The Essential Horse

21/06/2024

Hey, Horse Peeps! I just wrote an article about a fly spray that has been a total game-changer for me. This stuff actually WORKS, and when you have a horse with sweet itch, that matters -- a lot! You can read all about it here, and there is a 20% off discount code in the article too if you decide to get some. And no, I don't work for the company...I'm just super glad I found this spray!

As horse owners, we all want to protect our horses from flies, mosquitoes and other winged pests that are not only annoying but which can also spread serious diseases. Most of us use fly sprays as a big part of our efforts, but many of us are frustrated with the fact that those sprays rarely

17/06/2024

I was recently asked to answer a question for Heels Down Magazine about what horse owners can do to improve their horses' feet through the diet. Here is the article, if you would like to check it out:

We've learned more recently that diet plays a major role in hoof health in horses. What are the key nutritional components?

06/04/2024

To all fans of THE ESSENTIAL HOOF BOOK and to all my horse peeps:

My co-author, the wonderful Christina Cline, who has done SO MUCH to SO MANY in the horse world, and who truly is one of the best human beings I have ever known in my entire life, is in need of our help to get surgery for her injured baby horse! If you can spare any amount to help, please click on the GoFundMe link here and give what you can.

Here is what Christina posted today about her sweet baby:

"Nothing in life is guaranteed. And sometimes things really don't go the way you want them to.

"A couple weeks ago I got home from running errands and found Lego three legged lame. Most of the time, a sudden lameness like that is an abscess, or something in the foot. Not this time. In short, he has a break in the shoulder joint. Don't ask me how, because I have no clue. There was no exterior indication of internal trauma - no lacerations, hoof marks, not even hair missing.

"A $10k surgery would give him a 50/50 chance of being sound enough to ride. Unfortunately I don't have that. Conservative treatment of rest, love, healing vibes, supplements, and other supportive therapies will hopefully help him heal to pasture soundness. (Or who knows, a miracle might happen)

"He's the sweetest, kindest, most willing little horse - this just breaks my heart. But he doesn't need to be ridden to have a life here - he just needs to heal enough to be able to be a horse in the herd. We can do other things together - I've wanted to teach more tricks to my horses, so perhaps he'd fill that role. Time will tell.

"It's (yet another) reminder to actively live in the present, love the horse I have now, love him where he's at, and not worry about the future too much. But not gonna lie - it hurts. I'm sad and a little scared. But for now, I'll enjoy each moment with him as the gift that it is. Hopefully I'll be enjoying these moments for years to come."

BUT NOW, with this gofundme, Christina has a chance to get this potentially life-saving surgery for Lego! Please donate if you can, and PLEASE SHARE THIS POST!

Here is Christina’s Facebook post about her baby that needs surgery. Nothin… Kristen Beck needs your support for Surgery for Christina Cline’s baby, Lego.

21/01/2024

Someone asked me about hay nets a little while back -- which ones I use and why. I finally got around to writing about that, so for anyone interested in slow feeding with hay nets, here is my post explaining why I like Hay Chix nets so much:

Hay Chix Hay Nets: Why we love them and why your horse needs one! By Susan Kauffmann Years ago, I wrote an article for EQUUS magazine on the benefits of slow feeding for horses. At the time, I tested a number of the options available, from rigid feeders to various types of nets. Since then, as more....

10/01/2024

I was reminded the other day of why I love my "Forever Fork" manure fork. I use this thing for manure, snow clearing, and scooping up the numerous rocks in my paddocks. I can't believe this fork hasn't broken yet, with all of the intense abuse I put it through all the time, but this photo gives you an idea of why it hasn't: It is plenty rigid for picking up whatever you need it to, but when something jams in it, it somehow magically flexes instead of breaking. Seriously good product!

And I know you're going to ask me where to get one, so here you go: https://www.foreverfork.com

02/01/2024

Many of us like to give our horses a "nice, hot bran mash" at this time of year, but just want to once again spread the word that doing so is not really good for your horse and may actually be detrimental:

Ditch traditional bran mashes (and the issues they can cause) for forage feeding to keep horses warm.

27/12/2023

Someone in one of my horse groups posted today about her horse having a foreign object sticking out of her foot. She pulled it out, and now, two days later, the horse is very lame, and she's wondering what to do. We covered the do's and don'ts of puncture wounds in "The Essential Hoof Book", and since the thing that seems to make the most sense (pull the object out) is quite often the exact opposite of what you should do, I thought I would post an excerpt from the book so that people could have that information handy, even if they don't have the book (though of course everyone should get a copy, right? 😄).

PUNCTURE WOUNDS OF THE EQUINE FOOT, from THE ESSENTIAL HOOF BOOK, by Susan Kauffmann and Christina Cline When it comes to puncture wounds of the hoof, some are obvious and easy to find, with the horse suddenly coming up lame and an examination of the foot turning up something sharp poking into the s...

06/12/2023

Still searching for that perfect Christmas gift for your horsey friends? You just found it! "The Essential Hoof Book" is truly THE must-have book for every horse person's library, which is why it is used and cherished by horse owners, farriers, veterinarians, vet schools and hoof care schools around the world! Empower your friends with the knowledge they need to ensure that their horses have the best feet they possibly can. They -- and their horses -- will thank you for it!

20/02/2023

Teach Your Horse to Accept Fly Spray Calmly By Josh Nichol When warmer weather rolls around, I frequently encounter people who have trouble getting their horse to accept fly spray. I explain to them that the first step in solving this common issue is to think about it from the horse's perspective. H...