Posted by Gabby Gufler, Wed, Jul 19, 2017
- Hang out with your horse. Although we always FEEL like we are hanging out with our horses, do you ever just sit and watch your horse in the pasture? If not, YOU ARE MISSING OUT! Sometimes just sitting with your horse, with no particular agenda, is refreshing. You may find that your horse will come over and stand near you to enjoy this “do nothing” time. Bring a book if you find it hard to just sit.
- Find a treat your horse finds irresistible. Horse treats can be excellent for use in training, as a reward or just because you love them! Take some time to try out a couple of different treats to see which is your horse’s favorite. Manna Pro® has a complete line of horse treats ranging from Apple Wafers to Senior Snax®.
- Teach your horse to ground tie. Having your horse know how to ground tie can come in VERY handy at almost any moment or situation (on the trail, in the arena while you put up a rail or as a great opportunity to show off to your friends!). See how behavior training expert Sue De Laurentis teaches her horses to ground tie.
- Learn your horse’s normal vital signs. In a perfect world, nothing would ever happen to our equines! But we know that at some point something is bound to happen, whether it is sickness or an injury. Determine what the normal horse vital signs are for your equine by checking their temperature, heart rate, and breaths per second when they are at ease and healthy; this way, you’ll have a base measure with which to compare if your horse ever becomes sick or injured.
- Lead your horse to water. We all know the saying that “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink,” but we bet you can lead a horse to water and let them play! Find a shallow creek and let them get wet. Most horses will walk in, paw the water and splash around, especially if it is hot out! Be sure to take them to a SAFE water source that is not too deep, doesn’t have sharp rocks isn’t contaminated, etc.
- Find your horse’s sweet spot. Every horse has a favorite spot where they love to be scratched (and sometimes that favorite spot is everywhere :) ). Get out your horse grooming supplies and get to work! Not only will your horse feel relaxed, but grooming is essential for a healthy shiny coat. There are some neat products out there that we bet your horse will find irresistible, such as this massage roller curry!
- Teach your horse to come when called. Yes, that’s right! If you can teach your dog to come, then you can certainly teach your horse. Whether your horse is on the other side of the field or the arena, getting them to come when called can come in handy.
- Stretching. Stretching can be VERY beneficial for not only your horse’s muscles, but their mind.
- Work on those little problems. Does your horse do something that is a little annoying, but you put up with it anyway? Spend a few minutes every day just working on this issue. If you have questions on how to correct it, ask an equine expert such as a reputable local horse trainer or your riding instructor.
- Build an obstacle course. What is more fun than going through a couple of obstacle/trail courses with your horse every now and then? Start simple and add more difficult obstacles as time progresses. Horses tend to be generally curious, and usually enjoy new challenges and experiences. Add things to your courses that are similar to objects you may encounter on the trail, such as branches/rails, plastic bags, tarps, water, and maybe even a hula hoop or two!
What else do you like to do with your horse other than riding? Share your ideas in the Comments below!
