Best Stretches for Your Horse

On this weeks post, I will be focusing on the best stretches that you can do (or teach) with your horse to keep them loose, flexible, and comfortable. 

Front leg stretch - this stretch is very effective in keeping your horses front legs flexible and loose. It is very commonly used before long workouts, as this stretch can help to prevent the horse from injury. It also is very important after saddling the horse, the reason being when the leg is stretched out, all of the skin underneath the girth will not get pinched.

Back leg stretch - this stretch is very similar to the first one. What it does is it loosens the muscles and ligaments in the leg and, like the first stretch, can prevent them from injury.

"Four-leg" stretch - this stretch is great for loosening up the horses legs, chest, and rump. 

Other sources: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sx6rfJYVQ64 http://www.equinewellnessmagazine.com/articles/stretching-for-your-horse/

Hope you've enjoyed this weeks post!

My Favorite Supplements for Horses

On this weeks post, I will be listing a few of the supplements that I use for Lilo, and some other supplements that I like as well.

MSM - MSM is a supplement in the form of powder. This supplement is very commonly used. What MSM does is it helps to keep the horses joints strong and healthy, therefore working to prevent them from injury. 

Bute - bute is a supplement, like MSM, in the form of powder. It can also come in paste. This supplement is very useful when your horse has sore feet, legs, etc. This supplement reduces pain.

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Vegetable Oil - this is something that I use for Lilo. This supplement helps Lilo keep a sleek, shining, healthy coat. This can also be used to help horses gain weight!

I hope you've enjoyed this weeks post!

Treating Rain Rot

Rain rot is a skin fungus/disease that is created by Dermatophilus Congolensis. This is an organism that also causes Mud Fever, a skin disease very similar to rain rot. The way that horses get rain rot (assuming they already have the bacteria D. Congolensis in their skin) is when it rains, the bacteria absorbs it and creates a fungus on the skin. 

There are many was to treat rain rot. The one that works most effectively for Lilo is fungicide powder. I take a small container and fill it about 1/4 with the fungicide. Then, I fill up the container with water. I then mix it up, and pour it on the spots where the horse has rain rot. This combination dries up the rain rot and kills the bacteria, making it easier to brush/pick off. 

Another effective treatment is Betadine. I like to give Lilo Betadine baths every now and then, as it kills skin bacteria just like the fungicide does. 

An example of rain rot.

Thanks for reading!