Natural Horse Care in an Unnatural World

photo copyright Christine Church all rights reserved Grass! That green stuff (or brown, depending on the weather) everyone associates horses eating. Let me give you a scenario; You look out at your green one-acre field and see your three horses out there, heads down, picking at the grass. You wonder, however, why they have lost a bit of weight in recent weeks. After all, they have grass, right? It's all green out there and some looks pretty tall. I can tell you right now, your pastures are overgrazed! You NEED to start supplementing with hay right now! photo copyright Horse Journals I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say, "I don't need to throw hay out there. He/she has grass!"  Ugh. 😧🙄 Upon easy inspection, however, it is plain as day that the "grass" is mostly weeds that horses don't eat and the edible parts of the paddock or pasture were eaten to a nub (see photo above). Don't forget, horses on their ow...

In the many years I have been heavily involved in the horse world, I have noticed a very disturbing trend. Most horse owners simply do not feed their horses properly! And I have to say, at least here in the northeast, a good 80% or more are guilty. Most people look at their horse and see that their weight looks good and think they are feeding properly, but on the INSIDE something else entirely might be going on... Just because your horse looks good on the outside doesn't mean he is eating properly. What a Horse Is!! Or, rather, how a horse's digestive system works. Your horse is a non-ruminant herbivore. Non-ruminant means the horse does not have a multi-compartmental tummy, like cows. As a matter of fact, a horse's stomach is very small in contrast to their body size and the whole of their digestive tract. They are also herbivores, as all horse owners (better) know! This means they do not eat meat! Or dairy! Or anything animal-based. Are they Vegan? Not exactly. T...

My horse, best friend and soulmate, Kobeejo... and me (hint: He's the good-looking one) Are you doing everything for your horse that he/she requires as a horse? It's time for the complete truth and honesty with yourself. You will say "yes, I am," but are you reeeeally? Well, welcome to "Stop Killing Your Horse," the HONEST blog about the proper care of horses in a modern and sometimes far too domesticated world. You're probably asking yourself, "Who's this chick that thinks she can tell me how to care for my horse?" Good question. Instead of spewing off a bunch of dry text about all my years in showing, every ribbon I've received, all my qualifications working here there and everywhere, horses I've worked with, let me just say... I'm nobody, really. What I am is a woman who was born with a huge passion and natural affinity for the care and love of horses. "Who isn't?" Right?  Some of you will run away w...