Meraki Stables

10/10/2023

If your horse eats dropped leaves from some types of maple trees, fast action will be required to save his life. >>>https://bit.ly/EQPreventRedMaplePoisoning

06/05/2023

An incredible valuable reminder when it comes to bandaging your horse’s legs, courtesy of the horse doctors at Mid-Rivers Equine Centre:

“Even the slightest wrinkle, fold, or lump in the bandage can cause discomfort for your equine companion. Imagine wearing socks and shoes and the sock has a crease in it. It will be incredibly uncomfortable to walk on.

Improperly applied bandages can not only cause discomfort but also lead to skin irritation and even injury. Be aware of the entire bandage's placement and the padding beneath, ensuring zero wrinkles or bumps. Your horse's leg injury needs the utmost wrapping care, and taking the time to ensure a smooth and comfortable bandage application is vital.

APPLYING A BANDAGE
So how exactly can you achieve a flawlessly wrapped bandage? First, start by laying the padding smoothly over the area you intend to wrap. Make sure it's evenly distributed and covers the entirety of your horse's leg. Then, carefully wrap the bandage around the leg, applying gentle pressure as you go. Check frequently for lumps or folds, smoothing them out as you continue wrapping.

Another tip to remember is to avoid wrapping too tightly, which can impede circulation and cause discomfort for your horse. Instead, aim for a snug but comfortable fit, ensuring the bandage won't slip or shift during exercise. Once you've finished wrapping, visually inspect the bandage for any irregularities before securing it in place.”

Our final piece of advice: If you have any questions or concerns about bandaging your horse’s leg, be sure to talk to your veterinarian!

02/16/2023

Don’t over complicate it....

There was a time when you were just happy to ride, happy to be in the company of horses. It didn’t matter if you could execute a perfect lead change or jump double clear rounds. You were just happy to have two feet in the stirrups and ears leading the way.

You didn’t care about having the best tack, the coolest boots, or the newest hi-tech breeches. An old ex-racehorse, your favourite, and wearing a worn out pair of jeans with a colourful t-shirt did the job just fine.

You didn’t spend the days between Christmas and New Year planning a heavy schedule of training sessions, clinics and competitions. You threw tinsel round your pony’s neck and went hacking with friends. The new year was just another 365 days to go riding.

Don’t forget that you started this sport because you loved the animal. You loved the rush of galloping across open fields and the serenity of watching horses quietly graze in the sun. You do this because there is nothing on this earth that makes you feel more alive than being on the back of a horse, so don’t overcomplicate it.

Enjoy the little things, because one day you will look back and realise... they weren’t little at all.

10/27/2022

Only two days until these great deals start! Check out our event page for more details! https://fb.me/e/2GO8RYUEh

10/27/2022

Easily protect both your horse and your saddle from sprinkles at ringside! Get a free Dover Saddlery Rain Sheet with your next $150+ purchase and code CMRAIN.* An $89.95 value!

Add to Cart: https://bit.ly/3gCY4i2

*Get a Dover Saddlery® Rain Sheet free, with your purchase of $150 or more, a $89.95 value. Order must be placed by 10/30/22 at 11:59 PM ET. Use promo code CMRAIN at checkout. Only valid on item number 240579. No back orders or substitutions. Limit one free gift per order, per household. While supplies last. Promotion only eligible within the United States. Valid online and in-stores. Cannot be combined with any Military or USEF discounts. Not valid on previous purchases.

08/09/2022

Knowing your horses normal range of TPR can be helpful during emergency situations. Here is what they should be.

06/15/2022

Good to know during these hot summer days

KEEPING HORSES COOL IN THE HEAT

With the high heat indexes coming this next week, we hope you are all planning to stay cool in some air conditioning! While it would be great if we could all bring our horse’s inside our houses, there are some things that you can do to help your four-legged friends beat the heat!

The biggest two threats to equine health when the heat indexes spike high are dehydration and overheating. Most horses, if given appropriate shade and water access will do just fine, especially if already acclimated to the weather. When things get out of whack, however, these two problems can rear their ugly heads in a hurry. So how do you go about preventing them, and keep from having to add a vet bill to your weekend plans?

Hydration

Remember the old saying, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink? Yeah, that applies here. Especially in hot weather, many horses are going to be conserving energy and number of steps, so having easy access close to run-ins and sheds helps them not have to utilize much energy to consume the water they need. Additionally, adding a teaspoon of non-iodized salt to grain rations can help to stimulate drinking (think eating potato chips or popcorn for us, and how thirsty we get!). Additionally, the use of electrolyte paste, or powder can help stimulate drinking as the horse will want to increase water consumption to bring the concentration of those electrolytes back into normal in the body.

If you think your horse is slowing down on their water intake, you can also attempt to make some “sweet teas” for them. This is a technique that we often use in the hospital for horses that are reluctant to drink the water due to differences in taste from their home water. Adding a handful of sweet or senior feed, some applesauce, or molasses to a bucket of water can change the flavor profile enough to make the horse interested in taking in that water. Always remember to provide a bucket of fresh, unchanged water along with your ‘teas’ if you try to encourage drinking. That way the horse has something to go back to if it doesn’t like any of the ‘teas’ you make.


Overheating

As we said above, most horses can regulate their temperature just fine if given a space to get out of the direct sunlight. Occasionally, though, a horse that has an underlying medical issue, or one that simply spent too much time out in the sunlight, can lose control of this regulation and overheat. If you suspect your horse has overheated, there are a few steps you should take. First, immediately get the horse out of the sunlight and into the shade, trying to keep the horse as calm as possible. If they are buddy bound, bringing the friend with is good too! The use of fans can create evaporation on the skin to help draw some of the heat out of their body. A sponge bath with cold water over the jugular furrow on both sides of the neck, behind the forearms, and in the groin can decrease temperature, and increase evaporation in a breeze to help cool the horse down. Be sure to scrape off excess water to help the evaporation process go faster. Finally, if you have isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol you can also use that to pour over the horse. The alcohol has a lower evaporation temperature, so it evaporates more quickly than water, drawing out the heat faster than a traditional bath.

