Stress and stallion fertility
With breeding season now underway in the Southern Hemisphere, stallion fertility is an area of focus.
Stress and stallion fertility Read More »
With breeding season now underway in the Southern Hemisphere, stallion fertility is an area of focus.
Stress and stallion fertility Read More »
Eating manure (also known as coprophagy), is a common, yet transient phenomenon in foals. Coprophagy is thought to potentially offer multiple health benefits in foals. It is far less common
Help! Why is my horse eating manure? Read More »
Here in the Southern Hemisphere, the weather is warming up, daylight hours are getting longer, show season is in full swing, and eventing, dressage, showjumping and polocrosse events are underway.
Spring, Summer and More Riding! Read More »
What we feed our horses and how we feed them are crucial to their health. Diet and nutrition are known to play an important role in our horse’s gastrointestinal (GI),
Grain Free Feeds….What does this mean, and do our horses really need these feeds? Read More »
We commonly read or hear that when introducing a new feed into our horses’ and ponies’ diets that we should make the change slowly. But why is this? And is
Why is it important to make dietary changes slowly in horses and ponies? Read More »
When we transition from winter into spring or from summer into autumn/fall weather, we can suddenly find that our horses have increasing amounts of green grass to graze. With plenty
Grass, Hay, Fibre and Short Chain Fatty Acids Read More »
When we talk about stress in equines, we often think of those horses and ponies that never settle, constantly spook, pace the fence line in the paddock, or sweat up
Among the many breeds and types of horses available to riders, off the track thoroughbreds (OTTB) are a highly popular choice of mount. And for a very good reason! Their
An Introduction to Off The Track Thoroughbreds (OTTB) Read More »
How often do we stop to consider the unique role of the horse’s neuroanatomy? The structure of a horse’s brain is very different to that of a human, and to
Training a Horse’s Brain Read More »
HELP! My horse won’t put on body condition… The horse that fails to thrive can be one of the most frustrating challenges for owners, trainers, breeders and riders. The horse
HELP! My horse won’t put on body condition Read More »
The habit of chewing wood (lignophagia) is a common behaviour observed in horses and ponies. Why do they do it? And what can it tell us? From a dietary perspective,
Why Does My Horse Chew Wood? Read More »
Mares and fillies who exhibit overtly hormonal behaviour can be a real challenge and frustration for riders, trainers and owners. In an attempt to help manage their behaviour, many of
The Risks of Altrenogest (AKA: Regumate/Readyserve/Ovamed/Altren) to Humans Read More »
Effectively treating pain in our horses and ponies can be a complex issue. Whilst non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are mainstay to help with the inflammation associated with pain, there are
Injury and Pain in our Horses and Ponies Read More »
During warmer weather and longer daylight hours, most mares and older fillies will cycle on a regular basis. For some fillies and mares this can bring challenges with both behaviour
Hormonal Mares & Vitex (AKA Chasteberry/Chaste tree). Read More »
Tryptophan is a common ingredient in ‘calming’ products for horses. It is an amino acid which is a precursor to serotonin. This means that tryptophan is one of the building
TRYPTOPHAN…A helpful or harmful calmer for horses? Read More »
Injectable vitamin B12 is a common treatment given to horses. One of the primary functions of vitamin B12 is to help make red blood cells, which are important to carry
Vitamin B12 for Horses Read More »
Much attention is given to Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (gastric ulcers) in horses and ponies: we know that they can contribute to a wide variety of signs and symptoms. We
Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers in Horses and Ponies Read More »
We all want to do what’s best for our horses. Marketing experts employed by large brands know this. Clever product marketing targets this. That’s why it is common to find
Laminitis ‘Prevention’- But at what cost? Read More »
When we have a horse who starts to exhibit nervy, spooky or irritable behaviour then one of the first things we commonly do is look at their diet. This is
Bad Behaviour & Exclusion Diets Read More »
Protein- it’s a most crucial component of a horse’s diet, yet is commonly blamed for causing a whole host of problems in horses: Everything from ‘hot behaviour’, to joint problems,
The Importance of Protein Read More »
Poor behaviour in horses is a complex topic to say the least. Whenever a horse is acting up- many things should be taken into account before blaming the horse for
Is it Poor Behaviour or is it Pain? Read More »
When we think of the term ‘stress’, we often think of horses that pace the fence line, shy at non-existent monsters (!), call out incessantly when their paddock mate leaves
Stress in Horses: Why it isn’t always obvious Read More »
If there’s any horse feed that can cause heated debate about whether or not it is suitable and even valuable for horses- then soy may well take the cake. For
Soy: The Good, Bad and Confusing! Read More »
There’s much interest in ulcers in horses and for very good reason. Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) affects 60-90% of adult horses and 25-50% of foals and weanlings. The condition
Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work Read More »
Wind sucking or crib biting in horses is most likely to first occur in association with boredom and lack of forage/grazing. Most people are well aware that a diet high in
Why do horses wind suck and crib bite? Read More »
For those of you who ride mares and/or fillies you may have noticed somewhat erratic changes in her mood and behaviour during spring. The mare who was steadfast and easy
An Holistic Approach to Mare Behaviour Read More »
One of the most often talked about and popular types of supplements on the market are those used with the intention of helping to ‘calm’ the horse. The quality of
Calming Supplements: Use in the Horse Read More »
Wind-sucking/ crib-biting/ cribbing is a compulsive, repetitive behaviour in horses. It is the most prevalent stereotypy in the equine and is characterised by grasping a fixed object with the incisor
Wind-sucking, Crib-biting, Cribbing: The role of Antioxidants, including Selenium Read More »
Magnesium is one of the most commonly self-prescribed nutrients by many horse owners, breeders and riders. This mineral plays an essential role in more than 300 enzymatic reactions within the
Nutrient Synergy: Magnesium and Vitamin D Read More »
Lignophagia (or chewing wood) is an all-too common behaviour observed in horses. Whilst it can be both practical and tempting to lather stable boards and fence posts with products to
Lignophagia: Why Do Some Horses Chew Wood? Read More »
With the rulings of Regumate/Altrenogest use in racing coming under the spotlight around the globe, now is an opportune time to address nutritional and management factors which can contribute to
Regumate / Altrenogest and Difficult Mares & Fillies: What Are The Alternatives? Read More »
Good horse people know that in many equestrian disciplines, success depends on an optimal partnership between horse and rider, rather than excellent individuals (either horse or rider alone).There is a
Why Can such an ‘Average’ Horse Achieve at the ‘Highest” Level? Read More »