Kentucky Performance Products: The Dump & Run

We’re all guilty of the “dump and run” at some point in our horsekeeping. Joe and Penny Most remind us how we can instead turn feeding time into a training opportunity.

By Joe and Penny Most, equine clinicians and owners of Perfect Partners Equine

The “Dump and Run” at feeding time. We all have done it. When you go to feed your horse, they may try to steal the grain or hay from your hands. Maybe they try to run off while they snatch that first bit of hay, then turn and kick in the air.

We are all guilty of running out to the barn, pasture or wherever we keep our horses, dumping the feed or hay and then running back out to keep an appointment, go to work, or get to the next task at hand. Well, we can create a lot of relationship, behavioral and training problems by making this our daily habit.

If we look at feeding time as a training opportunity we can change our whole relationship with our equine partners. By just setting a few boundaries at feeding time, you can take back and establish yourself as the leader.

Ask your horse to wait on you. Ask them to stand in a corner or in a specific spot until you place the feed or hay. Then release them to go and eat. The release is one of the most important parts of this practice.

It will take a little time and effort at first, but it is well worth the effort for developing that relationship in the long run.

Happy Trails!

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About Perfect Partners Equine:

Perfect Partners Equine, established by Joe and Penny Most, offers trail horse clinics, obstacle challenges, and equine vacations for trail riders. Joe and Penny have over 30 years of experience in equine activities such as recreational riding, showing, training, breeding, and long-distance hauling. They bring a wide variety of expertise to the riders who participate in their programs, and they share habits and skills that help riders better understand and communicate with their horses. To join Perfect Partners Equine on one of their many equine clinics, excursions or trail horse retreats, visit perfectpartnersequine.com or email [email protected] or call Penny Most at 336-403-1508.

About Kentucky Performance Products, LLC:

Fight back against colic and digestive upset.

Neigh-Lox® Advanced provides a scientifically advanced blend of ingredients that work synergistically to maintain your horse’s digestive tract in peak condition by supporting both the gastrointestinal tissues and the beneficial bacteria that populate the gut. Maintaining a healthy digestive tract reduces the risk of colonic and gastric ulcers, colic, laminitis related to hindgut acidosis, and oxidative stress that damages digestive tract tissues themselves. Horses with a well-balanced GI tract have good appetites, absorb more nutrients from their diets, maintain a strong immune system, and stay healthier.

The horse that matters to you matters to us®. Not sure which horse supplement best meets your horse’s needs? We are here to help. Contact Kentucky Performance Products, LLC at 859-873-2974 or visit our website at KPPusa.com.