“Which joint supplement would be best for a middle-aged dog that weighs around 50 pounds? He’s not lame or anything, but I’m worried that he’s starting to get arthritis because I notice he’s getting slower to get up from a nap, jump in the car, climb stairs, things like that…”
“I’m a fairly new horse owner, and last week a horse at my barn hurt himself badly enough to need a vet. Now I’m worried that I won’t know what to do in an emergency (or worse yet, not even know that my horse is hurt or ill)! Can you tell me what to look for and what to do if my horse suddenly gets sick or injured and I’m the only one around?”
“I adopted a rescue horse about 2 years ago from a local rescue organization. A buckskin gelding that is now about 9 years old. I have had him at the current boarding facility for 1 1/2 years and we have done a couple months of training board where he has progressed extremely well. I’ve noticed that this spring and through this past winter his coat seems to be coarse and staticy at times…”
“Although I didn’t actually receive a question on this topic, Hurricane Sandy inspired me to write about it because it’s an area most horse owners don’t think about until it’s too late…”
“I hear there is going to be a severe hay shortage this winter because of the droughts and floods and I’m very worried that my horse will run out of food. Is there something else I can feed him or do you have a supplement that can replace hay?
“I have a 28 year old Quarter Pony gelding. He lacks adequate dentition for eating hay. His weight and appetite are good. He is fed senior feed split over 2-3 feedings per day. He also gets one feeding per day of beet pulp. I add a hay extender pellet to his senior feed, but he doesn’t eat it up well. When he tries to eat hay, it just balls up…”
“My Trakehner brood mare is due March 15. She is 11 years old and in good body condition. I would like to know if I need to change her feed ration…”
“I have a TB mare off the track, she is 16 yrs old now, and I’m having a difficult time keeping weight on her. She looked her best about 2 years ago. She could care less about food, it takes her all day to finish her breakfast, then it is time for dinner…”
“I have a 6 yr Morgan horse who is a very easy keeper. She is currently getting 1 lb ration balancer and 12 lbs grass hay and 2 lbs Alfalfa cubes a day total – broken down into 3 feedings. Her hay is fed in small mesh hay nets to help it last longer, but she has started digging holes to chew on tree roots. She is on Recovery EQ and Quitt. Any suggestions on what to do or is normal behavior?”
“I have a very picky mare, a little hyper, that doesn’t clean up anything but alfalfa/oat cubes. She ties up on too much alfalfa so am trying some timothy grass hay with the cubes. She eats some of it. Any suggestions? – Thanks, Christy”
