Herd helper: Morgan mare to the rescue

There’s one in every crowd, right? We’ve all known parents who loved to brag on their kids. And how many horse owners are particularly proud of their own horses?

OK, count me in.

I love arriving at the stables and being greeted with a good report about our horse. She’s a sweet Morgan mare, who is trusty enough to pack kids and adults around for riding lessons. She’s done some hippotherapy too. She’s that sweet.  (Morgans rock. But I digress.)

Sure, she can raise a ruckus, when she feels like it.

This past weekend, she actually spooked a bit. (It lasted about 5 seconds, while she scooted maybe 3 feet.) She’s a horse, after all, and it’s almost springtime. Plus, someone tossed up the big garage-like barn door without warning.

But this horse is well-trained and sort of senior and generally doesn’t seem to want to expend the effort it takes to kick up her heels much. (At this season of her life, she is willing to give me some good go, but I definitely have to ask for it.)

She was a hero the other day.

A barn staffer actually used the word “hero.” How funny is that?

This gentle mare is kind of bossy in the herd. We’ve never seen her rear or kick or bite. She doesn’t have to. She has mastered “the look.” You know. It’s the same look your toughest teacher had down. All she had to do with turn her head with that face on, and you knew she meant business.

That’s it exactly.

In this horse’s herd, there’s a chestnut mare who likes to play hard-to-catch at coming-in time. Maybe she forgets her filled feed bucket and a pile of hay await her in the stall. Perhaps she just loves staying outside. For whatever reason, she’s made this a game.

The other day, the barn staff had had enough of that.

The chestnut mare bolted and darted and wove her way around the pasture, while these folks tried to catch her. She was having none of it.

So one of these wranglers walked back into the barn and retrieved my horse from her stall. They led her out into the pasture again. They tossed some loose hay on the ground, and she began to munch it. Almost immediately, the errant one came alongside her turnout pal. The humans led my mare towards the gate, and the other followed. 

Soon, these folks were able to slip a rope over her neck and hold her for haltering.

That’s all it took.

Because sometimes it’s more fun to follow a friend home at the end of the day than to prolong the inevitable by breaking curfew. Something like that.

In any case, I was pleased with the good report about my own horse. She’s a keeper.

Images:

LAN photo. All rights reserved.

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NEIGH: 5 ways to support one whose horse has died

A handful of heartfelt hints for encouraging a grieving horse lover

Our long-time beloved family horse died several months ago, and I still miss him. This loss also revived my sorrow over losing my very first horse, a challenging, but life-changing and once-in-a-lifetime mare, several years ago. I just heard that a once-naughty little show pony, who taught me to jump fences, was euthanized yesterday. And a dear old gelding, belonging to a barn pal, is struggling to stay standing today.

To a horse lover, losing an equine companion can be every bit as grief-worthy as the passing of a human family member or a close friend.

What can caring folks do or say to support someone who has just lost a horse?

Here are five ways to reach out to a grieving horse lover. For simplicity’s sake, let’s use a horse acronym, “NEIGH.”

N = Never nicker.

Why do people always seem to practice verbal calisthenics, stretching for all sorts of inappropriate things to say when others are mourning? A grieving horse owner is not likely to be encouraged by trite sayings, lame platitudes, personal horror stories of lost horses, or even unwelcome advice while enduring the pits of grief.

E = Ears forward.

The most sensitive and caring friends offer to listen to the mourning horse lover’s stories of grief, veterinary nightmares and even happy memories shared with the horse that has died – even if those stories are repeated numerous times.

NOTE: Written by this author, this copyrighted material originally appeared on another publisher’s site. That site no longer exists. This author holds all rights to this content. No republication is allowed without permission.

I = Instincts are insightful.

Often, simply sharing silent moments of unspoken understanding can be a marvelous way of showing compassion for the one who has just lost a much-loved horse.

G = Gallop in with good deeds.

When a horse has died, several difficult tasks may await the equine’s owner. Helpful friends may offer to pitch in at such moments, if appropriate.

For example, the grieving horse lover may need assistance in cleaning out the horse’s stall, packing up saddles and tack, or making arrangements for the horse’s remains. These responsibilities can be extremely emotional for the one who is mourning, but a close friend may be able to help.

When my own horse died, two barn friends stayed with me by a front pasture gate, visiting with other favorite horses, while her remains were removed from the back of the barn. The sight would have been a difficult memory to erase.

H = Hearken the herd.

