Teeth Floating - make it an annual thing

We've been having our horses' teeth floated every year now for over 20 years. When I ran a large public barn and helped owners with colicing horses, I don't know how many times I asked the owner "when was the last time you had this horse's teeth floated?" Floating the teeth, which is a process using a file to grind down the teeth making them even, allows the horse to more effectively chew his feed. When the horse cannot chew adequately, there is a danger of swallowing larger pieces of feed and increasing chances of a blockade. Floating also removes the hooks and points of the molars which can cut up the inside of the mouth and the tongue, making chewing painful. Floating is not the end all to colic prevention just one of many steps in horse care that the human owner can do to reduce colic chances.

Just a few weeks earlier I was talking to a local gent who just bought a new horse and he asked me when and how I get the vaccinations done. I told him that in the spring I have my Vet come out to do annual vaccinations, draw blood for Coggins tests, and float teeth. When the horses are sedated for the floating you can really get the geldings sheaths cleaned up too. He said while he knew some horses had their teeth filed down, he personally never had a horse who had it done. I told him to trailer his horse over, get the spring vaccinations and ask my Vet to do a quick mouth exam which can be done without sedation. He brought the horse over, the Vet, Dr Amy Starr of Paw 'n Hooves Animal Hospital, looked in this mare's mouth and saw cuts and abscesses. She showed the gent what she was referring to and he committed to getting his mare's teeth floated right then. The Vet also found a segment of a wolf tooth that hadn't been removed and she took that out as well.

There are good hands out there that are not Veterinarians who make their rounds manually floating teeth and some even do sedation, over looking some state laws on non Vets giving these medications. I've used them and been generally happy about their work, then about 18 years ago or so, I met my current Vet who does power floating using a specialized battery powered hand drill with flat rotary ceramic bits to clean up the hooks and points on teeth. Power floating is faster and with less chance of damaging teeth.

Back to years ago at the barn helping someone with a colicing horse - some of the replies on why people do not get their horses teeth floated are the cost involved. But you are also receiving that Vet's experience and practiced eye. Like I said, I combine it with spring vaccinations and Coggins draws and yep, it costs some money alright, but so does calling a Vet after hours on a colic case. I think if you own a horse, you at least owe it a dental exam by a qualified Vet. If you have ever bit your own tongue then had issues with chewing, you'll begin to understand the issue.

One of the better sites, for understand the horse's dental anatomy and issues arising from just the simple and necessary habit of eating, is an information page from Colorado State University.

In the video below, you see a short snippet from a floating. The whole floating didn't take much longer, but maybe if someone had never seen power floating before they will see that is no big deal for a sedated horse.

Horses and the Heat: Too Hot to Ride?

Charlotte wrote to ask about how much heat can her horse handle being ridden in. " I've found a couple of your articles about horse dehydration and people getting heat stroke but my question is how hot can it be where I can still reasonably ride my horse. I know her health is important but she seems so sluggish in the really hot weather like high 90's and I don't want to hurt her but only my riding times are generally in the late afternoon when it is still very hot."

I think horses generally do much better than we do in the heat and much better than we give them credit for. However, I would never fault anyone for being too cautious considering their horse. I have cut short trail rides when someone thinks their horse is off - better to be safe than sorry. But again, horses do pretty well in the heat, given a horse in good health and condition, and acclimatized to that environment. Horses will lose fluids and electrolytes by sweating, same as humans do, but horses drawing fluids away from their guts is a bigger concern for them than the human. I know some people who clip their horses in the Spring when temps are in the 70-'s to 80's thinking a lighter coat of hair will minimize over heating. Heck, my horses generally don't start shedding their winter coats until temps are in the 90's and I ride them without worry, but they are acclimatized to this environment. The biggest problem I have is that hair shedding season coincides with the windy season here in West Texas, so much of the shedding hair is blown into my face and mustache.....pretty much like the universal rule that all spider webs are mustache high.

We generally find our limits, and therefore our horses limits, by experience. Years ago, I have taken horses, maybe as young as 5 years old and as old as 14, out in 100 heat and covered 15-20 miles over 6 or 8 hours without access to water and did not have issues - I wasn't doing this for pleasure, it was for work. These days I'd have to have a reason for pushing a horse that hard. Not having a drink all day, the horses were obviously all in some state of dehydration when we finished. I'd always pull the saddle and let the wind coming through the trailer on the ride home evaporate cool them somewhat. My practice is to cool them off then put them back into a pen where they would always roll first, then look in their feed bin second, before they would seek water. If a horse is not finished with their feed before I pull them for a ride, it's usually a good indicator that they haven't gotten a drink, so when I return from a ride I'll pull their feed so they can get a drink before resuming eating. Sometimes I'll wait for 20-30 minutes as well. I'll also use a wet brush, sponge or rag and wipe my horse's neck, chest and legs down which helps, or at least I think it does, with some evaporative cooling effect.

This time of year in the West Texas desert, it'll still be 100 degrees at 7 pm. I have no problem riding my horses for an hour or two then. If I was riding a few hours earlier in the same temperature range, I'd likely be a little more concerned as the Sun is closer to being directly overhead and the solar radiation is stronger, so you'll feel the effects quicker. Intensity or work and duration will be a key factor - the harder and longer a horse has to work, the hotter the horse will get, and therefore the sweating rate will go up to regulate body temperature. The horse's body will send more blood to the skin, depleting blood and water from the internal organs and gut. That's why excessively walking a colicing horse can have adverse effects. A horse with a over heating issue will have more rapid breathing and a higher heart rate, and likely an increase temperature. Just like a human, once a horse gets a heat injury, the easier or faster it will come next time.

If you have read other articles on riding in hot weather then you pretty much know how to check your horse for dehydration, with the skin pinch or capillary refill test, or can see when a horse is drawn up and tight. Plus the more you ride a particular horse the better you can tell when he is a little off. I would suggest checking all your horses at rest and after moderate exercise to get some baseline observations and numbers for each. You also don't want to take his temperature for the first time when he is heat stressed. Just know before hand what a normal horse looks like. Ask the same questions to your Vet the next time you have the Vet out, and maybe some other riders in your area.

Feed can have an impact on how hot a horse gets. I feed a mix of Bermuda grass, sometimes timothy grass, and alfalfa hay. My horses also have free access to plain white salt blocks, mineral rocks and fresh clean water. I used to give wheat bran mashes to help counter the ingestion of sand but since I obtained big box feeders my horses rarely pull or drop alfalfa onto the sandy ground. If a horse eats off the ground in sandy environments a lot of sand can be ingested. You may see watery piles as the body pulls water and blood to the gut to help push it out. When I get called to help someone and a colicing horse, because it's usually Friday night and Vet's are hard to find, it's almost a sure thing that their feeding program has some sort of negative influence....it's just hard to pinpoint it as there are many ways to prepare feeds and every horse is different. Running a public barn for years, I saw quite a bit of strange feeding habits and the resulting issue on a horse......feeding beet pulp and not soaking it sufficiently (I will not ever use beet pulp - nothing against those who do, I just don't have a need to feed it); a straight alfalfa diet; 17 quart buckets full of dry alfalfa cubes; dirty stock tanks that even a old catfish wouldn't swim in.

