Hi Acre Stables

05/19/2022

An interesting article about joint care

Dr. David Ramey is a 1983 graduate of the Colorado State University School of Veterinary Medicine.

04/20/2022

The horses were loving this sunshine! It has been a very strange spring so far (weather wise)

04/20/2022

https://eurodressage.com/2022/04/20/why-so-round-open-frame?fbclid=IwAR1RO4xSjPIemEcRlZcnMYDybw9__g-2eF5TeoWBjpGgxl-vR3gwJbxGr_g

In FEI dressage rules the correct frame is defined to be slightly in front of the vertical or approaching it in collected movements. Vertical is mentioned 9 times, and there are a few mentions of lengthening the frame in extended gaits. The correct frame is an important foundation for the wellbeing....

04/20/2022

Five Deadly Diseases
Brian S. Burks, DVM
Diplomate, ABVP
Board Certified in Equine Practice

Sick horses can be difficult to see, especially when it is your own. They may be depressed and move slowly. They are given medications by veterinarians and there is hope for a speedy recovery. These are mild to moderate diseases. Fatal diseases, however, are a much larger problem.

Potentially fatal diseases bring the possibility of heartbreak for their humans. Horses with West Nile virus (WNV), Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (EEE), or Western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) can spike high fevers, tremble, smash their heads against walls, and fall and struggle to get back up. Horses that contract tetanus experience painful muscle spasms and respiratory failure, with few recovering. In the case of rabies—which is 100% fatal in equids—a sick horse endangers the lives of humans, as well. These horses suffer immensely.

The good news is that these terrible diseases is that they are easily prevented, or at least attenuated by vaccines given once to three times per year, depending upon location. This is all it takes to keep your horses safe from deadly diseases.

There are five ‘core’ vaccines that every horse in the United States should receive at least annually, regardless of competition, location, housing, movement, or exposure to other horses. This is due to the high mortality rate, human risk, and the fact they are nearly impossible to prevent without vaccination. These are very dangerous diseases, but there are effective and affordable vaccines for each.

Rabies in horses is contracted via the bite of an infected (rabid) wild animal such as raccoons, skunks, bats, or foxes. The incubation period varies from several weeks to six months. The virus multiplies at the bite wound and travels via the peripheral nerves to the central nervous system. Once in the brain, the virus can spread to other organs, particularly salivary glands and possibly nasal secretions. Clinical signs in horses include lameness, poor athletic performance, lethargy, depression, aggressiveness, convulsions, head pressing and mindless wandering and recumbency. If you see a wild animal exhibiting unusual behavior, contact your local animal control agency immediately to remove the animal. Due to the potential risk of virus transmission from horses and other infected animals to humans, animals suspected of having rabies should be handled by individuals who have been appropriately vaccinated against rabies.

West Nile virus is an infection spread by mosquitoes. It affects birds, humans, horses, and other mammals such as dogs. The virus enters the blood stream after an infected mosquito bites the horse and then travels to the central nervous system (CNS) where is causes brain and spinal cord inflammation. Clinical signs begin in three to 15 days. These include ataxia (incoordination), muscle trembling, depression, lethargy, weakness, and sometimes fever. Disease severity varies, and not all horses develop clinical signs. Among those that do, one-third die from the disease. Among the survivors, 40% have lasting neurologic effects, mainly weakness and ataxia. Thanks to an aggressive vaccination program, the number of WNV cases has dropped in the U.S. An additional way to reduce risk of all mosquito-borne diseases is to control mosquito populations on the farm, by eliminating or reducing mosquito breeding habitats, and in conjunction with your local mosquito control authority.

Eastern equine encephalomyelitis is a viral disease transmitted via mosquito bites. Clinical signs of EEE include moderate to high fever, depression, lack of appetite, cranial nerve deficits (facial paralysis, tongue weakness, difficulty swallowing), behavioral changes (aggression, self-mutilation, or drowsiness), gait abnormalities, or severe central nervous system signs, such as head-pressing, circling, blindness, and seizures. The course of EEE can be swift, with death occurring 2-3 days after onset of clinical signs despite intensive care; fatality rates reach 75-80 per cent among horses. Horses that survive might have long-lasting impairments and neurologic problems. In the United States EEE occurs mainly in the East, especially in the South, but it has occurred as far west as Texas and as far north as Wisconsin in the Midwest. Birds harbor the virus silently—showing no signs—and act as reservoirs. Mosquitoes that feed on infected birds and mammals transmit the virus from birds to horses and humans.

