Marcia King
Marcia King is an award-winning freelance writer based in Ohio who specializes in equine, canine, and feline veterinary topics. She's schooled in hunt seat, dressage, and Western pleasure.
Articles by Marcia King
Studies on Vitamin E
October 09, 2001
Researchers at Oregon State University and elsewhere are continuing to examine the role of vitamin E in horse health, including disease prevention and therapy. In particular, vitamin E deficiencies and/or supplementation could be important Read More
Down In The Dumps--Equine Waste Management
September 12, 2001
One of the by-products of horse ownership is dealing with equine by-products, less delicately known as horse manure. The average horse produces about 50 pounds of fecal waste a day. Mix in soiled, wet bedding Read More
The Barefoot Horse: Romance vs. Reality
September 12, 2001
By leaving a horse barefoot, one allows the hoof's natural functions of shock absorption, traction, and biomechanics to perform at their optimum. Shoes inhibit natural function and the horse's natural way of going, and limb interference with shoes Read More
Stifle Problems
September 01, 2001
For a sharp-eyed individual, it doesn't take much to spot a stifle problem: The tell-tale swelling in the stifle area is a big hint. But the stifle is a complicated joint. Knowing the particular part of the stifle that's affected and the precise caus Read More
Insects and Parasites: Fighting Fall Foes
August 01, 2001
However, some horse-troubling insects and parasites become more active during late summer and fall. Unchecked, they can be an annoyance, stress a horse's energy reserves during the winter months, or cause illness or death. It is up to you to protect Read More
Buying or Building a Farm
June 01, 2001
Buying or building a horse farm can be a challenging venture where dreams might or might not become reality, and where budgets dictate compromise. The buyer needs to consider what is more advantageous: To build on empty land, or to buy a Read More
Elective Cesarean Sections: Who Needs Them?
May 01, 2001
Many horse breeders and owners are familiar with the circumstances that necessitate an emergency cesarean section. Those circumstances involve the mare and/or unborn foal being in imminent danger due to birthing difficulties (also known as Read More
Poisonous Plants
May 01, 2001
At a training barn in Washington, two prized half-Arabian horses munched on wood chip bedding that had been delivered to the facility. Moments later, both were dead. Among the chips lay a branch of yew, a type of evergreen that can be fatal to Read More
Coat Improvement With Supplements?
May 01, 2001
Your horse's coat isn't looking as good as it should. Your neighbor attributes her horse's fantastic coat to a supplement she's been using--but then, this is the same neighbor who swears by a lose-fat-while-you-sleep supplement for herself. Read More
Club Foot Concerns
April 01, 2001
Club feet might be one of the most common growth problems in young horses. Affecting youngsters primarily between birth and 6 months of age, the club foot actually is a flexural deformity of the distal interphalangeal joint (coffin joint) caused Read More
Create Protective Barriers
April 01, 2001
You've heard it a hundred times before, and you'll probably hear it a hundred times again: "If there's a way a horse can get into trouble, it will." That means if you have abandoned machinery at the far end of your 900-acre spread, your horse Read More
When Lightning Strikes
April 01, 2001
If you think lightning never strikes twice in the same place, think again. The USDA's recently retired Chief Meteorologist Albert Peterlin says, "Lightning is not just a random event natural killer, but more an opportunist taking advantage of a Read More
The Trouble With Twins
March 01, 2001
Mother Nature clearly does not favor the birth of equine twins, as a significant number of twin embryos spontaneously abort within the first six weeks of pregnancy. Of the twin conceptions present after 40 days of pregnancy, about 80% will Read More
Ready To Assemble: Barns, Stalls, And Run-In Sheds
February 01, 2001
For those who have the time, inclination, and the ability to follow instructions, assembling a run-in shed, stall, or a barn from a mail-order kit might be a 21st Century option. These do-it-yourself kits can yield impressive savings Read More
Sole Bruising
December 01, 2000
A bruised sole can happen as quickly and simply as a horse stepping on a rock or working on a hard surface. It can occur as the result of excessive hoof trimming, or be associated with laminitis. Sole bruising can be an uncomplicated condition Read More
Horsekeeping On Small Acreage
October 01, 2000
When it comes to small horse pastures, pasturettes, or ranchettes, less equals more. More stress on pasture grasses, more likelihood of overgrazing, more pressure on fencing, more routine maintenance. But with proper management, pasturettes can Read More
Health Scheduling
August 01, 2000
For first-time horse owners, getting a new horse can border on the overwhelming. You have to find a suitable boarding barn or create adequate stabling on your own property and buy tack, grooming equipment, cooling sheets and/or blankets. Yo Read More
New Directions In Deworming
July 01, 2000
For a long time, parasitologists recommended that horse owners utilize the same deworming program for all of their horses on a routine and regular basis. And why not? It was an efficient and easy method of parasite control. Now, parasitologists Read More
Arthritis Pain Management
July 01, 2000
Yes, we have treatments that can assist certain types of arthritic conditions, but when it comes to the nasty stuff--chronic arthritis--cures still are elusive, with pain management offering only varying degrees of success dependant on the severity Read More
Applying Insect Repellents
June 01, 2000
For many horse owners, applying fly control products to a horse involves nothing more than spritzing on a little spray before turning out or tacking up. But other owners don't have it so easy: The horse shies Read More
Hoof Abscesses
April 01, 2000
A hoof abscess is one of the most common causes of lameness in horses. It occurs swiftly and usually needlessly--a nail or sharp piece of wire or metal is left lying about, an unlucky horse steps on the object, penetration occurs, and is followe Read More
Vaccination Update
April 01, 2000
Better vaccines, smarter protocols. These two areas are where efforts are being focused to provide improved and safer protection against infectious diseases. Experts, veterinarians, and horse owners are looking at a future where vaccines work Read More
Dealing With Sand Colic
February 01, 2000
The lulling sound of waves slowly rolling in and out. A nice, sandy beach. Great scenarios vacation-wise, but a crisis in the making when applied to your horse's gut sounds and abdominal radiographic post cards. Diagnosis: Sand colic. Read More
Mares That Fail To Show Estrus
January 01, 2000
Many natural factors--as well as disorders--can affect the estrous cycle and the mare's ability to show heat. Read More
Airway Disease Studies
January 01, 2000
Researchers at Michigan State University are into their third year of a 10-year study of the pathogenesis and most efficacious treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Explains Ed Robinson, MRCVS, PhD (respiratory physiology) Read More
