Fine Print Farms

04/02/2025

DO YOU KNOW WHAT CAUSES GRASS FOUNDER?

Spring is a wonderful time of the year, but it may be the beginning of some serious problems for horses vulnerable to grass founder — like horses that are over the age of 10, easy keepers, overweight or cresty-necked.

Laminitis or founder, as it is commonly called, is inflammation of the laminae of the horse’s foot. Laminae are the delicate, accordion-like tissues that attach the inner surface of the hoof wall to the coffin bone (the bone in the foot). A horse suffering from laminitis experiences a decrease in blood flow to the laminae, which in turn begin to die and separate. The final result is hoof wall separation, rotation of the coffin bone and extreme pain. In severe cases, the coffin bone will actually rotate through the sole of the horse’s hoof where it becomes infected and can ultimately lead to the horse having to be euthanized.

Laminitis can be triggered by different causes, like repeated concussion on hard ground (road founder), grain overload, retained placenta, hormonal imbalance (Cushing’s syndrome), obesity, and lush grass.

In cases of grass founder, the sugar fructans produced by rapidly growing grass stimulates an overgrowth of bacteria in the horse’s large intestine. The bacteria produce and release toxins (endotoxins) that are carried by the bloodstream to the foot where they cause damage to the laminae and small blood vessels.

The best way to deal with laminitis is preventing and managing the causes under your control. Consult your equine practitioner for further information and to formulate a plan tailored to your horse's individual situation. If you suspect laminitis, consider it a medical emergency and notify your veterinarian immediately.

03/28/2025

It dumped the inch of rainfall from Sunday night. 3 inches this week. Thankful 🙏🏻 but please keep horses on paths when you come out, no riding or walking in grass, and no driving to back paddocks.

Thank you ❤️

03/07/2025

02/27/2025

We love CoolStance as an additional fat source!

Why Cool Stance is best for your horses?

02/21/2025

02/20/2025

4-6 weeks no longer or you will have problems

People think this is normal but it sure should not be. If you don't want to have your farrier out more often, then you need to be adding more movement and hoof enrichment to your environment.

Horse owners need to understand

A 6-8 week (or more) trim cycle will very Rarely fix a problem.

If you've got a horse with flares, the cycle needs to be shortened under 6 weeks.

If you've got a horse with under run heels, you need to shorten that trim cycle.

If you've got a horse with folded bars, shorten your cycle.

If your horse is getting toe abscesses, you likely need to shorten your cycle.

If you have a laminitic horse with rotation, the cycle needs shortened. That coffin bone drops because the laminae are stretched and so very often the issue really began because the toes were allowed to get too long, which was the first insult, and then the metabolism changed which compounded things and tipped it over.

If things are not optimum, they cannot be put back into optimum without getting ahead of the issue instead of chasing it.

Shorten your trim cycle and put things back to Best instead of okay.

Optimum hooves make for disappointed dogs.

02/11/2025

We can never repeat it too much...: that's what our horses truly need to be satisfied with their life. Everything else is just our human concept and it should be only an eventual added value to their life 🧡

Picture credit: Enduring Equines

02/08/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18YddMoKqk/?mibextid=wwXIfr

FEEDING CARROTS 🥕

Carrots are a sweet and popular treat for many horses but there are some important things every horse owner should know:

🍬 Rich in Sugar: Carrots contain up to 6% sugar, making them a risky treat for horses with metabolic issues like EMS, Cushing’s, or founder.

🧡 Packed with Carotenoids: These can be converted into vitamin A in the horse’s body. Especially during winter when carotenoids are scarce in pasture, adding 2-3 carrots to your horse’s daily diet can be beneficial (unless they have metabolic issues).

🌿 Nitrates and Chemicals: Carrots often contain nitrates due to fertilizers and chemicals. Choosing organic or bio carrots reduces chemical and nitrate exposure, which can save on vet bills in the long run.

🚫 Laxative Effect: Raw carrots can be slightly laxative, so avoid feeding them to horses that are colic-prone or have loose manure.

