“Studies show that horses who are able to move consistently throughout the day and night are more focused, learn better, and are more willing to work with their handlers.”
― Iveta Jebáčková-Lažanská: Keeping Horses Outdoors
Happy March, friends! Our winter is nearly over and I am back once again to add a book onto your book club shelf.
This month I am highlighting Keeping Horses Outdoors: Smart, Safe, Affordable Ways Your Horse Can Live as Naturally as Possible All Seasons of the Year written by Iveta Jebáčková-Lažanská.
This book was published on my birthday of last year…January 21, 2025. This paperback book contains 304 pages mixed with color photographs.
You can get your copy directly here at Trafalgar Square books!
Iveta organizes Keeping Horses Outdoors into 25 well thought out chapters. It seems everything is considered in this book…footing, paddock basics, shelter, water, feeding stations, salt, fencing, manure management, and more. In the later chapters we dive into some niche topics like forest gardens, hills/mounds, natural fencing and hedges.
“If grass is deficient in nitrogen, sugars accumulate in tissue (photosynthesis slows but doesn’t stop). If there’s an excess of nitrogen, the tissue will mature more slowly and will be more susceptible to fungal diseases and frost.”
― Iveta Jebáčková-Lažanská: Keeping Horses Outdoors
I want to talk about this book in detail but I think it would be difficult to highlight just how much information lies inside. Iveta has poured her life’s work into this book. I am so impressed by all of the perspectives given within these pages.
For example, in the chapter titled reinforcing footing…Iveta offers THIRTEEN temporary footing solutions and THREE permanent ones. With each option she discusses with us how the selected route works and the downside to it. It appears that Iveta is keenly aware that what works best for one farm will not be ideal for another. This is so true. Each farm owner needs to consider geographic reasons, economical reasons, landscaping reasons, time reasons, and long term plans along with many more factors. This book is excellent at providing the options up front with a broad overview; the reader then, can conduct targeted research on the options that resonate the most with their situation.
I loved the chapters about natural fencing and hedges. I have always dreamed of creating a woven fenceline…but the time it would take and getting the right materials has been daunting. But that is what I love about this book. Iveta offers up all ideas about creating excellent living environments from the most basic paddock and pasture to more elaborate oases. What you choose to do with the information is entirely up to you.
The biggest question when approaching this book is the WHY. Why create such a book? Iveta grew up where older methods of horse care were used…24/7 stalls or worse…tied to a stake. There are still many people around the world that employ outdated horse keeping traditions. Her book is aimed to make this knowledge more accessible. I think she nailed it.
“We could certainly let Mother Nature take charge of our own horses-and the final result would be hardened horses who could survive virtually anything thrown at them. It would be wonderful to establish a new, hardy breed out of these horses; but we would have to come to terms with horrific losses and deaths along the way, too. Would we have the commitment-or the stomach-for such an approach?”
― Iveta Jebáčková-Lažanská: Keeping Horses Outdoors
Then of course there are people out there with the philosophy that horses should be treated the same as those in the wild. I love that the author addresses this as it is something I tell everyone who argues about “how horses survive in the wild.” The fact is that many wild horses DON’T survive…and many wild horses travel miles and miles every day while ours don’t get the roaming exercise and forage variety their wild cousins get.
“Whenever we find ourselves saying, ‘In nature, no one would provide that…and no one would secure this…they’d have to do this on their own…’ what we are overlooking is that these things are part of the unkind and uncaring centrifuge of natural selection, which stirs wild herds and pushes weak and less well-adapted horses to the very edge”
― Iveta Jebáčková-Lažanská: Keeping Horses Outdoors
I also found myself learning things I hadn’t known before. The concept of a urination station was so unique and made so much sense. I observe the horses at home prefer specific locations for their bathroom…and if I had the tractor and time I would most certainly to utilizing them to create some of the stations that Iveta recommended within this book.
“Horses prefer water with a neutral pH. Water with a high pH (>8) is alkaline and has a soapy taste, and animals will reject it. Water with a pH below 5 is acidic and will usually be perceived as sour and unpleasant, and your horses may drink less.”
― Iveta Jebáčková-Lažanská: Keeping Horses Outdoors
Final Word:
Keeping Horses Outdoors was an excellent non-fiction educational book. It is excellent for young readers who have lofty horse dreams like myself as a kid. I would sit and design horse barns and my dream farm for fun!
This is also an excellent starting point for serious adults who have horses at home or plan to. This is a book you pick up if you need inspiration for how to improve your horse’s quality of life.
Use this book for your inspiration. The author truly offers hundreds of unique thought provoking ideas that you may never have considered.
I also want to add that I buy most of my horse books from Trafalgar Square Books; I am also an affiliate with the company. I would love it if you find your copy through my affiliate link here, it’ll let TSB know I sent you!
Published by Trafalgar Square Books, an imprint of the Stable Book Group
32 Court Street Suite 2109 Brooklyn, NY 11201
If you have any questions, comments, or would like further information, please contact:
trafalgar@stablebookgroup.com
The Green Horseman 
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