Recent Posts
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Written By: Brooklyne Wassel, County Extension Coordinator and ANR Agent, Pike County Earning Master status as a 4-H’er is the dream of many. It is the highest honor awarded to high schoolers that place first in their respective 4-H contest at the state level. While many Georgians are aware of livestock showing in Perry or…
Posted in: General -
Written By: Allison Perkins, UGA Extension, Bartow County 4-H Agent Horse Judging is a team contest in which 4-H’ers acquire a better knowledge of horses and develop skills in the selection of horses, while learning the basic principles of animal science. Participants learn to identify breeds of horses and judge classes of horses based on conformation…
Posted in: General -
Written By: Brooklyne Wassel, County Extension Coordinator and ANR Agent, Pike County Horse shows sometimes get a bad reputation for being overly competitive, stressful, and not prioritizing the best qualities in a showman. That’s where the State 4-H Horse Show is different. This is the show where strangers cheer each other on, where new friendships…
Posted in: General -
By: Allison Perkins, UGA Extension, Bartow County Agent Most horse owners keep first aid and emergency kits available at home in case of emergencies. However, having a first aid kit in your trailer is just as important. Accidents can happen at any time while traveling. So, before you head off to your next horse show, trail ride,…
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By: Robyn Stewart, ANR Agent and County Extension Coordinator, Lincoln County Introduction The foundation of every equine diet is good-quality forage. That statement alone raises several questions: What qualifies as forage? What parameters define “good quality”? And if forage is the foundation, what do we do when we don’t have sufficient hay or pasture? The…
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By: Brenda Jackson, County Extension Coordinator and Agriculture and Natural Resources Agent, Murray County Tall fescue is one of the most widely grown pasture grasses in the U.S., with over a million acres grown in North Georgia alone. A bunch grass, it is the most heat tolerant of all the cool season grasses. However, that…
Posted in: General -
By: Mckenzie Wheeler, ANR Agent and County Extension Coordinator, Gordon County As soon as the temperatures start to dip, lots of horse owners are tempted to reach for their blankets. Afterall, if we are cold, they must be too, right? The answer isn’t too straight forward, there are considerations you need to evaluate, and every horse is…
Posted in: Management -
By: Allison Bailey, ANR Agent, Wilkes County Hay is the foundation of any horse’s diet. Most horses can get the majority of their nutrients from hay, with concentrates or supplements added as needed to complete the diet. Because horses are grazing animals, their digestive systems are designed to process forage almost continuously rather than in large meals like…
Posted in: General -
By: Brooklyne Wassel, County Extension Coordinator/ANR Agent, Pike County It is no secret that we have become more sedentary as people, leading to weight gain and an increase in associated health concerns. The same can be said for many of our animals, and horses are no exception. Many of the weight concerns that plague our…
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By: Lucy Ray, Morgan County Extension Agent Temperatures are getting cooler and we are not far from the beautiful fall foliage that makes this season one of my favorites! Along with being the perfect time for trail riding, fall is the perfect season to start thinking about your winter forage needs. Fortunately, in Georgia, we have several…