Horse Health

Image for article on variability in horse state and behaviour.

WHY YOUR HORSE FEELS AMAZING ONE DAY AND AWFUL THE NEXT

We've all been there when we arrive in the same arena with the same plan, but our horse feels completely different. One day our horse is soft and forward, and two days later he is stiff and distracted. Interestingly, this is rarely to do with the situation in the moment. How a horse feels under…

Bylizzie1 day ago0Comments

Horse Health

WHEN IN DOUBT, CALL THE VET – WHAT NEW WOUND RESEARCH SHOWS

A new study from the UK suggests that how we handle the first few hours after a wound occurs matters more, and varies more, than we might like to admit. Researchers at the University of Nottingham, in collaboration with the British Horse Society, asked owners to report on real wounds in their own horses, from injury…

Bylizzie2 days ago0Comments

Horse Health

BREWER’S YEAST – THE QUIET POWERHOUSE IN YOUR FEED ROOM

Our guide to what brewer's yeast really does for your horse, where the science is strong, and where the marketing gets ahead of the evidence. Few feed-room ingredients have travelled as far as brewer's yeast. What began as a by-product of beer fermentation has become one of the most widely used supplements in equine nutrition, quietly…

BylizzieJune 25, 20260Comments

Horse Health

YOUR HORSE’S BODY CLOCK

Why the overnight hours matter more than you think We spend a lot of time perfecting the concentrate feeds and worrying about what happens in the day when we're around the barn. For many of us, the ten or twelve hours in between, the overnight stretch, mostly look after themselves. However, new research suggests these…

BylizzieJune 24, 20260Comments

Horse Health

WHAT IS A CT SCAN USED FOR IN HORSES?

A CT (computed tomography) scan is becoming a more familiar part of equine veterinary care, but for most of us, it sits in a grey area: more than the X-ray we're used to and less familiar than the MRI we have vaguely heard of. Here is a plain-language look at what a CT does, when…

BylizzieJune 23, 20260Comments

Horse Health

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT

Is your horse in ideal condition? Stand at any South African livery yard in late October and you will see the same pattern repeating: horses who looked reasonable in July are suddenly developing cresty necks and filling out behind the shoulders. The spring grass has arrived, and with it, the annual battle against equine obesity…

BylizzieMay 20, 20260Comments

Horse Health

THE RIDDEN HORSE

Welfare and the precautionary principle A University of Guelph review argues that many long-accepted riding practices deserve closer scrutiny, even where definitive evidence of harm is still lacking. A review by Caleigh Copelin and Katrina Merkies, published in the March 2026 edition of the Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, makes the case that modern equestrianism is…

BylizzieMay 14, 20260Comments

Horse Health

ASKHQ: CURB ON THE HOCK

AskHQ: I’ve been told my horse has a curb on his hock. What does this mean? A: A curb on a horse’s hock is a form of soft tissue swelling or thickening that appears just below the point of the hock, at the back of the leg. It’s usually caused by strain or injury to the…

BylizzieMay 11, 20260Comments

Breeding Horse Health

THE FUTURE OF EQUINE BREEDING – GENETICS, DATA AND ETHICS

The next frontier of sporthorse breeding isn’t just about bloodlines; it’s about information. Across the world, breeders are increasingly using genetic testing, artificial insemination (AI), embryo transfer (ET), and data-driven analysis to predict, enhance, and preserve equine athletic potential. But as the science accelerates, so do the ethical questions that come with it. Artificial insemination, embryo…

BylizzieMay 10, 20260Comments

Horse Health

PADDOCK MANAGEMENT 101

Sustainable pasture management and toxic plant awareness Paddock management is one of the most overlooked aspects of horse care in South Africa, yet it fundamentally impacts horse health, property sustainability, and long-term costs. The difference between well-managed and poorly managed grazing can mean the difference between horses thriving on minimal supplementary feed versus requiring year-round…

BylizzieMay 7, 20260Comments

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