Synergy Equestrian

HORSE OWNER WEBINAR ALERT! 📢

Join us for our upcoming Horse Owner Education Committee webinar! Our topic will be "Oh Sugar! My Horse is Foundering!"

Join AAEP-member veterinarians Drs. Allie Catalino and Chelsea Folmar for an in-depth discussion about the two most common metabolic disturbances in horses: Cushing's Disease and Insulin Dysregulation. They will take you on a deep dive into diagnosis, treatment and management of these diseases, followed by discussion about laminitis, a common sequela.

Registration is FREE but required. A recording of the webinar will be available if you miss the live event. Register at https://events.zoom.us/ev/Aqk4QqZ8CSEZVzoTjoed1OchP7YIDfrDxmN7sn3bmdtN0eMBkO1X~AhLXYhuX8F4hYAwaFVb5RYYV903KHqLrJKTrAP-zT2spI-fUNInOwEr12A

This informative session is brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

Walk into any barn, and you’ll notice it right away: some riders seem to be naturals. They swing into the saddle with balance and ease, they have soft hands, and they “just get it.” Talent like that can be dazzling, and it often garners quick praise and early success. But at Farm, Inc. Carleton and Traci Brooks remind their students that talent alone won’t sustain a rider through the long journey of horsemanship. What really matters is work ethic.

Talent may open doors, but it’s work ethic that keeps them open. Natural feel helps a rider in the short term, but the sport of hunters and jumpers demands consistency over years, not just flashes of brilliance. Horses change, courses grow in complexity, and challenges evolve. Riders who rely only on talent often struggle when the sport asks more of them than instinct alone can provide.

Work ethic, on the other hand, builds resilience. A rider who is willing to show up early, put in extra effort, and learn from every experience has a toolkit that talent can’t replace. Over time, that steady progress accumulates into mastery.

📎 Continue reading this article at https://www.theplaidhorse.com/2026/03/19/rider-work-ethic-vs-talent-what-really-matters/
📸 © Heather N. Photography

A WARNING ABOUT THAT GREEN STUFF

Spring is upon us. As our green grass begins to grow, it could signal the beginning of serious founder problems – laminitis.

Laminitis is inflammation of the laminae of the horse’s foot. Laminae make up the delicate, accordion-like tissue that attaches the inner surface of the hoof wall to the coffin bone (the bone in the foot.) The sensitive laminae cover the bone and interlock with the insensitive laminae lining the inside of the hoof wall to keep the coffin bone in place within the hoof.

A horse suffering from laminitis experiences a decrease in blood flow to the laminae, which in turn begin to die and separate. The final result is hoof wall separation, rotation of the coffin bone and extreme pain. In severe cases, the coffin bone can actually rotate through the sole of the horse’s hoof where it becomes infected and usually results in the death of the horse.

Laminitis is triggered by a variety of causes, including lush grass, repeated concussion on hard ground (road or mechanical founder); grain overload; retained placenta; stress, hormonal imbalance (Cushing’s disease or metabolic syndrome), mineral imbalance, and certain drugs (corticosteroids). Obesity makes any of these much more likely to happen.
Veterinarians and nutritionists have known for some time that plants store energy in their seeds and that energy can lead to laminitis.

Only relatively recently have researchers discovered that grasses not only store energy in their seed heads as starch, they also store energy as sugar.

In the spring, as grass is growing rapidly, it stores more sugar that it needs for growth. For every inch the grass is below six inches it is in more stress and throwing sugar at itself to grow and repair. And then horses consume the sugar (and starch) as they graze. At this time grass is also high in potassium which can inhibit magnesium uptake. Later in the year, when the daylight and nighttime temperatures are more consistent and grass growth rates decrease, the plant uses up most of the sugar produced during the day each night.

We OFTEN hear, "but horses in the wild eat grass all they want and they are fine!" Yes, because humans have not used fertilizer to kill all the weeds in their lands and thickened the grass. Because humans have not planted higher yield grasses there. Because humans have not fenced them in and provided them with easy access to water where they never have to roam far and exercise when they are thirsty. Our "un-natural" horse keeping has helped to create this problem and many others!

Here are some tips for avoiding grass founder:

ALLOW HORSES TO FILL UP ON HAY BEFORE TURNING THEM OUT ON GRASS FOR A FEW HOURS. This one is a very important, easy step. When turning horses out onto rapidly growing pasture (or onto pasture for the first time if they have been completely stalled), limit their grazing time for several days to avoid digestive upset and laminitis. Increase the amount of turnout time by one hour every 4-5 days until they're turned out for the desired time (be it all the time or just until they're brought in to their stalls) If you are really worried night grazing is the best option.

