Keep posted! We will be adding a list of answers to frequently asked questions we receive about Oklahoma State University's Equine Program and Horse Management and Use! If you have a question, you can e-mail Dr. Dave Freeman, OSU Extension Equine Specialist in the Department of Animal Science at Oklahoma State University @ david.freeman.okstate.edu. You can find numerous technical articles on horse management and use on the lind to Equine Fact Sheets located on the right hand navigation bar.

Also, you may find your answers within one of the many short articles on horse management available on this web site (www.ansi.okstate.edu/e-equine)

So far, you can scroll through the following sections for FAQ's:

Purchasing or Selecting a Horse For the First Time

General Management for the Hobby Owner

Nutrition-Hays and Pastures

Veterinary Care for Horses

Prospective Students with Interest in the OSU Horse Program

OSU Veterinary School

Q: I'm interested in owning a horse, what activities I can do?

A: There are many different activities that people do with horses. Many own horses simply for pleasure riding. Others gather routinely for organized trail rides and horse shows. Some have vary specific interests, such as racing, packing or draft work. Once you have an idea as to what you are most interested in, you will need to see if others in your area do similar activities with horses. Visit the activities and businesses that serve horse owners to learn more about the details and needs for the activity of your interest. Notices in newspapers, western wear stores, tack stores, stables and feed stores are local places to check for upcoming activities. Many of the horse breed and sport associations have web sites with helpful information. Local veterinarians and Cooperative Extension offices may also be able to direct you to others with similar interests.

Q: Where do I find a horse to buy?

A: You'll find horses for sale in newspaper adds, horse magazines and other publications that horse owners and the general public read. Tack stores and feed stores routinely have bulletin boards with postings of horses for sale. There are basically two ways to purchase a horse: directly from a person (private treaty) or through an auction. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Either way, the more you can learn about the past history and current health of the horse will help you make an educated decision on whether the horse is suitable for your purpose. A small amount of time researching what is available, and what expected prices are, will be extremely worthwhile in your efforts of 'finding the right horse'.

Q: How much can I expect to spend on a horse?

A: The asking price of horses vary greatly depending on supply and demand in your area, and the horse's genetics, training, conformation, age and breed. Many people looking for their first horse simply want a safe, sound, broke horse that they can learn to ride on for pleasure. Generally, it is recommended that novice owners purchase a mature horse with a history of training and behavior that suggests it is well-broke and calm. While the genetics or show history doesn't suggest these horses should be expensive, these may be in short supply as to the demand. As such, a person may need to spend a little more to ensure that the horse will really meet the intended needs. The more a person becomes familiar with horses before purchasing, i.e. visiting stables, taking lessons, and attending horse activities, the better able the person will be to make the right purchase. As prices vary greatly, it is a difficult question to answer, a 'first horse' may cost several thousands of dollars or less.

Q: Where do I keep a horse?

A: Many people purchase houses with acreage zoned for animals. If not, the most obvious place is a commercial boarding stable. Prices at stables will typically vary, depending on how much daily care the stable operators are expected to provide.

Q: How much does it cost to care for a horse?

A: This question doesn't have an easy answer, as there are many different uses of horses that affect how much a horse owner spends. Some owners may indicated they spend around $1,500 a year in expenses for feed, health care and use, while others spend much more. Regardless, a person should do some research before buying a horse, or deciding the best place to keep one. Feed and hay prices are available at feed stores, and you can check with other horse owners to get an idea of how much you will need. A veterinarian can assist you in estimating the cost of general health care, such as vaccinations and dewormings. You will most likely need a farrier, or horseshoer, to maintain the horse's hooves. Again, a horse owner can help you estimate this cost. From there, you can decide after 'shopping around', as to the type of equipment and tack you will need. There is a short technical article on the OSU E-Equine web site on budgeting for first time horse owners. It is accessible @ www.ansi.okstate.edu/e-equine

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Q: What is the best feed for my horse?

