In part two of this blog series, we are going to finish talking about preparing your horses, barns, and stables for winter!

Hello trail friends, and welcome back to the blog! We hope that you've been working on going through the checklist we shared with you in part one of this blog and putting it to good use for your horses, stables, and barns! We also hope that it helped prepare you with any last-minute items you might have forgotten or might have not even thought about. For all of our first-time horse owners, we know that every changing season brings another lesson to learn, more excitement, and even more surprises. Owning a horse for the first time is very similar to having a child. It is a beautiful and magnificent creature that needs your help, dedication, and care. The longer you have your horse you find out more and more things that all the manuals and books never mentioned. They're worth it though, aren't they?

While so many people might hate the cold weather, especially for those not used to it here in Charleston or the South East, it might surprise you that it can still be a very wonderful and beautiful season with your horse. There is nothing quite like seeing a horse crunch its way through a frosty field in the morning while their breath puffs up around their head. There is also nothing like watching a horse play in the snow, but that might be an even rarer event here in Charleston. You might have to make a trip up north to see that! To make this winter season as special as it can be, make sure to take this blog to heart. Make sure to follow all of the tips, suggestions, and ideas we are providing in both of these checklists to allow both you and your horse to enjoy this chilly season. If you put the work in, this will be an easy winter to navigate and work through. After this crazy year, that is something we all need, right?

For all of our horse owners, don't forget that we have some of the best horse boardings right here in Charleston. We are here to help care for your horse when you need it most. If your stables are barns are ill equipt for the season, if you need to go out of town on an emergency, or just need an extra pair of hands Middleton Equestrian Center boarding is here for you. Please don't hesitate to reach out and talk with us if you have any questions or comments about our horse boarding! Also, we are still open for our historical trail rides! Dress in layers and come see the Lowcountry in a way you never have before! We are still following all COVID precautions, and what better way to adventure out and stay socially distant than on the back of a beautiful horse? If you are still looking for a wonderful holiday or end of the year gift, shop small and give big with Middleton this year! Gift cards are available to give to all of your loved ones. Introduce them to the best horseback riding in Charleston, and share some of the best horseback riding trails in Charleston with your loved ones. Make sure to visit our website to learn more, and we are always here for all of your questions!

Let's get back to the blog series, shall we? We still have a little wiggle room for these last-minute additions for winter preparations since it has been a mild winter here in the Lowcountry so far, but as we all know that can change in an instant. Let's get back to work!

COMFY AND COZY!
As we mentioned in the first part of this blog, your horse will be burning a lot more calories during the winter months to keep them warm. While they are burning these calories to stay warm and eating more to help with this, they will still need a little extra protection from the cold. Allow their natural coats to grow out as much as possible, but keep up with their grooming habits and schedules. If you plan or working or training your horses hard during these cooler months, keep them trimmed. This will make sure that they will not get overheated during their training and work sessions. In either of these situations, make sure to have warm, waterproof, and lightweight blankets to provide extra warmth throughout the winter. Make sure to check your horse's skin often when they wear their blankets for extended periods. Blankets, while extremely helpful, can cause irritation and sores from rubbing or long term wear if not properly taken care of. Before blanket wearing weather arrives, make sure to inspect and clean each of your blankets, since it has been almost a year since they were last used or touched. Replace and repair them if needed before it gets too cold. Also, make sure you have enough blankets for all of your horses. Your younger horses might have had a growth spurt since the last time they wore their blankets, and your older horses might have lost some weight due to their age. If more blankets need to be purchased for these reasons, make sure to do so! Blankets need to fit your horses properly. Ill fitted blankets can cause irritation, be unsafe, or not provide the warmth your horses need while wearing them.

The cold weather will attack one of your horse's most fragile parts of their bodies, and that is their feet! Make sure if they are going to be shod all winter that you pick the proper shoe fittings with your Ferrier. You can choose shoes that will help them navigate the snow and ice much easier and help them prevent slipping. Regardless if you are going to be choosing to keep your horses shod or not, their hooves need to be cleaned of cold wet mud and ice every day to avoid infection and irritation. Make sure that they are also dry at the end of their day when they are put back into their stables. If you are choosing to go without shoes for the winter months, make sure to do so before it gets too cold, and give them time to acclimate to this change.

