Have a question about horses?  Winnie's here to help!

Ask your question below


Enter Your Email Address so Winnie can respond to you
(we won’t share your email address with anyone)

Load New Code

Enter the verification code into the text box below.

Dear Winnie, 

"Eager Star" was great!  I have a problem.  My riding teacher has this horse that I love and ride, but when I do up his girth he gets mad.  What do I do?
 ~ Lavery

A:

Dear Lavery,

I'll jump in and answer this for you.  Be sure to ask your riding teacher for help.  She knows the horse best.  But, let's think about this together.  If someone tightened your belt, you probably wouldn't be crazy about the idea, right?  So, I guess that we can understand the horse's point of view.  :)  Do whatever you can to make that time more pleasant.  Try scratching the horse's withers before and after you do up his girth.  And, talk to him while you do it.  Hope this helps! 

Happy Riding,

Dandi

Dear Winnie, 

Hi - I have a 2-year-old horse named Chakotay that I am training and he won't lunge.  He comes right back into me.  If I have something in between us so that he can't come in, he won't move.  Also, I bought a new saddle for Chakotay and it didn't come with a girth.  How do you measure for girths?  Thanks for your help.  ~ Katie

A:

Dear Katie,

In the beginning, it's a good idea to get an adult to help as your assistant.  They can stay on the inside of the circle, walking beside the horse as he circles.  Your inside helper can gradually move away from the horse.  Be sure you're standing square to the hindquarters and slightly behind the girth when you want him to move out.  Work equally on both sides!  

As for measuring the girth, it depends on whether you ride Western or English.  For Western, the girth is measured in inches, using a tape measure around the horse's barrel immediately behind the elbow.  Wait for your horse to exhale though!  Give that measurement to the dealer and they'll do the rest.  

Hope this helps.  And congratulations on owning Chakotay!

Best Wishes,

Winnie

Dear Winnie,

I would like to know how you take care of a horse's hooves, and how you change their shoes.

I am reading your first book with my grandma and we are enjoying it very, very much!

I really like horses, too. ~ Miranda

A:

Dear Miranda,

I’m glad you asked this question!  A horse’s hooves are probably one of the most important parts of his entire body.  After all, they hold up all that weight when he walks and runs around.  Horses spend most of their time on their feet.  They even sleep standing up!  So, it’s very important that we take care of their hooves properly.

A horse’s hoof needs to be kept clean and dry.  To do this, you can teach your horse to pick up his feet so you can hold them and clean out all the mud, dirt, manure and stones that may be lodged inside.  If a horse’s feet are too wet, too muddy, and exposed to too much moisture, he could get a disease called “thrush.”   With this disease, the bottoms of his hooves become very soft, and so he is sensitive to stones and hard ground.  This can make him very sore.

As far as shoes go, it is best to leave that to an experienced and well-known farrier (a man or woman who works on horses’ hooves and creates shoes for the horse).  Trimming a horse’s hooves or putting on shoes is something that is very difficult to do and it requires extensive training.  An inexperienced person can seriously injure a horse if he/she attempts to put a shoe on a hoof without knowing what they are doing.  So, call your vet or a reliable horseperson and ask who they use as a farrier.  That will keep your horse’s hooves happy and healthy!

Winnie

Q:

I love horse books and I just got one of yours for my birthday.  My friend has three horses and that’s cool but the problem is I'm scared to go near them because they're so big.  ~ Camille

A:

Hi Camille,

First of all, it’s okay if you’re afraid of horses - that’s a perfectly natural reaction.  After all, just like you said, they’re very large and they are capable of inflicting serious harm to humans.  However, there is ALWAYS a safe way to deal with any horse.  When you’re around horses, remember that most of the time they’re not trying to hurt you.  They’re much more interested in eating and resting all day.  Watch how a horse moves and learn to see how they lean one way before they take a step.  This will help keep you from being stepped on.  Then, learn how to approach a horse and how to pet a horse properly.  Horses liked being rubbed and scratched, but not patted firmly or slapped. 

Finally, make sure you wear good shoes when you’re around horses.  Always keep your toes covered (so, no sandals!), and just be aware at all times!

Enjoy!

Winnie

Q:

I ride a horse called SunDowner.  Whenever I try to pick up his hooves he tries to bite me.  When he does it I tap him on the nose. But he tries to do it again.  Is there a way to make him stop his habit?  ~ Kristin

A:

Hi, Kristin!

The reason your horse tries to bite you is that he is annoyed that you’re trying to pick up his hooves, and so he wants to make you quit.  Obviously, you’re not hurting him, so his biting is something that needs to stop.  Here are a few pointers.

First, do not put his foot down simply because he turns his head to bite you.  By trying to bite you, he’s trying to make you stop holding his hoof.  Well, if you put it down, that’s rewarding him and basically telling him, “You win.”  You do not want to give that message to your horse.

Second, while holding his hoof, if he swings his head around, put your hand (or hoof pick) behind you so that he bumps into it when he tries to bite.  That way, he unexpectedly gets bumped when he thought he was going to bite.

Finally, if he keeps on trying to bite you, make him move around.  Walk him in quick circles, lunge him immediately or make him trot along behind you down the barn aisle.  Then, stop and attempt to pick up his hoof again.  If he tries to bite you, immediately go back to making him work.  He will soon figure out that his biting makes him work, and he’ll see that it’s much easier to just stand there and let you pick his hooves.

