Heather Smith Thomas
Heather Smith Thomas ranches with her husband near Salmon, Idaho, raising cattle and a few horses. She has a B.A. in English and history from University of Puget Sound (1966). She has raised and trained horses for 50 years, and has been writing freelance articles and books nearly that long, publishing 20 books and more than 9,000 articles for horse and livestock publications. Some of her books include Understanding Equine Hoof Care, The Horse Conformation Handbook, Care and Management of Horses, Storey's Guide to Raising Horses and Storey's Guide to Training Horses. Besides having her own blog, www.heathersmiththomas.blogspot.com, she writes a biweekly blog at http://insidestorey.blogspot.com that comes out on Tuesdays.
Articles by Heather Thomas
Ocular Squamous Cell Carcinoma
April 01, 2013
Squamous cell carcinoma is one of the most common cancerous tumors of the equine eye. Read More
Caring for the Blind Horse
November 01, 2012
Most horses adapt well to vision loss but still require special management in a safe environment. Read More
Riding and Exercising Broodmares
September 14, 2012
Is exercise, and sometimes even intense competition, safe for a pregnant mare and her unborn foal? Read More
Stock Trailers: Another Option for Horses
September 13, 2012
Many horsemen are discovering the versatility and economics of using stock trailers for their horses. Read More
Caring for Long Ears
August 01, 2012
Donkeys and mules have a reputation for being hardier than horses, but they require the same basic care. Read More
Navigating Natural Disasters with Horses
June 01, 2012
Prepare a disaster plan for keeping your horse safe during wildfires, hurricanes, and other emergencies. Read More
Deworming Young Horses
May 01, 2012
Work with your veterinarian to properly time treatment and avoid perpetuating drug-resistant parasites. Read More
Neonatal Isoerythrolysis in Foals
February 01, 2012
Prevention is key to avoiding neonatal isoerythrolysis, or destruction of a newborn foal's red blood cells. Read More
Genetics: What Does it All Mean?
January 01, 2012
Advances in the field of genetics are especially beneficial to those trying to understand equine disease. Read More
Artificial Insemination: What's New?
December 01, 2011
Precise timing and specialized tools are the mainstays of successful equine insemination. Read More
The State of the Equine Genome Sequence
October 15, 2011
The first equine genome was sequence was completed in 2007, but what is the state of that sequence in 2011? Read More
Diagnosing Gait Irregularities in Horses
October 01, 2011
To get to the bottom of subtle performance-limiting gait abnormalties, vets must consider every puzzle piece. Read More
Applying Pasture Analysis
September 01, 2011
Collecting an accurate pasture sample is only half the battle; interpreting the results and putting them to go Read More
The Aging Horse
August 01, 2011
We'll explore how the horse's body systems age and what to look out for in your equine senior citizen. Read More
Feeding to Prevent Colic
July 01, 2011
Horses are more prone to digestive upset than other domestic animals because of how their GI tract functions. Read More
Bad Horse Bugs
June 01, 2011
Horse owners and vets must use antimicrobials responsibly to help reduce bacterial drug resstance. Read More
Eco-Friendly Pest Control
May 01, 2011
Today, many horse owners are trying to find less potentially harmful ways to control vermin than pesticides. Read More
Mouth Injuries in Horses
March 01, 2011
Mouth injuries can happen in any horse, whether during elite competition or in our own stables and pastures. Read More
Postpartum Problems in Mares
February 01, 2011
Post-foaling problems caused by dystocia and other factors can be serious and immediate treatment is critical. Read More
The Hardy Horse
January 01, 2011
Our horses handle cold much better than we do, and my ranch horses in Idaho have managed nicely outdoors, even at 40 below zero. They have several unique ways to stay comfortable in severe weather and do well if allowed to adapt to colder temperature Read More
Blood Test to Detect and Monitor Pregnancy in Mares
December 29, 2010
Veterinarians and breeders can now detect pregnancy in mares using an ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) test that detects estrogen molecules in a mare's blood sample and is cheaper and easier to perform than an ultrasound. Read More
Safe Teasing
December 01, 2010
Consider the surroundings, the method, the horse, and the handler when teasing a mare for breeding. Read More
Feeding the Estrous Cycle: Tailoring the Mare's Diet
December 01, 2010
Mares must have a well-balanced diet and healthy body condition to cycle properly, conceive, and carry a foal. Read More
Safe (Equine) Teasing
December 01, 2010
Teasing is essential to detect when a broodmare is in estrus, but it's no easy feat due to the size and power of the animals involved. Safety should be top priority--to avoid injury to horses and people. Read More
Eye Trauma in Horses
November 01, 2010
Eye injuries are fairly common in horses and can be serious, especially if neglected. They run the gamut from corneal injuries (e.g., superficial scratches, punctures, or a foreign body caught under an eyelid) to full-thickness eyelid lacerations to Read More
