A tongue tie is a large elastic band or nylon stocking that is tightly wrapped around a horse’s tongue and then tied around the lower jaw to keep the tongue in place during training or racing. What goes in the horse’s mouth? By definition, a bit is a piece of Read more…
Lidocaine HCl (2%) and mepivacaine HCl (2%) are the local anesthetic agents most commonly used to induce regional anesthesia during the lameness examination. What are the most common nerve blocks? Perhaps the best-known nerve block is an epidural. Many pregnant women ask for an epidural during childbirth to ease the Read more…
The frog. The frog is a part of a horse hoof, located on the underside, which should touch the ground if the horse is standing on soft footing. What part of the hoof should touch the ground? The HEEL BUTTRESS is the “platform” upon which the hoof lands and without Read more…
The white line of the sole of the foot represents the visible portion of the laminar layers, the junction of the hoof wall and the underlying tissues bonded to the coffin bone. In normal healthy horses, the white line should be just a few millimeters wide. What do lines on Read more…
Direct touch is a good way to tell how cold a horse is. Place your hand up under the horse’s rug and feel his shoulders and chest area you can get a quick indication of body warmth. Many people recommend feeling behind the ears or if the horse is wet Read more…
Weaving and its effects Because the horse, constantly shifting from one leg to another, doing a swinging motion with his head and neck, thus heavily loading his front legs. In result, they undergo a premature “outwear”. The horse abrades the front hooves much heavier, which may cause unnatural walk. How Read more…
When you put your hand under a rug on a horse standing still it should NEVER feel toasty warm. This is a misconception. It should feel more on the coolish side. How do I know if my horse is warm enough? Direct touch is a good way to tell how Read more…
If you want to boost your horse’s health, try coconut oil! You might have heard how great it is for people, but it’s also perfect for in the barn too. Saturated fats can be helpful to the outside and inside of your horse. It can be mixed with your horse’s Read more…
The Benefits of Grooming Your Horse Grooming gets your hands on your horse. A good daily groom doesn’t have to take an hour. Grooming acts as preventive medicine. Grooming increases the human-animal bond. Grooming can be more than a brush in hand. Grooming is excellent exercise — for you. What Read more…
Horses can be clipped for several different reasons, but most commonly it is related to health and comfort reasons. One such health condition where horses are clipped is Cushing’s, a disease that can cause a horse to not shed its winter coat properly. What is the purpose of shaving your Read more…