Wash the area with mild a commercial horse shampoo without additives that might irritate the skin. Dry the area with a clean towel. Using the soft brush, brush the medication on to the affected area, making sure that the medication is not just “sitting on top” of hair. How can Read more…
The tail of the horse and other equines consists of two parts, the dock and the skirt. The dock consists of the muscles and skin covering the coccygeal vertebrae. The term “skirt” refers to the long hairs that fall below the dock. Is the horse tail made of hair? The 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. Can you put coconut oil on horse Read more…
It is best to start shaving horses at the beginning of the fall, when they start to shed hair, so around September or October. Usually, the hair grows back in 5 to 6 weeks, and then it is time for another shaving around December. The last shaving, if needed, can Read more…
What is a “cinchy” horse? A “cinchy” or “cold-backed” horse has a tendency to overreact and possibly buck when pressure is applied around his belly or flank area. It’s normal for a horse to feel reactive whenever this area is squeezed tightly. What causes a horse to be Cinchy? Your Read more…
The mane is traditionally braided on the horse´s right side, so the rider can view the horse’s conformation before mounting on the right side. In disciplines such as show hunting and eventing, it is considered correct to braid the mane on the right side, although in dressage, it can be Read more…
Removing the Mane This is called ‘hogging’ in the UK or ‘roaching’ in the US. Roaching the mane may be done if the horse’s mane simply does not look good no matter what you do to it. Some people also believe that a horse is cooler with a roached mane Read more…
The most common parasite tied to tail rubbing is the pinworm (Oxyuris equi), which causes rectal irritation. Do horses rub their tails when they have worms? Also known as rat tail, broken hair or matted tail, tail rubbing most often indicates the presence of pin worms. Eggs of pinworms are Read more…
Placing your hand parallel to the neck, take hold of a few hairs along the bottom of the mane. Use the comb to “tease” the rest of the hairs in that section up to the crest. Holding your thumb against the comb and hairs, quickly pull the comb away. Does Read more…
Normal healthy horses occasionally stretch this way, and it is not indicative of any problem. Some horses do it frequently. This is the so called “downward dog” posture. However, horses experiencing abdominal pain (colic) may stretch this way as a means of seeking relief. Why does my horse stretch like Read more…