SouthWest Florida includes the cities of Naples, Fort Myers, Venice, and Sarasota, in Monroe, Collier, Lee, Charlotte, Hendry, and Glades Counties. The western most area of SouthWest Florida abuts the Gulf of Mexico and its spectacular sunsets.
The Gulf of Mexico boasts world class beaches, outstanding fishing, every kind of water sport, and fabulous boating on calm, pristine, aqua blue waters.
Southwest Florida also features considerable interest to the east including the Florida Everglades National Park. The Everglades is home of thousands of bird species, including many snow birds escaping the sparse food supplies of winter to the north.
Venice, Florida is located just west of Sarasota and is home to the world renown Fox Lea Farm offering rated hunter jumper shows, dressage, and quarter horse shows.
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May 21, 2013
6 Key Horse-Hunting Questions
By Heidi Melocco with Julie Goodnight
Looking for a new trail horse? Here are six key questions to ask the owner from top trainer/clinician Julie Goodnight.
“Try to find the safest and best-trained horse your money can buy,” advises Julie Goodnight (shown). “You’ll love a horse that makes you feel safe.”
Photo by Heidi Melocco
When you’re hunting for a new equine trail partner, look for an experienced horse with a mellow, kind, forgiving attitude. For trail riding, also look for a horse that’s been out and about, hauled around a lot, and will enjoy the ride with you.
When you visit a prospect, ask the following questions before you mount up—and before you buy.
1. Why is the horse for sale? You’ll see the warning glances if there has been an issue or training problem with the horse. There are lots of legitimate reasons to be selling a good horse, but the answer to this question can possibly throw up some red flags. Trust your intuition.
More info... May 21, 2013
The Equine Vaccine ChallengeHave you ever wondered why your dog gets a rabies shot every three years, but your horse must endure one every year?
Well, you’re not alone. Horse Journal Contributing Veterinary Editor Deb Eldredge DVM explains:
Talk to any dog or cat owner and they competently discuss titers, three-year vaccines and the Rabies Challenge Fund (www.rabies challengefund.org) whose goal is to get rabies vaccines approved for five to seven years for companion animals. My sheep get the exact same rabies vaccine as my equines (horses and donkeys). For the sheep, the vaccine is considered effective for three years, but for horses it’s just one year. More info... May 21, 2013
Healthy, Safe TraileringWhat can you do to make sure you and your horse arrive safely and legally at your destination, and how can you ensure your horse is healthy and ready to tackle the show, trail, or whatever awaits?
Listen to this question and answer session about safe house trailering with Rebecca Gimenez, PhD and Catherine Kohn, VMD. More info... May 13, 2013
Can Horses Recognize People and Voices?
By Christa Lesté-Lasserre
Are horses really capable of recognizing their owners and their voices? Study results from a team of British behavior researchers suggest that horses really do appear to be capable of matching voices to faces when it comes to the humans they know.
“We already know that horses can discriminate between different human faces and between familiar and unfamiliar people, but this is the first time we have shown that they can associate the right voices with the right people,” said Leanne Proops, PhD, of the Mammal Vocal Communication and Cognition Research group at the University of Sussex, in the United Kingdom. More info... May 12, 2013
Start Now With Fly Prevention: 5 Ways To Keep Flies Under Control
by Amy Herdy
Spring may be late in many parts of the country this year, but horse owners don’t want to be late with preventative fly control practices, according to Laurie Cerny, publisher of www.good-horsekeeping.com, a website devoted to practical horse care.
“You don’t want to wait until it’s 85 degrees out and with humidity to match to think about fly control,” Cerny said. “Early prevention is key to having fewer flies around your horses and stable this summer.”
Here are some things you can do now to be ready for fly season:
1. Harrow pastures (break up manure piles) and muck out dry lots or pens. This might also mean bringing in some new sand for areas that have been saturated with manure and urine. Stalls and run-in sheds should also be stripped of old bedding. Old manure, dirty bedding, and feces saturated soil will all attract flies and insects once the temperature increases. More info...
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