There is a long, exhaustive list of the causes of Colic and includes anything from heart problems to infection. It is, therefore, simpler to break the causes into two main groups; digestive tract related and non-digestive tract related.

Non-intestinal tract related illness can include, but not limited to; foaling, placenta retention, abortion, uterine torsion, pleuritis, botulism, renal and bladder stones, ruptured bladder, hepatitis, myositis and laminitis.

You only have to turn on the local news or log onto social media, and you are hit with a very sad story of an abandoned horse found emaciated, or worse, dead in a ditch covered in yesterday’s rubbish! It is an image that is very hard to swallow for horse lovers and fanatics, but one we see too often. Unfortunately, abandonment is on the rise and it is not, in some cases, quite as clear cut as you may think. In some cases, due to the economic climate, low wages, high prices of rent and stabling, and lack of knowledge, horses are ‘turfed’ out to face the world alone.

The controversy of rider weight has long been a popular topic for equestrians and the media. While we all want what is best for our horses, it is important to recognize the relevant factors that should be used in determining a healthy weight that a horse is capable of carrying. 

The horse has many natural mechanisms by which it can regulate its heat loss. A horse can generate heat through digestion, muscle movement and the skin, fat and coat can provide insulation.

In a quiet corner of my facility is the geriatric wing. We do what we can for these wise old horses to make their final stage of life as comfortable as possible. They’ve given so much to so many riders over the years and I am happy to give them a noble and comfortable, albeit expensive, retirement.

'Paddock Paradise' is both a term and a concept used to describe a natural and humane way to keep healthy, happy horses based upon the lives of the wild, free-roaming horses in the US Great Basin. Introduced by veteran hoof care professional and natural horse care advocate Jamie Jackson in his 2006 book ‘Paddock Paradise: A Guide to Natural Horse Boarding,’ the premise of a natural boarding model is to provide safe, humane, living conditions which use the horse's natural instincts to stimulate and facilitate movement and other behaviours that are essential to a mentally and physically sound horse.