Western equine encephalitis is transmitted by mosquitos and causes clinical signs like EEE. Western Equine Encephalitis, as the name implies, occurs mainly in western states of the US, generally west of the Mississippi river, but a subtype of the virus- Highland J- can be found in the eastern USA. The case fatality rate approaches 50%. One particular species of mosquito--Culex tarsalis--is implicated as being the vector that is responsible most of the spread of WEE. C. tarsalis feeds primarily on house sparrows and house finches. Many horses with WEE will become depressed, but some become agitated and excitable. Horses that become recumbent are likely to die. If the horse recovers from the initial disease, there is gradual improvement over many weeks or months.

Tetanus is caused by a potent neurotoxin produced by Clostridium tetani, an anaerobic bacterium present in soil and f***s. Bacterial spores enter the body through injuries to the skin; simple cuts and scrapes and deeper wounds can be involved. Tetanospasm toxin travels to the central nervous system via blood and lymphatics and peripheral nerves. It inhibits inhibition of muscular contraction, causing spasm. Tetanolysin increases tissue necrosis (death) furthering the proliferation of bacteria in the wound.

Clinical signs include muscle spasms, stiffness, extended neck and head, sawhorse stance, third eyelid prolapse, retracted lips, and an elevated tail. Some horses have difficulty breathing and can become recumbent. Horses are confined to a dark stall away from noise and confusion. Ear plugs are used to control auditory stimulation. A padded helmet may be useful for some horses to prevent cranial trauma. Recumbent horses need to be turned every 2-4 hours, and a sling is used to help them stand several times per day. F***s and urine may need to be manually evacuated. Last, dysphagic horses may need to be fed via nasogastric tube or intravenous catheter.

Treatment includes muscle relaxants, padding stalls for animals that have difficulty rising, removing infection (surgically and with antibiotics), neutralizing unbound toxin with antitoxin, and ensuring horses stay hydrated and receive appropriate nutrients. Despite treatment, up to 80% of affected horses die.

Fox Run Equine Center

www.foxrunequine.com

(724) 727-3481

Your horse's health is always our top priority.

04/16/2022

This is important…

Horse Slaughter:

I'm a very fact based person.

I came to horse rescue growing up with a grandfather who was a horse trader.

I've been to tons of auctions across this region since I was a child. I understand the way it all works as well as anyone living, and I care about the truth behind slaughter, neglect, sales, auctions and trading horses. The truth is vital for real change. We cannot keep stating things as if they are fact just because someone we know told us it works this way or that way.

Slaughter has little impact on equine neglect, if any at all. It also does not impact the traditional sales market. As one of the largest rescues in America, and as a group that works in think tanks and conferences with all major rescues, all numbers show numbers neglected aren't rising. They are down, as a rule, across the board. And, of course, no organizations would better know if the neglect was rising than credible, large rescues that focus on law enforcement assistance, like we have.

Both of these myths are used to try to support horse slaughter as an industry, though.

Factually, we know that more horses are not being neglected year after year (based on our own data and the data reported by rescues nation wide), even though the slaughter numbers are massively down, and that is something to realize:

The numbers being shipped are WAY down.

Around 35,572 horses were exported over the borders in 2020 to be slaughtered, down from 348,400 in 1989 (both in the USA and Exported back then), and down from 166,572 in 2012, after slaughter houses were closed to inspections (defunct) in the USA in 2007.

Supporters of killing horses for human consumption (which presents many health concerns for humans, beyond the ethical considerations for a lot of people) used to say that slaughter had to exist or we would be overrun with horses in neglect situations and the sales markets would tank, but we see from hard data, all of that was a farce used to perpetuate a marginal, predatory and dangerous industry.

We still hear things like,

“Without slaughter, where would the old horses go or the thin horses?”

Those aren’t the horses that ship. It never has been the typical type. The horse in this image I’m sharing. . . he is the kind of horse that tends to ship. That is data you can look up - aged, emaciated horses aren't who are sent to slaughter.

I’ve watched what a licensed USDA Shipper buys, and it isn’t the starved horse or the aged horse. It wasn’t in the 80’s, and it isn’t now.

Sadly, and to the harm of many horses, these days, too many well-meaning people have fallen victim to the broker lot tales and believe it reflects the actual slaughter industry.

It doesn’t.

