonymous

A horse can lend its rider the speed and strength he or she lacks, but the rider who is wise remembers it is no more than a loan.

~Pam Brown

Somewhere in time's own space

There must be some sweet pastured place

Where creeks sing on and tall trees grow

Some paradise where horses go,

For by the love that guides my pen

I know great horses live again.

~Stanley Harrison

He's of the colour of the nutmeg. And of the heat of the ginger... he is pure air and fire; and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him, but only in patient stillness while his rider mounts him; he is indeed a horse, and all other jades you may call beasts.

~William Shakespeare, Henry V

Let a horse whisper in your ear and breathe on your heart. You will never regret it.

~Author Unknown

And Allah took a handful of southerly wind, blew His breath over it, and created the horse.... Thou shall fly without wings, and conquer without any sword. Oh, horse.

~Bedouin Legend

The hooves of horses!

Oh! witching and sweet

Is the music earth steals from the iron-shod feet;

No whisper of lover, no trilling of bird,

Can stir me as much as hooves of horses

Have stirred.

~Will H. Ogilvie

The daughter who won't lift a finger in the house is the same child who cycles madly off in the pouring rain to spend all morning mucking out a stable.

~Samantha Armstrong

For one to fly, one needs only to take the reins.

~Author Unknown

A good rider can hear his horse speak to him. A great rider can hear his horse whisper.

~Author Unknown

Why did this animal that had prospered so in the Colorado desert leave his amiable homeland for Siberia? There is no answer. We know that when the horse negotiated the land bridge... he found on the other end an opportunity for varied development that is one of the bright aspects of animal history. He wandered into France and became the mighty Percheron, and into Arabia, where he developed into a lovely poem of a horse, and into Africa where he became the brilliant zebra, and into Scotland, where he bred selectively to form the massive Clydesdale. He would also journey into Spain, where his very name would become the designation for gentleman, a caballero, a man of the horse. There he would flourish mightily and serve the armies that would conquer much of the known world.

~James Michener

O! for a horse with wings!

~William Shakespeare, Cymbeline

His mane is like a river flowing, and his eyes like embers glowing in the darkness of the night, and his pace as swift as light

~Bryan Waller Proctor, The Blood Horse

A hurry of hoofs in a village street, a shape in the moonlight, a bulk in the dark, and beneath, from the pebbles, in passing, a spark struck out from a steed flying fearless and fleet; that was all! And yet, through the gloom and the light, the fate of a nation was riding that night.

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Paul Revere's Ride

Through the days of love and celebration and joy, and through the dark days of mourning - the faithful horse has been with us always.

~Elizabeth Cotton

Bread may feed my body, but my horse feeds my soul.

~Author Unknown

I have seen things so beautiful they have brought tears to my eyes. Yet none of them can match the gracefulness and beauty of a horse running free.

~Author Unknown

All horses deserve, at least once in their lives, to be loved by a little girl.

~Author Unknown

When your horse follows you without being asked, when he rubs his head on yours, and when you look at him and feel a tingle down your spine...you know you are loved.

~John Lyons

The way to heaven is on horseback.

~Author Unknown

Virtue shall be bound into the hair of thy forelock. I have given thee the power of flight without wings.

~The Koran

A true horseman does not look at the horse with his eyes, he looks at his horse with his heart.

~Author Unknown

A large and liquid eye...the swirl of dust around pounding hooves...these, then, are the images that move us.

~Author Unknown

Horses change lives. They give our young people confidence and self-esteem. They provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls. They give us hope!

~Toni Robinson

At its finest, rider and horse are joined not by tack, but by trust. Each is totally reliant upon the other. Each is the selfless guardian of the other's very well-being.

~Author Unknown

Ask me to show you poetry in motion and I will show you a horse.

~Author Unknown

You took me to adventure and to love. We two have shared great joy and great sorrow. And now I stand at the gate of the paddock watching you run in an ecstasy of freedom, knowing you will return to stand quietly, loyally, beside me.

~Pam Brown

A horse is the projection of peoples' dreams about themselves-strong, powerful, beautiful- and it has the capability of giving us escape from our mundane existence.
~Pam Brown

A horse in the wind - a perfect symphony.

~Author Unknown

A pony is a childhood dream. A horse is an adulthood treasure.

~Rebecca Carroll

No heaven can heaven be, if my horse isn't there to welcome me.

~Author Unknown

Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

A horse does not care how much you know until you show him how much you care.

~Pat Parelli

Your horse is entertainment for you, but can you be entertainment for him.

~Pat Parelli

My dear, I don't care what they do, so long as they don't do it in the streets and frighten the horses.
~Author Unknown

A stubborn horse walks behind you, an impatient horse walks in front of you, but a noble companion walks beside you.
~Author Unknown

If I had a horse, I'd ride off in the sunset, where dreams, and shadows lie. To a life, where pain and sorrow don't exist, and to where hopes, and dreams become reality.
~Author Unknown

In buying a horse or taking a wife, shut your eyes tight and commend yourself to God.
~ Tuscan Proverb

I can make a General in five minutes but a good horse is hard to replace.
~Abraham Lincoln

To ride or not to ride? What a stupid question!
~Author Unknown

Show me your horse, and I will tell you who you are.
~Author Unknown

It is not enough for a man to know how to ride; he must know how to fall.
~Mexican Proverb

Horses change lives. They give our young people confidence and self esteem. They provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls - they give us hope!
~Author Unkown

There are only two emotions that belong in the saddle; one is a sense of humor and the other is patience.
~Author Unknown

Sell the cow, buy the sheep, but never be without the horse.
~Irish Proverb

I have seen things so beautiful they have brought tears to my eyes. Yet non of them can match the gracefulness and beauty of a horse running free.
~Author Unknown

The air of heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears.
~Arabian Proverb

There is no secret so close as that between a rider and his horse.
~Robert Smith Surtees

Horses make a landscape look beautiful.
~Alice Walker

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the Lord.
~King James Bible

Your horse can only be as brave as you are.
~Author Unknown

Riding a horse is not a gentle hobby, to be picked up and laid down like a game of Solitaire. It is a grand passion.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Go Green Tips:

buy a refillable water bottle for yourself and encourage the same for anyone else around your barn / home
recycle magazines by reusing them; contact senior, child care, schools or any other facility that could possibly use them and donate them

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

We build on Yesterday to grow for Tomorrow

Disinfect Your Barn

2009-05-06T22:42:00.948-04:00

Disinfect Your Barn

With our horses confined to barns for feeding, resting, weather, and the like here again our domestication of the horse requires human production of goods and deeds for a healthy equine world. The enclosed environment of the barn contains elements suitable for harmful pathogens to breed and multiply. Human intervention is required to supply a responsible preventative program reducing possible devastation. I am a believer in furnishing a “natural” lifestyle for my horses whenever achievable, but sometimes this is not always applicable. A continued search for a “natural” solution for disinfecting the serious pathogens is ongoing. Using quality chemicals with complete awareness in our facilities remains the defining factor in controlling the damage these germs can wreak on horses and humans. Dangerous agents of disease are serious contenders and we must provide effectively for our horses since we opt to interject ourselves into their world.

When I rose today, the sun shined brightly; expressing its impressive strength through the panes of the window while thoughts of this post were present in my mind. The sun brought a smile and warmed my being. The countless values of its existence also raced through my thoughts. Interestingly, this moment rekindled the awareness of the sun's abilities and the benefits it delivers upon us; simultaneously sparking a connection to the ideas behind this blog. Disinfecting your barn ranges from a general to a more specific pathogen control process and the applications one utilizes are contingent on the circumstances. With its astonishing powers, the sun is one of nature’s best disinfectants. However, it has been found that its effectiveness is obstructed as man squats on and alters the environment around him.

With horses waiting, I approached the barn and understood the impossibility for this entity to “sanitize” our enclosed facilities single-handedly. With the sun’s brilliant light and the warmth it bestows today, it is easy to find myself in the barn doing some cleaning tasks and spending time with my horses.

The sun and other natural ingredients are my first choice of defense for a general cleaning process. Germs take many forms and some require man made substances containing hazardous materials for an effective abolishment treatment. Consult with your vet for the best possible application for your situation. It is up to the horseperson to supply the best possible care for their equine.

Disinfect Your Barn

Having a detailed farm management program covers many areas and keeping sickness and disease at bay is one part. Properly timed vaccinations, deworming and appropriate diet and exercise programs are some of the right roads to travel for combating illness. Realizing nothing is 100% effective, administering the most complete program possible reduces significantly the risk of disease entering your farm and causing outbreaks. For some pathogens, no vaccines are available, nor is there a remedy for all illnesses; thus, preventive measures play a key roll in protection and rests on a thorough preemptive program. By adding the practice of disinfecting your barn, equipment, horse trailer and all to a good management program, you will provide yourself and your horse a well-balanced line of defense.

Every barn is different and there are so many variables to consider before an effective management program can be implemented. For the most part if the property, facilities and horses are maintained, a general disinfectant application can be conducted regularly to keep diseases at bay. But if an outbreak has hit your property or is nearby, a more powerful application must be directed. The following sections are intended to inform only and are based on the use of chemicals designed to combat pathogens. Natural disinfectants and milder chemicals may be substituted when just a general cleaning is needed. Educate yourself on the numerous information available to create the best possible management program for your barn.

