You can lead a horse to water, but…

Winter is approaching and just like the acorn-scavenging squirrel, horses similarly increase their nutrient (food AND water) intake. So, it’s perfectly acceptable for me to have an extra doughnut or two…or five!  For every degree the temperature drops below a horse’s critical temperature, its hay consumption must be increased by 1%. It is important that only the hay is increased because that is the food that ferments inside their body and lets off heat to keep them nice and toasty.

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! 

Oh! These Aching Bones...What's an old horse to do?

Hi Folks,

Some horses begin to need special care due to aging soon after reaching twenty. However, many do not and are fine into their thirties. Like my human friends, aging processes in horses vary and are influenced by genetics, lifestyle, and healthcare.  I was just finishing my second career working in mounted patrol on campus (also receiving that memorable NCAA football penalty!) in my late twenties and started my third career as a Professor Emeritus at the Rutgers Equine Science Center when I was in my late thirties! Now that I am in my forties (I know hard to believe right?), I seem to be having a hard time in the morning chasing after my gal HugMe Christi. Nowadays, I need more time to get warmed up because of stiffness.  It was only a matter of time before I began to feel and show the signs of aging. 

Working for Rutgers Mounted Patrol

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