There are many horses in kill pen schemes that will not ship. They never were going to. There is a quota to be filled – supply / demand. No matter how many people buy from these fake kill lots, the exact number wanted to shipment will be sent. Until borders are closed, that is the way of it.

By closing the borders, we close all broker lot schemes, and we absolutely, nationally, with 9,000,000 horses in the USA, can HANDLE the excess 30,000 not being killed. That is .4% - People, we CAN handle that.

We simple can. That's a drop in a bucket - so fixable if borders close!

Slaughter is not needed, and broker lots need closed.

Sure, you’re welcome to believe what you wish, whether true or not, but I like the truth; slaughter is not needed and doesn't keep horses from neglect. There also isn't really an overpopulation issue as much as a knowledgeable horse person deficit. If the market for kill horses ends, the breeders who send excess horses will be forced to be more thoughtful in their breeding. It is something we can handle in the industry.

The USDA data is helpful if anyone wants to research on their own where real slaughter horses come from, and the industries responsible have already had to make changes as the numbers shipping does down each year. We absolutely can fix this and do better - the very notion that the number is so high we can't do better is a farce. Folks can believe what they want, but to believe slaughter must exist is a choice not based in fact.

We've always been able to stop this, and I think now is the time we decide to do so.

How can you help? Visit https://secure.aspca.org/action/safe-act

TO LEARN how to send a message to your reps in your state to endorse the SAFE ACT.

04/14/2022

This is VERY informative!!!

Boots and bandages - are we harming our horses as we try to protect them?

Bandaging and booting our horses is becoming more and more popular, especially with the popularity of matchy matchy sets. But are we doing more harm than good? Most people will have come across the articles in magazines and comments from vets saying they are, and yet still they become more and more popular. Why is that? Why do riders still cover their horses in thick fleece bandages or fluffy boots despite the dangers? Tradition I suppose. Wanting to fit in. Or just habit, some will feel like they haven’t finished tacking up if they haven’t put the boots on.

I know this isn’t about dentistry (for which I apologise) but I am a vet first and foremost, and as a dressage rider I am asked why I don’t use bandages all the time. I’ve written about this several times now and no one pays attention, so rather than stating facts and quoting research, I’d like to take you through my journey of discovery, please bear with me. Facts and papers are at the end.

Rewind 12 years and I was in my final year at vet school. Prior to and during vet school I had a horse and we did dressage. I had planned to ODE but this horse pulled every tendon and ligament known to vet kind. He spent more time out of work than in. Each time I would up my game with the latest boots/bandages on the market. From fluffy boots to wraps to sports fetlock boots, fleece bandages to gamgee and cotton to the half fleece/half elastic bandages. I learnt new techniques for better support, figure of 8 bandaging to cradle the fetlock etc etc. I’d been there and done it. My collection was extensive.

Right at the end of vet school I had my rotations. I chose Equine lameness as one of my options. During in this I very vividly remember a wet lab with Dr Renate Weller where she had a skinned horses leg (showing all of the tendons and ligaments) in a machine that mimicked the pressures a horse applies to their limbs. She took us through walk, trot, canter and gallop, loading this leg so we could see the inside workings of the horses leg without the skin. It was fascinating I can tell you, and I very clearly remember thinking about my horse and wondering how on earth we are suppose to support this limb when it undergoes these incredible forces! Half a ton of animal pushing down a tiny spindle of a leg held by tendons barely thicker than my thumb. Craziness!

Fast forward just a few short months and I was a fully qualified vet in the big wide world. I attended my first BEVA Congress and during the break I wandered around the stalls looking at the latest inventions and technologies companies bring to these gatherings. Here I came across a company with the Equestride Boot which caught my eye. Now if you haven’t seen this boot, it’s wonderful and I’ve since used it a few times in rehabbing very severe tendon and ligament injuries with great success. The boot is a carbon fibre boot that stops the fetlock dropping, which stops the tendons and ligaments being fully loaded while they heal. This boot is super strong. You couldn’t ride a horse in it as it is limiting the range of motion so much, but they can move about easily enough at the lower settings to rehab etc. The guy on the stand (I’m afraid I can’t remember his name) showed me their research and in the straight talking Irish way explained the stupidity of expecting a thin piece of material to support a horse. And of course it can’t! Literally no bandage or boot (short of this very expensive carbon fibre rehab boot) is capable of reducing the amount the fetlock drops. Thinking back to Dr Weller’s demonstration, I could very clearly see how ridiculous I had been to ever believe a scrap of material could do anything to reduce or support that pressure.

