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Yay, some rain at last. Hopefully there will be some more to follow. For some of you, feed will have been running low and becoming more expensive. Without the follow up rains, farmers will not be able to get their crops growing and that will impact on us further down the line this year.
Read MoreFinally, we have some rain, how good is that? Weather changes often mean changes in feed. Extremes of weather can show up in your horses’ hooves.
Read MoreAnd still the dry continues. Luckily we seem to have survived the summer without the dreaded bushfires. The risks for horses in such long dry conditions include heat stress, not having adequate shelter, the need to drink extra water and foraging on barren ground.
Read MoreAfter this dry spell, there will be many bare areas in paddocks, so when the rains do come, there may be a glut of weeds as there won’t be any competition for them, so that is going to be the first problem. After a good soaking rain, some weeds are easy to pull by hand, others are more difficult.
Read MoreThe ground has dried out more than it has for years and much ground cover has died off. When the ground becomes bare (say less than 80% coverage), owners need to be aware of the risk of colic as horses scrounge around looking for those extra bites!
Read MoreWell summer is upon us and along with the better riding weather comes several problems. Is nothing ever easy, you ask? The answer is probably no, but we can make things easier. Here are some of the more common problems we have with our trusty equines and ways we can deal with them…
Read MoreBefore the beginning of last summer I would have discussed with you the importance of keeping your equines safe in times of disasters, namely bushfires. Now there are some other factors to take into consideration which will help in the evacuation/handling or relocation of your horse.
Read MoreYou may recall last month that my paddock mate Ziggy had foundered. Four weeks down the track and he certainly isn’t worse. He has continued on a plain diet with restricted feeding. Unfortunately this means that he can’t go out and graze with his friends.
Read MoreThe dreaded founder has struck again! The usual treatment initially is to restrict access to green, lush grass and then substitute that with good quality dry hay. Also small amounts of lucerne hay are OK to give too.
Read MoreBy now the paddocks are well and truly wet through, at least in the hills. Although everything looks lovely and green, it comes with its problems. When the weather is not so cold and there are many wet areas, our horses can be prone to many hoof conditions.
Read MoreInto winter now with some much wanted rain. The paddocks will be sprouting several varieties of weeds with that moisture. The best way to manage it is to get in early (if you haven’t got around to earlier spraying) and start hand pulling.
Read MoreThe most recent news on the weather is that we are looking at a drier and warmer winter, even coming into spring. Not good news for the farmers and hence maybe not good news for those of you buying in feed. Ensuring that your horse is well covered at this time of year will help to carry him (her) through the colder months and into spring.
Read MoreThe season has broken at last. Some welcome rain for the paddocks. Ground cover would have been really down due to the long dry, leaving lovely bare patches for those pesky weeds to come through. No rest for the wicked or the horse owner!
Read MoreThe dry autumn continues, the paddocks have really dried out, but what an ideal opportunity to get those paddocks soil tested and topped up with whatever deficiencies are in the soil. If you are a new property owner this is especially important unless you have a history of the previous management of your land.
Read MoreLooks like we are heading into a dry autumn, so there will still be snakes about, so do keep your horse areas free of debris, clutter and long grass.
Read MoreWhile the weather is good, if you have a neddy that is reluctant to go into his float, this is a good time to do some practice/training.
Read MoreGetting into summer again and we all need to be thinking about our fire plans. Apart from the obvious plans for house and self, there are our animals to consider.
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