Carbohydrates provide the primary source of energy in the horse’s diet. A horse should receive at least 1% of its body weight in forage. Most horses will eat 1.5–2% of their body weight in forage to safely meet their energy needs. Carbohydrates such as forage and energy grains make up Read more…
Most horses will periodically circle in their stall or pace down a fence or at a gate, especially when it is time for feeding. Pacing and circling are only considered stereotypic behaviours if they become excessive and replace other activities such as eating, foraging or resting. What is it called Read more…
Its low sugar and starch levels and high content of oil and digestible fibre have made copra meal a non-heating feed, popular with horse owners from a wide range of disciplines. What does copra do for horses? Copra helps horse owners add condition to their horses, and it helps develop Read more…
Glucose derived from non-structural carbohydrate digestion serves as an important energy source in the diet of performance horses, providing the horse does not have a dietary carbohydrate sensitivity, such as with insulin resistance or PPID. Is glucose good for horses? The sugars in horse feed are known as water-soluble carbohydrate Read more…
The common name for the avocado tree is alligator pear and it is very toxic for your horse. All parts, from leaves to the fruit, carry the toxin. How poisonous are avocados to horses? In horses that ingest avocados, the toxin can cause colic, irregular heartbeat, respiratory distress, neurologic dysfunction, Read more…
To administer medications, halter your horse, slide the syringe up one side of the horse’s mouth inside the cheek, and try to dispense the mixture onto the tongue. Hold your horse’s head up until he swal- lows. Use this same technique when dosing your horse with paste medications that come Read more…
Leaves from cherry, peach, almond, plum, and apricot trees contain cyanide compounds, and walnut tree leaves and other parts affect the horse’s heart and respiratory rates and often lead to severe laminitis. Wilting concentrates toxins in some leaves to a dangerous or even fatal level. Are apricot leaves toxic? Clinical Read more…
As a rider, you need to learn the ability to keep your balance on a moving horse without falling off. Moreover, each rider needs to learn to maintain balance and rhythm on a moving horse in all gaits, both vertically and horizontally. Without a good balance you will never become Read more…
Oregano (Origanum vulgare hirtum) is toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Is oregano safe for horses? With natural anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, Oregano is a fantastic raw material for naturally maintaining your horse’s intestinal health and supporting efficient digestion all year round. Is oregano toxic to animals? Although this spice Read more…
Structural correctness is critical for soundness as well as correct and clean movement. This is determined by proper structure and alignment of bone, particularly pertaining to the legs. Structural correctness is tied very closely to balance and influences the way a horse moves. What are three conformational faults in a Read more…