Again, I think you are doing the right thing on considering the well being of your horse, and you didn't say how old your horse is. Maybe riding her with an increase in intensity over time can set some boundaries for you and her. Are you feeding your horse just before you ride her? She may resent coming off her feed, or feel lethargic with a full belly.  If your horse is healthy and well broke, her sluggishness just may her trying to get away with doing as little as required.......my wife accuses me of that quite a bit.

Horses Need Salt All Year Long

I was at several cow horse events recently at different large horse facilities and as I walked around I noticed none of the stalled horses had access to a simple plain white salt blocks. It's true these horses could be getting electrolytes or salt dressed in their grain or pelleted feed, but not likely. Maybe the owners or barn managers thought that since the hot weather is gone so is the need for salt.

The lack of Sodium, or what most of us just call salt, can result in poor performance in horse speed or athletic events; make it more likely that a horse's muscles will get sore and stiff - referred to as tying up; or even affect the horse not being able to sweat adequately which is part of their evaporative cooling system. A lack of salt in the horse's diet can aggravate dehydration as it could cause a horse not to drink an adequate amount of water,.....and drinking less water is a factor for colic.

As with about anything related with a horse's nutritional needs and feeding programs, a person can go crazy trying to balance nutrients, electrolytes and minerals. A friend of mine used to keep a large tray of loose salt for horses' free consumption believing that a salt block couldn't provide was the horse needed because it was too hard to lick. He had to keep that salt tray out of the weather, inside the covered portion of the horse's stall, and as I remember, it collected a lot of dirt and sand.  And I have tried adding powdered or granulated minerals to my horse's feed only to have them get adept at eating around it.     

My horses are on dry feed, as pasture is hard to find here in West Texas. I choose to feed both grass (coastal Bermuda) and alfalfa for several reasons: 1 - I don't believe my horses need that high of percentage of protein in their feed as alfalfa is around 18-20% protein (grass hay is usually around 10-12%; 2 - the grass hay is usually in longer stems which slows down the horse eating, and provides good roughage; and 3 - the grass and alfalfa mix maintains a good ratio of Calcium and Phosphorus in the diet.     

Horses also need other minerals and it's hard to get all the minerals in dry hay. A mineral block is often suggested as an alternative, when pasture can't be accessed, but I have yet to have or even seen a horse who will lick a mineral block.

There are solutions other than a standard mineral block - which you find in your local fed store's as a trace-Mineralized block. Redmond Equine offers a rock shaped salt block that is advertised as containing over 60 minerals. I have one of these in each of my horse's feeders. I hope that the horse's will lick on it from time to time or have the movement of the rock in the feeder wearing minerals off the rock as it gets moved around with the hay. I can't say that any of my horse's lick these rocks, but at least it gives me alittle peace of mind that's it there. You can always topdress your horse's grain or hay with Redmond Crushed Rock loose mineral salt supplement, but again I have not had much luck in getting horses to like loose minerals crushed or not.  

I also feed a pelleted feed, now feeding about 2 lbs of Standlee mixed Timothy Grass - Alfalfa pellets in the evening which really just provides an additional source of dry, compressed hay, but the Timothy hay is different than the Bermuda I feed in bulk. It also keeps my horses used to that pelleted feed in case I have to feed more of than because of a lack of availability of hay for trips into the mountains. Pelleted feed is also handy for using it to introduce supplements which I have one horse on a hoof and joint supplement.

My mainstay is that throughout the year I ensure each horse has a standard white salt block. I leave them out in the open exposed to the rain and dirt, so I have to routinely clean them which only takes a few minutes once a week or so, if that.

The bigger issue I have with salt blocks is the holders in which I place them. I have several types of holders, some without drain holes and others with drain holes underneath the salt block so that the block doesn't allow them to drain water.




And if they can't drain water then the accumulated sand and dirt builds up and makes it difficult to clean. I resolved that problem by drilling a bunch of holes in the bottom and sides of my salt block holders. See the picture below of the salt block holders I drilled more drainage holes in.

I think that if you are unsure what to do, consider at a minimum providing your horses with a white salt block as this is an easy and cheap solution to provide adequate sodium into their diet. Some horses, likely not the majority of them, will chew on the salt block out of boredom.  And while horses generally have a high tolerance to excessive salt, if you have a horse that appears to eating or biting of large chunks of the block then I would remove it until you can talk to your vet about it with an idea on how much the horse is digesting.  You may notice the horse drinking a lot of water and there may an excessive amount of urine in the horse's stall. This habit is generally because of the horse being bored.   

Choke in a Horse

The other night one of our horses, an 25 year old QH Gelding, developed choke. Choke in a horse is when something, usually pelleted feed, gets lodged in the horse's esophagus. The most likely cause is by and far dry, pelleted feed and this was the cause with our horse who was eating a small amount, maybe 1.5 lbs, of small pelleted feed. Dry pellets can expand so that's why most people who feed large amounts of pellets usually soak them for a bit before feeding. Horses who have dental problems or needing their teeth floated are at risk for choke as are horse's who eat their feed too fast. Horse's who did not completely chew their feed can swallow larger pieces of pellets and make it more likely that a pierce will get lodged in their esophagus.

While I have only seen maybe five horses with choke, all the symptoms were the same - the horses appear to be choking - imagine that. The horse will extended his neck and emit a deep cough or appear to be having a gagging reflex, usually followed by colored discharge from his nose and mouth. The horse can also sweat in the exertion of trying to get the offending piece dislodged from his esophagus. The horse can breathe but cannot swallow, but immediate Veterinarian care is needed.

Our Vet, Amy Starr DVM owner of Paws n Hooves Mobile Vet services, arrived, sedated the horse, then tubed the horse with a nasal gastric tube, going through the horse's nose then down into the stomach. The tube hit the blockade in the esophagus so we pumped several ounces of warm water into the tube trying to soften the offending pellet, then let drain, repeating this several times until the Vet was able to pushed the tube into the stomach and we could smell the recently eaten grass hay through the tube.

I could not get a good picture as I was the one pumping the warm water through the nasal tube so the picture at bottom right is just after out Vet pulled the tube and the horse was still sedated.

The need to get the Vet out right away is something you should not dilly about on, The horse can aspirate some of the saliva and bits of feed into their respiration tract and develop feed pneumonia and that is bad news.

Post tubing care was to not feed for at least 12 hours then feed wet hay only, no pellets, for a couple days giving the esophagus a chance to heal from any trauma to the esophagus caused by the tubing - which can occur no matter how careful it is done.  Best case is that the esophagus is mildy irriated and worst case is that you can tear the esophagus building scar tissue and making it further restrictive. And even though it was the first time that this horse choked and we have his teeth floated once every 12 months we stopped feeding him pellets.  Sometimes once a year is not often enough for some horses with floating.  After a couple times floating a horse's teeth, the Vet will have a good idea on what timeline will work for any particular horse.    

You can give the horse Banamine to help him relax or Bute to help with any pain issues. We gave our horse Banamine once that night and decided not to continue it in the morning when it wore off.

