Equi-First Aid Tennessee

09/12/2026

*Great article on Foxtail. 🐎

🌾 𝐅𝐨𝐱𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥: 𝐀 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬

Have you seen this w**d in your pasture or hay? While foxtail may not contain toxic compounds, its barbed seedheads can still cause painful problems for horses. Let’s dig into why foxtail can be harmful, how to control it, and how to make sure you’re identifying the right w**d.

🌱 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐱𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥?

Foxtail is a grassy annual w**d belonging to the genus Setaria. There are three main species, green, yellow, and giant foxtail, which are found throughout much of the world.

Foxtail receives its name due to the bushy fox tail appearance of its seedhead. It tends to thrive in disturbed or poorly managed areas, but regular mowing and hand pulling can help keep it under control. Because foxtail is a grass, common broadleaf herbicides will not control it. If herbicide control is desired, a pre-emergent approved for use in areas where horses graze, such as pendimethalin, may be an option in the spring and early summer.

⚠️ 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐈𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐱𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐚 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬?

The biggest concern with mature foxtail is its seedhead.

The tiny, barbed fibers called awns can become lodged in a horse’s lips, mouth, and gums. What may initially look like a minor irritation can become quite painful and may potentially lead to secondary infections.

Some signs you may notice include:

💧 Excessive drooling

🦷 Difficulty chewing

🤕 Head tossing or rubbing the face

🌾 Refusing to eat

🔎 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐅𝐨𝐱𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐲?

These two grasses may look alike, but it is important to be able to tell them apart.

The easiest way to spot differences is by looking at the seedhead.

Foxtail:
🌾 Has small hairs projecting from each seed, giving the seedhead a fuzzy or bristly appearance
🌾 Has noticeable awns
🌾 Seedheads may droop as they mature

Timothy:
🌿 Has a smoother-looking seedhead without the characteristic bristles of foxtail
🌿 Seedheads generally remain upright

You can also examine the collar region, where the leaf blade meets the stem.

🔍 Timothy has a prominent, tall membrane (ligule).

🔍 Foxtail often has tiny hairs in this area instead.

🐴 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨 𝐈𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐈𝐭?

If you find mature foxtail in your pasture or hay, don’t panic, but don’t ignore it either.

Regular mowing before seedheads mature can help reduce the amount of mature foxtail. Hand pulling can also be effective for smaller infestations. If you’re considering herbicide control, make sure the product is specifically labeled for the intended use and is safe for areas where horses will graze.

And if you suspect your horse has foxtail-related mouth irritation, removing the source and monitoring the horse closely is important. Horses showing significant pain, difficulty eating, or persistent drooling may need a veterinary examination.

🌾 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲

Foxtail may look like just another grass in the pasture, but those tiny barbed awns can cause some very uncomfortable problems for horses.

Learning to recognize foxtail, and knowing how to distinguish it from desirable grasses like timothy, can help you catch the problem before it becomes a bigger issue.

Take a closer look at those seedheads the next time you’re walking through your pasture or inspecting your hay. You might be surprised by what you find! 🔎🐴

Cheers,
Dr. DeBoer

08/10/2026

🛑 No Hoof No Horse!! 🐎

No hoof, No horse!! 🚫

It is very important to keep your horse’s feet clean, dry & free of debris!

A daily clean/ check can do wonders ⭐️

Keeping feet clean can prevent thrush, white line disease, abscesses and can help identify the possibility of foreign objects in the foot 😮

Take 3 minutes out of your day and pick up all four feet. An ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure!! ⚖️

08/06/2026

🐎 🫁 - 10 things you might not know about the horse’s respiratory system:

10 things you might not know about the horse’s respiratory system:

1. The horse is an obligate nasal breather. The nasal passages in the horse are separated from the oral (mouth) cavity. They do not breathe through their mouths unless they have an injury or abnormality to the soft palate.
2. At canter and gallop normal horses take one breath perfectly in time with one stride. This is referred to as respiratory-locomotor coupling. The amount of time taken to inhale is the same as the time taken to exhale.
3. The amount of air moved in and out of the lungs increases in direct proportion to how fast the horse is running. If a horse runs twice as fast, it must move twice as much air in and out.
4. When horses inhale during exercise, around 90% of the resistance (obstruction) to air movement is in the airways in the head; the nostrils, the nasal passages, and the larynx. When horses exhale, most resistance to air movement (55%) lies within the lung airways.
5. An overtight girth will affect the horse’s performance–not because of constricting the chest and preventing the lungs from expanding, but because it decreases the effectiveness of the muscles around the front of the chest and shoulder that move the forelimbs.
6. Horses breathe by expanding and contracting their chests during rest, when breathing at walk and trot, and perhaps most noticeably when blowing hard after exercise. During the canter and gallop, all air movement comes from movement of the diaphragm.
7. Horses hold their breath over jumps, breathing out when landed.
8. The amount of air moved in and out by an unfit horse at a fixed speed will be the same six months later when that horse is fully fit.
9. The pressure in the pulmonary blood vessels during galloping is four to five times higher than resting pressure. This is one of the factors that puts stress on the very thin walls of the blood vessels and leads to some of them rupturing, causing Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage.
10. If all the airways in the lung were opened out and laid flat on the ground, they would occupy a total area equivalent to 10 tennis courts.



