There are some food needs that just can’t be argued against: 1) Humans need popcorn plus a cola at the movies; 2) Women need chocolate anytime; 3) Horses need forage at all times. While these combinations aren’t equal in terms of supplying
As spring approaches, visions of green grass, budding trees, and active wildlife might seem just around the corner for some. But for many of us, spring is but a dream, for we must endure a few more weeks of cold, snow, and ice-covered terrain.
Then there is the matter of the large colon, with its sacculated construction that seems made to order for twisting or strangulating when the pouches become distended by gas during a bout with colic.
There is also the matter of length. If
When horses are working hard, especially in hot weather, they are particularly prone to dehydration and electrolyte imbalances.
What are the effects of advancing years on athletic performance?
A wellness program for your horse will save you time, money, and most of all the headache of worrying if you’re doing the right things at the right time. But with all the sources of horse health care information available today, how do you decid
When preparing a horse for athletic events and sporting activities, whatever the discipline or level of difficulty, an important consideration is finding the horse’s ideal body weight. This concept is well recognized in human athletics. For”P>When preparing a horse for athletic events and sporting activities, whate
While many of our horses do some kind of work for a living, the work usually consists of a couple of hours a day, three to five days a week. Many of our horses are ridden far less than that, and we don’t really think of them as working for”P>While many
Accepted wisdom in the horse world tells us that an average light horse weighs about 1,000 pounds, or 450 kg. A draft horse, upwards of double that. But does that rather arbitrary figure really mean anything? After all, what is an “average” horse?
A huge amount of time, effort, and money often are invested in the preparation of horses for various athletic events, including Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing, three-day eventing, steeplechasing, dressage, hunter-jumper events, reining,
For first-time horse owners, getting a new horse can border on the overwhelming. You have to find a suitable boarding barn or create adequate stabling on your own property and buy tack, grooming equipment, cooling sheets and/or blankets. Yo
In the last issue we considered some of the adaptations that occur in horses during training. To recap, we know that improvements in cardiovascular and muscle function occur quite quickly after the onset of training
Most will agree that thorough preparation of a horse is key to success in athletic competition. With spring hopefully just around the corner, this is an opportune time to discuss conditioning. Of course, the nature of a conditioning program will
I need to put weight on my skinny Thoroughbred. Would beet pulp be a good addition to my horse’s diet?
We are ready for a new season of fun riding or competing. The question that must be answered at this point is this: How ready are our horses? In some cases, the answer is that they are kept ready all year long.
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