Again choke prevention includes feed pellets after soaking them first so they are easier to chew and break up, as well as expand with the liquid before the horse swallows them. Rather than feeding pellets in small bucket where the horse can get a mouthful at a time, spead out the pellets in a larger feeder, slowing his eating, and making it harder for the horse to choke on a mouthful of pellets.  And please don't waste time getting the Vet out if your horse develops choke. 

Stretching Horses

Molly wrote to ask if I stretch my horses out and what, if any, supplements I can recommend to her for joints and muscele health. "Hi, I looked all over on your site to see if you have any articles or videos on stretching horses or if you believe that does any good. Also, on a middle aged horse around 15 years old, what , if any, joint supplements or muscle supplements would you recommend?" Thank you for any consideration in answering this. Molly."

Yes, I do stretch my horses out, not all the time, but more often than not. From the ground I'll lunge a horse around at a slow jog to warm him up alittle and get the blood flowing to his extremities as I think stretching cold muscles increases the chance of an injury (muscle strain or tear) especially on older horses. Pretty much just like us humans. I think that if you have a horse chiropractor in your area, he/she may be able to give you some good stretches and other ideas on stretching horses. So I guess you can tell I also support equine chiropractic care in some cases and only if you get a good chiropractor.

Stretching the horse's legs out, when he is saddled, can help get the cinch sorted out and maybe more comfortable for the horse, as well as just continue the process of getting the horse gentled on having his legs handled which is good for your horseshoer and particular good if you ever get your horse tangled up in wire and you have to cut his legs out and move a leg or foot out of the way. If you stretch out the horse when he is saddled, go back and check the cinch.

On the ground, I'll bend the fore leg back and pull slightly up on the leg and hold for 10-15 seconds. This is much the same thing a Vet will do to check for leg injuries, stretching in the same manner then having you trot your horse of to see if there is any lameness that would be associated with a chronic leg condition. I know people also stretch their horses in this manner, and some also include a small shoulder rotating into it. I don't do that.

I'll also stretch the front foot out until the horse's leg is straight - like in the picture. I don't jerk on it, I just apply a little steady pressure until the horse fully gives me that extension. Many times after you extend that leg fully, the horse will pull down on his leg stretching it himself. Again, I'll hold for 10-15 seconds or so. When doing these stretches, I don't give the horse back his foot/leg until he relaxes, otherwise you are teaching him that he can pull his foot away he wants to. Your shoer will be grateful if your horse is well mannered and doesn't pull his feet away when handling them.

As I go from one side of my horse to the other I'll sometimes lift his tail straight up and not release it until he is soft about it. From the beginning you might hold the tail up for one second then release and build on that until he is comfortable with you holding the tail up for as long as you have a mind to.  This is a routine handling thing as well tail brushing is so when I go about stretching the tail it is usually no big deal for the horse.

 

When I stretch the tail I'll grip the tail just above where the tail bone ends and pull straight back, not sharply, again just a steady pull. I'll hold for about 5 seconds, release, then do it again for maybe 10 to 15 seconds and lean back to put just a little more of my bodyweight into the stretch.  Don't do this on a horse that is not soft about having his tail handled, until he is. But all this tail handling will pay off making your horse softer about his tail and safe for you taking his temperature with a rectal thermometer or if and when you get a rope underneath their tail - this is called rimfired, where the horse will clamp down his tail tighter than a Sister of Mercy in a Nevada cathouse.

For the back legs, I'll lift up a leg (see above picture at left) just like when your shoer puts the leg on a stand and hold for 10-15 seconds, then unflex the leg and pull it out directly behind the horse to full extension (see picture at right). Again, I'm not jerking just putting steady pressure until the horse softens and relaxes.  

Once in the saddle, I will do what might be described as 'pre-ride checks'. This is when I'll ask my horse for lateral and vertical flexion to get him prepared to listen for my signals before we ever start moving. I don't do this all the time like I really should, just more often than not.

As far as supplements go, I don't use muscle building supplements.  I gave used red cell before on really underweight rescue horses, but do not routinely use it. 

 

I do have one horse on joint supplements. Glucosamine, Chondroitin and Hyaluronic Acid (HA) are the big three ingredients found in most joint supplements. Sometimes you'll see Yucca extract or MSM added for their pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. I think Glucosamine is the most important of the joint supplements. Talking over the years with human and horse nutrition researchers, many believe that Glucosamine likely works, but there is no empirical evidence that Chondroitin or HA works. That matches my experience on using human joint supplements. Many believe that Vitamin C is also as good ingredient in joint supplements to help the soft connective tissues to the joints. But whatever you use be sure of the quality, based on the raw ingredients, manufacturing process and subsequent certifications as these are probably key to the effectiveness of any supplement.   Hope this helps Molly.   

Equine Herpesvirus - Recent Outbreak and Vaccinations

In Southern New Mexico there has been an outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus (Rhinopneumonitis). As of 10 February 2016, there have been 62 horses confirmed positive for Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) at New Mexico’s Sunland Park racetrack. Sunland Park is adjacent to El Paso, Texas. The outbreak was first confirmed on 21 January 2016 at the racetrack which racing seasons runs from 18 December 2015 - 19 April 2016.

The New Mexico Livestock Board said the animals were confirmed positive through the testing of nasal swabs or blood samples. The infected horses are housed across 19 different barns within Sunland Park, meaning two more barns have been affected since the board last gave an update on numbers. There are 1600 horses boarded at Sunland Park.

Two positive horses are from an adjacent training facility called Frontera Training Center, which is close to the Sunland Park track. Frontera has always been included in the original quarantine perimeter. Two other nearby horse-training centers, Jovi and Lazy S, are also included in the quarantine area according to the New Mexico Livestock Board.

According to a local news press release - of the 44 infected horses, five have been euthanized due to neurological problems. “EHV-1 is not a death sentence for a horse,” Dr. Tim Hanosh, director of the Veterinary Diagnostic Services lab, said. “Most horses will get over the fever. Some will develop minor neurological signs they can recover from. And, unfortunately, a few will develop severe neurological problems they can’t recover from.”

According to the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) EHV-1 can cause four manifestations of this disease in horses, including neurological form, respiratory disease, abortion and neonatal death. Equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) is another name for the neurologic disease associated with equine herpesvirus (EHV) infections.

Symptoms of EHV.

After getting infected the incubation period may be as short as 24 hours before a horse shows symptoms, however this could be longer, even as long as a week. With respiratory infections there is often nasal discharge but may not be much coughing. There may also be enlargement of the lymph nodes under the jaw.

With the neurologic form there are usually the same respiratory signs but with an increased rectal temperature, greater than 102 degrees, hence the requirement of horses in quarantine having their temps taken twice a day. Other signs of the neurologic form may include: Lack of coordination; Lethargy; tilting of the head; Imbalanced movement; and, if laying down - an inability to rise.

Quarantine and Sanitizing.

EHV-1 is very contagious and spread by direct horse-to-horse contact via the respiratory tract through nasal secretions or horse snot on a person or tack being transferred to other horses. So quarantining of known or suspected infected horses is very important.

