Madalyn Ward, DVM shares her answers to specific holistic horse health care questions from clients. Q – “When do you recommend Chia, BOSS and/or Rice bran as part of the feeding protocol? Is it by type or symptoms or just good nutrition?” A – “I recommend the chia for horses that don’t need weight gain … Continue Reading »
April 2014 Holistic Horse Health – Arthritis in Young Horses Holistic Horsekeeping How to have a healthy happy horse. Volume 19, Number 4 =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* In This Issue: Holistic Horse Health – Arthritis in Young Horses =*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=*=* Holistic Horse Health – Arthritis in Young Horses It is not unexpected to have an older horse with stiff … Continue Reading »
Kidney problems in horses probably happen much more often than we realize. Low back pain is a classic symptom of kidney problems in people. In horses low back pain can easily be attributed to other more common problems such as hock soreness or overwork. A good holistic horse care program will include appropriate horse feeds … Continue Reading »
Chia seeds were in short supply last fall and I made the huge mistake of letting my Metal horse temperament gelding go without them. Remi had been doing so well with his shoes and fill in pad material that I thought he would be OK without the chia seeds. Not the case. Within 8 weeks … Continue Reading »
For those of us who like a holistic horse care program the idea of limiting the use of drugs in competitive horses sounds like a great idea, but is it? Limiting the access to drugs such as bronchodilators, diuretics and non steroidal anti inflammatory agents can cause unnecessary suffering for horses that truly need them. … Continue Reading »
If you ask most horses they will tell you that alfalfa is a wonderful horse feed. Most horses love this leafy, green hay. Experts in horse nutrition recognize alfalfa as a high protein, mineral rich forage but few look at the energetic properties of this hay for horses. Alfalfa has a neutral thermal nature which … Continue Reading »
Open any horse supply catalog and you will find upwards of 40 pages of different horse supplements. The reason there are so many supplements has to do with the poor quality of many of our horse foods and hay. This is not the fault of the horse food companies but a reflection of the general … Continue Reading »
Laminitis in horses is a devastating condition once it takes hold. With a holistic horse care program you can significantly lower the risk of laminitis in horses but you still must stay alert for early signs of the condition. There is no vaccine against laminitis in horses, so diet and management are your best defenses. … Continue Reading »
I took Remi, my Yang Ming(Metal/Earth), horse temperament, gelding, to a ranch sorting last weekend. We both had a blast. Remi has had some bad experiences in the past and he can get very tense when going to new places. I want him to be able to overcome his learned behaviors of holding his breath … Continue Reading »
Horse symptoms come in 2 categories, acute and chronic. We tend to get more worried about the acute symptoms such as severe lameness, colic in horses or fever. These horse symptoms are all red flags that something major is wrong that may need immediate, aggressive intervention. Acute horse symptoms often come on quickly, are intense … Continue Reading »
I rode my Yang Ming horse temperament, gelding, Remi, in a Tom Curtain horsemanship clinic last weekend. He was a star. This will be the third Tom Curtain clinic for Remi and it has been a blast to see him progress. The first clinic he could barely canter he was so stiff and tight. I … Continue Reading »
The Metal horse temperament is generally strong and tough but their achilles heel is – their heels. The Metal horse has a tendency to contracted, sore heels. Confirmation can play a part as many Metal horses have short, upright pasterns and boxy hooves. This naturally upright hoof can become contracted when shoes are applied early … Continue Reading »
Ulcers in horses are a major problem. The conventional wisdom is that 60% or more of horses in training have ulcers. I believe this is a low estimate. In my opinion there are the horses in training that already have ulcers and the ones that are going to have ulcers. When I talk about horse … Continue Reading »
Horses thrive on quality grass but how many actually have access to pasture on a regular basis. These days, not many! High land values have forced horses into smaller and smaller acreage and some horses with access to pasture can’t have it because of metabolic imbalances. Fresh, well cured grass hay is becoming harder to … Continue Reading »
Whatever happened to $2 hay in the field? Alfalfa in my area is now $23 a bale and a sack of feed that cost $10 not so long ago is now closer to $20. Not to mention the price of fuel. With these numbers in mind I decided to start a horseman’s wealth section of … Continue Reading »
Pigeon fever is a bacterial infection that normally manifests as superficial abscesses. The chest of the horse is the most common location for a large abscess and the swelling resembles the chest of a pigeon. The condition normally shows up in the dry summer months when the bacteria is picked up from the dirt by … Continue Reading »
The Earth horse temperament does not enjoy strenuous work but when healthy he is not lazy. Some of the most successful performance horses I have known have been the Earth horse temperament. Not to mention the consistent lesson horses that work for hours each day without complaint. The Earth horse temperament can appear lazy because … Continue Reading »
Imagine my surprise when I read an article in the Wall Street Journal comparing the gut intelligence to that of the brain. I was introduced to this concept years ago when I read the great book, Molecules of Emotions, by Candice Pert. As it turns out, your horse’s gut is smart and any holistic horse … Continue Reading »
Watching the health of a senior horse decline is not only difficult to bear, but is also avoidable. Taking certain easily-managed steps to care for your senior horse holistically can mean the difference between suffering and enjoyable old-age. When considering your senior horse, be sure to assess nutrition, teeth, stress, metabolism and organ function. Then … Continue Reading »
As I was finding yet one more use for my empty algae containers I got to thinking. Since I started on a holistic horse health program about 20 years ago my favorite blue green algae has been one of my most consistent recommendations as a feed for horses. Blue green algae has been part of … Continue Reading »