Consider the following issues prior to the disinfecting process to assure the best outcome:

Seek professional help when health issues arise.
Since barns are built of various materials and with the multiplicity of pathogens capable of inflicting harm, the chemical chosen to combat pathogens needs a reasonable expectation of effectiveness under diverse circumstances.
There are disinfectants available that can kill all of the equine pathogens but they are not safe for use in horse facilities.
When handling chemicals caution must be taken; with proper education you will deliver a safe and effective tool in fighting germs.
One misconception, bleach alone will eliminate all pathogens. If your stall is constructed with stainless steal, this may be true. It is critical to understand that the more porous the surface, and the more organic matter that is present, the less likely that any disinfectant will work!
Always maintain the lowest possible levels of organic matter in and around your barn and study your situation, seek professional help if necessary, choose appropriate methods, and remember never mix chemicals.

Prepare yourself - disinfecting your facility is hard work, but important in proper preventative care or if an outbreak is present. Disinfecting is an absolute if sickness strikes your barn! The following outline is for disinfecting a stall with non-porous surfaces such as varnished wood, painted concrete block, concrete floors, etc. Approximately 1 hour per stall is what you should expect. There are a few recommendations for disinfecting other surface types, too. Staying alert to strict standards of cleanliness along with a balanced diet and exercise, keeping vaccinations, deworming and disinfecting programs regular will help avoid costly disease outbreaks for your horse, barn and you.

STALLS:

Pick a nice sunny day and allow your horse(s) to be outside enjoying the day.

Remove all feeding/water buckets, toys, and bedding from the stall.

Remove mats from floor.

Sweep the walls, ledges, window, door and floor to remove webs, dirt, dust, hay, etc. and as much organic matter as possible. When finished, disinfect the broom with your other tools.

Using a hose with a spray nozzle or a pressure wash, wash down all stall walls, floor, ledges, door and window using a detergent – Tide works well. SCRUB HARD!! Elbow grease will remove more than 90% of the contaminants. The cleaning step is the most important in the disinfecting process; if you skip this step, you will be wasting your disinfectant. If there are stubborn stains, scrub until removed; keeping the surface wet for 10-20 minutes will loosen the dirt. Rinse by starting at the top of the stall, then working from the edges of the stall toward the draining area. Remaining dirty areas might need a second cleaning (pay special attention to corners and drains). All encrusted organic matter needs to be washed off!

Since you will dilute the disinfectant according to label instructions, you do not want the disinfectant further diluted by spraying it on standing water. Therefore, after all surfaces are cleaned and rinsed; remove as much excess water as possible, especially from floors, by using a broom or rubber scraper (squeegee). These tools will need disinfecting when finished.

For the disinfecting process, make sure you wear protective clothing, including long sleeves, long pants, gloves, goggles and headgear - face masks. Carefully follow label instructions for the disinfectant and dilute it into an applicator such as a garden sprayer (label this sprayer and only use it for this purpose). First, begin at the top and spray the walls followed by the ledges, door and window then proceed to do the floor. Allow the disinfectant to dry. Do not rinse it off!

IMPORTANT NOTE: If an outbreak of infectious disease is currently on your farm or nearby, repeat the spraying and drying of the disinfectant.

After the stall has completely dried, return disinfected mat* and bed it with clean bedding.

* to disinfect the mat follow the same procedure as for stalls - (see above) - you need to disinfect both sides and let dry in the sun

NOTE: Before you begin applying the disinfectant, you can add this step for extra oomph. Mix up a water/bleach solution (2 parts bleach – 10 parts water) and mix it into a garden sprayer – there are sprayers designed especially for bleach solutions. After the scrub and detergent wash; rinse and dry thoroughly. Spray on bleach solution. Let dry and do not rinse off. Proceed to the disinfecting step.

DISINFECTING POROUS FLOORS:

Porous floors (for example packed clay, sand, dirt or other such materials) are impossible to disinfect adequately. However, a thorough cleaning several times a year is a good preventative measure to practice.

An option to cleanse dirt, clay, etc. flooring without using water - Completely remove all bedding and mats, lime wet areas and allow to dry. In humid areas, use fans for drying. This will eliminate a few organisms that are highly susceptible to drying, but the majority of equine pathogens are not. Return disinfected and sun dried mat to stall floor. Thickly bedding the stalls will place some distance between any pathogens in the soil and the horse. NOTE - this process does not reduce the likely pathogens.

Another option is to remove a layer of soil (about 2’) then thoroughly soak the floor with a disinfectant and allow to air dry. Again, use fans to help dry. Replenish floor with fresh soil and thoroughly soak the top layer of new soil with a disinfectant again and allow to air dry. Return disinfected mat and bed with clean bedding.

DISINFECTING EQUIPMENT / TOOLS:

While you are waiting for the stall to dry, scrub mats, all buckets, feed tubs, and other storage equipment with a detergent (like Tide) free of scum – use the hottest water possible. Rinse thoroughly and then scrub again with a solution of 1 part laundry-type chlorine bleach to 10 parts water. Allow items to air-dry without rinsing. Scrub one more time with water and dish detergent. Rinse thoroughly to remove any bleach or detergent residue. Allow to dry in the sun. Spray on the diluted disinfectant, as per label directions and let it stand for 10 minutes. Then thoroughly rinse it with potable water. You need to be completely sure to rinse the disinfectant from anything that the horse will eat or drink from or areas in contact with horse’s feed or water. Dry these items in the sun and return them to the disinfected stall.

Clean all tools such as pitchforks, shovels, brooms, grooming tools, etc. with a detergent like Tide, rinse and then soak in a disinfectant solution for 10 minutes. Follow with a final rinse. Protect leather and wooden handles of tools (brushes, etc. ) by taping plastic wrap or foil around the wood/leather straps - disinfectant will be tough on them.

NOTE: Grooming tools need disinfecting at least once a month to help prevent skin problems from developing and spreading, particularly if grooming tools are shared among several horses - which really should never be allowed.

Clean blankets and pads weekly or monthly, depending on how frequently they are used. Doing so will help prevent skin problems from developing and spreading. Remove hair with plastic brush and/or vacuum cleaner. Discard vacuum bag. If machine-washable, run pads through the wash cycle with Lysol. (Use 1 cup in a standard top-loader.) Spin dry and run through a second wash cycle with Ivory soap flakes. Add vinegar to the rinse water to help remove soap residue. (Use 1 cup in a standard top loader. Some horses have a skin-sensitivity to detergent residues in saddle pads and blankets.) Tip: If your washing machine is too small to wash saddle-pads, inquire at local laundromats for permission to use their machines. Most will allow this, but will require you to run the machines once more, empty, to remove hair and other residue. Allow items to air-dry, preferably in the sun.

DISINFECTING PASTURES / PADDOCKS:

These areas cannot be disinfected, but you can reduce the risk of disease by assuring the minerals are correct in the soil and harrowing the manure regularly. Harrowing will expose the manure to sunlight allowing it to dry thoroughly. Sunlight is a great disinfectant! If possible, rotate your pastures for horse grazing.

DISINFECTING FOALING STALLS:

These stalls need to be kept clean and disease free – always! Power wash the stall after every foaling with detergent. Remove as much water as possible. After the stall dries completely, spray with a disinfectant. Allow the disinfectant to dry – do not rinse. Bed the stall with fresh bedding. Follow above steps for floors and mats.

DISINFECTING YOURSELF:

A thorough scrub of your hands with liquid soap and warm water if available, followed by drying with disposable paper towels, is adequate for skin cleansing. Remember to wear disposal gloves if you are working with highly contaminated bedding or materials.

HANDLING a SICK HORSE:

When entering the horse's stall or paddock: Wear rubber boots and close-weave fabric overalls with long sleeves. Confine your hair in a hat. Use disposable latex or rubber examination gloves whenever working with or around a sick horse. Leave these garments at the stall door or paddock gate, to slip on before entering and remove when you leave. Discard the used disposable gloves in a closed receptacle outside the enclosure. To disinfect towels, clothing, and other machine-washable materials, rinse off scum, soak in a bucket for 10 minutes in disinfectant solution, and then wash in machine.

Upon leaving the horse's stall or paddock. Disinfect your boots with a plastic scrub brush and Lysol Disinfectant Concentrate (2 1/2 tablespoons per gallon of water) in a dishpan or bucket. Leave the boots outside the enclosure to dry. Cover or discard Lysol solution for safety (it's toxic if swallowed.) Discard the used disposable gloves in a closed receptacle outside the enclosure.

When tending to more than one horse, take care of the sick one last.

Tips from the Trail:

Under normal conditions, a yearly stall scrub/disinfecting is recommended. If you are dealing with a sick horse/barn, perform these processes immediately and as often as requested by your vet.

Put two coats of enamel paint on porous concrete block.

Fill any cracks and holes in wood with a wood filler such as Plastic Wood.

Apply a couple of coats of marine-quality varnish or polyurethane to raw wood.

It is a good idea to put on a waterproof suit, boots and gloves before you begin the detergent cleaning process.

A wet-dry vacuum is a handy device for any barn and it works great for removing excess water from floors after the detergent cleaning process. However, remember it will need disinfecting when you are done.

