Sharon Biggs Waller

Interval Training: A Better Option for Racehorses?

March 28, 2006

Musculoskeletal injury is the main cause of wastage in Thoroughbred racehorses worldwide, with nearly 30% of all fractures being pelvic and tibial stress fractures. Studies in California in the late 1990s suggested fast work increased the risk o Read More

Animal Health Trust Cuts Made

March 01, 2006

In November 2005, The Horse reported on studies at the U.K.'s Animal Health Trust Centre for Equine Studies in Newmarket. In December, the research staff changed significantly. For more information see Read More

Cuts Made at the Animal Health Trust

February 08, 2006

Researchers' departure "a bitter pill to swallow"

In November 2005, The Horse reported on studies underway at the Animal Health Trust's Centre for Equine Studies based in Newmarket in the United Kingdom (Helping Horses Read More

Arena Dust and Human Health

February 08, 2006

Respiratory health in horses is often a concern, and we work tirelessly to control dust in our horses' working and living environments. Ironically, we give little regard to our own respiratory health in and around the barn. It has long been know Read More

Broken Legs Aren't Death

January 01, 2006

Looking at a horse's delicate limbs, it's a wonder that those bones can put up with any sort of pressure at all. Equine bones are very tough, but fractures still happen. When they do, even the most stoic of horse owners can feel desperate. But a Read More

Trailer Shopping 101

July 01, 2005

Fulfilling your equestrian goals without a horse trailer is difficult. Your facility might be the best one going, but to really stretch your wings, it's good to get out in the rest of the world. Even if you're happy staying put, medical emergencies Read More

Importing and Exporting Horses: World Travelers

March 03, 2005

With the advent of the Internet, cheaper airline travel options, and popularity of foreign breeds, more people are importing and exporting horses between countries. But whether home or abroad, purchasing or selling a horse is seldom simple. Read More

4-1-9 Horse Purchasing Scam

November 01, 2003

Some scam artists in Nigeria and other West African countries have engineered a particularly nasty Internet scam, known as the 4-1-9 or advance fee fraud scheme. All classified ad web sites have been fair game to the fraudsters, including online Read More

Asleep on His Feet

July 01, 2003

After a long day at a horse show, I'm ready for a nice cool drink, a hot bath, and a good night's sleep in my comfortable bed. It's hard to accept that my horse, for all his hard work at the show, gets nothing more than a layer of shavings to be Read More

Internal Combustion

January 01, 2003

Horses can be amazingly hardy. On a below-freezing day, your horse can stay warm and snug. So warm, in fact, that if you put your bare hands into his coat, you can actually warm them up. It's hard to imagine how a horse can keep himself Read More

Clipping the Coat

October 01, 2002

As the days grow shorter, the diminishing sunlight triggers your horse to grow a winter coat. This built-in prompt means he is certain to grow a coat no matter what climate he lives in, warm or cold. It's an amazing protective device for your Read More

Train Your Horse to Tie Safely

June 01, 2002

We all take tying our horses for granted. But if you've ever owned one which you can't tie, then you know how inconvenient and even dangerous he can be. You don't have the luxury of tying your horse and leaving him, even for a moment. You have t Read More

Safeguarding Lower Limbs

May 01, 2002

Injuries can set a horse back in his training for days, weeks, or even months. What is most frustrating is when that injury comes from the horse himself. During training, a horse can easily take a misstep and tread on a heel in front, knock a le Read More

Putting Up Boundaries (Fencing)

April 01, 2002

Horses are nomads by nature, with an inclination to travel far and wide searching for forage and water. Along with their wanderlust, horses possess a strong sense of curiosity, and they are constantly investigating their surroundings. Turn a Read More

Fescue Field Management

March 01, 2002

It is estimated that 35 million acres of United States pasture are planted with tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea), and roughly 700,000 horses graze these fescue pastures. This plant is a cool-season plant, so it grows in cooler climates, Read More

Emergency Shoe Removal

March 01, 2002

Everyone who owns a shod horse will have that horse lose a shoe at some point. Popped clinches, missing nails, interference from one limb to another, or an overreach can cause a shoe to come off. It might be a nuisance, but the shoe normally Read More

Get A Handle on Your Footing

January 01, 2002

Good footing is important for optimizing performance and reducing the risk of lameness. The main reason why sport horses retire early is due to osteoarthritis from constant wear and tear of the joints, sometimes from long-term schooling on bad Read More