Horses

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Dealing with Winter Drainage Issues

Mud creates an unhealthy environment for horses. Mud harbors bacteria, fungal organisms and other pathogens that cause abscesses, scratches, rain scald, and thrush.
The effects of repeated wet/dry conditions are damaging to hoof structure and can cause general unthriftiness. Mud is a breeding ground for insects, such as cullicoides (“no-see-ums”), filth flies, and mosquitoes. Insects are not only annoying; they can carry diseases and can cause allergic reactions. When fed on muddy ground, horses can ingest dirt or sand particles with hay, leading to sand colic, a very serious digestive order. Plus mud creates a slick, unsafe footing, increasing the risk of injury--for horses and humans!
And every horse person knows that mud is inconvenient and unpleasant. Mud makes everyday chores difficult. Odors, flies and just the sight of mud lowers the desirability of a property for customers and neighbors.
Once soil and manure has mixed with water to make mud, it can easily be carried into nearby streams or lakes. Sediment can smother trout and salmon eggs, destroy habitat for insects (a food source for fish), and cover prime spawning areas. Many pollutants, like the nutrients in manure, are also likely to attach to soil particles and be carried into the water.

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

What You Can Do: Direct and Slow the Flow
If you already have gutters and downspouts on barns and out-buildings and footing in confinement areas but rain is still flowing into confinement areas you may need to consider installing some type of drainage system to divert away surface water flowing towards your barn.
When tackling drainage think "slow the flow." The best and easiest way to reduce surface water is to slow it down. Many times just slowing water down will allow it to infiltrate back into the ground--perhaps all that’s needed to solve a drainage issue. This also helps recharge the natural hydrology of your property including ground water.
Each of these techniques can be useful for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud:

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

Divert the clean surface water away from your high traffic areas to someplace else on your property where it can soak back into the ground. Possibilities include an unused corner of your pasture, a well-vegetated woods, grassy swales, or other well-vegetated areas.
Never divert to an existing water body as the amount of added water can drastically and unnaturally change water levels. When water levels go up quickly, that increases turbidity and important fish habitat is often ruined or destroyed.

- See more at: http://cs.thehorse.com/blogs/smart-horse-keeping/archive/2012/11/07/slow-the-flow-dealing-with-winter-drainage-issues.aspx#sthash.XdoaClE0.dpuf

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

French drains, a deep trench filled with drain rock, can be a useful technique for keeping clean rainwater out of your paddock and reducing mud.
Photo by Alayne Blickle

French drain lines
Diversion ditches
Water bars (like a speed bump for water runoff)
Swales (gently sloping depressions or grass-lined waterways)
Dry wells

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

Horses Need Proper Feeding in Winter

In many parts of the country, winter means increased stable time, decreased riding time and significantly different nutrient requirements for horses, said Louisiana State University AgCenter equine specialist Neely Walker, MS, PhD. And despite mild winters in other parts of the country, decreased temperatures and wet conditions will affect the demands on the horse’s body for heat production.
A horse’s energy requirements start to increase once the temperature drops below the animal’s critical temperature or the horse’s natural comfort zone. “Your horse’s critical temperature will depend on his current nutritional status, environmental temperatures, wind, and wet hair coats,” Walker said.
When planning the winter menu for a horse, keep in mind that the lower critical temperature for a horse is approximately 40 degrees, she said. “For every one degree lower, you should increase your horse’s feed intake by 1% of its body weight.”
For example, she said, a 1,000-pound horse should receive an additional two pounds of hay when the temperature drops 10 degrees (for example, from 40 degrees to 30 degrees).
It is less effective to feed concentrates, such as grain, to maintain a critical temperature, Walker said. Hay is a more effective way to maintain critical temperature.
“Forages contain higher fiber content than concentrates,” she said. The digestion of fiber results in a greater amount of heat being produced than the digestion of grain. Therefore, feeding hay will keep the horse’s critical temperature stable despite the environmental conditions.
During cold weather, horse owners might also notice a greater frequency of impaction colic. One of the main causes of impaction colic is dehydration.
Reduced water intake, combined with increased hay consumption, can lead to more incidence of colic, Walker said. Maintaining the temperature of water sources at 50 degrees to 65 degrees will encourage adequate drinking, which should be about 12 gallons a day.
Proper nutrition is important during winter. “It is easier to maintain body condition throughout the winter than it is to catch up if a horse is underweight,” Walker said. “Always provide good-quality forages and fresh water to maintain your horse’s health throughout the winter. Take advantage of the cooler weather and go ride.”

