Paws and Hooves

02/02/2026

1-2-3 rule for foaling

FOALING SEASON IS UPON US!

Are you ready to assist your broodmare? Here are some tried and true guidelines to remember during foaling:

• Unless there's an emergency, allow the foal time to break the fetal membranes. Once the foal breaks through, be sure it’s breathing.

• Generally, it’s not recommended to cut or break the umbilical cord. If it has not broken during delivery, it will usually break when the mare or foal gets up.

• Encourage the mare and foal to rest as long as possible. Give them an opportunity to bond undisturbed.

• Following birth of the foal, the mare and her newborn should be monitored for normal breathing, brightness and alertness. The mare should be non-aggressive, curious and accepting of the foal.

• The foal should stand and nurse within two hours of birth. If the foal has not nursed within three hours, call your veterinarian. The foal may be weak and in need of assistance or medical attention.

• By the third hour, the mare should pass the placenta, and the foal should pass meconium. Once the placenta has been expelled, examine it to make sure it is intact, particularly at the tips of the horns. The afterbirth will be Y-shaped and should have only the hole through which the foal emerged.

• A foal must receive colostrum (the mare's first milk) within the first eight to 12 hours of life in order to absorb the antibodies. If a foal is too weak to nurse, it may be necessary to milk the mare and give the colostrum to the foal via a stomach tube.

Contact your veterinarian to learn more so you can be prepared to help the new mother and foal get off to a great start! If your mare and foal are not meeting these milestones in the appropriate timeframe, call your vet immediately.

02/02/2026

Swap the saddle for a soul connection. Horses aren’t gear or trophies—they’re friends who read your heart before words.
Know them: their quirks, their trust, their wild spirit.
Use them? That breaks the bond.
Who’s your equine companion? Share below! 👇

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02/02/2026

Horses aren’t tools or trophies—they’re soulmates who see your true self.

Build a bond: learn their language, earn their trust, share silent moments.

Ditch the ‘use’ mindset for pure connection.
Tag your horse bestie! 💕

👇
Horse Jokes & Equine Info Talk Horse WesternU SC-American Association of Equine Practitioners (SC-AAEP) American Association of Equine Practitioners

02/02/2026

Healing often unfolds not in dramatic displays, but in moments of calm. It emerges through deep breaths, silent companionship, and the rhythmic pulse of a horse that senses your emotions without a single word spoken.

Horses demand no facade of strength from you. They offer no pressure on your recovery or require you to justify your pain.
They just remain by your side—and in that presence, wholeness finds a way.

If your spirit feels weary today, surrender to whatever soothes it. Recovery can be soft, serene, and profoundly lovely.

01/02/2026

🐎 🐕 Horses and Dogs play with common language 🐎 🐕
Interspecific social play (ISP) occurs when animals from different, often taxonomically remote, species read and respond to one another’s social cues. A primary example of this "universal language of play" is found in the interaction between dogs and horses, which engage in rapid facial mimicry (RFM) and synchronized behaviors like jumping and mirroring movements. During these sessions, both species frequently use the "relaxed open mouth” expression—a signal homologous to a human smile—and display vulnerability by rolling on their backs to communicate friendly intent. Researchers suggest that while animals typically interact within their own species, ISP can be triggered by a high play drive, the lack of age-appropriate conspecific partners, or a need to maintain social bonds within mixed-species groups.

The evolution of these behaviors is categorized into simple and complex play; simple play involves low-cost exploration, whereas complex social play requires significant cognitive and temporal resources to foster socio-cognitive skills and long-term fitness. In specific breeds like the Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, signals such as the play bow serve as vital visual tools to restore a partner's motivation to play after a pause. Furthermore, the presence of RFM in species like orangutans, dogs, and horses suggests that emotional contagion and the building blocks of empathy emerged in mammals long before the origin of humans. Domestication has further expanded these possibilities, facilitating friendships between species that would not naturally coexist through mechanisms of mutualism, protection, and social bonding.

29/01/2026

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28/01/2026

28/01/2026

The Truth is in the Teeth: A Guide to Aging Horses 🐴🦷
​"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth?" Actually, you definitely should.
​While registration papers are ideal, a look at the incisors is the most reliable field method for estimating a horse's age. As shown in the chart, horses go through distinct dental stages that act as a biological timeline.

​1. The Foal Stages (Eruption of Deciduous/Milk Teeth)
​1st Incisors (Centrals): Birth to 8 days.
​2nd Incisors (Intermediates): ~6 weeks.
​3rd Incisors (Corners): ~6–9 months.

​2. The Transition to Adult (Permanent Teeth)
​2.5 Years: Permanent central incisors erupt.
​3.5 Years: Permanent intermediates erupt.
​4.5 Years: Permanent corner incisors erupt.
​5 Years (Full Mouth): All permanent incisors are in wear. The horse is now considered to have a "full mouth."

​3. The Senior Years (Wear & Shape)
Once the permanent teeth are in, we estimate age by looking at:
​Cups: The indentation in the center of the tooth disappears (starts at age 6).
​Galvayne’s Groove: A dark line on the upper corner incisor that appears at age 10, reaches halfway at 15, and the bottom at 20.
​Angle of Incidence: As horses age, teeth meet at a sharper, more acute angle (slant outward).

​Why It Matters: Accurate aging is critical for pre-purchase exams, verifying identity, and managing senior nutrition needs.

28/01/2026

"Fear is in the air. 🐎 New research confirms horses can detect human emotions through scent alone."

28/01/2026

USG anatomy of the equine forelimb Tendons 🐎

Ultrasonographic Anatomy of the Equine Forelimb Tendons 🐎 This image provides a detailed reference for longitudinal and transverse ultrasonographic views of the palmar metacarpal region in the horse’s forelimb — an essential area for diagnosing tendon and ligament injuries in equine athletes....

24/01/2026

24/01/2026

Horse owner webinar !