Cougar Hill Training

11/28/2025

11/27/2025

The young Gatz, making an excellent turkey in costume! 🦃

11/26/2025

In winter the temptation for humans is to close things up and get cozy, but for horses this can result in two hazards: lack of adequate fresh air creating upper respiratory issues and heating elements causing fire potential whether it's from a heating source or a wet hay bale heating up as mold grows inside. Remember to keep your barn clean, free from potential hazards, and make sure there's air flow for those horses to breathe easy!

11/24/2025

I haven't had to deal with this in a while thankfully!! Rain rot is a pain for both horse and rider as it is contagious and uncomfortable.

Here's more from AAEP:

IS RAIN ROT A FUNGAL OR A BACTERIAL DISEASE?

Rain rot (or rain scald) is the common name for a contagious BACTERIAL skin disease called dermatophilosis. It's caused by the bacterium "Dermatophilus congolensis," which thrives during wet seasons and in geographical locations with high precipitation and humidity. It can also develop after horses have sweat under blankets or tack, and equines with compromised immune systems are more susceptible.

Why should you not mistake rain rot for a fungal disease?

Antifungal medications and topicals have no effect on the bacteria responsible for rain rot, therefore diagnosing the condition correctly is very important!

How does rain rot happen?

The bacteria infects the hair follicles and damages the hair follicle and shaft; the hair will then pull out in small clumps leaving pink skin or purulent scabs behind (pro tip: your horse will NOT thank you for picking at them!) If you do not address the factors that promote the right bacterial environment (for example, you always leave your horse to stand outside in the rain without shelter or the protection of a waterproof rug), rain rot can keep recurring. If left untreated, the condition can even progress to a point where it opens the door for more serious, secondary skin infections.

If you suspect your horse has rain rot, be sure to consult your veterinarian on the best treatment plan based on the severity of your horse's case. While there are a million products that can be found in your local tack store, your horse doctor may have cause to prescribe a specific course of action.

11/21/2025

As the days get shorter and weather may make it difficult to get horses outside, depending on your set-up, I start looking for "enrichment" toys to help alleviate the boredom for the horses that need more daily stimulation. Gatsby was my extremely active child who needed lots of interaction and games daily, so I discovered the Holey Roller dog balls were perfect for stuffing with hay, big carrots, or treats so he would have something to work on besides my stalls! 😂🐴⭐ Another option if you still have them around are pumpkins as many horses like playing with them or chewing on them. Pumpkins are safe for horse consumption if they have not been treated with any chemicals or painted. Be sure to remove any toothpicks that might have been holding a carved pumpkin together or pieces that the horse could choke on.

11/19/2025

Who's heard of entroliths? Unfortunately we lost my favorite lesson horse to an entrolith when I worked in Montana. These are more or less stones that the body creates around a foreign object which can grow in size to obstruct the intestines if they aren't passed before they get too large to get outside of the body.

From AAEP:

WHAT ARE ENTEROLITHS?

Enteroliths are “stones” that can form inside a horse’s intestine, mostly in the large colon. They’re made up of minerals (mainly magnesium, ammonium, and phosphate) that slowly build up around a small object, like a piece of metal, a pebble, or even a bit of twine the horse has swallowed. Over time, these minerals form a hard stone, sometimes growing large enough to block the intestine.

Why do they form?

• Diets high in alfalfa hay (which is rich in magnesium and protein) and low in grass hay can increase the risk.
• Horses that spend less time outside or have limited access to pasture are also at higher risk.
• Certain breeds, like Arabians, can be more prone to developing enteroliths.

What are the signs?

• Horses with enteroliths may show signs of colic (abdominal pain), such as rolling, pawing, or looking at their belly.
• Sometimes, small stones may pass in the manure, but larger ones can cause serious blockages that require surgery.

How can you help prevent them?

• Feed more grass or oat hay and limit alfalfa hay to

11/17/2025

We love all of our students so much and while we're not currently offering lessons at home on our horses, Andrea can still come to you! For all of our students who miss the beautiful and amazing Gabe - here's a little virtual ride for you. 💙 We miss him too.

11/14/2025

"It is unknown how many acorns it takes to sicken a horse, and individual sensitivity to acorns' toxic tannins varies. It is assumed that most horses need to consume a relatively large number of acorns, which are, thankfully, bitter, so most horses won't eat many if alternative food is freely available; however, some horses develop a taste for acorns and will eat as many as they can when available.

The tannins in acorns can cause severe damage to the gastrointestinal tract and kidneys. If a horse has eaten a toxic amount of acorns, they may exhibit the following symptoms:

Depression and lethargy
Loss of appetite
Colic
Diarrhea (which can be bloody or watery)
Straining to urinate
Red-brown urine
Swelling in the limbs or abdomen

There is no specific antidote, but prompt veterinary supportive treatment is essential."

Tis the season for falling acorns and we did have some issues with Gabe wanting to munch on them when he ran out of hay, so I did a lot of cleaning up of the leaves and acorns from the neighbor's oak tree that would shed into one of the dry lots. Horses are not as hardy as they look and can be opportunistic eaters when they run out of preferred food sources so you want to keep track of what other hazards may be in their vicinity besides obvious physical issues like a piece of broken fencing.

11/12/2025

From the AAEP:

While it’s a common equine emergency, esophageal obstruction (“choke”) can look alarming, especially if you've never seen it before. Unlike in human medicine, where choking refers to a tracheal (or windpipe) obstruction, choke in horses refers to an obstruction of the esophagus (the muscular tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach).

Most commonly, choking occurs when horses eat concentrated feed too quickly without chewing appropriately, which results in a firm bolus lodged in the animal's esophagus. However, esophageal obstruction can also occur with hay or straw, hard treats, carrots, or nonfood objects. Poor dentition, which leads to inadequate chewing, is also a frequent cause of choke.

While common, choke can have serious consequences. So, be sure to call your veterinarian as soon as you notice signs of choke. A bad choke is fairly obvious to both veterinarians and horse owners, but a mild choke could be confused with an upper respiratory tract infection or colic.

11/10/2025

From one chestnut Saddlebred gelding who started it all to my last chestnut Saddlebred gelding who was my heart and joy, I appreciate all the horses that have tolerated my learning curve through life. In so many things in life, it's the learning curve that is the hardest to reconcile as we grow and mature and realize our earlier failures or mistakes as we were trying to figure out the process. With horses, it's amazing how they tolerate so many strange, difficult, harsh errors on our part just because they somehow give in to our interaction even when they have all the size and strength not to if they so desired. To all the horses who have had to suffer through our learning curves... we so appreciate your patience!

11/07/2025

It's complicated? 😫🤷‍♀️