General Grooming and Care
We encourage all owners to groom and spend time with their horses, but it is important that we are involved in the daily care so that we get to know the ‘quirks’ and personality of every horse. This makes it easier to identify potential problems early on.
Grooming and care includes (but is not limited to):
Stall cleaning, feeding, turnout
Grooming and care supplies
Professional grooming:
We like all our horses to look their best and ‘show ready’ at all times. In addition to regular brushing and bathing, this means manes and tails are kept brushed and trimmed accordingly.
Legs are washed, monitored for dirt, cuts, scrapes, fungus, and clipped accordingly.
Hoof care:
Picking feet 4-5 times daily (before and after ride, before and after turnout, at the end of the day before they get put in their stall for the night).
Applying hoof oil/conditioner daily to prevent cracking and promote growth and strength.
Thrush preventative and medication as needed.
Hoof packing with Magic Cushion or Magna Paste after hard workouts or new shoes to prevent soreness.
Non-veterinary maintenance:
Our horses are high-performance athletes and should be treated as such.
After tough workouts, I provide icing, liniment, poultice, Magic Cushion, Magna Paste, etc. as needed.
We put the horses first 100% of the time. If there is a lameness or shoeing problem, we like to be involved so we know how best to continue working with the horse. In all veterinary and farrier situations, it is important that all parties have a clear, open line of communication so that we can best serve the horse and find a solution as quickly as possible.
Carly is always available for questions and emergencies and encourages owners to reach out if they have any questions or concerns. She can be reached at 339-832-1895 or ccollari@icloud.com.
Feeding Schedule
Hay 1st or 2nd cut grassy mix. We feed hay 4-5x a day—morning, noon, afternoon, Nightcheck, and hay in the turnouts (decided on a per horse basis). The amount of hay we feed is dependent on each individual horse, and of course, can be altered throughout the course of training. When possible, we like to allow the horses to have free choice hay.
Hay net, bags, slow feeders, etc. are used at owner discretion and must be provided.
What I feed them
We feed Cavalor brand grain. It is a product we have used for a long time and have always seen good results. Cavalor makes a variety of feeds geared toward performance horses, senior horses, low starch/sugar feed for easy keepers, and metabolic prone horses. Cavalor is a complete feed, meaning a daily ration has all of the vitamins and minerals of a once-daily supplement, negating the need for a multivitamin and making it more cost-effective (YAY!). We have found the Cavalor representatives to be very responsive and helpful if you have questions or concerns regarding feed.
Cavalor grain is included in board, and we can switch your horse over slowly over the course of a week. Some owners feel strongly about what they feed and do not want to switch. That is ok! We are happy to feed whatever you like, but if you do not want to use Cavalor, you must provide alternative feed.
For performance horses, we generally feed smaller grain amounts more often throughout the day, usually morning, noon, afternoon feedings. On non-work, or flex days for the horses, we like to substitute a noon or afternoon feeding with a mash to increase water intake and replenish electrolytes.
We use a combination of Cavalor products. All horses are different and what works for one does not necessarily work for another. A comprehensive feeding program can be established during the initial evaluation.
Supplements
As stated prior, Cavalor is a complete feed so a general multivitamin should not be needed. Horses that get good nutrition through quality hay and grain should need very minimal supplements. Specialty supplements for joints, muscle, gut, etc. are used in specific cases or on recommendation from vet and farrier. With the exception of electrolytes, owners must provide supplements.