Additionally just as important is the sanitizing of any tack, horse trailers, or equipment, e.g.. water/feed buckets, grooming tools, halters and bridles, etc. Regular disinfectants, detergents and hand sanitizers are effective against the virus. Disposable personal protective equipment such as latex gloves, plastic bags for boots, etc., can all help from spreading the virus between horses. And while the virus can be transmitted via the aerial route (ever have a horse sneeze on you?) it is unknown at what distance the virus can be projected. The New Mexico Animal Health Board and Veterinarians also caution that the virus can normally remain alive for a week 7 and up to a month under optimal conditions for the virus.

Vaccinations.

EHV vaccinations are common are included in 6 way immunizations which include protection against Eastern, Western and Venezuelan encephalomyelitis, influenza, tetanus and rhinopneumonitis EHV-1 & EHV-4. Initial immunizations are two shots, usually a month apart, followed by annual shots thereafter. I usually have my horses vaccinated every April, unless it is particularly warm then I move the shots up a few weeks.

There is some belief that a booster for mature horses already on a annual schedule can help increase their immunity to EHV, or decrease the spread of the virus. Owners should consult with their Vet on whether this is a good idea in any particular case. However, there is no version of the EHV vaccine that protects against the neurological strain of the virus.

I have cancelled plans to travel to a couple competitions just to be safe. Basically just waiting out the virus and see when the all clear is given for the infected race track and local training farms. Everybody has to make their own decisions regarding the risks they are willing to take, just understand that the horses are the one's actually at risk.

Are Supplements for Horses Worth It?

EMays wrote to me to ask about equine supplements. I see alot of my friends using supplements on their horses. Based on my history using human health supplements for myself, I think that some are probably good for horses and necessary to make up (nutritional) deficiencies, while others may be a waste of time. What is your opinion on generally good supplements for horses? Thank you for your time."

I pretty much believe that less if better when it comes to supplements in general, and even non-forage feed for that matter. But I also believe some horses, like humans, can have nutritional deficiencies and chronic conditions that may likely be helped with equine supplements. I am also inclined to think that a supplement that works for one horse does not necessarily work for another horse as there are way too many variables such as age, physical condition, previous injuries, feeding program, and what the horse is used for. Another variable is just how much you are willing to spend.

Years ago my horseshoer introduced me to a Doctorate student who was riding with my shoer to keep his own horseshoeing skills current. This Doctorate student, who was heading for an advanced degree in Ruminant Management and Equine Nutrition or some closely related field, also grew up working on ranches and feed lots in the mid-West, was a wealth of information on equine nutrition. Since I had a 20+ year old horse who had broke a coffin bone wing which my shoer was bringing back to soundness with a bar shoe, I asked about hoof supplements thinking it may be a good idea to get this horse on a supplement that would help heal his broken foot.

The Doctorate student told me that he believed hoof supplements were likely effective especially if they had key ingredients like biotin, L-Methionine and L-Tyrosine and some others. He also told me that the jury is out on joint supplements. However, he said it was likely that Chondroitin and Hyaluronic Acid were not effective in horses, but Glucosamine could be. My experience with human joint supplements tell me the same thing, that Glucosamine and Vitamin C are the main effective ingredients in joint supplements. This Doctorate student also said that it was hard to get the industry to fund objective studies since they could be funding a study that would conclude that supplements improving horses were inconclusive or worst yet, not effective. 

By the way - I ended up putting that old horse with the coffin bone break on hoof supplements. Nine months later it came time to quit the barshoes, get an x-ray and see what the hoof looked like. My Vet told me not to get my hopes up, but when I went to his office to get the results he said words to the effect that "I'll be damned that old horse's hoof has healed - no reason you can't start using him now."

I also put another horse on hoof supplements and months later my horseshoer remarked that I should keep doing what I'm doing because that horse's feet were looking good from his perspective. Keep in mind that no hoof supplements are more important that consistent, competent trimming and shoeing......but I think it could help and that leads me to the saying that "proof is in the pudding".

I also have had a horse on joint supplements for the past year. I chose a version high in Glucosamine and Vitamin C and without Chondroitin and Hyaluronic Acid. I think it is helping but it is hard to tell. For sure, he is making more athletic turns such as doubling on the fence, but it could also be because we do more of that. But, I'm going to keep him on it. I think I owe him the benefit of any doubt. If that particular joint supplement started costing an exorbitant amount of money, then I could rethink that, but right now about $35-40 a month is worth it me on the chance it is providing that horse with nutrients good for his joints, and in particular, his cartilage and soft connective tissue.

The bottom line for me is that if any of my horses had a particular condition that may be helped with supplements, then I would try it for awhile. Awhile is not weeks, but months,....if not a year or more. And even then it may be hard to tell if your horse is being helped. Out of six horse's, I have one on daily hoof and joint supplements. Two other horses receive a weekly pro-biotic paste because I think they can benefit from it.

I use Smart Pak supplements. They package my daily supplements in one handy string of multiple containers - see picture upper left. Smart Pak has some good resources available on their web site to include a blog with categories like 'Asking the Vet', to 'Success Stories' from owners using supplements with their horrses and how they fared.


Smart Pak is a very customer oriented and responsive company.  Advisors are available to discuss supplements over the phone and help you choose what may be best for your horse.  The UPS truck brings my supplements every 28 days and I even get an e-mail to my phone when they are delivered so I can walk out to my main gate to retrieve the package.   I have no financial arrangement with Smart Pak other than they have donated to charity based horse event I have ran.  

Using Honey to Treat Horse Wounds?

This article was originally posted on Yahoo and titled - "The Horse Called Miracle Who Cheated Death With The Help Of Honey". Isn’t it funny how a horse likes honey? A horse who was on the verge of being put down has made a miraculous recovery thanks to a few dollops of the sweet stuff.

The animal, appropriately called Miracle, collided with a fence and suffered a 12-inch gash in her leg. “We don’t know what Miracle did but it was a horrible injury,” said Sue Gessey, 40, who runs the Animal Healing Trust in Withal, Worcestershire. “I arrived at the centre in the morning and she was in the field with her leg gaping and there was blood everywhere. “She must have caught her leg on a fence in a freak accident. “When I looked closer I saw a huge piece of skin flapping around with blood pouring out. It was horrible.”

Sue had taken Miracle in as a rescue horse. She was saved from the knacker’s yard four years ago, only to come close to death again with the horrific injury.

One vet recommended Miracle be put to sleep after suffering the gash in her leg, but Sue wouldn’t contemplate that course of action, and found another vet who suggested putting honey on the wound twice a day.

Comment from Functional Horsemanship: I've seen some pretty horrific injuries on horses. I've always felt that my Vets never sugar coated recovery or anything but giving me good advice. But I have never have a Vet tell me a horse should be put down from a soft tissue injury without trying to treat it. I realize Miracle was a rescue horse, but they all deserve a fair effort on our parts.

Honey from the charity’s own beehives was used on Miracle’s leg. Unbelievably, after six days Miracle was able to put weight on the leg, and after five weeks had made a full recovery. “For the next three days the vet was calling me telling me I needed to put Miracle down, but I couldn’t believe it.” Sue found the honey suggestion while researching online, before a different vet also mentioned the unusual treatment. “He operated on her in the field for £400 and then said I needed to apply honey to the wound every day, which would work as a natural antiseptic,” she said.

