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 »
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 »
I like to say , if your mare is mean then give her green. Green foods, that is, in the form of chlorophyl rich foods and herbs that will balance and support the liver. I have noticed my Fire horse temperament mare, Cerise, has been more irritable this year during our extreme drought. I have … Continue Reading »
Horse temperament plays a part in how horses age. Tess, my 30 year old, Jue Yin mule has been limping lately. I know exactly why this is happening. After enduring a miserable, record breaking drought and temperatures over 100 for 90 days the weather has cooled off. When the weather was so hot the horses … Continue Reading »
Laminitis in horses is always bad but for poor York it was devastating as he was recovering from his bad trailer wreck. York’s system was already stressed and I worried about his overall nutritional status. His coat was dull and he was about 100 pounds underweight. My first goal was to get nutrient dense food … Continue Reading »
Horses can manufacture Vit C but during extreme stress it is a good idea to supplement the diet anyway. For instance, we have been having extreme heat and drought in Texas. I have been seeing numerous conditions that are benefiting from Vit C supplementation in the horse feeding program. Vit C is most often thought … Continue Reading »
Punkin is progressing at a steady pace despite the fact that Kim and I have not been able to work with him every day. As a Jue Yin(Wood/Fire) horse temperament, Punkin does not really need a daily work routine. He is quite happy when he gets attention and just as happy when he is left … Continue Reading »
Had an interesting session yesterday with my Fire horse temperament mare, Cerise. Cerise had been working very well over the last few months and her attitude was very good. Up until a few weeks ago I was riding her and then my 71 year old friend was riding her some after we finished our training. … Continue Reading »
With many parts of the country experiencing extreme and unusual weather this spring, it seems to be a good time to talk about the best types of horse feed and supplements to help horses cope with this kind of unexpected weather. Horses seem to be dealing either with hot dry weather or cold damp conditions. … Continue Reading »
I was wanting to keep this a secret but the news is leaking out, I have a new pony! I had been keeping my ears open for a fun horse to get that one of my church friends could ride. When I got the opportunity to get a welsh pony I jumped on it. From … Continue Reading »