Wellness

Outside, the wind is howling and blowing a cold rain against the barn. Inside, your horse is warm and dry in his stall, happily munching a big pile of hay. The next morning when you come in to feed, you notice his water bucket is only down a few...

You will probably want to spend many hours in the saddle to see as much country as possible. Do yourself and your horse a favor and make sure the two of you are fit enough for a riding vacation. Overweight or under conditioned horses are prone to...

Esophageal obstruction is when food (or bedding and other foreign material) are swallowed and get stuck in between the back of the mouth and the stomach. There are two tubes that lead out of the mouth, one for food (the esophagus) and one for air...

As people we look at the beginning of each year as a fresh start and a new beginning. We look forward to the new year and create New Year resolutions to help make us stick to good habits to make us healthier or work harder. But who says New Years...

Proper fit of the Crown Piece In my travels as a saddle fitter, I also look at the bridle as well. I am seeing crown pieces that are way too tight. You should easily get your thumb under this piece. When you ask for collection, this part of the...

Base of the neck Before giving any injection it is good practice to check the label before you draw up the medication. You should also check the recommended dosage which may differ from your vet’s instructions. Make sure to get clarification from...

Temperatures inside horse trailers are a concern to all when doing long distance hauling. Endurance rider Jo Christensen from Montana learned a lot on a recent trip when she installed a temperature monitor in her trailer. We tend to haul very long...

Winter horse care demands a little more organization because of nutritional concerns that need to be addressed as temperatures drop. As the weather turns cold, many horses are ridden less and less. Lower temperatures, wind and wet conditions cause a...

If this should ever happen to you, do not pull the nail or any foreign object which could get lodged into a hoof, without having radiographs first. We recently did quite a bit of construction on our barn, and working with the builders I continued to...

Ready for the Road Trip! (Photo: Kate McIntyre) The height of travel season is upon us and horses will soon be traveling throughout the U.S. and beyond for winter competition. Some horses don’t fare well during a long trip, be it heading south for...