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Full Care Board Includes

Quality grass hay fed twice a day

There are many different types of grass hay to choose from, and the grass is essential to aid horses’ digestion and provide the nutrients they need to grow strong and healthy. At Hidden Meadows, our preferred choice of grass hay is Orchard Hay for our twice a day feeding.

We chose Orchard Hay since it has 10-12% more protein than Timothy Hay. Orchard Hay is a good source of fiber and highly palatable with increased nutrient content, providing a diet that fits all types of horses. Orchard Hay is high in nutrient levels to satisfy energy and protein requirements.

Orchard Hay provides three cuttings per year versus the two that Timothy Hay provides. With three cuttings instead of two, Orchard Hay produces a consistent soft texture that horses readily eat.

A balanced diet includes hay, grain, and supplements in a safe, nutritious way. It is always important to consult your veterinarian when putting together a balanced diet.

Daily Feeding of Grain/Supplements Provided by the Owner

Supplements help bridge the nutritional gap from feeding quality hay as horses do not always meet their nutritional needs through grass hay and grazing. Feeding supplements ensure that your horse’s daily nutrition needs are being met and catered to. There are many benefits of providing daily supplements to your horse. Some horses have special nutritional needs based on their various stages of life. For example, pregnant mares’ needs would vary from those of an older horse or a performance horse.

There are three main reasons why supplements are important to a horse’s diet.

To help calm overstressed/nervous horses for hormonal balance. Feeding a calming supplement for high-energy or overstressed horses can become an essential part of their diet. This can help ease their fight or flight reactions.
To support healthy joints. Whether jumping, performing schooling movements, or riding on roads, this all adds strain to a horse’s joint health. To aid joint wellness, choose a joint supplement that helps to maintain healthy joint functions.
To maintain a healthy digestive system. A healthy digestive system is vital for all horses. Without a good digestive, horses cannot absorb nutrients completely. Stabling can cause further issues as a horse’s digestive functions better when moving and foraging.

It is best to consult your veterinarian and examine your horses’ exact nutritional needs before adding supplements to their diets.

Stalls/Paddocks Cleaned 5 Days a Week (Box Stalls Cleaned Daily)

The average 1,000-pound horse produces 50 pounds of manure and urine per day. Cleaning stalls is critically important to horses’ overall health, especially in controlling disease outbreaks. A dirty or improperly mucked stall can lead to many health problems, including thrush, cellulitis, as well as breathing, and skin problems. A horse’s health is compromised if they lie in its own manure or urine-soaked bedding.

If a horse stands around or is continually exposed to wet bedding in its stalls, they are at risk of developing the bacterial infection thrush. Thrush is a painful disease in the hoof and occurs when bacteria accumulate in the softened sole due to prolonged exposure to moisture. Thrush can be difficult and unpleasant to treat. The ammonia fumes from urine can cause irritation to a horse’s lungs. Keeping stalls cleaned removes all the urine-soaked shavings to reduce the risk of thrush and unhealthy ammonia vapor.

Shavings provided

Creating a comfortable and safe place for your horses helps ensure they have a calm environment to rest and feel secure. Wood shavings are a common ingredient of this secure and healthy setting. Shavings are the most common bedding for horses, they are very absorbent, and a small number of shavings will absorb urine.

Shavings are an integral part of any horse care routine – horses can spend a lot of time in their stalls. Shavings are very popular and can be delivered by truck or purchased by the bag at feed stores. We use a special manure fork to pick manure out of the shavings without removing too much of the bedding.

Our choice of shavings is Douglas Fir; this type of shavings typically is a screen to remove dust and dried in a kiln. Horses also favor the scent of Douglas Fir shavings. It is soft and comfortable with low-moisture content. They also contain no phenols, which have been known to trigger sneezing and other allergies in horses.

Fly masks on/off

The problem many horse owners run into is that flies are a nuisance and bite, which can lead to potential health issues. While not every single fly carries a life-threatening disease, they still present other problems. For example, bites from horseflies can be painful, while some species cause dangerous summer sores in wounds. Horses can develop an allergic skin condition from being bitten; fly bite allergies are the most common skin disease found in horses.

Protecting your horses from fly bites is the best way to guarantee you are keeping them safe. Fly sheets and masks are an effective way to keep flies from landing on and biting your horse. The four main types of flies that affect horses are horse flies, deer flies, stable flies, and house flies. Using a physical barrier is one way of preventing insects from bothering your horse. Some horses suffer from “flies in the eyes,” and a fly mask is a way to prevent runny eyes and annoyances that come from the problem.

Some masks cover the ears as well to provide relief from gnats that tend to bite in those areas. To protect the entire body, a fly sheet eliminates flies biting and irritating the horse’s body. Some sheets cover the neck and provide UV protection for lighter-colored horses who may sunburn during summer.

It is important your take every precaution you can to prevent flies from becoming a problem in the first place. Providing your animals with adequate protection from biting insects is an often overlooked as an aspect of horse care.

Contact Hidden Meadows Estate for Our Full Care Horse Boarding

Hidden Meadows is not just a boarding and training facility; we are a family looking to bring back the simple joys in life to ourselves and those around us. We are here to bring back the connection to nature, horse, rider, and oneself. Once you drive through the masterfully done gates, you have stepped back in time to a simpler life.

I have been forever changed by the incredible beauty and the welcoming people here in the serene folds of the Applegate Valley.

We are a sprawling 60-acre horse ranch offering not only in-person lessons but also offer the latest technology for remote training sessions called PIVO. You can ride the 200×60 covered arena all year long, and your horse will be spoiled in their oversized pasture space. Or take a trail ride and have a picnic in the mountains.

Whether you are an English or Western rider, beginner or advanced, you and your horse have a home here. Contact us for a visit, take a tour, and see for yourself what we have to offer you and your horse; you will not be disappointed.

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310-867-0987