By Jessica Friedman, Horses for Clean Water As we watch events unfold in Ukraine, it can be disheartening to feel like there’s little we can do to help. But as Fred Rogers said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would … Read More
By Tony Hawkins, DVM, Valley Vet Supply Technical Service Veterinarian In Part 1 of this series, we discussed heat stress in dogs, which are very prone to overheating. Now, we’re moving on to horses. Horses are very proficient sweaters, making them some of the most efficient animals at cooling themselves … Read More
The Bright Optimism of Reinventing Life with Horses By Denny Emerson We all start somewhere with horses. As a toddler on a pony, a teenager with friends who ride, or as an adult who always loved horses, but life just got in the way…until now. Some of us start over. … Read More
American Horse Publications Conference Proves Fruitful I believe education is an ongoing process throughout our lives. The old cliché, “The older I get the less I know,” is certainly a true statement for me. Technology is changing so fast we don’t have time to download a software update before another … Read More
To ensure hay quality, reduce dust irritants, and maintain nutrients, hay steaming is the way to go for optimal horse health Recently The ECCO FEI World Championships were held in Herning, Denmar. Among scores of considerations for traveling with an equine to an international event, hay quality and gut health … Read More
Family or Friends with Big Hearts Can Fill this Role I recently judged a show in Chicago and noticed two competitors helping each other throughout the competition. One, a younger woman, was especially attentive to the other, older, woman. They called (read aloud) each other’s dressage tests, gave that last … Read More
Sooner or later, nearly all horse owners will deal with a hoof abscess. But what does “hoof abscess” actually mean? Although most commonly seen during the wet winter and spring months, hoof abscesses can plague horses year-round and usually occur when debris and bacteria enter the foot through hoof cracks … Read More
Recently Rutgers University addressed riding safety and traumatic brain injuries, and the need to replace helmets and vests more often than most riders think. According to the Equine Science Center at Rutgers University (https://esc.rutgers.edu/), riding is considered one of the most dangerous sports in the United States because injuries are … Read More
When horses talk, we listen but how good are we at deciphering what they have to say? According to a recently published study (Nov 2021) by Dr. Katrina Merkies, researcher and associate professor at the University of Guelph, and her master student Haley Belliveau, we are faring well. Using an online survey, participants … Read More
A lot of attention has been directed to bacterial endotoxins, MMP enzyme activators, and fructan or starch fermentation as factors in laminitis, but how much are they really involved? With laminitis, it is usually hormones, not the hind gut. In the “horse broke into the feed bin” scenario, too much … Read More
