Rain Rot in Horses

Rain Rot in Horses

It’s a cool rainy fall day, and you’re looking forward to a nice ride in the indoor arena on your beloved equine pal. Perhaps you’ve had a busy work week and haven’t seen him in a few days. As you bring him in from the pasture and park him in the cross ties, you absently run your hand along his back and give him a loving pat. To your dismay, your horse’s typically fuzzy soft coat feels lumpy and crusty and he flinches at your touch. What on earth is this?

Simple At-the-Barn Exercises: Addressing Common Concerns in Equine Athletes

Simple At-the-Barn Exercises: Addressing Common Concerns in Equine Athletes

“My horse has no topline!”

When discussing a horse’s topline, we are typically looking at the visual relationship between the horse’s vertebral spinous processes and the epaxial muscles alongside the spine. These muscles function to extend the spine (picture a racehorse stretched out in a full gallop, with his hind limbs pushed out behind him and his forelimbs stretched out ahead).

Equitarian Initiative’s Workshop - Costa Rica Recap

 Equitarian Initiative’s Workshop - Costa Rica Recap

This January, I was very fortunate to receive a scholarship from the American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) to attend the Equitarian Initiative’s Workshop. The workshop’s objectives are to provide an understanding of the critical role of working equids around the world, discuss examples of successful equitarian programs, and allow participants to apply their individual skills in a field setting.