Health & Education
We all want the best care possible for our horses. The Heath & Education section covers both Learning Institutions, Organizations as well as many sources for equine assistance including Veterinarians and Farriers.
For those who want a to formally study horses, the Education section includes College Riding, Equine Studies, and Veterinary Schools. Learn about the wide variety of horses in the Horse Breeds section. Supplements and Treatments Therapy are also included in the section.
Everyone can learn from Fine Art and there are some specialty Museums that might surprise you.
Horses as a therapy partner enrich the lives of the disabled. These facilities are listed in our Therapeutic Riding section. To help children and young adults build confidence and grow emotionally, please see the resources available on the Youth Outreach page.
Looking for a place to keep your horse? You can find it in the Horse Boarding section. Traveling? Find a Shipping company or Horse Sitting service if your horse is staying home!
Want to stay up to date with the latest training clinics or professional conferences? Take a look at our Calendar of Events for Health & Education for the dates and locations of upcoming events.
Do we need to add more? Please use the useful feedback link and let us know!
by Bob Burdekin
As I started to work with horses that had a large amount of stress that had been retained within their bodies I started to realize that there were other controlling factors that needed to be considered and addressed.
This is where the factor of PTSD (Post-traumatic Stress Syndrome) was first considered and researched; before I could start to help a horse that might be suffering from PTSD I had to understand what PTSD was, what caused it to occur and look at where it might have come from. Upon seeing some of the basic research that had been done with people I did realize that it was based within the workings of the brain and certain aspects or even a specific occurrence in an individual's life opened the door to PTSD. It was at this point that in order to fully understand how it might affect the horse I felt that I needed to look to a comparison between the human brain and the brain of the horse. What I found in that comparison was quite amazing; what I learned showed me that both brains are just a similar as they are different.
Initially, I discovered that the brain of the horse has an average size similar to a large grapefruit; while the human brain occupies most of the space that is available within the human skull. The next point of interest that was discovered was that any species ability to think through any specific problem (their cognitive skills) is directly related to the ratio of the size of the brain to the size of the body that it is contained within. The human brain is close to 1/50th of the total body weight and size, where the brain of the horse is 1/650th of their body size and weight.
The next logical step was to look to how the brain of the horse functioned and it was here that I discovered how and why horses think and respond the way that they do. Let's start at the very beginning when a horse is born that have to have to be equipped to survive from the moment they are born, I have heard this referred to as "ready for life". What I understand that to mean is that new-born foals are up on their feet and totally operational within the first hour of their life. Consequently, at this point in their life, all of their actions are controlled by their "brain stem", which is an integrated part of their "reptilian" part of their brain. This becomes very important since it is the reptilian part of the brain that becomes the storehouse for additional information as the foal grows and progresses. It is during this time of development that the main areas of importance are the aspects of controlling balance along with developing better use of both eye and head movements.
by Linda Tellington-Jones
Before starting any exercise, take the time to connect and listen to your horse with your hands. You can easily do this by mindfully running your hands all over your horse’s body. This simple Body Exploration exercise will provide you with valuable information regarding your horse’s state of body and mind as well as his level of trust in you as a handler. A horse that is very comfortable being touched all over his body will be better prepared for any experience under saddle than one that is defensive, ticklish, or tense.
Having a horse that is truly happy and comfortable about being touched is incredibly important. Not only does this signify relaxation and physical well-being, it also tells you a lot about how much he trusts you. This is also very significant for horses that are already trained but may be having specific issues under saddle. Going back to the basics and helping your horse become comfortable about being touched everywhere will often help seemingly unrelated training issues.
For instance, if your horse has a tight, clamped tail, you will often find that this same horse may be nervous about noises or movement behind him.
How to Use It
Begin by checking the horse’s body with your flat hand. It is helpful to have someone holding your horse, or you can work freely in a stall-sized area, rather than having him tied up, so you can observe his reactions. Stroke the horse on the shoulder before beginning your Body Exploration to prepare him so he does not respond just because he was surprised. For some very sensitive horses the flat of the hand may be too much. If this seems to be the case, try using the back of your hand.
Starting at the poll, right behind the ears, let your hands slide over the strong neck muscle, paying close attention along the way. Your hands are feeling for slight irregularities: swellings, change in temperature, quality of the tissue, hard muscles, twitching, knots, change in the hair, scars, or areas where the horse is uncomfortable being touched. It is best to start with a light pressure, which you can adjust if the sensitivity or reaction of the horse requires you to do so. Sometimes horses are surprised by the touch of the fingertips; therefore, it is important to check if it was a startle reflex, or the horse reacting because he is tight. A healthy horse that is not tense will usually show a light response to a light pressure. When going over the poll and neck this horse will lower his neck, while a horse that is tight will raise his head and possibly show pain or fear.
