The Arabian horse has been called the most beautiful of all and he is unmistakable in character and appearance. It is the purest and oldest of all breeds and this variety has been carefully bred for thousands of years and there is evidence that dates them back over 4,500 years.

Take the time to read a book on the history of the Arabian horse and you will see how it has influenced other horses around the world. They spread their bloodline all over the world during the Muslim conquests in the 7th century.

My last discussions I identified sheared heels and the associated risks, if you missed that article I suggest you read it, now let’s get the fix I promised.

If your horse has sheared heels there are several fixes. In either case the toe of the foot should most likely be moved to the rear of the horse – in other words when the shoe is put on slide the shoe more to the rear of the foot then rasp the extra toe back to the shoe. You can move the shoe back very close to the white line if necessary. For one this will help the horse break over more easily and reduce all the stresses on tendons joints and ligaments but it will also help reduce the hoof stretch and drift you’ll usually find as a toe grows forward. This stops the heels from shearing more as well “usually”.

Horses are living creatures with needs and emotions. But if you love horses, you don’t need to be told that. And like all living creatures, they need to be kept healthy if they are to be happy and successful. However, this world can be tough, and “nature red in tooth and claw” has a number of threats to horse health that a wise owner will want to watch out for.

We all have those visions in our heads of the perfect horse. Maybe it’s a 16-hand palomino mare with a snip and two socks and a beautiful, wavy blond mane and tail. Maybe it’s a well-muscled solid black gelding with just the smallest of stars . . .

So why don’t we ever end up with it? Well, probably for good reason. Is it possible to find the perfect horse for you? You can certainly get darn close. But will he look like the vision you’ve carried in your head since childhood? Doubtful. If you want to find the right horse for you, you are going to have to do a lot more than go on looks alone.

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.

You are now thinking-what are your crazy? Why would anyone purchase insurance on the average horse? You know that the special thoroughbreds, Arabian, and other special breeds are covered but why should you spend the money for your own horse?

Well, it is no longer an issue for the very wealthy owners and breeders. If medical attention or surgery is needed, this can make a difference between saving your horse’s life or putting them down. And, who really wants to sacrifice their pet just because they can not afford to pay the veterinarian?
If you own a horse of any breed, you know that it is a major financial investment.

Bowed tendons on a horse can be murder. The deep flexor tendon between the knee and the pastern joint blows due to excessive stress and stretch. It’s a long recovery process sometimes leaving a blemish.

There can be several elements that can all contribute to this problem. Hard work is surely one while incorrect shoeing the other. A quick look at race horses and how prevalent bowed tendons occur can give you some clues to a deeper understanding into this issue. Race horses are definitely worked hard – at the end of the race horses are completely exhausted. In this condition of exhaustion and fatigue the muscles of the body are not carrying the horse in the most optimum manner-hence a breakdown.

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”?

There is no one breed of horses that are called miniature-this is just a term that is used to describe a horse that meets certain height requirements. Most breeds are measured in hands-where one hand equals four inches. However, minis are measured in inches or centimeters. They are measured from the ground to the base of the hairs on their mane.

Miniature horses are less than half the size of a regular horse and breeders select the smallest stallions and mares for breeding. This way, they hope to ensure that they have even smaller foals the following spring. A new foal weights about 18-22 pounds and stands 16 to 21 inches at birth-making it about the same size as a medium-sized dog.

When it comes to shoeing and Farrier talks one of the least understood topics is the discussion of hoof balance. Ask half dozen different Farriers the meaning of hoof balance and you’re likely to have half dozen different answers. While hoof balance is so misunderstood it’s also most crucial to avoiding permanent lameness to horses. Put those two ingredients together and you have a recipe for disaster. Until hoof balance is completely understood there’s a 98% chance a horse will remain at serious risk. Let’s discuss balance and reduce the risk.