🥕Carrot Tops: The green tops of carrots contain cyanide and with fertilized, mass-produced carrots, the cyanide content in the green part can often be quite high. If you’re feeding carrots regularly, it’s best to cut off the tops (the uppermost part, not the leaves)

🥕 Freshness Matters: Washed carrots spoil quickly, so avoid buying in bulk unless you can use them fast. Mouldy carrots increase the risk of colic and founder.

🐴 Whole Carrots Only: If adding carrots to your horse's feed, feed them whole. Chopping them into smaller pieces can lead to choking, especially if your horse eats too quickly.

Always make sure you're feeding carrots safely and wisely to keep your horse happy and healthy! ✨

www.sonovettherapy.com.au

01/31/2025

“I’m not a dressage rider” is a typical sentence that is heard throughout the disciplines. The word “dressage” can strike fear into the hearts of many riders. Typically because it’s seen as a rigid form of rules, that only if you “look” a certain way, with rhinestones on your browband and your Kastel sun shirt and riding with short reins and a noseband — do you fit into the crowd. *Kastel shirts are AMAZING btw 😘*

But “dressage” is so much different than it’s stand alone as a discipline.

It’s a set of theory’s that quiet and soften the muscles and the mind.

It’s a connection that forms communication to influence footfalls to create a sequence of engaged muscle pairs.

It’s strengthening and prolonging a career of soundness.

It’s increasing flexibility and strength of muscles and ligaments and tendons.

It’s applicable to any partnership, any horse, any discipline.

It’s Medicine.
It’s Movement.
It’s Balance.
It’s Therapy.

It’s applicable to you and your horse wherever your discipline choices lie. Regardless of your saddle, bridle, whether you ride in jeans or jodhpurs, whether you have a pasture, or an arena.

Dressage isn’t “picky” on who it helps. It’s inclusive to anyone willing to pursue it.

01/31/2025

We will have some boarding spots opening up the first of March!

Movement based facility and offer a fantastic forage based feeding program!

We offer clinics and lessons with clinicians and trainers that focus on proper biomechanics as functional movement.

Learning and being better for the horse is what we are all about!

Call/Text for further information (210)727-7752

01/30/2025

Praise God for the rain 😇🙏🏻 will do the pasture some good!

Please no driving out back and keep horses on path up to the barn!

01/30/2025

If anyone is looking for a quality blanket here is a good chance to get one—Great sales going on! Love the wither relief blanket!

Comfortable, durable, remarkable value. The WeatherBeeta ComFiTec Plus Dynamic II High Neck Medium comes packed with great features, including a super strong and durable 1200 denier triple weave outer shell with Guard-Tec coating that is both waterproof and breathable, memory foam wither relief pad....

01/29/2025

Handsome Dover showing off his new CSI Saddlepads the other day during our lesson!

CSI pads are our choice of pads here- CSI pads Evenly distributes bar pressure, rider’s weight and impact.

01/27/2025

01/15/2025

The trick is to love and want the best for your horse more than you love being comfortable, being right, and looking good.

That is a lifelong goal for me. If we are honest, and really open to self critique, we’ll find those moments where we aren’t our best and learn from them.
I am constantly learning about myself, through the horse; and grateful for the opportunity to awaken and care as selflessly as I am able to for my horses.

Photo by

01/13/2025

There are so many different opinions out there on where to place your cinch buckle. Many of those opinions have huge followings which leads to a lot of confusion.

This picture is taken from Rod Nikkels articles. This is where I tell people where their buckles should fall. Too low is not ok. 28” or shorter is not a must have. What happens if your horse has a larger circumference? Would you want a buckle in your armpit or on your elbow?

If you want to read more and expand your knowledge on cinch length these are two great reads. They are a little older but talk about anatomy and placement.

https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/myth-busting-external-abdominal-vein/

https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/saddle-tree-blog-from-shop-and-desk/cinches-what-more-i-have-learned/index.html