“That was no problem for me, as we have our own beehive for exactly that. I believe that’s why she made such an amazing recovery, it was like silk binding her leg back together.”

Miracle got her name from her first brush with death, when she was saved from slaughter four years ago with just hours to spare. “After her latest scare she’s certainly living up to her name,” said Sue.

Comment from Functional Horsemanship: I've never heard of using honey on wounds before. I would be hesitant to use honey because of attracting insects, but  I did some research on using honey on wounds and it appears to be a legitimate remedy. According to DermNetNZ honey has antimicrobial properties because the lack of water inhibits the growth of microorganisms and when honey is diluted by wound fluids, hydrogen peroxide is produced in the reaction. This may be why the hydrogen peroxide based Vetericyn works so well on soft tissue wounds. DermNetNZ went on to explain honey appears to stimulate lymphocytic and phagocytic activity which are key body immune responses in the battle against infection. I'll think I will still be using Vetericyn on wounds that my horses get, but I won't be forgetting about the use of honey. Heck, I'll likely be needing it on myself as clumsily as I am with knives and such.

If you are interested in learning more, then click on the DermNetNZ link which will take you to their site and further explains what type of honey to use and how to use honey on the wound.

Natural Feeding For Horses

I was recently asked by U.K. based author and consultant, Alexandra Wesker, MSc, to review her new book "Natural Feeding For Horses - Discover Roughage Based Feeding for the Physical and Emotional Health of Your Horse".

Ms. Wesker writes that she had a hard time as a Equine Nutritional Consultant in finding a book to recommend to her clients, so she decided to write the book she was looking for. The result? A thoughtful, well researched and written book that will make a positive impact on horses as it makes it's way into the hands of horse owners. This book can be used by new horse owners who just want a basic understanding of horses, digestion and feeds, as well as the old experienced hands who want to delve into formulas for developing a feeding program based on their horse's size, breed, activity level, and considering the digestible energy and nutritional vales of feeds.

What is Natural Feeding? In a nutshell, it's feeding a roughage (hay) based diet and feeding in a manner like nature, including horse's eating off ground level. Alexandra addresses this in detail and why this is very important. Like many people, I have used several different types of feeders and was happy to find large plastic milk crate type boxes so I could feed my horses at ground level, which is how they are designed to eat, as well as keep the feed off the ground to minimize the ingestion of sand.

But this book is more than that. I liked the section of the book discussing various grasses such as Orchard, Timothy, Bermuda, the various Fescues, Brome, Blue Grass, Ryegrass and others, and the charts on the nutritional value of hays.

Others will appreciate the Suggested Diets chapter. Ms. Wesker follows up with many examples of horses, their breed and activity, and feeding examples. So, if you have ever been confused about determining the digestible energy content of the feed you provide your horses, or what level your horse needs based on it's activity and size, then this book and it's easy to understand formulas will help as she walks the reader through determining activity levels, required feed level, designing feeding programs, and information on safely replacing feeds with cereals.  She advocates about consistency in the feeding program and the necessity of making changes gradually.

The last thing I would like to say if that Alexandra recognizes the emotional or mental health aspect of horses and advocates horses being able to move, obtain overhead cover and not be kept in solitary conditions - which I appreciate as I see way too many horses who are viewed and treated as tools or objects and not living, thinking and feeling creatures. Stabling a horse, by itself, in a small stall, no matter how good your feeding program is, is akin to mental/emotional abuse. Those conditions alone are likely to cause behavior and digestive problems. It is my wish that all horses could be given a fair deal by their owners and a continuing education in horses and their care is the road towards that.

Buy the book, you won't regret it.   You can also check out Alexandra's website: Natural Feeding For Horses.

You can order a copy of Natural Feeding for Horses through Amazon.com

Question on Hoof Rot

Justin wrote to ask about rot in his horse's hooves. "Hi. What is the best thing to do (about) the rotten smell coming out of my horse's hoofs? Not all of them smell bad, all the time but I'm thinking I need to do something."

Hey Justin, the smell is from a condition called Thrush, or it could be a pre-Thrush condition - meaning if left untreated it could turn into thrush. Thrush is caused by an anaerobic organism, meaning an organism that thrives without air. Air is the enemy of thrush, and sometimes cleaning out the rot to expose to the air will get rid of it for a time.

If left un-checked, Thrush can eat away the surface of the hoof - the part you see when you clean the feet as well as the softer frog - the spongy V shaped portion of the hoof. Hooves degraded from Thrush can actually lame up a horse, but I haven't seen this except for only the most egregious of neglect cases.

In the photo of the hoof at left you can see the white powdery material in the V crevice of the frog and the sole.  The black substance is thrush developing and it will be stinky.  Not as bad as my boot socks, but not smelling good in any case.  Pick the debris and manure out with a hoof pick and as you are scrapping much of the rot should come out too.

The biggest environmental factor for horses getting thrush is manure in the stalls. Removing manure, raking the stall and cleaning the feet can keep your horse(s) relatively Thrush free. Horses will generally clean their own hooves to some degree as they move around and their hooves hit the ground, expand and contract, and the process of their feet hitting the ground can often dislodge manure and it will drop away. If moving on hard or rocky ground, that ground can also chip away at material left in the hoof. However, the manure and wet soil can get lodges in the crevice of the frog and sole and then requires someone to pull it away using a hoof pick.

Good, routine farrier care is important for sound feet including any considering any comments and recommendations from your shoer/trimmer about Thrush in their hooves. Did you farrier say something to you about cleaning the feet more often? 

When you get that nasty Thrush smell and see evidence of black, decaying sole or frog, there are several things you can do to treat the hoof after cleaning it. There are commercial products to treat Thrush like Kopertox, Thrush Buster, No Thrush and many others. You can also use common household bleach or iodine. I use Kopertox for the most part. I don't use it that much, and when I do really only one application is necessary.

Kopertox's active ingredient is a diluted form of Copper Naphthenate, and as other commercial Thrush treatments, Kopertox tends to dry out the hoof. I try not to use Kopertox at least a week before my shoer comes so the feet aren't as hard as Superman's kneecap and therefore hard to trim with a hoof knife.  I live in the desert where you would think the feet wouldn't get Thrush because of the dryness, but we have our rainy seasons and it doesn't take long for wet soil and the Thrush organism present in the soil to make it's arrival on the hoof and particularly in the clefs of the frog. Checking your horse's feet once a day isn't too often. 

Horse Abuse

I would reckon that 100% of the people reading this site get as sad and angry as I do when we hear about horse abuse. I did not put up with boarders using abusive training methods or otherwise neglecting basic care for their horses when I ran a large horse barn years ago. Nor today when I am out of the public stables business, do I sit still when notified of horse abuse cases, which most commonly are not providing adequate feed, water or hoof care.

I am angry not only at horse owners who insist of owning horses but do not provide adequate care, but get angry as well as county officials who fail to correct the situation. My wife is even worse. She gets so livid at abusive owners and 'do nothing' county officials, that I worry about her getting arrested when confronting either. I think it makes her perpetually sad as it does me. I have known a couple ladies in the animal rescue business, who eventually moved out of the area as they just could no longer reconcile the daily disappointments in what mankind does to animals. ......I think we'll all be judged some day, by our Maker, who will hold us to account for how we treated his creatures.  I figure they are just on loan to us.

