Happy Horse Farm

01/17/2025

01/16/2025

01/15/2025

The Happy Horse Farm Hot Chocolate and Tea bar is up and running! Love this new kettle!!

01/14/2025

With all the talk and argument surrounding the idea of a new contraption to measure the tightness of nosebands in dressage competition, I can't help but wonder... 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥?

There's 𝗔𝗕𝗦𝗢𝗟𝗨𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗬 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 inherently negative about the use of a noseband (and if you want to preach your belief that nosebands are all just terrible tools of the devil, this isn't the page for you). Where the issues come in, as far as I can tell, is WHY are you using the noseband?

🐴 Are you using it to stabilize the bit?

- then you're probably pulling too much on the reins and causing the problem. (𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘻𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘵, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥).

🐴 Are you using it to stop your horse from crossing their jaw?

- then you're probably pulling too much on the reins and causing the problem.

🐴 Are you using it because the horse is "lolling" their tongue?

- then you're probably pulling too much on the reins and causing the problem.

🐴 Are you using it because he opens his mouth when you take contact and try to adjust the position or frame?

- then you're probably pulling too much on the reins and causing the problem.

If you're using the noseband to stop a problem from happening, then the problem lies in the education of the horse and the rider.

* 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘱𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘢 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘙𝘈𝘙𝘌 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨... 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴.

🐎 If you're using the noseband because you are competing and rules of tradition compel it, that's a different story.

🐎 If you like the look of it, that's a different story.

🐎 If you like to "bling it up" and feel snazzy, that's a different story.

🐎 If you're using a noseband because you like to honor and respect the traditions of your discipline, even though you don't compete, that's a different story.

🐎 I probably missed some good personal reasons you might have, and they're a different story, too.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺 𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿.

So, let me know in the comments section, why are you using a noseband?

01/14/2025

Types of Saddle Bars!

01/14/2025

01/13/2025

This.

01/13/2025

WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU'RE EXPECTING (A FOAL) 🐴

If your mare has made it through 11 months of pregnancy, you're almost there. Labor and delivery, while momentous, are generally uncomplicated — however, being a prepared and informed owner will help you keep your anxiety in check so you can assist the new mother and foal get off to a great start.

Here are some things you can do to prepare for the arrival of the foal:

• Consult with your veterinarian well in advance of the birth. Know how to reach your regular veterinarian after hours and ask about a back-up or referring veterinarian in case your regular horse doctor is not available.

• Clean and disinfect the stall as thoroughly as possible. Provide adequate bedding.

• Wash the mare's udder, v***a and hindquarters with a mild soap and rinse thoroughly.

• Wrap the mare's tail with a clean wrap when you observe the first stage of labor. Be sure that the wrap is not applied too tightly or left on too long, as it can cut off circulation and permanently damage the tail.

• Time each stage of labor, to help you keep accurate track of the mare's progress. Take written notes! When you're worried or anxious, your perception of time can become distorted.

As always, these are general guidelines, and you should contact your veterinarian for more information specific to your situation. Good luck!