Farm History
The horse operations began with the previous owner in 1996. With the
intention of initiating a horse breeding farm, he erected the horsebarn
and installed perimeter fencing to delineate paddocks and pastures. We
purchased the farm in November 2000 and renamed it Chez Chevaux Farm,
"home of the horses" farm (French). By that time the
operation had evolved into a boarding barn which we have continued with
various improvements to facilitate our approach to horse-boarding.
Horse-Boarding
at Chez Chevaux Farm
Since horses evolved as grazing, herd mammals, we attempt to follow a
regimen that emphasizes these specific characteristics and their inherent
behavioral expressions with horses entrusted to our care. While each
horse has its own stall in the barn, we feel that horses are healthier
if not confined in stalls for prolonged periods. Horses are confined
for longer periods only when injured, ill, or because of inclement weather.
The ideal regimen would be horses living in paddocks with loafing sheds,
water, and 24-hour access to pastures for grazing throughout the year.
However, climate and insects in northern Indiana, along with the requirement
to feed specific amounts of grain and supplements to individual animals,
do not always permit the complete realization of this ideal. Each horse
is fed grain (and supplements, where necessary) in individual feeding
dishes while attended in the paddock in the morning and evening. Hay is provided on the same schedule in the paddock
when pasture is unavailable for grazing. Hay, a grass-alfalfa mix, is
fed on the ground, as pasture would be grazed. Horses live year-round
in small, gender-and-age delineated (as necessary), compatible "herds"
of two, three, or sometimes four animals, in paddocks with water tanks, loafing
sheds, and associated pastures. In the summer, when insects are most
noisome, owner-supplied fly masks will be placed on each horse at morning
feeding. We also paste-worm all horses at approximately eight-week
intervals and employ a rotation of fenbenzadole, ivermectine, and pyrantel
pamoate for better effectiveness. We expect all boarders to secure regular
farrier visits and to vaccinate their horses in the spring and fall of
each year for rabies, rhino/flu, tetanus, Potomac/East/West equine encephalitis,
and West Nile, as they consider necessary. Boarders are free to choose
their own farriers and veterinarians, and we all cooperate in order to
maintain the health of all the horses on the farm.
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