Beehive Farm Livery

02/08/2025

From September 2025, the Danish Equestrian Federation will restrict double bridles to level 4+ in dressage, part of sweeping horse welfare reforms.

28/07/2025

*** Well what do horses do in the wild, then? ***

After one rider’s justification in taking her horses out travelling and jumping in 30 degree heat in the U.K. involved the phrase “all the wild horses are fine” (on my post about horses not being able to acclimatise to a few days of 30 degree heat in the U.K.), I thought I’d do a little post about how “horses in the wild” cope in various situations. I’ll use several “real life” examples that frequently crop up on my posts; some are genuine people asking genuine questions, and some are confused people thinking that “horses in the wild” live this idealistic life that we should be trying to emulate for our own horses.

Firstly, real “wild horses” live extremely tough lives. They fight to eat, they fight to stay in their herds, and most of all, they fight to simply survive. It’s not a lovely, relaxed lifestyle. Horses are prey animals; they have many predators. They must be acutely aware of their surroundings, 24/7. These horses are born into that environment, but it’s still a tough life. Our horses are literally born in a barn. They are COMPLETELY different to a herd of wild horses. Most foals are born in a stable, with just their mother for company. They are born into safety. They know domestic life as a safe life from day one. They aren’t wild horses. Wild horses need to get their foals up and running, literally, before predators smell the placenta/see the vulnerable new born foal, and move in. Wild horses must be on their guard at all times; it’s not a life of freedom.

1. Why do we need to examine our horses’ mouths and treat dental pathology at least once a year? What do horses in the wild do?
They die. It’s honestly as simple as that. Horses hide dental pain incredibly well; they are “programmed” to hide dental pain as they must keep eating to survive. Yes, wild horses will absolutely suffer from dental pathology (it’s not due to the “evil” domestication, or the nasty stables we keep them in). If a wild horse can’t eat very well, he/she will become malnourished, unable to keep up with the herd, and succumb to predators. Their shorter life expectancy also means that a lot of dental disease seen in our veteran domestic horses, won’t be relevant due to their shorter life span.

2. Horses don’t need shoes! How do horses cope in the wild?!
Yes, a lot of wild horses definitely cope barefoot much better than our domestic horses are able to. It may be due to breeding, and likely also due to the fact that they are constantly moving over various terrain from day one, and do very little “road work”. A lot of barefoot domestic horses can’t really cope barefoot, which is where hoof boots have their place. If we want to hack our horses out for hours on roads, or to compete our horses on grass without them slipping, then they will most likely need some form of shoe/grip on their feet. Wild horses don’t need to collect and jump on slippery grass, and won’t spend hours on tarmac (which wears hooves down).

3. Horses get colic because they’re stabled; what happens in the wild?
Certainly a lack of constant forage will predispose a horse to colic, and in the wild, horses are constantly foraging and grazing. However, there are many causes of colic that just happen, and we don’t know why. Again, many wild horses won’t live long enough to suffer from some of the “old horse” causes of surgical colics, such as strangulating lipomas. Again, a horse with a surgical colic will simply die in the wild.

4. Why do we need to acclimatise our horses to being ridden in extreme temperatures? Wild horses are fine!
Well, firstly, they aren’t out in the midday sun cantering in circles and jumping courses, whilst carrying about 90kg. And secondly…..no, I think that just about covers in! They find natural shade, and will move about slowly if they can’t find water/shade.

5. Why do I need to provide field shelters and hard standing for my ponies? What happens in the wild?! Just because horses survive in the wild, doesn’t mean they thrive. Yes, horses in the wild don’t have field shelters, but our domestic horses are often used to a roof over their heads from birth, and by choosing to domesticate horses, we are also responsible for ensuring the absolute best of welfare standards for them. Horses do find shade and shelter in the wild, normally under big trees, and just because they don’t have shelters, it doesn’t mean their quality of life wouldn’t be improved by having them. Horses in the wild are frequently on the move, so it’s rare for them to be standing around in muddy paddocks - our domestic horses need hard standing for that reason.

