Open Air Equine

Thank you 🇺🇲

Today we remember and honor all the men and women who served and made the ultimate sacrifice. .

Our thanks to the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) for this portrait of the riderless horse.

No need to panic! The apparatus that the horse below is wearing is called a 'grazing muzzle'. I would rather refer to it as a "neigh nibbler" .... a more fun name, coined by one of my students ☺️

A Neigh Nibbler is to reduce the amount of rich, green, spring grass that a horse can take in while enjoying time out in a grass-filled pasture. WHY might you want to reduce the intake of grass? Well, grass, especially early in the spring season, contains a lot of sugar. Releasing our horses into a field of cotton candy (for lack of a better comparison) can have negative health effects, including laminitis (the #2 cause of death in horses), exponential weight gain, and trigger conditions like PPID or EMS.

It's time. Weigh your horse and determine their body condition score**

🐎 Tip Of The Day!

📈 Regularly monitor your horse’s body condition score throughout the year. Body condition is scored on a scale of 1-9, with lower scores representing underweight horses and higher scores representing overweight horses.

🌡️ To keep your horse comfortable at high temperatures, its body condition should be maintained at a score of 4.5 – 5. At this score, your horse will have ribs that are easily felt under a layer of fat, and there will be little to no crease of fat running down the length of their back.

💪 Keeping your horse at a lean body condition score ensures they have enough fat deposits to store energy and protect the organs, but not enough fat to trap excess heat in their body.

To learn more about feeding horses in warm weather click the link below:
CA: https://madbarn.ca/feeding-horses-in-hot-weather/

US: https://madbarn.com/feeding-horses-in-hot-weather/

What's your answer? AND, why?

Thank you Eden's Aspens Horsemanship for hosting a day of Equine First Aid! We had some of the best horse patients to date and students too 😄 Congratulations for earning your certifications today and preparing yourselves to respond during emergencies. From vital signs and yoga to bandaging and MORE, you all did amazing 🤩

Yes! And there are a million different ways it can be explained 😅 Standing behind the horse, on its right legs, you want to wrap in a clockwise direction. On the left legs, you want to wrap in a counterclockwise direction. Ooooooooor, standing behind the horse again, pretend to swim with your hands pushing the water out. HOW would you describe the direction to wrap a leg?

It's bug season, and your horse is kicking at their belly. How do you know if it is colic or flies? HELP!

You wouldn't go from couch to marathon AND neither should your horse. As the temperature rises and Summer makes its debut, it's always wise to take note of how well you've built up your horse's stamina. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke in horses are life-threatening. These are HUMAN ERROR. Your horse was not in shape or maybe not well. Read on to learn more 👇

Is your horse out of shape or is there something else going on? Here are some tips to help you differentiate between a horse that needs conditioning and one that needs medical attention. Click the link in the comments to learn more.

Happy Mother's Day to all the good moms out there giving it their all each and every day. I don't think there's anything harder than being a good mama. You are strong, capable, beautiful, and everything your kiddo needs 🙏💞

We're wishing all of the moms out there a beautiful and heartwarming Mother's Day, and a special shout-out to the AAEP members who juggle the demands of motherhood with their dedication to equine health. You truly inspire us! 💕💐

Short striding, behavioral issues under saddle, difficulty standing for the farrier? These issues could indicate muscle tension or compensation by your horse. This is a great opportunity to try Equine Massage to increase blood flow and bring attention back to muscles that need support. Reach out to Brittany at [email protected] for more information. I look forward to connecting with you soon 🤚

10% off of original cost + mileage-