Recent content by Thorwood

Most horses need a balancer of some sort ... there are loads so try not to get bogged down in whats in what! I always say buy the best you can afford. I also say avoid sugars and starches as generally these are not good for horses. On the balancer front you could get the pasture tested and...

I would definitely get him checked for ulcers. however it can be a learnt behaviour (potentially born out of pain / discomfort) so once ulcers have been confirmed and treated / ruled out try some positive reinforcement with brushing that area ... seems a shame for such a young horse to be...

looks like thush to me ... dry the heels off with a towel and apply sudecrem. (unless your competing FEI then dont - its a banned substance) I tend to recommend either Red horse field paste or honey heel ... its zinc oxide based (sames as sudecrem but much stronger)

Horses dont get diabetes - they have something similar (vets may have explained it to you as Diabetes but its not - even though the drug (Metformin) is used in diabetes) He is will have either PPID or Cushings ... both of which (if unmedicated) can mean that the horse is more susceptible to...

Are you set on getting a treed saddle? when you have an unusual shaped back sometimes treeless can be better. Of course you should get it professionally fitted as you will probably need it shimmed to suit her back shape. But least you are restricting any shoulder movement and hopefully the...

i think the old bhs rule was 1.5 acres for the first horse and half and acre for each horse after (please correct me if im wrong!) that being said ... i have 2 on an acre ... i use a track system in the summer and all open in winter. they have adlib hay and are fine :)

i used to jump 1.10 at home in a GP! If you are looking to replace your saddle find one with changeable knee blocks that way you can change them between discipline!

just to add definition - definitely get him fully checked out ... teeth / back / saddle etc if his is an OTTB he has likely had ulcers if not still has them. so maybe worth feeding him like he has them see if it makes a difference - i beleive there is an oil and bicarb diet thats worth looking...

i agree with the comment about making it too wide :( unfortunatly thats what happens. Especially with a horse of your state build, i imagine with large shoulders that probably move the saddle quite a bit. Have you considered looking at treeless? that way the shoulders can move without being...

my old tb girl went barefoot (the first time!) due to that very reason! she literally didnt have any hoof to nail to after she pulled her fronts off :( I bought old macs as they are more allowing for changes of size and shape than the boots that fit low on the hoof (gloves / Scoots) and they...

i think everyone knows there own horse. Do you think that the bad days maybe caused by having his shoes removed? i think you are right for doing this however depending on how good his feet are he will have a period of transition. Quite often navi horses have very weak structured hooves due to...

i have used old macs on mud and not had too much trouble. The new otilio flaoting boots have 2 sole tread - endurance for sandy hard ground and sport for grassy soil type going - havent tried them yet - but keen to!

i have tried both ... much prefer renegades ... easier to adjust for different hoof sizes ...

random question - but what are her frogs like? do they have contact with the floor? It is very unusual for a barefoot horse to slip on concrete? infact a friend of mine removed her tbs shoes because he couldnt walk across the yard in the steel ... she said hes been fine since but he does have...

ideally you should get saddles refitted about every 3 months due to the fluctuation in horses weight it can considerably change the fit of your saddle. Horses can gain or lose upto 5kgs in a week (i wish i could do that!) so imagine the difference between the seasons! Especially a round...