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Glorious Way Ranch, Stephenville, TX (2026)

07/02/2026

🐴 Pigeon Fever: The Disease That’s More Common Than You Think

Despite the name, Pigeon Fever has absolutely nothing to do with pigeons. 🐦❌

Pigeon Fever is caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis and is commonly spread by flies. It’s seen most often in the western and southern United States, especially during warm weather.

🔍 Why Is It Called “Pigeon Fever”?

Many horses develop large abscesses in their chest muscles, causing swelling that resembles the breast of a pigeon.

⚠️ Common Signs:

✔️ Fever
✔️ Lethargy
✔️ Loss of appetite
✔️ Painful swelling on the chest, belly, or along the body
✔️ Abscesses that eventually rupture and drain

🦠 How It Spreads:
• Flies carrying bacteria from infected drainage
• Contaminated soil
• Contact with infected discharge

🚨 Not All Cases Are External

While many horses develop visible abscesses, some develop internal abscesses, which can be much more serious and require extensive veterinary treatment.

🩺 Treatment:

Treatment varies depending on the location and severity of infection. Your veterinarian may recommend:
✔️ Draining abscesses when appropriate
✔️ Supportive care
✔️ Antibiotics in certain cases
✔️ Ultrasound or additional diagnostics if internal abscesses are suspected

💡 Prevention:
• Aggressive fly control
• Promptly isolate horses with draining abscesses
• Disinfect contaminated areas
• Practice good biosecurity

🚫 Common Myth:

“Once the abscess bursts, the horse is fine.”

Not always. Some horses recover quickly, but others may develop additional abscesses or internal infections that require veterinary care.

Pigeon Fever can look scary, but early recognition and proper management can make a huge difference.

🐴 Have you ever had a horse with Pigeon Fever? If so, how did their case present?

06/30/2026

🌧️ Rain Rot: What It Is and Why Your Horse Has Crusty Spots

No, rain rot isn’t actually caused by rain. 🤯

Rain rot (also called rain scald) is a bacterial skin infection caused by Dermatophilus congolensis. It thrives in warm, wet conditions and can affect horses year-round if their skin stays damp.

🔍 Signs of Rain Rot:

✔️ Small bumps or scabs along the back, topline, rump, or neck
✔️ Tufts of hair that pull out easily with scabs attached
✔️ Crusty, flaky skin
✔️ Tender or sensitive areas when touched
✔️ Severe cases may have hair loss and raw skin underneath

🌧️ How Horses Get It:
• Standing in wet conditions for extended periods
• Blankets trapping moisture against the skin
• High humidity
• Poor grooming practices
• Skin damage from insects, scratches, or rubbing

🩺 Treatment:

✔️ Remove scabs gently (don’t rip them off)
✔️ Use antimicrobial shampoos as directed by your veterinarian
✔️ Keep the horse as dry as possible
✔️ Clean brushes, blankets, and grooming equipment

🚫 Common Myth:

“Just leave it alone and it’ll go away.”

Sometimes it does—but untreated cases can spread, become painful, and lead to larger areas of skin damage.

💡 Prevention:
• Allow horses to dry completely after rain or bathing
• Wash blankets regularly
• Don’t share grooming tools between horses with active infections
• Maintain good nutrition and overall health

Rain rot may look ugly, but with prompt treatment, most horses recover quickly and completely.

🐴 Have you ever dealt with rain rot? How bad was the worst case you’ve seen?

06/28/2026

🐴❤️ Feeding Senior Horses: Growing Old Gracefully

Just because a horse is getting older doesn't mean they can't thrive.

As horses age, their nutritional needs often change. Some seniors maintain weight easily, while others seem to lose condition no matter what you do.

Things to watch for:

🔹 Difficulty chewing hay
🔹 Quidding (dropping partially chewed feed)
🔹 Weight loss
🔹 Muscle loss
🔹 Changes in appetite
🔹 Difficulty maintaining condition

Many senior horses benefit from:

✔️ Regular dental care
✔️ Highly digestible fiber sources
✔️ Increased calories when needed
✔️ Soaked feeds for horses with poor teeth
✔️ Consistent access to quality forage

One of the biggest mistakes owners make is assuming weight loss is simply "old age."