Phenolic disinfectants are widely used in international quarantine stalls and equine hospitals. For farm and stable use, phenolic compounds are the weapons of choice. These compounds are recognizable by the suffix -phenol or -phenate at the end of words on the active ingredients list. Some brand names include 1 Stroke Environ or Tek-trol.

Mats or buckets that soak boots with a disinfectant set outside a sick horse’s stall are a good idea.

Spray alcohol regularly on knobs, containers, switches, tools and all to keep germs in check

Over time, labels can wear and may become illegible. Have a notebook listing the chemicals you use and their directions. Include the first-aid instructions for each chemical. It is a good idea to label bottles with a permanent marker.

Skylights over each stall will allow the sun to help with the disinfecting process.

Below is a link to results from a research lab that evaluated the virucidal efficacy of 11 commercially available disinfectants against porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) – quite informative.
http://www.aasv.org/shap/issues/v9n6/v9n6p281.html

Recipes / Remedies:

The following ideas use a common disinfectant you can buy at your local store - check with your vet to see if it will work in your situation. If using in place of a "heavyweight" farm compound do not omit the steps above prior to or after applying this disinfecting application.

1)
Mix Lysol Disinfectant Concentrate (2 tablespoons per gallon of water) in a garden-type spray tank and spray a soaking mist of disinfectant onto all surfaces and allow to air-dry. Repeat.

2)
To clean your brushes and grooming tools:

Remove all hair.
Soak and scrub your brushes and tools in hot water and dish detergent to loosen and remove all oils, dander, scabs and other residue.
Prepare Lysol disinfectant solution (2 1/2 tablespoons per gallon of water); soak all grooming tools for 30 minutes.
Discard solution.
Allow tools to air dry, preferably in the sun.

NOTE: Wooden/leather-handled tools might be damaged by soaking

See "Spring Clean Your Barn and Yard" for "general" Eco-friendly Disinfectant Recipes

Go Green Tips:

properly dispose of used and or dated chemicals - check with your community to see if it offers a "Hazardous Waste Collection Day"
use less toxic options, if suitable - but remember "green" does not mean "safe" and some "green" products can still be hazardous to the environment, animals and you

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

A true horseman does not look at the horse with his eyes, he looks at his horse with his heart.
Author Unknown

Spring Clean Your Barn and Yard

2009-04-11T19:05:00.976-04:00

Spring Clean Your Barn and Yard

With the birth of spring, life awakens from the somber days of winter. Once again, its brightness and warmth engulfs us; filling oneself with invigoration and inspiration. This intensity is a great time to open up windows and bring the freshness indoors, whether it be your home or your barn and carry through with the thoughts of heading outdoors.

Enjoying the new found glow everywhere brings forth the clearest visions of carrying this order to our surroundings. Spring-cleaning your home is an annual event contemplated within the mind, but look out the window and consider your barn and yard as well. No one really likes to labor, but anything worth having takes time and effort; spring is a great time for maintenance and cleaning projects outdoors. So, wonder no more and take advantage of the sun’s bright warmth; get outside and tackle those barn projects that need to get done with enthusiasm and new energies generated by this fantastic season.

The following is a pretty thorough list of "spring-cleaning" projects. Select a few and set parameters - remember - be reasonable when determining your plan

TIPS from the TRAIL:

Start from the top making the opportunity less likely to overlook areas as you work your way down

ROOF

- Check for loose or damaged shingles or metal
- Check for leaks
- Remove any leaves or debris
- Check for rust forming on metal roofs. There are great agents out there that can prohibit the situation worsening
- Repair or replace any damaged or worn items
- Paint, if necessary

TIPS from the TRAIL:

1.) Standing in your barn during a heavy rain will help determine leakage

2.) If possible, pressure wash your roof. It can remove debris and stains. In addition, it can help determine if there is leakage

GUTTERS / DOWN SPOUTS

- Check for any loose parts in your gutter system
- Check for leaks
- Check for clogs - leaves or debris can clog gutters, clean them out and place a container i.e. wheelbarrow, muck bucket, etc. below the area you are working, to catch the debris you clean out
- Repair or replace any damaged or worn items

TIPS from the TRAIL:

1) Sometimes flushing the gutters with a water hose will help determine leakage and may help remove some clogged debris

WINDOWS / DOORS / LOCKS

- Check all mechanisms for proper working order
- Remove, vacuum, or wipe down, etc. any debris from in and around these areas
- Clean windowpanes and let that sun shine in
- Lubricate all hinges, latches, locks, springs, rollers, etc - olive oil works well
- Check for nesting insects – carefully remove or call in the professionals
- Repair or replace any damaged items

Recipe for Eco-friendly Glass Cleaning Solution:

2 tablespoons borax
3 cups water

Mix ingredients and pour into a spray bottle or pan to soak items

Recipe for Eco-friendly Glass/Mirror Cleaner:

2 ounces vinegar
1 quart of water

Mix ingredients and pour into a spray bottle.

AROUND the BARN

Water

- Check all water devices for proper working order – hoses, pipes, troughs, spouts and faucets – freezing temperatures can cause damage
- Repair or replace any damaged items
- Clean all water troughs – thoroughly

Has drainage been an issue?
- There are several different approaches to rectify drainage issues - digging drainage ditches, grading, adding gravel, etc. A good start is with your local agricultural agent. Ask for suggestions, they are an excellent source of information
- Clean out drainage ditches or areas used to divert water away from the barn/property

General

- Paint the exterior of your barn, if needed
- Plant any insect controlling plants in and around your barn
Caution: be sure to secure non-safe plants avoiding possible animal or human ingestion – see blogs:

Horse Pest Control

Herbs for My Horses - the Gardens

Herbs for My Horses - Their Uses

Herbs for My Horses - Their Names

TIPS from the TRAIL:

1.) White vinegar is excellent for cleaning buckets and troughs. It rinses clean and if added to drinking water inhibits the growth of algae and great health benefits for your horse

2.) Use a powdered cleanser like Comet to clean your troughs and buckets. It cleans well and rinses out almost instantly so no more rinsing/dumping for 10 minutes to get rid of the suds. Try recipe below for a "General Eco-friendly Disinfectant "

3.) Add goldfish to your water troughs, they have a mighty appetite for larva, mosquitoes, algae and assorted bugs. To accommodate goldfish, troughs cannot be too shallow; thus allowing pollution by the fish, the sun to overheat them or the cold to freeze them - 50 to 75 gallon is preferable. Use some flat rocks in bottom of trough creating a cave for the fish to hide - especially from the peering eyes and gulping mouth of a horse

For the following two sections, pick a nice sunny day to walk your property. Take a carry bag and fill it with paper and pencil to take notes for issues to address later. Also take along drinking water, hammer, nails, wire cutters, etc. for the repairs you can complete at that time. Place a muck bucket on a dolly securing it with a bungee cord and tote it behind you for debris you can haul away while checking things out. Inspect every inch. Do not let your horse be the first to find it!

FENCING / GATES

- Check for broken or protruding rails and nails
- Check for rust or any down fencing devices
- Check for loose posts
- Fill holes in front of gates, doors, etc.
- Check locks and latches. Lubricate, repair and replace, if necessary
- Secure, repair or replace areas in need
- Paint, if necessary

Recipe for Eco-friendly Rust/Calcium Remover:

vinegar - white distilled is best
Pour into a spray bottle and spray rusted areas, but works best if vinegar is poured into a pan and rusted or calcium built-up items can soak

YARD / PADDOCKS / PASTURES

- Check for holes, falling branches, trees, rocks or debris
- Fill holes and remove debris
- Remove any large piles of organic material i.e. old hay, manure, shavings, etc. from your property. In addition to being unsightly, they attract "pests" and the build up of heat could smolder, burn and ignite a fire

TIPS from the TRAIL:

1.) If possible, pressure wash the exterior of your barn. Start from the roof and work down the walls to the ground

2.) Keep horses off wet pastures until they are dry and the grass is a few inches high

3.) In spring, turnout should be on a limited basis and the amount of time grazing should be increased slowly so the horses do not get sick from the rich grass. Use riding rings, round pens, etc. for some hours during the day as the horses may still enjoy outside but limiting time on the rich grass. Use this time to give them a ration of their hay supply

4.) If possible, it is best to rotate turnout areas

INSIDE the BARN

If you have tasks to perform inside the barn, such as sawing wood, sweeping, vacuuming or blowing, etc. remember excessive dust in the air is not healthy for you or the horses. You should wear a mask and the horses should be outside enjoying the weather.

- Clean facility completely
- Clean up cobwebs, spider webs, etc. and remember start from the top and work your way down to the floor – don’t forget the corners, shelves, cabinets, removable items, etc.
- Check fire extinguishers/detectors
- Preform Fire/Evacuation drills

TIPS from the TRAIL:

1.) Wet the rafters/corners with Lysol Cleaner; it will reduce web buildup. Follow directions on label for water/Lysol mixture, pour into spray bottle and spray away. Use a garden sprayer for those larger jobs. Caution - Lysol is a hazardous disinfectant

Recipes for Eco-friendly Disinfectants:

Each of the following can be mixed in a spray bottle. Shake well before using.