But the boots/bandages don’t actually cause any harm do they? Surely it’s ok to use them on the off chance they might help and if we look good in the meantime, great! Well, not long after this, research started appearing that got me very worried about my bandage collection. Heat. Anyone that uses bandages and boots will not be surprised to see sweat marks under their bandages/boots after they’ve been removed. They trap a lot of heat. The horses body and legs generate a lot of heat when working. The tendons/ligaments in the leg, along with an increased blood flow generate ALOT of heat. Fleece bandages/boots in particular, hold this heat in the horses leg. Very few boots and virtually no bandages (especially if you use a pad under) allow the legs to breath adequately. This heat is easily enough to kill tendon/ligament cells. Each tendon/ligament is made of thousands and thousands of cells all lined up end on end and side by side in long thin spindles. They stretch and return to their original shape and size like an elastic band, absorbing and redistributing the pressures applied from further up the leg and from the ground impact below. All of these cells must work together as one to do this effectively.

Just a little side step here to explain how tendons/ligaments heal. A tendon/ligament cell can not be replaced like for like. They always heal with scar tissue. This is why reinjury is so much more likely if a tendon/ligament is blown. The fibrous scar tissue doesn’t stretch, it isn’t capable of stretching or absorbing the impact of a horses movement. It will always be a weak spot. In a full blown sprain/strain the whole (or most) of the tendon has been damaged. But this heat injury might just kill a few cells at a time. Those few cells are replaced by fibrous scar tissue, then next time a few more etc etc. Like a rubber band degrading over time the tendon/ligament loses its elasticity and eventually goes snap. Then you’ve fully blown a tendon/ligament. The injury didn’t start to happen at that moment, but that was the final straw. The damage adds up over time, each time thermal necrosis (vet word for cell death) occurs.

So if using boots/bandages can not offer any sort of support, and using them generates heat that slowly damages the tendons/ligaments until they give way. Why use them? Protection. This is the only reason to use boots. To stop the horse brushing, injuring themselves catching a pole or over cross country. But for goodness sake make sure your boots are breathable! If the horse is sweaty under the boot but not above or below, the boot is not breathable enough. And don’t use fleece bandages just because you like the colour. These fleece bandages are the worst at holding heat in the leg, way above the threshold for thermal necrosis to the cells of the tendons and ligaments. If your horse doesn’t need protection, don’t use boots. I haven’t for the last 12 years and *touch wood* I haven’t had a single tendon/ligament injury in any of my horses. I will never go back to boots or especially bandages now. I don’t use them for schooling, lunging, jumping, travelling, turnout, stable, in fact I don’t use them at all. Ever. But I don’t hunt or XC.

I hope you have found my story useful and can make informed decisions on boots and bandaging going forward.

For more information on the Equestride boot and their research into support offered by boots and bandages, visit http://www.equestride.com/ and https://www.equinetendon.com/services/equestride/

The horses leg under the compression machine at the Irish Equine rehabilitation and fitness centre https://fb.watch/cmVMt6-iOJ/ (I highly recommend you watch this incredible video. It clearly shows the amount of force the leg goes through and demonstrates the real purpose of boots)

Other relevant papers-
https://equimanagement.com/.amp/articles/horse-skin-temperature-under-boots-after-exercise
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/8f15/0ea480edca142260d01f419f80d2e7e7fb29.pdf
http://www.asbweb.org/conferences/1990s/1998/59/index.html

Edit 1 - I am getting asked about stable wraps very frequently. This post is about riding, the tendons and blood flow create heat which is trapped by bandages/boots during exercise. This doesn’t occur in the stable stood still. If the horse has a strain/sprain resulting in inflammation, then there is an increase in blood flow and there is heat being created. In this situation you should not be bandaging. But if it’s cold and an old horse needs stable wraps to keep the joints warm and improve sluggish blood flow (filled legs) you can use the heat trapping to your advantage. But you need to be careful in summer.

Edit 2 - the other thing I’m being asked about is compression. Compression DOES NOT control inflammation. The inflammation still occurs, but the swelling can not escape the bandages and the increase in internal pressure reduces blood flow, causing ischemic damage. Like laminitis within the hoof. The hoof capsule prevents swelling so the inflammation expands inwards and cuts off the blood supply. This is why laminitis is so painful and difficult to treat. Compression is only useful in the case of leaky vessels, for example reduced blood pressure, reduced movement so the blood isn’t being pumped backup the legs, or osmotic imbalances eg low protein with diarrhoea. In these situations, compression of the legs can encourage blood to return to the vessels and continue circulating.

