Head tilt in the horse is commonly a sign of either central or peripheral vestibular disease. The confirmation of vestibular disease is based on physical findings, including results of cranial-nerve function evaluation and observation of stance, posture, and gait. What does tilting head to the side indicate? Tilting your head Read more…
This process is extremely painful and can traumatize the animal. Freeze branding gained popularity in the middle of the 20th century as a less painful way to permanently mark and identify animals. Does it hurt to freeze brand a horse? Freeze-branding is a safe, economical, and simple method that can Read more…
Two facts are responsible for the most common, re-occurring dental problem in the horse’s mouth: Horse teeth never stop growing and the upper molars are wider than the lower ones. Over time, this creates sharp points on the edges. What causes sharp teeth in horses? Often young horses have problems Read more…
Routine dental care requires trimming of sharp enamel edges once or twice a year depending on individual horse requirements Main points Horse teeth have a limited life span – do not let anyone shorten the tooth’s life span! How often do you trim horses teeth? In general, younger horses less Read more…
Some breed and sporting organisations still require branding of horses, with or without microchipping, because it enables visual identification of horses, and is permanent. In addition, not all sites will have microchip scanners. Does branding a horse hurt the horse? Hot branding involves the use of an iron stamp heated Read more…
The American Quarter Horse industry’s most storied ranches have been registering and American Quarter Horse horses for more than 80 years. But the history of branding horses and cattle started way before that. Do cowboys get branded in real life? The term, “Ride for the Brand” implies the loyalty of Read more…
Fortunately, veterinarians and owners have discovered the healing power of cold therapy to help reduce the pain and inflammation that’s often associated with these common horse hoof issues. In severe laminitis cases, medical protocol may call for up to 72 hours of continuous icing of the affected foot. What does Read more…
On the other hand, wild horses live freely in nature. Unfortunately, it comes at a price, and they live shorter because of an unbalanced diet and lack of shelter and vet care. Why do domestic horses live longer than wild horses? Lifespan of Horses Domesticated horses tend to live longer Read more…
Cows and horses use their tails to swat flies. Some mammals have a prehensile tail, which acts like a fifth appendage and is used in grasping, supporting, or in the case of a spider monkey even swinging from a tree branch. What is the tail of a horse used for? Read more…
A typical domestic horse lifespan is 25 to 30 years, but they have been known to live as long as 61 years, according to the ADW. Wild horses, and horses living in the wild, such as mustangs (opens in new tab), tend to have a shorter lifespan, but have been Read more…