Horse Basics Category

Horse Breeds From Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan FlagI’ve been enjoying my theoretical trip around the world to visit the horse breeds of each country. I’ve researched over 600 breeds of horse and it’s interesting to look at each one in the context of their origins. Today we take a look at the breeds of Azerbaijan.

Interesting Fact

The climate of Azerbaijan is rather unique as the country is home to nine of the eleven climactic zones found on the planet. This is also a mountainous country and one that breeds tough little mountain horses. Most of the animals from Azerbaijan have Arabian roots. However, the unique climate and varied terrain has evolved the Arabian into an animal more suited to the geography.
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Horse Breeds From Austria

Austria FlagIt’s been great fun going through the countries of the world and learning more about their breeds of horse. I’ve cataloged over 600 breeds and counting, so there is a lot to share. Today it’s breeds from Austria.

Interesting Fact

Austria is the home to one of the most famous and oldest riding schools on the planet, the Spanish Riding School in Vienna. This time honored establishment is also home to a ballerina of the horse world, the graceful Lipizzaner horse. The school was named in honor of the Spanish animals which form the base of the Lipizzan breed.
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Horse Frame Heaviness

Horse Frame TypesAs I was looking through horse images on some website or another I was suddenly struck by the difference in horse frame size. A quick search for information left me with nothing useful to refer to so I thought I’d create my own scale of body types.

Not Very Scientific

I’ll admit, there is nothing scientific in how I came to my conclusions about frame size. All of it is based on experience, research and looking thousands upon thousands of horse pictures over the years. The categories below are general & loosely gathered, based simply on how heavy the ‘average’ or ‘typical’ type is for the breed.
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Horse Breeds From Australia

Australia FlagIt’s official, I’m going to list all of the horse breeds from every country I can find. The enormous breeds section has been a big help and today it’s all about breeds from Australia.

Interesting Fact

Horses aren’t native to the Australian continent, but were introduced during the pioneering days and heavily utilized to create civilization in this vast new world. Once their service was finished many of them were released, which later gave rise to the Brumbies…Australia’s mustangs.
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Natural Fly Control at the Stable

Dead FlyThe warm season is upon us again, and the flys are a buzzing. There are industrial repellants out there, but that doesn’t mean you have to use them. While flies are a nuisance, that doesn’t justify slathering yourself or your horse with unnecessary chemicals.

Bringing it Together

So I did some research to find out some of the best & most natural ways to control pests. Beyond sprays there are a variety of options to help keep flies at bay. Believe it or not some of the natural fly predators (which attack flies in the larval stage) are among the best for pest management in larger establishments.
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DIY Horse

ToolsHorses are expensive animals, so it stands to reason that owners will attempt to cut costs wherever possible. Being thrify is fine, as long as you don’t scrimp on important items…like girths, bridles and other essentials.

Getting Creative

There are plenty of items you can create yourself with a little patience and creativity. Knowing you made it yourself is half of the fun, and purchasing raw materials locally helps support your local community and reduce your carbon footprint.
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Horse Breeds From Argentina

Argentina FlagArgentina is an enormous country and one that spans a number of different geographical climates. In prehistoric times horses may have existed in modern Argentina, however they all died out during the last Ice Age.

Modern Horses

Today most of the breeds found in this country are the ancestors of Spanish animals brought over during the 16th century. Many of them only recently officially recognized as breeds themselves, however almost all of them share lineage to some degree.
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The History of Stirrups

woman on a horse in heels
Although the stirrup doesn’t seem like an exciting piece of equipment, it is actually the most pivotal contributions of the equestrian world. It was, in fact, one of the most basic tools used to create and spread modern civilization – perhaps even on par with the printing press. Beat that martingale!

Evolving Together

Horses have been domesticated for human use since at least 10,000 BC, originally used to pull chariots & carts or ridden bareback. As civilization continued to evolve and war continued to happen the need for more stability while mounted was inevitable. This is a tool that literally helped to create the world we live in today.
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