Tuesday, 2 December 2014

Water: The Most Important Nutrient for Horses

Water is the most important nutrient that we provide for horses on a year around basis. Horses need two to three times more water than other feedstuffs. For example, an 1,100 pound horse on a dry forage diet in an environment with an average temperature of 68°F will need a minimum of six to seven gallons of water per day (or 48 to 56 pounds of water per day), and many horses will drink more water than the minimum.
We all appreciate that the water requirement may double at high temperatures, but might not realize that at -4°F the quantity required is about 10 to 12 gallons per day—actually higher than at moderate temperature. The onset of cold weather can actually increase the requirement for water because there is no fresh grass and the air is very dry.
There is a misconception that domestic horses can easily eat enough snow to survive. Horses in the wild do adapt to lower water intakes, partially because food intake is also frequently reduced, but horses can survive longer without food than they can without water. Reduced water intake can also impair digestion and potentially contribute to the incidence of impaction colic.
It also requires a great deal of energy to eat snow, melt the snow in the body and raise the fluid temperature to normal body temperature of 99.5° to 100.5°. Increasing the temperature of 10 gallons of water from 32° to 100° requires about 1,372 calories—about the amount of digestible energy in a pound of feed. Melting the snow to get to water will take a great deal more energy and the horses will not readily eat a pile of snow the size of 20 five gallon buckets. It takes about 10 inches of snow to have one inch of water.
Providing horses with fresh clean water at an appropriate temperature all year around is a great management tool to reduce the risk of colic, maintain healthy digestion, and maintain body condition.

