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General Horse Information
Herd Concept
We try to keep the size of the herd between 15 - 20 horses. The herd is mixed but the horses must be compatible. Their ages can
range from 3 - 25 years of age. We do not allow horseshoes or halters on the free ranging horses. We do not want horses injured by
a horse with horseshoes kicking it. Similarly, we do not want halters snagged on a branch or grabbed by another horse. Aggressive
horses will not be kept in the herd and the owners will be asked to take their horse to another facility.
Horses are creatures of wide-open spaces and feel most comfortable with plenty of
room and daylight. We have 35 acres covering eight pastures within which the herd can
selectively roam.
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When horses are concentrated in a barn, there is an accumulation of manure, urine, and
moist bedding. Flies, pests, and odours (including ammonia) are present. Isolating horses
in stalls prevents the protection from flies that comes when horses stand head to tail. The
switching of one horse's tail chases away flies from another horse's head. Multiply that
interaction in a herd and one has an effective fly and mosquito deterrent. Fly bonnets, fly
masks, and fly sheets are not necessary. In addition, when these devices are used, they
can be caught on obstacles the horse may encounter or grabbed by another horse
causing injury.
The horse is a herd animal. It relies on the herd for protection. The horse is also a prey
animal. It flees from potential threats. A horse's size is misleading. We associate large
size with strength, fearlessness, and courage. Not so: the horse is quite dependent upon
his/her social group and his/her 'flight' reaction to potential threats. The presence of other
horses provides additional ears, eyes, and noses that can detect potential threats to the
individual horse's well being. A horse left alone or isolated in a stall is a vulnerable horse
in a world full of predators.
Living conditions and social relationships are extremely important for a horse. We employ
a herd concept in caring for our horses. The whole herd stays together, providing the
companionship and social interaction that horses have naturally. We keep the horses
together all the time. There are no indoor stalls that serve no purpose other than isolating
a horse and increasing its stress level. Damage to a horse from a barn fire is not a
possibility because our horses are not confined to stalls inside a building.
Because we use a herd concept, we cannot provide special medications or treatments
to individual horses requiring such treatment prior to coming to Poco-Razz Farm. Horses
requiring such attention would be better off going to a different kind of facility. Horses
already at Poco-Razz Farm who develop an illness can be treated in our hospital stalls or
quarantine corrals.
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