Equines: Horses and Donkeys

Donkeys are intelligent, curious animals that need toys to play with. In the wild, they spend most of their time exploring their environment for food and companionship.  Domesticated donkeys constantly search their space for novel experiences to replicate that level of mental stimulation. Without it, they may become bored, disinterested, and depressed.  Few of us

We’ve all grown up watching movies of cowboys racing their horses across open fields for miles without end, but how far can a horse really gallop without stopping? And how far can horses realistically travel in a day? The answer is nearly never the same and for a good reason. In this article, we will

While you’ve heard the adage that you can’t take a horse to water and make them drink, it’s sometimes necessary to make them drink. Horses need enough water to keep their gut hydrated and to ensure they have enough fluid in their large bodies to keep their systems functioning optimally.  Sadly, some horses don’t want

Walking past the stables one afternoon, I noticed Missy, one of our older mares, lying down in her stable, looking quite unhappy. Without even waiting to check for heave lines on her sides, I know that she’s got colic. The cause? Because she’s an old horse, she doesn’t drink enough water.  You’d think that a

Horse dehydration is a major, and deadly, problem for horse owners. And I didn’t know that until I brought my horse in from the pastures and noticed he was sweaty, lethargic, and slightly off-color. He wasn’t his usual happy self. I feared it was colic or some other digestive issue. I would have never considered

One early morning, I went down to the stables to feed my horses.  My two horses were nickering and excited for breakfast, except I didn’t hear my third horse. I stuck my head over the stable door and saw he was lying down and looked very sweaty. I never used to worry and panic when

Recently, my young filly was yawning a little more than usual. I had kept it in the back of my mind that my filly would start teething soon, but it still surprised me to see her yawning like she was. A little drool was coming from her mouth too, and when I felt her lips,

This morning my horse came in for breakfast with a large wet patch on her one flank. It was clear from the ruffled hair that she’s been biting at herself.  Why is my horse biting its sides? Horses bite each other and themselves all the time. They bite to establish their place in the herd

Ponies are small horses with spunky, feisty, and quirky personalities. What’s not to love? Before you get swept up in the thrills of buying your first pony, you first need to understand how to care for these special equines. Are ponies easy to care for? Ponies are notorious for being easy to care for and