To summarise, just because horses (mainly) survive in the wild, definitely doesn’t mean they thrive. We often expect our horses to carry us around, and in return for that, we should expect to provide the very best care for them. Our domestic horses are more often than not, born in a stable or barn, and are extremely far removed from wild horses from day one. A life for a wild horse is often one of battling to survive.

15/07/2025

Horses for courses - of course.
Dependant on what is available to you.
Mine loves his routine and his stable.

*** The benefits of horses spending time in a stable throughout the year ***

I stable my horses at my yard overnight, all year round. If I could afford to employ extra staff, I’d also stable the two old retired ones at my rented yard all year round (they are stabled overnight all winter, but out 24/7 with a huge field shelter all summer). After a couple of people have recently sent messages asking me if I’d do a post on the benefits of horses spending a good proportion of every day in a stable, I decided I’d brave it! I stable mine overnight all year round, rather than switching them to night turn out during the summer months, and I cover a couple of the reasons why in the points below.

1. Stabling allows their feet and legs to dry out for a good portion of a 24 hour day during the wet winter months. This most definitely reduces the incidence of foot abscesses and mud fever.

2. Gets them out of the midges (dusk and dawn) during the summer months. Sweet itch is a heartbreaking condition for a horse to suffer from, and one of the hardest to treat and manage. It is an allergy to the culicoides midge, so stabling horses overnight avoids them being exposed to midges (unless you are bringing in very late and/or turning out very early!).

3. It gets horses used to being in a stable, if box rest is required for an illness or injury.

4. It also gets them used to being in a stable if you want to go to a stay away show, or a riding camp.

5. You know exactly how much your horse eats and drinks in the time they are stabled, so will notice any early changes in eating patterns. This is an extremely important point.

6. You know the amount and consistency of your horse’s poo. This is also extremely important, and does not only help indicate early stages of colic, but also helps the vet in treating your horse for colic.

7. Allows elderly horses and ponies to rest and sleep out of the mud in the winter months; although movement is good for arthritis, if fields are very wet and muddy and no hard standing is offered, that’s absolutely not good for arthritic joints.

8. Means the competition horses are used to sleeping overnight, rather than during the day, so they are sharper and have more energy to compete. More often than not, horses that are out overnight stay awake all night, and sleep in the early hours or during the day. A minor point, but still a valid reason.

9. Avoids the predisposing factors for summer pastern dermatitis (legs with pink skin getting damp from the morning dew on grass are then exposed to the sun, sometimes resulting in pastern dermatitis).

10. If you have good areas of dry, covered hard standing, with a nice area of dry bedding for horses to sleep, then obviously these areas have most of the above benefits, and a few of their own benefits.

There will of course be people that believe horses should never be shut in a stable, but these points are to cover why there are benefits to it, and to explain why I keep my horses in overnight 365 days a year. No “what would they do in the wild” comments, please; most domestic horses wouldn’t survive for 24 hours in the wild.

EDIT: I completely forgot weight management as a very important point! Thank you to those of you for bringing it up!

02/07/2025

Very grateful to our liveries for removing any plants that appear.

*** IT IS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT TO REMOVE RAGWORT FROM ALL LAND USED FOR GRAZING HORSES AND LIVESTOCK ***

I have, once again, been shocked at the amount of ragwort I’ve seen left in paddocks with horses in. Even the most clueless of horse owners can normally tell you that ragwort is poisonous to horses, so why are so many owners not pulling it?!

It is actually an OFFENCE to leave ragwort in any field intended for grazing or hay making, AND an offence to allow it to seed and spread onto neighbouring land, if that neighbouring land is used for the same. That neighbour is within their rights to take LEGAL ACTION against you, if you allow ragwort to flower and seed on your land. I cannot fathom why you wouldn’t want to clear your own paddocks of ragwort, as it is both chronically and acutely POISONOUS to horses. It is absolutely not safe to just assume that horses won’t eat it. There is hardly any grass in any paddocks at the moment, and these are normally the paddocks that you see full of ragwort.