A: There is no one best feed. Most nutritionists will agree that a forage (hay or pasture) based ration is the best approach for most horses. This means that you supply the horse at or above a certain amount of forage everyday, and supplement (add to) this amount a concentrate (grain mix) that supplies additional energy or other nutrients to meet the horses need and to offer a balanced diet (right amounts of protein, minerals, vitamins). The horses activity level, stage of growth and needs for production such as lactation direct the amount of concentrate that will be necessary. Some horses may receive all the needed nutrients from pasture and/or hay alone, especially if allowed to eat large quantities of a highly nutritious hay or pasture. Others, or other times of the year, will require additional feed. The main way to determine if enough energy is being fed is to be able to assess body condition, or how fat the horse is. Look for the fact sheet on body condition at www.ansi.okstate.edu/e-equine to learn more about body condition. The decision to add other nutrients such as protein, minerals and vitamins is more complicated, and will require more knowledge about the horse's needs and how well the forage supplies these nutrients. A general rule is that if the horse is young, pregnant, lactating or being ridden to any significant degree, the horse will need additional nutrients by feeding concentrate.

Q: How much do I need to feed?

A: How much feed will depend on two general items: What level of nutrients are in the feed and what the nutrient needs are for a particular horse. Feeds are grouped into several catagories based on the expected energy content, forages and grains are two. Forages are hays and pastures, and are generally expected to be lower in energy concentration than grains. There are exceptions, as some very high quality forages contain similar levels of digestible energy as some grains. Mature, coarse stemmed forage typically will be lower in digestible energy as compared to plants in less a mature state or with smaller stem size, or more leaf to stem ratios. Grains will very dramatically, some such as corn will be high in digestible energy, others such as some of the grain by-products that are milled to remove energy compounds prior to use as an animal feed, will have less digestible energy concentration. Energy intake per day, along with protein, will dictate how well nutrition is meeting the needs for fuel for body processes. Body condition, i.e. fat cover, is an indication of how well energy intake is meeting the demands of the horse's body.

Nutrient needs depend on how large the horse is, and how large its needs are. Bigger animals require more nutrients to maintain their body as compared to smaller weight animals. Horses that are using large amounts of nutrients, such as growing horses, exercising horses and mares in foal or lactation states, will need more nutrients than mature horses of similar size at maintanence.

Commercially available feeds formulated for horses will most likely have general feeding instructions on the feed bag. As horses are very individual in their ability to digest nutrients, the environmental influences they are housed in, and what level of forage quantity and quality they receive, general recommendations for feeding levels will need adjusted by on-site decision making.

There are many articles available on our website that specifies energy, protein, mineral and vitamin needs for horses: Click on the Equine Fact Sheet link on top the right hand margin of this page.

Q. How often do horses need exercised?

A. If in a stall, the best recommendation is for the horse to be allowed free turnout or managed exercise every day. A minimum would be difficult to state that would apply to every horse, but one general answer would be at least 30 minutes to one hour. Some may not get exercise every day and do quite well, so take this recommendation as a suggested minimum. For example, a mare with a new foal may not need exercise the first couple of days post foaling. Or, if the weather is bad, it may be best to avoid turn out for the day.

If possible, some horses will have better behavior if they are exercised a couple of times a day, verses one longer exercise period, more to help reduce boredom than increase efficiency of exercise. Exercise not only is good for the physical condition of a horse, it also has positive benefit to their behavior.

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Q: What is the best hay to feed my horse?

A: There is no one 'best' type of hay, but there are logical decisions that will lead you to the best alternative. First, you have to feed what is available to your area. In Oklahoma, there are a vast variety of hays; the predominant types are alfalfa, bermudagrass, bluestem and native or prairie grass hay. These hays are grown in large quantities in Oklahoma and surrounding states. Each is different in its expected content of nutrients of energy, protein, minerals and vitamins, and different in cost. Alfalfa, a legume, is high in protein, and will contain more energy per pound than the others that are grass hays. As such, those owners feeding horses needing nutrient dense rations, such as producing and growing horses, will routinely use alfalfa as the sole hay or in combination with grass hays. Alfalfa, however, costs more and there is the possibility of undesirable insects (blister beetles) in alfalfa, so some use grass hays as the sole source of hay. Bermudagrass hay and other 'improved' grasses will have less protein, energy and some minerals as compared with alfalfa. This may be desirable for those who feed large amounts of grain and supply much of the nutrition from grains as compared to the amount expected to be supplied by grass hays. Bermudagrass hay is usually less costly than alfalfa, and when feeding high energy and high protein grains, will balance the total ration well. The lower quality hays will be the native grass or prairie grass hays. These hays will usually be about 10 to 20% less protein and energy as compared with improved grasses such as bermuda, although there is a large variation of what is classified as 'native hay'. These hays work well with those who use grains as the main source of nutrition for their horses, and use hay mainly as a fiber source to keep the horse's digestive tract regular, and as a continual source of feed to keep boredom and other behavioral problems to a minimum.