- Vinegar; add a few drops of an essential oil to mask the smell
- 3% Hydrogen peroxide
- Grain alcohol - try a cheap vodka; mixed with 30% water to stop the alcohol from evaporating quickly
- Mix 1.6 oz of eucalyptus oil with 4 1/4 cups of water
Caution: undiluted eucalyptus oil is quite potent and can cause skin irritation
- Mix 1 gallon warm water with 20 drops grapefruit seed extract. Mix in a spray bottle and pour remaining mixture in an airtight container for refills.

2.) Buy a vacuum for the barn. Vacuuming will catch the fine silt that just becomes airborne when you sweep or blow. If possible, a wet/dry vacuum is nice. It can remove liquids too

Walls / Stalls

-Check for any protruding objects

- Repair and or replace any damaged wood, metal, etc.

- Check your stall floors – whether you use mats or soil, it should be dry and level

- Strip down and remove bedding from stalls

- If you have mats, remove and check for repair

- Before restoring floors and adding fresh bedding, scrub and disinfect the walls and floors. This process requires a blog all its own - See.. Disinfect Your Barn

Remember to remove all buckets, feed tubs, toys, etc. before the scrubbing and disinfecting procedures. Open all windows and doors for adequate ventilation

- Let the stall air dry on a nice sunny, breezy day. Sunlight can be a great disinfectant - it is Natural, Economical and Eco-friendly! Remember to scrub and disinfect mats too – let dry in the sun
- For soil flooring, the top layer of soil should be removed (a few feet down) in the entire stall and new soil brought in
- Any flooring should be level, if not bring in suitable material
- Check feed bins/hay racks/toys, etc. for looseness and or repairs

TIPS from the TRAIL:

1.) Use a pressure washer for cleaning stall walls and other partitions/ walls inside your barn. Sweep, squeegee or use a wet/dry vacuum to remove water

2.) Use a garden sprayer to disinfect stall walls

3.) Varnish/ paint the wood/ concrete in stalls. This helps minimize bacterial, fungal and viral organisms from penetrating these porous materials

Recipe for Homemade Eco-friendly Paint:

1 cup flour
5 1/2 cups cold water
1 cup screened clay*- a variety of colors available
1/2 cup additional powder filler, such as mica*

In a bowl, mix flour with 2 cups cold water, whisking to remove lumps. Bring 1 1/2 cups water to boil; pour the flour/water mixture into the boiling water. Turn heat to low, stirring until thick paste develops. Remove from heat and dilute the paste with 2 cups water, a little at a time. In a separate bowl, combine clay with powder filler. Add filler mixture to diluted flour paste until desired consistency is achieved.

*clay / mica can be purchased from artists' supply stores

Tips for Using Homemade Paint:

- Interior use only

- For best results, clean all surfaces thoroughly before painting
- Do not use a roller
- Use brushes and stock up on inexpensive ones for flour paint is hard on brushes
- Can be applied to most interior surfaces - bare wood and drywall, stone, wallpaper, earthen and gypsum plasters, masonry and previously painted surfaces
- Do not use over joint compound
- You can substitute clay with any combination of finely ground inert materials, such as chalk, mica, marble, limestone or silica. If you want a textured surface, use more coarsely screened materials
- At first, when applying flour paint, the brush marks will be evident. Remove the marks after waiting for the paint to begin to dry and smoothing over the area with a damp sponge or clean, damp brush. Redoing this process again when the paint has become leathery will also help reveal the mica or other filler
- Keep in mind when making your own paint, it is important to experiment. Keep it fun and play with it at first. After a while, your results will be a beautiful combination of rich colors and interesting textures
-It may be difficult to create exactly the same color over and over again and since it contains food products; mix as much paint as you can reasonably use in one work session

4.) Use baking soda, vinegar or Smelleze® Stall Deodorizer Granules *(product info below), under bedding or rubber stall mats to help prevent floor rot, and to control odor. After removing soiled bedding, sprinkle over area and allow to air dry. Cover dried area with clean bedding. - Put your empty Parmesan Cheese container to use, fill with one of the solid products above and sprinkle away

* Smelleze® Stall Deodorizer Granules Info
Simply sprinkle and smell the difference
Eliminates odors instead of covering them up
Reduces stall maintenance and extends bedding life
Results in significantly drier stalls
Creates cleaner, safer, healthier, stalls
Reduces fly infestation and thrush
Superior and more cost effective than lime
Safe, non-toxic, natural, non-caustic, odorless
Environmentally friendly and recyclable
Can be used in all types of animal stalls
Made in USA

5.) Make your own "light" "barn freshener spray" that will radiate the air and is agreeable to the sense of smell. By adding or removing the number of drops, one can control the intensity of the aroma.

Barn Freshener

16oz distilled water
24 drops mint oil
24 drops eucalyptus oil
2 tsp alcohol*

Mix ingredients in a spray bottle; label and mist in areas throughout the barn.

* Rubbing alcohol is optional, but it will help to combine the water and oil.

General Areas

- Check drains in wash stalls, sinks, etc. – keep clog free

Recipe for Eco-friendly Drain Cleaner:

1 cup baking soda
1 cup salt
1/4 cup cream of tartar
pot of boiling water

Mix first 3 ingredients together. Pour 1/4 cup of mixture into the drain, followed by pot of boiling water. Pour any unused mixture into an airtight container for future needs.

- Clean the wash stall walls – may require scrubbing and disinfecting
- Clean aisles – may require scrubbing and disinfecting

TIPS from the TRAIL:

1.) When working in or around your barn, remember to clean up the debris from your projects – nails, glass, wire, metal, etc. It is best for you to find these waiting problems before your horse does

VARIOUS ROOMS – TACK / FEED / LOFTS - SUPPLIES

Clean out, clean up and organize!

Wipe down and clean any storage areas – shelves, cabinets, refrigerators, floors, etc. Clean behind items and don't forget to get those corners

Recipe for a General Eco-friendly Disinfectant:

warm water in a bowl
1/2 tsp dish soap
1/4 cup baking soda
cloth

Mix all ingredients well. Dip a cloth in mixture and clean away. Stir occasionally; keeping ingredients mixed.- Note: the baking soda acts as a soft abrasive to remove tough spots and light scratches

Clean and examine all the following items; they are listed as the categories

With all your tack, equipment and tools, check leathers, cloth and hardware for strength and damage. Repair or replace as needed. This is an area that can be discussed in detail – a new Blog Idea!

TACK / TOOLS

- All turnout blankets, saddle pads, leg wraps, hoof boots, etc.
- Halters and leads
- Masks and flysheets – prepare them for the upcoming insect season
- Trailer ties – make sure safety releases are working properly
- Riding equipment – pay close attention to stitching on reins, cinches (girths), bridles and stirrup leathers
- After cleaning and repairing your items, hang up to air-dry
- Pack your winter items in resealable containers i.e. winter blankets
- Clean and disinfect all grooming devices - brushes, towels, etc.- place in sun to dry
- Clippers – clean and repair, if necessary – oil the blades
- Check, repair or replace all tools (forks, brooms, etc.), bins and buckets (feed, water, cleaning, etc.), trashcans, etc. Clean everything before putting it away! Properly store tools and any other detrimental items away from horse and people traffic

FEED

- Check supplement supplies and replenish, if necessary – remember the salt, seaweed, etc. too
- Clean up and sweep haylofts
- Clean out any accumulated debris i.e. feedbags, baler twine, etc.

SUPPLIES

- Inspect toys for excessive wear or damage, including mounting hardware. Ensure treats are fresh
- Check your first aid kit and your horses too. Throw away outdated items and replenish any necessary items. See... Horse First Aid-Evacuations
- Check all horse care products. Throw away outdated items and replenish any necessary items
- Vaccines - check your supplies and confirm that your horse is current on shots. See...Horse Vaccinations
- Wormers – check your supplies and confirm that your horse is current – continue with a schedule – Hey, another new Blog Idea!

TIPS from the TRAIL:

1.) There are great inexpensive storing containers out there. Try giving new life for the ones on hand by reusing them for practical purposes. The plastic bags that comforters/blankets come in usually have a zipper on them and are heavy plastic; these can be used for storing leg wraps, sheets, and blankets. Another great bag is the GIANT Ziploc ones. In addition, the dollar discount stores offer great containers for storage solutions.

2.) If you have expensive tack, take pictures including serial numbers. If lost or stolen, this may benefit in claiming them with insurance or filing a police report

3.) Wrap the handles of pitchforks, brooms, rakes, etc. with vet wrap for extra traction with gloved hands in the winter and for summer, it cuts down on acquiring calluses

4.) When sweeping up chaff, if it is too dusty for the horses to consume, throw it in your flowerbeds, garden or compost pile. It makes great mulch

5.) Always, sweep dust, chaff, manure and debris from barn aisles directly into wheelbarrows, muck buckets, trashcans, etc. Just sweeping it out the door will build a collection site and hold more moisture than just plain dirt. In wet weather, these areas will become a muckier mess than if kept debris free

DON’T FORGET the RUN-IN SHEDS

- Clean up all cob and spider webs
- Remove and dispose of any accumulation of manure, feed, hay, etc.
- Check soil condition and levelness. If soil needs replacing, remove top layer and replenish with new soil. The inside soil level needs to be higher than the outside surrounding soil level for run off

- Check to see if this area needs scrubbing and disinfecting

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

- Inspect all light fixtures – repair and or replace, if necessary
- Check the electrical wiring for rodent chews or any other worn, torn areas. Remember electrical fires are the leading cause of barn fires
- Check or establish a rodent control program
- Whatever fly system you use, check it for repairs and or replenish supplies
- If you use fans, clean and check for proper working order
- Inspect alarms and extinguishers – service extinguishers and replace batteries in alarms, if necessary...See Fire Proof Your Barn
- If applicable, check your lightening rods. Consider a system if you do not have one – speak to professionals

TIPS from the TRAIL:

1.) A great rodent control program – barn cats. They do great work and remember to have them spayed or neutered.

