Snow, Sun, and Snoozing

I have a pet theory on snow-and-sun-induced snoozing: During a winter storm, horses get a bit stressed. It’s windy. Visibility is poor. Conditions are in flux. But afterwards, the sun comes out and everything is quiet, peaceful, and bright. The sun warms horses’ coats. The […]

Instinct Uncorked

Working with animals is like opening a bottle of champagne. Think of the bubbles as instinct. Sending the cork into the ceiling is not preferable. Keeping the fizz intact is what makes the champagne taste best. It makes a lot less of a mess, too. […]

Haystretcher Virtues

Waking up to no horses in the pasture is not a great way to start the day. All five were gone when I peeked out in the pre-dawn hours. Somehow a gate had become unfastened. I pulled on boots and coat and raced out in […]

Treatment Matters

I was talking with Chris Lombard the other day about horsemanship. The dictionary calls it the ‘skill of riding horses.’ But we know it as the relationship with the horse and the skills around that relationship. “It’s not only how to handle horses,” said Lombard. […]

Lyme Side Effect, Part I

Researching the Lyme article provided some new perspective into: How the animal science business at universities is still business. How beating down the disease can have a crippling side effect. First, the business side effect: Cornell University and the University of Connecticut are obviously affiliated […]

Lyme Side Effect, Part II

CVMDL Director Sandy Bushmich reminded me of a rare phenomenon affecting about one percent of Lyme equine patients, she said. Read Lyme article. Read Part I. It’s called the Herxheimer effect. (Named after Karl Herxheimer, a German doctor who discovered it while developing a treatment […]

Dump this practice! Part II

Read Dump this Practice I When I see haltered horses in a field I cringe and then make two presumptions: Their owner can’t “catch” them. It’s only a matter of time before those horses hurt themselves. Catchability: Good owners invest time working with their horses […]

Dump this practice! Part I

The practice of cross-tying and using halters in the pasture are two good ways to hurt a horse and two of my pet peeves. First, crossties: Steady, well-trained horses give to pressure. But it’s stressful for a horse to give to pressure only to run […]

ISES and Learning Theory

The International Society for Equitation Science is to be applauded for espousing science-oriented work with horse care and management. Drs. Paul McGreevy and Andrew McLean are integral figures at ISES. McGreevy is a past president. McLean is the current one. They’re two Australian professors steeped […]

Wayne Channon and Welcome ISES, part I

If you have your ear to the rail, you know that the horse world is about to be showered with science. Drenched even. Folks are looking more and more to research for verdicts on everything from rein tension to hay soaking. What station is your […]