Horse Care and Feeding

Surprisingly enough many horse owners do not know how to properly feed their horses. Many very caring horse owners have thin horses come spring and its not because they don't feed its because they are feeding inadequately or improperly.
In an effort to support the education of horse owners I will be posting horse feeding info. I will most often be getting that info from Michigan State University's site. In addition I will be posting helpful tips and tricks to help you with work and fun around the barn.

Here are a couple links that can help you understand the importance of feed during winter.

http://cvm.msu.edu/alumni-friends/information-for-animal-owners/winter-energy-needs-in-horses

http://cvm.msu.edu/alumni-friends/information-for-animal-owners/equine-winter-starvation-syndrome/


My tip for the week is a green tip that can help with your energy bill and the enviroment.
One of the best things I ever did was put a rain gutter on my barn and channel that rain into a barrel. I use that water to water flowers I have planted at the barn. I use it to clean feed tubs and troughs. I even have one that I use to fill stall buckets at night.
This all started because I do not have a well at my barn and it is too far from the house to drag a hose. I have to haul water in dry season and winter but in spring summer and fall I usually have enough water for the things I mentioned . We do not have polution problems where I live so I dont mind giving this water to my horses if I lived someplace that had smog or pollution issues I would not want my horses drinking it but I would still use it on flowers and for cleaning
I found my barrel at the local feed store. We live in by the Cherry Capital of the World and so there are cherry packing plants and orchards. They have waste barrels that they have kept cherries packed in and often sell them instead of throwing them in the landfill. These barrels come with a screw on lid. .

Green time and Money Saving Water Barrel
Get a barrel take the lid off and under it is a flat piece of plastic that works as a gasket so that the cherries do not spill out. Take that flat plastic and drill 1" or larger holes in it. Then get a piece of screen material ,the type you use for a screen door, cut it to fit on top of the plastic piece between the screw on lid and the platic. This will make a filter for leaves and bugs and pine needles but it will allow the water from your downspout to pass into the barrel. I have an additional barrel that I purchase on Ebay it came with a plastic water spigot attatched at the bottom and an overflow pipe on the top. This one also came with a note saying pottable water but it has a plastic oder and I never water my horses from it, Although the cats do drink that water.
These barrels have been wonderful to have and they are very convenient. Even after I put a well in I will continue to keep them.

One word of caution:
It is a good idea to leave the lid screwed on when your not using it because small animals can and will get into the barrel and drown. Not a pretty site and it ruins the whole batch of water. Even your barn Cat might fall in and drown so be careful to replace the lid when your done.