Horses and DIRT!?!?

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Sounds like you breed quaility animals, I love the dish head, long necks and flagged tails. No wonder they are the foundation to so many other breeds. The Polish and Russians I was use to were still slighter than a "stock" horse, but they where much "stockier" than the Egyptians and Crabets I've handled. Plus they did not tend to have the as much of a dished head, as you know, I'm sure. I have been out of Arabs long enough I don't know the predigrees very well any more. I'm old enough and big enough now that I like the coolness of a sound QH plus the gelding I have packs me anywhere I want to go.

But it sounds like you have some top quaility show stock. I raise and train pleasure type QH and Paints. So I know the show bug.

Thanks, Alan
 
Well, I don't mean any disrespect at all when I say this, but the Arabians just look to girly. I have also heard that Arabians are really skittish and hard to control at times. I really like the looks of the Palomino's. I have heard alot of good things about the Tennessee Walkers as well but most of the ones I have seen just look beat down. Now the Q-horse is one sexy animal. Wouldn't mind getting a good older one that is quite used to folks. I need one that can help me along as well as me help him.
 
houston_brama":2nymqebb said:
Well, I don't mean any disrespect at all when I say this, but the Arabians just look to girly. I have also heard that Arabians are really skittish and hard to control at times. I really like the looks of the Palomino's. I have heard alot of good things about the Tennessee Walkers as well but most of the ones I have seen just look beat down. Now the Q-horse is one sexy animal. Wouldn't mind getting a good older one that is quite used to folks. I need one that can help me along as well as me help him.

Get you a 10+ year old QH gelding that's bombproof, and you wont be sorry. Please don't just buy the cheapest you can find; you'll be sorry. A QH that I'm talking about might set you back some, but you will have a long time companion who will be a joy to own. All my talking about Arabians is just my passion for them. For a beginner, I'd go with a well broken older QH gelding. Hard to beat as far as being user friendly. Quarab's are nice horses as well (cross between a Arabian and a QH)

When you get more experienced, I can show you some Arabians that don't look girly. I don't like the girly or dainty look either. I like a powerful looking horse, but with certain points that makes it look finer.
 
How bout a Clydesdale? Those are such Pretty horses! :) Do they cross Clydesdales with any other breeds?
 
RebelCritter":33yjyuxe said:
How bout a Clydesdale? Those are such Pretty horses! :) Do they cross Clydesdales with any other breeds?

Not that I'm aware of, but they do cross Irish draft with Thoroughbreds (and Arabians) and they make some of the nicest dressage and jumping horses around :)
 
cypressfarms":3d5zwehv said:
houston_brama":3d5zwehv said:
Well, I don't mean any disrespect at all when I say this, but the Arabians just look to girly. I have also heard that Arabians are really skittish and hard to control at times. I really like the looks of the Palomino's. I have heard alot of good things about the Tennessee Walkers as well but most of the ones I have seen just look beat down. Now the Q-horse is one sexy animal. Wouldn't mind getting a good older one that is quite used to folks. I need one that can help me along as well as me help him.

Get you a 10+ year old QH gelding that's bombproof, and you wont be sorry. Please don't just buy the cheapest you can find; you'll be sorry. A QH that I'm talking about might set you back some, but you will have a long time companion who will be a joy to own. All my talking about Arabians is just my passion for them. For a beginner, I'd go with a well broken older QH gelding. Hard to beat as far as being user friendly. Quarab's are nice horses as well (cross between a Arabian and a QH)

When you get more experienced, I can show you some Arabians that don't look girly. I don't like the girly or dainty look either. I like a powerful looking horse, but with certain points that makes it look finer.


I agree with cypress, can't go wrong with a sound, well broke, mature QH gelding. The part I agree with most is don't get one because it is a bargin or cheap, you'll be sorry. I'll add also don't get one because you like the color, a color you like is a bonus, if you can find a well mannered, willing horse, you guys will be in love with that animal for many years.

For you guys that I been through this before.... sorry. I'll disagree or define the word "bombproof" when used with horses. There is no such thing, no horse is ever bombproof... "any horse any day" can hurt you. The best mannered horse can still spook at a 4 wheeler coming down the road and toss you. All I'm saying is you need to know how to handle horse and always remember "any horse any day".

John Lyons was at a horse clinic in Albany, Oregon a couple of months ago. Not his, many horse gurus where there and it was a trade fair also, trailers, tack, etc. Anyway he was on a 4 yr old and showing the crowd how to make the horse soften by turning him in circles. Horses spooks, rears, flips over, John Lyons with a broken collar bone. I'll add this horse was a little green, John Lyons isn't.

Alan
 
While we are on the subject... I will add this about horses and pasture.. .

When you've got a horse that's shod, it's gonna tear up the pasture more than barefoot horse(s)... Been there, done that. There are some grasses that will hold the soil and hold up to that kind of wear and tear better than others (ask families with 4 or 5 kids who play in the back yard!! LOL). Some grasses are high sugar grasses (not so good for horses in general). Clovers are nice to eat but different ones can cause different problems with horses. Tenn has got pretty high humidity - so I say avoid clover in that climate for horses.