HEALTHY CHANGES!
Make sure your horse has a proper and thorough visit with the vet before the cold weather hits and stays around for a while. It might have been a minute since their winter or spring checkup, and this is a good opportunity to catch any early issues or help prevent anything that could potentially happen to them during the cold months. This can be a great time to ask for other supplements and additives for your horses from your vet to help make the winter months healthier and happier for them. Make sure you give your horse a good balance of indoor and outdoor time throughout the winter. However, it is important to make sure that they are kept away from deep snowdrifts and extra icy paths to prevent slipping and damage done to their legs. Make sure the ventilation in your barns and stables is enough to keep fresh air flowing throughout, enough to limit dust and debris build-up, but not enough to cause drafts in the barn. Your horse's skin can become extra sensitive through the harsh cold months so if it is possible, exercise them in a dry and clean area through the winter!

Also, consider your health, safety, and comfort this time of year. If you get sick and you're unable to care for your horses, what will they do without you?  Make sure you have the proper winter clothing to keep you warm and safe while being comfortable enough to do your job and daily tasks of caring for your horse.  Also, think about your day to day tasks and duties, and ways to make them easier. One way to help is to insulate your hand tools. You can cover them with blankets when they're not being used, store them in styrofoam, or you can even slip styrofoam pipes over the handles of all of your hand tools to create a little extra insulation. Grabbing or using very cold hand tools can be cold enough to burn, even when wearing gloves. Make sure to properly clean all of your hand tools before these winter months and before the new year. When you get into the depths of winter, you won't want to stop and make time for doing simple tasks like that, you will want to get your work done and get back inside.

This is also an excellent time to service all of your power equipment on your property. Check all of the engines, oil levels, lubricants, and tires on your tractors, mowers, trucks, snowblowers, and all of your powered equipment. When stocking up on equipment and supplies for the winter, don't forget back up items to help with broken hand tools, power tools, and all of your vehicles. Again, you want all of these items to be working properly so when the bad weather comes, you won't get stuck with a broken-down tractor, truck, or snowblower on the bad weather days.  

Time to get to work friends! We have been busily working on all of these things ourselves; preparing our horses, barns, stables, tools, equipment, and ourselves for what's to come. Our staff has been working as hard as ever to not only prepare for this but to keep up with keeping our stables and riding equipment sanitized to help keep us all safe during the cold weather. We are thankful that the temperatures during the first few weeks of December have felt more like fall, but who knows when that will change. We also want to thank each of you for what this year has been. You have helped us continue to share our passion and love for our horses and our horse trails. You have helped us continue to show off the beautiful land of the Lowcountry, and you helped keep all of our staff and fellow guests safe and happy. We couldn't be more thankful for all of that! We aren't sure what 2021 will bring, but we hope it's truly a year to celebrate. Stay safe and healthy friends, we can't wait to see you on our trails in the new year! From all of us at Middleton Equestrian Center, we wish you a very Horsey Holiday and a very Horsey New Year!

In the second part of this blog, we will be continuing our discussion on how to properly care for your horse's mane and tail. 

Hello, trail friends! Welcome back to the blog! We are thrilled you decided to come pay another visit to our blogs and continue to learn more about the care and maintenance that your horse's mane and tail requires. The end of October is right around the corner, so make sure you come and learn more about the history of our beautiful trails and the land we are connected to. There might even be a ghost story or two lurking in the shadows waiting to be told! Make sure to schedule your rides with us ahead of time and get ready for the best horseback riding trail in Charleston! We can't wait to see you soon! 

As we mentioned in our last blog, caring for your horse's mane and tail comes with a huge responsibility. This is just one of the multitude of things you need to take care of and care for when it comes to owning a single horse. We urge you to remember this when thinking about purchasing your very first horse or perhaps even your second. Every horse deserves every moment of meticulous and well-planned care as the next. We hope that you take these two blogs and every blog dedicated to the care of your horse to heart. We want both you and your horse to have an incredible life together. Please remember too that a horse is going to be a full life commitment, many of them live to be 20 years of age if not older. They will need your constant love, support, and care for every single one of those years! So, let's hop back into the barn and talk more about the care and maintenance of our beautiful horse's manes and tails! 