Stallion Semen Tests: Which to Use and What Do They Mean

Because breeding is a business, having a veterinarian evaluate your stallion's semen to determine his fertility (or lack thereof) is a key component of a breeding soundness examination. But semen evaluations are not always black and white, and there are many types of tests your veterinarian can perform. So at the 2013 Society for Theriogenology Conference, held Aug. 7-10 in Louisville, Ky., Dickson Varner, DVM, Dipl. ACT, professor and Pin Oak Stud Chair of Stallion Reproductive Studies at Texas A&M University, walked attendees through the tests he would use to evaluate semen.
Although most of these tests haven't changed in recent years, Varner said they were worth reviewing, as "there are a lot of tests we currently perform that we might not be doing correctly, or the people we're overseeing at the farms aren't doing correctly."
The following are what he listed as important semen tests:
Sperm numbers Although this is a traditional breeding exam test, Varner said it's one of the hardest to get right. "Determination of total sperm number (semen volume times concentration) in an ejaculate would seem to be a relatively simple procedure, but accurate measurement can be fraught with error," he said. “This is due to inaccuracies in measurement of both semen volume and sperm concentration.”
Varner recommended determining volume based on weight, as 1 milliliter is equivalent to 1 gram. He also indicated that the best way to measure sperm concentration in the commercial setting is with a device called a NucleoCounter.
Part of calculating an accurate sperm count, he explained, is determining daily sperm output for a particular stallion, because analysis of a single ejaculate has limited value. He said that, ideally, the practitioner would like to calculate the number of sperm the stallion produces on a daily basis, called the daily sperm output.
"It's important to know this because we can also measure the testicles and determine, based on the size of the testicles (testicular volume), how much sperm the stallion should be producing on a daily basis," Varner explained. "We can then determine how much sperm the stallion is actually producing on a daily basis and determine if there's a disconnect. In aging stallions, for instance, a decline in daily sperm output frequently precedes declines in testicular size or semen quality.”
Sperm concentration The current standard tool for estimating sperm concentration accurately is the NucleoCounter. "In my view, the NucleoCounter has revolutionized stallion reproduction to the extent that ultrasound has revolutionized mare reproduction," Varner said.
Semen volume Varner said veterinarians and breeding managers don't often do a good job of measuring sperm volume, and suggested that the most accurate method for doing so is to measure volume, based on specimen weight (as described above).
Sperm motility Measuring sperm motility, or its movement/swimming action, is a fundamental test, Varner said. The only drawback he mentioned was that scores—from 0 (stationary) to 4 (fast)—among practitioners are subjective and can vary in accuracy. "This can be minimized when a high-quality microscope with phase contract optics and a warming stage is used," he explained. He also noted that computer-assisted sperm analysis systems can provide a more objective means of measuring sperm motility.
Varner also cautioned that sperm motility is susceptible to environmental conditions such as excessive heat or cold, lubricants, light, disinfectants, etc., "so it is necessary to protect the semen from injurious agents or conditions prior to analysis."
Sperm morphology Varner believes that the most effective way to evaluate sperm morphology (structure) is with a differential interference contrast (DIC) microscope. The question then becomes, what is abnormal sperm morphology?
"If you have one defect by itself, in all likelihood that defect isn't going to be associated with reduced fertility," Varner explained. "Usually, subfertility or infertility is associated with a combination of defects. If there are enough normal sperm in an ejaculate, you sometimes do not have to worry about presence of abnormal sperm. Such structural defects are called compensable defects, as they can be neutralized by morphologically normal sperm when present in sufficient numbers."
For example, if your stallion has 17% morphologically normal sperm and a breeding dose is calculated to be two billion sperm, more than 300 million morphologically normal sperm will still be present in the breeding dose. This could be sufficient for normal fertility.
Varner reviewed specific abnormal sperm structures veterinarians commonly see:

Detached heads "When you see these it's beautiful, because you can generally solve the problem and be a hero," Varner said. He explained that while detached heads are problematic for a given ejaculate, they generally don't lend a poor prognosis overall; rather, they represent stagnation of sperm in the epididymides and ductus deferens (the ducts that store and transport sperm). Veterinarians can typically correct this issue with a frequent semen-collection schedule, sometimes in conjunction with medications that promote muscular contraction of these ducts.
Proximal droplets Varner said he generally considers sperm with these remnants of germ cell cytoplasm attached to be functionally normal. He cited one study by Texas A&M researchers whereby sperm with distal or proximal droplets had better viability over time than morphologically normal sperm. Varner cautioned that sometimes, however, proximal droplets can indicate early stages of testicular dysfunction in aging stallions.
Abnormal midpieces Varner considers these sperm to be problematic. "Anytime you have disruptions to the mitochondrial helix, those sperm have reduced longevity and are, in all likelihood, less capable of fertilization," he said.
Coiled tails These defects can be problematic and represent a degree of testicular dysfunction, even when in relative low prevalence (5-6%).
Premature germ cells (PGCs) In low prevalence, these abnormalities are not a “kiss of death” as was previously thought, Varner said. Secretariat, for instance, was initially believed to be infertile when a semen collection revealed PGCs, but the stallion went on to have a very successful breeding career. "If PGCs are present in higher percentages and persist, then it's an indicator of testicular dysfunction," Varner said. "But don't be alarmed if you see 1, 2, 3% (PGCs) in an ejaculate."

