Small Farm Makeover Archives – Page 3 of 10

Rediscover the Treasure of Horses – Take a Break from Farm Chores to Enjoy this Inspiring Read

March 7, 2021 by Alayne Blickle

“Horses are workmen, athletes, adventurers, accomplices. How they look is inessential. But how they go, how they are—in other words, who they are—is what makes any horse beautiful.” – Sarah Maslin Nir It may be surprising to some to learn that today there are over seven million horses in …

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The Scoop on Gravel – Footing Choices for Mud-Free Paddocks

September 26, 2024February 1, 2021 by Kim Roe

Photo by Kim Roe

I live in a river valley in the Pacific Northwest. With annual rainfall amounts close to 50 inches per year and clay soil on my farm, I’ve spent much of the 30 years I’ve lived here perfecting mud control. I’m often asked about the best footing choices for sacrifice areas. …

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Keep Your Confined Horses Happier

January 1, 2021 by Alayne Blickle

Locate your confinement area so your horse will have interaction and stimulus from the world around them. Photo by Kim Roe

Winter can be a challenging time for riders and our horses. Shorter days with inclement weather can make finding time to ride a challenge. Horses confined in paddocks or dry lots during winter still need something to do. Increasing turnout time, allowing social interactions between horses, and providing sufficient forage …

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The Biology of Aging Horses – Aging Begins in the DNA

December 1, 2020 by Michael Hipp

Aging is a mystery to science. We know that we age, we know how we age, but we don’t know why we age. The answer to that question would unlock some of geriatric medicine’s most puzzling dilemmas. Before I entered university as a student, I had a particular interest in …

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Build Your Own Permanent Mounting Block – A Simple and Essential Fixture for Riding Facilities

November 2, 2020November 1, 2020 by Alayne Blickle

Helyn, Jasper & the new mounting block. Photo from Alayne Blickle

I discovered the joys of a “real” mounting block about ten years ago when I tore my right anterior cruciate ligament and several other key ligaments that stabilized that knee joint. After the requisite surgery, my wait to get back on my horse was going to be six or more …

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Take Advantage of the Fall Rains – Capture this Precious Resource in Case of an Emergency By Michael Hipp

October 3, 2020 by Michael Hipp

Fall in the Pacific Northwest is a beautiful time in many ways. We can take long drives through the Cascades to see the colorful trees in all their splendor, enjoy cool evenings and sunny days, harvest time on the farm, and increasing rains. Did I say the increasing rains of …

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Footing Options for Confinement Areas – Gravel, Sand, and Hog Fuel are the Most Common Choices

September 4, 2020 by Alayne Blickle

Gravel works well particularly in wetter conditions or with more organic soils. Photo by Kim Roe

Footing is an important consideration for confinement areas. Using some type of footing, at least in the high traffic areas, will reduce mud by keeping your horse off the soil surface and avoiding erosion. Less mud equals less chance of nutrients and sediments running off and polluting surface waters, too. …

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Small Farm Makeover: Natural Solutions for Insect Control

August 5, 2020April 4, 2020 by Alayne Blickle

Swallows Eat Thousands of Flies and Mosquitoes Daily by Alayne Blickle Horse people love spring, but what gives us great hope of summer being just around the corner is the return of swallows to North America. Depending on where you live, you should begin seeing swallows in March and …

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Installing Rubber Stall Mats – A Case Study

August 5, 2020March 1, 2020 by Alayne Blickle

Photo by Alayne Blickle.

Rubber stall mats are the gold standard in horse stall flooring. Unfortunately, they’re so cumbersome in size and shape, they can be a struggle to place perfectly in a stall. If not perfect, they end up working themselves loose, twisting, turning and creating hassles. Anita Medina and her two horses …

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Small Farm Makeover: Winter Preparedness on Horse Properties

August 5, 2020November 1, 2019 by Alayne Blickle

Increase Chore Efficiency for an Easier Winter by Alayne Blickle, Horses for Clean Water 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, and it may help you avoid disasters when winter storms …

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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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