How can you tell if your horse is getting enough sleep? Creative Commons photo
While I don’t consider myself to be a morning person, I usually have no problem jumping out of bed in the morning to head out to get my barn chores done. It’s quite a bit harder to muster up the will when the temperatures are in the single digits here, because I’m so not a fan of the cold. But as long as I’ve had a good night’s sleep, I am ready to embrace the day.
In my early years of horse ownership, I used to board Ripley — and since he was at a lovely small barn and was well cared for, I never thought twice about his turnout schedule. It wasn’t uncommon for me to arrive, only to find Ripley sprawled out and sunning himself in the pasture with his buddies, especially during the warm days of summer.
Since I moved Ripley home here to our farm, his daily routine is a little different. He is turned out each day, along with his “little brothers,” and then is brought in to his stall each night. With this routine, all of my horses greet me happily each morning — and appear to be well rested as I brush the bedding off of them that they must have picked up while laying down and sleeping overnight.
I like to entertain the idea that bringing my horses in overnight gives them the chance to rest and relax in the comfort of their own stalls. But how can we tell if our horses are getting enough sleep? Head over to Equus Magazine to check out their recent article that explores the topic of sleep deprivation in horses. You can check out the article here.
Just how important is arena footing? What qualities should you look for in good footing for your arena? And just how much of an impact does footing have on the soundness and career longevity of your sport horse? Get a DVM’s perspective on the topic over at TheHorse.com. [The Horse]
Protect your horse from ulcers: Did you know that horses in the wild do not get ulcers? While we mean well, domestic equine feeding schedules can be a contributing cause of ulcers. Check out some guidelines on how you can help to protect your horse from this condition. [Horse Journals]
A breath of fresh air: The chilly winter season is an excellent time for dust to collect around the barn, which can be a problem in terms of your horse’s respiratory health. What are some practices and management strategies that can help you give your horse a “breath of fresh air” this season? Check out some suggestions on how you can promote equine respiratory health. [The Horse]
Horse hearing problems: It might surprise you to learn that your horse’s hearing isn’t that different from your own, though they do have the ability to detect faint sounds that would likely escape human notice. Many horses can lose hearing with age. Check out the most common ear conditions that can affect them. [Practical Horseman]
Penn vet offers reproduction, behavior short courses: Four short courses on equine reproduction and behavior will be offered during the upcoming spring season at the University of Pennsylvania’s Hofmann Center at New Bolton Center (located in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania).
The courses are typically limited to about 10 participants and open to veterinarians, owners, breeders, trainers, stallion handlers, vet techs, behavior specialists, vet students and residents. You can register or request more information by visiting www.vet.upenn.edu/repro or calling 610-925-6220. [The Horse]
