Yesterday I commented on a horse forum about my experience boarding at a co-op. I’ve been at this barn for almost 9 years now (!) and the post made me reflect on how much my horse care practices have changed since I moved there. In general, I’ve become both more knowledgeable and more tolerant. The […]
Most of us have scratched our heads about the trouble that our horses manage to get into. I’m still wondering how Freedom ended up with bloody scratches all over his head (which thankfully did only superficial damage). Here’s a story that makes you wish the horse could talk. His case has attracted so much attention […]
It’s amazing how much a cut on a horse’s leg can bleed. I arrived at the barn a few days ago to find bright red blood dripping down the cannon bone of one of the mares at our barn. A large glob of it was frozen, but no less red at the site of the […]
Giving a horse medications is not always as easy as mixing a powder into its feed. Sometimes you need to administer them orally using a syringe. Of course, squirting a paste into a resisting 1200 pound animal can be a source of great amusement for those watching and frustration for those administering. Here are some […]
Eddie, a horse in Wyoming, survived a 3.3-mile swim through an irrigation tunnel after being sucked into the intake valve. Eddie was found — relatively unscathed — two days after disappearing under water. The 9-year old Arabian gelding was being ridden along the Shoshone river when he and his 16-year old rider, Joshua Black, and […]
With horses, it’s always something. I don’t normally feed Saturday mornings but I’m sure glad I did last weekend. It took me only a few minutes to see that Freedom was hurt and it looked bad. He had been kicked on his left forearm. The area was hugely swollen and there was a big jagged […]
With a rash of minor injuries at the barn lately it’s caused me to look carefully at our communal supplies. Having essential supplies at hand can make a difference when your horse is uncomfortable or injured and you can save money by ordering essentials in bulk and certainly it’s better to have them on hand […]
Stem cell therapy in humans is not only controversial, but it’s been extremely limited in its scope. Now, stem cell research pioneered to help horses recover from tendon and ligament injuries may help humans recover from injuries to Achilles tendons. Stem cell therapy in horses has been going on for several years and has shown […]