You know the saying “no hoof, no horse?” A equally true adage could be, “no gut, no horse.” After all, two-thrids of a horse’s immune system lies in the digestive tract. It would make sense, then, to learn as much as we can about the horse’s digestive system and how we can best care for […]

A Modern Look at Probiotics The hottest topic in research these days is the microbiome. This term describes the microbial population of good bugs in the gut that do most of the work of the digestion. With new DNA measuring procedures, it is possible to sort out in detail the different types of organisms that […]

One of the most interesting new herbal supplements to come on the market is medicinal hemp with a high Cannabinoid (CBD) content. Hemp is one of the most useful plants in the world, since over 7000 products can be made from it– everything from fuel oil to paper to food, clothing and medicine. The nutritional […]

This article originally appeared in Equine Wellness. Check it out here. Question: “I have a 10 year old paint I purchased 8 years ago. I found out through several sources that the trainer the prior owners took him to abused him severely. After a lot of patience and TLC he began to mentally get over […]

Correct saddle fitting is as important to the equine athlete as correct shoe fitting is to the human athlete. Poor saddle fit, or the skin or muscle damage and the pain associated with it, usually shows up as performance problems, rather than overt sores. Performance problems range from a mildly “cold back” to severe bucking […]

Humans aren’t the only ones who work hard on our summer bodies— our horses do, too! While horses don’t have to worry about their clothes fitting differently, their backs can change drastically over a summer of grazing. If a horse’s back changes too much, saddle fit becomes a concern. Although it’s a good idea to […]

Are you headed to Equine Affaire in West Springfield, Massachusetts next week? Be sure to swing by to catch Dr. Harman’s talks while you’re there! Here’s her schedule: Thursday, Nov. 9 11 a.m.: Using Acupuncture to Address a Variety of Conditions Such as Heaves, EPM, Arthritis, Etc. Equine Fundamentals Forum, Mallory South   Friday, Nov. […]

Spring grazing might get all the attention,  but that doesn’t mean we’re in the clear the rest of the year– particularly in the Fall. “While grass tends to be lower in fructans and starch during the summer heat, the situation changes as the nighttime temperatures dip in the fall,” Dr. Joyce Harman.  “Laminitis is a […]

Spring grazing gets all the buzz. But, did you know that fall grass can be just as dangerous as its springtime counterpart? “While grass tends to be lower in fructans and starch during the summer heat, the situation changes as the nighttime temperatures dip in the fall,” said internationally known integrative veterinarian Dr. Joyce Harman, owner […]

Question: What do you use for rattlesnake bites? I was reading in Pat Coleby’s book Natural Horse Care that vitamin C injected intramuscular on both sides of the neck works. Is this true? Can you give me more details on exactly how much and how often you need to do an injection? Should you keep a […]