First Coast Pet

Posts Tagged ‘animals’

There’s a hole in your life that only a dog can fill. You wish a special dog, perhaps simply a full-grown adult. Perhaps your code of ethics calls for saving a dog’s life – not buying an upscale purebred.

I’m not a veterinarian or a dog trainer, but I’ve enjoyed two successful adoptions. Here are some tips I’ve picked up along the way.

(one) Clarify your requirements before time.

Once you’re standing in front of a cage, it’s simple to say, “Well, he’s a ton bigger than I expected, and I very wanted a feminine, however oh he’s SO cute!” No amount of love or coaching will help if your dog wants additional exercise than you’ll provide.

(2) Apprehend the difference between shelter and rescue groups.

Most cities have humane societies where you’ll be able to view dogs and make a choice. Rescue teams usually hold animals in foster care – that is nice, as a result of you can raise the foster mom all sorts of questions. As an example, they can say, “This dog lived with two cats so you recognize you’ll trust her.”

(three) Be prepared to pay.

Shelter animals are not free, however you do get worth for money. Expect to pay a fee that may embrace spay/neuter costs, licensing, and/or veterinarian visits.

(4) Consider an older dog.

By the point a dog has turned three or four, she’s as big as she’s visiting get. No surprises! You’ll conjointly have clues concerning his temperament.

(5) Plan to confine the dog throughout a period of transition.

Your new dog doesn’t get it. She was during a loving home (or left alone in an exceedingly yard all day or perhaps abused). Then she spent some weeks in a cage, feeling lonely and isolated. Maybe she’s been passed around to multiple homes.

Bottom line, she’s stressed. She might chew, dig, bark, or perhaps lose her house training at first.

Crating the dog prevents destructive behavior. My dogs each looked visibly relieved as they retreated to their crates each day. “Time to relax,” they appeared to say.

(vi) Invest in training.

Most dogs are turned over to the shelter as a result of of behavior problems. If you’re new to the world of dog behavior, take a class or hire a professional. Most behavior will be corrected, even among older dogs. However if you’re not sure, raise a professional. Some behaviors can’t be “fixed.”

(7) Incorporate giant doses of exercise and walks into your day.

Walking along builds your bond and a tired dog could be a smart dog. Begin the exercise program immediately so you can gain a way of how a lot of exercise the dog needs – an important factor within the dog’s adjustment – and begin coaching for the fundamentals on the means home from the shelter.

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The curly coats which give these horses their name is due to a certain gene which is passed on from their parents. In addition to their coat, other hair (e.g. tail, mane, even eyelashes) can display curls. This is one of four unique features which make this breed popular:

1) Hypoallergenic. People who suffer from horse allergies generally have a reduced reaction to curlies and many of them have no reaction at all, making this group of horses unique.

2) Appearance. The appearance of these horses, due to the curls or waves in their coat, is not only unusual but many people find it exceptionally attractive.

3) Feel. The soft feel of the coats make petting these horses especially enjoyable for both children and adults.

4) Temperament. These horses are reputed to be particularly calm, sensible and intelligent. As such they are especially suited to children and for therapy.

Although the genes which produce curly hair are relatively uncommon among horses, they are found in many different types of horse, from miniatures to standard sized to draft horses. Curly horses also vary in color and build.

The nature of the curl also varies from horse to horse. In some cases it consists of large, heavy curls but in others it is smaller curls or even fine pin curls. It may even be waves. In some cases, the hair is straight as in a normal horse (no sign of curl), but the horse is still considered a ‘curly horse’ because it is descended from curly horse parents and retains other characteristics such as being hypoallergenic even though it does not display the characteristic curly coat.

As the above shows, there is a great deal of diversity in curlies (size, color, build, curl characteristics). This diversity is partly due to the fact that the curly genes are naturally occurring and there has not been a long term breeding program to develop a uniform set of characteristics against a breed standard. In fact, an official breed standard has not yet been agreed. Consequently, one should feel free to choose a curly horse which one finds attractive without worrying greatly as to whether the horse fits a certain standard.

Before buying a curly, keep in mind that the coat curl changes with season (curl is greater in winter) and age. The degree of change depends on the individual horse and its bloodline, with some horses remaining curly all year round and others having straight hair in summer. Curly horses also tend to have shorter and thinner hair in manes and tail (somewhat like the Appaloosa breed), although the extent of this also varies greatly depending on horse and bloodline. Therefore, it is useful before choosing a horse to see it in both winter and summer (ask the seller for photos). It is also useful to look at other horses of the same bloodline but different ages to see the expected changes as the horse ages.

