Author: Lucile Vigouroux, MSc

Jump to section 4 Types of Cuts and Wounds on Horses How To Treat a Horse Cut Stages of Wound Healing in Horses Wound Prevention and Care Tips

Like most other large mammals, horses have a relatively long gestation period, with mares carrying their foals for almost a year. If you own or care for broodmares and foals, understanding the normal timeline and stages of gestation is crucial for keeping both mom and baby healthy. So exactly how long are horses pregnant, and what should you expect throughout each stage of pregnancy? This guide will explore the horse gestation period, including key milestones, how to track a mare’s pregnancy, and how to prepare for foaling.

Jump to section What Are Chestnuts on Horses? What Is the Difference Between a Chestnut and an Ergot? Do Chestnuts and Ergots Hurt Horses? How Do You Care for a Horse’s Chestnuts and Ergots?

Jump to section What Is Cushing’s Disease in Horses? Causes and Risk Factors of Equine Cushing’s Disease Clinical Signs and Symptoms of Cushing’s Disease in Horses Diagnosing Cushing’s Disease in Horses Treatment Options for Equine Cushing’s Disease Preventing Cushing’s Disease in Horses FAQs About Cushing’s Disease in Horses

There’s nothing like a batch of fresh, homemade cookies to reward your horse for a job well done or simply to brighten their day with a sweet treat. While you can conveniently grab commercial horse treats at your local tack shop or even order them online, making your own homemade horse treats can be a fun and enjoyable way to bond with your equine companion. These no-bake horse cookies are a quick and easy treat to share with your barn friends! Containing just a few simple, horse-safe ingredients, they can easily be made right at the barn without the need for a kitchen or oven. This recipe was reviewed by a veterinarian. As with any human food, pet parents looking to incorporate new foods in their horse’s diet should consult with their veterinarian beforehand. These treats should not be fed to metabolically compromised horses, such as those living with insulin dysregulation (ID), equine metabolic syndrome (EMS), obesity, or laminitis. If your horse has health issues or if you have any concerns, consult your horse’s veterinarian before offering these food items.

Horses are herbivores, and the most prominent feature of their equine digestive tract is a huge hindgut, or large intestine. A horse’s hindgut can be up to 30 feet long—the length of a school bus! Horses use their hindgut to ferment the volatile fatty acids (VFAs) in their food—that’s how they extract energy from forages like grass and hay. Horses also don’t have a gallbladder, which means their stomach constantly secretes bile (digestive fluid). If there isn’t food to break down, the bile will start attacking the stomach lining itself. Both the hindgut fermentation and constant bile production mean horses need to eat small amounts of roughage throughout the day to keep their gut happy and healthy and to meet their nutritional needs.,Jump to section How Does a Horse’s Digestive System Work? What Nutrients Do Horses Need? What’s the Difference Between Horse Feeds? How Much Do You Feed a Horse? How Often Do You Feed a Horse? What Supplements Should You Give to Your Horse? What Are the Signs of Nutritional Deficiencies in Horses? What Should You Not Feed a Horse? Horse Feeding Equipment Checklist FAQs About Horse Feeding

There are many types of biting insects that seek horse blood. According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, the most common are: Mosquitoes: These have been described as “the most voracious of the blood-feeding insects.” These tiny, buzzing creatures often make stagnant water their breeding grounds, laying their eggs on the surface, which is why swampy conditions are riddled with mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are especially dangerous to horses because they can transmit viral encephalitides (brain inflammatory diseases), including Western and Eastern equine encephalomyelitis (WEE/EEE) and West Nile virus (WNV). Biting midges: Also called gnats and no-see-ums, these tiny, gray, two-winged flies live in wet soil. They deliver painful bites and suck blood, and many horses develop allergies to their saliva, making them the main culprits in insect bite hypersensitivity (read on to learn more about this condition). Stable flies: These are blood-feeding insects known for pestering animals and humans alike. They look like house flies—picture your typical black fly—but slightly smaller, and they bite! Stable flies exist throughout the world; in the US, they are found mainly in the Midwestern and Southeastern states. Horseflies: These are the largest beasts on this list, some longer than an inch. Their bites are painful and draw blood, creating oozing wounds. Aptly named, these black insects with gray wings (although coloration can vary) feed off horse blood and are the hardest to kill with traditional fly repellents. Larvae develop in aquatic to semi-aquatic areas, making horseflies more prevalent in tropical climates. Horseflies are especially dangerous because they can transmit diseases, such as anaplasmosis and equine infectious anemia (EIA).,Jump to section 4 Types of Insects That Bite Horses Top 3 Risks of Fly Bites on Horses Symptoms of Fly Bites on Horses Treatment of Fly Bites on Horses Prevention of Insect Bites on Horses FAQs About Fly Bites on Horses

Jump to section The Best 10 Treats for Horses 10 Foods Your Horse Shouldn’t Eat Do Horses Need Treats? How Often Should You Give Treats to Your Horse? FAQs About Horse Treats

How many teeth horses have depends on what kind of teeth you’re talking about. Just like humans, horses grow and shed a full set of deciduous teeth, aka baby teeth or “milk teeth,” before their permanent (adult) teeth come in. Each has a different quantity: Deciduous teeth: 24 Adult teeth: 36 to 44 The first deciduous incisors can either erupt in utero—before the foal is born—or appear within the first weeks of life. The rest of the foal’s 24 baby teeth—12 incisors and 12 premolars—come in over the first nine months of life. They start shedding and being replaced by permanent adult teeth at about 2½ years old, a process that takes about two-and-a-half years itself. Most horses have their full set of adult teeth by age 5. A gelding (castrated male horse) or stallion (intact male horse) normally has 40-44 permanent teeth. A mare’s dentition ranges from 36 to 40 teeth. What’s the four-tooth difference? Mares are less likely than their male counterparts to develop canine teeth. “The maximum number of teeth an adult horse can have is 44 if they develop all four canines plus two wolf teeth,” says Dr. Jessica Martin, DVM, cIVCA, associate veterinarian at Mountain Pointe Equine Veterinary Services in Long Valley, New Jersey. (We dig into the different types of horse teeth below.),Jump to section How Many Teeth Do Horses Have? Types of Horse Teeth How Horses Use Their Teeth Can You Tell a Horse’s Age By Their Teeth? Common Horse Dental Problems Signs of Dental Problems in Horses Routine Horse Dental Care FAQs about Horse Teeth

A horse’s hoof, or outer hoof capsule, can be split into seven distinct structures:,Jump to section Horse Hoof Anatomy Common Health Issues That Affect Horse Hooves Caring for Your Horse’s Hooves FAQs About Horses’ Hooves