Under the Weeds Act 1959, you can be FINED for leaving ragwort to flower and seed on your land, if it is used for, or adjacent to, grazing livestock.

Don’t be complacent and lazy; pull that ragwort TODAY! We are all caught out by the odd bit of ragwort here and there, that has seemingly appeared overnight, but I’m talking about the crops of the stuff that should have been pulled weeks ago.

02/07/2025

Always clean water tubs in the field and stable.
Amazingly though my horse appreciates a yellow, not sure if that’s the reason, bucket placed in the stable whilst he has his feed in addition to his water tub.
90% of the time he will drink that after eating.
They like to feel spoiled don’t you know 🐴

🌞🐴💦

26/06/2025

20 Handy Tips About Lameness That Everyone Should Know -

1. A lameness can stem from many sources, including musculoskeletal problems, hoof issues, joint inflammation, tendon or ligament injuries, and neurological conditions.

2. A forelimb lameness is identified by looking for the head nod. The head will go up when the lame limb hits the ground and down when the sound limb hits the ground. It is easier to notice the ‘head nod’, therefore when the head nods, it is the opposite leg that is lame.

3. Check for heat, swelling , pitting and a pulse. Inflammation brings blood to the area. (“Pitting” is a condition where pressure on the swollen area creates an indentation or pit that remains for a short time after the pressure is released. This type of inflammation is often associated with bacterial infections where fluid accumulates in the tissues, leading to swelling and the characteristic pitting appearance when pressure is applied)

4. A horse with arthritic wear and tear (common in older horses), will often get better as he goes, which is known as ‘warming out of it’. The lameness will usually be less obvious after a few minutes. Additionally he will often be worse on hard ground (tarmac) in comparison to the arena. This is due to more concussion on his joints.

5. A horse with soft tissue damage will often get worse as he goes and is often lamer on a soft surface (arena), as the tissue such as an affected tendon or ligament is being stretched more than it would be on a hard surface with no give.

6. A hind limb lameness is more difficult to detect. If you watch the horse trotting away from you, the lame leg usually has more movement at the hip. It helps to attach white sticky tape to both hip bones to make this more obvious to the eye. The limb will also often swing out wider.

7. A horse with sore muscles may also get better as he goes, or ‘warm out of it’, although he will continue to show subtly altered mechanics, with the horse lack of connection, crookedness, unevenness, reduced power or endurance or difficulty performing certain tasks he has been capable of in the past.

8. Read the rest of these very important tips here - https://koperequine.com/18-handy-facts-about-lameness/

16/06/2025

Osteoarthritis

Often understanding what something is and how it effects your horse can give you a better direction to take when it comes to rehab, often we associate how we feel when we may have an arthritic joint but remember we only have to carry ourselves and load and weightbearing is different for our four-legged friends

So, what is it?

You may hear your vet speak of DJD (Degenerative Joint Disease) which is the common term for equine osteoarthritis, and it affects the synovial joints

What are synovial joints?

There are 6 main types of synovial joints, Ball and Socket, Pivot, Condyloid, Plane, Saddle and Hinge and synovial joints are the most prolific joints throughout the equine skeleton, these are glide and slide joints which allow a greater range of motion but because they have a greater range of motion often ligaments (collateral) and tendons support the structure around the joint for stability and support, between the bone is synovial fluid which allows this gliding motion to happen different types of synovial joint allows for a different range of motion, from the ball and socket joint in the hip to the plane joints in the vertebrae all provide, range of motion, cushioning , glide and with the surrounding structures support. So, remember It may not only be the joint that is affected but also the supporting structures.

Plane = limited gliding movement

Hinge = allows movement along one axis

Pivot = allows rotational and some bending

Condyloid = allows movement in two directional planes

Saddle = similar to the condyloid but no axial rotation

Ball and Socket = allows movement through three directional planes this one is the most mobile

What is osteoarthritis?

