Dr. Chris Skelly

My Equestrian Education--the School of Hard Knocks

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Blanketing or "au Naturel"

A winter hair coat can hide thin ribs or layers of fat.

Body Condition Scoring Horses In the Winter

Horse people often make the mistake of feeding by volume instead of feeding by weight.

Weighing In On Feeding Horses

Get a Jump Start on 2013 Pastures Now!

As hosts of the Hunt, my family provides refreshments including the traditional Sherry, and breakfasts treats delivered to the mounted riders while avoiding a greedy hound or two.

Hosting the Metamora Hunt

School is beginning for everyone, including your horse. Photo by corsi photo from Flickr

Going Back to School! Learning Never Stops for Horses and Riders

Leah and Harley at the Win A Gin dressage show in 2011. Harley was reserve champion in training level III.

Harley is for Sale. Are You Looking for that Perfect First Horse?

Find out how your state is fairing this year with the U.S. Drought Monitor.

Enduring the Summer Drought and Preparing for Winter

In temperatures ranging from mid 90?s to 100 degrees, it was nice to hitch a ride the old fashion way. And don't worry - all the horses and mules were on short shifts and sprayed down with water throughout their working hours.

Michigan Ag Expo: Horses Still Play a Major Role in Agriculture

Volunteers leading and spotting riders in Michigan's Proud Equestrian Program.

Volunteering with Horses: Good for you and good for others

Volunteering provides many ways to get involved in the horse industry. If you need to fill that horse-less void, consider working with others that share your passion and learn as you go.

This beautiful mare retired from showing at Class A Arabian Horse Shows and was leased to 4-H members who showed her in walk trot classes at local community fairs. She was put down recently at the age of 27 years, after teaching many youth to ride and love horses.

Leasing a Horse ?Staying in the Shallow End of Horse Ownership

Leasing a horse is a great way to experience horse ownership without assuming all of the risks.

Riding Lessons for Horseless Equestrians

Riding lessons can help the horseless equestrian enjoy horses without the responsiblities and financial demands of ownership.

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Is Horse Ownership for You?

Horse ownership seems like the right fit, but as anyone who owns a horse will tell you, ?It is not a hobby, it is a lifestyle.? Horses are time consuming and expensive. Thinking through the time committment and expense of owning a horse before buying your first horse will help you prepare for the day to day realities of horse ownership.

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Welcome to Horse Ownership 2.0

Welcome to my new blog, Horse Ownership 2.0. My name is Christine Skelly and I am the equine extension specialist at Michigan State University. I received my doctorate at Texas A&M University in equine nutrition and physiology--basically how to feed horses and how a horse?s body responds to exercise and stress. I have worked with a broad range of horse owners around the country including ranchers, race horse owners, elite performance horseman and first time horse owners. I am the founder and