One of your horse’s most eye catching features is their mane and tail, paying closer attention to these areas will help your horse stand out from the crowd.
A healthy mane and tail are the result of a healthy horse, so make sure they're getting the nourishment they need by feeding them high-quality horse feed. This will improve their tail and mane organically. Keeping up with regular trimming and cleaning will also assist to keep their mane and tail healthy.
As the evenings get cooler and the temperature drops, your horse’s coat will start to change. It will become duller and thicker. As September begins, you should think, when should I clip my horse’s winter coat? For most horses, the first clip will be in late September or the beginning of October and throughout the winter months, you will continue to clip right through to February.
A healthy digestive system is a key source of health and wellbeing in the horse. With many owners facing the cold weather and waterlogged fields, supporting the horse’s digestive tract becomes a top priority…
Simple methods of first aid can be applied by us, as owners to support throughout injury or to sustain until veterinary assistance becomes available. We are all equine first aiders, responsible for our horse’s welfare and capable of providing support where and when is necessary. In fact, in most cases, efficient first aid can help to minimise trauma from the injury itself.
Your horse’s skin is part of their ‘Integumentary system’, which is the largest organ in the body and often faces some of the biggest challenges especially during the winter months. The skin has a protective role for the rest of the body and particularly provides the first line of defence against any potential attack – so it’s imperative that it remains strong and healthy at all times. Not just the coat but also the mane tail and hooves are all part of this complex system and supporting both internally and externally will be the key to success.
Mud, mud and more mud is every horse owner's worst nightmare. Not only does it get in all the places you don’t want it, but it can also trigger mud fever, a broad term for a range of skin conditions and also known as pastern dermatitis.
When the days are dark, cold and wet it’s easy to think the tack cleaning can wait for another day, but neglecting tack care simply isn’t worth the risk. Your tack is an expensive investment, and one that is crucial to your and your horse’s safety. Taking time to take care of tack, ensures your tack will take care of you.
During the winter months, horses spend more time stabled, eating preserved forage and bedded on a variety of natural materials. All that means one thing – an increase in respiratory challenges. We’re all familiar with horses having the odd cough, or a little discharge from the nostrils, but do we really need to be too concerned, or is that just normal for winter?
Autumn can be exciting with bonfires and fireworks which are great fun for us, but not always so easy for our equine friends. Horses and ponies thrive on routine and calm, consistent management. Sudden changes to that routine can cause stress and anxiety. However, with good management and appropriate targeted nutrition we can help our horses cope!