First, we have to talk about how bone is grown, remodelled and repaired

Osteoclasts, Osteoblasts and Osteocytes (bone cells)

Osteoclasts are the demolition crew of the bone they break down old or damaged bone cells

Osteoblasts are the builders of bone they come in and form new bone tissue, remodel the bone, heal damaged bones

Osteocytes supervisors of the bone noticing any change are what osteoblasts can turn into once they have done their job and become part of the bone or they die off. this is a continual working team of the bone (hence why we have to be careful when thinking of load in the horse at any age), remember bone is not a static formation its an ever changing structure not only dictated by load but also chemical changes such as hormones and even it has been found that the nervous system is not only the aspect of the flight or fight response osteocalcin from the bones is released into the bloodstream when the brain detects a threat so stress literally affects the skeletal system, so maybe why horses still look at bit strung out even though we only concentrate on the nervous system🦴

While the osteoclasts and osteoblasts work in a harmonious balance sometimes the sync gets out of whack and the osteoclasts can work overtime and the osteoblasts cannot keep up leading to abnormal bone remodelling which is thought to happen with some osteoarthritis often it is the areas where wear and tear occur the most

What makes a synovial joint and what can go wrong?

This is a joint where two bones meet and is called an articulation, the ends of the bone are covered with articular cartilage, they have synovial fluid in the cavity which allows the joint to move freely, the joint capsule prevents the bones touching, and prevents wear and tear on the bones, they are connected by ligaments to give support and shock absorption, the muscle will attach across the joint creating movement and will attach to the bone by a tendon

Damage can occur through injury, repetitive strain, ageing, genetics, disease

Cartilage within the joint can become damaged to a point where the blood supply or surrounding nerve endings in the surrounding tissue is affected so no longer can recover and becomes thin lessening the distance between the bone, inflammation, stiffness and pain may follow, bone remoddelling will also sometimes follow

How to diagnosis

I cannot urge people enough if they see swelling or feel heat in any joint in the horse then go to the vets sooner rather than later, intermittent lameness is also another indicator as the pain can often subside and resurface, x-rays or scans are often the choice to see deeper beneath the surface. There is a long list of treatments that can be given, and this should be discussed with your vet on an individual basis, remember as bodyworkers we may suspect but diagnosis is firmly within the realm of vets and on average we often ignore intermittent lameness as the intermittent is the catalyst and it can be up to a year before some horses get that vet visit and getting help earlier is so much better

Long term

Cartilage cannot be regenerated so often after a diagnosis its often a dilemma on how you approach your horse with this new diagnosis for some it may mean a different discipline for others It may mean a quieter life and for others it may mean retirement but often it’s a see how your horse is today when asking it to work

Bodywork is essential in maintaining the health of the body whichever the professional manual therapy is crucial to help support the muscular, fascial and other soft tissue supporting the joints. A good bodyworker can help maintain a more normal range of movement and also keep any compensatory issues at an acceptable level

This is a very simplified version but hope this helps a little.

13/06/2025

Keep it natural 🐴

Did you know that from 2025 the FEI prohibited the removal of hairs from the inside horses of ears. Auricular hairs, as they are known, play an essential role in protecting from insects and debris. Foals are usually born with very fluffy ears. Full rules can be found on FEI web site.

06/06/2025

What a good idea and potentially life saving 🐴

26/03/2025

𝗪𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗽 = 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 🌱
While it may feel as though our muddy fields have no grass, the green shoots are definitely coming through. Get ahead of any potential problems now and manage the risks by -
⚠️ Monitoring your horse's weight
⚠️ Restricting grazing & making changes slowly
⚠️ Soaking hay
⚠️ Increasing exercise where possible ( ideally cardiovascular )
⚠️ Choose a low calorie diet
Spot the signs:
⚠️ Lameness in one or more limbs
⚠️ Reluctance to walk or turn, particularly on hard or stony ground
⚠️ Shifting weight between feet when resting
⚠️ Increased digital pulses
⚠️ Abnormal heat in the hoof
If you suspect your horse has laminitis, call your vet immediately for advice.

