While horses do whinny, neigh, and call out to one another, most of their communication is with their body language. When you are around horses, you should “listen” to what they are saying by observing what they are doing, how they are standing, what they are doing with their ears, and what they are doing [...]
Understanding Pain – Part I
Pain is inevitable – suffering is optional. Pain – we have all experienced it to ...
Why Do Horses Roll?
Have you ever bathed a horse then turned him out in the field and watched him put all your good work to waste by immediately rolling? I bet you asked yourself why your horse hates to be clean! Well, it is doubtful that your horse was doing this just to spite you. They truly enjoy [...]
A Good Death
Not too long ago, I had to say goodbye to two old friends when I had to put down first my 29 year old Thoroughbred, Bernie, and then a few months later, his 30 year old Quarter Horse companion, Secret. The first good bye came almost without warning and in the end, there was no [...]
Simple Success with Laser
Spike had been a stalwart, reliable school horse in a large county owned riding program for many years. Even after he lost his right eye four years ago, he still was a favorite among the beginner riders. At 14.3 HH, the red roan Appaloosa had a pleasant, almost clown-like appearance and attitude. However, last year [...]
The Value of a Life
Not wanting to start a debate on animal welfare, I hesitated to discuss the story below but then after reflection, I realized that this horse’s story has some very valuable lessons in it.
Pain Relief and Healing at the Speed of Light
Just what is laser therapy? Many people know this kind of treatment as “Low Level Laser Therapy” or “Cold Laser Therapy”. Most people think of surgical lasers or Star Wars and think the treatments will hurt. Actually, it is a very safe, painless, and effective way of treating injuries, pain and many medical conditions.
Emergency Preparedness for Farm and Horse
Emergencies don’t always come with advanced warning. With a winter storm, hurricane, or rain induced flood we may have warning from the weather channel to a ramp up our defenses, batten down the hatches and get ready. More often, there is little or no warning that disaster is about to strike.
Elderly Exercise
Should I Ride My Older Horse? I get asked that all the time, along with, “How old is too old?” The answers to both questions are, “It depends…” Like in humans, age is just a number. The number of years a horse has lived does not always reflect the wear and tear on its body. [...]
Structural Integrity
A question often posed is, “My horse is not lame and has nothing wrong with him, why should I treat him anyway?” This question is asked concerning supplements in the feed, chiropractic care, acupuncture, massage, or adjunctive pharmaceutical treatments such as Adequan. The answer is a bit complicated but the bottom line is that it [...]
Understanding Pain – Part IV
Treating Equine Pain: Pain management in horses is still often neglected. Some still feel that a horse should feel some degree of pain so that it does not overuse an injured body part. Horses are often strictly confined to stall rest to limit their ability to reinjure themselves and allow for healing. This rehabilitation strategy [...]
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