Reading Time: 2 minutes Horses have major advantages associated with domestic life but they have also incurred disadvantages that deeply affect their overall health and well-being. Perhaps the greatest of these disadvantages is frequent social isolation. Social support in humans has been found to protect individuals from the mental, physical and emotional stressors of life and it appears that […] Read more
The lonely horse suffers greatly in many different ways
Horses are social creatures and social isolation is among their strongest stressors
The use of medicinal honey in wound care of horses
The right kind of honey is key if you want to try this technique
Reading Time: 3 minutes Medicinal honey shows impressive results in combatting antibiotic resistance, improving patient welfare and economizing wound management for humans and companion animals. When the source of honey is well chosen, there are no mentionable side effects or contra-indications. Honey is roughly 80 per cent simple sugars (such as glucose and fructose) and 20 per cent water […] Read more
It might be you, not the horse, if mounting is an issue
Discomfort from mounting more common cause of issues than a horse with ‘bad manners’
Reading Time: 3 minutes A horse’s behaviour when being mounted is rich with information regarding how it physically, mentally and emotionally feels about the experience. How is the horse coping, adapting to and/or counterbalancing the activity of the mounter? If it braces itself, hollows its neck or back, raises its head, pulls its ears back, swishes its tail or […] Read more
Look deeper when dealing with a bucking horse
There’s almost always a root cause for this behaviour that must be addressed first
Reading Time: 3 minutes The non-professional bucking horse is a conundrum to the equestrian community and there is limited information on how bucking behaviour can best be investigated. Simply correcting the behaviour with assertive training methods, without understanding the root cause for the bucking, has limited success in preventing this unwanted and potentially dangerous activity. In fact, all horses […] Read more
Some tips for dealing with the seasonally ‘itchy’ horse
Allergies, biting insects and the myriad of things horses are exposed to can all be factors
Reading Time: 3 minutes There is an increased occurrence of the itchy horse during spring and summer associated with seasonal allergies. While there are no published data on the number of allergies in horses, it would appear numbers are rising and parallel similar findings in humans and dogs. The most obvious symptom of a seasonal allergy is itchiness. A […] Read more
Shwetz: The frog can be a bellwether for horse hoof health
You can learn a lot just by examining this elastic cushion that plays such a critical role
Reading Time: 3 minutes So much detriment comes to the horse when its feet are not comfortable. The robust development and expression of the back half of the horse’s hoof and by association, the frog, plays a major role in cushioning a comfortable landing of the equine foot. The weak or ‘sick’ frog has become so common that its […] Read more
An equine weekend warrior will suffer just as a human would
Back pain, sprains, soft tissue tears, and other injuries can result when a horse is pushed too far
Reading Time: 3 minutes Weekend warrior syndrome’ is a modern-day term used to describe what happens when a person is too busy during the work week to exercise, leading them to physically overextend themselves on the weekend. Humans aren’t the only ones to experience the phenomena. While most human weekend warriors expect to pay for their exercise spurt with […] Read more
Care required when introducing the horse to spring pastures
Rich spring forages can lead to discomfort and health issues, and should be managed carefully
Reading Time: 3 minutes It is tempting to allow horses unlimited access to pastures as soon as the grass turns green, particularly after a long winter. Yet mindful management of this transition is crucial to the well-being of the horse. In natural rangeland conditions, new spring grasses are covered with a dry forage mat from the past growing season. […] Read more
Bred for the desert, donkeys need different care than horses
Used to harsh conditions, they can easily overeat and their stoic nature can conceal ailments
Reading Time: 3 minutes The long-eared donkey is enjoying a popularity either as a pet, a companion for recreation or perhaps even as a performance animal. Aside from their characteristic long ears, the donkey does share many commonalities with their close brethren, the horse — but there are some unique health and welfare considerations. Donkeys are natural browsers, foraging […] Read more
Emotional health an important issue for horses
These complex emotional creatures have a subtle language of their own to express their feelings
Reading Time: 4 minutes The emotional state of the horse is deeply involved in all matters of the equine’s world. Their emotional health exists in strong relationship to outcomes of their physical health, behaviour, and performance. Most equine owners, caretakers and professionals would readily acknowledge the rich emotional world of the horse, yet emotional content can be challenging to […] Read more
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