Pine Ridge Stable's

02/19/2025

01/21/2025

Chrissy our sweet mule finally decided that a blanket may keep her warmer. So I put it on with no problem. She loves it since we have colder weather.

01/21/2025

Our mini’s got new blankets from a friend / sponsor. They are so proud of them. Baby Cake & Little Miss are older girls with a bit more warmth  to get through this weather.

01/21/2025

Better late than never, I guess. Pupils on Christmas break  spending time with the horses on a warmer day.

01/21/2025

So cute!!

01/09/2025

❄️ Keep these helpful tips in mind when managing horses during this week's cold snap. ❄️

⏰ Maintain your normal schedule if possible. Research from Virginia found that an increase in colic episodes following adverse weather was a result of sudden changes in management and not the weather itself.

⚡️ Energy needs for a horse at maintenance increase about 1% for each degree below 18°F. For example, if the temperature is -18°F, a 1,000 pound idle, adult horse would need approximately 4 additional pounds of forage (e.g., hay) daily. It is best to provide the extra energy as forage since heat is produced from the microbial fermentation of forage.

🏡 Horses must have access to shelter from wind and moisture. A horse’s hair coat acts as insulation by trapping air, but when wet, the insulating value is loss.

💧 Water should be kept between 45 to 65°F to maximize consumption. Most adult horses require a minimum of 10 to 12 gallons of water each day. Horses should always have access to fresh, clean water. Check water sources often to ensure they have not froze.

🧤 Take care of yourself! Protect yourself from the cold by wearing multiple layers of coats and pants. Ensure the outer layer is wind and waterproof. Additionally, wear insulated, waterproof boots; warm gloves; a winter hat; and a scarf or neck gaiter to cover your face.

For more information on winter care, visit https://extension.umn.edu/horse-care-and-management/caring-your-horse-winter

12/31/2024

Recap : 2024  pictures of our pupils and horses . We are a lesson barn , we do summer camps, pony parties , lessons for kids and adults. We welcome small groups to our farm . Working student program for all ages 16 and up. We hope to do some horse shows next year. We offer on farm lease of selected horses . For more information give us a call . 540-487-0550🐴

12/31/2024

We got some pictures done of our 3 additions to the farm . They have been here a month. The barn behind them is what we built for them to be in at night so no one is getting hurt . We also have our four mini’s that weren’t very happy having their space invaded. Yesterday the girls did great on getting the barns cleaned and feeding our senior gang lunch . Working together as a team and helping one another out gets the job done.

12/30/2024

Our working pupil helping out at the barn. Learning about stable management, cleaning stalls, turning horses in and out safely, general care and learning to ride and more . We appreciate her help as well. Our working pupil program is open to folks that enjoy horses , helping out when we have camps, and other areas . Horses are great therapy as well. Don’t have experience we will train . We need someone that is flexible, has transportation , and willing to learn. We are a family oriented barn. This is not a paid position. 🐴

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas to all!

11/10/2024

On Veteran’s Day, we honor our Sheldon Mustangs--descendants of the original ‘war horses’--who served their country in World Wars I and II.

U.S. contracts supplied horses to American and Allied forces. The horses in the area now known as the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge, managed by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), were one of the most well-documented areas where war horses were drafted to serve.

During World War I and World War II, military cavalry contractors would round up horses from the area. The horses were shipped to the East Coast. From there they made a trip across the Atlantic Ocean by ship. Horses that survived the journey pulled artillery or served as cavalry mounts.

It is estimated that every day and half, 500 American horses left to supply American and allied troops during World War I. Nearly eight million horses died in World War I alone.

The Wild Horse and B***o Act of 1974 protects wild mustangs as part of our American heritage. America’s wild horses are managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Because the Sheldons were managed under the Fish and Wildlife Service, this law did not protect them.

In 2014, the government ‘zeroed out’ the Sheldon program. Most of the remaining Sheldon horses were shipped to slaughter.

A few remnants of the historic Sheldon herds were protected because they had migrated onto federal land and fell under federal jurisdiction. A few private sanctuaries were able to relocate some surviving Sheldon band horses.

There are very few surviving Sheldon Mustangs left in the world.

This Old Horse proudly provides sanctuary to 19 of them including 16 Sheldon stallions living out their best lives at our Wells Creek Wild Mustang Sanctuary in Goodhue, MN.

We honor their ancestors who fought side-by-side with soldiers to help save the world...the original horsepower of war.

Love is good.