The hypoallergenic quality of curlies varies from horse to horse, and the benefits vary from person to person. Consequently, while one can say that most people have reduced or no allergic reactions to curly horses, this is not true of all people or all curlies. Therefore, before buying one in the hope that one will not have an allergic reaction, one should in fact test the specific person to the specific horse to confirm this. Take appropriate medical advice on how to test safely, if you have extreme allergies.

The curly horse is known by a number of names, such as: Bashkir Curlies, North American Curly Horses, or American Bashkir Curlies.

Cats will be sick tempered and mean on their worst days, however even the foremost annoying problems have a remedy somewhere. If your cat is clawing your furniture, your carpet, and your legs with the identical ferocity, understanding the how and why behind the behavior can help you redirect your feline friend’s clawing instinct to be expressed in less destructive ways.

Thus why IS your cat clawing everything in sight?

Here’s the jawdropper: a cat’s claws never stop growing. Let me repeat that: They NEVER stop growing. After I found that out, a massive lightweight went off in my head. Just sort of a pet hamster that constantly needs to knaw on wood to stay their teeth from growing too long, what cats are literally doing once they sharpen their claws is removing the outermost layer of their claws. O.K. Kitty Cat, we have a tendency to finally get it!

So what to try to to? What to do?

The primary thought bubble that forms is to scoop kitty up for a little declawing action at the nearest vet’s office. However before you’re taking such a drastic step, keep in mind that after those claws are gone, they’re GONE. Take away those claws, and you’re casting off your pet’s primary type of defense. Whether or not you have an indoor cat like I do, possibilities are, in due course, a window of opportunity goes to open up simply long enough for your cat to slip outside and be liable to attacks from different animals and people.

O.K. Thus now you know why your cat is really using you as a scratching post. Let’s move aloof from the word “using”. During a method, it’s quite flattering. That doesn’t make it hurt any less. Let’s get your cat to branch out. It’s time to urge a REAL scratching post, thus that your pet will get into the habit of using it rather than YOU, whenever those claw sharpening impulses may strike.

Thus how do we have a tendency to get kitty to break her dangerous habits and begin to use the proper place where she will be able to scratch to her heart’s content?

The answer lies in you.

That’s in fact, IF you are your cat’s favorite person in the family.

If therefore, then try hanging a piece of clothing that belongs to you on your virgin scratching post. The idea is to form the world smell familiar. Each day or 2 should be enough for your cat to become acquainted with its’new scratching outlet.

Don’t want to part with one thing from your wardrobe? Time to get a very little sneakier then. Catnip will be your secret weapon. Sprinkle catnip over the scratching post and watch what happens. This one may be even value breaking out the video camera for.

This next possibility sounds a little weird, but believe me, it WORKS!

Try sprinkling the post area with powdered chicken bouillon. The thought is to induce the cat to feel friendly enough toward the scratching post to attack it.

While your cat is making the transition to a designated space for scratching, there are many ways that to form your cat’s favorite scratching areas a ton less attractive. This can help ease the transition from the recent spots to the new.

Sprinkle contemporary lemon juice over them. Cowl or wrap the areas in aluminum foil. Remember what it felt like when your fingernails went down the chalkboard? Ever attempt it once more? Cats can experience the same factor and be deterred from using the areas. Finally, clean the areas well to eradicate any cat odor. This can go a long method toward removing the aura of familiarity that creates the habit of using the space. Conjointly, just keep the doors closed to form those places inaccessible to the cat.

Currently that you know more regarding the how and why of your cat’s clawing instinct and behavior, take these easy steps and you’ll soon see a resolution to the cat clawing issues in your household. With a little time and patience, your cat’s claw sharpening activities ought to be restricted to its’favorite spot: the scratching post!

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Feral or unferal, your kitty might get snarled in one of those if they’re in specific an out of doors cat. Indoor cats if by themselves are obviously not as prone to the present risk, unless they notice themselves outside, or a stray visitor inside.. however two or more indoor cats will have their “dangerous” days as well.

