Category Archives: Health

There is a reason hoof supplements have a sizable market. There is also a reason they tend to have the same ingredients. The quality and integrity of the hoof wall,...

In 1885, Dr. Sydney Galvayne, born in Australia, but an adopted son of Ireland, published a book. [caption id="attachment_17487" align="alignright" width="136"] Dr. Sydney Galvayne, 1846–1913, before he got too long...

Although horses can survive a remarkable range of environmental conditions, surviving is not the same as thriving. Winter is hard on any horse but particularly so for seniors. Like older...

For all the added wisdom our older horses possess, Father Time remains undefeated in limiting the physical ability and general soundness of our aging equines. On average, horses begin to see the...

Horse people love to talk about what they feed. Go to any show or performance event, and you’ll likely hear ten different opinions on which type of commercial feed is...

As I mentioned in The Mare Agreement, my Arabian mare, Haley, is a bit of a drama queen. She does not tolerate discomfort of any kind under any circumstances—unless it is...

I am not a big fan of worry. As I’ve said many times, I think that people worry about their horses too much. Some concern is great. But I think...

Acquiring a rescue horse is very different than buying a healthy, sound horse with a history of excellent care. This article addresses management issues and medical care that often accompany...

Hind gut acidity, sometimes used synonymously with hind gut ulcers, is blamed for a staggering array of signs ranging from poor appetite, cracked hooves, right hind lameness and any undesirable...

So, I was reading an article on National Public Radio this morning. It was about the gas people pass. Farts. Really. JOKE 1: What’s the sharpest thing in the world?...

"Visualizing lameness is an art," Dr. Larry Caudill tells me on a bitter winter morning at the Thoroughbred Training Center in Lexington, KY. Nearby, a cavalcade of hooves pepper the pavement...

We all know that colic is the number one noninfectious health risk for horses. There are a number of types of colic but the one we see the most in...

With all the joint supplement options out there it’s difficult to make a choice. As a general guide, upper level athletes and horses working on hard ground or over difficult...

In part 1, I talked about some of the things that will put you on your farrier’s good client list. Here, I’m going to give you some hints on making...

I’ve spent a lot of time around a lot of performance horses over the years. Many of them have been English sport horses—show hunters, show jumpers, and dressage horses—but barrel...

The line between work and play is rather blurry for Dr. Ashlee Watts. As an equine orthopedic surgeon, researcher and instructor at Texas A&M University, Dr. Watts is all horse,...

OK, I gotta tell you a story. It’s a story that people have forgotten. Long before there were dewormers, horses and internal parasites (worms) got along pretty well. Horses had...

Grass or Alfalfa? Timothy or Orchard? Grain hays? Is Bermuda safe? It might seem simple enough, but there is plenty of room for confusion in selecting a hay. Legume hays,...

It doesn't take an expert to know that horses are fragile creatures. No matter how much time you spend with them or how many preventative measures you take, horses can still...

Weanlings have intensive nutritional needs and you shouldn’t start feeding them like a smaller version of an adult. Nutrient dense diets are those that have high levels of protein/amino acids...