Don't be feeding COW hay to horses. Cows need to produce bulk (feed cows) or milk (dairy cows) which means they need lots of PROTEIN. Horses over the age of say, 3, 4 do NOT need protein. They need fiber. So, keep the alfalfa down. No more than 10 - 15% alfalfa for horses. It's good to add to your pasture because of how it helps the soil. It runs out after a few years too.

Horses have got super sensitive guts. keep their intestines going good and your horse will live a long time. Do NOT go shopping without a horse expert. Horse traders are still horse traders... all I know is that they will NOT offer info unless you ask the right questions. Take riding lessons if you wanna ride them.

Your wife'll do all right. I spent 5 years active duty and 5 years as a civilian working for the military. Sometimes I really miss the military community. They help their own.
Keep safe.
 
gabz":v31rj7fz said:
Horses over the age of say, 3, 4 do NOT need protein. They need fiber. So, keep the alfalfa down. No more than 10 - 15% alfalfa for horses. It's good to add to your pasture because of how it helps the soil. It runs out after a few years too.

All animals need protein - it's an essential building block for health. Horses are no exception and need about 12% protein regardless of their age. I'm going to assume you were thinking something other than what you stated in the above post. Unless a horse is performance, being ridden very hard, is a hard keeper, or has some other type of extenuating circumstance, they don't need alfalfa hay - period. A good quality grass hay will provide all the nutrition a typical pleasure horse or a moderately worked/ridden horse needs. Just my thoughts.
 
msscamp":1mmyjr49 said:
gabz":1mmyjr49 said:
Horses over the age of say, 3, 4 do NOT need protein. They need fiber. So, keep the alfalfa down. No more than 10 - 15% alfalfa for horses. It's good to add to your pasture because of how it helps the soil. It runs out after a few years too.

All animals need protein - it's an essential building block for health. Horses are no exception and need about 12% protein regardless of their age. I'm going to assume you were thinking something other than what you stated in the above post. Unless a horse is performance, being ridden very hard, is a hard keeper, or has some other type of extenuating circumstance, they don't need alfalfa hay - period. A good quality grass hay will provide all the nutrition a typical pleasure horse or a moderately worked/ridden horse needs. Just my thoughts.

gabz, great info and lots of knowledge, glad to have it. Here's the but, and remember the is a forum for discussion and debate, so please don't get offended, you have a lot to offer.

I agree horses do not need alfalfa, I have a mare with a 3 week old colt at her side and will breed back next week. She is on good quality grass and 16% grain, which the foal is more than happy to help her eat.

Alan
 
msscamp - thanks for pointing out my mistake.
I should have said "Horses 3, 4 years or older do not need a LARGE AMOUNT of protein... " that's why I stated 10% - 15% is adequate (your 12%).

The information that is available about horse pasture and hay is very hard to find. Many research studies have been done on improving grasses and hay for cows and similar livestock - but not much has been done in the research area for horses. There are many horses that suffere laminitis and founder from eating grass / pasture that is too rich for their systems. So I hope that what I offer can encourage others to do their research too. http://www.safergrass.org is a good starting point.

So far as breeds go ... an 8 - 12 year old QH is a good place to start - you might also want to research Missouri Fox Trotters (easy ride, sturdy, good quiet minds, can work cows), Rocky Mountain horses - again, easy ride, small but sturdy, I don't know about the cow-work thing. And... in case anyone is allergic to horse hair/dander, there's always the Bashkir Curly horses with their own distinctive mind and appearance. :eek: There's 3 of them at a friend's training/boarding barn - learning how to work cows and do reining maneuvers. :cboy:

And... just some random info... Palomino is a beautiful color - it's available in several different breeds (Morgan, QH, TWH, to name a few). A Paint horse is a QH with color; a Pinto is any horse with color. I have a friend who had a beautiful palomino paint. Appaloosa can be spotted, have the spotted blanket, or be a solid color (called a Breeding Stock appaloosa). QH, Paint, Appy are the 3 primary "stock" horse breeds.

P.S. Alan...Thanks for the "Dale Carnegie" words, I'm a pretty tough old bird and I've been doing bulletin boards since the early days of html. ;-) There's quite a bit of info here about cows and such too... something I don't know much at all about.
 
Thanks gabz,

You mentioned "alot of info and knowledge on cows", I was talking with another member of this board a while ago. It's strange but I believe I can hold my own in most areas concerning horses. But I have cattle also and I seem to be completly lost when it comes to cattle knowledge. It seems that the two should cross over a bit... but for me they don't.

Alan
 
houston_brama, your question was well answered by others so I will just pass along my thanks for your service. Another generation of very gallant and honorable men and women.

flaboy
 
Alan":29gekirr said:
Thanks gabz,

But I have cattle also and I seem to be completly lost when it comes to cattle knowledge. It seems that the two should cross over a bit... but for me they don't.

Alan

You're not alone, Alan. With the exception of both of them eating grass, both of them needing salt, mineral, and water they serve entirely different functions and cannot be treated or managed the same way. A lot of the things that make cows do beautifully will poison a horse, founder them, or make them too hot to handle. Cows are pretty darn tough creatures, that can adapt to a lot of things - the same cannot be said for a horse as they tend to be rather delicate. They go together (in a manner of speaking), yes, but they require - for the most part - completely different management techniques. Just my thoughts.

PS No problem, gabz, I figured it was an error - been there, done that! :lol: :lol:
 

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