Small Farm Makeover Archives – The Northwest Horse Source

Small Farm Makeover: Storage Tips for Barn Managers

November 25, 2024November 14, 2024 by Alayne Blickle

Blanket hooks numbered corresponding to stall numbers. Photo Courtesy Alayne Blickle.

Keeping Barns Organized and Clutter-Free Aids Safety and Sanity Norma Stein has ridden and owned horses for over 50 years. She started out in hunters and transitioned to eventing, eventually spending most of her years in dressage. Now she thinks of herself as “a retired dressage rider who trail rides …

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Small Farm Makeover: Rodent Control on Horse Properties

October 10, 2024 by Alayne Blickle

Barn Owl Box. Photo Courtesy Alayne Blickle.

Consider Natural Solutions Fall is a good time to consider rodent control plans as that’s when mice and rats really start showing up in our barns looking for a warm, dry place to hang out for the winter. Rodents are probably one of the toughest challenges to deal with on …

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Small Farm Makeover: Climate Change and Horse Keeping

July 29, 2024July 8, 2024 by Alayne Blickle

Photo Credit Alayne Blickle

Simple Ways to Make a Difference When it comes to climate change, many feel that things are beyond our control—that we are living on a planet rocketing towards a brave new world of environmental change. While this is true in part, there still are several simple practices we horse owners …

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Small Farm Makeover: 10 Tips to Keep Flying Pests at Bay – Naturally!

June 17, 2024 by Alayne Blickle

Swallow box with nesting Violet Green Swallows. Photo Courtesy Alayne Blickle.

Biting Insects Can Lead to Serious Health Problems in Horses and Humans Ahh, summer… the long days, the sun and warmth. The season is wonderful in so many ways, except when it comes to those annoying bugs. Flies, gnats, and mosquitoes can make our horses’ lives miserable (ours too), and …

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Small Farm Makeover: Fencing Horse Properties

April 12, 2024 by Kim Roe

Photos Courtesy Kim Roe

Keep Your Equines Safe and Where They Belong Few things are more important on a horse property than good fencing. Well-constructed, safe, effective fences give you the peace of mind to know your horses will stay home and add value to your property. Fencing represents a huge financial outlay, so …

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Small Farm Makeover: Free and Natural Insect Control

March 26, 2024 by Alayne Blickle

Image Courtesy Alayne Blickle.

Free and Natural Insect Control One of my favorite times of year is the March/April time frame when swallows begin returning to the Pacific Northwest. These vivacious little birds overwinter in Central America and return to North America in time for the spring nesting season. These pretty little birds provide …

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Small Farm Makeover: Winter Preparedness on Horse Properties – Part 2 of 2

November 30, 2023November 25, 2023 by Alayne Blickle

Photo Courtesy Alayne Blickle

Take Winter by Storm! The dead of winter and early spring are times for damaging, dangerous storms in North America. Making chore efficiency updates on your horse property and having backup supplies on hand is helpful for getting through the most challenging time of the year for horse owners–and it …

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Small Farm Makeover: 3 Steps to Prepare for Disasters

June 13, 2023May 26, 2023 by Heather Kitchen

Make sure your horses are practiced and comfortable loading and hauling before an emergency arrives.

Be Organized for Action in Case of an Emergency Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere, and it’s in your best interest to be prepared in advance. There are three primary focus areas that can assist you in preparing: build a kit, make a plan, and stay informed. These three practices can …

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Small Farm Makeover: Spring Cleaning Tips

June 13, 2023April 24, 2023 by Alayne Blickle

Early spring is a good time to hang nest boxes. Photo Courtesy Alayne Blickle

Get Ready for the Busy Season Ahead! Earth Day is just around the corner on Saturday, April 20, 2023. In some parts of the country, daffodils are poking their heads up and may even be blooming. That means now is the time to get things done around your horse property …

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Small Farm Makeover – Horizon Structures Presents Series: Fire Safety in the Barn

June 13, 2023February 21, 2023 by Nikki Alvin-Smith

Photo courtesy of Horizon Structures.

Overlooked Farm Practices Can Be Dangerous Fire safety in the barn often involves common concerns such as moisture content of hay and its storage, providing evacuation plans and emergency services contact numbers, 24/7 illuminated exit signs, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, removal of cobwebs from light fixtures, no smoking signs, keeping …

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Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

Thank you for supporting the businesses that support The Northwest Horse Source

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