While you may think spring is the best time to fertilize your pastures, it’s actually fall when grasses take in the most nutrients to store for the winter.

It can happen to any equestrian: a sudden spook, a miscalculation at a jump, or any bump on the head might cause a concussion. Wearing an appropriate helmet can help prevent such an injury, but it’s important for everyone—parents, coaches, barn mates, and equestrians themselves—to be aware of concussion’s warning signs. Here’s a handy reference list that can help you identify a possible concussion—and take the appropriate actions.

Colic can occur at any time of the year, but fall and winter seem to offer additional horse care challenges..

When taking your horse on the road to a show or trailhead, think of your horse trailer as a "barn on wheels" for your horse's comfort and safety.

The wide variety of equine diseases and when best to vaccinate against them can be a bit overwhelming for the horse owner. However, The American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) has endeavored to make things simpler with these guidelines for fall shots in adult horses.

Ah, remember summer? Long days for turning horses out to graze and play. But now that winter is slowly approaching, you and your horse will be spending more time inside the barn. Do a barn safety walk-through to be ready for extended inside time.

Horse health terms can be confusing, especially those about hock, made up of four joints and six bones. Two conditions that are often confused are capped hock vs. curb. Both of these conditions involve the very back or top of the hock.

Incorporating technology in your barn can make it safer and your work more convenient. Consider adding one or more of these devices this year.

Your horse’s ears are large, shaped like a cup and act like a satellite dish to capture sounds and funnel them to his inner ear. This is one reason why you may think that everything is perfectly fine, but suddenly your horse spooks for no apparent reason. As a prey animal, hearing acuity in a horse is a form of an “early warning system” for any sounds that a predator could be approaching – the snap of a twig, the rustle of grass, or the creak of a tree branch.

It’s about that time of year. Days are starting to get darker sooner. In order to get all your riding, horse care and barn work done, it’s a good idea to start looking at ways to add more light to your barn. I mistakenly waited a few months before adding lights to my new barn and remember wrapping my horse’s abscessed hoof with a flashlight in my mouth.