DunHaven Farm

01/08/2026

A couple of large hi cut hoodies heading to Wisconsin. A smart purchase, one hood in an NFL heavyweight and the other in a medium weight, this lucky recipient horse will be ready for all kinds of weather!

01/07/2026

❄️ Ice & Snow Management for Horses ❄️

⚠️ Ice and snow create serious slip hazards for both horses and handlers.

🚜 Snow management
✔️ Plow or blow snow into areas where meltwater can drain away from paddocks and alleyways
⚠️ Melting after snow removal can refreeze and create slick surfaces

🧊 Managing existing ice
✔️ Improve traction with poultry grit, sand, or fresh manure
❌ Avoid straw, hay, or fresh shavings—they slide over ice and don’t provide consistent footing

🍽️ Feeding & ingestion safety
✔️ Feed horses away from sand or grit
✔️ Use raised feeders to reduce accidental ingestion

🧂 Salt use
✔️ Use pure salt sparingly in milder temperatures
⚠️ Effects on hooves are not well researched
❌ Do not use salt and sand together - horses may lick the salt and accidentally eat sand

🐴 Hoof traction
✔️ Regularly remove packed snow and ice from hooves to improve grip and reduce slipping

❄️ Careful ice and snow management helps keep horses and people safe all winter long.

01/03/2026

Thanks Maria, your camo hoodies are on their way to Iowa. Enjoy! 💚🤎🖤🤍

08/28/2025

Dry Lots = Good Thing!

🐴 Dry lots are a key part of any horse facility plan — providing safe turnout when pastures are resting and essential housing during the winter months. They are great for managing pasture and horse health year-round! ❄️🌾

Learn more about designing a dry lot at: z.umn.edu/drylot

07/06/2025

Watch for this little one at the International Buckskin Horse Association WORLD SHOW July 20 - 25 entered in the IBHA Youth Scholarship Auction in Cloverdale, IN.
Happy World Show and safe travels to all! ❤️

06/03/2025

Wildfire Smoke…

🔥 Wildfire Smoke & Horse Health 🐴💨

As wildfire season heats up, so does the risk of poor air quality — not just for us, but for our horses too. Smoke from wildfires can irritate a horse's respiratory system and cause fatigue, coughing, difficulty breathing, etc.

You can monitor air quality at www.airnow.gov. During periods of poor air quality, you can protect your horse by:
🐎 Limiting exercise
💧 Providing fresh water
💦 Controlling dust such as watering dry lots and soaking or feeding dust-free hay
🕰 Allowing time for recovery: airway damage from wildfire smoke takes 4 to 6 weeks to heal after air quality returns to normal.

05/12/2025

Check out our newest spring prints,
share some spring happiness in your barn!
dunhaven.net

03/18/2025

We interview two professional mechanics who share tips for routine and annual horse trailer maintenance as well as common problems they see with horse traile...

12/03/2024

🌾 Hay = Essential for Horse Health! 🌾

For most mature horses, 1.5 to 2.5 percent of their body weight in forage daily is ideal. Long-stemmed hay supports gut health and helps keep horses warm in winter. If needed, alternatives can replace hay in part or entirely.

Learn about alternative feedstuffs ➡️ extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/alternative-feedstuffs-horses

10/28/2024

Have you started preparing your farm for winter? Consider adding these tasks to your to do list. 🐴 🍂🧹

08/16/2024

Recently, many horse owners and hay suppliers have been plagued by rain. Rained on hay can be a suitable forage for horses, but the quality depends on several factors. Forage quality tends to be greatest if

🌧 rain occurs soon after cutting when the forage has had little time to dry;
🌧 the rainfall was a single event compared to a multiple day or drawn-out event;
🌧 rainfall intensity was higher versus a longer, lower intensity event; and
🌧 the forage has not been rewetted numerous times.

Rained on hay is actually beneficial for horses prone to laminitis and other metabolic disorders because of its reduced carbohydrate content. We always recommend analyzing forage for nutrient content, which can be especially useful when determining the quality of rained on hay.

07/11/2024

New prints at Dun Haven! Check them out soon...they won't last long. ;)