Horse Care

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We heard from many of you this season asking for more information on indications of illness in a horse, but we received a question this week asking how to tell if a horse is well. We think you will find this American Association of Equine Practitioners' resource helpful, with its basic overview of the signs of a healthy horse. If you have specific concerns about your horse's health, be sure to contact your veterinarian.

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We received a question about grooming from a young Foal Patrol viewer in Bardstown, Kentucky. This resource from the Rutgers Cooperative Extension should provide you with a good introduction to why grooming is important, along with some pointers for grooming tools and the grooming process. And for a little more on the grooming process, you can check out this step-by-step guide. Thank you for reaching out to Foal Patrol with your great question!

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We received a question about how farms make decisions about when to initiate grazing and how to monitor pastures. Although these decisions will vary from farm to farm, depending on a farm's location, size, terrain, climate, and number of horses in its care, we think you will find this video helpful with its tips on grazing and the reasoning behind those recommendations. 

We thank the University of Minnesota Equine Extension Program for sharing this resource with us. Remember to contact your local Extension if you have questions specific to your area. 

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As the temperatures are rising, we have received a few questions about what farms can do to help their horses of all ages avoid heat stress. This new article by Dr. Caitlin Dobecka available on The Horse provides some pointers for recognizing signs of heat stress and offers suggestions for preventive measures.

From water requirements to trailering tips, for more resources on summer horse care, you can also visit this comprehensive list of online options from The Horse. 

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In response to a viewer's question about antibiotics and their potential for overuse, antibiotic resistance in equine medicine is a growing challenge. The overuse of antibiotics is a particular concern for equine researchers and practitioners, because there aren't that many types of antibiotics in their arsenal. Read more in this article published by Denise Steffanus on the Paulick Report.