Cattle

Archive for February 26th, 2011

Buying a horse is actually the simple procedure of exchanging dollars and cents for an animal of your choice. But buying an animal suited to your abilities is a difficult task. Before looking for a horse decide what use and purpose the horse will serve, for pleasure, for breeding, or for showing. Each of these is in a different category and requires a different kind of animal. However, you may be fortunate enough to find a combination of all three attributes.

Consider these tests before you buy a horse:

1. Look at him from a distance and examine his build as a whole. This is called conformation, and each breed of horse has certain characteristics that identify him by form. The animal should carry his head well and be neatly put together.

2. Check for soundness. Run your hands up and down his legs. Look for an unexplained lump or sign of soreness.

3. Test his vision. A horse should blink when you wave your hand in back of his eye.

4. See whether or not he leads in or out of the stable easily.

5. Watch saddling and bridling. See if he is uneasy when cinched. Some horses are afraid of a girth, caused by too tight a cinch. Notice whether or not he is bridle shy, touchy about the ears; whether he opens his mouth to receive the bit.

6. Have the owner ride the animal so you can see how he handles. Watch whether he stops easily, reins well, backs, and has an easy gait. Have the owner work the horse to a gallop. Try to determine if he is speed crazy. The owner should guarantee the safety of the animal as to training. Also, note whether or not there is excessive breathing, noise with the breathing, and flanks that heave spasmodically.

7. Most important! Ride the horse yourself. Is he smooth in the walk, trot, and canter? Does he shy? Is he spooky? Can you start and stop him? Is he too spirited for you to handle? Does he switch his tail constantly? Can you ride him away from the stable? A tail-switcher means that the animal has been pushed too fast in training and indicates nervousness. Usually a horse that has been trained by a woman will not like a man rider, or will be uneasy with a man on his back. Sometimes this works in the reverse. Many times it is because of the handling of the reins. A man is normally heavier handed than a woman. However, this depends on the horse and the rider in the main, but it is something to consider in buying a horse that has been privately owned by one person for some time.

8. Don’t buy a stallion. He may look good in the movies but is not practicable in real life. He is likely to be unpredictable and should be managed only by an expert horseman. He belongs, mainly, on the breeding farm. You’ll find just as much spirit and animation in a good mare or gelding and far less trouble.

No horse is perfect, but whatever faults are present you must decide whether or not they may be eliminated with some training. Many times all a horse needs is work. Horses also respond to owners. They have their likes and dislikes. Personalities clash just as between people. Whole personalities have changed with ownership.

Be sure the animal is suited to your own capabilities. And, once again, don’t buy the first horse you see. Some­where there is a horse suited to you. Two things are important: the age of the rider and of the horse, and the experience or lack of it in both rider and animal.

One must equal the other, rider and animal, because no matter how well trained the horse, if the rider does not understand this training, then the horse will not work well. And a good horse can soon be ruined by a poor rider.

Dogs dig because of a number of reasons and to put an end to your dog’s destruction of your backyard requires that you understand why your dog is digging in the first place.

Digging For Prey:

Some dogs dig to root out prey such as snakes, gophers and even bugs. When they do this, they are acting instinctively and not out of a malicious desire to upset you. Some dogs will even try to dig out buried trash and dead animals and proudly present you with the results of their “hunting”.

Due to their keen senses of smell and hearing, dogs can detect things underground and a good indication that your dog is digging for prey is if the dog is digging by the roots of a tree or in a specific area.

Dogs that dig to get at some coveted “buried treasure” can be persistent and putting an end to this type of digging can be quite difficult. If your dog is digging to root out gophers or moles, your best option is to get rid of the prey. Ask your local garden shop for advice on how to get rid of grubs as these are a mole’s favorite food. If you get rid of the mole’s food source they will eventually move away. Never try to poison these animals or your dog may end up ingesting the poison.

If getting rid of garden pest isn’t a feasible option you should consider fencing off an area of the yard to restrict your dog’s access. Try to provide the run with a concrete or wooden floor to prevent your dog from digging his way out of the run. Always make sure you give your dog ample exercise before placing him in the run. Taking your dog on daily walks will not only provide him with the exercise he needs, but it is also a great way to keep your dog mentally stimulated.

Digging For Shelter:

Some dogs dig to make a shelter for themselves. Dogs are originally den animals and digging a shelter is a natural thing for them. You can usually differentiate prey digging from shelter digging by the size of the hole. If the hole is large enough for the dog to lie in this generally means it was dug for shelter purposes. Dogs will dig a hole to lie in during hot weather. They seek the cool, moist earth to escape intense heat. In winter dogs will dig to provide themselves a shelter from the wind and rain. If your dog is digging a shelter you should provide him with an appropriately placed dog house. The dog house should be placed close to the home in a shaded place. In cold weather areas the doghouse should be insulated to provide sufficient warmth for the dog. Some dogs dig shelters even when  provided with a doghouse and this usually means the location of the doghouse is unsuitable. For example a dog that digs under a porch does so because he wants to be as close as possible to his owners, if this is the case then placing the doghouse closer to the home may prevent further digging.

If you live in a hot part of the nation you should provide your dog with sufficient shade. An insulated doghouse in a shaded area near the house is an ideal location for your doghouse. Provide your dog with a wading pool filled with fresh water. Water loving dogs such as Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Newfoundlands will especially appreciate a wading pool. Always make sure fresh, clean drinking water is freely available for your dog.