There are many layers to the problem and potential solutions. From the Law Enforcement side, lack of resources is often the biggest restriction to having a robust animal abuse investigative arm. Everything from irate parents complaining about speeders, to DUI checkpoints, to anti-gang task forces all eat up LE resources, often leaving only a animal abuse investigator who often does not have citation, emergency confiscation or arrest authority. Then adding a lack of knowledge with the abuse investigators pertaining to horses and other livestock, and lack of stiff enough penalties to serve as a deterrent, all conspire to be obstacles to safeguard animals at risk.

Almost 2 years ago the property abutting part of my North property line began development of a horse facility. Two rail pipe fencing, a metal barn capable of holding large quantities of hay and equipment, and the beginning construction of a row of thirteen 10' x 10' cinder block stalls (which remain to this day half finished). Soon after, four horses in good body score condition were turned loose onto that property - a sorrel brood mare and her yearling colt, a bay mare, and a black and white paint gelding. Within a week we had a good idea on what type of horse owner this was, who was actually just allowed to use the property and did not have any ownership part of the property.

For the first several weeks, these horses were not fed.  Instead just eating the weeds on the property. Two 30 gallon barrels were on site for water, but the owner had to bring water in by tanker truck as he apparently could not pay the $75 quarterly water bill for county water. When the weeds ran out, they had to bring hay in. And a nice old man, who did not speak any English, was hired to care for the horses. He would routinely ask us for water as the absent owner failed to contract for it to be brought in. And we would often tell the old man that the horses were getting skinny and lack of feed would impact bad on the growing colt. Then we learned that the absent owner would often fail to send money or arrange delivery of feed as well. Eventually the old man quit as he was not getting paid nor could he stand to see the animals in such condition.

The property accumulated junk - rebar, broken cinder blocks, steel pipe, angle irons pieces, etc. We advised the owner about the threat to the horses and ended up treating one of the horse who sustained a bad cut on her hocks because the owner refused to call a Vet. My wife ended up dressing and cleaning that wound daily until it healed. We also worked one of their horses through a case of colic.

Aside from that, my wife and I ensured that these horses did not go for very long with water and some grass hay. We also called the County Animal Control several times to respond when the owner would be absent for several days at a time. The Animal Control Officer, despite our pointing out how low those horses scored on the Body Condition Scale, using the Henneke System Equine Body Condition Scoring System, developed by Don R. Henneke, PhD of Tarleton State, University of Texas, 1983. The Animal Control Officer would just tell us, "they look good to me. Call me when they get worse."

We had no problem making repeat calls to Animal Control which eventually led to the owner moving his horses to an open field, where he built a temporary fence around more cinder block stalls. A few people would call us about those horses, we would go down and check them out, and call animal control to investigate. Many times there was no water on the property in stock tanks or otherwise, and horses continue to lose weight.

The last time was a few days ago. There were only two horses on that property now. We think at least one of the died and the gelding was likely sold.  My wife was crying as she called me to described the condition of these horses. The Bay More, a really nice horse and the one who had the hock injury, is in the picture at right. This picture was taken after the horse drank two 17 quart buckets of water helping to expand her barrel and make her appear just a little better.  The sorrel colt is actually now a two year old, coming three this spring - and still looks like a yearling to me. He is the horse in the photo at the top of this article - what do you think? Anyway, my wife filled up two 17 quart buckets with water for the horses which they promptly drank dry, then she filled them up again and they drank them dry one more time. I called Animal Control and the Sheriffs Office at 10.00 am in the morning and they finally responded at 5.00 pm.

We spent an hour explaining to the deputies about our history of reporting on these animals, lack of a county solution, how to body score a horse, what would constitute fair care, necessary hoof care, the lack of water, lack of feed, and tell tale lack of manure which indicated the horses were eating their own manure - little of that they were producing.

We coordinated for a local rescue to take the horses, providing a confiscation order could be obtained that the deputies assured me was being worked. But we learned the next day that the owner, after being contacted by Law Enforcement, brought in hay and water and assured the deputies that the horses would be taken care of. We were informed that the abuse case was dropped.

Law Enforcement may have dropped it, but we aren't letting it go. We'll be checking on these horses weekly and calling Animal Control and the Sheriffs Office as needed. I think what efforts that man and society makes to correct animal abuse is a snapshot into our collective morale health as a people. Again, well be held accountable.

Safe Journey. 

Lets Talk About West Nile Virus Again

We all should be pretty grateful for all the rain this year, breaking the drought in much of the affected areas, however with all the rain Texas and other western states have had this year so far, Mosquitos are a larger potential problem than in the recent past. And with Mosquitos come the threat of West Nile Virus, a viral disease transmitted from mosquitos to horses, and from mosquitos to people as well. Horses are pretty susceptible to West Nile, more so than people. Humans who are at risk are usually those who are already immunological weakened. There are still some misperceptions on West Nile such as "an infected horse can infect another horse", and no this is not the case. Only infected mosquitos can infect a horse.

West Nile attacks the nervous system and can cause brain and spinal infection or inflammation. A horse will appear to be drunk - lack of coordination in movement and loss of balance. Other symptoms can be: extreme lethargy; lack of appetite; and, dullness in the eye and other signs of depression such as head pressing on a stall wall or post.

There are other diseases, such as Encephalitis (Venezuelan, Eastern or Western) whose symptoms can mimic West Nile. Only with a blood test can you be sure, and then only supportive care for the symptoms can be done.

A few years ago, when I was running a large horse stables, a boarder brought in a horse and while in quarantine the horse started showing signs of lethargy, dullness, loss of appetite and severe loss of coordination and balance in movement - staggering when trying to turn around. A blood test confirmed West Nile. A week later the horse was pretty sound and was absent all symptoms, although the owner decided to sell the horse anyway. I found a buyer for him and transported the horse to a good home with several young boys who were even able to rope off of this horse.

There are several things a horse owner in a mosquito area can do to minimize risk to his horses. Even though I live in an area without mosquitos, I often trailer 15 miles away, close to the Rio Grande, where mosquitos are present, so the West Nile vaccination is part of my routine April or spring series of immunizations for my horses. In the first few years of the West Nile outbreak it was common for horses to receive an initial shot with a booster a few weeks later.

Taking care to drain or remove sources of stagnant water will help reduce breeding grounds for mosquitos. On most properties you would be amazed at the number of items capable of holding water that would attract mosquitos. Store empty buckets upside down. Open trash cans or dumpsters (without lids) could use a couple drain holes at the bottom to reduce collecting water. At the stables I managed years ago, I would spray insect killer on the manure pit, in-between dumpings, to help reduce chances of mosquitos. Fly spray, not insect killer, can help keep a horse protected as well, although I try to limit my use of fly spray on horses to a minimum. It seems that whenever I use fly spray I can't help but spray myself and go on about the day with the taste in my mouth. I guess that just goes along with me never being accused of having acute coordination.

Anyway, If you have any questions on whether you should vaccinate your horses against West Nile, talk to your Vet. Most Vet's would approach it from the side of caution and urge a West Nile vaccination, but it gives you peace of mind to inoculate your horses, even though the immunization won't keep your horse from getting West Nile, it just give him a better chance of making through the disease if he becomes symptomatic.