If you allow your cat to roam outside in the big wild outdoors, I seriously suggest you’re taking kitty to your veternarian from a young age and start getting him vaccinated! And make certain this is done each year no queries! This can be necessary if you don’t want your kitty to induce infected by nasties like Feline Aids (FIV) that is transmitted through blood while fighting. This also protects your kitty among a heap of other completely different diseases out there like Feline Leukemia
(FLV). It’s also highly advisable to induce him (or her) neutered. Unspayed males will fight feirsly for a female if she is in heat, that will leave each cats in tatters and spayed males can find themselves in the center of one thing they don’t understand if an unspayed males get the wrong idea…

Cats fighting outside in the dead of night time will be quite of a shock, as typically they’ll sound shut to a kid shreking or yelling, and it’s definately the last issue you wish to listen to when your making an attempt to sleep at the hours of darkness! My ultimate way of getting rid of cats engaged during a fight is to flip the hose on them, as noises will not startle them hardly as they’re concentrating too much on the opposite cat!

For indoor cats, clearly water all over the carpet is unwanted thus I find typically placing a large object between the 2 that can cut of eye contact with both cats, if they are engaged in a very fight, do not get in their way as cat bites can not only hurt, but are additional seemingly to become infected than dog bites. Use a chair and turn upside down and use the back of the chair and gently slide the chair between the cats, this will startle them and stop them from fighting. Provide the cats ‘trip’ by inserting one during a closed area for a brief amount of time.

A smart tell-tale sign if a cat is frightened, the hair will get up everywhere the body and when the cat threatens or is prepared to attack, you’ll see the hair get on my feet in an exceedingly slim band along the spine and tail to create him look bigger, and this is additionally a good time to urge out that hose or chair!

With the common lifespan of an outdoor solely cat if they’re feral or unferal, is solely regarding three years! Which is why if you’re keen on your kitty and need him to have a healthy live, keep him indoors and he can live a whopping 16 years longer!

Not only will you profit from keeping your kitty living longer indoors, it can prevent expensive veternarian bills for infected scratches, broken teeth, torn ears, and so on by these nasty one-on-ones.

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Of all the animals of the world the dog has proved itself the foremost adept at learning. Dog obedience could be a terribly desirable aspect of  dog and man relationship, however unfortunately most dogs even though domesticated, lack dog obedience.

This singular characteristic of dogs, but, has not discouraged man from keeping dogs as his best friend. Quite a lot of effort has been made to show dogs  obedience and responsibility. To the current end heaps of dog trainers, dog colleges and books are currently offered for dog house owners who are desirous of transforming their dogs into  humanlike companions having the capabilities to suppose fast enough to react to different commands and thereby answer to the others needs.

Dogs are trained for use by the Police, the military, the physically challenged and these dogs have equated themselves quite creditably. There are stories of Dogs who have saved their master’s lives and property. Trained dogs interact in sporting competitions and have worn laurels for his or her owners. Different trained dogs have been of immense price throughout search and rescue operations once natural, accidental or terrorist disasters.

But none of this praise worthy dog actions is possible while not smart dog training. Untrained dogs are very dangerous  and become nuisance to the family and society at large. Untrained dogs are known to possess the habit of chewing up things in the house particularly shoes and furniture; putting their mouths in food things and typically disrupting the conventional family set up.  Dogs aggressions have caused each health issues and even deaths to relations , strangers and  neighbours.

This situation has led to many dog house owners killing or sending into the streets their former pet dogs. Most of which can be found in shelters all over the country. Currently let me say {that a} dog is not responsible for its level of intelligence, rather its owner is responsible for a dogs behaviour. The truth is {that a} dog is capable of learning, thus it behoves dog owners to ensure that their dogs get real coaching  in order to induce the most effective out of them.

That the relationship between man and dog is inalienable is so obvious. What’s just about  clear is whether all dog house owners are well informed as to how to travel about making certain that their dogs get the coaching that produces them accountable members of  society.

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Dog possession carries with it the burden of a range of different purchases. In order to properly take care of a dog and to comply with sure native laws, the owner should have a number of dog accessories in his or her arsenal. Some of these items are necessary, others are just conveniences. It’s vital to know precisely what you’ll want to properly care for your dog.

The Necessities

Most of the really necessary items for dog care are fairly obvious. If you’ve got a dog you’ll need bowls for the dog’s food and water. Mid size to massive dogs have a habit of moving their food bowls around the room as they eat. This can build a lot of noise and have the frustrating results of requiring the owner to hunt around for the bowl at feeding time. The matter will be solved by employing a significant ceramic bowl that is difficult for the dog to maneuver around. A durable plastic bowl with a rubber lining on the bottom can be helpful as well. The rubber on the bottom prevents the bowl from sliding around as Rover enjoys his meal.