MACHINERY

Thoroughly inspect, lubricate and tune up farm equipment before it goes back to work.

- Inspect hydraulic, fuel and electrical systems
- Inspect engine and tires
- Inspect brake system
- Always, follow manufacturer’s instructions for repairs, maintenance and usage

Phew, that's a lot to do! Remember to have a reasonable plan when preforming tasks allowing an approachable conclusion. After completing a task, step back and look at what you have accomplished – a job well done. With your preparations, you have gained the comfort knowing your facility is ready for this wonderful time of year - so now, go enjoy the season with your horse!

Go Green Tips:

Consider rehabilitating your equipment

BEFORE

The old mower will not cut it on the farm. We were given our Snapper over 20 years ago and it has cut our yard in the city ever since but, not without fault. It was refurbished to accommodate the endless hauling tasks around the farm. Hooked with its trailer; cleaning debris, gardening and various odd jobs are made easier.

AFTER

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

Again, the early-morning sun was generous with its warmth. All the sounds dear to a horseman were around me - the snort of the horses as they cleared their throats, the gentle swish of their tails, the tinkle of irons as we flung the saddles over their backs - little sounds of no importance, but they stay in the unconscious library of memory.
Wynford Vaughan-Thomas

Horse Boarder Checklist - Writing on the Stall

2009-04-09T14:38:00.019-04:00

Horse Boarder Checklist

After being under the blanket of winter and all its hibernating tendencies, I feel like a flower surfacing in the onset of warmth. With the embrace of spring in the air, new found energy and enthusiasm emerges that I left behind somewhere in November. I am eager to spend more time with the horses and look ahead in the direction of the events yet to transpire. We are in the final stages of preparing our home for its sale. The expected date of the long awaited “for sale” sign in the yard is scheduled for April 30. We are all scurrying to finish the “to do list” and finally have it down to just a few minor things – Yeah!

In the meantime, our horses have endured several major changes in the past months and now have adjusted quite well in a different facility. The changes have been a valuable lesson learned for us. Until we move to our farm, our horses are boarded at a public facility. The current property is not the first facility we have experienced with our horses. Gosh, what horror stories they and we have encountered in previous arrangements. With the benefit of hindsight, we realize we did not pay attention to the “writing on the stall” at the other barns.

Many of the properties in our area were similar, and the barns held indicators in common. Whether through business or pleasure, exposure to many properties have allowed me to pay attention to many details. Some gauges can be easily seen and determined in one visit to the facility, but only after concluding a boarding commitment did the care and treatment become apparent, or an unforeseen attitude detected. Locally, even though many equine owners are hungry for a "professional" facility, for some reason, they do not offer any criticism on their experiences with local operations. This leaves the problem for horse owners to endure the "bad" ones before finding the "good".

Having a guide one could use when looking for a boarding facility will aid in this important decision. From our experiences, we designed a checklist consisting of areas requiring attention and questions to ask. It covers an array of elements one should consider and is a handy tool that will enlighten the route, through knowledge, when considering properties. Review the checklist and find the answers to the questions that arise. Be resourceful, it is to the advantage of you and your horse. Answers will avoid problems that will crop up; they are the “writing on the stall”.

Additionally, we designed a website for those dealing with businesses in the equine industry. This site allows one to rate the business based on their personal experiences; anonymously, if preferred. This can be an added tool for the equine owner. Visit ...www.agreenhorse.com and make a comment to help the horses and others.

BOARDER CHECKLIST

The most important factor to consider is your horse. Different horses have different characteristics and requirements. Your horse is the one who will live there - no matter how much time you spend with him or her. Regarding age, health, physical, mental and emotional requirements, experience and history of your equine will serve him/her well.

What type of facility are you interested in?

Your interests and activities should play an important role in your decision making. Housing your horse with others whose owners share common interests creates a sense of cooperation and community.

What expectations do you have?
Management of services varies between individual facilities; understand what you expect and what is expected of you.

A ) GENERAL:

I - Location:

Distance from Home
Distance from Work
Ease of Access during Times of

- Special Events
- Rush Hours
- Emergencies

II - Board:

Monthly Board Cost
Fee Structure Provided for Services
Yearly Board Increase
Other Reoccurring Fees / Charges

III - Business:

How Long in Business
Hours of Operation Posted
Holiday / Special Event Closures
Any Restrictions on Access to Your Horse or the Barn
Does the Barn Cater to Certain Disciplines
Boarder Turnover
Review Policies, Fees, Conditions
Security Deposit Required
Written Contact Available
Notice Requirements to Cancel Contract
Types of Insurance the Barn Carries
Stalls Available vs. Waiting List
Security Provided
Is a Referral List Available

B ) VISIT the FACILITY:

Make Notes of Your First Impression on:

Property Appearance - Inside and Outside
Appearance and Behavior of Horses

- Do they Appear Healthy, Active, Alert and Happy? (In Pastures and Stalls)

Staff
Other Boarders
Assess Peak Hours at the Facility
Ask if You can Take Pictures of the Facility

I) HORSES

1) General:

How are New Horses Acclimated into the Herd?
Quarantine Area for New / Sick Horses
Ask to See the Area
Process for Disinfecting Holding Areas, Barn, Stalls,etc. See...Disinfect Your Barn
How are New Horses Adjusted to Feed / Routine Changes
Does the Barn Supply or Can You Use Your Own Heath Care Professional?
Does Horse Owner Need to be Present?
Who Holds the Horse for these Services?
Fee if Available through Barn

2) Health/Care:

Veterinarian

Vaccination Schedule
Mandatory Negative Coggins Test - Yearly
Other Medical Requirements for Health Record Maintenance
Medication Administered - Fees
Other Specialized Medical Care Offered - Fees
Worming Program
Are Horses Required to be on the Same Schedule

Farrier

Required Schedule

Dentist or Other Professions

Required Schedule

Emergencies

Natural Disaster Evacuation Plan / Posted
Fire Evacuation Plan / Posted
Injured Horse Procedures / Notification
Emergency Transportation Available
Fees for Emergency Care
Release Required Granting the Facility Permission to Acquire Veterinarian Services for Sick or Injured Horses

Additional Care

Blankets / Sheets, Masks, Boots, etc. Service Available - Fees
Grooming, Bathing, Braiding, Clipping, etc. Service Available - Fees
Exercise Service - Fees

II) OWNER/MANAGEMENT/STAFF

Is Anyone on Premises 24 Hours?
Manager Experience / Background
Professionalism / Reliability
Instincts / Attitude / Dedication
Leadership - See ... "Treat with Respect".
Individualized Care / Flexibility
Staff to Horse Ratio - 1 for Every 10 Horses is a Good Rule

III) GENERAL SAFETY

Communication w/ Boarders

- Phones
- Whiteboard / blackboard
- Injury Notification / Emergencies
- Owner / Manager / Staff Phone Numbers Posted

Facility Rules / Restrictions Posted and Enforced
Helmet Requirements
Fire System See ...Fireproof Your Barn

- Sprinklers
- Alarms / Detectors
- Extinguishers- Inspected
- Evacuation Plan / Posted

Pest Control See...Horse Pest Control

- Insect Management Plan
- Visible Rodent, Bird or Other Vermin Problems

Manure Disposal / Procedures

- Storage Process / Area Until Removed from Property

IV) PASTURES / PADDOCKS

Access / Layout
Acreage / Size
Pasture / Horse Ratio - First Horse, 2 Acres and 1 Additional Acre for Every 1 Horse thereafter
Number of Pastures
Rotation of Pastures
Clean of Debris
Holes
Drainage
Soil Type
Quantity and Quality of Grass
Available Water thought out Seasons
Adequate Shelter / Run Ins Available
Amount and Type of Trees / Weeds

- Check for Poisonous Possibilities

Manure Quantity in Pastures / Paddocks

- Harrowing

Frequency of Monitoring Horses
Fencing

- Type
- Safety

V) BARN

Structure and Roof
Maintenance of Facility
Cleanliness / Organization
Evidence of Vermin, Birds or Heavy Insect Infestation / Cob Webs
Free of Debris
Safety
Ventilation

- Air Flow
- Open in Day and Close at Night
- Windows
- Any Odors
- Fans

Natural Sunlight
Safety of Electrical Work
Aisle Flooring

VI) STALLS

Clean and Dry
Odors
Dimensions (12 x 12 is an Adequate Size) - Consider Height
Can Horses Relate to Each Other Through Visual Pathways
Safety
Flooring / Mats
Bedding Type
Mucking Practice / Frequency
Water Availability

- Consider Seasonal Conditions

Feed / Water Buckets Clean
Salt / Mineral Availability
Lighting

- Natural
- Electrical

Evidence of Vermin, Birds or Heavy Insect Infestation / Cob Webs
Tack / Blanket / Saddle Hooks
Routine for Stalling Horses / Turnout

- Leave In / Out on Request?
- Inclement Weather Procedures

Frequency on Monitoring Horses / Night Checks

VII) FEED / HAY

What is the Daily Routine for Supplying Horses Feed / Hay
Feed / Hay Choices Available
Quality
Quantity Offered
Extra Hay Available - Fees

- Can Owner Supply?

