HiddenHorses: Natural Horsekeeping

Posts Tagged ‘Principles’

What do you do with your horse?

This is inevitably the first question that I always get asked by people when they discover that I own horses. Actually I dread it, not because I don’t ‘do’ stuff with my horses, like riding them (this is what they really mean), – I do, but to be honest, riding them is perhaps the least important aspect of what I do with horses and when someone wants to know the answer to that question I always know I am dealing with a ‘mentality’, and it is usually going to be hard work! Read more »

Anthropomorphic Addiction

This article is about addiction. But please don’t be put off. It is about one of the most common addictions in the world, an addiction suffered by probably 99% of all people that work with animals and certainly, almost everyone who doesn’t. Like all addictions it is very powerful (addictive) because it is very rewarding – and sadly, like all addictions, it is very damaging not only to ourselves, but also to those around us. This addiction costs us billions every year, globally it has spawned multi-billion dollar industries to feed our passions, on a personal level, it frequently consumes all our time, our relationships and our resources. Our passion and fascination with this addiction can last a lifetime and many of us are prepared to devote our lives to the pursuit of the pleasure that it gives us. Read more »

Stripping down the horse

Imagine your horse lives at the center of three concentric circles or better yet, spheres and imagine if you can that your horse is imprisoned inside these two outer shells. These shells are curved and semi-opaque and therefore distort what is inside. You can travel inside them at will but your horse is trapped, this is because these two shells are human inventions and under the control of humans, only the human can create them or destroy them through choice. Read more »

What is a Horse?

This is the simplest of questions and yet it is often something that people who have spent a lifetime with horses cannot answer. Even career, equine professionals, with forty years experience behind them cannot answer this question, – and yet of all the things a horse owner must understand about a horse THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING! It is quite simply, the key to understanding everything your horse does, it is the key to your relationship, it is the key to a long happy and healthy life for you and your horse it is, – the key to everything…. Read more »

What is an Ethogram?

My second principle of natural horse keeping states:

We base or relationship on the ethogram of the horse. That means

Life in a herd, a life full of natural movement, a diet that closely relates to the natural fiber based diet and barefoot .

The first thing about this principle that you might want to understand is, what is an ethogram? Read more »

What is Ethology?

Basically ethology is the study of animal behavior, with the emphasis on studying animal behavior in the wild. The first ethologists were field zoologists who observed and recorded animal behavior, from their observations they cross-referenced and compiled lists of verified behaviors, these lists are known as ethograms. So an ethogram is really an documented ‘model’ of the behaviors of a species. Read more »

What is Paddock Paradise?

Paddock paradise is a management system for horses based on allowing the herd constant movement, (should they choose to take it), around a continuous looped track. This system was first proposed by Jamie Jackson in his book ‘Paddock Paradise’ published in 2006 by Star-Ridge Publishing. Read more »

The Seven Principles of Natural Horse Keeping

The following principles are the basis of all of my management of the horse. I introduce them here as a point of reference for further posts.

1. PRINCIPLE NUMBER ONE: ALL OUR MANAGEMENT OF THE HORSE MUST ALWAYS CREATE GOOD HEALTH AND WELL-BEING IN THE HERD.
2. We base or relationship on the ethogram of the horse. That means: Life in a herd, a life full of natural movement, a diet that closely relates to the natural fiber based diet.
3. Horses need to move, constant movement anytime day or night is a fundamental right of the herd.
   
4. Management is based on the environment not just the horse
5. The opportunity to feed is the main daily activity. Up to 20 hours per day!
6. There is always something to look at or do. Horses have a right to live in a stimulating environment
7. RESPECT THE HORSE AS A HORSE