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

Big Appetites In Big Horses (Drafts)

Nothing says sheer power like a draft horse. Nothing else exudes such strength with such a mild-mannered attitude. To watch these gentle giants in action is to get a sense of our own history and the invaluable role horses played, and continue to

Read More

Shoeing The Laminitic Horse

Of all the medical crises that can afflict a horse, laminitis surely is one of the most alarming. Horribly painful, and potentially devastating to his long-term soundness, the strange syndrome whereby the coffin bone inside the hoof begins to

Read More

Common Barn Injuries

Two of the saddest words in the English language. After an accident, we tear ourselves apart thinking how we could have prevented it. If only I had seen…If only I had done…Yet, as horse people, we are surrounded by thousands of pounds of

Read More

Return to Nature With Pasture Breeding

In a world of artificial insemination and embryo transfer, simplicity can prevail. Registered stallions and mares can breed with minimal human intervention, through natural cover in the pasture. Pasture breeding continues as an

Read More

Computerizing the Hoof

The biggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event rider of Cottonwood Farm, Los Alamos, Calif., is that horse owners and even novice competitors understand very little about their horses’ feet. They hire a”P>The biggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event rider of Cottonwood Farm, Los Alamos, Calif., is that horse owners and even novice competitors understand very little about their horses’ feet. They hir”>The biggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event rider of Cottonwood Farm, Los Alamos, Calif., is that horse owners and even novice competitors understand very little about their horses’ feet. They h”The biggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event rider of Cottonwood Farm, Los Alamos, Calif., is that horse owners and even novice competitors understand very little about their horses’ feet. They “The biggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event rider of Cottonwood Farm, Los Alamos, Calif., is that horse owners and even novice competitors understand very little about their horses’ feet. They “he biggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event rider of Cottonwood Farm, Los Alamos, Calif., is that horse owners and even novice competitors understand very little”e biggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event rider of Cottonwood Farm, Los Alamos, Calif., is that horse owners and even novice com” biggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event rider of Cottonwood Farm, Los Alamos, Calif., is that ho”biggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event rider of Cottonwood Farm, Lo”iggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles, 20-year trainer and event “ggest problem as I see it, quips Wendy Wergeles,”gest problem as I see

Read More

Are You My Mother?: Maternal Behavior

Anyone who has witnessed a foal’s first few minutes in this world might agree that one of the most miraculous parts of the process is the way a mare greets and bonds with her newborn. With a deep sniff at the baby’s nostrils, that distinctive

Read More

Permeable Stall Flooring, Some Options

Permeable stall floor coverings function differently than rubber stall mats, whose main purpose is to provide cushioning for your horse’s legs. Rubber is basically waterproof, so urine and other liquids pool on top of such a surface, to be soaked up

Read More

West Nile Firsthand

September 2, 2000, Clayton, Delaware

The shrill ring of the phone announced a call from Tanja Hanyi, DVM, my partner in veterinary practice some years ago. Hey! Guess what? I think I’ve got a West Nile case! she said excitedly. No”P>September 2, 2000, Clayton, Delaware

Read More

Happy New Year

Sometimes it’s good to take a step back and look at the big picture. Maybe you will discover that the way you’ve put hay in the loft all these years can be done differently to save you time (and an aching back). Maybe you’ve decided that you wan

Read More

Down In The Dumps–Equine Waste Management

One of the by-products of horse ownership is dealing with equine by-products, less delicately known as horse manure. The average horse produces about 50 pounds of fecal waste a day. Mix in soiled, wet bedding

Read More

Nutrition 101

You don’t need to be a novice to be confused about the subject of equine nutrition. Many long-time horse owners have never dabbled in the mysteries of feeding because their horses always were kept at boarding stables or managed by

Read More

Progress and Prognostication

The year’s end is a time for reflection, and looking ahead. This has been a critical year for the horse industry. We have been blessed with prosperity, and attacked by diseases and animal rights groups. Our horses are healthier than ever before,

Read More

The Barefoot Horse: Romance vs. Reality

By leaving a horse barefoot, one allows the hoof’s natural functions of shock absorption, traction, and biomechanics to perform at their optimum. Shoes inhibit natural function and the horse’s natural way of going, and limb interference with shoes

Read More

EPM Management

The words equine protozoal myeloencephalitis first appeared in this publication more than five years ago, and while the scientific community has made great advances in unraveling certain aspects of this disease, other areas still beg for answers

Read More

Home Sweet Barn–People Living in the Barn

Tack rooms, offices, and lounges are fairly common horse barn amenities. Less common are built-in living quarters for farm owners or employees, but some facilities have found it practical as well as economical to include a barn apartment of”P>Tack rooms, offi

Read More

47th Annual Convention to be Held in November

Equine veterinarians from across the globe will gather in San Diego, Calif., for the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) 47th Annual Convention, Nov.24-28. More than 2,500 practitioners attend the convention each year, making it

Read More

More From The Horse

When is an Older Horse Ready for Senior Feed?
1--Pharnygeal-Wash_StranglesFeature_CourtesyEliseKahn
cutting horse
Hosing a horse's lower legs

Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with

FREE weekly newsletters from TheHorse.com

Sponsored Content

Weekly Poll

sponsored by:

How do you plan to keep your horse safe during fireworks and Fourth of July festivities? Please select all that apply.
101 votes · 125 answers

Readers’ Most Popular

The Horse
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.