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Natural Horse Care is all about giving your horse the best life in a domestic environment.

It’s even more than meeting the Five Freedoms:

  • Freedom from hunger and thirst,
  • Freedom from discomfort, pain, injury, or disease,
  • Freedom from fear and distress, and
  • Freedom to express normal behavior.

Natural Horse Care is understanding equine ethology and applying it as much as possible.  

Here’s a definition I like from horseextension.org 

Ethology is the scientific study of animal behavior. Technically, ethology is the study of animals in their natural habitat. Several things make a horse unique in the animal kingdom:

  • Horses are strongly social. They are herd animals and are very comfortable when they can see other horses.
  • Horses are herbivores, or plant-eating animals. They rely on grazing grasses and leaves for food.
  • Horses typically show a tendency for imitation between young and old.
  • Horse are seasonal breeders.
  • Males tend to form separate male subgroups at certain times of the year.
  • Horses are considered a prey species in the animal kingdom.
  • Horses are capable of strong pair bond relationships.

My 50 years of natural horse-keeping has helped me choose what I think are the kindest and healthiest methods and products for their care.

The following posts will help you care for your horse in a more natural way, along with the topics listed in the drop-down menu above.

  • Why Do I need to Know About Grass?

    Why Do I need to Know About Grass?

    Grass is one of those things we take for granted if we have it, and wish we had it if we don’t, especially in times…

  • Drought Strategies To Help Your Horses

    Drought Strategies To Help Your Horses

    Drought is hard on you, your horse and your pocket so knowing how to make life more comfortable during such a depressing time helps a lot.…

  • Summer Horse Keeping Tips

    Summer Horse Keeping Tips

    Before you go away on holidays (and hopefully arrange for someone to look after your horses), here are some things to consider for your horse’s…

  • Horse Rug Heating Facts

    Horse Rug Heating Facts

    by Dave MacDonald When you put your hand under a rug on a horse standing still it should NEVER feel toasty warm. This is a…

  • Responsible Rugging Tips

    Responsible Rugging Tips

    I generally don’t recommend rugging a horse. However, there are times when due to lack of shelter or many days of constant rain and wind,…

  • Should I rug/blanket my horse or not?

    Should I rug/blanket my horse or not?

    by Cynthia Cooper Rugging or blanketing horses is usually something that makes US feel a lot better, especially when its cold, wet and we see…

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