Alfalfa hay is one of the most nutritious foods you can offer your horses. However, poor practices can affect the quality and nutritional value of these plants. To make sure you get top quality alfalfa hay, you will have to harvest the plants at the right time and store them appropriately. There are several ways of determining the right time to harvest alfalfa plants, and these will be covered in … [Read more...]

Owning horses comes with a wealth of responsibility. The topics of appropriate shelter, access to quality food, and regular veterinary and farrier trips merely address the beginning of horse care. An important but often ignored aspect of care involves horse teeth. The process of dental care for horses involves treatment by a veterinary specialist. Horse teeth require specialized care ranging … [Read more...]

Equine motor neuron disease is a disease which affects the motor neurons in the spinal cord and brain stem of horses. Cases have been documented in the United States and worldwide. While the exact cause of equine motor neuron disease isn’t known, researchers have correlated a vitamin deficiency with the likelihood of horses developing the disease. Fortunately, the chances of a horse getting … [Read more...]

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection that occurs below the skin. When that infection impairs the lymphatic system, it is referred to lymphangitis. Because the transport of lymph fluid occurs in just one direction, from the extremities toward the heart, lymph vessels are particularly susceptible to the effects of lymphangitis in horses. Infection can cause an increase in lymphatic fluid, which … [Read more...]

Headshaking in horses is a stressful condition for both the animal and the rider. Even though increasingly studied, little is known about the triggers of abnormal headshaking in mounts. Subsequently, owners are becoming more desperate for information as that which is available is often not clear or is specific to a particular researcher’s area of expertise. This article is a detailed guide to head … [Read more...]

Known by many different names, Wobblers in horses is not a singular disease, but a term that refers to many neurological ailments that can severely affect the gait and strength of a horse. Wobblers is distinguished by damage to the spinal cord and could be caused by several possibilities, including having a genetic predisposition. Although it is not connected to a specific breed of horse, it is … [Read more...]

EHV 1 is one type of equine herpes virus that is common in horses around the world. This potentially serious disease comes in three forms that may cause respiratory disease, abortions, and neurologic disease. Most horse owners are familiar with EHV 1 due to several outbreaks that have led to quarantines. Unfortunately, the equine herpes virus is very contagious and may be spread horse-to-horse. It … [Read more...]