04/09/2022

COMBINATION VACCINES CAN CAUSE ANTIGEN INTERFERENCE
Brian S. Burks, DVM
Diplomate, ABVP
Board-Certified Equine Specialist

Combination vaccines can generate antigen interference due to a multitude of factors, which may inhibit the horse’s immune response. Separate administration of vaccines generates a much better immune response to those vaccines, compared to a big one-shot combination vaccine.

CONVENIENCE MAY COME AT A COST

Big one-shot combination vaccines may save time, but it could be at the expense of the horse’s immune response to vaccines. A horse’s immune system supplies antigen-presenting cells to process antigens when vaccinated, allowing the horse’s immune system to trigger an effective response when presented with viremia. Administering the vaccines individually allows for the antigen-presenting cells to be most effective, therefore triggering a greater immune response.

REDUCE REACTIONS BY DIVIDING

If you are concerned about vaccination reactions, break up injections by administering different vaccines on different days. This will limit the number of antigens the horse will receive per visit, potentially reducing the intensity of the expected side effects. Also, be sure to work with your veterinarian to develop a vaccination program which targets antigens for which the horse is truly at risk.

CUSTOMIZE EQUINE VACCINATIONS TO MEET UNIQUE NEEDS

As every horse has a unique set of needs, a standard one-size-fits-all equine vaccination program does not exist. An evaluation of each individual horse’s situation and vaccinating according to his needs is important.

Dividing encephalitis & tetanus, West Nile, equine influenza, equine herpesvirus (rhino) and rabies antigens into separate injections allows you to tailor vaccine programs. This can help provide an increased immune response to vaccine antigens. Separating antigens can allow the horse’s immune system to focus on processing the antigens while potentially reducing immune system competition.

Fox Run Equine Center

www.foxrunequine.com

(724) 727-3481

We're for the Horse.

03/13/2022

Dr. Liddell is coming to Hi Acre Stables March 15 at 11:00 am
for spring shots and to take f***l samples. She needs to know in advance which horses and if anything additional is needed such as Coggins test. If you are new with Dr. Liddell, you need to call her office at (724) 727-7910 and leave a message; she will need additional info from you.
Please also let Chuck know so things go smoothly.
Vaccinations are mandatory.
Thank you

03/03/2022

What is the longest a horse can safely go without food?

More and more I see horses and ponies stood for long periods of time with no hay or haylage. Usually under the guise of a “weight control diet”. So how long can a horse be without food before damage is done? And what damage is done?

For those with a short attention span, I’ll give you the answer to begin with - 4 hours, maximum.

Why?

Horses are grazers. They are designed to eat constantly. They have no way of storing their acids and digestive enzymes, they’ve never needed to. They have no gall bladder to store bile and their stomachs release acid constantly, whether or not there is food in the stomach and intestines.

A horses stomach only holds approximately 8-15 litres. Depending on the substance eaten, it takes on average 4-6 hours for the stomach to completely empty. After this, the acids and enzymes start to digest the inside of the horses stomach and then the intestines. This causes both gastric and intestinal ulceration. It has been estimated that 25-50% of foals and 60-90% of adult horses suffer from ulceration. But I won’t go into detail about this, there is a lot of information around about ulcers.

So is that it? Are ulcers the only concern?

No, having an empty stomach is a stress situation for a horse. The longer they are starved, the more they release stress hormones, cortisol predominantly. Cortisol blocks insulin and causes a constantly high blood glucose level. This stimulates the body to release even more insulin, and in turn this causes fat tissue to be deposited and leptin resistance. Over time this causes insulin resistance (Equine Metabolic Syndrome). All of these mechanisms are well known risk factors for laminitis and are caused by short term starvation (starting roughly 3-4 hours after the stomach empties). Starving a laminitic is literally the worst thing you can do. Over longer periods, this also starts to affect muscle and can cause weakness, and a lack of stamina so performance horses also need a constant supply of hay/haylage to function optimally.

Let’s not forget horses are living, breathing and feeling animals. We talk about this stress reaction like it’s just internal but the horse is well aware of this stress. Door kicking, box walking, barging and many other stable vices and poor behaviour can be explained by a very stressed horse due to food deprivation (we all have that Hangry friend to explain this reaction). Next time you shout or hit a horse that dives for their net, remember their body is genuinely telling them they are going to starve to death. They know no different.

