Ponderosa Equine

05/25/2026

Ponderosa Equine will be closed today in observation of Memorial Day. As always if you are having an emergency please call our office and the on call veterinarian will contact you, all other messages will be returned tomorrow. We hope everyone has a wonderful and safe holiday!

05/09/2026

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...

04/22/2026

Summer is upon us! If you are thinking about traveling with your horse this summer, whether thay be shows, trail riding, hunting, breeding, or even grazing, it is important to know what documents may be required. Here is a general breakdown of state required paperwork:

Within state travel:
-Generally no paperwork is required. Some horse show venues may require proof of vaccines, coggins, or a health certificate depending on their rules so it is important to contact your venue before travel to make sure you are prepared.
-CO is a brand inspector state . A brand inspection is acquired through the CO Department of Agriculture.

Traveling between states:
-Negative coggins test: a blood test for EIA, typically valid for 12 months
- Health Certificate: a certificate of health confirming no signs of infectious disease. (Typically valid for 30 days depending on the state, venue, and any current disease outbreaks)
- CO requires a brand inspection confirming ownership.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out via phone or email. Preparation is key to a stress free travel experience.

04/15/2026

Hope For Hooves is having a fundraiser soon and have some gorgeous brow bands they are auctioning off at the event! Check the comments for info about how to get tickets

04/13/2026

Have you over been suspicious that your horse may have ulcers?

Ulcers can cause a wide range of problems from colic to performance issues.

The only way to diagnose gastric ulcers is through scoping which we now offer!

If you are interested in pursing a diagnostic scope for your horse send as email for appointment options.

The more you know...

Gastric ulcer disease is a very common problem in our equine companions, and it affects over 60% of adult horses (depending on age, performance, and evaluated populations). While Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) is more prevalent in high performance horses, it’s important to remember that any horse can be affected, as all equines suffer from stress (like traveling, stall confinement, changes in diet, etc.) which over time may result in gastric ulcers.

The signs of ulcers a horse might show are highly variable between individuals, but they usually include variations of “bad behavior” like general grumpiness, reluctance to perform, cribbing and teeth-grinding, tail-swishing and other behaviors suggesting restlessness and physical discomfort. Rough hair coat, weight loss and poor body condition are also common.

Has your horse ever expressed any of these signs that led to an ulcer diagnosis? Let us know below ⬇️

If your horse is exhibiting any of these signs, it may be time to consult your veterinarian rather than just chalk them off as behavioral or training issues. Proper diagnosis is crucial to get appropriate treatment started promptly, and your horse doctor will also be able to make recommendations for environmental and management changes that can you help prevent a relapse of ulcers in the future.

04/03/2026

We hope everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend!

Congratulations to Eileen and her mare Indigo on a healthy baby boy!🩵

03/29/2026

Shedding season is right around the corner! 🌸

However, you notice that your equine friend is clinging to their winter coat longer than they should, it might be time to give your veterinarian a call — especially if your animal is 15+.

A long haircoat that fails to shed according to normal seasonal patterns is the most classic sign of Equine Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID), also known as Cushing’s disease. This disorder of the pituitary gland results in hormonal imbalances and is one of the most common diseases of middle-aged and geriatric equines.

Early diagnosis and treatment are key to helping animals with PPID live long, happy lives. Without treatment, symptoms tend to worsen over time, and many equines are euthanized as a consequence of laminitis, recurrent foot abscesses or complications related to bacterial infections.

It is also important to note that donkeys and mules tend to shed later than horses, so keep this in mind before getting too worried about other underlying causes. As always, if you have concerns about if your equine companion is shedding appropriately, contact your veterinarian.

03/18/2026

Spring is just around the corner which means it is time to start thinking about annual spring care.

Here is our schedule for vaccine clinics, if you would like to participate please reach out. We will also offer discounted call fees to clients in close range to these barns

Fouret Farms: April 2nd at 10am

12 Mile Stables: April 9th 9am and 3pm

Big Horn Stables: April 10th 3pm

Double D Ranch: April 10th at 8:30am

Castlewood Equestrian: April 13th at 8:30am

Indigo Hills: April 13th at 10am

Creekside Equestrian: April 17th at 8:30am

Coal Creek Stables: April 20th at 9am

Kenlyn Arabians: April 24th at 9am

Kent Hill: April 6th at 8:30am

03/11/2026

Exciting news!

We are now offering laser therapy!

Laser therapy has many uses and benefits from wound healing to arthritic pain relief to maintenence for your performance horse.

If you are interested on how this service could benefit your horse or would like to know more reach out to us via phone or email.

303-550-9573
[email protected]

03/01/2026

Spring is upon us and it is time to start thinking about annual preventative care. Here is some excellent information on parasites in horses.

As always feel free to reach ouy via email or phone with any questions.

Spring only a few weeks away! 🙌 It’s not too early to start thinking about a deworming plan for your horses.

If deworming is something you’ve been doing the same way for as long as you can remember, this year we encourage you to break tradition and work with your veterinarian instead. Thanks to tools like the f***l egg count, your horse doctor can help you devise a treatment tailored to the needs of your equine friend plus monitor the efficacy of the dewormer used last.

Before you dismiss this notion because you’ve been “doing it for years,” you should know that the old-school approach to deworming is quickly becoming outdated. Not only is it a waste of money, but it also builds drug resistance in the parasitic fauna of equines, which means we are running out of drugs that can effectively help us control parasite infections.

For more information, the AAEP Parasite Control Guidelines can be found on our website: https://aaep.org/resource/internal-parasite-control-guidelines/

Key take-home messages from these Internal Parasite Disease Control Guidelines include:

• Perform f***l egg count reduction tests (FECRT) annually to ensure that you are using effective dewormers in every herd or barn.

• Recognize that no anthelmintic will eliminate all parasitic stages from a horse.

• Continue using f***l egg counts (FEC) once or twice a year to stratify horses into low, medium, and high shedders to reduce pasture contamination.

• Deworm all horses at a baseline rate (once or twice a year) and target selected horses more often based on FEC (strongyle high shedders).

• Do not use FEC to diagnose disease in horses; there is no correlation between FEC and disease-causing parasite life stages.

• Discontinue deworming all horses with fixed intervals year-round (e.g., every 2 months), and stop blindly rotating anthelmintic classes.

As always, consult your equine veterinarian to learn more and for questions specific to your horses!