Kas Edney Hoof-Care Practitioner

25/06/2025

25/06/2025

41.1K likes, 349 comments. “What do you call them?”

18/06/2025

🚨🚩Warning: Feeding horses straw can result in significant digestive disorders🐴🌾🚨🚩
As hay becomes more and more scarce, may horses owners have been turning to feeding hay to fill their horses feed gap. But please be warned that incorrect feeding of straw to horses can be dangerous.
We have seen a number of horses recently for colic with a history of rapid introduction of straw into their diets.
While feeding of straw can be very useful in weight reduction and calorie restriction of overweight horses or those with equine metabolic syndrome, in normal horses it is not a great option as it has very limited nutritional value and is poorly digestible.
Straws stalky fibre content can make it difficult for horses to digest as they do not have a rumen to process and breakdown into an absorbable form of nutrients like cattle or sheep. This undigested fibre can accumulate in the horses gastro-intestinal tract resulting in impaction colic. If left untreated impaction colic can be severe and life threatening.
The other problem with straw is that it can often be quite mouldy and hence increase the risk of allergic or respiratory disease in your horse.
Straw must be introduced very slowly to the diet and should never exceed more than 50% of the horses roughage intake. It may take up to a month to achieve this level and horses should be monitored closely for signs of colic at all times.
Horses being fed straw should have access to clean water at all times. Remember some horses with dental disease will not drink adequate amounts in winter due to cold water temperatures. This can be overcome by adding a kettle of warm water to the trough or offering tepid water sweetened with molasses. Image: https://dengie.com/nutrition-hub/weight-management/forage/

16/06/2025

When horses are denied regular contact with other horses, they can experience increased stress, which may manifest as restlessness, stereotypic behaviours (such as weaving or cribbing), and even health issues like digestive or musculoskeletal problems.

Social isolation has also been linked to heightened anxiety, learning difficulties, and a greater risk of injury, as horses deprived of companionship are more likely to become despondent or withdrawn.

Humans can offer comfort and support to horses during periods of social isolation, but cannot fully substitute for the social bonds horses form with other horses.

A recent (2025) study by Janczarek and colleagues examined this issue by measuring heart rate, heart rate variability, and behavioural responses in 12 horses during brief isolation periods.

The researchers found that even with attentive human support, horses still show physiological and behavioural signs of stress when isolated from other horses. Mares, in particular, remained stressed regardless of the type of human interaction.

Janczarek, I., Gazda, I., Barłowska, J., Kurnik, J., & Łuszczyński, J. (2025). Social Isolation of Horses vs. Support Provided by a Human. Animals

27/05/2025

05/05/2025

29/04/2025

I love Poly Shoes.
Less concussion, more flexibility.
Best nailed on.

14/04/2025