There are many things to consider when supplying water for horses. If you depend on a stream, pond, or ditch (rather than a controlled system such as buckets, tanks, or automatic waterers), there could be concerns regarding water quality (for your
To work with horses successfully, we must be able to communicate adequately with voice, touch, and body language.
Tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) is a nutritious cool-season perennial grass that grows on more than 35 million acres in the United States. Introduced from Europe more than 100 years ago, it didn’t become popular until the mid-1940s afte
Flies and mosquitoes are a nuisance, causing irritation and discomfort as they feed on horses. They can also be a health risk, spreading West Nile virus, encephalomyelitis viruses, equine infectious anemia, vesicular stomatitis, and other
Some horses present special challenges, such as being too thin, too fat, or sick. Some horses are finicky and are hard to keep weight on, especially when working. The first option is to increase the feed’s energy density by adding grain or fat to the
There are many problems that can affect a horse’s skin–from insect allergies to fungal, viral, or bacterial infections. The skin is the body’s largest and most important organ; it protects the inner structures of the body from the outside
The horse’s leg below the fetlock joint is similar to the human finger; the long pastern bone, short pastern bone, and coffin bone are comparable to the three segments of a human finger. The hoof wall is made of the same material as our
During winter the horse needs additional forage to create more body heat, clean unfrozen water, and some kind of shelter or windbreak. In some climates he may need blanketing if his winter hair coat is inadequate.
In nature, mares have a high fertility/ conception rate since they are continually with a stallion who teases and breeds them at the best times. But few domestic horses are bred under natural conditions in pasture harems, and broodmare managers
We all know a horse’s primary food is pasture grass and/or hay (forage). The quality of the forage is, thus, a major factor affecting his health. Do you know if your horse’s forage meets his needs? Truly, most of us don’t–but we should.
The horse is an amazing athlete, with great speed and endurance considering his body size and weight. For the past 20 years, researchers have evaluated what makes the equine locomotive system so efficient for racing and other strenuous
Dung beetles are amazing insects that spend their lives mucking out your pastures. The adults use liquid contents for nourishment, and they lay eggs in small manure balls (brood balls) they bury in the ground. In the process, they serve as
Photosensitization is a serious skin condition characterized by “sunburned,” crusty skin that dies and sloughs away. It is usually caused by a reaction to something the horse has eaten, but the skin problem does not appear until the
There are many ways to wean foals, so choose a method that will work best for your horses and farm.
Ponying is leading one horse from another. The pony horse is the one you are riding; the ponied horse is the one being led. Ponying is a good way to exercise a horse you don’t have time to ride or one that can’t be ridden. If you need to keep tw
A new invention by Buck Wheeler called the Udderly EZ mare milker is helping breeding farms manage colostrum collection and the sometimes difficult task of milking a mare.
The device is a hand-held, trigger-operated pump that fits on a
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