Sam Ellis

Keeping your horse in a stable is a necessary thing, especially if your livery yard specifies restricted grazing at certain times of the year. But what do you do in the height of summer, when keeping your horse inside without the benefit of a tree to shade under, or a cooling breeze? You give him … Read more

Are you bored of the endless brushing? Do you have a large herd that you need to keep clean, or an especially hairy horse who takes a lot of grooming? You would benefit from looking into the best horse vacuum, so that you can clean your horse or horses quickly and easily, with less than … Read more

Ah, the poo picking – everyone’s favourite job! Although it is less than fun, picking up your horse’s manure is essential for maintaining your field, especially if you have a smaller than average grazing area. Horses won’t eat the grass on which their manure sits (let’s face it, would you?) and leaving it laying about … Read more

Horses are vegetarians, and foragers who are designed to roam over hill and down dale, finding the best grazing as they go. But horses can eat things that aren’t just grass; their gut is designed to make the most of the nutrients they get, so they can survive on limited grazing and scrubby pickings for … Read more

For the majority of horses, sunburn isn’t a major problem. Most horses have black skin on their bodies, so aren’t affected by the sun’s harmful rays, and the skin is tough enough that sunburn isn’t a big problem – for the body, anyway. For those horses with pink skin around the muzzle, underneath a white … Read more

Horses are roaming animals, so the confines of a stable is an unnatural environment for them. However, there will almost certainly be times where your horse HAS to be stabled, either because of illness, to let the grass rest, or just because your livery rules demand that they be kept in at some point. There … Read more

If you keep horses, you are going to need some electric fence. Even if you keep them in post and rail paddocks, chances are you will need to fence off a little bit at some point, either to reduce grazing, care for a poorly horse or allow new arrivals to get used to the herd. … Read more

Horse hoof nippers are the first stage to trimming a horse’s feet. Removing the excess overgrown hoof is not only essential for the horse’s foot health but it also makes them looked beautifully shaped. Following the natural shape of the hoof will help everything about the horse, making sure his gait is as true as … Read more

A good driving hammer is an essential part of a farrier’s tool arsenal. A driving hammer looks a bit like a claw hammer for DIY, but it is used for very different purposes than hammering nails into walls! Well, it used for hammering nails into walls, but the hoof kind rather than the house kind. … Read more

As a farrier, good tools are essential to make sure you do the best possible job for your clients. Having good tools to shape the feet is the first part of the equation, and the right equipment for shoeing is equally important. Rounding hammers are used for shaping the metal of the horse shoe, and … Read more