Brushing a horse before and after riding is essential. You’ll be removing sweat and debris, preparing the horse to be saddled up. It will also stop them from developing saddle sores, which can be very uncomfortable for them. Because of this, you’ll need to make grooming a regular part of Read more…
However, when a horse lies down for too long, it is actually quite dangerous! Because horses are such large animals, lying down for extended periods of time can restrict blood flow to important organs and limbs. This can cause extensive physical harm to your horse! How long is too long Read more…
In exercising horses, sweat evaporates from the skin to facilitate cooling. If horses are actively cooled with water, then some caretakers believe that the water will trap heat against the skin unless it is removed by scraping. Should you scrape water off a horse? To scrape or not to scrape? Read more…
Basically a giant vise, the shaving horse grips the work between its head and body and is operated using a treadle while you are sitting down. Push on the treadle with your foot to grip the stock; take off the pressure to release it. Why would you ever shave a Read more…
However unlike cereal grains, oil is starch free making it a safe and sympathetic option for horses prone to excitability or clinical conditions such as laminitis, colic, gastric ulcers or tying up. Is oil good for horses? Oils are ‘good stuff’ for working horses. They reduce reliance on grains, make Read more…
While many horses are ridden year-round, some are significantly less active during the winter months. If your horse is less active during the winter, it is best to refrain from clipping its coat. Unless your horse will be working up a sweat regularly, their coat provides them with great protection Read more…
Sweet Itch is a skin disease (sometimes called summer itch or seasonal allergic dermatitis) and is caused by an allergy to the saliva of certain biting flies or midges (e.g., Culicoides spp.). How do you get rid of a horse’s summer itch? Ensure pastures are well-drained to reduce stagnant water Read more…
Horses can make their own Vitamin C, unlike people, but due to diet, exercise, age or illness many horses have low levels of Vitamin C in their blood. Do horses make their own vitamin C? Did you know Vitamin C is not an essential nutrient in your horse’s diet? Unlike Read more…
Grooming a horse daily isn’t necessary, especially if he lives in a pasture. You should groom your horse at least once a week to help keep the coat and skin healthy; however, it’s recommended to groom your horse before and after you ride. Can you groom a horse too much? Read more…
This is because horses often work more in the summer, which causes more wear on their feet. Fly stomping also becomes more common in the summer, which causes wear to the hooves. We recommend trimming every 4-6 weeks in the summer months. Is it OK to clip horses in summer? Read more…