horse nutrition
Horse Temperament: Chia Seeds for the Metal Horse
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 [...]
Horse Nutrition: Pros and cons of Alfalfa as a horse feed
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 [...]
Holistic Horse Care: Avoiding laminitis in horses
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. [...]
Horse Temperament: Learned behaviors at a ranch sorting
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 [...]
Horse Symptoms: Important Information on Horses with Hives
It is so important to always look for the underlying cause of horse symptoms. For example, did you know that most horses with hives do not get them from coming in contact with something in their environment. Yes, insect stings or allergic reactions to bedding can cause hives in horses but they are more commonly [...]
Horse Symptoms: When to worry
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 [...]
Holistic Horse Health: What are adhesions?
As an osteopath I am very concerned about adhesions and the negative effects they have on the horse. I spend much of my time releasing adhesions so thought it would be good to explore exactly what they are and why they are so bad. An adhesion is an area of connective tissue that is not [...]
Horse Temperament: Does your Metal horse have sore heels?
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 [...]
Holistic Horse Health: Yes, your horse does have an ulcer
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 [...]
Equine Parasites: A Holistic Approach
You’ve heard of the 80/20 rule, right? Well, this rule applies to managing equine parasites just as much as it seems to apply everywhere else in life. Studies show that about 20% of horses in most populations are responsible for generating or “shedding” 80% of the parasite load. What does that mean to you as [...]
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