02/24/2026
There’s a million ways to do things when it comes to horses. What works for some barns, won’t work for others. The only thing I know for sure is that taking care of our horses is our top priority.
For us that looks like:
- Routine farrier appointments every 6 weeks. Not every horse is in shoes and not every horse is barefoot. I have horses in full sets, half sets, barefoot, corrective shoes and everything in between. It is all based on my farrier and vet recommendations but every horse is seen every 6 weeks like clockwork.
- Routine vet appointments every 6 months. This includes vaccines and a rotating dewormer as well as coggins if traveling out of state or being listed for sale. I know some people like to have their horses teeth floated yearly. I don’t have my horses floated on a schedule. Instead, I have their teeth checked every 6 months and floated as needed. Some of my horses go years between floats while others are done every 6 months. This is very beneficial for young, growing horses who are changing so much!
- Yearly lameness exams on performance horses. Horses are so good at hiding pain. By having all my performance (or coming futurity colts) seen by a lameness vet in the fall, I can typically stay ahead of a lot of problems. My goal is to find things before they’re affecting my horse’s performance.
- Plenty of high quality feed! We feed 3 times per day to help mimic their natural diet. Additional hay is given when hauling as well as sucralfate to help prevent ulcers.
- Regular exercise might be one of the most important but underrated things on the list. Horses were made to move and eat all day long, then we try to lock them in stalls and wonder why they’re hot or stiff and sore. They need movement and thrive with work!
There’s a million ways to do things. This helps keep my horses feeling good and healthy, especially during training.
