Q: People say horses don't stop growing until they're seven years old. If this is true, should we be riding them when they're four? Asked by Sami Francis A: The age that a horse stops growing varies, depending mainly on his breed. Thoroughbreds, for example, tend to mature much faster than larger, heavier Warmbloods, and as such,…
Q: How often do horses have twins? A: Twins are conceived as a result of the stallion's sperm fertilising two eggs released when a mare double ovulates. Thoroughbreds and Warmbloods are the most likely to have mutliple ovulations, and they therefore tend to have more twins than other breeds. However, nature does not favour the birth of…
Considering the level of skill and decision-making required, we are vastly underpaying our vets [dropcap]F[/dropcap]rom 24 to 27 July, the South African Veterinary Association (SAVA) and the South African Society for Veterinary Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine (SASVEPM) held a congress at Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre, Boksburg. The congress, now in its ninth year,…
The AHS vaccination is your horse's primary protection against African Horse Sickness [dropcap]A[/dropcap]s horse owners, it is our responsibility to ensure that horses are vaccinated every year and that any movement of horses into the Western Cape African Horse Sickness (AHS) controlled area complies with policy requirements. Apart from mitigating the risks of horses getting the…
The business of buying and selling horses can be a stressful one – aside from the heart-rending ups and downs of finding the right horse (or buyer), there is also the fear that the horse you’ve just fallen in love with may have some hidden issue that could spell disaster to your long-term competitive plans.…