• Braiding

The last tip for mane and tail care in our last blog talked about how to wash, how frequently to wash, and the best ways to wash your horse's tails and manes. One of the most important things you can do for your horse once both tail and mane have been properly washed, dried, and brushed is to braid them. This isn't just a fashion choice or for show purposes, although beautiful braids do help with both of those things. A good braid goes far beyond just looks. While a horse with a braided mane and tail does look stunning, it does more than just leave your horse looking pretty out on the field. Braiding helps keep your horse's mane and tails clean and helps prevent them from snagging, ripping, matting, or breaking. Also, according to US Equestrian, it protects the mane and tail from bleaching out in the sun, causing severe damage and change to their look and presentation. US Equestrian does recommend that you start with a loose braid at the base of both the hair of the mane and tail and grow into a tighter braid as you move down each section of hair. This helps relieve tension on the hair and from pulling on the roots. For the mane, you will separate the hair into one to two-inch sections and braid each section. For the tail, you traditionally only have one long braid, but you can do multiple if you so choose. Braids can also help keep your horses cool in hotter months, keeping the hair away from their skin and removing the extra weight it can cause off their bodies. You can secure the braids with either a rubber band or electrical tape, it is your choice. Either option won't tangle in your horse's mane or tail between cleanings. 
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• Frequency

We've mentioned a couple of times that to keep your horse looking and feeling its best, a consistent regime of care is necessary. This doesn't mean you should be washing, drying, and braiding their mane and tails every day. It's recommended by US Equestrian to wash and braid every 14 to 19 days. When it comes to spraying your horse's coats down, that will be done much more frequently but should be done and met with the same amount of importance, care, and dedication that you give to your horse's mane's and tails. All the tools you use for grooming your horse's manes and tails should be clean and up to date. If they're getting rusty and old, please replace them. After you use them, clean them, and leave them to dry for their next use. It is also recommended by Horse and Rider to use all-natural products. The more natural they are, the less likely they are to harm or strip the hair and the more likely to help nourish and care for your horse's mane and tail. Also, just like you do in training and daily care, be consistent in the bathing process. Once you find a system that works well for you and your horse, consistently stick with it and repeat it with every wash! Also, don't let your horse's manes and tails grow too long. You don't want them stepping on their manes and tails or allow them to become a danger to them. you want them to look great, but you also want them to freely be able to train, live happily, ride well, and do all of their tricks and maneuvers without harming themselves or their hair. 

Keeping your horse healthy, clean, and looking gorgeous is a multi-staged approach. It does take time and dedication that every horse deserves. Just caring for their mains and tails is complex, don't forget about every other aspect of caring for them too! This needs to be considered when you are thinking about buying a horse of your own, can you handle this kind of responsibility? Of course, as fellow horse lovers, you know they are worth the time and care and to look and feel their best, always! We hope this how-to guide was helpful, and we look forward to seeing you on the trails very soon! If you have any questions about the care of your horse between now our next blog, don't hesitate to reach out. We are here to help you care for your horses as best as possible. Until next time, stay safe and stay hopeful everyone!

One of the most mysterious and stunning horse breeds of all time is the Gypsy Vanner Horse. Have you heard of these beauties? We can't wait to introduce you to them!

Hello, Lowcountry! We hope this blog finds you healthy and happy! Things are going well on our trails. Our fantastic guides are ready to lead you on an exciting adventure with our beautiful horses. We are currently offering our historic trail rides. These rides are the perfect choice to enjoy the beautiful local landscape and to learn a little bit about the history of Charleston. We have thee trail rides every day, one at 10 AM, 12 PM, and 2 PM. If you're planning on joining us, please arrive 15 minutes early. If you're a first-time rider or a first time guest on our trails, please visit our FAQ page. If you happen to have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. Please visit our "Book Your Ride" page on our website to book your next trail ride with us today!

