A Devotion to the Health of Your Horse
The Long Branch Lakes Equestrian Center is committed to every facet of care for the horses of our residents and guests, whether your animal is boarded with us or is brought to us for regular equine services.
The fact that the Equestrian Center site was originally a working dairy operation brings an array of advantages through established and carefully managed agriculture programs and outstanding animal care provided by top equine professionals.
About our Hay:
Homegrown and cut from the rolling fields in the Long Branch Lakes Equestrian Center, the hay harvested for the horses of Long Branch Lakes is of upmost importance.
The grass-mix hay is composed of orchard grass, fescue, timothy, and a variety of native grasses. Designed to have a mid-range protein content of 10-12%, the hay is good maintenance level blend allowing us to keep hay in-front of our horses to satisfy their grazing instinct without them gaining too much weight, or providing excess amounts of energy.
To maintain the physique and fitness level of the average pleasure horse, our hay, combined with pasture grazing meets nutritional requirements, and a mineral supplement is provided to meet any gaps in the forage nutrient profile. Very few of our horses require any grain supplementation - typically only younger developing horses or horses in heavy training require extra grain supplementation - and even then the grain needed is minimal.
By regularly soil testing our pastures and hay fields, and analyzing our hay for the nutritional content, we are able ascertain what if anything we need to do to maintain a healthy balance for the horses of Long Branch Lakes.
About our Farrier:
The Long Branch Lakes family has a preferred farrier, Chad Oakes from the Cumberland Plateau and husband of Resident Manager Jennifer Oakes. Chad provides on-site farrier service as needed to his clientele at Long Branch Lakes.
Chad is a veteran farrier starting at the young age of five years old with his Grandfather holding the horse's foot while little Chad nailed on the shoe. Chad comes from three generations of horse farriers, trainers, brokers, and caretakers. His father ran a horse stable in nearby Crossville, Tennessee, that served a variety of horses.
Chad shoes the horses at Long Branch Lakes and says they need shoeing about every 4-6 weeks. He knows how to correct and customize the shoes according to the horse's individual needs. He can diagnose most hoof problems which helps ensure a healther and happier horse. Both he and Jennifer can assist LBL owners in selecting a horse for purchase to reside at Long Branch Lakes.
About our Veterinary Services:
The horses of Long Branch Lakes enjoy some of the finest veterinary services available in the region.
Homestead Veterinary Service is the preferred on-site veterinary care provider of the Long Branch Lakes Equestrian Center. Homestead Veterinary Services' Dr. Nathan Perry & Dr. Lorie Beattie - a husband and wife team -draw from their years of professional and personal equine experience to provide the horses of Long Branch Lakes with exceptional care. Both Drs. Perry & Beattie are graduates of the University of Tennessee Veterinary College and completed externships at the famous 6666 Ranch (Guthrie, TX) and Waterfall Farms (Shelbyville, TN). Their professional focus is on Equine Herd Health and Reproduction, personally they maintain a residence in nearby Crossville enjoying their 4 horses and their new son, Mark. Homestead Veterinary Service can be reached at 931-484-5805.
To ensure full coverage in case of an emergency, Equestrian Center sought out and established contacts with all equine veterinary service providers in the area and as such maintain a relationship with Upper Cumberland Veterinary Service - a small & large animal practice maintaining 3 veterinarians - that are also available for routine or emergency care.
For major medical or surgery needs - the Long Branch Lakes Equestrian Center is 1 hour and 30 minutes from the premier Equine Hospital in the Southeast - the University of Tennessee Veterinary Medical Center(UTCVM) in Knoxville, TN. The Equine Hospital at UTCVM employs the most up-to-date and cutting edge technology, equipment, and knowledge. The Equine Hospital at UTCVM is the only veterinary college with an onsite Equine Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Chamber (HBOT), and founded the Veterinary Hyperbaric Medicine Society. The Equine Hospital is also home to The Center for Equine Veterinary Research (CEVR), has the Anderson Rescue & Rehabilitation Sling, and is excited to have recently brought Equine Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to the region. UT's Equine Hospital is one of the few facilities available in the country that provides diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation in one location.