Equestrian stables tend to be notorious for grapevine gossip, like any other close-knit community. When a horse has died, the owner’s friends can be extremely helpful by minimizing this, while compassionately informing those who will most sympathize with what has happened (with the owner’s permission). By running interference, so to speak, for the grieving horse lover, these companions may enlist additional encouragers.

These five simple steps can go a long way towards expressing care and concern for the mourning horse owner. Naysayers may beg to differ, but equine experience speaks volumes on the subject. 

Find this helpful book on Amazon! https://amzn.to/36QCddr

During my own season of mourning the loss of my mare, I welcomed and valued the friends who offered no unsolicited advice, but listened, empathized, offered assistance, and rallied other supportive horse-loving friends to do the same.

Images:

Adapted from public domain photo

Book cover – Fair use

(This writer is author of the featured book.)

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10 options to consider, if you can't pay your horse's board

Times can be tough. And horse boarding can be costly. But you love your horse. How can you cover your beloved horse’s monthly board, if you cannot come up with the cash?

Actually, several possibilities exist. Not all of these options will apply or fit your particular situation, but here are some choices that may be worth considering. These tips may also be helpful to those with multiple horses or those who must step away from riding for any number of reasons. Personally, I have exercised more than half of these options during my horse-owning years.

10 options to consider, if you can't pay your horse's board

1. Work off your horse’s board. This is one of the most commonly offered opportunities for boarders who need to cut monthly costs. Boarding barn owners frequently need additional help with daily stall cleaning, feeding, turnout, hay stacking, and other chores. Labor can be credited towards board.

2. Barter for board. What professional skills do you have that might benefit your boarding barn? Can you offer to help market horses? Teach riding lessons? Build tack lockers, pasture shelters, or hay barns? Create and run the barn’s website? Handle social networking? Maybe the barn owner will consider an exchange for board.

3. Offer the horse for professional riding lessons. Are there any equestrian trainers in your boarding barn? Do they have a riding academy or schooling program or summer camps? If you have a trusty and safe mount, you might be able to let them use your equine for lessons, in exchange for full or partial board.

4. Shareboard / lease the horse. Can you find someone who’d love to own a horse, but is not currently in a position to purchase one outright? Perhaps someone would pick up part or all of the horse’s board, in exchange for an agreed-upon number of rides per week. Pick an on-site or off-site option. Trainers, barn owners, and online horse groups are good starting points for identifying possible people. Legal ramifications may vary by state, and it’s important to clear this option with barn owners first.

This article is copyrighted by The Mane Point: A Haven for Horse Lovers. Unauthorized reproduction or publication is not allowed.

5. Choose a lesser board option. Plenty of boarding facilities have multi-leveled board fee structures, depending upon accommodations and services chosen. It may be possible to reduce your monthly board by moving to a smaller stall or a more remote barn on-site. Also, if your current board agreement includes full services (such as grooming, tack cleaning, or other valet-type services), those may be trimmed to cut costs.

6. Consider pasture board for your horse. Depending upon your horse’s individual needs and the setup at your boarding barn, outdoor (or rough) board may be worth considering. This is generally significantly less expensive as stall board, as it requires less labor and materials (such as stall bedding).

7. Find a cheaper barn. Often, you get what you pay for. But it is possible to find good horse care in an adequate facility at affordable prices. You may have to travel a bit farther, depending upon where you look.

8. Retire the horse. Putting a horse out to pasture, particularly if that horse is no longer sound for work, can be a loving choice. Generally speaking, equine retirement facilities charge considerably less for monthly board than active barns. If you’re lucky, you might even find a spot for your horse to become a free- or cheap-boarded pasture pal for a friend who keeps horses at home.

9. Sell the horse. This is perhaps the most difficult option. It’s hard to part with a horse you love. Maybe you raised him from birth. Perhaps you have poured years of care and effort and time and training into her. But sometimes a sale to a solid situation is the best option.

10. Donate the horse. Selling a less-than-sound horse outright is a tall order. However, some equine therapy and horse education organizations will accept horse donations. If your horse is gentle, well-trained, and reasonably rideable, this might be an option. In most cases, you could receive a receipt for tax purposes.

All of these possibilities can lead to reduced horse boarding costs, if you are able to research and select suitable options. The primary goal, of course, is to construct a scenario that fosters the horse’s well-being without going beyond the boundaries of what you can sustain financially.

Image/s:

Pixabay public domain photo

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