Breeding Thoroughbreds. August 1 is considered the birthday of each and every Australian Thoroughbred racehorse and the official “horse birthday” in the southern hemisphere, no matter what date they were actually born. (The “horse birthday” date is January 1 for Thoroughbreds in the northern hemisphere.) The annual Thoroughbred breeding seasonRead More →
Colic in horses: Even though colic is a common ailment in horses, it can be mysterious and frightening for horse owners. Colic is a generalised term referring to any type of abdominal pain in the horse and most commonly originates from within the gastrointestinal tract, or gut. This article willRead More →
Managing and feeding horses during drought: Drought conditions in various parts of Australia have coupled with the arrival of the non-growing (winter) season. Grass has turned yellow or brown and the pastures are being eaten down with only bare soils left. If you are lucky to live in a higherRead More →
Signs of Pain in Horses: Horses are instinctively ‘stoic’, they do their best to mask all signs of pain in an effort to keep-up and blend-in with the rest of their herd. By the time your horse shows clear signs of lameness or injury, it is likely a lot ofRead More →
Plastic Horse Shoes: Better Than Barefoot? It’s an iconic sound alright; a metal-shod horse travelling on hard ground. Some would say it’s music to a horseman’s ears. But what you’re hearing is high-frequency vibration; the tiny portion of vibrating energy that escapes the impact zone and disperses through the air.Read More →
Have you heard about ‘carrot stretches’ or ‘pilates for horses’ where you entice your horse to bend or stretch with the help of a carrot? While the actual stretching exercises prescribed in these programs can be great for your horse’s body, ‘carrot stretches’ can teach horses to ‘mug you’ forRead More →
The Science of Rugging Horses: As we move towards winter and despite enjoying warm autumn days, the colder nights and mornings probably have most of us reaching for our body-warmers, fleeces and jackets when we go to see our horses. But, does this mean it’s time to drag out theRead More →
No foot, no horse! The old saying still rings true today… The more we learn about horses’ feet and the connection between healthy feet and a healthy upper body, the more we realise how important it is to consider our horse’s feet in relation to their general health and wellbeing.Read More →
Finding lumps, bumps and swellings on the skin of horses is a very common problem for owners. In this article, veterinarian Dr Rachel Kent sorts the harmless lumps from the nasty bumps to help you identify ones that may require veterinary treatment, versus those which may be left alone. WhereRead More →
Geranium Essential Oil Biological Name: Pelagonium graveolens Parts Used: Leaves and flowers Essential Oil Method of Extraction: Steam distillation. Geranium Essential Oil Scent: Floral, fresh, strong and sweet with a fruity note. Constituents: beta-caryophyllene, citronellol, citronellyl acetate, geraniol, geranyl acetate, isomenthone, menthone, linalyl acetate, linalool, phellandrene and sabinene. Reported ActionsRead More →
