Pearson, Dr. Wendy Articles

Do Horses need electrolytes in Winter?, horse electrolytes, equine dehydration, equine impactions, Dr. Wendy Pearson

Q: Since it’s cold out and my horse doesn't sweat much when I ride him, should I still give him electrolytes?

 Feeding Horse’s Body Condition Dr. Wendy Pearson my horse is too fat my horse is too thin equine obesity equine malnutrition

There are few things we humans are more sensitive about than our body weight. Where the rest of the world sees our gentle curves and happy smiles, we see lumps and wobbles and wrinkles. We generally have a far worse opinion of our own body condition than do any of the people around us. I would hazard that this is because our friends and family care about us and see the best in us, and recognize that while we may have a few extra curves we are healthy and happy, and that’s what counts. And if anyone ever said things about our friends that resemble what we have said about ourselves, most of us would likely get pretty vocal about defending our friends.

Dr. Wendy Pearson PhD, Veterinary Toxicology, seasonal pruritus, sweet itch, Type 1 allergic response insect bites, omega-3 fat, Culicoides extract, horse health, full fly sheet horse, fly mask horse

Recurrent Seasonal Pruritus (commonly known as Sweet Itch) is the most common allergic skin condition in horses. Horses with sweet itch experience intense itching along the abdomen, the back, mane, and tail.

horse overheated, dr. wendy pearson university of gueph, heat stress horses, electrolytes horses, over exercise horses, water needs of horses

Is it hot enough for you? If you feel suppressed by repeated days of hot and humid weather, you can be sure that your horse feels worse.

how to deworm horse, why deworm horse, equine intestinal parasites, horse intestinal parasites, horse worms equine parasites horse dr. wendy pearson, herbs for horses

The Inside Story - For as long as horses have been grazing the hillsides and meadows, the pest of parasite infestation has plagued them. Perennial as the grass, intestinal parasites find every possible opportunity to enter their horse host, and live out their life cycle.

equine prebiotics, equine probiotics, horse prebiotics, horse probiotics, herbs for horses, wendy pearson, horse herbs

Understanding their unique roles in equine gut health - Nutritional supplements designed to assist in digestion are becoming increasingly popular among horse owners. We’ve all heard about probiotics, but increasingly we are starting to see products claiming to be prebiotics.

wendy pearson, horse feed, horse forage, horse pasture, herbs for horses, horse grains, mycotoxins horse, mycotoxins equine

Mycotoxins are compounds produced by molds and fungi, and can be found in pastures as well as on dried forages, bedding, grains, and complete feeds. Of all the agricultural species, horses are among the most sensitive to toxicosis from mycotoxins. An important reason for this is that horses typically have a much longer lifespan than any other agricultural species and exposure to mycotoxins can take place over many years.

Beet pulp, horse feed, horse nutrition, Dr. Wendy Pearson, Herbs for Horses, Ontario Veterinary College

Beet pulp is a by-product from the manufacture of table sugar and, contrary to popular belief, is actually quite low in calories having barely more digestible energy than typical hay. It is also usually quite low in protein, with ranges of around two to six percent, and very low in vitamin A.

insulin resistant horse, horse diabetes, equine laminitis, horse laminitis, herbs for horses, dr wendy pearson, herbs laminitis

Laminitis and insulin-resistance (IR) are troublesome conditions in and of themselves, so it is all the more frustrating that they tend to travel together. So while fresh, rich springtime grass beckons winter-weary horses, the insulin-resistant ones must stand resigned and glum on the wrong side of the fence as their well-intentioned owners toss them last year’s browning hay.

equine Hoof Care horse Dr. Wendy Pearson, feeding healthy hooves, biotin equine hooves

Anyone out there remember the typewriter? You know, that noisy mechanical gadget that slowly tapped out letters on a piece of paper. This relic of communication technology was really a remarkable invention, but hands-up everyone who is glad we don’t have to use it anymore!

Spirulina  for horse, horse spirulina, horse supplements, horse powerfoods, equien immune, herbs for horses, wendy pearson

A Mighty Immune Modifier - A few billion years ago there were stirrings in the womb of a brand new planet. Earth was coming of age and producing her very first life forms. It is almost impossible to imagine how scientists learned of Earth’s microscopic firstborn, but somehow under the dust and rock of more than 3.6 billion years, the ancient little graves of Spirulina were uncovered.