For taking the dog on walks you’ll would like a leash and a collar. These can be as simple or as elaborate as you’d like, but in fact you’ll want to require the dimensions and strength of your dog into consideration when choosing them. The collar can (and ought to) be adorned with a license tag or a minimum of an ID tag that has your name and contact data in case your dog is lost.

If you live during a big city like New York (Manhattan), Chicago, or other urban area, you’ll need to get that miracle of contemporary doggie convenience the “pooper scooper.” Most cities have laws against house owners merely permitting their dogs to “foul the footpath” or leave very little Poodle Bombs all over the city park. In some cities there’s a hefty fine for such crappy behavior.

Optional Accessories

There are actually thousands of optional items available for people to get to be used with their dogs. A number of these things, just like the gravity refillable water dishes and food bowls, serve a very helpful purpose, others – the dog bandana involves mind – serve no real purpose and are simply decorative or just plain silly.

One item that some house owners do find terribly helpful, particularly those who live in a hot climate, are “dog booties.” While they may seem like a simply precocious and relatively useless item, they do a good job of protecting the sensitive pads of a dog’s feet from rough terrain, rocky areas, and hot pavement. Those in cooler climates might not perceive, however in some places, significantly the desert environments of cities like Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Albuquerque, the summer pavement will literally become hot enough to fry an egg. You wouldn’t walk barefoot on such a surface and neither ought to your dog.

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I remember dreading the day I found the perfect couch to travel in our appartment. Binx was never specific with what he liked scratching on and I realised that if I bought this couch, that it would end up looking like a shreaded pin cushion in an exceedingly matter of hours not days!

Just getting in a new appartment (or having been there a very long time) introducing your kitty to his new surroundings can be quite robust and you wish to keep him within for about a week to a few weeks until you’re satisfied that he’s happy to grasp where home is and he is settled himself before deciding to let him outside. Whereas he is within for those one to three weeks, if you are unfortunate enough to not be in a position to remain home and watch your kitty twenty four/7, you will likely to come back home and realize the couch has been attacked or worse, I used to come home and find the bottom of my bed had been attacked!

Currently declawing is definately out of the option, the sole different selection left was to look at is Cat Furniture for your kitty. For starters a cat scratcher particularly if you have an internal kitty! Now I used to be terribly warey how Binx would take to this new carpeted object sitting within the lounge, and it had been quite lucky I had bought him a Cat Nip plant!

Your kitty will in all probability go nutty over Cat Nip, but not all cats react the identical manner to it. If your kitty isn’t taking any notice of his new scratching pole, and continues to be using your couch, break a few leaves off the Cat Nip plant and proceed to rub it all over the carpeted pole. It took some days of sniffing for Binx to truly get any interest within the pole, however once your kitty gets the idea or if would like be, show kitty how it should be used first, and praise him every time he uses it properly!

Build certain the pole is secured down properly because it may topple onto kitty while he’s using it, and it will just scare him off using the pole for smart! I had ours wedged underneath the TV Cabnet and now the Occasional table and removed the bell hooked up to the high of the pole because it seemed to scare Binx everytime it jingled behind him! And guess what – He has not touched our new couch, ONCE!

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Saltwater aquarium fish are amongst the foremost stunning of animals located anywhere within the world. A variety of saltwater aquarium fish will be housed in your marine tank provided you recognize what they have in terms of care, such as feeding, setting, competitors and space to grow.

Any marine enthusiast can tell you that putting in a marine tank is difficult and so is selecting the right saltwater aquarium fish! This is often as a result of it’s straightforward to make mistakes with the kinds of fish you choose. It’s usually best to begin your marine tank with some hardy and reasonable fish. The bulk of saltwater aquarium fish are collected from nature rather than captive raised thus don’t waste that gift by making mistakes that end in the death of your fish.

Damsels are a nice saltwater aquarium fish to start out off with. Damsels are hardy very little creatures and will survive in poorer water conditions than several different marine species. They’re not fussy concerning their food and won’t cost you the earth. Unfortunately damsels are also quite aggressive. You’ll easily keep one or 2 of those powerful saltwater aquarium fish during a tank but don’t strive any more than that.

Its best to begin with damsels and then add additional aggressive fish later, If you want to accommodate saltwater aquarium fish that are more back, you wish to require your damsels out before adding additional timid sorts of saltwater aquarium fish. Blue and yellow damsels are 2 species that are less aggressive than others.

