We do our best to work with the horse's natural biological needs for optimum mental and digestive health, such as consistent access to forage and access to companions and space to exercise. Although many horses get sufficient nutrition from quality hay alone, our residents receive vitamins, minerals, and grain to supplement their diet on a completely customized basis for each and every horse. Our horses can usually be found outside, only coming into the barn when shelter is a must for safety or comfort. If outside, they like to congregate next to any of their free-choice grass hay feeding stations. Our hay is netted to mimic horse's natural grazing which aids in digestion, prevents boredom, and prevents issues such as gastric ulcers or colic. The Cinch Chix nets and Bale Buddy hay bag are placed in our above-ground large hay feeders, significantly reduces hay waste, which not only vastly reduces mud and flies, but allows us to pass savings on to our customers.
Stable chores begin every morning in the feed room, where each horse's diet is carefully prepared according to our feed board. At feeding time, each horse happily meets staff at their stall door or gate, getting their custom ration and inspection for injuries, lost shoes, ripped blankets, or anything else that requires a closer look or seems uncharacteristic. Concerns are immediately communicated to the horse's owner. This is also a good time for staff to make any blanket changes when necessary. We provide Purina brand horse feeds of many different varieties for a diverse herd of horses who all have different dietary needs. For our customers who prefer another brand, we are happy to feed whatever you like. Smartpak supplements can be direct shipped to the stable to make providing supplements to us seamless and easy.
There is nothing more important to a horse's health than easy access to clean drinking water. Vital for digestion, water is the most crucial nutrient - regulating body temperature and transporting nutrients and electrolytes through the body. Water is the best colic prevention by keeping ingested feed moving along the digestive tract as well as supporting the healthy invironment needed for hindgut microbes to thrive, preventing life threatening impaction. Proper hydration supports energy, coat health and overall well-being. We take great care to make sure that the tanks and buckets are clean and filled. Tanks and buckets are inspected twice daily for cleanliness as well as for functional heaters in the winter months.
When the horses must come in for safety, comfort or convenience, stalls are cleaned a minimum of twice daily. Clean stalls are crucial for preventing respiratory issues and hoof problems such as thrush by controlling ammonia, bacteria and flies. Promoting a healthy environment ensures comfort for our horses, especially those who might be on long-term stall rest. Regular cleaning and adequate bedding creates a more hygenic space, reducing pathogens, dust and mold for better biosecurity and improving air quality for horse and human alike. Our stalls are bedded with bagged medium-flake shavings, which vastly reduce dust and maximizes comfort for our horses.
Getting to know your horse well and being observant at feeding time is how we spot subtle changes that might signal early illness. Catching problems before they escalate to bigger problems allows for prompt and less costly treatment. Identifying even the smallest deviations from each horse's baseline normal behaviors can indicate potentially serious and life-threatening conditions, such as colic, dental problems, or infections. Every morning and evening at feeding time, the horses are checked for obvious injuries, missing or broken blanket straps, loose or lost shoes, or anything else that seems uncharacteristic for that particular horse. Immediate concerns will be brought to the attention of the horse’s owner. If needed, horses will have blankets adjusted, removed, added, or changed.
Horse owners can find comfort that we have staff on-site 24/7 and we monitor the horses constantly for any changes that just don't look right. If your horse requires it, we are prepared to provide round-the-clock care and monitoring. With our video monitoring system, we can keep an eye on your horse no matter where we are.
The arenas are maintained regularly for the comfort of our horses and riders. Dragging levels the surface, prevents compaction, and redistributes footing, reducing injury risks and providing consistent, shock absorbing support. Arena maintenance improves performance and air quality by minimizing dust and creating a uniform, cushioned environment. It fills ruts, prevents hard spots and unevenness that can cause slips, falls or injuries such as muscle strains and joint issues. Our dust-free angular washed sand combined with finely shredded rubber has optimum depth and texture, and creates a consistent and level surface that allows our horses to move more confidently and perform better in training.