Special Diets Administered - Fees
Supplement Care Provided - Fees

VIII) GENERAL AREAS / STORAGE ROOMS

View Feed / Hay / Bedding Storage Areas
Clean and Organized
Evidence of Vermin, Birds or Heavy Insect Infestation / Cob Webs
Food / Drink Facilities
Lounge / Changing Area / Restrooms

- Climate Controlled

Tack Room

- Individual Space
- Lockable

Wash Stall

- Device to Secure Horse
- Hot and Cold Water
- Heated Areas

Tack Cleaning Area
Storage of Combustible Materials
Recycle Options Available
Parking Areas and Accessibility

- Car
- Trailer

Hitching Posts or Other Forms of Securing Horses throughout Property
Trails

- On-site or Nearby (public or private)
- Posted Rules / Guidelines
- Maintenance / Accessibility
- Hazards (Roads, Water, etc)
- Wildlife Precautions (Coyote, Bear, Snake, etc)

IX) EXERCISE / TRAINING RING or ARENA

Rules and Regulations Posted
Size
Lighting - Indoor and Outdoor
Sound System
Flooring / Footing / Maintenance
Proximity to Barn
Mirrors, Jumps, Barrels, Posts, Tires or Other Obstacles You Wish to Use
Instructors / Trainers / Coaches

- Policies
- Disciplines
- Lesson Program / Schedule
- Individual or Group - Fees
- Cancellation Policy
- Are Outside Professionals Permitted

Horse Shows

- Transportation Available - Fees

Grooming, Braiding, Clipping or Other Services - Fees

Tips from the Trail

Try to speak to as many people as you can when visiting the facility. You will gain a sense of the energy and attitudes of that facility.

Talk with your vet, tack/feed store and farrier. Professional opinions often focus on the way the facility operates on a business level. Their information can provide insight to the general well-being of the horses at the facility.

A careful study of the available stables and their methods of operation can result in a healthier horse.

Assess peak facility activity. Take in how the people interact with each other as well as the interactions between the people and when they are with the horses.

Communication is a key element in the relationship between you and the property owner/manager/staff. The importance of understanding the commitments between the two parties for the care of the horse avoids serious issues.

Always keep a copy of what you sign.

Your horse’s new boarding facility will be different for him or her. Changes to their daily routine should be introduced gradually.

Happy Barn Hunting and Good Luck!

On to the future and with the arrival of spring, plans are in place outlining the preparations of the barn for the coming season. Management of a horse property is a major undertaking and dividing the responsibility biannually distributes the labor and streamlines effort. "Winterize Your Horse..." and "Spring Clean Your Barn..." will give a full year regime to prepare and maintain your facility. The heavy cover of winter and the past now lifted, we are moving forward with a new found barn, our big move just around the corner and the beauty of spring – brighter days are ahead!

Gather your spirits and flourish with the season.

Go Green Tips:

Find a local farmer or gardener who will take the manure from your property
If your boarding facility does not recycle, have a plan and present it to the manager. There is great information supplied by your local government. The Public Works Waste Management Division is a great place to start, move on and gather as much knowledge for a creative recycling plan for your facility. Private barns should consider recycling options too

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

Don't be the rider who gallops all night and never sees the horse that is beneath him
Jelaluddin Rumi Alarms

Horse Weight How To

2008-12-17T17:26:00.220-05:00

How to Weigh a Horse

There are many benefits in knowing and monitoring the weight of your horse. Just to name a few, the horse's weight will determine maximum limits for safe trailer hauling, feed rations, and necessary dosage amounts for administering medicine (including worming applications). In addition, regular checking will allow you to screen for continuous gains or rapid drops in weight which could indicate serious health issues. Although calibrated livestock scales are the most accurate way to measure the weight of a horse, their size and cost makes them a unrealistic option for the average horse owner. However, with some simple devices there are relatively straightforward methods in which anyone can perform the task attaining an estimated weight. Weight figures calculated periodically can assist in various ways in making decisions.

Method #1

Height / Weight Tape Measure:

This is probably the most common technique used today to estimate a horse’s weight. These tape measures have been available on the market for a number of years and most find them reasonably close to an accurate weight.

The horse should stand square on level ground with head upright
Drop the weight tape over the horses back from the base of its withers draping one end of the tape over each side of the horse
Adjust the tape end (opposite your standing side) making its length hang beyond the horse’s belly
Bring the tape underneath the horse just behind its elbow and foreleg (horse’s circumference)
Join the two ends of the tape together and pull it tight enough to depress the flesh slightly
Take the reading where the tip of the tape meets the figures (horse’s girth or “heart girth” measurement)

Note: The tape is too far back if when the tape ends meet it forms a vertical line. This will produce an inaccurate reading. Aim for a slightly back slash angled line ( / ) (Figure 1). It is hard to make an equine measure up the same every time. Take a few measurements and average the readings

Figure 1

Notice the tape measure runs at an angle

Method #2

Standard Cloth Tape Measure in Inches and a Formula:

Using this method requires a few steps and a formula applied to the values collected

Step #1

The horse should stand square on level ground with head upright
Drop the weight tape over the horses back from the base of its withers draping one end of the tape over each side of the horse
Adjust the tape end (opposite your standing side) making its length hang beyond the horse’s belly
Bring the tape underneath the horse just behind its elbow and foreleg (horse’s circumference)
Join the two ends of the tape together and pull it tight enough to depress the flesh slightly. Take the reading where the tip of the tape meets the figures (horse’s girth or “heart girth” measurement) (Figure 2, distance C)

Note: The tape is too far back if when the tape ends meet it forms a vertical line. This will produce an inaccurate reading. Aim for a slightly back slash angled line ( / ) (Figure 2, line C). It is hard to make an equine measure up the same every time. Take a few measurements and average the readings

Step #2

Measure the length of the horse by placing the tape at the point of the shoulder and run it along his body to the point of the croup (hip) (Figure 2, distance A to B)
The tape should either follow the contours of the horse's body for this measurement or simply be held taut and in place from one point to the next. Notice the tape measure does not run straight from end to end, but in an upward angle (Figure 2, distance A to B)

Step #3

Using the values obtained in steps 1 and 2, calculate the weight by applying the following formula:

Heart girth x Heart girth x length
divide this number by 300
then add 50

This method will give results of plus or minus 3%

Figure 2

Notice the angles in the placement of the measuring tape

Example:
If the Heart Girth is 72” and the Length is 66” the following example shows the process of calculating a result.

72” x 72” x 66” = 342,144

Divide 342,144 by 300 = 1140.48

Then 1140.48 + 50 = 1190.48 lbs

Method #3

Standard Cloth Tape Measure in Inches:

The horse should stand square on level ground with head upright
Drop the weight tape over the horses back from the base of its withers draping one end of the tape over each side of the horse
Adjust the tape end (opposite your standing side) making its length hang beyond the horse’s belly
Bring the tape underneath the horse just behind its elbow and foreleg (horse’s circumference)
Join the two ends of the tape together and pull it tight enough to depress the flesh slightly. Take the reading where the tip of the tape meets the figures (horse’s girth or “heart girth” measurement)

The following chart has already calculated the weight. This method is probably the least accurate of the three, while understanding this, it can be a quick guide used for comparing results from the other two methods. This chart copied or printed can be kept in your barn, grooming kit or any other convenient location.

All these methods will give a good practical estimation of the “average” horse’s weight through practice and observation. Only a calibrated livestock scale will give you accuracy. However, if the methods mentioned herein are used in a consistent manner they can produce records for monitoring the weight of a horse. Weight tapes tend to be more accurate when used on an average horse of ideal/ good body condition score.

Estimating the weight of "nonstandard" horses using tape measures may be difficult and the accuracy of the results become less reliable if the horse's relative body proportions vary too much from the "average". The above mentioned methods fall within the average guidelines, but as we know, all horses are individuals, and factors must be considered where circumstances will likely reflect a deceptive weight measurement. Foals or young growing horses change regularly with time. Also, a horse that is very fit or unfit, has an unusual conformation, or whose body condition score is higher or lower than ideal are situations where inconsistent qualities can arise.

Whichever method you choose (after possibly trying all three), remain regular and consistent each time you measure. Always follow a set procedure to perform your readings and computations, and keep such parameters as time of day, weather, exercise and feeding sequences as consistent as you can. Overtime, the data collected on estimated weight will be a constructive indicator of occurrences and an effective record for monitoring purposes.

