Equine Rescue Resource Inc.

10/10/2025

Opening night is tonight!

10/09/2025

❄🐴🌾 Is it safe to graze horses after a hard freeze? What do I need to consider before turning them back out on pasture? Also, what defines a hard freeze?

🌡 A hard freeze refers to a frost that is severe enough to end the growing season. The National Weather Service defines a hard freeze when temperatures fall below 28ºF for a few hours. Cool-season grasses commonly found in Midwest horse pastures go into dormancy for winter and conserve their energy stores (starches and sugars) following a hard freeze.

❄️ We recommend keeping horses off pastures for at least 7 days after a hard freeze. Frost-damaged pastures are higher in nonstructural carbohydrates (starches and sugars) because plants can not use up their energy stores as efficiently. It can take plants 7 days to return to more normal nonstructural carbohydrate levels. Higher levels of nonstructural carbohydrates can lead to an increase risk for laminitis, especially in horses diagnosed with or prone to obesity, laminitis, Cushings, and Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

The decision to graze again after a hard freeze depends on the condition of your pasture. After a hard freeze, no additional regrowth of the pasture will occur, even though the pasture might appear green in color. If your cool-season grass pasture is

✅ taller than 3 to 4 inches, then grazing can resume 7 days after a hard freeze and can continue until the pasture is grazed down to 3 to 4 inches.
❌ shorter than 3 to 4 inches, then no grazing should occur after a hard freeze. Grazing below 3 inches can harm the plant and lead to poor productivity next season.

🌾 Plants rely on stored nonstructural carbohydrates in the lower 3 inches for energy. Therefore, the 3- to 4-inch minimum height recommendation is necessary to help maximize winter survival and can help predict a vigorous and healthy pasture come spring. We do recognize horses rarely graze uniformly and pastures tend to have areas of both over and under grazing. You will need to base decisions on the average appearance of your pasture

10/06/2025

The official 2025 promo video for Michael's Mansion.

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

10/06/2025

We have been very busy, working hard to get our barn decorated for Halloween. It takes many hours and many hands to put together Michael's Mansion. We appreciate our main sponsor Griswold's Collision for loaning us so many phenomenal props. We could not put this together without some very creative volunteers, special thanks to you guys for making it happen! Doors open this Friday! Admission is by donation.

10/05/2025

‼️ A case of rabies has been confirmed in a white-tailed deer in Columbia County, NY.
🔗 https://www.news10.com/news/columbia-county/white-tailed-deer-tests-positive-for-rabies-in-columbia-county/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WTEN

🦠 What is rabies?

Rabies is a fatal neurologic disease that all mammals are susceptible to. It is caused by a
virus in the genus Lyssavirus.

🦠 How is it transmitted?

Rabies infection usually occurs by the bite of a rabid animal. However, rabies can be transmitted when fresh saliva from a rabid animal contacts a wound or mucous membranes. Horses are bitten on the legs or face by a rabid animal. After the bite, the virus migrates to the spinal cord and brain where it causes inflammation of the brain (encephalitis).

🐴 What are the clinical signs of rabies in horses?

🦠 Inability to stand (Loss of hindlimb
perception)
🦠 Ataxia
🦠 Aggressiveness
🦠 Self-mutilation
🦠 Muscle weakness
🦠 Loss of tail and a**l sphincter tone
🦠 Sensitivity to touch
🦠 Muscle fasciculations
🦠 Lameness
🦠 Anorexia
🦠 Colic
🦠 Lethargy
🦠 Fever

After the onset of clinical signs, the survival time may range from 2 to 5 days.

🦠 How is it diagnosed?

Unfortunately, a confirmed diagnosis occurs post-mortem when the laboratory evaluates the brain and salivary gland tissues.

🦠 What is the treatment?

Sadly, no treatment options are available for rabies.

💉 How is rabies prevented?

💉 Fortunately, a vaccine is available for horses. Initially, naive horses must receive two doses of the vaccine 3-4 weeks apart. Thereafter, the vaccine is given once a year.

💉 If a vaccinated animal is bitten by or comes in contact with, a rabid animal, they must receive a booster rabies vaccine within 5 days of the exposure.

💉 If an unvaccinated animal is exposed to a rabid animal, New York State recommends euthanasia. The only alternative is 6 months of observation in a state-approved isolation facility.

🚨 All pet animals (livestock for fairs and public events) are required to be vaccinated against this fatal neurologic disease.

10/05/2025

"Bed Hair Don't Care" Looks like old man Otis needs a spa day.

10/04/2025

Sound the alarm, it's time for breakfast!

10/04/2025

Set up today 9:00-6:00 in Afton! Lots to decorate!

10/04/2025

Quick shout out to Armani's Limo, Car Service & Mobile Detailing for once again coming through with a truck to help with our farm chores. Our regular truck is still in the shop, some of the work has been completed. We have been doing repairs in stages with the help of Griswolds Collision in Nineveh NY. Sadly the wrong parts came in a week ago, which pushed back this phase of the restoration.

10/01/2025

Save the dates! If you would like to volunteer to help set up this weekend, Friday/Saturday, please send us a message! Do you enjoy scaring people? Help during the event nights also welcome!

09/30/2025

Seeking volunteers to help with set up this weekend! We're also seeking help making this a frightfully good time the six nights we are running this charity event. If you love to scare people or you just love Halloween this is the event for you! Tear down will be October 31st and November 1st.

09/30/2025