Southern Cross Equine Services

Southern Cross Equine Services Southern Cross Equine Services offers barefoot farrier service, horse training, and riding lessons.

Taking Hazel for a walk and a graze while she is recovering from a minor surgery ❤️‍🩹
10/02/2025

Taking Hazel for a walk and a graze while she is recovering from a minor surgery ❤️‍🩹

This is a great post on seasonal hoof growth. I couldn’t share it directly from the page, so you get the screenshot edit...
08/29/2025

This is a great post on seasonal hoof growth. I couldn’t share it directly from the page, so you get the screenshot edition. 😁 With Southern Cross Equine, we help you track the growth and recommend adjusted trim times if needed. 👍🏻

I have some extra tack for sale. Local pickup/meetup only, located in Lindale, Texas. 2 neoprene roper girths, 33 & 36 i...
07/14/2025

I have some extra tack for sale. Local pickup/meetup only, located in Lindale, Texas. 2 neoprene roper girths, 33 & 36 inches. Noseband with tie down strap. Noseband without tie down strap. Roping reins, nylon, 8 feet, adjustable. One ear headstall with throat latch. Prices in captions.

07/03/2025

THE 1996 Olympics in Atlanta changed the way in how we use water to cool horses. New scientific research at the time determined that it is better to leave the water on the horse and let it air dry naturally, rather than scrape excess water from their coat.
In this hot weather we explore the research.
1. Water cools faster than air
High thermal conductivity: Water conducts heat away from the horse far more efficiently than air. A wet coat will lose heat quicker than a dry one.

Conduction over evaporation: Cold water pulls heat out via direct contact (conduction) much faster than sweating or evaporation, which is slower—especially in warm, humid conditions.

2. Air-drying keeps cooling going
Continuous evaporation: Once water is applied, letting it remain means evaporation continues, sustaining a cooling effect. Research indicates allowing water to stay on results in greater temperature reductions than scraping—which merely wastes time that could be spent reapplying water.

Current veterinary guidance: Many equine organizations now recommend, for overheated horses, that scraping off cold water offers no benefit and delays cooling. Not scraping allows more continuous conduction of heat away.

3. Context matters: water availability & environment
Unlimited cool water: If you have an ongoing hose of cold water, letting it run keeps the horse constantly cooling—no need to scrape.

Limited water supply: With buckets or sparse water, scraping helps, because the warmed water is removed and replaced with fresh cold water, which conducts heat better.

Humidity factor: In humid environments, evaporation is slow—so conduction (via staying wet or continuous rinsing) is far more effective for heat loss.

4. Practical guidance
Very hot or overheated horses: Let water stay on and/or continuously hose—don’t scrape—until moderate temperature is reached.

Moderately warm horses in limited-water situations: Scrape between hosing or sponging to maximize cooling efficiency.

Once cooled: Air‑drying is fine, especially in mild weather—just ensure the horse dries fully to avoid skin issues like scratches.

✅ Summary Table
Goal Water source Best method
Rapid cooling Unlimited hose Continuous hosing, no scraping
Limited water Buckets/sponges Hose → scrape → reapply cold water
After cooled Any Air-dry naturally or use a scraper to assist

🧠 Research Highlights
Studies using controlled trials showed scraping off cold water is not helpful and wastes time better spent applying more water.

Research confirmed that leaving water on resulted in larger temperature drops than scraping did.

Bottom line: If your priority is safety and efficient cooling—especially during overheating—leaving cold water on the horse or continuously hosing without scraping is the better science-backed approach. Scraping only makes sense when water is limited and needs to be recycled effectively.

How long have I been training, you ask? This long. Summer 1995. I’m a lifer. Nothing else I’d rather do.
06/20/2025

How long have I been training, you ask? This long. Summer 1995. I’m a lifer. Nothing else I’d rather do.

Trimming big toes on Saturday. Before (left) & after (right).
04/13/2025

Trimming big toes on Saturday. Before (left) & after (right).

Big pretty mare Kachina Kay. She is a Friesian/Paint cross I’m getting ready to go back under saddle. I like to start th...
03/26/2025

Big pretty mare Kachina Kay. She is a Friesian/Paint cross I’m getting ready to go back under saddle. I like to start them back out in a bitting rig to reacquaint them with the feeling of saddle, bridle, reins, and a working frame.

03/23/2025

The laminitis calls have started coming in already!

We’re getting spring grass starting, that means we need to be on the lookout for laminitis symptoms.

Laminitis is extremely painful for horses and it is the second biggest killer after colic. ANY horse can get laminitis, from your thin thoroughbred to your miniature “lawn mower” (that includes donkeys and mules). I repeat ANY horse, they don’t have to be obese to founder.

Symptoms to look for are...

Uncomfortable on hard ground
Shifting weight from foot to foot when standing on hard ground
Shortened stride on hard ground
Sore after a trim
Digital pulse
Heat in the hooves
Flattened sole
Stretched lamina line
Blood in the lamina line
Unwilling to pick up feet
Rings in the hoof wall

Prevention is better than cure. Get your diet and management sorted.

If your horse is sore you need to remove the cause, if the cause is grass that means they can have NO GRASS, NONE.

Feed a low sugar hay in a slow feed hay net. Soak it to reduce sugar if you’re not sure what the sugar content is.
Avoid rye, clover, too much Lucerne, get them off the short grass! Short stressed grass is higher in sugar than older longer grass. Grass in shaded paddocks is also lower in sugar.
Grazing can be limited to safe times between 2am and 9am, afternoon grazing is the most dangerous time.

Track systems are wonderful if you need to lock up as they promote movement.
Grazing muzzles are not the devil and can be fantastic if you aren’t able to remove your horse from the grass.
Do NOT starve your obese pony! They need access to hay at all times even if it’s in a double netted slow feeder to slow them down.

Avoid any feed/hay with a combined sugar content over 10% (check ESC + starch on the bag). If it’s not there contact the feed company and ask. Feeds with the laminitis safe tick are not necessarily safe, this is a good marketing trick with little science behind it.

Avoid apples, bread, grains, molasses. Remember things like molasses are used in a lot of feeds to make them palatable like molo mix.

Safe feeds like beet pulp and soy hulls can be used for weight gain if it’s needed, and to carry minerals.
Remember going on a diet is not about starving the body of nutrients it’s about bringing it back to health.

If your horse is off grass they will need mineral supplementation (mineral licks are not enough and are often high iron and molasses), salt, vitamin E, and omega 3.

Contact your hoof care practitioner as soon as you see symptoms to get your horse back on track. If you have an acute case and you horse is lame, laying down a lot, leaning back, or otherwise unwell contact your vet. If your horse is not improving or has other symptoms, you may need to test for underlying conditions like Cushings and Equine Metabolic Syndrome.

Address

16537 Timberwood
Lindale, TX
75771

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 1pm
Tuesday 8am - 1pm
Wednesday 8am - 1pm
Thursday 8am - 1pm
Friday 8am - 1pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

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