Zfarm Zstables

12/16/2025

Learning more about Hay

12/14/2025

Reindeer games at Zstables

Check out Lyndi Z’s video.

12/14/2025

Filling the freshly cleaned heated water buckets. Getting ready for another night in Zstables.

12/14/2025

Reindeer games

12/14/2025

It started with freezing rain so the horses were pulled in for the night for a reprieve.

12/13/2025

Merry Christmas to all!

12/09/2025

https://www.equinediseasecc.org/alerts

Updates on current disease outbreaks are listed here as they occur and will include the date listed, disease name, location and current status. Specific premises will not be named but the general location by town, county and state will be listed. When locations, events or horses are at risk they wil...

12/03/2025

Why we require heated water buckets in the winter.
We also heat our outdoor tanks
https://www.facebook.com/share/1D9xayJiQe/

Water remains as important for your horse in cold weather as it is in the summer. As a matter of fact, decreased water consumption in the winter is thought to be the primary inducing factor for impaction colic — although there are other predisposing factors such as poor hay quality, lack of exercise, internal parasites and dental problems.

Impaction colic is essentially constipation and most often includes the accumulation of hard, dry f***l material in the colon. The usual signs of impending impaction colic are depression, a decreased appetite, and decreased production and dryness of manure.

Studies demonstrate that you can increase your horse's winter water consumption if you provide access to heated water, but ONLY if that is the only source of water available. As always, if you have any questions about preventing colic in your horse, your equine veterinarian remains your best source of information!

12/03/2025

How horses adapt to cold temps https://www.facebook.com/share/1GT4bZzs4f/

THE COLD WEATHER IS UPON US! ❄️

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice; good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal, and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee

11/29/2025

Ricky Bobby guarding the tackroom

11/24/2025

❗ɪɴ ᴄᴀꜱᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴍɪꜱꜱᴇᴅ ɪᴛ: ❗
The Kentucky Office of the State Veterinarian has released a statement regarding the recent cases of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy (EHM), the neurologic disease linked to equine herpes virus (EHV-1).

Read the full bulletin on our website under the News tab:
kentuckyhorse.org/news

11/20/2025

Great information
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1AVnAseWSa/

My phone has been blowing up this morning regarding the swirling information about the EHV-1 (neurological form of Herpes Virus) outbreak! And I totally understand, but some info is true, and some is just hysteria. SO...here we go:

Most of this has stemmed from posts about a serious outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) associated with recent barrel racing events in Waco, Texas. Some affected horses have developed the neurologic form of the disease (EHM), and there have been deaths.

What this means for our area right now:
• At this time, there is no evidence of a similar, active EHV-1 outbreak in our local area.
• EHV-1 is an endemic virus – we see isolated cases somewhere in the U.S. almost every year, including Ohio and other states earlier in 2025. That is not new.
• The highest risk horses right now are those that:
– Attended the WPRA/Elite barrel racing events in Waco Nov 5–9, or
– Have had close contact (same trailer, barn, pen, or event) with horses that did.

If your horse fits that higher-risk group:
• Please contact your clinic immediately so we/they can put a monitoring and isolation plan in place.
• Check temperatures twice daily for 14 days after the last possible exposure and call if you see a fever (≥101.5°F), respiratory signs, or any stumbling/weakness.
• Do not haul these horses or mix them with new horses until we’ve discussed a plan.

If your horse has not had contact with that event pipeline:
• Your horse’s risk is similar to a normal show season – EHV-1 is always in the background, which is why we emphasize everyday biosecurity.
• Continue your regular vaccination schedule, avoid nose-to-nose contact with unknown horses, don’t share buckets or tack at shows, and stay home with any horse that has a fever or respiratory signs.

About the vaccine:
• The “flu/rhino” vaccines do help reduce respiratory disease and viral shedding, but no current vaccine can reliably prevent the neurologic form (EHM). Biosecurity and early detection are still our best tools.

We are actively monitoring official updates from state veterinarians and the Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC). If the situation changes in our region, we will update you promptly with clear guidance.

I'll add comments with more data and what I've found so far, but this was the quick and dirty synopsis.