Watch your horse's crest. ANY filling should be considered a serious warning that laminitis is coming on and more drastic measures are needed.

Make sure your horses get at least 15 minutes of good exercise per day. This should include some trotting. Round penning them or riding them is ideal.

Watch what kind of grain you are feeding at the same time as lush grass. A low NSC option is best if it is needed at all.

Keep horses off lush, fast-growing pastures until the grass has slowed in growth rate.

Avoid grazing horses on pastures that have been exposed to low temperatures followed by bright, sunny days, such as a few days of warm sunny weather followed by a late spring frost or crisp, cool fall nights followed by warm sunny days.

Some horses may need to avoid grazing on pastures that have been grazed very short and/or are growing rapidly.

Keep overweight horses in paddocks or put a good grazing muzzle on them until the pasture’s rate of growth has slowed, then introduce them to pasture slowly.

For those struggling with obesity implement a properly set up track system and enlist the help of a certified nutritionist to balance the vitamin and mineral intake.

https://equusmagazine.com/horse-world/price-progress-32134?fbclid=IwdGRjcAQrkWVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7zKnprgX6Z_gAvvP24OEGLop8xRMqic8qzkJA3YyIyGVDRH5dLtDTYcHgiXA_aem_xCyFOpYtS7rMrdbVm5o1MA

Long toes make for stressed laminae. Add in grass issues and your horse could be set up for disaster. Keeping the feet in balance can be an important step.

REMEMBER THAT A HORSE WHO HAS FOUNDERED ONCE WILL ALWAYS BE VERY SUSCEPTIBLE to REFOUNDER!
To avoid being unnecessarily cruel, you MUST take all precautions to keep this from ever happening again! IT IS VERY VERY PAINFUL TO YOUR HORSE TO BE IN THIS STATE!!!!!!

Horses that are over the age of 10, “easy keepers,” overweight or those with crested necks seem especially vulnerable to grass founder and should be the focus of your preventive program.

After the horses are turned out on pasture, check them often for early signs of laminitis such as a bigger crest, heat in the feet and a pounding pulse at the back of the pastern. Foundered horses also assume a characteristic “sawhorse” stance with their hind feet up under their body and their front feet placed farther forward than normal. This is because the horse is trying to shift its weight off its painful front feet to its hind legs.

Grass-foundered horses also move gingerly, as if walking on eggshells, and are often unwilling to turn or move at all. This is a big warning. In severe cases, the horse may refuse to stand. If your horse demonstrates these signs after being turned out on grass, immediately pull him off the pasture and call a veterinarian. While you are waiting for their arrival, you can cold hose the feet, or stand them in a creek, puddle, or wet mud. These things will give your horse a bit of relief.

Buttercup is pictured here in a classical founder stance. She was an owner surrender when her person realized she needed more help than she was able to give.

Equus Now! is having a sale on riding gloves this week!!! Check out their sales!

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Sale Gloves Store Hours:Monday - Friday: 10am - 6pmSaturday: 10am - 5pmSunday: 12pm - 4pmColumbus Location8956 Cotter St Lewis Center OH 43035740-549-4959Cincinnati Location420 Wards Corner Rd Suite D Loveland OH 45140513-630-1197

Summer horseback riding camp registration is open! We now have a Pony Pal Camp for our 5-7 year old riders!

Synergy Equestrian HUNTERS | JUMPERS | EQUITATION

Stay warm in the winter ❄️❄️

We were so tired of our faces freezing — our Sync Winter Breeches and Tops kept our bodies warm, but our cheeks didn’t stand a chance… so, as usual, we decided to do something about it! Meet the Never Cold Again Hooded Mask Scarf — your new winter essential for unstoppable warmth and effortless style. Features: ❄️ Windproof and fleeced interior for ultimate warmth and comfort. ❄️ Endlessly versatile design — wear it as a hoodie and scarf for barn chores and grooming, switch to a scarf and mask combo for face protection while riding, or get cover all over by putting it over your helmet with our new improved design! You can also simply use it as a cozy scarf for everyday wear. ❄️ Helmet-friendly fit — easily layer it over your helmet for wind protection and extra insulation. From chilly mornings at the barn to freezing rides in the arena, this piece keeps you warm, comfortable, and stylish — no matter how cold it gets. 🖤