Health and Wellness

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...

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,...

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”...