Though it would certainly be nice if there was a full proof template for feeding a horse, unfortunately one does not exist. Simply put, you have to take these things on a case by case basis. There are many different factors that can impact how much food a horse needs. Obviously, a horse that goes through a lot of activity will need more food than one that just sits around.

Horses chew, we all know that, but if you’ve ever watched horses out in pasture they’ll perform types of grooming and bonding rituals with their teeth. Take a look sometimes and you’ll notice many times horses standing together while one is almost seemingly biting the flesh of the other. They’ll grab a little bunch of flesh and in a careful way kind of nip away with a little tug of the skin. This is very common and it’s a cooperative event where one horse allows the other. I’m quite sure I wouldn’t discourage such behavior amongst horses.

The relatively new practice of feeding garlic to horses in an attempt to help with respiratory health has come under fire in recent months. Because garlic has strong antibacterial aspects, some horse owners are hopeful that it is a miracle cure for many horse ailments. There are many in the horse world with doubts about the product, though. A line has been drawn in the proverbial sand as some see it as effective, while others call the herb a toxic horse killer.

Do you wonder whether or not your horse should be hot shod or perhaps what if any are the benefits or advantages of hot shoeing and maybe even if it’s necessary at all?

Hot shoeing is the application of heat to the shoe then pressing the hot shoe onto the hoof wall of the horse. Like many things related to horseshoeing hot shoeing is a controversial subject. A usual question about hot shoeing is “Does that hurt the horse”?

If you rely on your horses for income, you are going to have to have good marketing skills just like any other business. That’s right, horses don’t sell themselves! If you are a breeder, riding instructor, trainer, boarding facility, or horse dealer, you are going to need to reach and impress your potential customers in order to sell them your products and services. How do you do that? Just follow the steps illustrated below and you’ll be well on your way to enjoying a successful horse-related business!

How do you keep those nasty parasites at bay? A regular deworming process is necessary to rid your horses of dangerous, and sometimes deadly nasties such as large strongyles, small strongyles, ascarids, bots, pinworms, intestinal threadworms, and summer sores.

Of course, sometimes deworming is easier said than done! It’s one thing to come up with a regular deworming schedule, and quite another to put it into practice. First of all, your deworming schedule should be unique to your circumstances. What agent you use, and how often, will depend upon things such as geography, time of year, how many horses you have, size and type of pasture, amount of turn-out time, etc. It can be complicated! To add insult to injury, once you come up with a schedule you’ll have to get your horses to accept the deworming process. While some horses have no issues with deworming, others can make it quite difficult on you!

Though horses are born to run, there are many that experience the painful problem of having cramps while trying to change speeds. When a horse quickens his gait pace to a gallop, cramping has been an especially difficult problem to deal with. Horses are interesting in their running style because they link their breathing to the rhythm of their hoof beats. When horses run, they just don’t bring in enough oxygen to support their muscles, which constantly tire because of the natural existence of lactic acid that causes pain and cramping. Recently, there have been new findings in the industry that are allowing horses to break through this problem and improve their performance.

Weight control is one of the most important issues facing many horse owners. Fat, lazy horses are simply unhealthy horses and they are more likely to live a shorter life than their in shape brethren. How do you control a horse’s weight, while still providing him with the right amount of food and vitamins? It is a delicate balance between healthy and obese, but these are a few ways to walk that line.

First let’s define what sheared heels are. Sheared heels are when the heel of the horse’s foot grows forward toward the toe. Instead of there being support for the foot in the heel area where the horse needs it support is reduced – the heels have grown forward and there’s no foot (heel) to provide the support for the horse’s foot.

There are many signs that will tell you whether your horse is healthy and doing well or if he is a little “off” and not feeling so great. As a horse owner, or potential horse owner, it is important that you be able to recognize these signs. This is especially important if you are considering buying a horse, you will want to know that the horse is healthy before you buy him.