My Soapbox for Equestrian Writings
There won’t be any flies on Charlie! He looks like a medieval war horse outfitted in his fly sheet and mask! We’ve had a lot of rain this spring which means beautiful green grass . . . but also lots of mosquitoes. Do you outfit your horses with flysheets?
Read MoreWhen I started eventing, back in the 80s, I can remember that when we came home from an event we always poulticed and wrapped our horses’ legs and fed them a bran mash for dinner. Then they were tucked into their stalls for the night. These days, when I come back from a hunt (which […]
Read MoreWhen Freedom was tested for Lyme, my vet also suggested testing his vitamin E levels. Horses that are deficient in vitamin E can have muscle soreness and long-term deficiency can cause neurological dysfunction. Horses get vitamin E from fresh, green pasture. Freedom is out on pasture but we don’t have that much, especially at this […]
Read MoreThermal imaging is a diagnostic tool that can help you find injuries or stressed areas on your horse — sometimes weeks before you can see the problems with your own eyes. Using a thermal imaging camera, a vet can measure the surface heat patterns on the body of your horse and identify “hot spots” (which […]
Read MoreI got the results of the multiplex test today. Freedom is on the low end of positive — his titer is 1600 and they recommend treatment for anything above 1200. My vet recommends keeping him on Doxy for six weeks. Since he’s showing no adverse signs to it, that’s what I’m planning to do. Interestingly, […]
Read MoreWhen I returned from my ride on Monday, Freedom was covered with hives. They were mostly around his throat latch but they spread out in diminishing intensity across his body. My first thought was, “did I miss those when I groomed him?” But no, they were pretty large and angry looking. They certainly were not […]
Read MoreNot Quite Right. That’s the one of the most frustrating phrases of horse ownership and when you most wish your horse could tell you where it hurts. Sometimes it’s very subtle, something that only you notice because you know your horse so well. Sometimes it’s the opposite; someone else notices that your horse is off […]
Read More