Category: Husbandry
Fall Laminitis
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Your horse should be kicking up her heels in the cool, crisp autumn air but every year some are struck by laminitis. There are several distinct groups of horses at risk and they all have EMS/high insulin in common. A recent blog described the rise in ACTH hormone which occurs […]
Over-rugging is ‘a man-made welfare problem’
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Owners have been warned of the serious consequences of over-rugging their horses. Dick Vet Equine highlighted the issue on Facebook after the practice saw an increasing number of horses being rugged unnecessarily this time of year. “People seem to be more and more keen on putting rugs on,” vet Tess […]
Adjusting for Winter Nutrition
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For some of us, winter has already arrived. For others, it’s just beginning in earnest. For all of us, the horse is facing some challenges. During the winter months, it is important to remember winter nutrition for horses. Whether you have to adjust your horse’s diet or add additional vitamins […]
Donkeys’ Unique Nutritional Needs
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Just like in horses, forage needs to be the foundation of a donkey’s diet. However, their specific forage needs are a little different than those of your horse. To avoid getting in to trouble it’s important to understand these differences. Without careful management, donkeys are prone to obesity, metabolic issues, […]
Nutritional Support for Equine Allergies
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Just this summer, I’ve noticed Lee Lee rubbing her neck and chest on her stall door when she comes up to eat. Itchy skin and rubbing to relieve it is a telltale sign of an allergy so I’ve been working to address the problem. Allergies are fairly common in horses–just as they […]
What if I suggested that Horse Overpopulation May not be the MAIN Problem Equines Face?
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I’m a bit ashamed that it has taken too many years in rescue to see what should have been obvious to me way before tonight. It is something I’ve always known as “part” of the issue horses face, but I didn’t always consider “IT” the main issue until the last year or […]
Equine Nutrition: Understanding Labels
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Nowadays, marketing strategies can make any supplement or feed seem like the next miracle product. Going by all the claims out there, we should have a world full of healthy horses. Unfortunately, this isn’t so. Luckily, armed with some basic information about equine nutrition, any horse guardian can sort out […]
Diet Changes for the Senior Horse
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As horses age, they may need some special considerations and diet changes to help them maintain optimal health. At the time they erupt, a horse’s cheek teeth are approximately 4” in length (including the exposed/erupted part and the portion within the jaw). These teeth wear down over time, but will […]
Horse gut sounds and what they mean
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One way to determine if your horse is normal and healthy is to evaluate the rumblings of his gut. The technical term for a gut sound is a borborygmus (pronounced bôr′bə-rĭg′məs). The plural is borborygmi. During a physical exam a veterinarian will listen to your horse’s gut sounds with a […]
THE Blanket Rule For Blanketing Horses
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We just had our first taste of real cold weather this weekend, and I was reminded again about the “Blanket Rule” video I did last winter on Periscope, which was subsequently deleted within 24 hours! Many people tried to watch it later and couldn’t, and so I decided to write […]