Varner cited an influential stallion sperm morphology study led by Charles Love, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACT, in 2000: Every time a stallion at one Central Kentucky Thoroughbred breeding farm ejaculated into a mare, Love collected the dismount sample, put it in buffered formal saline, and looked at its morphology. He determined for each sample whether the mare got pregnant, and he did this for hundreds of mares. "That particular study showed that the most significant predictors of fertility were normal sperm (positive effects on fertility), and abnormal heads, detached heads, abnormal midpieces, coiled tails, and PGCs (negative effects on fertility)," Varner summarized. "Droplets did not have predictive value in that study."
Testicular size Although not directly part of a semen evaluation, Varner mentioned that testicular size is a good indicator of how many sperm a stallion should be producing over a period of time or on a daily basis. Using ultrasound and tranquilization, practitioners can measure testicle length, width, and height to estimate a stallion's semen volume.
Sperm chromatin quality "If I had to pick only three things to evaluate a stallion's fertility, I would measure testicle size, look at sperm morphology, and evaluate sperm chromatin," Varner said. Sperm chromatin is the DNA bound by proteins called protamines, which help protect sperm during transport to, and within, the mare reproductive tract, as well as promote decondensation of sperm at the time of fertilization.
Using the sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA), developed by scientist Don Evenson, PhD, veterinarians can expose the sperm to acid and evaluate their susceptibility to DNA denaturation (the destruction of the usual nature of a substance). Varner indicated they sometimes also use a TUNEL assay in conjunction to the SCSA for more critical analysis of sperm DNA. "The assays do measure different things, even though they're both measuring parts of DNA," he said. He has also used the Comet assay for determining DNA fragmentation in sperm but added that the test's downside "is that results can be skewed when looking at fresh versus frozen semen."
Acrosomal integrity and function The sperm acrosome fits over the head of the sperm like a bathing cap and develops pores to release enzymes that are necessary for fertilization. Varner says his laboratory performs an acrosomal responsiveness assay on some stallions to test the sperm acrosome's ability to react when challenged with calcium ionophore, A23187, a potent inducer of the acrosome reaction. "If you have a semen sample that looks very good based on traditional tests, but you can't explain why mares are not getting pregnant, I'd perform an acrosomal responsiveness assay, especially in Thoroughbred stallions," Varner suggested.
He added that genomics researchers at Texas A&M recently showed that there is a specific problematic gene on Chromosome 13 that is upregulated (has a heightened cellular response) in all of the stallions they have studied with this problem. Thus, there is likely a genetic predisposition for this form of acrosomal dysfunction.
In summary, Varner advised being as complete as possible when performing a breeding soundness examination on a stallion. A battery of laboratory tests will be more likely to help predict stallion fertility than just a couple tests. Accurate measurements are also important to the examination outcome.

Monday, 1 December 2014

Horse attachment

Have you had the joy of raising a foal? Within minutes of birth they are up on their spindly legs, nuzzling the mare for milk. It is essential for survival that the foal is strongly attached to his mother. He must return to her not only for milk, but when he is unsafe or unsure. She must function as a secure base for his explorations, a haven for him to go to if something threatens.

HORSES are programmed for attachment, a connection with another being, something that hasn't been thought about much by riders and trainers. This is true for all baby mammals, including humans. The hormone oxytocin drives this biologically determined connection. We are all now accept that horses are a herd animal, programmed to accept leadership. We know that the rider/trainer should be the leader of the herd, as it were. It is also relevant to think of the rider/trainer as an attachment figure, that the horse should be able to experience the rider as someone who can provide it with a secure base and safe haven. For example, a horse exposed to a new stress such as a horse float, a loud competition stadium, or a novel cross-country obstacle, will benefit from experiencing the rider as someone who helps him know the strange thing is safe, not just experiencing the person as the boss or leader of the pack.

We know a great deal about the qualities of secure attachment in humans. We can learn from this and how we can use this knowledge to inform and even evaluate the quality of our training and the relationship with our horse. Does your horse experience you as someone who makes the world feel safer? Or does he experience you as someone who actually may attack or persecute him when he seeks safety? Are you someone he wants to be near when he is frightened, or is he likely to be afraid of your response if something frightens him? I have seen horses respond to stress in a way that I think the relationship they have with the rider is as a perpetrator of abuse. He becomes frightened of something, and then becomes frightened of the reaction of the rider, acting as if he wants to run away from the rider as well. None of us want that relationship, however, sometimes we act in a way that leads to this.