Go Green Tips:

Replace regular light bulbs with florescent bulbs

Place lighting fixtures along the front or side walls vs. overhead to decrease shadows in the stall

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

A horse gallops with his lung
Perseveres with his heart,
and wins with his character
Tesio

Horse Height How To

2008-12-14T14:19:00.151-05:00

How to Measure the Height of a Horse

History of the "Hand" Measurement

A hand or handbreadth is a unit of length measurement originally based on the breadth of a male hand. In ancient cultures, measuring units developed based upon references people of the time could relate to, such as body parts (e.g., hand, foot). History suggest about 5000 years ago, the procedure of "hand" measurement was as rudimentary as stacking a man’s clenched fist one upon another. It is believed the “hand” measurement was four fingers wide at one point in time, and at others, it was four fingers and a thumb wide. This tells us it was rather rough, inaccurate and inconsistent.

Requiring a uniform dimension, around 3000 BC the Egyptians standardized the “hand” measurement. Five digits equaled a hand and four digits, a palm (Figure 1). Because of the enormous influence of the Egyptian culture, use of this system migrated to other cultures and countries. This form of measurement was not a planned system. It evolved, growing out of custom and popular usage and at some point in time, horse owners and traders agreed to do business with the “hand” standardized at 4 inches.

Figure 1

Some History Tidbits on Linear Measurement:

While the Romans occupied Britain from 43 AD until 410 AD they introduced the mile of 5000 feet (1000 paces) or double steps, the pace being equal to five Roman feet.

During the 10th Century, Saxon King Edgar and Henry 1 established the distance from the nose tip to the outstretched thumb to equal one yard.

Edward 1, during the 13th Century by decree standardized a long list of measures:
3 grains of barley = 1 inch
12 inches = 1 foot
3 feet = 1 yard
5 ½ yards = 1 rod
The rod equaled the combined total length of the left feet of the first 16 men leaving church on Sunday.
40 rods x 4 rods = 1 acre
The acre equaled the amount of land one man with an ox could work in one day.

During her reign from 1558 to 1603, Queen Elizabeth I changed, by statute, the Roman mile from 5000 feet to 5280 feet or 8 furlongs, a furlong being 40 rod (unit)s of 5 ½ yards each.

The "Hand" Measurement Today

The “hand” has become a tradition of measurement in several different countries, including the USA, Australia and the UK in the determination of height for ponies, horses and other equines. This form of measurement is accurate to one inch, still not precise, but a habit with thousands of years behind the system, it is doubtful it will change. The highest point of a horse is the top of its head (poll), but since a horse can move its head up and down making it impossible to take a true measurement, the withers are used. The height of a horse is measured in a vertical line from level ground to the highest point of the withers (Figure 2).

Figure 2

Lets Measure ‘Em Up

There are several different methods available to measure the height of a horse. While certain aspects are similar, variations lie within the equipment used.

The horse should stand squarely on all four feet and on level ground (i.e. concrete, plywood or dry level earth).

It is hard to make an equine measure up the same every time. Take a few measurements and average the readings.

Measuring should be done when the animals hooves are freshly trimmed, or at least of proper length. Long toes and the addition of shoes can add to a height.

Have all the equipment needed lying on the ground close to horse.

Equipment Variables:

Metal or Cloth Tape:

Use a measuring tape; calculate the inches from the ground to the highest point of the horse's withers (Figure 2, A to B). An easy indicator to locate the highest point of the withers - lay an edible treat on the ground in front of the animal. When it puts its head down to eat the goody, look at the shoulders. The part of the shoulder that protrudes the highest is the point of the withers to extend the measuring tape.

Place measuring tape on ground from the “zero” end and hold in place with the tip of your boot, block of wood, brick etc. Pull the tape up to the highest point on your horse’s withers making sure the tape measure is perpendicular to the ground keeping it at the same distance all the way – do not pull the tape measure to meet the horse’s withers. The tape measure should be about 1 - 2 feet away from your horse’s withers. Use a carpenter’s level and place it on the horse’s withers to meet the tape measure. Embedded in the middle of the level is a small window where the bubble and the tube is mounted (vial). Two notches (or rings) designate where the bubble should be if the surface is level. Once level, read the measurement. A carpenter’s level gives you a more accurate reading, but any flat surface will work like a small piece of wood, crop, yardstick, etc.

Carpenter’s Level:

Calculating the Results:

Convert the measurement from inches to hands. One hand is equal to 4 inches, so divide the height in inches by 4. Example, if the horse measures 60 inches, divide by 4 and the correct measurement is 15h (“h” stands for hands) or 15hh (“hh” stands for hands high).

If the horse measures 62 inches, divide by 4 and you will get 15.50. Remembering a hand is 4 inches, the fraction .50 is two equal quarters of 4 or simply “2”. In horseman's terms, this equates to 15 hands, 2 inches.

When written correctly, the number before the period is the number of whole hands and the number after the period is the remaining number of inches. The number after the period is not a fraction – it is inches. The acceptable language of the measurement when spoken is to say either, "15.2 hands," “15.2 hands high” or simply "fifteen-two."

If your original measurement from the tape is a fraction of an inch i.e. 60 ½”, some people will incorporate them into the height of the equine, but by standards most do not. So, round ½“ measurements or any fractions below that down to the closest whole inch and round fractions above ½ “ up to the next whole inch.

For those wishing to use metric, 4 inches equals 10.16 centimeters.

The following link will do the conversion for you.

http://www.onlineconversion.com/horse_height.htm

The following measuring devices are convenient for measuring the height of equines. Hand and inch measurements are already marked on them giving the measurements easily.

Rigid Poles with Short Cross Bars:

Special Equine Height/Weight Tape Measure:

See...How to Weigh Your Horse

Some Equine Height Tidbits:

A pony will measure up to 14.2hh (58’) and anything above 14.2hh is classified as a horse. However, breed characteristics also play a role in defining animals as horses or ponies. In the United States, ponies in some classes of show competition are sometimes further subdivided into sections, depending on height:

Small pony: 12.2hh or smaller

Medium Pony: taller than 12.2hh up to 13.2hh
Large Pony: taller than 13.2hh, but shorter than 14.2hh

In Australia, ponies measure under 14hh and horses that measure from 14hh to 15hh are known as a Galloway.

A miniature horse is shorter than 9.2hh or 8.2hh, depending on the registry.

As of April 2008, Thumbelina is the world’s smallest horse standing at 4.1hh and the world’s tallest is Noddy standing 20.1 hands and said to be still growing.

For FEI and USEF competition in the United States, a horse can be measured with shoes on or off, but in the United Kingdom, the JMB requires shoes to be removed for measurements.

Tips from the Trail:

Some people in the industry say that if you measure an equine after the age of 2 years from the elbow to ergot, multiply the number by two, and then add the measurement from the ergot to the ground it will produce the adult height of the equine when completely grown.

Go Green Tips:

Cut down your purchases and waste:

Borrow from barn mates when you only need something temporarily, ask if they would loan it to you or give you some if it is a disposable item - repay them by a similar gesture
Share with barn mates things like books, magazines, movies, games, newspapers , shampoos, conditioners and other products that are not individual to a horse - i.e tack, grooming tools, etc

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

A horse is poetry in motion
Author Unknown

Horse Body Condition Scoring System

2008-12-09T19:58:00.114-05:00

HORSE BODY CONDITIONS

Remember Goldilocks and the Tree Bears?

Find the Right Score that Fits Your Horse

Horse Body Condition Scoring System

What is It?

Statistically more and more people are becoming conscious of their health and the importance food and exercise play in attaining a long healthy life. For a long time, I have been among those continuing to make efforts to improve the health and longevity of my family members, including our pets. I have devoted a lot of effort to applying concepts of proper balance with a routine exercise program, and the appropriate foods and portions they consume in their diet.

A moderate body condition with well balanced composition ratios is vital to one’s well being: despite the gene pool and early life conditions we were dealt with, maintaining it in maturity lies solely in the individual’s hands. No matter the race, sex or age, there is an abundant of shapes and sizes in the world and we have indefinite words describing the many forms (fat, skinny, looks good, looks bad, etc), which leave differences in interpretation. These circumstances of imprecise, subjective physical descriptions are relevant to properly assessing the body condition of a horse as well. Considering this concern, Dr. Don Henneke during his tenure at A&M University, developed a simple and consistent method of evaluating a horse’s body condition. His standardized scoring system is an objective method widely accepted in the equine industry and additionally in the courts of law in prosecuting cruelty cases. Today, an individual has a standard management tool through Dr. Henneke’s scoring system to assess relative body fat in horses.

The Body Condition Score (BCS) system is the process of analyzing set positions on the horse and then assigning a score of 1 (extremely emaciated) to 9 (extremely fat) for a particular body condition following certain descriptive criteria. The system is based on visual appraisal (what the horse looks like) and manual palpation (what the horse feels like) of fat cover on six set areas of the horse’s body. The BCS system evaluates only the amount of body fat covering skeletal markers on the six locations, not quality or conformation of the horse. However, just as with humans, there are variables amongst horses to reflect on while making the evaluation. The final score could possibly be altered if these variables are not considered. You need to analyze the “total” horse and take into account its individual differences to reach a score accurately.

