My barnmate’s horse seems susceptible to hoof abscesses. What is the common cause of this painful problem and what is the best course of action if I suspect my horse has one?
A good abscess is a bacterial infection in the horses hoof wich then becomes a puss filled area in the hoof. This causes lots of pressure and pain for the horse so they will become lame. There’s many different treatments people use, you could get a vet out to lance the hoof and draw out the puss to relieve the pressure or you can try to draw out the puss using other methods such as animal intex poultice or Epsom salts soaked in antiseptic solutions. To test to see if it an abscess, use a pair of hoof testers to see where your horse is sore/sensitive or you can call a vet if you’re unsure
My mare limps easily when working on hard ground. Looking for ways to help her daily aside from keeping her out of work? What exercises can I do apart from doing nothing?
Is she shod? Maybe if you even just put front shoes and see how she goes or you could put all 4 and it should lift her feet a bit off the hard ground. Make sure she's up to date with shoeing with a good farrier
How do you stop a horse from rearing?
Make sure you're not giving your horse confusing signals, such as asking them to go forward with your legs but not allowing with your hands, this can lead to the horse feeling trapped and therefore rearing to escape the pressure. Also check your tack, including the bit you're using, as these my be putting pressure and discomforting your horse
How do you guys get your horse warmed up for a show?
Depends what show, for dressage I walk on a loose reign for a while then do lots of trotting, starting off slower and the as my horse warms up letting her increase the trot a bit, I often do shoulder in, leg yields and count shoulder in to get her listening to my leg aids. I'll only do a couple of canter circles each way and then work on transitions from walk to trot and then often she's ready to go in.
