Photo Credit: Kim Russell Photo If you like to reward your horse with edible treats, remember to be mindful of exactly what you’re feeding: some natural ingredients, like honey and licorice, can cause an accidental drug positive. “You may think something sounds familiar and benign, but you don’t necessarily know what’s in it,” said Dr. Stephen Schumacher, DVM, chief administrator of US Equestrian’s Equine Drugs and Medications Program. “You know the...

Like thrush, white line disease is a fairly simple hoof ailment that is not terribly difficult to treat, provided it’s caught early. “White line disease is often a mixed fungal and bacterial infection, and, like thrush, it’s opportunistic,” said Dr. Bryan Fraley of Fraley Equine Podiatry at Hagyard Equine Medical Institute . “It likes to capitalize on any little defect in the hoof wall that will give these organisms a chance to get up under the hoof wall. It grows...

Aged horses need a little extra support when winter settles in with cold temperatures and snow. We asked Dr. Luke Fallon of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky., for an autumn to-do list that can help you prepare an older or geriatric horse for the coming season. First, discuss a plan with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can help with all aspects of aged-horse care, from a proper diet to hoof condition to management of arthritis. Ask your vet to assess your horse and provide...

This article originally appeared in EQUUS magazine , a media partner of US Equestrian. Any horse will cough occasionally, particularly if he catches a noseful of dusty air or gets a bit of debris in his airway while he’s eating or drinking. That’s just a normal sign of a healthy airway keeping itself clean. Sometimes, however, coughing is an early sign of illness or that your horse is developing an inflammatory condition, such as heaves, that will respond better when treated...

Navicular syndrome—now often referred to by veterinarians as caudal heel pain—is a diagnosis many horse owners dread. But advances in imaging technology, like magnetic resonance imaging, have made diagnosing and treating navicular-related lameness more precise, and, in many cases, a diagnosis of caudal heel pain isn’t career-ending. Here are some things to keep in mind about caudal heel pain, according to Dr. Liz Barrett of the Hagyard Equine Medical Institute in Lexington, Ky....

As of Dec. 1, the United States Equestrian Federation will require a microchip for horses and ponies competing for points in classes that require United States Hunter Jumper Association horse registration. Here’s our microchipping primer to help get you ready for the deadline. Why microchip? The microchip verifies the horse or pony’s ID, which allows him to compete for points and prize money and to be eligible for certain US Equestrian and USHJA programs and awards. Microchips are...

It’s cheap and effective to make disinfecting part of your barn routine. We’ve got Hagyard Equine Medical Institute’s top tips. Regular disinfecting around the barn can help prevent disease, so it’s worth making a good scrub part of your horsekeeping routine. But how often do brushes, buckets, and stalls need disinfecting? And what are the best disinfectants? We asked Dr. Nathan Slovis of Hagyard Equine Medical Institute for his advice. The good news: it’s cheap...

If you think ponies are just for kids, Dr. Ruth Wilburn begs to differ. Wilburn is president of the Welsh Pony & Cob Society of America and breeds Welsh ponies under the name of the Rollingwoods Farm she owns in Olive Branch, Miss., with her sisters, Joanna Wilburn and Sally Ross Davis. Wilburn is also an accomplished carriage pleasure driving competitor with her Welsh ponies, and she knows as well as anyone how competitive and fun ponies can be for adult and junior equestrians alike. Dr....

Does your homeowner policy protect you as a horse owner? Probably not. Here's why: many homeowner policies have exclusions that could affect a horse owner. Review your current policy and have a conversation with your insurance agent to be sure you are adequately covered when owning a horse. If you take your horse to shows; breed, train, or board horses as a business on your property; or have horses on your premises for personal use, read on for three factors to consider. Have horses on your...

Age-verification is a new rule in Young Hunter classes and Jumper classes restricted by age of the horse. Save yourself time and hassle by age-verifying your horse before you go to a competition so your points will be good for the show. It’s fast and easy to do online. Here’s how: Go to USequestrian.org . Log in to your account, then click on “My USEF” at the top right of the screen, in the black menu bar. Scroll down and click on the tile for the horse you want to...