But surely they spend the night asleep so they wouldn’t eat anyway?

Not true. Horses only need 20mins REM sleep every 24 hours (jealous? I am!). They may spend a further hour or so dozing but up to 22-23 hours a day are spent eating. So if you leave your horse a net at 5pm and it’s gone by 8pm, then by 12am their stomach is empty. By 4am they are entering starvation mode. By their next feed at 8am, they are extremely stressed, physically and mentally.

Now I know the cob owners are reading this mortified. I can almost hear you shouting at your screen “if I feed my horse ad lib hay he won’t fit out the stable door in a week!!”

I will say that a horse with a constant supply of hay/haylage will eat far less then the same horse that is intermittently starved. They don’t eat in a frenzy, reducing the chance of colic from both ulcers and over eating. Cobs included.

However I’m not suggesting you sit your cob in front of a bale of haylage and say have at it! There is a difference between ad lib and a constant supply. There is much we can do to reduce calorie intake and control weight whilst feeding a constant supply.

The easiest is small holes nets. There are many. Trickle nets, greedy feeders, nibbleze, trawler nets etc. My personal favourite is the Shires Soft Mesh 1”. They don’t cost the Earth, they are easy to fill and they don’t have knots so are much gentler to the teeth. Now often I suggest these types of nets to owners and the owner tells me “Oh no, *** won’t eat out of those” 🙄 this is nonsense. If he was left it, he would. Remember, you can give a normal net and one of these for them to nibble at after. Better than leaving them with nothing at all.

A few other tricks, hang the net from the ceiling/rafters, it’s harder to eat out of a net that swings. Soak the hay, a minimum of 4 hours to be effective. Mix with straw but be sure to introduce the straw slowly and make sure it’s top quality and a palatable type eg Barley or Oat, otherwise they won’t eat it.

Don’t forget exercise. The best way to get weight off a horse is exercise. Enough exercise and they can eat what they want!

And lay off the bucket feed and treats! Horses on a diet require a vit/min supplement in the form of a balancer but that’s it. The odd slice of carrot or swede won’t do any harm but no licks, treats, treacle, molasses, cereal based rubbish. Even if it says low sugar or the marvellously misleading “No added sugar”! Your horse would rather have a constant supply of hay, I promise.

Written by Vikki Fowler BVetMed BAEDT MRCVS

A few edits for the critics-

Firstly, feeding a constant supply does not mean ad lib feeding. It means use some ingenuity and spread the recommended amount of daily forage so the horse is never stood with out food for more than 4 hours. I am not promoting obesity, quite the opposite, feeding like this reduces obesity and IR. This can be done whilst feeding your horse twice a day as most horse owners do. Just think outside the box for your own situation.

Secondly I am in the UK and this post is UK specific, use some common sense when reading. Yes in warmer climates, soaking hay for 4 hours is dangerous and studies show 1 hour is plenty in hot weather but in the UK’s arctic climate, a minimum of 4 hours is required. Equally the UK feed exclusively grass hay. I can not comment on other types.

Thirdly, yes every horse/pony and situation is different, but this is a law of nature and all horses have this anatomy and metabolism. How you achieve this constant supply is individual, the need for it is not.

Fourthly, the use of hay nets in the UK is very very high. I’d estimate 95% of horses I see are fed this way and very very few have incisor wear or neck/back issues as a result. Yes, feeding from the ground is ideal, but a constant supply, I feel trumps this. Again with ingenuity both can be safely achieved.

Finally, straw can be fed to horses safely, introduced very slowly, with fresh water always available, plus a palatable and digestible type of straw which will depend on your area. Again many horses in the UK are bedded on straw and most of them eat it. This is not a new concept to us.

Final finally 🤦‍♀️ and I feel I must add this due to the sheer number of people contacting me to ask, feed your horses during transport!!! I am astonished this is not normal in other countries! Again in the UK, we give our horses hay nets to transport. We don’t go 10 mins up the road without a haynet and a spare in case they finish! Considering we are a tiny island and we rarely transport even 4 hours, we never transport without hay available. I have never seen an episode of choke due to travelling with hay available. If you are concerned, use a slow feeder net so they can’t take too much in at once.

If you get to the end of this post and your first thought is “I can’t do this with my horse/pony, they’d be morbidly obese”, you haven’t read the advice in this post thoroughly.