Buck-A-Foos Equine BodyWorks

28/05/2023

21/07/2022

Horses travel every day for a number of reasons—to be bought and sold, for competition, for breeding purposes, etc. Whether your horse travels by road or by air, horse owners need to be aware of the complications that may occur due to transportation, including traumatic injuries, diarrhea, muscular problems, respiratory problems, overheating, colic, and even laminitis (in the case of overweight horses).

Following are a few tips to help your equine friend maintain good health and welfare during transport. This list is by no means complete and we encourage you to read "Practical Guidelines to Assess Fitness for Transport of Equidae” to find additional advice. This document will also help you understand regulations and avoid penalties for being out of compliance: https://tinyurl.com/yck9cz86

• Inadequate management of feed and water intake during travel could cause colic, gastric ulceration and heat stress. Food and water should be provided prior to transport, during regular rest breaks and upon arrival at destination.
• Ensure your horse’s immunizations are up to date against respiratory pathogens to protect your animal from these diseases.
• The horse should be rested before the journey, given rest stops during travel and have time to recover on arrival at the destination.
• The vehicle should be well-ventilated to help prevent respiratory problems or overheating.
• Drive slowly and carefully (NO TEXTING, avoid driving when fatigued or eating while driving, etc.) to provide a comfortable journey for the animal and reduce the risk of injury and fatigue.

As always, your veterinarian remains your best resource. If you have questions, consult your horse doctor about preparing your equine friend for travel and keeping them safe!

01/07/2022

What’s that dot doing there?!

Well, that’s the acupressure point for calming and cleaning the brain. This is a great point to use daily before events such as… wait for it… fireworks!! It’s also great to use on the trail or out hacking for any type of spookiness!

It’s found on the dorsal midline between the 7th cervical vertebrae and 1st thoracic vertebrae. Or better known as the area in front of the withers where horses groom each other. You can massage the point with your fingers or hold the point gently for 30-45 seconds or until the horse becomes calm.

This point is used to prevent any spookiness or anxiety. So, start using this acupressure point today! You can use during a stressful event as well, but it’s best to start sooner than later.

Please note, acupressure is not a replacement for veterinary care, but a way to complement it. If your horse is extremely stressed, please take action and call your vet.

01/07/2022

Fun fact Friday: Did you know that horses have dichromatic vision and therefore can only discern blue and yellow? Humans, on the other hand, have trichromatic vision and this allows us to see the full spectrum of red, green and blue.

Do horses have color preferences? The science says they do! Researchers recently explored color preferences in horses based on how much water was consumed from buckets painted one of six colors: red, yellow, green, light green, light blue, and turquoise. The results? It appears that horses are more likely to drink out of turquoise or light blue buckets!

Read more at https://ker.com/equinews/color-preferences-among-horses/

08/04/2022

05/04/2022

For a limited time, the popular UMN "Plants Poisonous or Harmful to Horses" poster is 25% off! Order the poster between March 1st and July 1st to receive the discounted price of $11.25 (plus shipping). To order the poster, visit: https://bookstores.umn.edu/product/book/plants-poisonous-or-harmful-horses-extension-poster

The poster provides horse owners and professionals a fast and easy way to identify 24 toxic plants commonly found in the Midwest sorted by the symptoms they cause. It is ideal for displaying in barns, offices, tack rooms, rider lounges, and trailers.

26/03/2022

IT'S SPRING - DOES YOUR HORSE NEED SOME HELP TO GET GOING AGAIN! Avoid early season injuries - Here's a short acupressure session for you to share with your horse on both sides before riding. We all want our horses to feel good hitting the trail or arena after the winter.

13/03/2022

There are lots of benefits to acupressure and massage...one of which is alleviate anxiety!

10/08/2021

A repeat for today! You can get this print at www.danasdoodles.com :)

28/07/2021

Keep your horse healthy inside and out...

IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START THINKING ABOUT WINTER HAY!

Do you know the basics when it comes to hay? 🌾

Horse are herbivores by design and most content when they can nibble almost constantly. Though it's not always possible to let them graze to their heart's content, feeding high-quality hay is a good way to satisfy their urge to chew and provide essential nutrients at the same time. A mature horse will eat 2-2.5% of its body weight per day; roughage should contribute to at least half of this percentage. For a 1,000-pound horse, that means at least 10 pounds of hay each day.


Not all horses are made equal, so a horse's total protein and energy requirements will ultimately depend on the individual's age, stage of development, metabolism and workload. When purchasing hay, you should evaluate how it looks, smells, and feels. However, remember that no matter how good hay may look, its actual nutrient content can only be determined through chemical analysis; a forage laboratory can determine the percentage of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), and minerals including calcium, phosphorous, potassium and magnesium.

Consult your veterinarian for more information on formulating a balanced and cost-effective diet that meets your individual horse's dietary requirements! For more horse health resources, visit our website at aaep.org