Deworming your horse

The Feb. 2011 issue of Equus magazine has a very informative article describing the parasite problem and control of it in the horse.  In the very near future deworming of the horse is going to be headed in a new direction.  We do regular fecal egg counts in our office to monitor the issue for our clients.  Contact our office for further information.

Finding a Vet.

Recently the AVMA has listed a web site if you're searching for a veterinarian to take care of your horse.  The address is: www.MyVeterinarian.com .  It's an easy site to use and should be up to date in names and addresses.

EEE: owners encouraged to get horses vaccinated

There have been at least 45 confirmed cases of horses with Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) in Michigan, according to the Michigan Department of Agriculture. While most of these numbers are from the southwest side of the Lower Peninsula, there has been at least one confirmed case in Oakland County.

"Three cases of humans have contracted the disease, two in Kalamazoo County and one in Barry County," said Dr. Judy Marteniuk, associate professor of Equine Medicine and Extension at MSU.

Read more in this story in the Oakland Press.

Michigan Horse Welfare Coalition

The Michigan Horse Welfare Coalition is holding a meeting Saturday Jan. 15th, 2011 at the Highland Township Library at 1:00pm.  They are going to be discussing the subject of helping some of our Michigan horses.  With the tough winter we are in should prove to be helpful for some of our beleaguered Michigan horses.

Michigan Horseshoers Event

Here are a few pictures from the Horseshoers event this last week-end.  Seeing these farriers working together was great.

Cold weather water issues

With the cold weather now upon us, be sure your horse is drinking plenty of water.  They don't move much in this weather, but they still need to hydrate the food that they consume.  Expect a 1000 lb. horse to consume at least 5 gallons a day.  Adding plain table salt to the hay &/or grain is helpful in many cases.  If the water buckets are connected to electrical outlets to keep the water warm, but sure they are working and not shorting out!

What a shoe!

Concave, fullered, bar, stamped... those are just a few of the terms you'll get acquainted with at the 42nd Annual Michigan Horseshoers Association Contest & Clinic. See farriers competing for prizes, plus a creative forging division that features functional and artistic works. Jan. 6, 7, and 8 at the MSU Livestock Pavilion in East Lansing.