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Wet conditions can be challenging to proper hoof care, but it is easy to keep your horse on sound footing even during extensive periods of wet weather. How Wet Conditions Affect Hooves Soft, wet ground can dramatically affect horses' hooves. When the ground is very soft, hooves don't wear down as quickly, and can become overgrown or may grow unevenly. A horse's balance can be affected by soft ground and uneven hooves, which may lead to joint pain, limping or lameness, as well as increasing the risk of falls. In time, knee and hip problems can also develop. If the...

We all know the importance of a good night's rest, but is your horse getting enough shut eye? Learning the symptoms of sleep deprivation in horses and how to help can let every horse owner ensure their horse is well-rested. How Much Sleep Horses Need Horses do not need the same amount of sleep humans do, but do need three different types of sleep – the slow drowsy period of initial relaxation, deeper slow wave sleep and rapid-eye-movement sleep. Depending on the horse's age and activity level, 3-5 hours of total sleep each day is sufficient, but they must have...

Fly control is an important topic around many farms. They may be small, but flies are a big problem if not addressed properly through a combination of farm management techniques and fly-control products. Known as one of the largest nuisances on a farm or outdoors, flies will harass both you and your livestock non-stop until something is done. Another reason to control flies on the farm is to prevent the spread of disease. As temperatures continue to rise, so do the number of flies as they tend to thrive in moist, warm environments. Follow this article for helpful advice on...

The causes of climate change may be hotly debated, but there's no debate that climate change effects animals, sometimes drastically. Understanding how your horses may be effected by climate shifts can help you be better prepared to keep your horses safe and comfortable in new weather conditions. What Climate Change Means Climate change is more than just one hot day or an unusually strong storm, but long-term, consistent alterations of climate patterns – hotter summers, colder winters, more severe storms, more frequent floods, longer droughts, etc. – are indications of overall climate change. Those changes can be very stressful, uncomfortable,...

Nothing says spring better than a rich, smoky barbecue aroma wafting on the breeze, but is your grill up to the task? After a long, chilly winter stored away, your gas grill may need some fine tuning to be ready for the tastiest spring and summer grilling. Spring Cleaning for Your Grill Even if you cleaned your grill thoroughly in the fall, plenty of dust and wind-blown debris can accumulate over the winter months and spring cleaning is always wise to ensure safe, delicious spring grilling. To clean up your grill… Remove all grates and scrub them thoroughly, removing any...