Remember, through all of this, your veterinarian can be a big help to you in getting your horse back on tract. High heat and humidity can be one of the worst triggers of horses with breathing issues, or other systemic compromise, and can lead to colic and acute respiratory distress. Having unexpired banamine or phenylbutazone on hand can also help with these situations but be sure to always consult your veterinarian prior to giving any medications.

With a little luck, you and your horses should get through the heat just fine. Always remember, we are just a phone call away to answer questions you may have or to help with your horses in an emergency at 763-441-3797 (after hours Ext 1).

04/27/2022

Fat is dense in calories and provides a good source of energy for the horse. Combinations of common feedstuffs in a horse’s ration contain 3 to 5% fat, but horses can use up to 20% fat in their diet if necessary. For more information on adding fat to a horse's diet, visit https://extension.umn.edu/horse-nutrition/providing-carbohydrates-and-fats-your-horses-diet -fat-in-the-diet-1319260

04/26/2022

❗️UPDATE: The horse's owner has been identified and the two have been reunited. Thank you Washington County for all your help in getting "Penny" home!

We need your help Washington County! We have a horse wandering around the 11000 block of 124th St N in May Township. The horse is described as brown wearing a blue blanket with pink trim. If you know who owns this beauty, please have them call 651-439-9381 so we can reunite them!

04/23/2022

April showers bring…

…the increased risk of your horse developing a skin condition like rain rot, a contagious bacterial skin disease (often mistaken for a fungal condition) called dermatophilosis which is caused by the bacterium "Dermatophilus congolensis.”

How does rain rot happen?

The organism responsible for rain rot lives in the outer layer of the skin; if the skin is compromised by too much moisture or cracks, or if the horse has a weaker immune system, it’s easier for the pathogen to activate and establish an infection that causes from pinpoint to large, crusty scabs (pro tip: Your horse will NOT thank you for picking at them!).

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 critical! If left untreated, the condition can even progress to a point where it opens the door for more serious, secondary skin infections. It’s also important to note that this organism is contagious and may be passed to other horses by tack, equipment or insects, therefore disinfection of equipment is vital to prevent spread.

If you suspect your horse has rain rot, be sure to consult your veterinarian on the best treatment plan. While there are a million over-the-counter products available, your horse doctor may have cause to prescribe a specific course of action based on the severity of your horse's case.

More information about rain rot and skin conditions can be found on our website at https://aaep.org/issue/summertime-skin-diseases

03/02/2022

Success!

12/30/2021

Has your horse received its flu shot this season?

Equine influenza is a highly contagious respiratory condition and one of the most common infectious diseases of the respiratory tract of horses. Influenza is endemic in the equine population of the United States, which means it's always around.

Like in humans, equine influenza spreads rapidly through groups of horses in aerosolized droplets dispersed by coughing. The severity of clinical signs depends on the degree of existing immunity within the affected individual, among other factors. Any horse showing signs of respiratory disease (cough, nasal discharge, persistent fever) should be isolated immediately until the cause can be determined by your veterinarian. Please note that, while humans cannot contract the disease, they can carry the infection and transmit the virus between horses.

Contact your horse doctor for more information on how to prevent this disease through an appropriate vaccination protocol and biosecurity practices. Learn more about the AAEP's recommendations for vaccination at https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines/risk-based-vaccination-guidelines/equine-influenza

10/21/2021

Poor Fireworks sustained a horrible injury last week😣 but Thankfully we have an amazing vet!!! Dr.Jackie & Dr.Toby from Stillwater Equine Vet saved the day once again for us! We are so blessed to have them! Especially this past year. Fireworks is on the mend with a very stylish glammed up cast💗 Every pony deserves to be loved by a little girl as much as this little girl loves her pony!🥰💗 thank you Stillwater Vet for saving the day and at the moment this little girls whole world… if only they stayed little forever!

10/21/2021

05/26/2021

The UMN offers two resources for horse owners on the topic of poisonous plants. The Plants Poisonous or Harmful to Horses in the Midwest Book (2020 edition) and the Plants Poisonous or Harmful to Horses Poster. The book retails for $25, while the poster retails for $15. Or, both can be purchased together for $35 (plus shipping and handling). For more information, visit https://bookstores.umn.edu/product/book/plants-poisonous-or-harmful-horses-midwest-book-2020-edition

05/13/2021

07/19/2020

The new feed room !

07/19/2020

So excited for how the new tack lockers turned out! It’s all coming together 😊

07/12/2020

06/28/2020

The indoor arena has a fresh 4 inches of sand ! Can’t wait to work the horses in it🤗

06/27/2020

Yes I am posting at 3 a.m. because I can’t sleep over the excitement of my two new girls 😍 I finally got my baby! And she is so darn cute!

06/20/2020

Wow tonight’s sunset was breathtaking!

06/17/2020

Just a few pics from around the barn 😊

06/17/2020

The lounge area with the viewing window to the indoor arena ... our new barn kitty is demonstrating just how cozy the room is while she naps on the chair 😂

05/14/2020

I have been horrible about uploading pics of the barn and the progress of it’s transformation. In just the short time we have been here it has already started to show it’s true potential🤗 We are so thankful to our friends and family for their support and help in bringing this dream to reality 🥰