Eleanor Blazer 
10 Questions to Help Evaluate Your Horse’s Wellness By Eleanor Blazer A friend mentioned that she was having trouble keeping weight on her mare, Missy. Missy has always been an easy-keeper. I asked her a few questions every horse owner should regularly review. How old is your horse? When I …
Many of us grew up watching “Lassie”. The poor collie kept busy leading rescuers to accident-prone Timmy after he fell down cliffs, got stuck in quicksand, or ended up in abandoned mine shafts. After a bit of drama, the rescuers always successfully extracted Timmy from his entrapment. Would the rescuers …
The ancient Greeks traded salt for slaves – hence the saying “worth his salt”. Early Roman soldiers were partially paid in salt (salarium argentum) which is where the word “salary” originated. A severe salt deficiency can cause your horse to die. Napoleon had thousands of soldiers die during his retreat …
Protect Valuables from Theft and Contamination By Eleanor Blazer With the ever-increasing price of feed, horse owners are discovering a trip to the feed store almost requires an armed guard. But once the edible “gold” is safely transported to the stable, how is it protected and stored? As with …
Stomach Worms Gone Astray By Eleanor Blazer The mare lived in the perfect home: balanced diet, access to good quality forage, fresh clean water always available, adequate exercise and turnout time with her friends. Vaccinations were kept up-to-date, the farrier came on a regular schedule, fecal egg counts were …
How to Measure Energy in Your Horse’s Diet By Eleanor Blazer The calculations for the amount of energy in your horse’s diet (and yours) are based on a platinum-iridium bar made in 1885. That bar weighs exactly one kilogram (1,000 grams or about 2.2 pounds). It is kept at …
Make a Resolution to Clean Hooves Daily By Eleanor Blazer Over the years we develop many habits — some good and some not so good. Habits are behaviors which become automatic over years of repetitiveness. Adding a new habit to our daily routine takes effort and concentration. New Year’s …
Horse Digestive System Designed for Continuous Forage by Eleanor Blazer Why is the small intestine 60 feet in length and the large intestine only 25 feet long? It’s a question about the equine intestine that could keep you awake at night. When you know the answer, you’ll sleep more …
From Esophagus to Stomach By Eleanor Blazer Through the lips, over the gums, look out stomach––here it comes! Once the horse has sorted, chewed and softened feed with saliva, he swallows. The slurry travels down the esophagus and into the stomach. The esophagus, a muscular tube about 50 inches …
Lips, Teeth, and Saliva Begin the Journey of Nourishment By Eleanor Blazer You put it in one end and take it out the other! Do you know what happens to expensive grain and hay during its long journey to become manure? Equine lips have an almost prehensile (adapted to …
