===== M & M HORSE RANCH =====
214-325-3559 SEVEN POINTS, TEXAS 903-432-4163
I HAVE MY NEW HORSE HOME... NOW WHAT?
~~~~~~~~~~ HORSES ARE CREATURES OF HABIT ~~~~~~~~~~
THEY DON'T LIKE SURPRISES AND FEAR THE UNKNOWN.
Your new horse has just left his "herd" and maybe his best buddy.
He's been stuffed into a dark, rattling, giant tin can and transported to parts unknown.
For miles and miles he's heard loud, confusing sounds and seen strange noisy objects and images whiz past him.
At his old home, there was a comfortable, familiar security he felt in the safety of his herd
and he knew his place in the pecking order.
During his long trip he's thinking, "What's happening to me?"
When he steps out (or backs out) of the trailer, his first thought is,
"I don't think this is Kansas anymore."
His second thought is, "Where's my herd? I can't see, hear or smell them!"
It would be natural for him to look around and quickly size up his chances for survival.
At this point, it is important to step up and become a calming, reassuring nurturer.
Pet him on the neck and speak soothingly to him as you lead him to his pen or stall.
Keep as much commotion as you can to a minimum.
Give him fresh hay and fresh water to drink after his trip.
Stay with him awhile. Tell him he's a good boy.
Talk to him and let him know he has a new friend he can trust.
Any gentle one-on-one activity at this time will help to establish a strong bond.
As you begin to brush and groom him daily and bring him his feed, hay and water,
you become his new best friend and companion.
A happy horse needs interaction. He can get it from you when you visit him regularly.
If your time is limited, get him a companion so he won't get bored.
Boredom can lead to vices.
If your horse gets to his new home and doesn't settle down quietly to his new routine,
give him ample time to adjust.
How long? This is different with every horse.
2 minutes, 2 weeks, 2 months... it depends on the horse and the environment.
A horse is a living, feeling individual, not a machine.
He has his own thoughts, wants, desires, needs and preferences just like us.
Horses are very adaptable and they'll thrive on loving kindness ( and horse cookies :)
Horses are "prey" animals, meaning they have been engineered for millennia
to react in a self preservation mode of existence.
Please educate yourself with as much information as you can about how a horse thinks.
If you don't know how to ride well, study books, videos, DVD's or get instruction from a teacher.
Please don't expect the horse to teach you how to ride.
Cowboys make it look really easy!
But there's more to it than saddling up, mounting up and kicking him in the sides.
THE REINS ARE NOT HANDLE BARS!
REMEMBER: A horse shuns pain, either real or perceived.
I have seen far too many people tell me they know how to ride, then once they're mounted
(on my horse), they proceed to pull his mouth off while kicking him in his sides.
This hurts his mouth, sends a conflicting signal and he reacts any way he can to avoid the pain.
The novice rider then blames the horse for being unruly.
The bit is used to gently guide the head.
Once the horse is doing what you lightly asked, release all pressure.
When you add pain and confusion to adjusting to a new environment,
you may have a formula for disaster.
Say "whoa" before you pull on the reins to stop him. And try "kissing" at him before
you tap his sides to go. This gives him a "heads up" as to your intentions.
THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE!
Check your fences often and repair them immediately.
NEVER use barbed wire around horses.
Check board fences for splinters. Wire fences for sharp protrusions.
Provide him with at least a run-in shelter from inclement weather.
Always provide fresh, clean water and fresh, clean, mold-free, horse quality hay.
We feed 12% pre-packaged horse sweet feed available at all feed stores.
We find straight oats and corn too hard to digest.
Keep his hooves trimmed. Be careful. A bad farrier can lame your horse.
Worm him regularly every 2 or 3 months. We use ivermectin.
He is completely at your mercy to take care of him.
Any good horse needs to be ridden on a regular basis.
This means every day if possible.
Any horse can get sloppy and "out-of-tune" if not ridden.
His reactions to cues will not be as crisp as before.
Most horses will "test" the rider to see how much they know.
If you don't know much, your horse will find out quickly.
Don't blame him for what you don't know.
EVERYBODY RIDES DIFFERENTLY.
And every horse is NOT a cookie cutter cutout of another horse.
We suggest you ride your horse in a round pen until you and he get to know each other's "style."
HORSES ARE NOT MEAN BY NATURE.
They have the mental maturity of a 9 year old child.
They just need stuff explained to them in a manner that they can understand.
Have plenty of love and patience and arm yourself with good equine knowledge.
You'll have a rewarding companion for the best times of your life.
THIS PAGE IS MEANT TO SERVE AS BASIC TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS ONLY.
