Health and Wellness

Barn life is busy. When a horse feels “a bit off,” most owners do the same thing: they try to remember what changed, scroll through photos, search old texts, or piece together a timeline from scattered notes. That works until it does not. A stressful vet call is not the moment you want to guess whether the fever started this morning or last night, or whether you gave the last dose at 6 pm or 9 pm. A horse health log  fixes that. It is a simple, repeatable way to record vitals

Equine influenza is one of the fastest-moving respiratory diseases in horses. It spreads easily anywhere horses share airspace, trailers, barns, arenas, or people who handle multiple horses in a day. The flu vaccine is not “for show horses only.” It is a practical risk tool for most horses that board, train, lesson, or travel. Medical disclaimer:  This is general education only. Confirm vaccine choices and timing with your veterinarian based on your region and your horse’s ri

Credit: horseillustrated Rabies is rare in horses, but it is high-stakes. Once clinical signs appear, it is essentially always fatal, which is why prevention matters even when the odds feel low. Whether the rabies vaccine is “required” depends on where you live, your barn or show facility rules, and your veterinarian’s recommendations based on local wildlife and public health guidance. Medical disclaimer:  This is general education only. Confirm your horse’s rabies vaccine pl

Credit: foxvalleyequine A horse vaccination schedule is really a risk plan. The right timing depends on what your horse is exposed to this year, not what your neighbour does. Boarding barns, training facilities, travel, mosquito season, and outbreak pressure can all change what matters. Use the guide and chart to build a sensible baseline, then have your veterinarian confirm the exact products and timing for your region and your horse. TLDR Start with core protection  most ho

Bute for horses (phenylbutazone) is one of the most widely used pain and inflammation medications in the horse world. It can make a stiff, sore horse noticeably more comfortable, especially with arthritis, soft-tissue strains, or post-work soreness. At the same time, bute is not a harmless barn painkiller. It can mask important warning signs like fever, colic pain, and serious lameness, and it carries real risks for the stomach, colon, and kidneys when the dose, duration, or

Understand Equine Herpesvirus, including its risks, symptoms, prevention methods, and management strategies.

Credit: The Horse A raised temperature is one of the earliest and most useful clues that a horse is getting sick. The challenge for owners is knowing what number truly counts as a fever, how to take an accurate reading, and when that reading means “monitor” versus “call the vet.” This guide walks you through a clear first hour plan, red flags that change the timeline, and the most likely causes by season so you can act with confidence rather than guess. We’ll start by definin

When colic strikes, you don’t have time to hunt for tools or guess what to do next. An Emergency Colic Kit puts the right items in one place—thermometer with lube, stethoscope, watch, headlamp, gloves, notepad—and pairs them with a simple, first-hour plan: observe behavior, take time-stamped vitals, and call with a clear trend. This guide shows exactly what to pack, how to measure, and when numbers cross into “call now.” We’ll keep it owner-safe and practical: short steps, re

Choosing between orchard, timothy, and alfalfa is really about matching nutrients to the horse, not picking a plant name. This guide to Orchard vs Timothy vs Alfalfa shows how NSC, protein, and the calcium to phosphorus balance shape weight control, performance fuel, and metabolic safety. Use a hay lab on a dry matter basis, then tailor intake with your veterinarian and keep basic biosecurity in mind. If you need a refresher on energy, protein, minerals, and dry matter, skim

Yes! Horses sweat, a lot, and it’s their primary way to dump heat during work and hot weather. When sweating doesn’t keep up—or stops...

Credit: Practicalhorsemanmag Flies aren’t just annoying, they affect comfort, work quality, skin health, and disease risk. The right...

Credit: Equestrianbusiness Routine eight week rotations felt simple, but they fueled parasite resistance in small strongyles across many barns in the United States. The modern approach is risk based and test driven. We use fecal egg counts to decide if treatment is needed, we choose the narrowest effective class, and we time action windows to season and regional pressure. This guide gives you clear steps plus practical tools so you can build a program that protects your horse

Credit: laboklin “West Nile in horses” spikes every late summer for a reason: mosquitoes. Birds carry the virus; mosquitoes spread it; horses (and humans) are dead-end hosts—we don’t pass it on to each other, but we can  get seriously ill. Most exposed horses show no signs at all, some get a short fever, and a smaller group develop neurologic disease (wobbly gait, tremors, trouble swallowing). Outcomes range from full recovery to prolonged rehab; a fraction become recumbent a

A horse’s mouth is more than a place to park a bit—it is a finely tuned machine that grinds forage into fuel. Healthy horse teeth allow...

Potomac Horse Fever case studies open a window into the messy, real-world version of a disease most owners only know from textbook bullet...

Vaccination is one of the most important steps in protecting horses from life-threatening diseases. Whether you're managing a show barn, caring for backyard companions, or running a rescue, knowing what’s in a 5-way equine vaccine , and when to use it, is essential for responsible horse ownership. But not all vaccines are the same. The 5-way shot is a core combination vaccine , designed to protect horses against five major infectious diseases in a single dose. If you’re unsur

Horse Weighing Horse weight isn’t a single number—it’s a range shaped by type, frame, height, age, and body condition. For owners, the real job is getting an accurate enough  estimate to feed correctly, dose safely, respect trailer limits, and track conditioning. This guide gives you fast reference ranges by type and two owner-safe, two-minute methods (scale if available; tape + formula if not) so you can measure at home with confidence. We’ll also show how Body Condition Sco

Rain rot leads to scabs that cause the hair to fall out in clumps Rain rot—also commonly known as mud fever , rain scald , or scratches...

Potomac Horse Fever (PHF) can strike suddenly and escalate quickly. Although the disease appears most often in late summer in areas...

What is thrush? Thrush is an anaerobic bacteria and fungus found in the intestinal tract of hooved animals, such as horses. “Anaerobic” means that it grows and thrives in the absence of oxygen. Once thrush gets into a horse’s foot, it attacks the frog, central sulcus, and collateral sulci. In some cases, the infection may also create secondary complications like white line separation or seedy toe , especially if poor hoof hygiene continues. Although thrush is a somewhat commo