Q: Should I rug my horse during South Africa’s mild winter nights? A: Not necessarily. Horses are far more cold-tolerant than humans and can comfortably withstand temperatures as low as 5°C if they are unclipped, have adequate forage, and shelter from wind and rain. Rugging unnecessarily can disrupt thermoregulation, flatten coat hairs, and even contribute…
If you want to excel at anything, you have to learn how to manage your thoughts and feelings, both the good and the bad. Excellence is not normal or natural, and cultivating excellence in anything requires hard work and sacrifice. Physical talent is not irrelevant, but it is less important than self-discipline and mental strength.…
Q: How do I feed my horse to build muscle for eventing using nutrition? A: It goes without saying that building muscle requires correct work, so nutrition is not going to be the only piece of the puzzle. Eventing is also a ‘multi-discipline’ sport so your horse is going to need to cross-train to really start…
Q: How long do you actually have to wait to ride after feeding your horse? Asked by May Clarke A: This depends on the type of feed, the amount and how hard you’ll be working your horse. On the one hand, if your horse has just eaten a 0.5kg meal that is mainly fibre-based and you are…
Q: What is the longest I can leave my horse unworked without him getting fresh? A: This is a difficult question to answer, because so many factors come into play: feed, turnout, breed, way of going, temperament etc. Some horses are no different even after a few weeks' holiday, and others are impossible after only a…
Q: My older horse still seems to love work, but I'm concerned as his stiffness is definitely increasing. I've had my vet to look at him, and she agrees that we need to slow down, but how do I do this when he enjoys his work so much? A: Many horses bodies start to slow down…
Carolien at work inspecting a horse at a competition in the Netherlands [dropcap]W[/dropcap]e all know that a horse must be in good condition if you want to perform well at competitions. But what is considered good condition? How can we define this, and what does it mean for your daily training practice? Mostly, we evaluate the intensity…
Doctor Henk Offereins (DVM, MVSc) is a Dutch vet based in Ireland, who specialises in equine sports medicine. He visits South Africa regularly where he works in conjunction with Pretoria-based Dr Ingrid Cilliers to introduce new veterinary concepts that are currently in use in Europe and America to our competitive riders. His main focus is…
