Equiniction Blog

Considering embarking on the grand journey of horse ownership? Bewildered by the array of equine items out there and unsure of what you'll need? This checklist is for you. We'll cover the basic supplies required for the daily care of your brand-new steed. Your...

Main Types of Horse Characteristics: Know your Horse!Humans have been interacting with horses for centuries and their strength and character has contributed much to human society and development. Horses have a number of characteristics that combine to make them...

As a beginner, one of the first terms you might encounter is "green horse," a phrase that likely raises more questions than it answers. Is the horse actually green? Of course not. So, what exactly does this term mean, and why is it crucial to understand it? This...

Horse grooming: the invigorating sport of transferring grime from the horse’s body to your own. An especially effective upper body workout during the spring, or any time a show is right around the corner. If you think that you do not have enough time or upper body...

They say that good fences make good neighbors. This must have been thought up by a horse owner originally, because the motto of every horse seems to be “don’t fence me in.” No matter what the reason, every horse seems dead-set on finding a way out of the paddock or...

If you are like many horse owners, your horse has a better life than you do. He has multiple vets, a farrier, a chiropractor, a personal trainer, life with friends, and a maximum of one hour of light work per day. When he walks, breathes, or blinks funny, you get...

Many a horse-crazy child has pored over the encyclopedias of horse breeds like the beautifully illustrated Kingfisher Illustrated Horse and Pony Encyclopedia. Colorful steeds graced these pages: island ponies of Japan, desert sprinting horses as old as the human race...

Composting, an age-old practice utilized by farmers and gardeners worldwide, is nature's process of recycling decomposed organic material into a rich soil known as compost. This natural fertilizer is prized for its ability to enrich soil health, promote plant growth,...

Imagine you are in a small house all day and all night. You are not able to get outside to exercise for more than an hour, maybe a few per day, and even then, it may not be the exercise you would choose for yourself. You don't have direct contact with your friends,...

Every horse lover in the world has heard of the Arabian horse breed and for very good reason. Bedouins in the Middle East have been selectively breeding these fabulous horses for centuries. There are petroglyphs from as early as perhaps 4000 BC on the Arabian...

People picking a horse’s name think of many things when they are deciding. My horse’s name came to me before he was even born. Since his mother’s name was Aba, by breed registry rules her foal’s name had to start with A. I settled on Alegría for a girl and Aston...

Have you ever wondered, 'Can you ride a mule?' The short answer is 'yes', but there is so much more to mule riding than meets the eye. It's not just about whether you can ride a mule, but also about how to do so responsibly and safely, and understanding the unique...

If you have a mesh field fence, it's important to keep it in good repair to ensure the safety and security of your horse. Here are some tips for stretching a mesh field fence and preventing your horse from damaging it: Increase the tension on the fence: If your mesh...

Horsepower is a unit of power used to measure the strength or output of a horse, engine, or other mechanical device. It is often abbreviated as "hp" and is typically used to describe the power of engines or motors, such as in automobiles or generators. To convert...

Horses are known for their expressive faces and body language, and it's not uncommon for people to interpret their facial expressions as smiling. However, it's important to remember that horses do not smile in the same way that humans do. There are several theories...

Even though weight is a very taboo subject in the United States, and body image issues are rampant in the world of equestrian sports, addressing the questions of rider’s weight is important. While horses have a remarkable amount of strength, and are tremendously stoic...

When I was a little child, I found a length of rope that had no apparent purpose laying around my parents garden. I immediately claimed it as a lead rope for the horse I would one day own. I finally got my first horse when I was 25 years old, and the preparations I...

Who doesn’t love the image of a cute, fuzzy pony relaxing in the middle of a field? While ponies in general are furrier than horses, an older furry pony may not be the picture of idyllic adorableness you might expect. Sometimes this can be a sign of a chronic...

Is there a horse lover in your life? Are you desperate for Christmas ideas? Well below is a list of great ideas for gifts. There are dozens of lists online suggesting cute gift ideas with equine themes, but for the actual horse owner, nothing beats practicality....

Winter weather is the year’s best in rain, cold and wind. Those of us who have horses do not have the luxury of hibernating inside our warm houses until spring returns. We get to watch their best efforts to thwart our best efforts to keep them as warm and dry as we...

At best, a horse shaking its head can just be funny or annoying. At worst, it can be dangerous, unseating riders or yanking reins out of the rider’s hands. It is a symptom of frustration, either psychological or physical. It could be a response to flying insects,...

In the equine world, there are three topics which can make the most placid equestrian foam at the mouth: bits vs. bitless, barefoot vs. shod, and the right way to back a horse. In the digital age, people have even more access than ever to information and the wisdom of...

How much does a fat penguin weigh? Enough to break the ice. Sadly though, unless you live in Antarctica, you may not have access to a fat penguin to break the ice on your horse’s water trough in winter. Water is the most important ingredient for life. This is easy to...

Fields of fat, shiny ponies populate my stableyard, prompting visitors to ask what I feed them. When I respond that most of them get nothing but hay, people tend to be shocked. Yet grass – in the form of hay when necessary – is the ideal food for horses when fed...

Horses have been our faithful servants for thousands of years, and today, they are best friends to many of us. But the fact remains that even the quietest of horses has the potential for being dangerous: all horses are flight animals several times our size, and all...

How many riders could have the theme from The Nutcracker accompanying their rides, for the constant snapping of their mounts’ teeth? As with life, when there is a problem there are two approaches: covering up the problem or addressing the root cause of the problem....

Controversial as they've become, horseshoes have been around since Ancient Greece, and they aren't going to leave us anytime soon. The majority of performance and riding horses are shod for a variety of reasons, and shoes do still have a purpose in modern horse...

Walking into a feed shop can be a bewildering experience for the new horse owner. The shelves are absolutely stocked with bales of hay, bags of grain in huge varieties, supplements that all claim to have some or another magical effect. If you listen to the...

Winter poses a whole new set of problems for the horse owner, from snowballs in their feet to protection from the elements. But one that many owners don't think about is keeping your horse hydrated. Believe it or not, most horses actually need more water in winter...