Thursday, June 23, 2011

Fun in the Sun!

Hello Friends,

You know how important it is to protect yourself from the harmful effects of the sun, but what you probably don't know is that horses can get sunburned and need protection as well. You might be thinking: "Doesn't a horse's haircoat shield their skin from the sun?" While this is mostly true for horses that are dark in color, lighter colored horses (particularly appaloosas and paints) are especially susceptible to sunburn due to the lighter pigmentation of the skin. Horses do not experience the full body burn that humans can get when overexposed, but specific areas of a horse's body are also more prone to sun damage, particularly regions with little hair such as the eyes and muzzle.

Monday, June 13, 2011

June - Celebrations and Itchiness!



June is my favorite month of the year! Not only because it marks the official start of summer, or because the school year is finally over, but it is also the Month of the Horse! New Jersey Department of Agriculture Secretary Doug Fisher and the Equine Science Center's own Dr. Malinowski, kicked off the month of the horse on June 10th at the Standardbred Retirement Foundation Farm (the same folks who brought my research horse pals to Rutgers!) by announcing the various events planned to celebrate New Jersey's state animal! It's like a party that lasts all month long!