Q: How do I know how good a hay is?

A: The biggest factor, other than differences between species of forage, that affect the quality of hay is the maturity of the plant that was harvested. The more mature the plant, the less nutrients and the less digestible the forage will be. Hay that has been fertilized may be better because fertilization increases plant growth and plants may have been harvested at an earlier maturity. Hay that has been sprayed for weeds may be better, as hays fed to horses need to be free of weeds. Hay that was harvested properly will be better as hay put up too wet may be moldy. The other ways to estimate how good a hay is involve hay tests that quantify the amount of protein, fiber and possibly minerals. Hay tests can help you compare hays on a nutrient basis instead of a weight or 'by the bale' basis. Hay tests can also help you determine grain mixes that 'best' balance a hay. Your local Cooperative Extension Educator can assist you in sampling and receiving a hay test.

Q: How much hay should I feed?

A: How much hay to feed really depends on what is being fed otherwise. If the horse is on a good pasture, there is little to no need to feed hay. If the horse is receiving a high fiber source in a processed mix such as hay cubes with a grain ration, then there may be little need for hay. Usually, however, any horse that is restricted from grazing because of no forage in the turnout or because of being stalled will need hay at a minimum of 1% of body weight per day. This means about 10 pounds per day for a 1000 pound horse. On the other end, most hays can be fed free choice so horses have a continual supply of nutrients throughout the day. Most horses cannot eat more than about 2.5 to 3% of their body weight in total ration per day, so upper limits may be about three times the minimal amount recommended.

Q: How do I know if I have enough grass in my pasture for my horse's needs?

A: The usual question is how many acres do I need for each horse, i.e. stocking rate. Unfortunately, there is too much variation in grass production to make general stocking rate recommendations. If horses are on an improved grass pasture that has been cared for to promote maximum plant growth, only one or two acres will produce sufficient grass for intake to be unlimited. That figure is usually not the case, so you will be told that on improved, well managed pastures, two to four acres per horse. On areas with less quality and quantity of pasture grass, estimates are more in the 5 to 10 acre range.

A horse can eat 2.5% of its body weight per day in dry matter. Growth of improved plant species such as bermuda grass can easly range from 1 to 4 tons per acre when the time of year is right for plant growth. The variation in grass production depends on how much fertiziler and water the plant receives. This explains why the general range of estimates for acreage ranges from 2 to 5 acres for plant forages that respond to fertilizer.

Of course, these estimates apply to times of the year that grass is actively growing. Because some grasses grow better in cooler seasons, others in warm temperatures, it is a common practice to overseed summer grasses with a cool season grass so grazing days are extended.

There are a lot of factors that make recommendations inaccurate unless the influences are identified, i.e. soil type, expected production rates of different grasses, and how much grazing management you are willing to do. Ideally, you would want the horses to have enough pasture so that they have a constant supply of moderately mature grass. You will hear of recommendations for plant heights to be in the 4 to 8 inch range for the grass to be of best availabilty for digestion of the horse. For that to happen, you will need to consider all the agronomic practices available for use, and develop a plan that maximizes the plant supply to the horse's need.

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Q: I read about many different vaccines that are available for horses. How do I determine what vaccinations my horse needs?

A: For relatively little investment, vaccinations prevent diseases that can cost considerably more to treat. Vaccinations save money and lives. As you know horses can be vaccinated for a variety of disease causing organisms such as rabies, tetanus, encephalomyelitis (Eastern & Western), West Nile Encephalomyelitis, influenza, strangles and many other diseases. Your local veterinarian should be consulted for the best vaccination program for your horse's situation.

