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!
A Kansas State University associate professor and a Toklat and Myler bit expert outline warning signs for horse owners.
While enjoying a ride with your best horse, she throws her head in frustration and pins her ears. You chalk it up as an off day, one of many as of late, but it could be much more than that. “It is important to understand what the bit is doing and what to watch for,” cautions Chris Blevins, MS, DVM, Associate Professor, Equine Field Service with Kansas State University. “It is our responsibility to keep our horses comfortable.”
If your horse is experiencing bit pain and discomfort, you may notice signs of bit resistance.
There are several signs of bit resistance,” says Judy Auble, with Toklat and Myler bits. “The best way to determine whether your horse needs a new bit is to pay attention to how your horse reacts to your rein action and rein pressure.”
Could it be time to change bits? Watch for these warning signs:
- Inverting, when horses ride with their muzzles held high
- Riding behind the vertical, as horses tuck their nose into the chest
- Gaping, when horses drop their jaws behind the vertical, relieving tongue pressure
- Running through the bit or being heavy on the bit
- Riding with their tongue out of the mouth
- Consistent throwing of head and pinning of ears
Implement these safety best practices to help celebrate Independence Day with the greatest display of all – a safe, injury-free horse.
Independence Day brings out patriotism, family fun and more than 200 million pounds of fireworks, according to the American Pyrotechnics Association.1
How does your horse react to fireworks?
In a recent horse owner survey, which examined the effects fireworks can have on horses, 99 percent of respondents indicated their horse exhibited fireworks-related anxiety – such as galloping, sweating, trembling and damaging fences – and 26 percent of horse owners reported their horse sustaining injuries due to such anxiety from fireworks.2 While multiple injuries were reported, the most common included cuts, sprains and broken limbs.
Maintain your horse’s health and safety. Before celebrating July Fourth, ask your veterinarian about prescribing a tube of Dormosedan Gel® (detomidine hydrochloride) for your horse.
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- Tracking Five Millennia of Horse Management with Extensive Ancient Genome Time Series (Part 4 of 4)
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- Tracking Five Millennia of Horse Management with Extensive Ancient Genome Time Series (Part 2 of 4)
- Tracking Five Millennia of Horse Management with Extensive Ancient Genome Time Series (Part 1 of 4)
- Breeding: Make Sure You Cover the Basics!
- Vitamin C – Friend or Foe?
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