Can it be?? A Seminar all about FOOD!

Hay Folks!

It’s that time of the year again. No, I’m not talking about roses, chocolate, and candlelight dinners. Sunday, February 8^th is the annual Horse Management Seminar and I can’t wait!  This year’s topic is all about FOOD! The official title is, “Grazing Rewards and Concerns: How and Why to Care for Your Pastures”.  It may not be about growing delicious doughnuts (I wish!), but more about cultivating lush pastures and maintaining healthy body weight for your horses.

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”.

Recycling Manure

Hay Folks!

Photo credit: Monica Thors

Are you stifle-deep in manure?  Not properly managing horse manure can have harmful results. Luckily I’m here to help! Keep reading to find out how truly awesome manure can be and how you can use it to your advantage!

Not all clovers are lucky!

Top o’ the morning to all laddies and lasses!

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here and even though there may not be a lot of green on my pasture, spring is right around the corner and I’m getting a head start on searching for the rare, lucky four-leaf clover, so I can hopefully meet a leprechaun! However, I need to be extremely careful.  There are many clovers that are not so lucky and are EXTREMELY toxic to horses, especially alsike clover.

Super Turf

Hay Kids! Today is a great day because I am going to share with you some super cool science. Recently, a team of scientists at Rutgers studied different grasses and their qualities in horse pastures. You probably are saying, “Yea, so what? Scientists study at a lot of stuff; what’s the big deal about grass?” Well, I am excited to tell you what scientists have discovered, that will help you A LOT, just by staring at grass! What is even more exciting is that you can hear all about preserving and maximizing your pasture grass at the Equine Science Center’s special event “Evening of Celebration and Science” on November 19! Register NOW!!

Summer, Storms and Mold

Happy summer my fellow science-seekers! I hope everyone is enjoying the new leisurely change of pace that this season brings; although, I have been known to lounge around the farm all year long! Now, I know the saying goes, “April showers brings May flowers,” but what happens when June and July are super-soaking stormy months also? Did you know that in June alone we had almost 10 inches of rain? That is more than double the monthly average! Like most horses, I love to splash in puddles and roll around in mud baths! But, all of this rain can have some negative effects on pastures and forage for horses.

Staying Storm Savvy

I am sure that the last couple of weeks have been a challenge for all of us here in New Jersey and surrounding areas. In the wake of the two severe storms, there is even MORE work to be done now in the home and in the pasture.

Pruning Out Poisonous Plants!

I hope that you have been enjoying the fresh weather breezing in throughout the month of October lately! My favorite gal pal Hugme Christi and I enjoy a brisk morning romp in our field and then graze leisurely while soaking up the warm sun rays during the day. Do you know why fall is the best time of the year? Not only do we get to roll around in all of the leaf piles, but because it smells like a tasty vegetarian Thanksgiving feast for horses! Every day, the air becomes a little more aromatic with the sweet smell of turning leaves and sweet grasses. It’s like an olfactory sensory explosion, and I really just can’t get enough of it! It is almost as tantalizing as an apple-filled doughnut sitting on the picnic table outside my pasture.  Almost.