Equine Care
Much like their human partners, no two horses are exactly alike, so every horse requires unique care to ensure their good health. Here at Misty Blue Farm, we address the needs of each individual equine so they all live a healthy, happy and safe life.
ENVIRONMENT: Horses are prey animals, so above all else they want to feel safe. They are grazers and herd animals, so mobility and socialization are also extremely important. At Misty Blue Farm horses are turned out 24/7 as long as the weather permits. There are two large pastures and three paddocks where the horses can graze and enjoy living in small herds. There are run-in-sheds in all of the fields to give them shelter from the wind, rain and snow. When inclement weather is forecast the horses are sheeted or blanketed depending on the temperature. In the case of extremely bad weather, every horse is assigned a stall in one of our two barns, where they can ride out the storm. In the spring and summer, fly masks are provided and all natural fly spray is applied as needed.
NUTRITION: Horses are allowed free access to grass or hay throughout the year and are also fed daily depending upon their individual needs. Some horses require more feed than others to maintain an optimum weight and their supplement needs may also vary. We feed Triple Crown Senior and supplement with Ultimate Finish. As horses age and use up their teeth, they become more dependent on supplemental feeding and so horses are fed up to three times a day if necessary. There are automatic waterers in the pastures and fresh water is supplied to the paddocks in 40 gallon buckets to ensure that they always have access to fresh, clean water.
GROOMING AND HOOF CARE: All of our horses are brought in to their stalls every morning for feeding, grooming and general health inspections. This gives us a chance to watch the horse move, make sure that they are eating well and give them a good looking over. We pick the hoofs out daily and they are trimmed every six to eight weeks as needed by our professional farrier. If there are any issues with the feet, such as thrush or if they develop an abcess, they are treated immediately.
PEACE OF MIND AND CONVENIENCE: Knowing that your horse is happy and well cared for will give you peace of mind and you won't be bothered for regularly scheduled visits from the farrier, vet or dentist. We schedule all of the farm calls, hold your horse and ensure that they are getting the proper care from our visiting professionals. We frequently take photos and videos to share with our boarders and post them on our photo gallery and Facebook page, so you can see how much the horses are enjoying their lives.