Many older horses can maintain excellent condition with the right nutrition and management.

A horse's age doesn't determine how they should look.

Their body condition does.

What's the oldest horse you've owned or known?

06/26/2026

🌿🐴 ALFALFA MYTHS: Let's Talk About It

Few horse feeds create more debate than alfalfa.

Some people swear by it.
Some people blame it for everything from hot behavior to world hunger.

Let's bust a few myths:

❌ MYTH: Alfalfa makes horses crazy.
✅ FACT: Alfalfa is higher in calories than many grass hays, but it doesn't contain some magical ingredient that makes horses wild. Extra energy comes from excess calories—not the alfalfa itself.

❌ MYTH: Alfalfa causes colic.
✅ FACT: Quality alfalfa does not cause colic. In fact, its digestibility can make it a great forage option for many horses.

❌ MYTH: Alfalfa causes ulcers.
✅ FACT: Alfalfa may actually help buffer stomach acid due to its calcium content and is often included in ulcer management programs.

❌ MYTH: Every horse should be on alfalfa.
✅ FACT: Not necessarily. Some horses do great on it, while easy keepers may simply not need the extra calories.

❌ MYTH: Alfalfa is only for performance horses.
✅ FACT: Many seniors, hard keepers, broodmares, and growing horses benefit from alfalfa as part of a balanced diet.

The truth?

Alfalfa is a tool.

Like any feed, it's not inherently good or bad—it simply has to be matched to the individual horse.

What are some of the wildest alfalfa myths you've heard?

06/24/2026

☀️🐴 SUMMER SORES: More Than Just a Wound

Summer sores (Habronemiasis) are one of the more frustrating conditions horse owners may encounter during fly season.

They occur when flies deposit parasite larvae into an open wound or irritated area on a horse's body.

Instead of developing normally, the larvae trigger an intense inflammatory reaction that creates a wound that simply won't heal.

Common signs include:

🔹 Proud flesh-like tissue
🔹 Yellow, gritty material in the wound
🔹 Intense itching
🔹 Excessive granulation tissue
🔹 A wound that gets bigger instead of smaller

Summer sores are most commonly found:
✔️ On the legs
✔️ Around the eyes
✔️ On the lips and muzzle
✔️ Around the sheath or ge***al area
✔️ Any location with a wound during fly season

Treatment often involves:
✅ Veterinary diagnosis
✅ Deworming when appropriate
✅ Controlling inflammation
✅ Aggressive fly control
✅ Proper wound management

The biggest clue is often a wound that should be healing but isn't.

As always, if your horse has a wound that seems unusual, painful, or refuses to heal, contact your veterinarian.

Fly control isn't just about comfort—it can be an important part of protecting your horse's health.

06/22/2026

🐴 BODY CONDITION SCORING: Is Your Horse Too Thin, Too Fat, or Just Right?

One of the most important parts of horse ownership is learning how to evaluate your horse's body condition—not just their weight.

The Body Condition Score (BCS) system uses a scale from 1-9:

🔹 1-3 = Underweight
🔹 4-6 = Ideal for most horses
🔹 7-9 = Overweight to Obese

When scoring a horse, we look at:
✔️ Neck
✔️ Withers
✔️ Behind the shoulder
✔️ Ribs
✔️ Loin
✔️ Tailhead

A common misconception is that if you can't see ribs, your horse is at a healthy weight. In reality, many horses today are carrying excess fat, which can increase their risk of:
⚠️ Laminitis
⚠️ Insulin resistance
⚠️ Joint stress
⚠️ Heat intolerance

On the other hand, horses that are too thin may struggle with:
⚠️ Poor performance
⚠️ Reduced immunity
⚠️ Difficulty maintaining muscle
⚠️ Trouble staying warm in winter

Most horses should have ribs that can be easily felt but not easily seen.

Remember: A shiny coat doesn't always mean a horse is at a healthy weight, and a fuzzy winter coat can hide a lot!

📸 Drop a picture of your horse in the comments and let's talk body condition scoring!

