How old can a horse breed? Most mares remain productive until their mid-to-late teens, with some producing foals into their early twenties. Stallions generally stay fertile much longer and may continue breeding into their mid-twenties or beyond. But breeding age isn’t determined by a number alone. Fertility depends on reproductive health, breeding history, genetics, and …
With round, square, and snip toes on the shelf beside them, why do cowboy boots have pointed toes? What does the pointed shape do, and how much of it is just for looks? Quick answer: The tapered toe of a traditional cowboy boot makes it easier to slip your foot into a stirrup. It comes …
In most cases, a horse’s tail hair will grow back. If the tailbone itself is damaged, or the skin and follicles are scarred up badly enough, that hair won’t come back the same. Docking is permanent by design, so once it’s done, the tail isn’t growing back. Will a Horse’s Tail Grow Back If It’s …
I was leading a new horse from the walker to the barn when a car came around the corner. The horse reared up and started pulling — scared out of his mind by something that barely registered to me. I’ve seen it at the track too: a perfectly trained Thoroughbred that handles the chaos of …
One of my troughs started smelling like rotten eggs, and I realized my horse had been avoiding it for days. That raises a question every horse owner should think about: will a horse avoid bad water on its own, or can it drink something harmful before you catch the problem? Quick answer: No, you can’t …
We’re taught that building muscle takes high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and dairy. So how does a 1,000-pound horse get so muscular and strong on a diet made mostly of grass and hay? Quick answer: Horses get muscular on grass and hay because forage contains protein, and horses eat a lot of it every day. …
I was picking out my horses’ hooves one morning when my grandson asked why horses don’t have toes. It’s a good question because, when you look at a horse’s lower leg, it’s easy to wonder where the toes went. There’s no row of toes like we have, and the hoof looks more like a foot …
Retired racehorses are an excellent choice for equestrians of all levels and are extremely popular trail riding, dressage, and barrel racing horses. As such, I get asked all the time when a specific horse is going to retire from racing. In general, racehorses retire between eight and ten years old. However, it’s challenging to know …
Horses are large, domesticated animals, so it’s fair to wonder why Americans raise cattle, hogs, and sheep for meat but leave horses off the menu. In France, Japan, and several other countries, horse meat is still bought and eaten. In the United States, though, you won’t find it in a grocery-store meat case. So why …
On a cool morning, my grandson and I watched our horses play when we noticed his cousins’ Belgian approach the group of smaller Thoroughbreds and calmly looked around. Seeing these horses together prompted us to discuss the different types of horses. The primary types of horses you should know are draft horses, warmbloods, and hot-blooded …