For support with weight management & nutrition advice for the laminitic prone please call the Saracen nutrition helpline

☎️ 01622 718487 or complete a feed advice form https://bit.ly/SaracenFeedAdvice

22/03/2025

Thought provoking.
We are all responsible for the future wellbeing of our horses.

We have deleted the post due to the author’s (the vet) request and have reshared the original it on our page for you all to read and share. 🙂

Here is a poem instead

The Old Horse

Once, I was thunder, swift and free,
A shadow racing the wind through trees.
My mane a banner, my hooves a drum,
The fields and skies were mine to run.

Now the days are slower, the strides less wide,
But wisdom lingers where youth has died.
I’ve carried burdens, both light and great,
And learned the patience to stand and wait.

The world grows quiet, the pace turns mild,
And in my heart still lives the wild.
The echoes of gallops, the rush of air,
The freedom of knowing I was once there.

My body is weary, my coat turns gray,
Yet kindness keeps the cold at bay.
For those who see beyond the years,
Will find my soul still fierce, sincere.

So offer me rest, not a restless road,
A pasture of peace, not a heavy load.
For an old horse’s heart beats strong and true,
Grateful for love, and the care of you.

Unknown

29/06/2024

Interesting read

What is the longest a horse can safely go without food?

More and more I see horses and ponies stood for long periods of time with no hay or haylage. Usually under the guise of a “weight control diet”. So how long can a horse be without food before damage is done? And what damage is done?

For those with a short attention span, I’ll give you the answer to begin with - 4 hours, maximum.

Why?

Horses are grazers. They are designed to eat constantly. They have no way of storing their acids and digestive enzymes, they’ve never needed to. They have no gall bladder to store bile and their stomachs release acid constantly, whether or not there is food in the stomach and intestines.

A horses stomach only holds approximately 8-15 litres. Depending on the substance eaten, it takes on average 4-6 hours for the stomach to completely empty. After this, the acids and enzymes start to digest the inside of the horses stomach and then the intestines. This causes both gastric and intestinal ulceration. It has been estimated that 25-50% of foals and 60-90% of adult horses suffer from ulceration. But I won’t go into detail about this, there is a lot of information around about ulcers.

So is that it? Are ulcers the only concern?

No, having an empty stomach is a stress situation for a horse. The longer they are starved, the more they release stress hormones, cortisol predominantly. Cortisol blocks insulin and causes a constantly high blood glucose level. This stimulates the body to release even more insulin, and in turn this causes fat tissue to be deposited and leptin resistance. Over time this causes insulin resistance (Equine Metabolic Syndrome). All of these mechanisms are well known risk factors for laminitis and are caused by short term starvation (starting roughly 3-4 hours after the stomach empties). Starving a laminitic is literally the worst thing you can do. Over longer periods, this also starts to affect muscle and can cause weakness, and a lack of stamina so performance horses also need a constant supply of hay/haylage to function optimally.

Let’s not forget horses are living, breathing and feeling animals. We talk about this stress reaction like it’s just internal but the horse is well aware of this stress. Door kicking, box walking, barging and many other stable vices and poor behaviour can be explained by a very stressed horse due to food deprivation (we all have that Hangry friend to explain this reaction). Next time you shout or hit a horse that dives for their net, remember their body is genuinely telling them they are going to starve to death. They know no different.

But surely they spend the night asleep so they wouldn’t eat anyway?

Not true. Horses only need 20mins REM sleep every 24 hours (jealous? I am!). They may spend a further hour or so dozing but up to 22-23 hours a day are spent eating. So if you leave your horse a net at 5pm and it’s gone by 8pm, then by 12am their stomach is empty. By 4am they are entering starvation mode. By their next feed at 8am, they are extremely stressed, physically and mentally.