Did you happen to watch The Kentucky Derby after reading our last blog? We hope everyone who did still wore their favorite Derby outfits while enjoying a Mint Julep or two! Our congratulations to Authentic and his trainer Bob Baffert for winning in a surprising and very dramatic turn of events. Authentic pulled right in front of Tiz The Law who won The Belmont Stakes and was favored to win the Derby. We are sure you're just as excited as we are to see who will win The Preakness Stakes on October 3rd!

There are many stunning horse breeds across the globe, a few of which we have talked about in past blogs. What many of our readers might not know is that new breeds are still out there and are still being introduced to the United States. One of the newest breeds that have come to the United States and received almost overnight popularity is the Gypsy Vanner horse. Thanks to Dennis and Cindy Thompson, these stunning horses first immigrated to the United States in 1996, and the Thompson's established The Gypsy Vanner Horse Society. In 2015, there were over 4000 Gypsy Vanner horses registered in the society, and they are still incredibly popular today. From the beginning the society has been dedicated to breeding preservation, learning about the culture that created this selective breed, and staying true to the breed itself. They do so through education, evaluation, and horse registration.

These magical and striking horses have a very interesting story. For years, the Englishman didn't care for horses that weren't a solid color. Horses that had spots or splotches on them were most often found in Ireland and the surrounding areas. These colored horses were very often cast-off in English culture. Thanks to the English the Gypsy culture was introduced to these beauties and instantly fell in love with them. These Gypsies were predominantly found in the British Isles. There is a lot of speculation as to why they decided to selectively breed what would become the Gypsy Vanner. The most popular speculation is that the Gypsy culture wanted a sturdy and strong horse with an amazing temperament that was stunning to look at. After years of careful breeding, that is exactly what they achieved. These beautiful horses and their breeding went undocumented until almost the 1940s. Once WWII arrived, the horses were finally cataloged and traced as a true breed.

These stunning horses are a mix of very impressive horses; the Shire, the Clydesdale, and the Pales. They are cold-blooded horses, which all feather horses are according to the GVHS. They are shorter horses ranging between 12.2 to 16 hands. They are stocky and strong like a Clydesdale and have a draft-type build. They are perfect for riding and driving, and for any level of rider. They are very easy to train and have calm and sweet personalities. They are wonderful with children and for older riders who might have a difficult time getting on and off their horse due to pain and age.

When they came to America, the Gypsy Vanner didn't have an official name. Thanks to the Thompson family, the name they decided upon honored their origins and the skill they were originally bred for. Named for the Gypsies that bred them and the caraVAN that they were bred to pull, the official name of Gypsy Vanner was born. While they were bread to match and pull the stunningly decorated living caravan wagons that the Gypsies once lived and traveled in, the use of these wagons is now just for show and fun. While this way of life may have turned into fun, the beauty and the strength of these horses remain.

The Gypsy Vanner can come in a variety of colors, but they are most often found in skewball, which is a mix of black and white, or piebald, which is a mix of brown and white. When you see a Gypsy Vanner for the first time it is very easy to confuse it with a Palomino or Paint horse, but pay close attention, you'll be able to spot the differences. Gypsy Vanners are known for an abundant amount of hair in their manes and tails. They can have double manes, and they can grow their manes down past their knees. The stunning feathering they are known for begins at their hock and cascades over their powerful hooves.

With such incredible temperament, strength, and ability to train, the Gypsy Vanner sounds like the picture-perfect horse. Honestly, this isn't far from the truth. One of the very few downfalls is the upkeep they require for their stunning manes, coats, and feathering. Extra care has to go into their grooming to keep them safe, healthy, clean, and ready to show. They also come with a high price tag. If you are interested in purchasing a Gypsy Vanner, we encourage you to consider the responsibility and care that comes with these beauties before officially buying one.

Rising in popularity, these horses are being seen more frequently at shows and in competitions. Due to their popularity and price tag, it will be very hard to find one to adopt. The best way to go about owning one is to go through a private breeder. These horses are truly something special. If you haven't seen one in person, make sure to make that a priority. We do not doubt that it will be love at first sight. Until next time, stay safe and stay hopeful everyone!

The next Year Of The Horse might not be until 2026, but for us, it's every day! We wanted to share and explore the history behind the zodiac horse and what it means to be born in a year of the horse.

