Since 2007, our Staff Veterinarian, Dr. Lydia Gray has been answering your horse health questions in our Ask the Vet blog. She’s tackled all sorts of horse health topics ranging from colic in horses to joint health to eye injuries to any other questions you’ve had related to keeping your horse happy and healthy.
So, we here at SmartPak are creating a brand new Ask the Vet video series, and we want YOU to be part of it! Every month, we’ll choose a topic of the month and post it on social media and here on our blog.
Our first topic for the new video series is going to be WINTER HORSE CARE. You can ask your questions by using #askthevetvideo on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, or by commenting on the blog or the video on YouTube. You’ll only have two weeks to submit your question, so get them in early, as we’ll cut off question submission for the first topic on January 11, 2016!
At the end of the two weeks, we’ll select some to be voted on by you, our loyal readers, subscribers, fans, and followers. The top 5 vote-getters will then be answered in our monthly Ask the Vet videos featuring Dr. Gray and SmartPaker Sarah (of “If horses were people” and “Stuff Riders Say” fame!). If your question is selected and answered, you win a $10 SmartPak Gift Card!
We know there are lots of questions out there, so here are a couple ways to make yours stand out. Keep in mind, these are not steadfast rules – they’re merely suggestions and recommendations:
– Keep it short – two sentences is a good length to state the problem and the question
– Stay on topic! Questions about joint health during the month when the topic is Winter Horse Care won’t be picked
Subscribing or following SmartPak on social media is a good way to know when the videos are posted or the new topic is announced, so make sure to keep checking the blog and social media for all the announcements regarding the new video series.
And if you have a question in the meantime, be sure to check out our Horse Health Library to see if there are any answers to your horse health questions there.
Good luck, happy asking, and have a great ride!
Hello, I have rescued a Haflinger/ Belgian cross gelding, 18 yrs and thin. He has a mild case of rain rot on his back and rump. Which supplement would be good to boost his aging immune system? Thank you, Sonia Foster
I use Equerrys basic pelleted vitamin supplements And I also use a liquid vitamin mineral combo called Redcell. If the horse is really thin…I will use them both. I also feed twice a day Rice bran pellets. It helps with weight gain but it has no sugars in it, so the horse doesn’t get hot. It allows the horse to gain slowly as nature intended.
My arenas footing can get quite hard during drier summer months and as we know, working on that ground can cause hock stiffness. Besides joint supplements, which my horse is on, what is a good way to prevent stiffness of the hinds?
Hi! My horse had part of the dock of her tail bitten off. We are showing A rated shows and she won’t be able to be braided. I was wondering if you guys had any tips besides using mtg that might help it grow just enough to braid. Thanks!
The horse I ride windsucks and I am very curious about it.
What affect does windsucking have on a horse (does it damage the horse in anyway) is it a habit more than a characteristic? What does the windsucking collar do to prevent it?
Please help me I am very curious to find out because I don’t know much about it.
I have frequently heard that when blanketing horses, once you start blanketing you must continue that practice. Please elaborate on why you cannot just put a blanket on your hairy horse (after properly grooming off the dried mud) for just a few extremely cold days then go back to naked for weeks at a time. Thanks!
Hello! I was wondering if there are any ways to tell if your horse is not getting the nutrients that they need. For example, I have a 5 year old QH mare that gets ridden about 4 – 5 times per week. Her current feeding routine consists of 2.5 – 3 scoops of grain per day (not sure the weight in pounds), a joint supplement, 6-7 flakes of high quality hay and 8-10 hours of turnout on grass weather permitting. She has no trouble maintaining her weight on her current feeding routine, and my vet has never said anything about her being unhealthy. Are there any signs that she is not getting the nutrients that she needs?
What is the best way to get a hard keeper in shape without sacrificing their current weight? #askthevetvideo
Hi! I just got a new horse, a Knabstrupper cross. The previous owner told me that this horse is intolerant to pelleted feeds. I thought that was strange and wasn’t sure if this was an actual thing or not. I started him on Speedi-beet alone and after a few weeks added pelleted muscle building supplements and a mash with some small amount of pellets in it. And after a few days he got bumps on his stomach…
?? Can you please say something about food intolerance/allergy in horses??
How do to spot it and work around it. #askthevet
Have you treated horses with headshaking syndrome? What do you know about it.
Hi. I give my horse a bran mash every Sunday to clear out his digestive system since he is a performance horse. But I have done some research lately and seeing the bran mashes actually cause more harm than good, is that true?
Hi,
My geldings sheath gets so dirt so fast! In this past winter it swelled up. I need to prevent this from happening again. What are your suggestions to help me keep his sheath clean and healthy? Besides from cleaning out his beans. Also is there any other ways to stop cribbing instead of using a cribbing collar?
Thank you,
Kayla
Let’s talk MULES & DONKEYS, please!
Mules and donkeys are gaining in popularity and are now being accepted into many disciplines.
As I read many things on Facebook etc. (must be true, right ) there is a great deal of controversy regarding what forage is best. Many say NEVER feed alfalfa, only grass hay. The reality is, good grass hay is not available in all parts of the country. Since donkeys and mules have evolved have their nutritional needs changed as well or do the remain easy keepers with less nutrient dense feed as their ancestors did? Is it truly harmful to feed some types of forage to mules and donkeys? I would be very interested in your take on this subject.
I hope to gain good solid information to share with other mule and donkey owners. As with horse owners, our mules and our donkeys are our ♥️.
Will alfalfa cubes make a horse hot if over a high amount?