Q: What's the best dewormer for horses?

A: There are numerous internal parasites that can infect a horse but only a few actually cause significant health problems. A parasite prevention and control program includes a combination of management practices and anthelmintic (dewormer) treatment. Management programs are often more important than anthelmintic treatments. Even with proper management, horse can become infested with internal parasites. There isn't one single parasite control program that is effective for all horses in all situations. Consult your horse's veterinarian, they are familiar with the environment in which you live and can recommend the best parasite control program for your horse.

Q: How often should I deworm my horse?

A: It is important to have a yearly fecal examination by a veterinarian to found out if your horse is infected with parasites and what type. Several factors can affect how often you give your horse anthelmintics - How old the horse is, the type of parasite infestation, environment, farm management practices, and how you alternate anthelmintics. It is best to ask your veterinarian to construct a parasite control program that fits into a total preventative health plan for horse.

Q: What other veterinary procedures would I need for my horse's health?

A: Preventative health management can include a general 'check up' by a veterinarian once a year or less frequently where the veterinarian has an opportunity to examine the horse's physical condition, its dental health, and body signs such as heart rate and pulse rate. The need for this attention depends somewhat on how well the daily manager can assess these needs without the need for direct supervision of a veterinarian.

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Q: When Do I Apply to OSU?

A: Students should apply several months prior to the semester of desired enrollment. Applications for admission are processed on a “rolling basis” and students are usually notified within a week or two of receipt of documents.

Q: How Do I Apply to OSU?

A: Freshmen should request that their official high school transcript and ACT or SAT scores be sent to the Office of Admissions. Transfer students should request that their official college transcript be sent to the Office of Admissions. Incoming freshman should check out the OSU main web site to follow the suggested steps for enrollment, and to determine what the current requirements for admission are (ACT score, high school academics, etc.).

Q: When Do I Enroll for Classes?

A: Freshmen enrollment occurs during the month of June for students entering in the fall semester. Transfer enrollment occurs during April for students entering OSU in the fall and in November for students entering OSU in the spring.

Q: What Scholarships are Available?

A: The university annually offers more than $18 million in tuition waivers and more than $12 million in other scholarships. Range from $800-2000 and vary in length from 1 to 4 years. The Department of Animal Science annually awards over 100 individual scholarships totaling approximately $100,000 to incoming freshmen, transfer and continuing students.

Q: How Do I Apply for Scholarships?

A: Students entering the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) can fill out an on-line application at www.casnr.com (click on the link CASNR Scholarships & Awards). This application will make students eligible for both college and departmental awards. Deadline for prospective/incoming transfer students will be between the end of January and the first of February.

Q: Can I Obtain an Equine Science Degree from OSU?

A: The OSU equine curriculum is incorporated into the Animal Science degree program but does not offer a B. S. in equine science. There are several equine courses (both lecture and hands-on) which can be incorporated into most of the Animal Science degree options. For information concerning the Department of Animal Science curriculum and the equine program, please refer to the following web-site:

www.ansi.okstate.edu/information

Q: How Can I Become an Equine Veterinarian?

A: Animal Science offers a Pre-Vet option, which incorporates the required courses for vet school into their B. S. degree. Once the prerequisites are completed, you may apply for admission for veterinary school. More information on current requirements for admittance and demographics of applicants and students is available at www.cvm.okstate.edu. Navigate to the future student page.

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Q: I need someone to examine my horse, what do I do?

A: Call OSU Vet. School Large Animal Receiving @ 405-744-6656

Q: Does my local veterinarian have to refer my horse to the OSU Vet. Hospital, or can I bring my horse straight to OSU?

A: Either way, the contact number is 405-744-6656.

Q: I'm about to graduate high school and want to go to veterinary school. How do I enroll?

A: Contact the DVM Admissions office about requirements and application process at the following web site http://www.cvm.okstate.edu/admissions

Q: Does the OSU Vet. School take horses for donation?

A: Yes, depending on several factors such as current needs for teaching and research. The web site, www.cvm.okstate.edu/, has more information.

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