The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) has reported West Nile present in Harris County (Houston) and Tarrant County (Dallas) and even El Paso County (El Paso) had a human death from West Nile, so it is not necessarily only the really humid areas, or areas close to water sources that are primarily the WNV threat areas.

The United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA- APHIS) keeps track of animal diseases. The map below is the nationwide cases of West Nile Virus from last year. A complete list of counties in the U.S. where West Nile has been confirmed can be accessed here:

Equi-Sure Supplement for Horses

I have had Equi-Sure on hand after watching a segment on it in the Craig Cameron program on RFD-TV. Craig interviewed the makers of Equi-Sure and they recounted multiple cases where they believed administration of 10cc of Equi-Sure reduced or eliminated colic symptoms in horses. Craig also had a positive experience with Equi-Sure which had convinced him of it's value.

Even though Craig talked about the positive experience he had with Equi-Sure, I did not want to write about it until I also had a personal experience, but I was grateful not to have to use it (who wants a sick horse!), but that changed the other night.

  A few nights ago, I had a reason to use it on one of my horses around 10:00 at night as he was wringing his tail, kicking at his stomach, pawing the ground and laying down. I checked for gut sounds and he had them on all four quadrants, but they were loud and gurgling. He had a normal amount of manure and he passed gas a couple times when I was assessing him. I figured he had a bout of gas colic.

I then gave him 10cc of Equi-Sure. In about 15 minutes he appeared back to normal.

I checked on him about 45 minutes later, and then again another hour later, and he still looked normal, so I went to sleep thankful for not having to call the Vet so late. I can't say for sure if Equi-Sure had anything to do with his shedding his discomfort, and I wonder about the hours the horses are out of our sight and how many times they get distress which resolves itself, but from now on I'll always have a bottle of Equi-Sure on hand.

Equi-Sure advertises that their supplement is all-natural product not only for routine use to increase overall health but also for horses during periods of stress such as gastric stress and colic, and to reduce symptoms of ulcers. They also say that Equi-Sure increases appetite and water consumption.

Equi-Sure also states that the ingredients form an antibacterial cleanse that naturally breaks down bacteria in a horse’s stomach. Go to the website and read more.

A 250ml bottles, which provides twenty five 10ml doses is $70, which I figured was pretty cheap insurance to have on hand. You have to call the toll free line to order - (800) 254-0179 and where you can ask further questions.

More on Horse Dehydration and Water Needs

Mac wrote in regarding dehydration in horses: "Great article on dehydration in Horses and Humans. I know people can go a maximum of three days without water, so my questions are how much water does an average horse need for one day, how long can a horse go without water like in the heat of the summer, how can you get horses to drink more water?"

While it is true that 48 to 72 hours is generally considered to be the maximum time a person can go without water there are several factors that would extend or reduce this timeline such as ambient temperature, exposure to the Sun and the individual's physical condition. But well before that individual would actually die from dehydration, his or her ability to think coherantly and physically function would be greatly reduced. At some point, likely hours, before actual death from dehydration if someone found the individual, he/she would likely be too far gone to save with oral re-hydration.

So I think these questions are the revelant ones: 1 -  How long can a person or horse go without water before their physical ability and mental reasoning is signifcantly degraded; 2 - At what point or time without water does an individual or horse become on a shortr spiral to death without extraordinaty life savings measures; 3 - then the question of how long can an indvidiaul or horse go without water before dying becomes kinda non-relevant.

Someone sent me a chart or meme with a picture of a horse and a quote to the effect that horse's need eight gallons of water a day. I'm sure it was intended to make owners more aware of a horse's water needs, but eight gallons per horse per day is a minimal amount in my opinion, maybe excepting in cooler temperatures.

I know of four horses that have traveled 60 miles in 50 to 70 degree weather with heavy loads - saddle and rider on one horse, and saddles with a hundred and fifty pounds of marijuana on the other three horses - all without access to water, and at the end of the second day, the rider leading the string rode into a ranch and asked the people there to call the Border Patrol. The rancher took care of the horse, giving them water before turning them over to the Tick Rider, and all horses survived. If the temperature would have been twenty degrees hotter, then this story would have likely had a different ending.

Probably the closet I've came to testing one of my horses to his limit was chasing a someone's loose horse for 17 miles in over 100 degree temperature. Once I got my horse back to his pen he was more interested in feed than water, but once I had them cooled off, I'll give him a chance to drink for 30-45 minutes before feeding him. If he still has not drank and water, sometimes I'll soak some alfalfa in water and let him have that.

And you asked about how to get a horse to drink more water? I'd like to know myself. But what I do if one of my horses is finished eating, and I'm waiting on him, I'll lead him over to the stock tank. If I'm patient enough, he'll usually drink a little which makes me feel better about taking him out for some work.  In some cases if I'm needing to get him to work, I'll give him water soaked hay, like I mentioned above.  All horses are going to be a little different, watch them for a few hours and you can see what their tendencies are.

To address your question on how much water a horse needs daily, again you have to consider the horse, the activity, his physical condition and the ambient temperature. To give you an example using one of my horses, who is in very good condition, in temperatures from 76 degrees to 105 degrees this is his water use over two days:

Day One,
Midnight to 0530, my horse drank 2 gallons of water
0530 fed him
0830 saddled up, loaded and on the road
1000 horse unloaded and rode doing ranch sorting until 1300 then loaded back up and on the way home
1430 back home in the pen, offered water, horse drank maybe 1/2 gallon. I did a skin fold test - skin on neck stayed tented for 5-6 seconds indicating pretty well dehyrdated. I hosed him off with cool water then put him back in his pen.  The pictures at right show the skin fold test on the loose skin on his neck.  Sorry about the poor quality picture at bottom, but I think you can see the skin staying "tented" which is a pretty good indication that he is dehydrated to some extent. 
1450 horse fed
By 1800 the horse had finished his feed and drank almost 9 gallons of water
1830 fed again and by midnight he had drank more 4 gallons of water

Day Two,
Midnight to 0530 he drank another 2 gallons
0530 fed
0830 He had drank another gallon. I saddled him and rode about 5 miles in 90 degree heat and direct sunlight.
1100 He was back in his pen and I did another skin fold test with his skin staying tented for less than 2 seconds. So I left him to drink and wait until his mid-day feeding.
1330 Went to feed and noted that he drank 3 gallons
1330 Fed him
By 1800 He drank 5 more gallons of waters.
1800 to midnight, he drank maybe 1 more gallon of water.

So in two days, in day temperatures over 100 degrees with moderate work, this horse drank just a little more than 27 gallons of water.

Providing adequate amounts of clean water for horses is likely the biggest failure of most people I see keeping their horses in pens.  Getting asked to look at suspected horse abuse I most often see horses without adequate water at all.  I advise owners that they should plan on their horses needing 15 gallons of water, per horse, per day at a minimum. This is pretty consistent with my two days of measuring on one of my horses. All my horses have overhead cover to protect them from the direct Sun if they seek it. Many horses are kept in facilities without over head cover so I would think their water needs may be greater.

