Q. I ride a horse whose hooves are kind of cracking and really long. Does the farrier need to come to trim his hooves?
A. All horses’ feet should be trimmed every 6-8 weeks year-round and shod if necessary. If your horse’s feet are long and cracking from the bottom up, it sounds like he’s past due for a visit from the farrier. If the cracks are occurring from the top (by the hairline) down, they may be more serious and should be looked at by a farrier or vet as soon as possible.
Q. I am a new breeder of mini horses, and I was wondering if it would be safe to put the mares after they foal together on the pasture with the babies. I don’t want to cause fights. I have four mares ready to foal in May. They are all under 33 inches tall. Any…
Q. I have had my horse for fifteen years, and he has always been stalled with daily turnout (all-day turnout). He is a cribber, so he wears a cribbing collar 24/7. He’s always chewed at wood, but lately it seems that his wood chewing is getting much worse. Could he be “telling” me that he…
Q. I’ve got a horse whose back leg stiffens up when he’s outside in a cold rain. I’ve been keeping him in his stall on rainy days, but he seems to love water. In the spring, there’s a pond that forms in the field from the run-off snow and rain. He swims in it. I’ll…
Q. I’m interested in buying a weanling, but I have no idea how to raise one. I also don’t know how much an untried weanling would cost. I want to buy this weanling, but I need information about weanlings first! A. Oh boy, you’re looking at taking a tremendous risk and investing a huge amount…
Q. Baring accidents or congenital difficulties, how long do horses live if they’re healthy & well-cared for? Can you continue to ride a horse when he/she becomes quite elderly? A. Most horses, if reasonably healthy and taken proper care of throughout their entire lives (not just the last few years), should be able to live well into…