By Kevan Garecki - If you’re in the market for a new (or new to you) horse trailer, there are a few very basic things to consider: How many horses will you be hauling at any one time? What size are they? How long is your average trip likely to be? What are the horses’ requirements for the trip? Will they need box stalls, or are standing stalls sufficient? What will you need to pack with you?

When transitioning your horse to new feedstuff – either to a new batch of hay, new pasture or new concentrates – you need to do so slowly to give bacteria in the horse’s digestive tract a chance to adapt to the new feed.Bacterial populations change according to what the horse is eating, and time is required for different bacterial species to colonize the horse’s digestive tract in this new environment. If there is not enough time for the population to adapt, it can cause digestive disturbances, which can lead to colic.

Q - In the lope my horse raises his head and rushes, but he’s fine in walk and trot. How can I encourage him to relax, lower his head and neck, and slow down? A - It is very common for things to “fall apart” as a horse picks up speed. There are numerous reasons for this and often it’s a combination of several factors.

I never stop urging horse owners to “feed your horse like a horse,” for the simple reason that a horse, fed according to his physiology and instincts, will be healthier. Free choice forage feeding is the first line of defense against ulcers, but there is more an owner can do to protect his horse from the pain and stress of this condition.