Michael Hipp Most of us spend a lot of time thinking about our horses’ daily needs — feed, fencing, turnout, shelter, and footing. But how often do we stop and think about whether a veterinarian, trailer, tractor, or emergency crew could easily reach a horse in trouble? It’s one of those things … Read More
Aging is a mystery to science. We know that we age, we know how we age, but we don’t know why we age. The answer to that question would unlock some of geriatric medicine’s most puzzling dilemmas. Before I entered university as a student, I had a particular interest in … Read More
Fall in the Pacific Northwest is a beautiful time in many ways. We can take long drives through the Cascades to see the colorful trees in all their splendor, enjoy cool evenings and sunny days, harvest time on the farm, and increasing rains. Did I say the increasing rains of … Read More
One of the things that surprised me when I moved to Western Washington from the High Plains was how many people board their horses. With housing and land values so high, unless you have a six-figure plus income, it’s almost impossible to afford enough land to keep a horse (or … Read More
When I visit someone’s place who wants to develop a beautiful and vibrant horse property, I’m often asked, “What equipment do I need to help manage my farm?” The question makes me remember a bit of wisdom I was given from the folks I grew up with that’s as true … Read More
A dear friend of mine is a mobile veterinarian. A mobile veterinarian is one without a traditional office who instead works out of her truck. During a conversation last week, she expressed frustration with the number of barns and properties she calls on that make her job difficult. This is … Read More
Late February and early March is a transitionary time in the Pacific Northwest. The days grow longer, the temperature begins to rise, and at some point, the grass starts to grow. And when it starts growing all our chores associated with good pasture management begin. But when will it begin, … Read More
Test Soil and Add Nutrients to Improve Grass By Michael Hipp It’s been said that we owe our existence to six inches of topsoil and the fact that it rains. This is very true, and amazing to ponder. The soil in our pastures, and the grass it grows, are … Read More
Pay Attention to Your Horse’s Environment After the Stress of a Show By Michael Hipp Whether we’ve roped at a rodeo or performed our best at a dressage show, our end-of-the-event routines tend to be the same: we load our horse in the trailer, pull out of the parking … Read More
What’s Good for Salmon is Good for Horses By Michael Hipp We’ve seen Western movies where thousands of cows are driven across a river by cowboys on horseback keeping them all in line. In these movies the rivers lack something we have here in the Pacific Northwest that makes … Read More