Top 10 Nutritional Tips for Horses

I ran across this article from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). While I think it's a pretty good baseline article for the care and feeding of horses, I have added some comments underneath each topic in italics.

From the ASPCA:  Remember that old nursery rhyme that begins, “Hay is for horses…”? As it turns out, that’s sound advice for feeding companion equines—as are the following tips from our experts at the ASPCA Pet Nutrition and Science Advisory Service.

1. Base Your Horse’s Diet on Grass and Hay.

A horse’s digestive system is made to process large quantities of grass, which is high in fiber and water. The basic diet for most horses should consist of grass and good-quality hay that’s free of dust and mold. As a general rule, companion horses should be able to graze or eat hay whenever they want to.

Forage (grass and alfalfa) first. That's the motto of ADM feeds and something that guides my feeding program. It would be nice to have horses on pasture but there is very little of it in West Texas.

2. Feed Several Small Meals a Day.

Because horses’ stomachs were developed for grazing, horses function better with a feeding plan based on “little and often.” ASPCA experts recommend that horses should eat several small meals—at least two, preferably three or more—in the course of a day. When feeding hay, give half the hay allowance at night, when horses have more time to eat and digest.

I  feed three times a day.  Grass, alfalfa and Patriot (a processed feed from ADM) in them morning; grass and alfalfa in the early afternoon; and Grass, alfalfa and Patriot in the evening.   

3. No Grain, No Gain.

Most horses, even fairly active ones, don’t need the extra calories found in grains. Excess grains can lead to muscle, bone and joint problems in young and adult horses. Unless directed otherwise by your veterinarian or other equine professional, it’s best to feed low-energy diets high in grass and hay.

Good point that most horses don't need grain. I don't feed grain but I do feed a processed feed from ADM called Patriot. My horses do well on this. They get about 3.5 lbs of this divided up into two of their three feedings. I feed this primarily for two reasons: to provide for vitamins and minerals they don't get in their grass or alfalfa, and to get their systems used to this processed feed so I can feed more to make up forage shortages when away from my barn.

4. Be Aware of Individual Needs.

Feed according to the individuality of the horse, including condition and activity level. Some horses have difficulty keeping on weight, and need more feed per unit of body weight. However, most horses should eat between 2 percent to 4 percent of their body weight daily in pounds of hay or other feeds. Your veterinarian can help you decide how and what to feed your horse.

Two percent is a good baseline number. For the average 1,100 Quarterhorse this would be 22 lbs of hay a day. Four percent is really quite a bit of feed. If a horse worked all day long, he would require additional feed to replace calories burned, but again 4 percent of a horse's body weight is a lot.

5. Water Works.

Plenty of fresh, clean, unfrozen water should be available most times, even if the horse only drinks once or twice a day. Contrary to instinct, horses who are hot from strenuous exercise should not have free access to water. Rather, they should be allowed only a few sips every three to five minutes until they have adequately cooled down.

Ensuring that horses have fresh, clean water is often over looked. Many places I visit have really dirty stock tanks and this does not facilitate the horses wanting to drink. Automatic waters are great at keeping a supply of fresh water available. However, they still need to be checked every day for function. I have also seen issues with automatic waters if they are not maintained.   I use old fashioned stock tanks. They allow me to see how much water my horses are drinking. I have to dump them once or twice a week to scrub them and re-fill. The wet sand I create when I dump my stock tanks allows my horses' hooves to soak up some moisture.

6. Provide a Supplementary Salt Block.

Because most diets do not contain mineral levels high enough for optimal health and performance, horses should have free access to a trace mineral and salt block. This will provide your horse with adequate levels of salt to stabilize pH and electrolyte levels, as well as adequate levels of trace minerals. As long as plenty of fresh water is available, you needn’t be concerned about overconsumption of salt.

It's been my experience that while most horses will lick a salt block, many horses don't like the conventional mineral blocks. There are different mineral solutions from powdered minerals that can be top dressed on your horses grain or processed feed, to newer type mineral blocks such as the ADM GroStrong Mineral Quad Block. I provide a white salt block for my horses and I break up a GroStrong mineral block and keep a piece in each horse feeder. 

7. Take it Slow.

Any changes in the diet should be made gradually to avoid colic (abdominal pain usually associated with intestinal disease) and laminitis (painful inflammation in the hoof associated with separation of the hoof bone from the hoof wall), either of which can be catastrophic. Horses are physically unable to vomit or belch. Overfeeding and rapid rates of intake are potential problems. Consequently, a horse or pony who breaks into the grain bin, or is allowed to gorge on green pasture for the first time since autumn, can be headed for a health disaster.

I change out from one cut of alfalfa to the next through a seven day period. Some recommend a gradual change through a longer period. Either way, different feeds and different sources of the same feed should be introduced slowly. 

I would describe Colic and Laminitis a little differently, Colic is distress of the intestines which can be caused by several issues, one of the worst being a blockage (called an impaction) of the intestines, and colic symptoms are almost always a medical emergency for that horse. Founder (Laminitis) is actually the separation of the hoof bone (the coffin bone) from the laminae which can caused the coffin bone to rotate in the hoof capsule and in the worst case (usually requiring euthanasia) causes the coffin bone drop and even penetrate the bottom of the sole.

8. Dental Care & Your Horse’s Diet: Chew On This.

Horses need their teeth to grind grass and hay, so it is important to keep teeth in good condition. At the age of five years, horses should begin annual dental checkups by a veterinarian to see if their teeth need floating (filing). Tooth quality has to be considered when deciding whether or not to feed processed grains (grains that are no longer whole, such as cracked corn and rolled oats). Horses with poor dental soundness—a particular problem in older horses—tend to benefit more from processed feed than do younger horses, who have sounder mouths and teeth.

This is an over looked routine health care need or horses. Some advocate a dental checkup once a year. I average about every 16 months. A checkup usually results in some dental work as the Vet has to sedate the horses in order to do the checkup, so may as well get some work done even if it is just minimal. Some horses will require shorter intervals between floating. Having a competent Vet do your floating, keeping good records on how much sedation each horse needs, is a blessing and keeps your horses healthy.

9. Exercise Caution.

Stabled horses need exercise. Horses will eat better, digest food better and be less likely to colic if they get proper exercise. Horses should finish eating at least an hour before hard work. Do not feed grain to tired or hot horses until they are cooled and rested, preferably one or two hours after activity. You can feed them hay instead. To prevent hot horses from cooling down too quickly, keep them out of drafts or warm in blankets.

Horses do need exercise.  They need a large enough pen to move around in.  A smaller pen is adequate if the horses are taken out to turn out or exercised by a human through ground work and/or riding. People who keep their horses day in and day out in a ten foot square pen are just slowly killing their horses in my opinion.    

10. Don’t Leave Home Without It.

Because abrupt dietary change can have devastating results on a horse’s sensitive system, you should always bring your horse’s food with you when you travel. Additionally, some horses will refuse to drink unfamiliar water, so you may also want to bring along a supply of the water your horse regularly drinks.

Again changing feeds suddenly can cause big problems - see paragraph 7 above.  Also, I've experienced horses not drinking strange water so this is absolutely true about some horses not drinking unfamiliar water.