Read more: Is Your Horse Happy and Comfortable? Find Out with This Simple Body Exploration
by Mary L. Scott
The breed goes back to the late seventeenth century, to the northwestern corner of North America and specifically to the large area that covered what is now part of the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and Montana. This was the land inhabited by the Nez Percé American Indians, and it is to their forward-thinking horsemanship and breeding practices that the Appaloosa owes its success.
Though the Nez Percé developed this spotted breed, the history of spotted horses is a long one, with images of spotted horses appearing in prehistoric European cave paintings from around 17,000 B.C.E. Spotted horses-in particular the Austrian Noriker and the Danish Knabstrup - were extremely popular in Europe and were in great demand from the sixteenth century to perform in the increasingly popular Riding Schools. Many of the hallowed Spanish horses, too, including the revered Andalusian, once exhibited spotted coat colorings.
Read more: Appaloosa - The Most Beautiful Horse Breed in the World
by Bob Burdekin
I would like to explain how we are continually moving forward into the area of working with horses that up to this time, has been completely ignored; and that area is emotional stress management in horses.
But before we can even discuss emotional stress management and how it affects your horse we need to look at how your horse's brain works and compare it to our own.
To start with horses do not think the same way that we do; their brain is structured in a totally different manner, and how your horse uses their brain along with your input becomes the causes of the various levels of stress that your horse may experience.
When we look at and compare the brain of the horse to that of our own, the most important area to consider is the area of the "frontal lobe".
In our brain the frontal lobe is extremely large and well-developed, for this is the part of our brain that allows us to be able to process all of the information that we receive daily and that adds to our personalities, as well as our ability to develop cognitively, or reasoning abilities.
The exact opposite is true for your horse when we compare the same area the frontal lobe of your horse's brain is much more undeveloped and therefore does not give them anything close to the ability to reason through a problem even close to the ability that you or I have.
by Jennifer L Dayton
Horses walking into small, confined boxes on wheels can be a scary thing. Depending on previous experience, it can be either more or less scary. As a responsible horse owner, this is an important thing to teach your horse to do well, and to do it confidently and happily. I believe all horses should learn this, although it is a much more significant part of the schooling of a competitive horse.
In general, whether the trailer is an angle-haul, straight-load, step-up, or ramp, a horse should follow pleasantly and comfortably behind the handler into any trailer. The horse should fit in the trailer, and not be hitting the ceiling or squished into the partitions.
To begin, most problems I have witnessed with loading have a lot to do with the horses' response to pressure on the halter. Body language is also important to recognize, as it is the horses' way of communicating with you. Some horses are terrified; some horses just say no, and have gotten away with saying no; and others have constant worries - not fitting properly, having had a bad experience, slipping or falling. (A note to all those who drive a horse trailer: from those of us humans suffering from motion sickness - many of you make us feel ill with your quick turns and rapid accelerating and heavy braking; we have to wonder how many horses suffer the same way, and endure rough rides, knocking them about and challenging their balance constantly... not a good thing for horses to want to go back in the trailer for.
The most common problems encountered with trailering involve: the horse backing up, pulling back rapidly, refusing to move at all, dodging from side to side, or a combination thereof. Again, respect for the parts of the halter will help immensely. If the handler applies pressure to the headstall of the halter, the horse should move forward. Pressure on the noseband should cause the horse to yield, and pressure on the sides of the halter should catch the side-to-side problems. The main pressure that needs to be responded to in loading is the headstall.
Read more: Horse Training Power Tip: Loading Difficult Horses Into Trailers
Electrolyte problems in the heat are directly proportional to sweat loss, so it makes perfect sense that horses working long periods are at greatest risk. This puts the spotlight on endurance horses.
Equine sweat is a concentrated electrolyte solution. Chloride is the most abundant electrolyte in sweat, followed by sodium, then potassium, with much smaller amounts of calcium and magnesium. The daily requirement for sodium can double with just one hour of low level sweating.
Even at low rates of sweating the horse will lose over a gallon of fluid per hour - and up to 4 gallons per hour with heavy sweating. That's a lot of fluid! The first consequence of this is dehydration. Since sodium lost in the sweat is needed to hold water in the body tissues, drinking water alone is not enough to correct the dehydration. Even mild dehydration has a major impact on the ability to perform.
Electrolyte losses triggered by exercise and sweating can produce a variety of temporary signs which respond to hydration and electrolyte replacement. Normal levels are required for regular heart rhythm, intestinal motility, coordinated movements of involuntary muscles like the diaphragm, skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation and the regulation of nerve firing.