In recent articles we have been exploring the stress response in horses and riders. We can recognise the responses of fight, flight and freeze. There is another response we describe as cry for help. This is a psychological, not physiological, response to stress. It is ingrained into most of us to cry for help (or seek out or long for) when stressed or afraid. This is a response based on the attachment we have with our mothers. Ethology predicts that all mammals will experience attachment to a primary carer (mother with a milk supply). Studies have been done with all kinds of animals, even rats, demonstrating attachment. The fact that horses show separation anxiety when removed from a friend (most often horse, but sometimes human or other) also shows us that attachment theory is relevant to us as horse trainers. Ethology is the scientific study of behaviour of animals, often relating it to evolution and survival strategies. Understanding ethology can help in animal training. Ethology started in the 1930s with the Nobel Prize-winning work of Niko Tinbergen, Konrad Lorenz and Karl von Frisch. Konrad Lorenz studied Greylag geese and found that there was a critical period when the geese would imprint on to the first moving animal they saw. He separated eggs into two groups and found that goslings would follow him if he was the first thing they saw and would prefer him to their genetic mother when given a choice! Harlow's studies with monkeys showed that when a baby monkey was offered a choice between a cuddly artificial surrogate mother (a wire frame covered in wool), and a wire surrogate mother with a milk bottle attached, it would choose the cuddly one and starve, so great is the need for comfort.

By the 1950s, British paediatrician and psychiatrist John Bowlby was developing his theories of attachment, drawing on some of the ethological studies on primates, as well as his own observations. It is obvious now that for mammals (animals whose young drink milk) there is a great survival value in the infant being attached to its mother. Infant mammals, including humans, will recognise and prefer their own mothers immediately at birth; they want to be close to their mothers and will seek them out, especially if they are frightened or stressed. We say that a securely attached infant will use its mother as a secure base for exploration, and a safe haven when stressed. Those of you who have had foals will recognise this attachment behaviour, connection seeking, in them. Attachment theory is a theory explaining motivation and behaviour control.

At Mayfield, we capitalise on this reaction when teaching foals to yield to the pressure of leading. We tie the foals to their mother initially. Of course they resist the pressure of the neck collar and pull back away from the mare, but when they yield to pressure they get closer to their mothers and this is very rewarding for them (calming, restoring a sense of safety). A frightened foal calms when nearer its mother. A few repetitions of this and foals quickly learn to lead from a roller on their mothers. Having learned to yield to pressure this way it’s easy to get them to lead with a person. I believe this method is less stressful for foals and certainly prevents injuries to foals and handlers.

It is reasonable to think that a stressed horse will also have a cry for help reaction to stress. He will want someone to help sort out the danger. He will benefit from a relationship with a benevolent (bigger, stronger, wiser, kind) attachment figure who can help. This should be the rider/handler. Now, this is a slightly different slant on what we are already familiar with, that horses are a herd animal and that the human should be like a herd leader. Certainly that makes sense. The leader of the herd shows the way (actually, horses often lead from behind, as befitting a prey animal, but that's a different story). We can understand differences in personality and behaviour of horses in terms of their dominance or submissiveness in a herd. In addition, I propose that a stressed horse may seek proximity to and be calmed by a trusted attachment figure. He seeks a connection to someone who can help him. Of course, if you are the rider of a stressed horse you are already in proximity with him. I think that if the rider/handler brings the attributes that we know are associated with secure attachment to the relationship with the horse, things are likely to go more smoothly.

We know that "good enough" parents, those with whom a baby can become securely attached, will be reliable, responsive, reciprocal, and sensitive. Good-enough parents will follow whenever possible, take control whenever necessary. They will be bigger, stronger, wiser and kind*. They will help organise the experience of the infant into manageable chunks. They will not perpetrate trauma on a frightened infant. They will not usually project their own feelings on to a child, but will have a sense of the actual experience of the child based on the capacities and characteristics of the child. These attributes of a good-enough mother are attributes I think we should try to embody as horse trainers. We want the horse to experience us as bigger and stronger, metaphorically, wiser and kind. We want the horse to feel safe around us. We can introduce new things to him gradually, like we do with breaking in. We can develop empathy for the horse by understanding his actual capacity and sensory experience (see previous article on empathy). We should take into account when he is genuinely frightened and adjust what we do accordingly.

