CHERRY HILL’S HORSEKEEPING ALMANAC CHERRY HILL’S HORSEKEEPING ALMANAC THE ESSENTIAL MONTH-BY-MONTH GUIDE FOR EVERYONE WHO KEEPS OR CARES FOR HORSES Illustrations by Elayne Sears The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by publishing practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment. Edited by Deborah Burns Editorial assistance by Melinda Sheehan Art direction by Cynthia N. McFarland and Alethea Morrison Cover design by Alethea Morrison and Jon Valk Text design by Vicky Vaughn Design Illustrations by Elayne Sears Maps and image coordination by Ilona Sherratt Photograph on page 14 by Randy Dunn Indexed by Susan Olason, Indexes & Knowledge Maps © 2007 by Cherry Hill All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages or reproduce illustrations in a review with appropriate credits; nor may any part of this book be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means — electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or other — without written permission from the publisher. The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. All recommendations are made without guarantee on the part of the author or Storey Publishing. The author and publisher disclaim any liability in connection with the use of this information. For additional information, please contact Storey Publishing, 210 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247. Storey books are available for special premium and promotional uses and for customized editions. For further information, please call 1-800-793-9396. Printed in the United States by CJK 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hill, Cherry, 1947- Horsekeeping almanac/Cherry Hill. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 978-1-58017-684-2 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Horses–Calendars. 2. Horsemanship–Calendars. I. Title. SF285.H549 2007 636.1--dc22 2007032328 DEDICATION To my mother, Sally George, 91 years young, who followed her own Almanac while raising five children. Thanks, Mom, for passing along your love of nature and for teaching me how to cook, can, and make soap! And to Richard, husband, best friend, and fellow horsekeeper, who has helped make my dreams come true. Thank you, Richard, for everything! CONTENTS Preface We Horsekeepers Long Tail Ranch Using This Book LATE WINTER January Tracking your weather Latitude map Setting up records Monitoring vital signs Daily visual exam Good manners for farrier visits Cold weather feed rule Calculating your horse’s weight and height Mountain lions Bobcats and lynx Internal parasites Deworming dos and don’ts Windbreaks Sanitation Saddle check Leather tack care Income tax overview Know your knots Rhino #2 for your mare Foaling kit Barn cleaning Maintaining your tractor Beet pulp mash Deworming Bots Winter weather patterns February First-aid kit Finding and choosing a farrier Hay is for horses Hay amount Natural feeding Predators Pasture check Electric fences Spread compost Late winter grooming routine Shedding Bridle check Turnout halter Liability and property insurance Power outages Wood chewing Manure-handling equipment Pill prep Health food for horses SPRING March Floods Time change Immunizations Mud season Thrush Beet pulp Chore sandwich Birds Time to let your land rest Manure management Grooming tools for early spring Halters and lead ropes Trailer (shipping) boots Budget Cost of raising a foal Breeding contract Stallion selection Life in the pen Choosing the right mower Natural horsekeeping Flooding in the South April Lightning precautions Time change in Canada Ten skin ailments to avoid Hoof cracks Grains Eagles Turkey Vultures Ticks Miller moths Tent caterpillars Spring pasture tune-up Handling manure Helmets Back in the saddle Rain sheets Buying a horse Ground training review Predicting foaling Hazardous wastes Spring cleanup Spring vehicle maintenance Pill paste Horse colors Conformation Midwest tornado season May Hail To shoe or not to shoe Summer caretaker Giving horses treats Snakes Spring pasture Composting How to bathe a horse Clipping Tail care Saddle pad care Blanket storage Lessons Leasing Hay inventory Trailer loading Foaling Round pen size Fire strips Servicing equipment Rotary harrow Correct weight Mold and mildew A continent of pastures SUMMER June Hurricanes Solstice
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