Monday Morning Feed by SmartPak: Ask the Vet, April Edition

Do you know how to gauge if your horse is depressed? Can you recognize the obvious and less obvious signs that a horse is in pain? These questions and more are answered in this month’s Ask the Vet by SmartPak!

Another horseman recently said to me, “if you’re not still learning, you might as well just give up and sit on the couch all day.” While that’s a rather bleak outlook, the good news is that as long as there are horses in our lives, the true horsemen will continue learning, every day. One of the many ways to continue your education? The ever-popular information-rich Ask the Vet video series from SmartPak!

SmartPak’s staff veterinarian and medical director Dr. Lydia Gray and SmartPaker Dan answer the most popular fan-submitted horse health questions each month. With Dr. Gray and Dan being both horse owners and professionals who do their research, you’ll know you’re getting good information with every video!

Questions answered in this episode:

1. When you get a new horse and are unable to continue feeding them the same diet (both grain and hay) either because you don’t have access to it or just don’t know what they were being fed at all, how can you minimize the risk of digestive upset when you start feeding them at home?

2. Are horses similarly prone to depression like humans? If so, what are some symptoms & ways to treat it?

3. How can I keep my horse healthy without being heavy on supplements?

4. How do you know if a horse is in pain or any discomfort?

5. What causes sway back and how do you prevent it?

What was the most interesting thing you learned in this video? Let us know in the comments section!

Have your own horse health questions to submit for next month? Tag your question on social media with #AskTheVetVideo. Bonus: if your question is selected for a future video, you’ll win a SmartPak gift card!