Good Luck!

Winnie

Q:

I'm in a 4-H group where I take care of someone else's horse. The horse I take care of is a paint named Sioux. I go out to groom and ride once a week.  She had a filly about 6 months ago and we were getting along fine. I took her to a show and we did considerably well. I didn't go to see her for about 4 weeks after that because we were getting ready to sell our house and didn't have time. When I finally went out to see her, I couldn't catch her. 

I tried putting feed in a bucket and shaking it, but that didn't work. I tried getting her into a corner, but she almost ran me over trying to get away. I even tried getting her into a smaller pasture, but we still couldn't catch her. I haven't been there since because the owner is on vacation. Even when she's there she doesn't help me with anything. When I go back to see her, what should I do about catching her?  ~ Rachel

A:

Dear Rachel,

This is a common problem with many horses, because they are quick enough to figure out that if they are caught, they will have to work.  They’d rather just be lazy in the pasture and enjoy the sunshine!  Here are a few tips on catching your horse.

First, if you work with this horse only once a week, you can expect some problems to arise.  Most horses need pretty consistent work, which means two or three times a week at least.  But, if you work hard and are consistent in what you ask from the horse, you should be all right.

Second, try to get your horse into a much smaller area.  Then, when you walk towards her, if she runs away, go ahead and swing your rope and MAKE her move away.  Walk along in the center of the area, moving her around the perimeter by swinging your rope towards her hip.  You can step closer to the fence and make her change directions.  Soon, she’ll realize that she’s not running away, but you’re MAKING her move away.  This is an action seen in wild herds, and she’ll understand that you’re putting yourself in a more powerful position than you.  

She’ll start to think about this, and you’ll see her ear turn towards you, she may lower her head, and then start licking and chewing.  All of these are signs that she’s listening to you now.  When you see those, turn slightly away and drop your eyes to the ground.  This takes the pressure off her, and more than likely, she’ll turn towards you (and maybe even walk up to you!).  Do this several times in a small area, and she’ll learn that when you walk into the pasture, it’s much easier to just walk to you. 

Work hard, and don’t give up!

Winnie

Q:

Dear Winnie,

A:

Jordan,

It sounds like you’re having a problem with your leg strength and abdomen strength.  To be able to stay in the saddle in these downward transitions, practice riding without stirrups.  This will make your leg muscles much stronger, and it will teach you to balance on your horse without depending on standing in your stirrups.  Walk around first until you get the feel.  Then, begin to trot around.  Make sure you can do circles and figure eights and guide your horse everywhere without stirrups.  This assures that you’re sitting deep in the saddle, using your legs to hold on (not the reins or the horse’s mane or anything). 

When you return to using your stirrups and cantering, be VERY clear in your own mind when and where you want to transition down to the walk.  When you ask your horse to walk, be prepared for him to obey immediately.  Then, use those strong leg muscles to grip with your thighs, and sit back.  Let your weight sink down into the saddle and tip your shoulders slightly back to make your weight shift.  This not only will help you stay in the saddle, but it is also an additional cue for your horse to slow.

Work Hard!

Winnie

Q:

Dear Winnie,

A:

Hi Brianna,

When a horse nickers, he creates a vibrating sound from his vocal cords, with his mouth closed.  The strength and tone of a nicker can vary greatly, and will tell you what the horse is saying.  When a horse is saying "Hi, good to see you", the horse nickers fairly quietly and moves toward the other horse or person whom he is nickering to.  If the horse is a mare with her foal, she may make a softer, quieter nicker and gently nudge her foal closer to her flanks with her nose.  This kind of nicker means "Come closer" and is a motherly, protective gesture.

Thanks for the good question!

Winnie

"Dear Winnie,

How long do horses live ?" ~ Lover of Horses

A:

The oldest recorded life-span for a horse was 50 (human) years.  But, most horses begin to show signs of aging in their mid-teens.  If they were living in the wild, poor dentition alone would probably lead to a natural lifespan of 12 to 18 years.  What can you expect for your horse? If we assume that your horse does not suffer something like colic or fractured bones, it is reasonable to expect that your horse will live into his twenties - and many will reach their thirties.  

Good dental care, veterinary care, nutrition and regular exercise will help your horse to live as long and healthy a life as possible.

Happy Riding!

Winnie

"Dear Winnie,

"Hey!  I get to go to a horse show this Sunday!  My friend is showing the horse she leases.  She is showing Western.  I've never been to a horse show before.  What is done?  I mean, do they just ride around in circles?  Thanks!" 

~ HorseCrazy ~

A:

Dear HorseCrazy,

Some of the events that you might see include western pleasure (how your horse carries itself), pole bending (weaving in and out of PVC poles), barrels (riding around three barrels in a triangular pattern), straight-away (with three barrels set in a straight line), keyhole (run into a lime-formed figure, shaped like an old keyhole), speed (into the arena, around the barrel and out of the arena), quad stakes (circle four of six PVC poles set up in an "X" shape), buddy barrel pickup (same setup as "speed", but a person stands on the barrel and you have to pick them up) and flag (same setup as "barrels", except that the first two barrels are scooted to the arena fence - a flag must picked off of the first barrel and stuck into a bucket on the other side of the arena on top of the other barrel).

Have Fun,

Winnie

Top