My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
Impaction colics are more common at this time of year, when water buckets freeze overnight and horses are less active. A friend’s horse recently underwent colic surgery as the impaction didn’t resolve with tubing and oil. So what can you do to reduce the chance of colic in the winter? Let’s look at the risk […]
Read MoreYesterday we had an April Fools Day snow storm. The kind of “gotchya” that New England throws at its residents every few years just to test our dedication to living here. It snowed all day. Wet, heavy snow. Temperatures hovered around 30 degrees. April Fool’s Day! But my not-so-funny April Fool’s Day wasn’t over. When […]
Read MoreIt was one of those weeks where I felt like I spoke to my vet more than my friends! I like my vet, but mostly I want to see her twice a year for shots. I’ve now seen her three times in the past month, so I’m hoping that my spell of bad luck is […]
Read MoreWell, the Roller Coaster Temperatures caught up with Freedom. Yesterday morning when one of my barn-mates went to feed she found Freedom lying down (highly unusual) and not interested in breakfast (even more highly unusual). When I got to the barn, he was flat out on his side and looking pretty miserable. Even though he […]
Read MoreAlas, our snow is now mostly gone. Sunday night we had rain, rain and more rain. Then warmer and warmer temperatures. While Saturday has a high of something like 11 degrees, Monday it was 50. Then today it was back down to 13. If the weather seems confused, that’s nothing compared to the horses. This […]
Read MoreFor horses, consistency in their diet is key to good health. Horses develop a microbial population in their intestines that is specific to what they are being fed. Changing it can cause digestive upset that can lead to colic and, in extreme cases, laminitis. According to a recent SmartPak Webinar, 10 Guidelines for Smarter Feeding, […]
Read MoreEveryone following Henny’s colic surgery will be glad to know that he is now in Florida, recovering under Peter Atkinson’s watchful eye and with plenty of kisses from Peter’s son, Owen. The whole album of Owen and Henny pictures show just how much affection exists between the small boy and the exceptionally gentle big horse […]
Read MoreI know have much more sympathy for horse that have coliced. Because, that’s essentially what has happened to me. I started to feel poorly on Friday, but thought it was some kind of GI bug. By Saturday afternoon I was surprised that I wasn’t feeling any better and by Sunday afternoon, I was at the […]
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