Horse Care

Feeding, hooves, blankets and the daily routine.

9 articles

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Hay Shortage 2026: Why Horse Hay Is So Expensive and What to Feed

Drought cut the crop, winter hay got eaten in summer and hauling hay in got pricier. Here is what a bale really costs, what you can feed instead and how to avoid a bad bargain.

Updated Sep 23, 20267 min read

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How Long Do Horses Live? Senior Care, Feeding and Saying Goodbye
Two much-loved old horses, Big John, a draft horse at a rescue, and Kizen Luck in Japan, died this month at 27 and 31. Here is how long horses really live, how to care for a senior and how to know when it's time to say goodbye.
Sep 23, 20268 min read
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Thrush in Horses: What That Smell Means and Wet-Weather Hoof Care
That rotten smell on your hoof pick has a name. Here is how to recognize thrush, why so many treatments fail, and the picking and bedding habits that keep feet healthy through mud season.
Sep 23, 20268 min read
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When to Blanket a Horse: 2026 Chart for Clipped, Unclipped and Seniors
Winter coats are coming in and blanket questions are everywhere. Here is a simple temperature, rain and wind chart for full-coated, clipped and senior horses, and why many horses need no blanket at all.
Sep 23, 20268 min read
Horse Body Condition Score Chart: Henneke 1-9, Too Thin or Too Fat
BLM gather reports put the Henneke scale in the spotlight this month. Here's how to score your own horse by hand, what a 5 means and when thin or fat becomes a vet call.
Sep 23, 20268 min read
Horse First Aid Kit Checklist and How to Take Vital Signs
Skip the sponsored shopping lists. Here is what actually belongs in a barn kit, the normal numbers for temperature, pulse and respiration, and the signs that mean you call the vet now.
Sep 23, 20267 min read
How Much Hay Does a Horse Eat a Day? Flakes, Free Choice and Alfalfa
Vets are pushing forage first, flakes lie about their weight and alfalfa keeps getting blamed for colic. Here is how much hay your horse really needs, how to measure it and what to feed an old horse that can't chew.
Sep 23, 20268 min read
How Often Does a Horse Need a Farrier? Trim Schedules and 2026 Costs
A shoeing video on X had a non-horse person asking why the farrier comes so often. Here's how fast hooves grow, the normal 4-to-8-week schedule, barefoot vs shoes, and what trims and shoes cost in 2026.
Sep 23, 20267 min read
Signs a Horse Needs Teeth Floated: 7 Clues and How Often to Book
Dropped wads of hay, a horse that fights the bit, a senior who can't hold weight: here's what your horse's mouth is telling you, why its teeth keep erupting, and how often a float is normal.
Sep 23, 20268 min read

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