If your horse keeps spooking at the same spot every single ride, the problem usually isn’t bravery or stubbornness. In most cases, your horse has memorized that location as “dangerous” and is running a stored flight response before his brain has time to think. The good news: this is fixable. With the right mix of … Read more
When horse owners ask me how many acres per horse they really need, my answer is always the same: it depends. The general rule of thumb is 1 to 2 acres per horse for full-time pasture, but I’ve seen properties thrive on less and fail on much more. The truth lives in your pasture quality, … Read more
Saying goodbye to a horse you have loved for years is one of the hardest decisions you will ever face. If you are reading this, you are likely watching your horse grow older and wondering whether you are doing the right thing—waiting too long, or acting too soon. This guide will help you understand the … Read more
Choosing between abrupt vs gradual weaning for your foal and mare is one of the most important management decisions you’ll make as a horse breeder. Weaning is consistently ranked among the most stressful events in a horse’s life, and the method you pick shapes both short-term behavior and long-term emotional health. I have walked both … Read more
Deciding when to wean a foal is one of the most important choices you’ll make as a breeder or horse owner. After months of watching a mare and her foal develop that close bond, separating them too early can cause lasting stress, while waiting too long creates management challenges for the mare’s recovery and breeding … Read more
When my own gelding turned 18, I noticed his winter coat hung on well into May. I assumed he was just being stubborn about shedding. A year later, after a laminitis scare and a round of bloodwork, our vet handed me a diagnosis: PPID, also known as equine Cushing’s disease. That moment taught me what … Read more
A horse deworming fecal egg count program replaces automatic calendar dosing with a simpler question: what does this horse, on this property, need right now? A fecal egg count (FEC) measures parasite eggs passed in manure, then gives you and your veterinarian a starting point for targeted deworming. That distinction matters because treatment is not … Read more
For decades, horse owners treated deworming like a calendar event. Every six to eight weeks, you grabbed a tube of paste and rotated the active ingredient, hoping you were staying ahead of parasites. In , that routine is no longer the gold standard. A fecal egg count gives you actual data about your horse’s parasite … Read more
Feeding a Senior Horse With Bad Teeth: Mashes starts with one practical change: replace hard, dry mouthfuls with a fully softened feed that the horse can swallow and digest comfortably. A wet mash made according to the feed label can help a senior horse that struggles to chew long-stem hay, but it does not replace … Read more
When my senior horse is losing weight, I do not treat it as an unavoidable part of getting older. A horse can be past 15, keep eating with enthusiasm, and still have a problem with chewing, parasites, pain, calories, nutrient use, or an illness that needs veterinary attention. This senior horse losing weight troubleshooting guide … Read more