Saint Pine Stables

02/19/2025

https://drkhorsesense.wordpress.com/2025/02/15/free-choice-feeding-and-equine-obesity-metabolic-syndrome/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2D19bKHjQx4NSY8CiZI2mPp4e8hcDho3dt0-dd-o8ECPsmEM7xOC28bBY_aem_xubwQ6GjgelxIbSNyK37tg

I thought the idea of free choice feeding for any horse had died out but it keeps resurfacing.The advice to allow free access to food for an obese horse (or human for that matter) is doomed to fail…

02/07/2025

UPDATE: A heartfelt thank you to our amazing community, both near and far! Our clients are truly moved by the kindness and generosity they’ve received. So many individuals and local businesses donated quality supplies, providing a crucial step toward helping them rebuild and navigate this challenging time.

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One of our wonderful clients suffered a devastating loss last night when their barn tragically burned down. By some miracle, they woke during the night and were able to get their horses out just in time. However, everything else was lost.

These are the kind of people who always give but never ask—so on their behalf, we are reaching out to our incredible horse community for support. If anyone is able to contribute, they are in need of:

- Pitchforks
- A wheelbarrow
- Winter blankets (sizes 74”, 78”, and 81-82”)
- Buckets (water and feed)
- Extra halters (horse size)
- Beet pulp

As horse people, we all know how much we tend to collect over the years—if you have any extras, big or small, they would be deeply appreciated as they navigate this incredibly stressful time.
In an effort to respect their privacy, donations can be dropped off at Mills Veterinary Services. Thank you so much to anyone who can help!

12/14/2024

As the weather cools down, allowing yourself an ample amount of time to cool out your horse after a cold ride is essential to ensure that you don’t jeopardize your horses' health by allowing them to catch a chill.

Our friends at Equus Magazine have some useful tips to share for cooling out your horses this winter. You can read the full article on their website at https://equusmagazine.com/riding/coolingout-10486/

11/24/2024

10/27/2024

10/26/2024

So simple yet so complicated 🫠

10/19/2024

This is why we prefer the heated auto waterers😃

MYTH: Coastal Bermuda Hay Causes Colic.

FACT: Bermudagrass hay that has been harvested correctly is a perfectly safe forage for horses. Bermuda hay should be harvested every 21 days during peak growing season to ensure the grass has not become too mature. The more mature the grass is, the higher the NDF content will be in the hay. NDF (neutral detergent fiber) is a measure of indigestible fiber. Correlations have been made between high NDF content in hay and increased chance of impaction colic due to the hay being less digestible. Bottom line, it is not the type of hay, but rather the time of harvest that should be used to evaluate the quality and safety of feeding bermuda hay.

Especially during cold water, the risk of impaction colic due to reduced water consumption/dehydration and indigestible forage increases greatly. You can test your forage for digestibility at Equi-analytical.com and add an additional 1-2tbs of table salt or electrolytes daily to help encourage water consumption.

10/14/2024

I can’t believe the gorgeous fall fog and sun today at the farm!

10/04/2024

09/26/2024

Cooler weather brings its own challenges, like fall laminitis 😩

08/19/2024

https://www.facebook.com/100045384742980/posts/1055579392631542/?app=fbl

Have you ever been told to not allow a hot, sweaty horse to drink cold water because it could lead to colic, founder or tie up?

This notion is actually a myth, and a dangerous one too, because it could lead to dehydration and very serious (and real) consequences. A sweaty, hardworking horse needs to be rehydrated without delay (i.e. don’t wait for the horse to cool down first).

The key, however, is to know how much water to allow at one time — because of the equine stomach’s relatively small capacity, offer small amounts of water every 20 minutes until the horse drinks his fill rather than letting the animal drink it all at once.

Remember that water is the most vital nutrient for a horse. A horse’s daily water requirements are influenced by many factors, but the average idle 1,100-pound horse in a cool environment will drink 6 to 10 gallons of water per day. That amount may easily double or triple in a hot environment! Therefore, it goes without saying that providing cool, clean water to your horses at all times is of paramount importance.

Source: Equus Magazine and AAEP member Dr. Anthony Blikslager. More information about offering a horse water can be found at https://equusmagazine.com/.../offering-a-horse-water...