Considerations

Considering the individual situation of the horse, do not disregard its differences from typical body types. Instead make concessions for them or the criteria within each score may be difficult to apply. Because of unique contours in horses, visual inspection maybe misleading in determining the actual situation. Recommendations to eliminate misinterpretation of decisive factors from the visual appraisal include issues such as prominent withers, weak top lines, injuries, and so forth. Next, consider external and internal factors that can impact appearance. Skeletal landmarks can be obscured by dirt, lighting, a winter coat, or just the way the horse is standing. Also, you must give appropriate regard to the changing conformation throughout the gestation period of pregnant mares. Additionally, a horse may look extended or condensed due to digestive contents, but the prominence of the skeleton will not change upon a closer palpation inspection.

Now, is it muscle or fat? The intensity of exercise will affect conformation. When examining a horse visually or by palpation, it is easily determined if the horse is extremely malnourished. Obviously, under conditions of malnourishment, fat content may have been significantly reduced, but with some horses, observation points like the hindquarters, shoulders, and around the tailhead can have unusual formations of muscle mass where fat may normally collect. Fat feels soft and spongy to the touch and muscle is hard and firm. A little practice with palpitation will allow the evaluation to easily differentiate between the two. When horses are difficult to evaluate visually, the amount of body fat in relation to musculature must be determined by feel. In all these described instances, as well as the remaining sites in the BCS diagram, the need of additional emphasis placed on palpation and visual evaluation is required. Score a horse according to its individual characteristics using both visual and palpation exams.

The Ideal Score

There is no doubt that you are what you eat and supplying the correct nutritional needs to your horse is essential to their overall health. Maintaining a healthy diet and exercise program is key to achieving the ideal body score between 5 to 7 for horses. These optimum scores exemplify a horse to have an appropriate fat reserve. Fat is stored energy. These reserves are energy to utilize when necessary, notably in stressful situations. The horse scoring a 3 or below will have practically to absolutely no fat reserve and will make use of vital protein from muscle for energy exacerbate. The deficiencies in their suboptimal condition even more. On the other hand, a score of 8 or above demonstrates an excess of fat that impacts the body adversely by weakening its normal efficiency causing a cascade of events also. These extreme cases are opposite ends of the spectrum and both have pressing issues, but the first more imminent and requires immediate attention.

Descriptions of the nine condition scores each have distinctive characteristics. The ideal median score for a horse is 5, which requires a visual and palpation examination, but the extremes, below 4 and above 7, are noticeable by just a visual evaluation. Still a palpation exam will be necessary to obtain an accurate score. Pictures of extreme cases are numerous all over the internet, especially in cruelty cases with scores below 4. A horse allowed to reach score 3 or below is an unjustifiable wickedness. Posting pictures of this malice is not the purpose of this blog, but if you are aware of horses suffering in this manner, notify authorities immediately. Horses above a score of 7 are not healthy either and the lasting effects can be detrimental. The owner needs to take action to rectify the problem as soon as possible.

Put the System to Work

As a horse gains weight, fat lays down in predictable patterns. First, it will cover to protect vital organs and then it forms in other sections of the body. BCS assigns a numerical value to fat deposition in six areas. Some people have added areas to Dr. Henneke’s original six, but only Dr. Henneke’s areas will be visited here (Figure 1):

A) crest of the neck
B) along the withers
C) crease down the back (loin)
D) at the tailhead, rump
E) over the ribs at mid-barrel
F) behind the shoulder

Figure 1

Evaluate and score each area individually through direct observation and manual palpation. Press each of the six parts of the horse using physical contact and moderate pressure with your hands rating each area. Press with your hand holding it flat, fingers together, feel the reference points, and notice the fat coverings. Be firm and gentle. Both gestures are necessary to score a horse properly. Continue this process on the other side of your horse and see if your observations are consistent. Assign the numerical score to each part of the horse from visual and manual exams that correspond with its condition (Figure 2). Compare the results and total the six numbers you have collected and divide by six giving a resulting number, which is the horse’s rating score on the Henneke Body Scoring Condition Chart.

Figure 2

Score 1: Poor

Horse is extremely emaciated with no fatty tissue felt

Neck – bone structure is easily visible
Withers - bone structure is easily visible
Loin – spinous processes project prominently, also in the hip joints and lower pelvic bones
Tailhead - spinous processes project prominently
Ribs – bones project prominently
Shoulder – bone structure is easily visible

Score 2: Very Thin

Horse is emaciated with slight fat tissue covering over base of spinous processes

Neck – bone structure is faintly discernible
Withers - bone structure is faintly discernible
Loin – transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae feel rounded
Tailhead - spinous processes prominent, also in the hip joints and lower pelvic bones
Ribs – very little fat cover with bones easily discernible
Shoulder – bone structure is faintly discernible

Score 3: Thin

Neck – bone structure is accentuated
Withers - bone structure is accentuated
Loin – fat buildup halfway on spinous processes but easily visible; transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae cannot be felt
Tailhead – prominent, but individual vertebrae cannot be identified visually, also the hip joints appear rounded but easily discernible and lower pelvic bones are not distinguishable
Ribs –slight fat cover with bones easily discernible
Shoulder – bone structure is accentuated

Score 4: Moderately Thin

Neck – not obviously thin
Withers – not obviously thin
Loin – slight ridge or negative crease
Tailhead – prominent depending on conformation, fat can be felt; hip joints not discernible
Ribs – faint outline of ribs discernible
Shoulders - not obviously thin

Score 5: Moderate

Neck – blend smoothly into body
Withers – appear rounded over spinous processes
Loin – back is flat/level with no crease or ridge
Tailhead – fat beginning to feel spongy
Ribs – not visually distinguishable, but easily felt
Shoulders - blend smoothly into body

Score 6: Moderately Fleshy

Neck – fat deposits beginning to form
Withers – fat deposits beginning to form
Loin – may have slight/positive crease
Tailhead – fat feels soft
Ribs – fat over ribs spongy
Shoulders - fat deposits beginning to form

Score 7: Fleshy

Neck – fat deposits
Withers – fat deposits
Loin – may have slight/positive crease down back
Tailhead – fat feels soft
Ribs – noticeable filling between ribs with fat, but ribs can be felt
Shoulders - fat deposits

Score 8: Fat

Neck – noticeable thickening of neck and fat deposits along inner thighs
Withers – filled with fat
Loin – positive crease down back
Tailhead – fat feels very soft
Ribs – difficult to feel ribs
Shoulders - filled with fat

Score 9: Extremely Fat

Neck – bulging fat and inner thighs may rub together
Withers – bulging fat
Loin – obvious positive crease down back
Tailhead – bulging fat
Ribs – patchy fat appearing and flank area filled with fat
Shoulders - bulging fat

Now What?

It is important to achieve and maintain a proper body condition in your horse. BCS is a clue to its overall health. It may be a more reliable indicator of nutritional status than live weight scales because BCS measures the balance between intake and expenditure of energy giving you an accurate evaluation to make adjustments in the horse’s diet, exercise and other programs. Body condition directly relates to the way a horse functions and there are factors that influence the horse’s body condition.

Following are some areas that may influence the horse’s body condition and here is where you will make the changes necessary to reach the ideal score for your horse:

Availability and amount of food and water
Reproduction Status
Weather Changes
Activity Demands
Parasite Load
Dental Abnormalities

Condition score is a helpful tool in determining the amount and type of forage, concentrate and supplement needed. Depending upon the area(s), adjust your programs slowly. To adjust scores safely either upward or downward, the regulation of energy intake is extremely important. Adjust feeding program to ensure adequate energy intake from a forage-based diet. For horses with a BCS below 5, provide higher quality forages and/or higher levels of energy supplements balanced with protein to increase weight or improve condition score. Research has shown that increasing or decreasing energy intake by 10 to 15 percent above or below the animal’s requirement will result in weight gain or loss and an appropriate adjustment in the condition score. This can be accomplished by increasing or decreasing the grain (concentrate) portion of the diet by 20 percent to move either up or down one condition score within a 2-week period (Ott and Asquith). For the obese horse that is maintained on pasture only, the horse may need to be put on dry lot part of the day to decrease its intake. An easy keeper on solely a hay diet and still carrying too much weight may benefit from more mature hay. This will provide the fill needed by the digestive tract while reducing caloric intake. Other than addressing intake, increasing the horse’s exercise program can also help with shedding added pounds. Always, provide horses with mineral supplements and free-choice seaweed meal year-round and control disease and parasites by developing an appropriate health program (consult your veterinarian). See... Spring Clean Your Barn, Disinfect Your Barn, Pest Control and Pest Control B.

BCS with a little time and practice can be used by anyone, anywhere at anytime. Under “normal” circumstances, perform BCS on a regular basis and hopefully with a regulated diet, exercise program and regular medical exams both you and your horse can enjoy a long healthy life.

Go Green Tips:

Fresh fruits and vegetables fed to your horse as treats are healthy alternatives for him
Add water to your horse's daily feedings, mix well until water is absorbed; fermentation occurs outside instead of inside the digestive system. Moisturizing helps reduce the amounts of dropped feed when eating too!

Any Go Green Ideas?

Email us: info@agreenhorse.com

My horse's feet are as swift as rolling thunder
He carries me away from all my fears
And when the world threatens to fall asunder
His mane is there to wipe away my tears.

Bonnie Lewis