How equine owners can choose a manure spreader that fits the bill

 

Good thing I didn't write this article when spring officially started. March just didn't feel like spring...

Garage sales are now in full swing and people are cleaning, but one of the easiest spring cleaning areas to forget is your computer. Your poor computer has been quietly toiling away all winter – now it needs a break and a clean-up.

1. With all those little fans running in your computer, it becomes an expensive air filter. Each year, it is important to open the case of your computer and carefully vacuum out any dust. You may be shocked to see how much has accumulated. Turn OFF the computer first and vacuum very carefully, so as to not touch any components. You can also used compressed air to blow away the dust, but I'd suggest taking it outside first.

2. Check your hard drive. With Windows XP & Vista, the classic ScanDisk and Defrag steps are not nearly as important as they used to be, but still worth doing once per year. Open My Computer, right-click on your C: drive, select Properties and you will see the Tools tab. Scandisk and Defrag are located on this tab. Click on one to get started and let the computer walk you through the rest. Be aware: these processes will take some time. (Note: these processes are generally not required for Macintosh computers.)

3. Update your antivirus and antispyware programs. It is amazing how many people let this area slide. There are several free antivirus solutions - check out http://free.grisoft.com. For spyware, visit www.download.com and search for Spybot Search & Destroy.

4. Clean up your temporary Internet files. In any Internet Explorer window, click on Tools > Internet Options. Under the General tab in the section on Temporary Internet Files, you'll see the options to Delete Files and Delete Cookies. This will clean up old 'cookies' and give your browsing a clean slate. Actually, you could do this once a month. If you use something other than Internet Explorer, such as Safari or Firefox, the names of the tabs might be different, but the process is pretty much the same.

Just a few minutes doing some spring cleaning will be well worth your time, and your computer will be better for it.

http://www.nwhorsesource.com/images/stories/0310_OE_scratchingb.jpg Practical steps to help your horses get along

A harmonious pasture comes from having compatible mates so make sure you follow some simple rules to develop this situation.

There should be enough room in the pasture to allow you to place you hay in several piles. This prevents horses who are lower in the pecking order from being driven away from the food by others. Put out seven piles of hay for six horses, for example, and make sure you give enough food so that your horses won't fight over the food.


There is a pecking order that develops in any group of horses and it is always going to have a horse on the bottom. This is fine as long as that horse isn't getting injured. If you find the lowest horse is getting injured you may have to rearrange your horses.

If you have a gelding that thinks they are a stud you shouldn't place this type of a horse in with any mares. This doesn't mean that you can't ever mix mares and geldings; rather the geldings that exhibit sexual behaviour towards the mares should be kept separate. This sexually aggressive behaviour can be reduced with medications if you have no other place to put these horses. You can identify this behaviour if gelding puts their head down to try to hear the mares or you.



Introducing new horses to the pasture should be a slow process. It is a good idea to start by hand introducing a horse over the fence provided you have the facilities and safe fencing. Also, one idea to try is placing a new arrival in a paddock with a proposed pasture mate. For example is you have horses A, B and C out to pasture and you want to add D then you can first place D and C together before adding B and A. This way D won't be treated so badly. Of course, you need to keep in mind the existing pecking order when choosing which one to introduce first.

If your facilities mean you must place a new horse in pasture with others because you have no choice then you should at least have a pasture that is big enough to allow the horse to get away if needed. It can't be stressed enough that you should make sure you have safe fences; this is the most important factor.



Although most of the time horses will get along when they are first introduced it is a good idea introduce new horses early in the day so that you can monitor them during the daylight hours in case something goes wrong. That way you can keep an eye on the pasture during the day.

About the Author:
For a free report on “How to Improve Your Riding” see Theresa’s Horse Aficianado blog at www.horseridingblankets.com/blog and have fun with other horse lovers

Originally published on ArticlesBase.com: Compatible Horses - Practical Steps to Help Your Horses Get Along (link to http://www.articlesbase.com/equestrian-articles/compatible-horses-practical-steps-to-help-your-horses-get-along-1317071.html )
http://www.articlesbase.com/authors/theresa-truscott/253124.htm )

Consider your options when purchasing horse stalls

In all of the articles I’ve written about horse gear I’ve reminded the reader that you are likely going to get what you're willing to pay for. This holds true for stalls. It’s possible to spend too little when purchasing stalls, but it’s also possible to spend more than is necessary.

