Scary Scratches!

What’s up friends!

This is Snowdrift!  My buddy Lord Nelson asked me to help him out with this post to the “Holy Hoofprints” blog. As one of the fastest Horse Hero mares in the herd at the Rutgers Equine Science Center, he knew that I’d be able to write this in a jiffy!  Here goes! Read through it and check out the video of me running at almost top-speed on the treadmill!

With this fickle fall weather and Halloween creeping up soon, I wanted to quickly talk to you about a scary skin infection that is commonly known as “scratches”. I know horses that have had scratches before, and it is very unpleasant for us if not managed correctly! 

Got Protozoa on the Brain?

Hay Folks,

I’m glad you stuck around to find out about the nasty protozoa that causes Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). Remember I talked a little about this month?  If you’re just tuning in, check out my previous blog post, “Recycling Manure”.

FOWL Play?!

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!

Spring is here and the birds are flying north and building nests for their chicks.  Birds are very important for the ecosystem, but in a horse barn, it’s a recipe for disaster!

My buddy Polly (the bird by my stable mate’s withers above) is very pretty and has a lovely voice and would never intentionally hurt me, but the bacteria and pathogens in her body can.  Some diseases I can get from birds (and their POOP!) are salmonella or cryptococcosis (a type of fungus).

Backyard Bacteria

Recently I have been getting questions from equine enthusiasts about two specific kinds of horse illnesses. I realized that not only is it important that I answer their questions, but that I also share this important information with my fans and fellow horse lovers too!

I believe that it takes “hooves-on” interaction to really get the most out of your learning. So, let’s play Jeopardy!

Horse Care and Management for 1000 points, please…