Over the years, I’ve developed a fondness for rescue animals. All three of my dogs are rescues, as are several of my cats. And since the area where we live...
My love of horses has always spanned year-long, but in childhood, summertime was a special season—filled with Monday morning trail rides and Saturday afternoon shows. I can still smell the...
As a freelance writer and blogger, I’ve interviewed quite a few people over the years, but one of my favorite was with Dr. Tomas Teskey, DVM, a large animal veterinarian...
You’re grooming your horse one afternoon when you notice a rough, hairless area has appeared on his jaw. Is it ringworm? A wart? Though these are certainly possibilities, it’s most...
This probably comes as no surprise, but the horse is a unique animal. This is especially true when it comes to how they digest food. Classified as non-ruminant herbivores, horses’...
Most people don’t get the opportunity to bring home the horse they took riding lessons on. But that’s exactly what happened the summer between my fourth and fifth grade year....
My very first horse was an ex-hunter/jumper in her twenties. She was a true gem of a horse, aptly named Lady Be Good. Due to her former career however, Lady...
Although it doesn’t quite feel like it, fall is finally here again (in the northern hemisphere, anyway). The leaves will soon change, and the daylight hours will continue to decrease....
Most of us understand that horses tend to have a "tricky" gastrointestinal system. Sudden changes in feed, moldy hay, too much grain or lush grass—they can all wreak havoc on...
Performance horses need shoes, right? Not all of them! While shoes have certainly been the norm in nearly every equine sport for many years, some competitors are breaking away from...
There’s a well-known saying, “Getting old isn’t for the faint of heart.” I imagine it’s not, but watching your beloved horse grow old is no piece of cake either. Maybe...
After nearly four decades of horse ownership, I've finally come to a realization: horsekeeping is not a science, but rather an art. Sure, I’d prefer it was the other way around....
When it comes to equine hoof care, you may have noticed that men tend to run the show. Sure, you’ll find the occasional female farrier, but they are few and...
You step outside and lovingly gaze into the pasture only to find your horse lying flat on his side. Your heartbeat quickens. OH MY GADS—HE’S DEAD! How many of us...
You have exactly one hour to groom, saddle, and ride your horse before you need to get back to other life duties. Only when you call your horse up from...
I’ve noticed there are two kinds of people who can talk about poop without so much as batting an eye: moms and horse owners. And since I belong to both...
Once upon a time, my horse keeping methods were simple. My horses lived in a pasture. I fed them a concentrated feed, maybe added in a supplement or two, and...