Choosing Components
Stalls are sold in components. This means that you buy as many fronts, sides and backs as you need. It might seem to be elementary, but draw a map of your intended installation.

I can think of several instances in which customers were prepared to order more pieces than necessary. If, for example, you set up stalls side by side, you will be sharing one side between the stalls. That means that one of the two stalls will be four pieces and one will be three. Fairgrounds will often set up a row of stalls with another row behind it so the backs of the stalls are used jointly by the two rows. Drawing a map and counting all of the parts will ensure that you are not over-ordering.

Regarding the parts themselves, you have several options for materials, layout and components. Most people choose stalls that are 12 feet square and 7 feet tall. If you do the math, you’ll see that a 12-foot square stall has almost half again as many square feet as a 10-foot square stall (144 compared to 100). That extra footage is important to a horse.

Comfort and Safety
With most manufacturers, you have a choice of whether you want a stall side or back that is solid, thus keeping horses more isolated from each other, or a side or back that is wood in the bottom four feet and steel bars in the top three feet. The latter allows socialization and greater air flow. Also, lower cost stalls often have three or four horizontal bars across the top three feet of the stall. A safer (though more expensive) design has vertical steel bars placed close enough together to prevent a hoof from getting through. This design has more steel and more labor so it costs more, but horizontal bars are often far enough apart that a horse can conceivably get its foreleg through the space and be injured.

If you want solid sides or backs, the most common design has a steel frame into which you place 2-inch planed lumber on the top and the bottom. These designs are practical in that if a horse kicks out a board, it’s easy to fix.

One can also buy all-steel stalls, but the fact is, horses will sometimes kick the sides of their stalls. While one livestock facility reported no difference in the noise level between steel and wood, I like the wood because I’d rather see the wood break than have the horse injure itself. Steel is not very forgiving.

Some stalls are made with an easily locked front, but if stalls are locked, there is no way for someone without the key to get your horses out in an emergency. I don't recommend locking stalls.


Stall Doors
The most common door has wood on the bottom and vertical steel bars on the top. Dutch doors have a top and bottom that open independently from each other. Personally, I prefer a door hanging on rollers. They open and close easily, and when the door is open it doesn’t plug the alley the way a swinging door does.



A racing door has a partial top with a V shape for the horse to stick its head out. Many stalls have a small feeding door as well so you can place hay or grain in the stall without opening the main door. The feed door should be closed except when feeding. Again, hooves can get caught in the space.

Additional Considerations
You may have to buy connectors separately. If you draw your stall plan, you can see where you will need two-way, three-way or four-way connectors. Be aware also that there are stall-to-wall connectors. They allow you to use an existing wall in your barn as the back or side (or both) of a stall.

Most major livestock equipment manufacturers now make horse shelter systems. This is a roof that can be bolted to the top of the stall. This can be a very handy addition to your stalls if you are using them outdoors, but keep in mind that a horse shelter is not a barn. Shelters cost much less than barns, but you are getting a more lightweight roof. Be aware of issues like snow loads when purchasing shelter roofs.


Remember, you’re buying a product for your horse. Don’t spend more than necessary, but spend enough to get a stall that is safe and comfortable. Find out the gauge of the metal and the weight of the stall. Remember also that you’ll have to buy wood for the stalls after you’ve bought the steel framework. That adds quite a lot to the total cost.

You’re thinking of spending a fairly large sum of money and you owe it to yourself to learn all you can about your options. Ask tough questions. Use the Internet for research. Talk to your local farm store or co-op and find out if they have the information you need. I promise you this: the companies who make stalls and other horse equipment want your business and they have people willing to spend time with you. The answers to your questions are not hard to find. You are entrusted with the care of your horse, and making good decisions in buying stalls is part of that bond. Good Luck!  
Martin Wilke worked for Behlen Country for more than 25 years. Learn more at www.behlencountry.com .