ASKHQ: AGEING HORSE

Q: What are the signs that your horse is ageing? A: Horses don’t all age at the same rate. Some of this is due to genetics, and some to the care they have received throughout their lifetime. Horses are, generally speaking, labelled as ‘senior’ when they reach the age of 15, but this is a…

BylizzieMay 6, 20250Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel

ASKHQ: GROOMING ROUTINE

Q: What is a normal grooming routine? A: A thorough grooming session will take up to 45 minutes. In South Africa, we commonly do not regularly groom our horses ourselves, but at least once a week it is worth making the extra effort to do this. Firstly, this provides a great opportunity to bond with your…

BylizzieMarch 5, 20200Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health

THE HORSE’S DIGESTIVE SYSTEM

When chewing on hay or any other paddock vegetation, the horse chews with long jaw sweeps [dropcap]H[/dropcap]orses are trickle feeders and non-ruminant herbivores, meaning that they are designed to graze for most of the day on vegetation, and process their feed through one stomach chamber. The equine digestive system is unique in the way in which…

BylizzieMarch 14, 20180Comments

Horse Channel Know How Lifestyle

HOLIDAY HELP: PEACE OF MIND WHILE YOU’RE AWAY

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]henever we get to this time of year, it’s time to start thinking about putting your horses and yard in safe hands while you’re away. Whether you’re on a smallholding with two or three horses on your property, or run a full-time livery yard, you want someone you can trust to care for your horses…

BylizzieNovember 1, 20170Comments

Horse Health Know How

GOOD GRASS: TYPES OF ROUGHAGE

There are various roughage options available for the South African horse. The main options include lucerne hay, teff, Eragrostis curvula, Rhodes grass and oat hay. Roughage should be chosen to best suit the horse’s nutrient requirements. AlphaAlfa explains the nutritional value of the different types of grasses in this month's issue. Legumes In comparison with grasses,…

BylizzieOctober 3, 20170Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health Know How

Equine underwater treadmill in SA

Underwater treadmill therapy has a range of benefits for active and recovering horses [dropcap]T[/dropcap]owards the end of last year, at Pellmeadow Estate in Klapmuts, near Paarl, a horse named Baybar quietly made South African history. He was the first horse in South Africa to bravely enter into the depths of an underwater treadmill designed and built…

BylizzieMarch 20, 20170Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health Know How

Mud matters

Practicing paddock rotation can prevent mud development [dropcap]M[/dropcap]ud is a reality for many stable yards, particularly those in the Cape region as its winter consists of continuous rain. Other regions will experience heavy rainfall over the summer months, but will go without for the rest of the year. Some yards and studs are more inclined to…

BylizzieFebruary 2, 20170Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health

Skin and coat care

We all love to have sleek, shiny and healthy looking horses [dropcap]S[/dropcap]outh Africa with its beautiful sunny climate, can wreak havoc with our horse’s coats though. There is nothing worse than a beautiful dark bay all bleached and ‘burnt’ looking with a coat that has lost its silky texture. There are a number of ways to protect…

BylizzieDecember 24, 20150Comments

Horse Channel Know How

Bandaging basics

There are a variety of reasons for bandaging, ranging from injuries that require support or protection to exercise bandages and stable bandages. Any supportive/medical bandaging should be done by a qualified person or under the supervision of your veterinarian, as bandaging too tight, too loose or unevenly can cause problems such as pressure points on tendons,…

BylizzieNovember 11, 20150Comments

Horse Channel Know How

Taking care of our grooms

As more equestrians pay attention to the business aspects involved in running a successful equine-related company, the issue of staff management has come under the spotlight. This is a particular concern when looking at the matter of grooms’ reimbursement packages. As an employer, it’s important to consider the future welfare of those who work for us,…

BylizzieOctober 19, 20150Comments

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