Horse Care

There are probably only a few words or phrases that really strike fear into an equestrian: “loose horse”, “strangles” and “box rest”. Hopefully, you’ve not encountered the first two but I’m sure the majority of you will have had a period of box rest at one stage. To me, there’s two categories of box rest: 'box rest light' and 'box rest'. 'Box rest light' I’d classify as anything up to about 8 weeks. Not great, but completely doable w...

In this video tutorial our contributor, Jess Colvin, shows us how she washes her horse Memo's tail. The method she uses is particularly good for restoring white tails to their natural white, but it's just as effective for cleaning any other coloured tails too!

In this video tutorial our contributor, Jess Colvin, shows us how to easily and effectively trim and tidy your horse's mane. She explains how to get the more natural look of a pulled mane using just a pair of scissors and a mane comb, making this the perfect trimming technique for sensitive horses.

With the changing seasons, yard owners are increasingly looking to improve their facilities and to ensure the equines in their care can remain comfortable, whilst being able to protect themselves from hot or inclement weather. Many yard owners are turning to field shelters, either in the form of smaller shelters for individual or small herd turnout, or larger barn style shelters for bigger herds. You would think that picking a field shelter would be an easy task, but with so many options on t...

Back in January we attended BETA International 2020 to check out what’s new in the equestrian market and hear about the latest technology developments from some of the biggest brands in the industry. We attended several talks, but one of the most thought provoking was a talk from Dr. David Marlin, a scientific and equine consultant with more than 25 years experience in physiology and biochemistry. On this particular occasion, he was talking about the safety of headcollars, which are of cou...

Jazz is a dressage bred warmblood who came to us to be restarted, having been backed the year before and been turned away afterwards. His owners thought he could do with our approach and the natural way we keep the horses, as well as our sympathetic approach and the way we back horses (always in straight lines, teaching them to hack and see the world while they’re developing). Jazz had been diagnosed with shivers, a neuromuscular condition, so the way we strive to keep our horses out as m...

Each winter that arrives seems to be wetter, making the management of horses increasingly difficult. One of the biggest challenges of a wet season is the management of grazing and turnout. With increased rain comes increased mud, often making turnout impractical or impossible at some yards, despite the best attempts of the yard owner. Many yards bring in turnout restrictions or stoppages in times of severely wet weather, which can be difficult and disappointing for horse owners who want...

My best tip for the end of the clipping season is to get your clippers serviced and blades sharpened, ready for the following clipping season. There’s nothing worse than getting to the start of the season, getting your clippers out, starting to clip and then finding that half way round doing your horse, the blades go blunt or the clippers pack up and just stop working! Now this may be too late for some who have already hit this wall, but at least you know how to prepare for next clipping s...

If you turn your horses out through winter, or they live out in muddy conditions, my top tip is PIG OIL. You may already use this, and I hope a lot of you do. Of course, if you do then you will completely agree with me, or you wouldn’t be using it. And if you don’t use it – Go out and try it! This is the best way to prevent mud fever, and if you have a hairy cob then it’s also great for preventing bog burnt feathers. The pig oil acts as a water repellent barrier and the...

A few weeks ago, we decided to start an experiment with hoof dressings. We had seen a lot about how no topical treatments should be used on hooves and, if anything, water could be used in the dry months to keep the hoof moist. This is because great hoof growth comes from within and is dependent on a good diet, this we absolutely will not dispute! But while great hoof growth comes from within, is there anything we can do from the outside to help keep our horses’ feet healthy? We...

It is becoming more frequent that we are having heatwaves within the UK and managing our horses is key. We do not want to over heat or dehydrate them. There are many factors to think of and possibly change such as riding workload, turnout/ stabled schedule.  There are many discussions about whether you should bring your horse in during the day or leave out. There is no fixed answer for this, as no yard or horse will be the same. So, there are a few things to take into consideration when...

"I sent my pony to Meg and Lauren to be backed. I was worried about everything! Sent lots of messages asking lots of questions before I sent him and they answered all my worries and concerns and made me feel at ease and I felt 100% sure that they were the right place to send my little blonde boy! Charlie settled quickly with them, I was sent updates on what he was doing and how he was doing. The girls really love the horses like their own and that made me so happy and knew he was in the best han...

What is it and how can it help my polo ponies? What is sports physiotherapy and how does this relate to equine physiotherapy? Sports physiotherapy is common practice for all professional and semi-professional human athletes and the benefits are widely known and appreciated. Sports physiotherapists are involved in the prevention and management of injury, restoring optimal function, and contributing to the enhancement comfort and performance. The demands of polo are great on both playe...

Note: Be careful washing your horse’s tail and mane prior to a show as it tends to leave the hair very fluffy which makes it difficult to style and plait. Try to wash your horse's mane and tail at least two days before a show, this way it’s still nice and clean but a lot easier to style. Start washing from the top of the tail and really work the shampoo in all the way to the bottom. The tail can get very dirty so you want to make sure you are working the shampoo right into ...

Deciding whether or not to clip your horse will depend on what you are planning to do with your horse during the winter months. If you have a youngster or an older horse that is unlikely to be worked during this time, then leave him with his natural coat. Generally speaking, horses that are not in work do not require clipping. If you have a horse that is terrified of clippers and is dangerous to himself and handler, it is better not to attempt to clip on grounds of safety. Some horses will s...

New years eve is just around the corner and for a lot of our four-legged friends, this can be quite a traumatic time. Whilst we enjoy the pretty patterns that burst into the sky, we must remember that fireworks can be terrifying for our horses. Many horses are spooked by the loud noises or flashing lights that fireworks produce. This time of year can be a busy period for equine vets, where they treat horses that have injured themselves or have had colic as a result of the trauma. We are her...

The School of Equine Shiatsu has been in existence for nearly 20 years and hundreds of students can testify to its first-class tuition delivered by experts in this niche field.  We are very passionate about our school ethic and aim to give the best tuition we can. Whilst doing this, we have a lot of fun and enjoy being with the horses, giving them this lovely oriental treatment, which is such a privilege. So, to give you a little information, Shiatsu is a similar therapy to acupuncture ...

A lot of owners like to style their horse’s mane for various reasons. There are so many different ways in which you can style your horse’s mane and plaiting is one of them. If you’re someone who doesn’t know how to plait but wants to learn, then follow our 5, quick and easy steps below.   Step 1 - Section your horse’s mane into even pieces. Take the first section of your horse’s mane and separate it into three even strands, holding them bet...

To groom a horse, tie them up safely and pick out their feet first. Then work through the coat with a curry comb, a dandy brush and a body brush, in that order. Finish with the face, dock, mane and tail. In summer, add fly spray.   This guide takes you through each step in order, with the kit you need and how often to groom a horse that's stabled or living out.   Horse grooming is good for both of you. Regular grooming helps you and your horse get to know each other. It's a...

Check out how you can make your own fly spray with Horsemart's handy hints... It’s a common occurrence for any owner to spot their horse being bombarded by flies and other insects. They’re nothing but pests and the horse itself can become quite distressed by the constant crawling, biting and sucking going on somewhere on their body. Although it can be extremely difficult to eliminate them, you can take some level of action that can help to keep your horse comfortable and rel...