The equine heart is comprised of four chambers: right atrium, which takes in blood returning from the body depleted of oxygen; the right ventricle, which pumps that blood into the lungs to refill with oxygen via the pulmonary artery; the Read more…
Ever hear the figurative term “that horse has a lot of heart?” That’s also quite literal — a horse heart weighs, on average, seven to nine pounds, compared to a human’s measly little half-pounder. How big is the heart of Read more…
In most cases, it is not necessary nor desirable to trim away frog and live sole, but it is commonly done. The foot needs the full shape of the frog to help with expansion, contraction, and blood flow. The sole Read more…
Importantly, however, peeling of the frog can also occur along with conditions that favor the development of thrush, such as lack of exercise, lameness, chronically wet environment, and poor hoof care. The organisms that cause thrush dissect under the external Read more…
The ribs of mammals, including the horse, serve one primary purpose: to protect the vital organs of the thoracic cavity, most notably the heart and lungs. Each rib is attached to a thoracic vertebrae, so horses generally have 18 pairs Read more…
The skin is the largest organ of your horse’s body. What is the largest gland in a horse? The CAECUM is a vital organ for the horse. It’s very large (up to 35 litres by volume) and is the equivalent Read more…
Sulfur is abundant in the hoof. The “rotten egg” odor produced during hot shoeing is the smell of sulfur gas resulting from burning the sulfur-rich connective tissue proteins of the hoof. Do horse hooves stink? Horses’ hooves may never smell Read more…
What’s it Cost You to Shoe a Horse? Based on extensive records, Pat Broadus had determined it costs an average of $151.85 to provide trims and a full set of shoes with the 140 horses he worked with each month Read more…
Normal adult horses have a heart rate of 28 to 40 beats per minute. Newborn foals’ heart rates range from 80 to 120, older foals from 60 to 80, and yearlings from 40 to 60 beats per minute. How many Read more…
Be aware that horses tend to run back into burning barns out of fear and confusion. Blindfold horses only if absolutely necessary. Many horses will balk at a blindfold, making evacuation more difficult and time consuming. How do you get Read more…