Mollies are another starter saltwater aquarium fish. Mollies that are used to salt water permit you to begin with cheaper fish whereas you learn the way to make sure the salinity of your tank is correct for additional sensitive creatures. On the other hand mollies are raised and bred in captivity thus you won’t get a lot of real expertise in keeping them. Get them used to the tank by allowing saltwater to drip into the bag for about six-8 hours. When the bag becomes full take away some water. Once the tank cycles you’ll keep the fish within the tank.

Clownfish are cousins to damsel fish and are a reasonably hardy saltwater aquarium fish. They’re not that straightforward to acclimate to a marine tank, though. They’re conjointly quite territorial however aren’t likely to be aggressive to other species. They don’t have to own an anemone to survive. If you do get one remember that they need water that is very clean and top quality lighting.

Blennies or gobies are fairly hardy and little and shouldn’t be a downside for the opposite saltwater aquarium fish within the tank. They’re character fish however they are small and thus might wander off in terribly huge tanks with larger saltwater aquarium fish. They’re a smart choice to assist management algae however if you have a fish solely tank they will not be straightforward to keep fed.

Tangs are a hardy saltwater aquarium fish that are a little sensitive and tend to contract marine ich (also recognize as “White Spot”). They eat algae therefore while you grow some you would possibly try to introduce some tangs.

Triggerfish or lionfish are a perfect saltwater aquarium fish for a tank that will eventually contain massive aggressive fish. However they will be pricey if you create mistakes. It would possibly be a good plan to ‘follow’ on fish that are both cheaper and easier. You’ll need to feed them heaps of shell fish and other sea creatures to keep them healthy.

Angels and butterflies are very sensitive and difficult saltwater aquarium fish to keep. They have special diets normally therefore they are not that easy to care for in a tank. The identical goes for batfish.

Once you gain more expertise to keep conditions in your tank stable you’ll add a few different sorts of fish. Choose from hawkfishes, grammas, dottybacks, basslets and wrasses. But create positive to seek out out about how to take care of them properly as a result of some are not as easy as others. But they’re a abundant easier bet that angels and butterflies.

So which saltwater aquarium fish should beginners avoid? You must not attempt angelfish, butterfly fish, pipefish, seahorses, long-nosed filefish, blue ribbon eels, stonefish, and Moorish Idols and mandarin fish until you actually apprehend what you are doing.

What regarding invertebrates? Contrary to well-liked belief invertebrates are well suited to mini or micro-reef tanks. Many invertebrates do well in non-reef tanks. For the novice aquarist the hardy species are best. These include shrimps like the cleaner shrimp, blood shrimp or peppermint shrimp and coral banded shrimp. As is the case with saltwater aquarium fish, keep on with the hardier shrimps to begin with.

Anemone crabs are another choice you might try along together with your saltwater aquarium fish. And why not add some sea urchins and starfish that are quite similar temperament to beginners with a few month’s expertise? They differ in size, shape and color and a few are toxic thus watch out! Ocean urchins and starfish eat detritus and algae and other little bits of food thus they will help to keep your tank clean and your saltwater aquarium fish healthy.

Anemones are not extremely suited for beginners. They have special lighting and top-notch water conditions therefore if you’ll’t foot the bill for the lights stay away or you’ll live to regret it. Invertebrates you ought to avoid include tridacna clams, flame scallops, Octopi, Nudibranchs, or any onerous or soft coral and sea squirts. Like the saltwater aquarium fish listed previously these invertebrates have special feeding and living requirements.

When you select saltwater aquarium fish, you need to bear in mind that they are a bit additional expensive then the freshwater varieties. For that reason you must make sure with them and try to keep them alive. When fish are captured and moved from the shop to your home they’re liable to get stressed, particularly since most of them have been taken from the ocean mere days ago. So make certain you can properly take care of your new friends before you bring them home!

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Is barking a kind of language among dogs with precise significance, or simply playful noise? Dogs exchange info among themselves less by voice than by a wide range of facial expressions, body postures and gestures, also by numerous scents. Dogs, who bark at midnight, are most likely operating off excess energy or asserting their presence, and this is undoubtedly the sole message conveyed to different dogs at intervals ear shot.

When a dog goes to his owner and deliberately barks, it’s merely meant to attract attention. You need to strive to guess his general behavior, rather than from the circumstances and his general behavior, instead of from the actual kind or pitch of bark he makes. The howling or baying of searching dogs is an instinctive looking cry informing the pack {that the} dog is on a trail. Barking at strange noises could be a warning plus a threat display.

