War Horses at Training School

How the Four-Legged Recruits of a Nation’s Army are prepared for Battle.

It rarely occurs to the average person what an important part the horse plays in the economy of war. For without well-trained, trustowrthy horses even the magnificent cavalry and artillery of France and Germany would collapse, and the wole war machine come to a full stop. Thus it is little wonder that France spends $1,100,000 a year on her tropp horses, Germany $970,000 and Great Britain $100,000.

The great military Nations, too, maintain State breeding establishments as well they may, seeing that on a war footing Imperial Germany is supposed to put 201,100 horses on the battlefield, France 202,040, Austria 105,196, Great Britain 100,000 and Russia the enormous number of 548,400. The Czar’s vast Asiatic dominions yield an inexhaustible supply of hardy animals for the imperial army.

No doubt one of these days the horse will have disappeared from the battlefield altogether in favor of the motor. Already inventors and general staffs are discussing the feasibility of gigantic armored cars, powerful enough to cross any kind of country-land Dreadnoughts, in fact capable of blowing towns out of their path.

Horse Grooming

Start with your horse secured in crossties that are attached to the halter. This ensures that the horse cannot move suddenly one way or the other, plus it frees up both of your hands to work with the grooming. If you are trying to both groom and hold the horse, you are likely going to find this much more difficult and there is a greater chance of injury. With the horse secured, start either on the grooming or on the hooves, whichever you prefer.

Many owners prefer to start by cleaning the hooves, then the horse can relax and enjoy the rest of the routine. To correctly position yourself, stand next to the horses left front shoulder, just to the front of the body. Run your hand, the hand you don’t normally hold the pick in, down the front of the leg until you reach the hoof. Most horses that have had their feet cleaned will pick up their foot, but if they don’t gently press your shoulder and upper body against the outside of the shoulder, which will slightly move the horse off balance and he or she will shift weight to the other front foot. When this happens pick the left foot up, bending the leg as it would naturally bend back towards the center of the horse’s body. Hold the hoof firmly in your hand and use the pick to remove all the debris. Be very careful not to dig into the frog, the soft, triangular shaped center part of the hoof as this can be very sensitive. Repeat this process with the other feet until completed. Be sure to give a treat to the horse between feet to let him know he is doing a great job.

When grooming you can either start with the mane and tail or end with them, whichever suits you and your grooming style best. If the horse is dirty, muddy or has a winter coat, start with the curry comb and groom the entire body using gentle, circular shaped motions that follow the direction of hair growth. Work from the neck to the chest, over the shoulders, down the back along the sides and down the legs. Remember the curry comb is not flexible so be very gentle on the sides and down the legs. If your horse is flinching and twitching away, switch to the dandy brush over the sensitive areas. After the curry comb, follow with the same pattern with the dandy brush, this will flick away all the dust and dead hair. Follow up with the body brush for that shiny, sleek look, and also use the body brush on the face, but not near the eyes. A soft cloth that has been moistened with warm, clear water or a piece of sponge can be used to clean around the eyes and inside the nostrils.

Susanne Malloy is an avid equestrian and an editor for http://www.EnglishSaddleShop.com, your complete resource for new and used English saddles, riding apparel, and tack.

More About Horse Care…

FEED.

Bad weather puts a tremendous demand on a horse’s body to continue producing heat. For each decrease of 1-degree Fahrenheit below critical temperature (from 60 to 30 degrees, depending on hair coat), the horse’s digestible energy requirements increase by 1% to maintain body temperature.1 Ask your veterinarian to guide you on how much more to feed your outdoor horses, especially if cold spells in your area generally last extended periods of time. Remember, you cannot suddenly adjust the amount of grain ration without increasing the risk of colic and laminitis (founder). Unfortunately, most horses experience loss of body condition during extended periods of freezing temperatures, no matter how well they are fed. Start the early winter season by getting your horse into good condition.

BLANKETS.

Horses that live outdoors should be allowed to grow a long winter hair coat. This furry covering is more insulating than a blanket. A heavy hair coat traps the body heat against the skin. Additionally, leave the hair within the ears and around the fetlocks; this is additional protection. However, a thick hair coat can camouflage body condition, so be sure to assess the horse’s condition frequently by feeling the area over the ribs. To tell if a horse is cold, feel its ears–if they are cold, the horse is cold.

If the horse has been clipped, or recently moved from a warm climate to a colder one, a blanket should be used. If the horse doesn’t usually wear a blanket, check frequently to see that the animal is not sweating under the blanket. Remove the blanket immediately if the horse’s body is damp, then dry the haircoat.

Choose the appropriate blanket depending on the amount of protection needed, and make sure it fits properly. Too tight, and the blanket will chafe the skin; too large, the blanket can slip down under the belly, with the potential for the legs to get tangled. Make it a practice not to share blankets between horses. Ringworm, fungus, and other infections can be easily spread on blankets and sheets.

FEET.

No Foot, No Horse. Absolutely true, and more so in winter. If your riding horse is shod, pull the shoes unless you are riding indoors on a regular basis; if you ride outdoors, have your farrier add shoes with borium or steel studs to grip the ice. Horses kept outdoors should be unshod. Ice can pack into the hoof area surrounded by the shoe, and this increases the possibility of slipping on snow or ice. Keep your hoof maintenance program running through the winter. Trim every six to eight weeks to prevent cracking and breakage of brittle hoof walls impacting frozen ground. Don’t trim too close, or your horse can suffer from bruised feet, which can lead to laminitis.

In Depth : Horse Training

Horse Training

Successful training can make the difference between your horse improving it’s behavior or even worsening it. That is why the right horse training is essential.The way that a horse acts can be based on several different aspects:

Horse behaviors through genetics: There is no doubt that genetics do play a role in how a horse acts, regardless of the environment the horse is in or who the owner is.

Horse behaviors and personality: Certain breeds tend to have certain personalities that is why you’ll often hear the term “hot blooded breed” when referred to different types of breeds. One must remember though that each individual horse does have his own distinct personality like human beings.

Horse behaviors and the owner: A horse sometimes tend to take on the owners temperament. A owner which talks loudly and acts nervous will usually have a nervous horse whereas a owner who is confident and calm can expect the same from their horse.

Horse behaviors and the environment: When in a load, noisy and unfamiliar place like a show for example a horse would act more nervous than being in the training ring or stall. Some horses have been trained so well that they are so use to and not even aware of the noise anymore.

Horse behaviors and training: Training is very important as good training can greatly improve your horse’s behavior while bad training can exaggerate a bad trait that already exists.

Although the relationship between horse and man are thousands of years old, we still keep on learning new things every day. By taking time to learn a little bit more about horse behavior and what the different types mean, you can have a better relationship with your horse.