Here are a
few general recommendations for hard keepers. These may sound simple but can
have a profound impact on how the horse utilizes nutrition.Have teeth
evaluated by a reputable equine dental specialist at least every 12 months.
Even little things like an under bite or overbite (which most horses have) can
cause hooks and ramps to develop on the molars where we can’t see. These
over gro…
Horses are known for the explosive power that comes from
strong, fully engaged muscles. Along with proper training, an amino acid supplement
can help improve muscling, stamina, and explosive strength in horses. Amino acids are critical to a horse’s health because they
are the building blocks of nearly every soft tissue component within the body
including muscles, tendons, ligaments, and the ne…
Knowing
the body weight of a horse is an essential element for many management
decisions. Most horse owners and veterinarians underestimate body weight of a
horse when using only visual assessment. Livestock scales are the most accurate
method for determining body weight of a horse, but they are not easily
accessible by most horse owners. This poses two questions for horse owners: 1)
is it r…
The term ‘fetal programming’ may sound like it belongs in a
science lab rather than a breeding operation, but this concept is something
that breeders should take note of. Most people don’t realize it, but a developing
fetus can actually adapt to external factors while in the mother’s womb, and
those adaptations have a life-long effect on the baby. Development of a fetus
is a complex process t…
Performance horses constantly battle low-grade joint inflammation caused by repeated maneuvers such as turning and stopping. This inflammation can be especially prominent in horses that work in very hard or deep ground on a daily basis. Low levels of inflammation are part of the body’s normal healing process and typically the body can clear this inflammation on its own without intervention from dr…
As equine care-takers, ammonia is something that we battle on a daily basis, whether it is in stalls or in the trailer.Ammonia is that pungent odor that burns your nose, lungs, and eyes and is a result of urea,a nitrogen-containing molecule that is present in urine and feces. Urea itself is non-toxic and has nosmell, but once excreted, urea is rapidly converted to ammonia. Ammonia is very irritati…
