United States Eventing Association

When Debra Ladley first noticed her 18-year-old retired hunter gelding, Jack, was experiencing sudden lameness, she thought what most horse owners do; that there was a hoof abscess brewing.

The horses in trainer Joe Davis’ barn at Horseshoe Indianapolis don’t just get standard hay in their nets each day. Throughout the afternoon, Davis or one of his employees opens the HayGain machine that sits at the end of his shed row and pulls out a warm, beautiful-smelling bale of freshly-steamed hay to fill their nets.

The past few years have seen veterinary imaging for horses grow by leaps and bounds. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were once rare and expensive luxuries for veterinarians trying to diagnose a horse, only accessible in a few places in the country. These days, more referral clinics are getting ahold of machines to bring advanced imaging closer to more people and horses. Some of these newer machines are faster and don’t require horses to undergo full anesthesia to get images.

It’s common to see a horse trailer trucking along with a sign on the back stating, “Precious Cargo!” or “My best friend is in here!” Traveling long distances to competitions is the norm for many eventers. When traveling between climates, like going from the sandy soil of Aiken, South Carolina, to the rich Kentucky bluegrass, our horses have to adjust to a whole new set of environmental conditions quickly.

On March 18, 2019, I got to the barn before sunrise like I did every morning, and this time I was looking forward to celebrating What A Trippi's 16th birthday with some special treats and a ride. The second I opened his stall door to throw him some hay, I knew something was wrong. He was standing just off enough to raise an alarm.

Get a better understanding of degenerative joint disease (DJD) and how you and your veterinarian can work together to help manage the disease in your horse.

Colic is pain that originates in the abdomen. Gas colic, also referred to as spasmodic colic, is one of the most common types of colic in horses. It is defined as mild to moderate abdominal pain that is caused by the accumulation of gas in the intestine. Gas colic either resolves on its own or with medical treatment recommended or provided by your horse’s veterinarian.

Your horse was designed to spend his days roaming and grazing, thriving on the nutrients found in fresh grass. But since acres of pasture can be hard to come by, most horse owners turn to hay to meet their horses’ forage requirements.

When you’re traveling with your horse, there’s more to do than simply hitch up the trailer and hit the road. SmartPak has the top tips you need for you and your horse’s best (and safest) road trip ever. With a little bit of planning and preparation, you can get your horse from point A to point B with confidence.

“As a hands-on horse owner, you know your animals better than anyone,” began Dr. Elizabeth MacDonald, Clinical Instructor of Equine Medicine at Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center in Leesburg, Virginia. “So, when your horse is a bit slow coming in from the field, not as excited as normal, not interested in finishing their meal, you know something’s wrong. The first thing you can do is check your horse’s vital parameters, and checking a rectal temperature is something everyone can easily do.”