Horse Sense

It is clear from this photo that one week after the procedure that saved her life, Dottie is once again healthy.

Veterinarian: An underappreciated job

By Kim Lemmon We all know that large animal veterinarians can be hard to find. More and more young folks are turning to careers in the field of small animal care. Usually the hours are better, and even when emergency work is required at less than ideal hours, the work is often more mental and [...]

Read More

Former rancher becomes jousting knight

By Kim Lemmon Some cowboys’ days are filled with sorting and caring for cattle but this former ranch hand traded his cowboy hat for a set of armor and his lasso for a lance. “I’m a cowboy, and I ride like one,” said L. Dale Walter, director of the jousting group Knights of Iron from [...]

Read More

Horse euthanasia: Guidance for a difficult decision

From a Bayer Animal Health Brochure and the American Association of Equine Practitioners, www.aaep.org. Editor’s note: This is an important topic that is often overlooked by horse owners. Please make sure you read and consider the advice offered in this article. Having a plan in advance is always best.  — Kim Lemmon Difficult though it [...]

Read More

Gordyville Draft Horse Sale draws Ohioans

By Kim Lemmon The Mid-America Draft Horse Sale held at Gordyville U.S.A. Auction Center in Gifford, Ill., is the place to be if you own and show draft horses in America. This sale, commonly referred to as Gordyville by most draft horse folks, is the premier halter and hitch draft horse sale in the nation. [...]

Read More

Hay Stretcher/replacement programs for horse owners

By Karen E. Davison, Ph.D., equine nutritionist and sales support manager, Purina Animal Nutrition, LLC When drought conditions occur, horse owners may be faced with the situation of having no hay available, having hay available at very high prices or very poor quality roughage to feed as hay. None of these situations are good, but [...]

Read More

Common causes of a horse’s poor body condition and performance

By Kathy Williamson, DVM , originally posted at http://purinahorse.blogspot.com The first step in determining why your horse is not eating well, losing weight or failing to thrive is to examine his nutritional program. Careful assessment of your horse’s eating habits and diet may be very revealing. Here are some basic questions to ask: • Is [...]

Read More

Winterize your horse

By Katie Young, Equine Nutritionist, Ph.D., Purina Animal Nutrition Now that winter is approaching and the temperature is dropping, horse owners need to consider how to prepare their horses for winter. During the cold season, horse owners must make sure that their animals receive proper feed, water and shelter to stay healthy and comfortable. Further, [...]

Read More

Know the early warning signs of colic

By Kim Lemmon On a pretty October evening in 2012, I threw grain and hay into the stall of my draft Percheron mare, Julie, and then I hurried along to feed the rest of the horses and finish chores for the evening. When I fed Julie, I really hadn’t evaluated her closely. I was in [...]

Read More

Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth

By Kim Lemmon We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.” As it turns out, what it really means is appreciate a gift for what it is and don’t try to figure out its value. In the middle ages, the age and the value of a horse, was determined by [...]

Read More

The ugly truth about equine obesity

By Gina Fresquez, equine nutrition specialist with Purina Horse Feed Obesity in horses is a growing problem in the United States as horses are eating more and working less. Sadly, it is a serious issue that is linked to a variety of disease conditions. As horse owners, it is important to recognize the distinction between [...]

Read More