As winter draws closer, it’s time to start thinking about your horse’s feeding plan. Many people don’t realize that their horse will need more calories to keep warm in cold weather, resulting in a seemingly sudden weight loss over...
Q: My horses have Bermuda grass hay in front of them at all times, and I give them a flake of alfalfa in the morning and at night. Are they getting enough vitamins in their diet?
A: Access to...
The foundation of every horse’s diet must be forage, which is most commonly provided in the form of either hay or pasture grass. While forage contains a certain amount of energy, protein and vitamins on its own, its fiber...
Curry CombsRubber Curry CombMade of rubber with textured nubs. Use in a circular motion
to loosen dirt, shedding hair and "scurf” from deep within your horse’s coat and bring it to the surface where it can be given the brushoff....
Q: I recently began leasing a 20-year-old mare. She’s a sweetheart, but she hasn’t been in regular work for about three years. I can only ride about once a week and while there is plenty of space to trail...
Last year during Wally’s annual teeth floating, my vet Jennifer stopped midway, turned to me and said, “This is it. I’m not equipped to address all the problems with Wally’s teeth.”Imagining the worst, I thought, “What does he need?...
Thirty to 90 minutes in the sun will give the average person all the required daily vitamin D. But a horse’s hair coat alone creates such a significant barrier to absorption that it typically takes 5 to 8 hours...
Q: My horse has always had sensitive skin, but this year the gnats seem to have really taken a toll on him. He has rubbed some of the hair off of his chest, neck and face, and he’s started...
When put on a restricted diet, overweight ponies have been shown to snack on stall bedding according to research from the Liverpool University Veterinary School in Great Britain.Wood shavings are often considered a safe alternative to straw for horses...
Q: My six-year-old off-track Thoroughbred was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans in either his hip or his stifle. I’ve heard differing opinions from various vets and trainers about what he can or cannot do. What are the limitations on a...
