Stephanie Ruff

Stephanie Ruff has spent her entire career in various facets of the equine industry. She was a freelance writer for many years, was the owner/editor of Arabian Finish Line, managing editor of Arabian Horse Life and content manager of Practical Horseman and Dressage Today before moving to The Horse. She has ridden many different disciplines, but for the last 20 years has focused on dressage. Stephanie has both a B.S. and M.S. in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky and has always had a keen interest in equine health, science, and research. A native of Pennsylvania, Stephanie enjoys hanging out with her Arabian and Half-Arabian mares, two German Shorthair Pointers, traveling and embracing the Florida lifestyle where she currently lives.

Articles by: Stephanie Ruff

Pilot Study Implicates Outer Portion of ETC

Since the beginning of the mare reproductive loss syndrome in 2001, there have been many theories as to the cause of the problems. Honing in on the extreme number of Eastern tent caterpillars (ETC) in 2001 and 2002, studies have shown that early

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Reproductive Emergencies in the Stallion

 Although uncommon, reproductive emergencies will occur in the breeding stallion and when they do, prompt attention and action must be instituted. Trauma to the external genitalia is always a possibility under natural mating situations

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One More Piece in MRLS Puzzle

Researchers at the University of Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center (LDDC) have uncovered one more piece in the puzzle that is known as mare reproductive loss syndrome (MRLS). Whatever caused early fetal losses and late-term abortions

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Soothing Itchy Eyes

My 20-year-old Appaloosa mare seems to have increasingly puffy, swollen eyes each spring and summer.

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Guinea Grass Toxicity

I have a gelding that can’t eat guinea grass because it causes his hair to fall out in patches.

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Fly Masks

Do you know if fly masks affect the behavior of horses or how they interact with one another?

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Truck Training

I recently had a difficult time trailering my horse to a show. While loading him, we had backed the trailer up to the barn, which resulted in a situation where he became afraid of the truck/trailer by the barn area. After returning from the

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Legalities of Equine Rescue

Driving home one evening at dusk, you notice a horse standing listlessly in a small, fenced paddock on a farm located a few miles from your home. The horse looks quite thin, almost to the point of emaciation, and there is neither food nor water

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Is Dietary Fat Really Healthy?

Marketing claims regarding the virtues of fat in equine diets are plentiful. Statements such as “Added dietary fat for improved performance,” “Increased stamina,” “Calm energy,” or “Improved coat and hoof condition” abound. Indeed, at times it i

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Joint Disease Model

Horse owners are familiar with the devastating effects of osteoarthritis (OA) in performance horses. Methods to detect OA earlier, treat it more effectively, and slow its course are heavily researched. One problem, however, is the lack of an

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Chronic Uterine Torsion in Mares

In late pregnancy, mares are susceptible to a dangerous complication called uterine torsion. Accounting for 5-10% of obstetrical emergencies, twisting of the uterus can be fatal to fetus and mare if left untreated. The hallmark of acute uterine

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Foal Sex Selection

Sex selection of foals prior to conception is highly desirable for horse breeders. Currently, sperm can be sorted by their X and Y chromosomes, improving odds of sex selection through artificial insemination. Flow cytometry measures DNA in cells

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Underrun Heels–Not So Innocent

Underrun heels sounds like an innocent term. Certainly it doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of horse owners in the same way as, say, navicular syndrome. It should. The disorder is so common today that many people fail to see it as an

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Things to be Thankful For

With fall comes Thanksgiving, followed quickly by Christmas, then the New Year starts us all over again. Where did 2002 go? Where have the past few years gone? In 1999, we were all worried about Y2K (haven’t heard that one in a while, huh?). Lat

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