Baker McVeigh South Africa

08/04/2026

Thanks Rivendell Warmblood Stud 🫶🐴

02/04/2026

2026 Toyota SA EASTER FESTIVAL
Kyalami Equestrian Park
Thursday 2nd April 2026
The TOYOTA Junior 1,35m Competition
1st Seeis Monsaka & Layla Hunter
2nd Callaho Conray & Hamza Minty
3rd Vilberg's Classy Boy & Hamza Minty
4th Callaho Corida De Rebelle & Hamza Minty

Toyota SA

30/03/2026

Important Notice from Baker McVeigh KZN 🐎

06/03/2026

Yay, yay it's Friday!! 💥🥳🤩
I am sure a lot of us can relate to this!!??😂
Have a super weekend ahead! ❤🐴

11/02/2026

These past weeks we have been experiencing souring temperatures. It is tough on our equine friends with little to no respite with temperatures of 30 degrees noted as late as 17h00.

During these extreme temperatures we have to be diligent to ensure our horses stay hydrated at all times.

If your horse becomes dehydrated their droppings become hard and there is a risk of an impaction colic which none of us want.

So how do I ensure this does not happen?

➡ provide at least 40g salt. Easier to feed 20g (Tablespoon twice a day) to ensure adequate supply. Supplementation of salt (sodium chloride) is important to replace the lost electrolytes, sodium and chloride when they sweat profusely. It is also a good way to ensure that your horse is thirsty and drinks sufficient water to rehydrate as well. Dual benefit!!
➡ Try bring horses in from the paddock in the heat of the day to avoid overheating and over sweating. Horses are not comfortable standing in paddocks midday unless they can rest under a nice shady tree with a breeze.
➡ Avoid exercising your horse during the hottest time of the day. Rather choose early morning and evening times when it is a little cooler. Adjust their exercise and reduce the time spent riding when it is too hot to avoid excess sweating.
➡ Cool the body off as soon as you have ridden by cold hosing.
➡ Inspect your horse's droppings morning and evening and watch for small, hard droppings showing dehydration. Monitor water intake if you see this and ensure your horse is drinking sufficient water. Add some epsom salts to their diet to loosen the hard stool.

February is the hottest month of our year and these extreme temperatures can often filter into March.

Don't forget your salt, monitor water intake and avoid over exertion to avoid dehydration and possible colics caused by dehydration.

30/01/2026

This is a hot topic currently with more and more gastroscopes being performed showing ulcers not only in racehorses as previously thought, but also in your sport horse of a variety of different breeds.

Both glandular and squamous ulcers are successfully treated with the assistance of a veterinarian. However one always asks, "how do I prevent them from returning?"

We know that horses need to eat at least 20-22 hours so that their stomach's are not left empty for longer than 4 hours to PREVENT the splash of acid eroding the non-glandular region. Most horses owners are pedantic in providing hay ad lib.

So we know these things, we practice them and STILL our horses are developing ulcers.

It is noted that while the hay is available the horse is NOT eating the hay, therefore standing with a relatively empty stomach before being exercised. Stable yards are often a hive of activity with riders riding at different times, grooms cleaning stables throughout the day and vets and farriers working during hours the horses are not ridden. Common thread..... human interaction and no time alone. Stimulated for most of the day the horse is less likely to rest and mimic his normal grazing tendency.

Another big factor is the social aspect of our horses. Horses are herd animals and interact with each other in a normal herd environment. Forming bonds, grooming each other enjoying each other's company. With racing and the bigger yards horses have limited time out and due to the high value of many of these horses they do not get to share a paddock in case of injury.

Taking these factors into account one can see that elevated stress in the horse diminishes eating habits allowing for longer periods of time the horse's stomach is empty.

Recommended to assist:
➡Allow for a rest period daily, at least 4 hours with NO interruptions.
➡ Try if you can let your horses to go out with at least 1 friend to allow normal social interaction.
➡ If stabled in the day allow for adequate bedding that the horse can lie down if needed.
➡ Keep hay or grazing available ad lib but to make it safer feed a forage cube or chaff in the manger to ensure the stomach is not empty.

30/01/2026

22/12/2025

On the latest episode of In The Box Seat, renowned equine vet, Dr Jonathan “Johnny” Cave, shares his personal and professional insight

02/12/2025

Baker McVeigh Cape is looking for a full time experienced debtors clerk, do you fit the profile... we would love to hear from you, send your CV to [email protected] 😀

18/11/2025

What is Equine Herpesvirus (EHV)?

You've probably heard it called Rhinopneumonitis, a respiratory tract disease that results in "snotty noses," but EHV is more than that. Depending on the strain, this virus can also cause abortion in broodmares, and equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) — the often-deadly neurologic form of the disease.

Because EHV is endemic in many equine populations, most mature horses have developed some immunity through repeated natural infection. However, they remain a source of infection for other susceptible horses, like weaned foals and yearlings, who usually display symptoms of the respiratory form of the disease in autumn and winter. Performance and show horses are also more vulnerable to the disease, as they commingle with unfamiliar equines in close quarters while under stress from travel and competition.

Proper biosecurity protocols can help reduce EHV outbreaks and other disease transmission. A variety of vaccines are also available for protection against both the respiratory and abortive form of the disease, but there is no equine licensed vaccine at this time that has a label claim for protection against the neurologic form (EHM).

Consult your primary equine veterinarian to learn more about this disease and work with them to determine the optimal vaccine protocol for your horses.

You can learn more about all three forms on the Equine Disease Communication Center's website here: https://equinediseasecc.org/infectious-diseases

14/11/2025