There is a balance between being the leader and being bigger, stronger, wiser and kind, the characteristics of a safe attachment figure. It is possible to think that being the leader of the herd embodies a generally masculine attitude and being a secure attachment figure embodies a more generally feminine attitude. Yin and yang, balancing complementary characteristics. Perhaps an idea to explore another time.

Please advise your thoughts on this article

Saturday, 29 November 2014

How much do genetics play a role in my horse's behavior?What are your thoughts?

In very simplified terms, heritability is the amount of difference in an observable trait that can be explained by genetic variation, as opposed to environmental and other influences. So you can see right away the problem we can have with discussing genetics and heritability of behaviors or temperaments in horses: the environmental differences in how horses are raised and handled can be so huge and are incredibly important in how behavior is expressed. Consequently, good heritability estimates require a large population of subjects, very similar definitions of the specific behavior or trait we want to measure, and the ability to control in real time or statistically the environmental differences.
Behaviors are a very complex sequence of events, and heritability of any behavior is likely associated with multiple genes, which might also be linked to genes for other physical and behavioral traits. Since domestication, it seems clear that over many years horses were (and still are) largely selected and bred for the anatomical and physiological characteristics best for their particular environments and uses.
Selection criteria for individuals might have included certain behavior qualities, but it is also possible behavioral propensities just tagged along with the desired physical characteristics. So we have the breeds we see today with characteristic body types and generally accepted temperament differences.
Temperament is generally defined as a set of behavioral tendencies that show up early in life and remain relatively stable over time. However, temperament is acted upon by the current environment so getting at it in order to really understand its heritability can be difficult.
Temperament studies have been done using surveys, observer ratings, and specific controlled test situations. These studies, along with what we recognize about the differences between breeds, certainly show evidence of heritability of temperament. It's just so far a weaker measure than what we have for heritability of specific physical skills, for example jumping ability.
Still, we know there's such great variation in temperaments even within a breed. Selecting for certain traits is also at the whim of the breeder's preferences. A horse that is "too hot" for one person is an ideal candidate for training to another. Similarly, just defining temperament characteristics, or even the specific behaviors that make a horse skilled at his job, can be difficult to do objectively.
The performance of stereotypies is likely one case where we would probably dearly love to understand heritability.
There’s some research evidence of breed differences and reports of familial tendencies to crib. However, we also need to consider that, broadly speaking, there are similarities within breeds as to how horses are raised—think Thoroughbred racehorses compared to draft horses. So we can't eliminate the effect of early management styles within a breed on the development of cribbing, and we know the important role management can play. It is also interesting to note that offspring of parents who perform stereotypies might be more likely to do so themselves, but their stereotypy might be different from that of the parents. With all this information, it is quite likely with stereotypies the heritability is a propensity, not the specific behavior, again leaving room for other temperament characteristics and the environment to play a big role in its actual expression by any one individual.
We know there are genetic influences on behavior and temperament. I think what we have when we look at the horse in front of us is the underlying propensity to behave in a certain way. If we appreciate the role that the environment and we as handlers can have layered on the horse's underlying genetic constitution, then we are more likely to be successful in getting the behavior outcomes we are seeking.

Monday, 13 October 2014

BREEDING

Spring is upon us and now is a good time to start thinking about your upcoming breeding season by preparing your mares and stallions.
We will be updating on a regular basis and giving great insight and tips for preparing your stallion/mares.
We would appreciate to hear from anyone with regards to your own experiences and feedback.

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Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Tuesday, 9 December 2014

Tuesday, 2 December 2014

Monday, 1 December 2014

Saturday, 29 November 2014

Monday, 13 October 2014