Oldcastle Equestrian

05/10/2023

Busy morning at the farm. Farrier and Vet day

Vet for annual check-up and vaccines

04/22/2023

02/14/2023

Arena footing

Part two:

Once the sub-base was completed (see part one), we started working on the base layer of our footing. We added 4 inches of fine stone mixed with stone dust ( screenings) then leveled, watered and compacted it to prepare for the sand. We completed this part in two stages. The first was completed before building the indoor arena, we added more screenings once the arena was completed, and the project site was cleared of all construction waste.

07/22/2022

Farrier day :)

06/24/2022

Hay day!

06/08/2022

Today was our horses' annual physical.

Once a year we invite our vet to do a physical and review each horse's dietary and health needs. Horses then get their vaccines followed by dental exam. All of the findings and recommendations are logged in the horse's medical file.

Lightning needed floating and dental cleaning today.

"Floating” is the removal of sharp points from the cheek side of the horses’ upper teeth and from the tongue side of the lower teeth.

It is worth mentioning that Lightning was sedated; therefore, he didn't experience any pain during the procedure. This procedure allows him to chew his food better improving his oral intake, food digestibility and reducing dental related pain.

They will all need a third set of vaccines next week.

05/25/2022

Arena footing

Part one:

What type of riding surface do horses need? Do equestrians just ride on dirt?

The quick answer is no. Horses are athletes and need a level and well constructed surface to exercise safely.

Building a proper riding surface is a big and expensive project, not everyone gets it right. Equestrian centers strive to provide the best riding surfaces they can afford to keep their horses and riders safe.

The surface needs to have a sturdy sub-base and base layers followed by a layer of sand. The type and depth of sand depends on the riding discipline.

Ideally the footing of a sand riding arena should be built the same way roads are built with some differences in material selection.

We, at Oldcastle Equestrian Center, invested heavily in building the footing of our indoor riding arena.

Footing construction project:

Part one

We started our construction project by removing the topsoil from the building site. Our topsoil was 6+ inches deep. We then replaced it with good quality clay compacting and building up the grade as we go to allow for drainage.

We moved over 200 tri axle dump truck loads of material.

Stay tuned for part two

05/24/2022

Glory enjoying her grooming session. Must feel good to shed this winter coat :)

05/22/2022

Barn design and safety:

Lighting is extremely important not just for riding enjoyment but also for horse and rider safety. Horses can spook easily in dark arenas or from shadows.

We chose an open and bright barn design that limits the need for lights during the day. We also added bright and efficient LED lights for those cloudy days or short fall and winter days. The number, spacing and height of our LED lights were determined using a lighting design formula to provide a safe and shadow free indoor riding arena and stable

05/21/2022

How do horses help recycle the byproducts of sugar production?

Beet pulp is a byproduct of the sugar beet industry. Sugar beets are grown and harvested to make sucrose and sugar, and beet pulp is the plant material left over once the sugar has been removed. Because of the processing, beet pulp contains minimal sugar.

Dried beet pulp is used to feed horses as a source of fiber, protein, prebiotic among other beneficial nutrients. We at Oldcastle equestrian center add beet pulp to our older horse's feed because they are unable to extract nutrients as well as they used to. We also use it for horses with high metabolic rate (hard keepers) who benefit from the extra protein, calories and nutrients.

In return horses provide us with high quality manure which can be used as is or composted to grow more food and reduce industrial waste creating a win-win-win situation.

05/19/2022