From increasing equine salivation to it’s antimicrobial properties, copper has been a favorite of horses and riders alike. Will copper hurt horses? It can be concluded that copper toxicity does occur in horses and may arise from several sources and/or be associated with predisposing dietary factors. Should horses have copper? Read more…
Sycamore poisoning in horses. Atypical myopathy or “Sycamore poisoning” can be fatal for horses. It is known as seasonal as it is thought that the helicopter seeds in autumn, and the saplings in spring, contain Hypoglycin-A that causes atypical myopathy in horses. What is the most toxic plant to horses? Read more…
Bruxism, also known as teeth grinding, is a commonly observed problem in horses, and is often a sign of physical or psychological discomfort. Sudden onset of bruxism should be investigated in relation to clinical problems, as this is likely to be due to pain. Why would a horse grind its Read more…
While this can seem to be an endearing habit, it might be indicative of a problem. Incessant licking may be an attempt to create saliva, and in some cases it may be related to the presence of gastric ulcers. Horses that do not have access to salt may also engage Read more…
It is natural for horses to browse, chew on tree bark and branches. What UK trees can horses eat? These are some of the classic choices: Field Maple, Guelder Rose, Hornbeam, Cherry Plum, Dogrose, Sweet Briar, White Ramanas Rose and Red Ramanas Rose, Hazel and Common Dogwood. Stay away from Read more…
Not only is it bad for the tree, but it may indicate your horse is missing something in his diet. Many horses who chew bark do it to satisfy a need for forage. Try giving your tree-eater free-choice access to hay to see if the behavior stops. Bored horses may Read more…
The equine digestive system is divided into the foregut and hindgut, with the majority of digestion taking place in the hindgut, which enables horses to digest both concentrate feeds and turn cellulose, the hard fibrous structure that gives plants their rigidity, into energy for movement, tissue growth and repair and Read more…
Hay and pasture may vary in the content of fiber and it is shown that if horses are not getting enough fiber in your diet they may choose to chew wood. How do I stop my horse eating wood? If she finds nothing amiss, you can treat wood chewing as Read more…
Any horse will cough occasionally, particularly if he catches a noseful of dusty air or gets a bit of debris in his airways while he’s eating or drinking. In that context, coughing in horses is just a normal sign of a healthy airway keeping itself clean. Is it normal for Read more…
“In those cases they’re certainly seeking fiber by browsing trees.” They could also be seeking water in the trees, van den Berg added. Trees channel water up from the ground through a system of “capillaries” in the trunk, and horses could be aiming for that moisture—destroying the bark in the Read more…