Horses are trickle or slow feeders by nature. This means that they are biologically wired to thrive when they are continuously collecting and eating small amounts of long-stem high-fibre forage. This most basic realization is instrumental in keeping the horse healthy. Forage is the foundation of every horse’s diet, and the forage needs to flow
The numerous benefits of slow feeding to the horse
Horse Health: Horses are designed to eat low-energy forages nearly constantly
Key points to read the sole of a hoof
Horse Health: The sole of a horse is a remarkably adaptive and resilient thing, but you can help it improve
It is easy to overlook the contribution the sole makes to the soundness of the horse, because for the most part the sole is hidden from view. However, the sole is no idle passenger. It has remarkable, even herculean properties that allow it to act as the interface between the horse’s bony column and the
What to consider when blanketing your horse
Horse Health: The animal’s body condition, nutrition and level of activity can all affect this decision
Most horses are blanketed in the winter according to the personal principles of the owner. However, like any other management practice, blanketing horses has its rightful place and proper use. The decision to blanket the horse comes with advantages and disadvantages. First, it is good to know that nature has provided the horse with extremely
Horses and tapeworms
Horse Health: It’s unclear if there’s much, if any, impact on horse health from tapeworm infestations
The existence of tapeworms in horses has rarely been a topic of much concern as the significance of infestation to the health of the horse has for the most part been uncertain. Not only is it difficult to reproduce the complicated life cycle of the tapeworm under study conditions it is also unreliable to gather
Ringbone in horses
Horse Health: Abnormal and repetitive stresses are frequent causes of this source of lameness
Ringbone is one of the most common forms of arthritis diagnosed in the horse and is a “catch-all” term used to describe an osteoarthritis that afflicts the coffin joint (low ringbone) or the pastern joint (high ringbone). Degeneration of the joint interferes with function, mobility and flexibility of the lower limb and ultimately leads to
Heat stress and horses
Horse Health: Emergency interventions may be necessary to save overheated animals
Hot weather poses a unique set of challenges to the physiology of horses that are better equipped to deal with cold weather. Horses naturally benefit from the heat produced as a byproduct of their own digestive processes and muscular activity. However, as temperatures rise beyond approximately 24 C and humidity increases, horses struggle to effectively
Important considerations when trailering horses
Horse Health: Doing it right can dramatically reduce the stresses placed on horses in transport
Trailering of horses has dramatically increased in frequency over the last decade with horses travelling to and from sales, competitions, shows, trail riding, equine vacations, breeding and more. Some travel may be as short as an hour while other trips may involve many hours, perhaps even a few days of trailering. Considerable physical, psychological, and
Care of the nursing foal
Horse Health: Mother Nature, their own mother and human caretakers all have a profound effect on the wellness of young horses
From the time a foal is a week old and healthy until it is weaned, its physical, mental and emotional development is influenced by many caretakers. Mother Nature and Mother Horse are the foal’s primary caretakers, however, human caretakers can also have a substantial influence on the foal’s development. Many events that occur in the
A 10-point checklist for the newborn foal
Horse Health: Tick the boxes to ensure your young foal is meeting developmental milestones and has no major issues
Recognizing healthy behaviour and development of the newborn foal is critical to identifying when something is amiss. Initial stages of illness in young foals are subtle and unfortunately can be easily overlooked. Therefore a checklist of 10 relevant questions can be a valuable resource when evaluating the newborn foal. Each question represents a significant milestone
Horse euthanasia: making ‘the’ decision
Horse Health: The strong bond most horse owners develop with their equine companions makes this a very difficult choice
Sometimes the decision to euthanize a horse and end suffering is clearly obvious. This can occur when a horse has a severe injury or an unrelenting and non-responsive illness such as laminitis or colic. However, all circumstances are not so straightforward and many times horse owners are confronted with situations of illness, injury or aging
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