Like other animals that have sweat glands, horses have sweat glands, too. Sweating is very important for a horse. Sweating is part of a horse’s cooling system to relieve heat build-up. A horse can sweat (and should sweat) during exercise; may sweat when it is in pain, under duress, or Read more…
Rinse and (if possible) Leave to Dry Fully A scrub with bleach water should remove all unwanted algae, insect larvae, and bacteria, but for good measure, I like to let sunlight do a second round of cleaning. After dumping and scrubbing your tank, let your trough air out in a Read more…
The “mare” of “nightmare” comes from mære, an Old English term for an evil spirit that was supposed to settle on a sleeper’s chest and cause a feeling of suffocation. The “mare” that means an adult female horse was a merging of two Old English words: mearh (horse) and mīre Read more…
There is no specific treatment or vaccine available for swamp fever. As such, if your horse tests positive for the virus, your veterinarian will discuss your only options, either euthanasia or a lifetime quarantine of your horse. Is swamp fever in horses curable? Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), also known as Read more…
An abscess occurs when bacteria get trapped inside the hoof. Nails, screws and glass may damage the hoof and leave behind bacteria. Horseshoe nails inside the white line (where the hoof wall meets the sole) may allow bacteria to enter. Why is my horse prone to abscesses? Environmental Conditions: Paddock Read more…
Mud Fever boots protect the skin from moisture to help prevent mud fever. Whilst creams are great, they do have the drawback that your horse’s legs remain covered in mud when they come in from the field. Specially designed leg protection is a fantastic way to keep your horse’s legs Read more…
Thoroughbred horses are required by most state racing commission rules to be lip tattooed in order to participate in an official Thoroughbred race. The tattoo serves as an additional means of identification for the Thoroughbred while racing. What is a tatooed horse? A digital tattoo indicates that a Thoroughbred Racing Read more…
To improve drainage, construct high-traffic pads in areas that have reduced or no vegetation or are compacted from frequent hoof traffic, such as dry lots and laneways. Plants can help reduce mud. A healthy stand of vegetation can take up moisture, anchor soil to prevent erosion and slow nutrient runoff. Read more…
In warm summer months flies can lay eggs around your horses’ sheath. when the larvae hatch out, they will move into the warm dark area of your horses’ sheath and eat the skin. How do horses get maggots? Bots (Gastrophilus) Bot flies are the most common irritant to horses during Read more…
The eggs make their first move within five days of being deposited, when, stimulated by your horse biting or licking them, they hatch into maggots. That’s the first stage of the bot fly’s evil plan. Can horses get maggots? With the hot, wet, humid weather we are experiencing this summer Read more…