Endurance horses show some typical changes in their blood electrolyte profiles. Low chloride is common. As above, chloride is very high in sweat. They do not have good stores of chloride in the tissues to replace what is lost in sweat. Low potassium is more common than low sodium. This is because horses can pull sodium from the tissues surrounding the body's cells to keep blood levels up. The kidney also conserves sodium by reducing sodium in the urine and replacing it with potassium.
Electrolyte problems in the heat are directly proportional to sweat loss, so it makes perfect sense that horses working long periods are at greatest risk. This puts the spotlight on endurance horses.
Equine sweat is a concentrated electrolyte solution. Chloride is the most abundant electrolyte in sweat, followed by sodium, then potassium, with much smaller amounts of calcium and magnesium. The daily requirement for sodium can double with just one hour of low level sweating.
Even at low rates of sweating the horse will lose over a gallon of fluid per hour - and up to 4 gallons per hour with heavy sweating. That's a lot of fluid! The first consequence of this is dehydration. Since sodium lost in the sweat is needed to hold water in the body tissues, drinking water alone is not enough to correct the dehydration. Even mild dehydration has a major impact on the ability to perform.
Electrolyte losses triggered by exercise and sweating can produce a variety of temporary signs which respond to hydration and electrolyte replacement. Normal levels are required for regular heart rhythm, intestinal motility, coordinated movements of involuntary muscles like the diaphragm, skeletal muscle contraction and relaxation and the regulation of nerve firing.
Endurance horses show some typical changes in their blood electrolyte profiles. Low chloride is common. As above, chloride is very high in sweat. They do not have good stores of chloride in the tissues to replace what is lost in sweat. Low potassium is more common than low sodium. This is because horses can pull sodium from the tissues surrounding the body's cells to keep blood levels up. The kidney also conserves sodium by reducing sodium in the urine and replacing it with potassium.
Animal Wellness Applauds Cohen’s Tireless Work for Horses.
WASHINGTON, D.C. July 2, 2020 – Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1400, the Horse Transportation Safety Act, authored by Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09), that would ban the transportation of horses across state lines in ‘double decker’ trucks or trailers containing two or more levels stacked on top of one another.
“I applaud Rep. Steve Cohen for his tireless work and dedication to horse protection -- he’s a knight in shining armor to the voiceless we care so deeply about,” said Marty Irby, executive director at Animal Wellness Action, and past president of the Tennessee Walking Horse Breeders’ & Exhibitors’ Association. “The horses that have transported millions of Americans for centuries, themselves deserve to be transported in a humane manner while they continue to bring joy, emotional support, and economic benefits to horsemen and women across the nation.”
“Horses deserve to be transported in as humane a manner as possible. Double-deck trailers do not provide adequate headroom for adult horses, and accidents involving double-deck trailers are a horrendous reminder that the practice is also dangerous to the driving public,” said Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN-09). “I’m pleased this important measure is included in HR. 2, the Moving Forward Act.”
Double decker trucks and trailers present tremendous transportation risks to both the horses on board, and motorists sharing the state, federal, and local roadways with them. Numerous crashes that have occurred along interstate highways have resulted in not only the deaths of the horses, but innocent travelers as well. Even the U.S. Department of Agriculture has openly declared that these vehicles “do not provide adequate headroom for equines,” and that equines are far more likely to face injury in double decker trailers than in one level trailers that can better transport them.
Read more: U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen Ushers Horse Transportation Safety Act to Passage
Today, more and more individuals are choosing to give an unwanted horse a second chance. Whether through purchase, adoption, or rescue, the horse in the “wrong” situation has a chance to find his way to the “right one.” Dr. Stacie Boswell’s goal is to restore health and comfort to every horse in transition, and to help him learn how to function as the horse he is expected to be. In her new book THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR HORSES IN NEED she has compiled hundreds of case studies highlighting the areas of concern in the rescue and details proactive methods of handling common medical problems and health issues, from nutrition and dentistry to deworming and hoofcare to traumatic injury and emergency rescue scenarios.
“Dr. Stacie Boswell has created a book that is packed with extremely valuable information for not only equine rescues, but a book that horse owners in general can also glean a lot from. She takes a pragmatic and all-inclusive approach to explaining the good, the bad, and the ugly involved when it comes to operating an equine rescue successfully. The Ultimate Guide for Horses in Need is a must-have book for both current rescues and those thinking of taking the leap into horse rescue—the importance of knowledge in this field cannot be underestimated if you want to run a truly successful rescue operation, and Dr. Boswell provides a solid foundation of that knowledge.” —Ashley Harkins, Director, United Horse Coalition
Read more: A Vet’s Guidance for Saving Horses in Need, Plus Training Your Eye to Nail the Distance
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