Behavior

Tail Chewing in Youngsters

I have about 15 young horses (a mix of weanlings and yearlings) turned out together. They have a large turnout area, but there isn’t much grass, so we provide them with free choice hay from a hay bunker (an alfalfa/grass mix). They also receive fortified grain and have access to salt/mineral blocks. We’ve been breeding horses for many years, and for some reason over the past year we’ve started to have a problem with some of these young horses chewing each other’s tails off…

January 24, 2012 Ask the Vet, Behavior, Misc. Topics 1 Comment

What Dose of Vitamin B1 is Right for Your Horse?

I have been using SmartB1 on my rather spooky nervous mare. It has had a calming effect on her — almost to the point of being too calm and relaxed. I have started giving her only half the recommended dosage when she is not being ridden and giving her the full dosage when I am [...]

March 24, 2010 Ask the Vet, Behavior 3 Comments

Separation Anxiety

My dog gets really wound up when I leave in the morning for work. And he’s even more excited when I get home in the evening, jumping up on me and barking. Now I’m seeing marks on the doors like he’s scratching and I even found a “mistake” on the carpet. He’s never been like [...]

September 3, 2009 Ask the Vet, Behavior, Canine 0 Comments

Calming Supplements for Mares (from AAEP Ask the Vet)

I own a 22 year old Appendix mare. She has always become very irritable during her first heat cycles in spring. We’ve had a “marble” implanted in her a few years ago which helped a lot then, but now I’m looking for something less invasive. I am wondering about starting her one of the “Moody [...]

April 1, 2009 Behavior 0 Comments

Headshaking

My horse started shaking his head like there is something wrong with his inner ear. I did just see a chiropractor and found out he has a lot of back problems. I also had his teeth floated about 2 weeks ago. Something is really bothering him. He does have alot of stuff in his ears, [...]

December 31, 2008 Behavior 0 Comments

Managing a Cribber (from AAEP Ask the Vet)

Recently I purchased a 4 YO gelding that had been stall kept. Much to my surprise, he is a cribber. He takes his feed bucket between his front teeth, arches his neck and sucks in air. He is underweight and I feed him grain everyday and he has hay at will 24/7. His appetite is [...]

November 12, 2008 Behavior 5 Comments

Choosing the Right Calming Supplement

I have a spooky Arabian/National Showhorse mare. She is very sweet and quiet on the ground, but under saddle she is inclined to be nervous. She has only bolted once, but she spooks often. I’m 58 years old and just want to walk and trot her on trail rides. Is there a safe daily supplement [...]

September 17, 2008 Behavior 3 Comments