06/20/2026

Forage First: Why Hay and Pasture Should Be the Foundation of Your Horse’s Diet 🐴

Horses weren’t designed to eat two big meals a day from a feed scoop. They were designed to graze for 16–18 hours a day, consuming small amounts of forage almost constantly.

In fact, the majority of a horse’s diet should come from forage—whether that’s pasture, hay, or a combination of both.

🩺 Why is forage so important?

🌿 Digestive Health
A horse’s digestive system relies on a healthy population of microbes in the hindgut to break down fiber. Adequate forage helps keep that system functioning properly.

❤️ Ulcer Prevention
Chewing forage produces saliva, which helps buffer stomach acid. Since horses produce stomach acid continuously, long periods without forage can increase the risk of gastric ulcers.

🚽 Reduced Colic Risk
Sudden diet changes and inadequate fiber intake can contribute to digestive upset and certain types of colic. Consistent access to appropriate forage supports normal gut motility.

⚖️ Mental Well-Being
Horses are natural grazers. Long stretches without something to chew can lead to boredom, stress, and undesirable behaviors like cribbing, weaving, or wood chewing.

💪 Healthy Weight Management
Contrary to popular belief, more grain isn’t always the answer. Many horses maintain excellent body condition on quality forage with minimal concentrates.

📏 How much forage does a horse need?

A general recommendation is that horses consume 1.5–2% of their body weight in forage each day.

For a 1,000-pound horse, that’s approximately:
✔️ 15–20 pounds of hay daily

Some horses may require more or less depending on age, workload, health conditions, and the quality of the forage being fed.

🥣 What about grain?

Concentrates have their place. Growing horses, lactating mares, hard keepers, and horses in heavy work may require additional calories and nutrients.

But for many horses:
🌾 Forage is the meal.
🥣 Grain is simply the supplement.

⚠️ Remember: Not all hay is created equal. The type, quality, and nutritional value of your forage matter. If you’re unsure whether your horse’s diet is meeting their needs, consider working with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist.

💙 When it comes to feeding horses, think “hay before grain.”

Their digestive systems have been perfected over thousands of years to process fiber—not feed room buffet lines. 😉

🐴 A happy gut often makes for a happier horse.

06/18/2026

💧 Dehydration in Horses: More Than Just “Not Drinking Enough” 🐴☀️

As temperatures rise and horses work harder, dehydration becomes a serious concern. Horses can lose gallons of fluid through sweat, especially during the Texas summer, hauling, competition, illness, or even periods of stress.

🚩 Signs of dehydration can include:
🔹 Dry or tacky gums
🔹 Sunken eyes
🔹 Lethargy or depression
🔹 Reduced appetite
🔹 Dark urine or decreased urination
🔹 Elevated heart rate
🔹 Poor performance or exercise intolerance
🔹 Skin that “tents” when pinched and takes longer to return to normal

⚠️ Why is dehydration dangerous?

Water is essential for nearly every function in the body. Dehydration can contribute to:
❌ Colic
❌ Impaction colic
❌ Heat stress and heat stroke
❌ Poor recovery after exercise
❌ Reduced performance
❌ Electrolyte imbalances

🌡️ How much water does a horse need?

An average horse may drink 5–10 gallons of water per day, but during hot weather, heavy work, lactation, or illness, that amount can double or even triple.

✅ Tips to help keep your horse hydrated:
✔️ Provide access to clean, fresh water at all times
✔️ Clean water troughs and buckets regularly
✔️ Offer electrolytes when appropriate (especially during heavy work or extreme heat)
✔️ Soak feed if recommended by your veterinarian
✔️ Encourage drinking during hauling by offering familiar water or flavored water your horse is already accustomed to
✔️ Monitor horses closely after exercise and during heat waves

🧪 A quick hydration check you can do at home:

Capillary refill time: Press your finger against your horse’s gums until they turn white, then release. The pink color should return within 1–2 seconds.

Skin tent test: Gently pinch the skin on the neck or shoulder. It should quickly flatten back into place. If it remains “tented” for several seconds, your horse may be dehydrated.