Now I know the cob owners are reading this mortified. I can almost hear you shouting at your screen “if I feed my horse ad lib hay he won’t fit out the stable door in a week!!”

I will say that a horse with a constant supply of hay/haylage will eat far less then the same horse that is intermittently starved. They don’t eat in a frenzy, reducing the chance of colic from both ulcers and over eating. Cobs included.

However I’m not suggesting you sit your cob in front of a bale of haylage and say have at it! There is a difference between ad lib and a constant supply. There is much we can do to reduce calorie intake and control weight whilst feeding a constant supply.

The easiest is small holes nets. There are many. Trickle nets, greedy feeders, nibbleze, trawler nets etc. My personal favourite is the Shires Soft Mesh 1”. They don’t cost the Earth, they are easy to fill and they don’t have knots so are much gentler to the teeth. Now often I suggest these types of nets to owners and the owner tells me “Oh no, *** won’t eat out of those” 🙄 this is nonsense. If he was left it, he would. Remember, you can give a normal net and one of these for them to nibble at after. Better than leaving them with nothing at all.

A few other tricks, hang the net from the ceiling/rafters, it’s harder to eat out of a net that swings. Soak the hay, a minimum of 4 hours to be effective. Mix with straw but be sure to introduce the straw slowly and make sure it’s top quality and a palatable type eg Barley or Oat, otherwise they won’t eat it.

Don’t forget exercise. The best way to get weight off a horse is exercise. Enough exercise and they can eat what they want!

And lay off the bucket feed and treats! Horses on a diet require a vit/min supplement in the form of a balancer but that’s it. The odd slice of carrot or swede won’t do any harm but no licks, treats, treacle, molasses, cereal based rubbish. Even if it says low sugar or the marvellously misleading “No added sugar”! Your horse would rather have a constant supply of hay, I promise.

Written by Vikki Fowler BVetMed BAEDT MRCVS

A few edits for the critics-

Firstly, feeding a constant supply does not mean ad lib feeding. It means use some ingenuity and spread the recommended amount of daily forage so the horse is never stood with out food for more than 4 hours. I am not promoting obesity, quite the opposite, feeding like this reduces obesity and IR. This can be done whilst feeding your horse twice a day as most horse owners do. Just think outside the box for your own situation.

Secondly I am in the UK and this post is UK specific, use some common sense when reading. Yes in warmer climates, soaking hay for 4 hours is dangerous and studies show 1 hour is plenty in hot weather but in the UK’s arctic climate, a minimum of 4 hours is required. Equally the UK feed exclusively grass hay. I can not comment on other types.

Thirdly, yes every horse/pony and situation is different, but this is a law of nature and all horses have this anatomy and metabolism. How you achieve this constant supply is individual, the need for it is not.

Fourthly, the use of hay nets in the UK is very very high. I’d estimate 95% of horses I see are fed this way and very very few have incisor wear or neck/back issues as a result. Yes, feeding from the ground is ideal, but a constant supply, I feel trumps this. Again with ingenuity both can be safely achieved.

Finally, straw can be fed to horses safely, introduced very slowly, with fresh water always available, plus a palatable and digestible type of straw which will depend on your area. Again many horses in the UK are bedded on straw and most of them eat it. This is not a new concept to us.

Final finally 🤦‍♀️ and I feel I must add this due to the sheer number of people contacting me to ask, feed your horses during transport!!! I am astonished this is not normal in other countries! Again in the UK, we give our horses hay nets to transport. We don’t go 10 mins up the road without a haynet and a spare in case they finish! Considering we are a tiny island and we rarely transport even 4 hours, we never transport without hay available. I have never seen an episode of choke due to travelling with hay available. If you are concerned, use a slow feeder net so they can’t take too much in at once.

If you get to the end of this post and your first thought is “I can’t do this with my horse/pony, they’d be morbidly obese”, you haven’t read the advice in this post thoroughly.