We hope while you're reading this, we find you happy and well. We've enjoyed seeing so many of your friendly and familiar faces back on our trails. For those of you new to our blog or for those of you who might be unaware, we are currently open and offering our Historic Trail Rides! Enjoy the beautiful weather, the wonderful Low Country scenery, all while socially distancing on the back of a horse. We are adhering to the Governor's guidelines to help keep our staff and client safe! All saddles, bridles, and helmets are cleaned after every ride. A visit to the stables might be exactly what you need right now.

This year has been a rough ride, to say the least. We've all overcome and gone through challenges in all areas of our lives. Depending on the culture, some look to Farmers Almanacs to predict or look for answers for a difficult year. Some look at astrological coincidences and others look at the zodiac sign to help explain the reasoning behind what is happening in their region or throughout the world. This year in the Zodiac calendar is the year of The Rat, and there won't be a year of The Horse until 2026. Regardless, we wanted to learn a little more about the history of the Horse Zodiac, it's personality traits, and what it could mean during the year of The rat. The most recent Year Of The Horse were 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 and soon to be 2026.

• 12 zodiac animals rotate every year. According to legend, the Jade Emperor challenged all of the animals to a race. The first 12 who made it to his party would be gifted with a year named after them in the zodiac calendar. The Jade Emperor, according to The Ancient History Encyclopedia, is the first or highest deity in Chinese Tradition. He is in charge of the cosmos. But, this deity is not in charge of the creation story, because Chinese tradition and religion don't have a deity that is credited with the creation. The horse is the 7th animal in the Zodiac, according to ChineseNewYear. The horse would have arrived at the emperor's party much sooner, but he had to pass a graveyard as part of his race and was very afraid. He closed his eyes while passing, which slowed his progress. Once he passed the graveyard, he sped up and ran as quickly as he could and was still able to come in 7th place. More consistently, history says that snake hid in the hoof of the great horse, and just as the horse was about to cross the finish line, the snake jumped out and scared the horse, giving him the advantage to cross the finish line before the horse.

• The zodiac animal in which year you are born is also said to reflect your personality traits. According to Astrology.Com, horses are very passionate but they don't always follow through with their dreams. It is very easy for them to lose interest once the very first steps of excitement are gone. They are always looking for the next challenge. They are very loving individuals who crave to belong but tend to go looking for what completes and defines them. They can get angry very quickly, but their anger ends as quickly as it begins. According to ChineseNewYear, their largest fault is that "they are blind to their own faults", and quite often get in the way of their own success.

• 2020, The Year Of The Rat, won't be the best for the horse. The biggest challenge they will be facing will be in their careers. According to TravelChina, it is recommended that horses should avoid high-risk investments, and even though income will be stable, it won't be a huge mass of wealth. Which, with so many people facing unemployment right now, the zodiac calendar might not be too far off. What struck us the most was the predictions for health for horses in 2020. It is the least successful attribute in a horse's life this year. It is recommended to regularly check your health, be very aware of your mental health, and more outdoor activities are needed. If that doesn't sound like 2020, we don't know what does.

• Every Zodiac year comes with lucky and unlucky traits and who are the most compatible and not compatible within the Zodiac calendar. They are the most compatible with the Dog, Tiger, and Goat. They are the least compatible with the Rat and the Ox. Since they are very incompatible with the rat, this will not be the best year for the horse, as we mentioned above. Problems are said to appear constantly throughout the year, and it will be a struggle to get through this one. Thankfully, there are a few things that you can do to make this year a little bit better. Good deeds, random acts of kindness, charity, and community service can make a difference. Ironically, the Rat brings success to everyone, so if you see an opportunity for that, take it!

• Lucky things for The Horse: Crystals, the numbers 3, 4, and 9, and the colors purple, red, and green.
• Unlucky things for The Horse: The numbers 6, 7, 8 and the colors black, gold, and brown.

Ironically, even if you don't believe in the zodiac signs or know much about them, 2020 does resonate with what has been predicted. We, like all of you, hope to find good luck in what's left of this year. But, if anything, learning more about this beautiful creature in the eyes of a different culture has been very interesting. What did you think? Comment below! Also, let us know if you were born in a previous year of The Horse or know anyone that was. Does their personality match the descriptions we've listed?