Health & Care · #faq

Health & Care guides tagged “faq” from the Apex Equine resource center.

• Colic: what to watch for and what to do before the vet arrives — Colic is the leading natural killer of horses, and the minutes between noticing it and calling for help matter. Here's how to read the signs and what to do while you wait.
• When it's an emergency: knowing when to call the vet now — Some problems can wait until morning. Some can't, and a few hours' delay changes the outcome. Here's how to tell the difference and stop second-guessing the late-night call.
• Call, monitor, or wait: an emergency decision playbook — The hardest part of a horse emergency isn't the crisis itself. It's deciding, in the moment, whether to call now, watch closely, or relax. This playbook gives you a clear-headed framework before you need it.
• How much hay does a horse actually need? — The honest answer isn't 'two flakes.' It's a percentage of body weight, adjusted for work, weather, and whether your horse turns hay into muscle or fat.
• Does your horse actually need that supplement? — The American supplement aisle is a multi-billion-dollar business built on owner guilt. Some products earn their place; most are expensive insurance against problems your horse doesn't have.
• How often does a horse need the farrier? — Six to eight weeks is the answer you'll hear, but the honest answer is: it depends on the foot, the season, and the job. Here are the questions owners actually ask.
• Should you breed her? A clear-eyed broodmare decision playbook — Love is not a breeding credential. This is the structured, scored decision framework we walk owners through before they spend a dollar on a stud fee — so the answer comes from the mare, not the feelings.
• Sudden lameness in the foot: an owner's response playbook — Your horse was fine yesterday and this morning he won't put a foot down. The panic is understandable — but the right first hour follows a clear sequence. Here's the decision playbook every owner should have on the fridge.