Your horse has a unique genetic makeup – and it’s full of valuable information! This priceless knowledge can empower you in many ways, from being able to make the best decisions regarding health and performance, to better understanding their temperament and suitability to a particular discipline, climate, or feed. From just 30-40 pulled mane or…
Deep within the hills of Eastern Kentucky, amidst reclaimed mine lands near the town of Lovely, Kentucky, ten remarkable horses now graze peacefully across a sprawling 1,000-acre expanse. Unbeknownst to these captivating companions, this land has been earmarked for restoration, with a mission to re-establish ecological balance from years gone by – and remarkably, these…
Natalie Smith is the founder and director of the Kituwah Equestrian Program (KEP). The name “Kituwah” comes from the ancient name of the of the Cherokee mother town. The Cherokee people are AniKituwah, the people of Kituwah. Smith believes there are ancient principles held by AniKituwah that can inform the relationship between people and their…
Our horses are not only our teammates, but our partners and friends. One high school student asked herself as she hosed-off her horse after a hard ride, “What is the best way to take care of my horse after a ride?” For a school science project she researched what product or method works best to…
Horse welfare has attracted the attention of both the scientific community and the public. In the domestic setting, horses are often kept in conditions that limit their expression of species-typical behaviors and compromise their welfare. Environmental enrichment strategies have been identified as an interesting option to make the domestic environment more interactive and complex, resulting…
A horse’s access to food can affect their natural behavior and lead to health problems. To understand these changes better, researchers looked at several feeding methods including free-choice feeding or unlimited food access, slow-feeder, which also allows unlimited hay access but requires the horse to pull hay through a net, and an automatic box feeder.
Eight graduate students from the School of Computer Science and Information Systems recently applied their skills and knowledge in a real-time setting by creating a web application for the Regional Intercollegiate Horse Show Association. Students had the responsibilities of analyzing the horse show’s rules, interacting with show administrators to gather details for rider and horse…
At the core of the sport of show jumping lies the jumping saddle, a specialized piece of equipment designed to provide both horse and rider with comfort, balance, and safety during high-flying jumps. This comprehensive guide will explore the world of jumping saddles, examining their history, design, construction, and their crucial role in the world…
Since antiquity, it has been generally accepted that sounds influence human emotional states and health. Acoustic enrichment has also been proposed for domestic animals. However, in both humans and animals, the effects vary according to the type of sound.
Horses operate as grazing athletes. Their innate eating behaviors include a spectrum of actions like seeking, exploring, browsing and grazing. Horses participate in a repetitive cycle of “step, bite, chew, repeat.” In essence, horses consume while on the move and move while they consume.