Tag: equine management

What Every Equestrian Should Know About Laminitis and Founder

Laminitis. The word alone is enough to send shivers down any equestrian’s spine. Often deemed as a death sentence, laminitis is one of the most common disorders in horses and ponies. Laminitis is defined as inflammation of the tissue between the hoof and coffin bone. Contrary to many people’s beliefs, founder and laminitis are not…… Continue reading What Every Equestrian Should Know About Laminitis and Founder

Common Equine-Affecting Internal Parasites to Be Aware Of

It’s fall! This means many equestrians are probably going to be deworming their horses to protect them against internal parasites. But do they know what they are deworming for? Photo by Vincent Botta on Unsplash In this post, we’ll run through some quick facts about six common internal parasites that affect the equine species. On…… Continue reading Common Equine-Affecting Internal Parasites to Be Aware Of

Equine Core Vaccines: What Are They and Why Are They Important?

First off, what are equine core vaccines? Well, to answer that, you must first ask, what is a vaccine? A vaccine is a preparation of living attenuated organisms, dead (killed) microorganisms, or living, fully virulent organisms. This preparation is administered to an animal to produce or artificially increase immunity to a specific disease. In simpler…… Continue reading Equine Core Vaccines: What Are They and Why Are They Important?

Boarding Barn Red Flags: 13 Things to Look Out For

As someone who boarded their horses for over a decade, I wanted to share some of the things that I have learned over the years. There are numerous boarding barn red flags to watch out for in order to ensure quality care for your horse. All the red flags I will list are situations/observations that…… Continue reading Boarding Barn Red Flags: 13 Things to Look Out For

Pasture Planning: How to Create the Perfect Habitat for Your Horse

In preparation for our Spring 2023 planning, I thought we would discuss some things you need to consider when planning an equine pasture. We will discuss the horse’s natural tendencies, things every pasture needs, fencing types, and some extra considerations. **Please note that much of what we discuss are ideals. We understand that not everyone…… Continue reading Pasture Planning: How to Create the Perfect Habitat for Your Horse

Straight From the Horse’s Mouth: The Equine Digestive System

An understanding of the equine digestive system is essential when establishing proper husbandry practices. Unfortunately, many modern day feeding and horsekeeping practices go against the horse’s natural way of being. Horses are herbivores and hindgut fermenters. They are built to eat around 1.5-2% of their body weight in forage (hay, grass, etc.) per day. Sadly,…… Continue reading Straight From the Horse’s Mouth: The Equine Digestive System

Buzz Off: An Equestrian’s Review of Popular Fly Spray Brands

It’s fly season. You and your horse are being swarmed by flying insects of all kinds. Tails swishing, feet stomping, skin twitching. You need some fly spray, NOW. After heading to the store, you are bombarded with numerous brands and price points. Some claim to last 14 days. Some say wipe on. Does that one…… Continue reading Buzz Off: An Equestrian’s Review of Popular Fly Spray Brands

Optimizing Horse Health: How to Give an Equine Physical Exam

You care about your horse’s health. You want them to be happy, healthy, and thriving. That’s why it is so important to know how to properly perform a comprehensive equine physical exam. When assessing your horse’s health, it is important to know their health history. You should know when and with what they were vaccinated…… Continue reading Optimizing Horse Health: How to Give an Equine Physical Exam