❗Keep in mind that these are screening tools, not a substitute for veterinary care. If your horse is showing signs of dehydration, colic, heat stress, or seems “off,” contact your veterinarian promptly.

💙 Prevention is always easier than treatment. Paying attention to how much your horse is drinking could make all the difference.

06/15/2026

💉 Let’s Talk Vaccines: Why They’re Important for Horses 🐴

Vaccines are one of the simplest and most effective ways we can protect our horses from potentially devastating diseases. While no vaccine is 100% effective, they significantly reduce the risk of illness and can lessen the severity of disease if exposure occurs.

🩺 Core vaccines are recommended for all horses, regardless of age, use, or location.

These include:

🦟 Eastern & Western Equine Encephalomyelitis (EEE/WEE)
Also known as “sleeping sickness,” these mosquito-borne diseases affect the nervous system and have a high fatality rate.

🦟 West Nile Virus
Another mosquito-transmitted disease that can cause neurological signs such as muscle tremors, weakness, incoordination, and difficulty standing.

🩸 Tetanus
Caused by bacteria commonly found in soil. Horses are especially sensitive to tetanus, and even a small puncture wound can become life-threatening.

🐴 Rabies
While uncommon, rabies is fatal once clinical signs appear and poses a serious risk to both horses and humans.

Depending on your horse’s lifestyle, your veterinarian may also recommend risk-based vaccines, such as:

🔹 Equine Influenza
🔹 Equine Herpesvirus (Rhinopneumonitis/EHV-1 & EHV-4)
🔹 Strangles
🔹 Potomac Horse Fever
🔹 Botulism
🔹 Rotavirus (for broodmares)

📅 How often should horses be vaccinated?

That depends on:
✔️ Your horse’s age
✔️ Whether they travel or compete
✔️ Exposure to outside horses
✔️ Breeding status
✔️ Geographic location

Many vaccines are given annually, while others may be recommended every 6 months, especially for horses that compete frequently or travel extensively.

⚠️ “My horse never leaves home.”

Even horses that stay on the property can be exposed to disease. Mosquitoes don’t respect fence lines, wildlife can carry disease, and visitors, veterinarians, farriers, or new arrivals can unintentionally bring pathogens onto a farm.

💙 Vaccination isn’t just about protecting your horse—it’s about protecting the entire equine community.

Work with your veterinarian to develop a vaccination schedule that fits your horse’s specific needs. What works for one horse may not be appropriate for another.

06/11/2026

🩸 What is a Coggins Test, and Why Does It Matter? 🐴

If you’ve owned horses for any length of time, you’ve probably heard someone ask, “Do they have a current Coggins?” But what exactly is it?

A Coggins test is a blood test used to detect Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA), a viral disease that affects horses, donkeys, and mules.

💉 Why is EIA such a big deal?
• There is no cure for EIA.
• There is no vaccine to prevent it.
• Infected horses become lifelong carriers of the virus.
• The disease can spread through the transfer of infected blood, most commonly by biting flies such as horse flies and deer flies.

Some horses with EIA become severely ill, showing signs like:
🔹 Fever
🔹 Weight loss
🔹 Weakness
🔹 Swelling of the lower limbs and abdomen
🔹 Anemia

Others may appear perfectly healthy while still carrying the virus and posing a risk to other horses.

📋 Why do events, boarding facilities, and state lines require a current Coggins?

Because it’s one of the most effective ways to protect the equine community. Requiring proof of a negative Coggins test helps reduce the spread of EIA and ensures that horses gathering at rodeos, shows, trail rides, boarding barns, and sales are less likely to expose one another to this devastating disease.

In Texas, a negative Coggins is required for:
✔️ Crossing state lines
✔️ Most horse shows and rodeos
✔️ Many boarding facilities
✔️ Some sales and public events

💙 It’s not just “barn rules.” It’s good horsemanship.

Having an up-to-date Coggins isn’t about making life difficult or creating extra expenses—it’s about protecting your horse, your neighbor’s horse, and the entire equine community.

The small inconvenience of an annual blood draw is far better than dealing with a disease that has no treatment and lifelong consequences.

🐎 Responsible horse ownership means doing the little things that keep all of our horses safe.

Glorious Way Ranch

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