Trail Obstacles Produce Training Opportunities for Horses and Riders Trail courses have many benefits. Primarily, they create interest for horses and riders and provide positive training opportunities. They can also be beneficial for the natural environment around us. Landscaping a trail course with a few native plants or a pollinator … Read More
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 … Read More
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 … Read More
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 … Read More
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 … Read More
Fall Chore Efficiency Farmers and ranchers know the drill well—they use late summer and early fall to do their prep work for winter. Horse owners can take notes from our older and bigger cousins and do the same, as fall is the right time to get things done! Cooler temperatures … Read More
Correctly Managing Manure Doesn’t Need to be Difficult or Expensive There are many reasons why a mismanaged manure pile is a problem—from chore inefficiency to horse health issues (horses allowed to graze near their own manure are quickly reinfested by larva that hatch from worm eggs shed in manure), to … Read More
Considerations for Building and Locating a Sacrifice Area on Your Farm Probably the most important aspect of managing pastures is the time when you take your horses off your pasture. You can greatly improve the health and productivity of your pastures by creating and using a winter paddock or confinement … Read More