Fox Run Equine Center

www.foxrunequine.com

(724) 727-3481

07/23/2026

🐎 Good little read & info on horses gut sounds!

07/16/2026

🛑 Bute vs. Banamine!
What’s the difference? 🐎 💊

Bute vs. Banamine: What’s the Difference? 🐴💊

One of the most common questions we get is, “Should my horse get Bute or Banamine?” While both medications are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), they work a little differently and are best suited for different conditions.

🐎 Phenylbutazone (Bute) is our go-to medication for musculoskeletal pain and inflammation. It works exceptionally well for conditions involving the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons. Horses with arthritis, laminitis, soft tissue injuries, or general orthopedic soreness often respond better to Bute because it provides excellent pain relief for the musculoskeletal system.

🐎 Flunixin Meglumine (Banamine) is generally our first choice for visceral pain—pain originating from the internal organs. This makes it the preferred medication for horses experiencing colic, as it is very effective at controlling intestinal pain. Banamine also has strong anti-endotoxic effects, making it an important part of treating serious infections, pneumonia, pleuropneumonia, colitis, endotoxemia, and severe inflammatory conditions. It can also be helpful for certain eye conditions, such as uveitis.

While there is some overlap between these medications, we typically choose Bute for orthopedic pain and Banamine for colic, fever, and systemic inflammatory disease. They should not be given together unless specifically directed by your veterinarian, as combining NSAIDs significantly increases the risk of stomach ulcers, right dorsal colitis, and kidney injury.

Every horse and every condition is different. Choosing the right medication—and using the correct dose for the appropriate length of time—is an important part of keeping your horse safe while providing the best possible pain relief. As always, consult your veterinarian for medication guidance and instructions!

06/23/2026

🌡️ **Heat Stress & Heat Index: What Every Horse Owner Should Know** 🐴☀️

The temperature alone doesn't tell the whole story.
☀️Humidity makes it much harder for horses to cool themselves- increasing the risk of heat stress.

HEAT INDEX = temp + humidity %

**General Heat Index Guidelines:**
🟢 **Below 130:** Generally safe for most horses with plenty of water and breaks.
🟡 **130–150:** Use caution. Reduce intensity, provide frequent rest, and monitor your horse closely.
🟠 **150–180:** High risk. Avoid strenuous exercise and keep horses in the shade with access to fans or cool water.
🔴 **Above 180:** Extreme risk. Postpone riding or training unless absolutely necessary.

⚠️ **Signs of Heat Stress:**
• Rapid breathing that doesn't recover
• Elevated heart rate
• Excessive sweating—or no sweating at all
• Weakness, stumbling, or lethargy
• High body temperature
• Slow recovery after exercise

💧 **Prevention Tips:**
✔️ Ride during the coolest hours of the day.
✔️ Provide unlimited fresh water and shade.
✔️ Hose horses with cool water and scrape between applications.
✔️ Allow frequent rest breaks.
✔️ Consider electrolytes for horses that sweat heavily, following your veterinarian's guidance.

Knowing the heat index—not just the air temperature—can help you make safer decisions and keep your horse comfortable all summer long.

☀️

06/21/2026

PART 3!!

Keeping your horse cool & comfy this summer!

Do you have anything to add? Stay tuned for tomorrow- final part!

#🏝

06/21/2026

PART 2 of keeping your horse cool and comfy this summer!!

Have any hot weather tips? Drop them below!! 👇

06/19/2026

Part 1 of our 4 part summer series! ☀️

What are some way that you keep your horse cool & comfy in the summer? 🏖️

☀️

05/08/2026

Happy Horses!! 🐎 🥰

🌱GRAZING🌾

Horses were designed to graze for most of the day, not eat just a few large meals🥕

Allowing consistent access to forage supports healthy digestion, reduces stress and boredom, and helps promote overall physical and mental well-being🍎

A horse with a happy gut is often a happier, healthier horse🌝