STRESS

And its effect on your riding performance Text: Ryan Tehini Stress and anxiety are innate aspects of athletic competition and often inhibit performance and ultimately contribute to an unfavourable competition outcome. Many athletes report difficulty concentrating, inefficient decision-making, hazy thought, and reduced energy as a result of competition stress. However, despite the negative discourse surrounding stress…

BylizzieNovember 8, 20250Comments

Horse Health

RESPIRATORY HEALTH AT SHOWS

New findings on equine asthma and why management at competitions matters For many horses, show environments, rather than being optimal for performance, carry hidden risks to their respiratory health. Increasingly, research is pointing to inflammatory airway disease (IAD) and equine asthma as leading causes of reduced performance in sport horses, often triggered or worsened by…

BylizzieSeptember 27, 20250Comments

Horse Health

DEPRESSION IN HORSES

Research indicates that horses can experience depression. Here we'll review the pioneering study that sought to identify depression in horses and examine some of the causes, list the signs to watch for and give tips on how to help alleviate depressive symptoms in affected horses. The study A French study evaluated domestic horses for signs of…

BylizzieAugust 4, 20250Comments

Horse Health

ALOE VERA – IS IT SAFE FOR HORSES?

By Hannah Botha, MSc Equine Science, Epol Nutrition Advisor Aloe vera is certainly not a new addition to the management of horses, and for many years it has been used topically for ailments such as inflamed or burnt skin. More recently, aloe vera has come into focus for treating common conditions such as gastric ulcers. But…

BylizzieMarch 11, 20230Comments

Ask HQ Horse Breed Horse Channel Horse Health Horse Training

ASKHQ: LEFT BEHIND

Q: How can I make box rest easier for my horse? He is so stressed when the other horses go out in the morning? Asked by Gemma Picken A: Box rest can be really difficult if your horse is used to extensive turnout. It can be especially hard if your horse is the only one left behind…

BylizzieDecember 17, 20190Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health Know How

ASKHQ: IMPORT ISSUES

Q: When you import a horse, what is the flight like? Do horses find it very stressful? A: There is a variety of flight options available for horses. If a horse is coming in from Europe, the most expensive option is the direct flight from the origin to Johannesburg, while the cheaper option is to fly…

BylizzieDecember 14, 20190Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health

ASKHQ: FEEDING ROOIBOS

Q: Why do people feed their horses rooibos? A: Rooibos is unique to South Africa and has always been known to be healthy. However, the benefits of rooibos have far surpassed our expectations. Initially rooibos was only used in tea, and whilst it is still used in tea today, the uses of rooibos are now far…

BylizzieNovember 16, 20190Comments

Horse Channel Horse Health

HINDGUT DISTRESS

Horses are trickle feeders, designed to eat fibre all day long, rather than consuming large meals less frequently. Fibre digestion takes place in the hindgut where a population of micro-organisms break down the fibre, in a process called fermentation, to provide a source of slow-release energy. Fermentation requires a healthy population of bacteria in the…

BylizzieAugust 27, 20190Comments

Ask HQ Horse Channel Horse Health Know How

ASKHQ: THE STRESSY MARE

Q: My mare is relatively calm most of the time, but when she comes into season she becomes horribly stressy. I've been advised to try and supplement for mares, but what ingredients do I need to be looking for? A: We all love our mares. We really do. But, it does have to be acknowledged, that…

BylizzieAugust 8, 20190Comments

Horse Channel Know How

Stressed out

[dropcap]W[/dropcap]e all experience stress to some degree, and our horses are no different. A little stress can be a good thing if it is channelled in a positive way, but too much may cause distress, particularly in the horse who has a ‘fight or flight’ coping mechanism. Stress results in a high level of energy…

BylizzieApril 13, 20160Comments

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