If you suspect that laminitis (or founder, as it is known in layman’s terms) is to blame for your horse’s sudden lameness, call your veterinarian immediately. Then, follow this first-aid protocol while waiting for the vet’s arrival. As you...
Your horse needs regular hoof care and farrier visits for his health and soundness. Read on for all of our resources on diagnosing and treating common hoof ailments, recognizing lameness, and developing a plan with your veterinarian and farrier...
Riding in the snow can present shoeing challenges. What shoes, if any, you choose for your horse is a decision made with your farrier. But if you’re looking at options, consider these tips from Dallas Morgan, a Certified Journeyman...
Before choosing a farrier, make sure he or she has the professional knowledge to do the job. Check references, investigate education/training and ask about professional association membership.In addition to professional knowledge and skill, your relationship with your farrier is...
When veterinarians evaluate horses for lameness, they usually provide the owners with written descriptions of what they observe. For example, “Lame at trot, left fore, +3 ... ,” is what you might find scrawled in a vet’s notes. While...
According to an IDEXX Laboratories survey of more than 2,000 horse owners and trainers regarding equine lameness, joint pain is plaguing our horses. Here’s what respondents said:• Approximately 50 percent revealed that their horses suffer from some form of lameness.• More...
You’ve decided to let your horse go barefoot but are receiving conflicting advice on how to best manage him. You thought you could just have the shoes pulled and let your horse go, save for the occasional trimming.
But some...
Like a bike with a flat tire or a tennis racket with a broken string, a horse with poor hooves has limited usefulness. But how to keep a horse’s hooves in their best condition is an often discussed and...
Springtime brings warmer weather, greener grass and longer hours of daylight. It also brings one of the biggest challenges horse owners face: mud. It’s a dirty word, and it makes horsekeeping an ugly task.Mud presents a range of issues,...
Does your horse behave as if his feet are a little "ouchy" after a long trail ride over rough terrain? Are his tootsies tired by the end of a long day of showing? Of course, establish that this is...
