Horseshoes are ubiquitous with luck, backyard games and ranch life, but if you have ever stopped to think about it, you may have wondered why horses need shoes in the first place. After all, horses have hooves and survive in the wild without shoes—so why do most horses that live in barns wear them? Below, we will take a look at what horse shoes are and why many people do (or don’t! Read on →

If you have ever been around horses in the past, you have likely seen that they have a lot of gear. Between shoes, saddles, reins and more, there is a lot of equipment (also known as tack in the horse world) to keep track of—and one of the biggest causes for confusion? We find that it tends to be the difference between a halter and a bridle. On first glance, hatler and bridles look quite similar, as they are both worn on a horse’s head. Read on →

If you have seen horses out grazing in a pasture, you have likely noticed that they like to eat…a lot. Whether they are grazing on lush pastureland, chomping on some hay, eating a nutritional grain meal or enjoying a special treat, the way to a horse’s heart is truly through its stomach! Below, we will take a look at what horses eat, why they eat it and some of their favorite treats to enjoy. Read on →

If you have seen horses portrayed in TV or the movies or even seen them in real life, you have likely noticed that not all saddles look exactly the same. There are a lot of different kinds of specialty saddles out there, but most of them are derivatives of the two main types: Western and English. Western saddles and English saddles serve the same main function (allowing the rider to sit perched on the horse’s back), but outside of that, they really could not be more different. Read on →

Horses can do a lot of things. They can walk, they can run, they can race, they can play—many of them can even solve puzzles! Horses are very smart and capable creatures in many ways, but we find a lot of people who come to the stables are very surprised to learn that horses can swim! Horses are actually quite good swimmers. Just like dogs, some horses like the water more than others do, but they are all natural swimmers and can cross bodies of water if necessary. Read on →

Visiting Colorado is truly great no matter the time of year that you come—and we are not just saying that because we love this place! Summer brings comfortable weather and plenty of hiking, the colors can’t be beat in the fall, winter has incredible skiing and cold-weather activities, and spring is really the best of all of it! If you are planning a trip to Colorado with your family this spring, we bet you are excited—and we can’t wait to have you. Read on →

If you have ever seen a horse in the spring season, they have likely been accompanied by tufts of hair shedding from their coats—and it is incredible how much they can shed! Horses, like many other mammals, will lose hair throughout the year and should be groomed regularly to get rid of any dead hair follicles. However, to adapt to life outdoors, they have developed a cyclical hair growth cycle and tend to have a big shed as winter wanes and the spring season approaches. Read on →

If you have ever seen a herd of horses, whether in person or in a movie, you have likely noticed that they come in many shapes, sizes, but they come in even more colors. A horse’s coloring is due to genetics, and every horse’s coat starts with a red or black base and then gets altered due to genes from there. Not only are horse coat colors and markings interesting to learn about, but they can help you discuss horses with others, too! Read on →

It is no secret that horses have amazing hair, but did you know that it can be rather high maintenance to keep up with? While wild horses do not need to be groomed to stay comfortable, horses that are being ridden definitely do—preferably before every ride. Wild herds of horses will learn to self-groom from the other members of the pack, but horses that have grown up in captivity have learned that humans will take care of that for them. Read on →

There is no denying that the Rockies are beautiful at any time of year, but we believe they are especially magical during the fall. The heat of summer has left us, the leaves are starting to turn and there is a chill in the evenings that lets you know that winter is not far behind. If you are planning to take a family vacation to the Rocky Mountains in the fall, you are sure to agree with us! Read on →