A lonely dog who bowls might be sending out a gathering cry to alternative dogs nearby. Wild dogs on the other hand, never back, they only howl. Might the barking of domesticated dogs be a type of communication a lot of closely resembling speech? A pet dog that shares a shut relationship along with his owner and has been taught to perceive several words clearly makes a trial, sometimes quite successfully, to offer which means to his own utterances.

A dog who wishes to say his importance and boldness instinctively employs all of the effects that build him look bigger and more scary, raising his back ton increase his height and holding his head high in defiance. A dog who desires to show submission does just the opposite, creating himself look small by crouching down with his tail between his legs and his ears laid back flat.

A dog who desires to say his dominance can take a perpendicular position with his head over the other dog’s shoulders, whereas nudging or pushing, with his neck arched, head and tail raised and tense. The standard play invite may be a posture with the forehead crouched, the hind quarters high, a wagging tail, bright eye and a little yap. A rigid stance with a steady gaze and a high, trembling tail is hostile. A high, steady tail signifies self confidence, and held low indicates inferiority, fatigue, sick health, or a dangerous mood.

Pawing at the neck is an expression of affection, nose-nudging is another invite to play. Paw-giving may be a standard canine gesture with 2 possible meanings. When he gives his paw to his owner while avoiding eye contact he is saying “Please forgive me” or when he wants attention, he’s saying “I am here, don’t forget me.” When he offers his paw to another dog, it is a sign of submission.

An owner, who takes the hassle to look at his dog and pay him the courtesy of paying attention to him, will establish a simple 2-manner communications system along with his pet. Canine messages are usually terribly elementary, as he asks abundant less of us than we do of him. “I’m hungry,” “I’m thirsty”, “I want to travel out”, or “Return with me I think one thing is wrong” are among the messages he manages to convey terribly well considering his limited means. His most eloquent utterance is that the emotional gurgle of barks that means to say “I’ve missed you!”

To get high quality and top brand name dog products for the best prices, visit: dog pet supplies. Our dog pet supplies store is a great place to buy your dog supplies at huge discounts! Go to our dog pet supplies store now!

If you are looking for a free (or very inexpensive) horse, one of the best places to look is rescue associations, or animal rescue groups which also deal with horses. These associations take on horses but have limited resources to take care of them in terms of space (stalls, pasture), money (food, bedding, etc.) and staff time (mucking out, general care). Consequently, they are normally looking for good homes to pass the horses onto, so that they can free up their scare resources to care for others. Therefore, they will usually pass the horses on for free, or for a nominal amount (to recover some of their direct costs).

Aside from getting a free horse, you are also doing a good deed. In fact two good deeds: giving a horse a good home and making room for another horse to be rescued. Another advantage is that rescue organisations are non-profit and consequently looking at what is best for the horse and new owner, so are more likely to be honest about potential issues and the suitability of the horse to your requirements than businesses offering horses for sale.

Before they give a horse to a new owner, the association will need assurances that the horse will be well taken care of. You will need to show them that you have the facilities (e.g. stall, pasture) to take care of the horse, or that you will be renting adequate facilities (e.g. at a professional horse boarding business). They will also want to be assured that you have the time, money and commitment to take care of the horse long term.

There may be a number of horses available. Before choosing one, it is advisable to learn as much about it and its background as possible. This will help you identify any potential issues such as health problems or behavioral issues. You should ask about the results of their veterinary examinations of the horse and also the opinions of the staff caring for the horse.

In particular, one should ask why the horse has been taken into care. If it was simply because the owner could no longer keep it (e.g. due to financial difficulties) or lost interest in it (a common situation with horses purchased for young children), then the horse is probably sound. However, if the horse was rescued because it was neglected or abused, then it may have longer term physical or behavioral issues that you need to be aware of. Likewise, if the owner gave up the horse because it was sick or no longer suitable for riding.

One also needs to think carefully about the horse’s current capabilities in terms of what you will use it for. Many rescue horses are old; if you only want the horse as a companion horse then this is not a problem but if you want to ride it regularly then an elderly horse is likely unsuitable. If the local rescue organizations don’t have a horse that meets your requirements, the best solution is to wait. Leave them your contact details and your requirements, after assuring them that you will provide a good home for the right horse. You may need to wait a few months, but with so many horses being rescued for a variety of reasons, there is a very good chance that one which meets your requirements will become available.