Xhalt Equestrian Center Inc

13/07/2025

Might come in handy....

29/05/2025

When giving IM (intramuscular) injections, whether for vaccines or antibiotics, these are the best muscles to use. If you have never given injections before or do not feel able to, please contact your veterinarian or an experienced horse friend to assist you.

28/05/2025

Yes!!! 😁😁😁

07/05/2025

DID YOU KNOW: Once upon a time cities like New York and London were drowning in thousands of pounds of horse manure daily from thousands of horses. Experts predicted cities would be unlivable by 1950. The crisis was "solved" not by better waste control, but by the automobile.

04/05/2025

27/03/2025

On April 2, a 25% tariff on most goods imported into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico is set to go into effect. The cost of those tariffs could be passed onto consumers, meaning that American horse owners might pay more than usual for imported items like hay, feed and lumber.

10/03/2025

💪🐴🤠

14/02/2025

Please note, there are updates on this post on our page. If you would like the whole picture, the first addresses folks questions and the second is the amazing response from Farm Innovators. Worth the time to read.

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So scary!

The ups and downs and daily challenges of life on a working farm certainly keep us on our toes.

It goes without saying that there are daily twists and turns when it comes to running a sanctuary, especially in Winter, but the other morning we certainly did not expect to find this. Oh boy! We are sooooo lucky!

Frigid Northern New England temperatures mean frozen water buckets even in the barn (an absolute no for animal health) and so, like so many other farms, we have long used heated flatback buckets to provide our Rescues the “warm” water the need to stay hydrated. We have never had even the hint of a problem, even in my many years of farm chores long before Tomten - that is until this.

Known for keeping water ice-free during below zero conditions, these buckets have a built in thermostat, a hidden heater (it is in the walls of the bucket) and a storage area for the cord (we run the cord out of the stall through a hole to a plug that sits directly on the other side of the wall).

Of course, we are well aware they are plugged in and we check the plugs constantly as well as handle and get our eyes on the buckets regularly when anyone is in the stalls. These buckets are dumped daily, not to mention they are topped off several times a day and if anything looks off they are immediately replaced. But in this case, there was nothing to see until morning when we walked in the barn. Thankfully, the bucket had been topped at night check and we suspect the water is what led to a charred wall and not a full out barn fire. Thank goodness! Likewise our outlet did its job and shut itself off as well as flipping the circuit breaker for the entire aisle. Phew.

Wren, who was in that stall is thankfully fine although I am certain, a little leary of her bucket now and as for us, we’ll we are just sighing with relief and we are all so ready for Spring.

Update- our electrician has been here and our outlets are fine, up to code and worked as they should.

12/01/2025

SENSORY HAIRS

The FEI has determined that any measures to trim or shave off a horse's sensory hairs, including whiskers, eyelashes and the hairs of the inner ear, is not permitted and shall lead to an elimination of the combination for the competition's duration.

Sensory hairs are of extreme importance for proprioception for the horse. They aid the horse's ability to judge distance and navigate in the dark. It has been shown that trimming or shaving these hairs leads to increased susceptibility to injury.

13/12/2024

Did you know horseback riding burns calories? (Yes, even when you’re just holding on for dear life during a trot!)
This calorie chart breaks it down...
✔️ Walking your horse? That’s cardio.
✔️ Trotting? Burn, baby, burn.
✔️ Barn chores? Hello, CrossFit with hay bales.

Find out just how fit horses can make you—because who needs a gym when you’ve got a 1,000-pound personal trainer or a few!
sunshinehorses.org