UMN Equine Extension Program

06/19/2026

Friday Funny! Hats off to a great weekend.

06/18/2026

Fourth of July is around the corner! Fireworks can cause panic in some horses, especially if displayed nearby. Planning ahead can help keep your horses calmer during fireworks.

🐴 Keep your routine as consistent as possible. Sometimes moving the horses to a different location or separating them from the herd can cause just as much fear.

🏡 If you plan to move your horses to a different location (or inside the barn), give them about a week to acclimate to the new surroundings.

👀 Check your paddock or stalls for possible issues, including uneven ground, sharp edges, and broken boards to try and limit potential injuries.

🎶 If your horse is housed inside, try playing soothing music or turn on fans to help drown out the noise from fireworks.

🌾 Try using a slow-feeder to divert the horse’s attention.

🎧 Some horses will tolerate ear plugs that can help reduce noise.

❌ Do not try to comfort your horse during the fireworks. It will be safer for you and your horse if you are not inside the paddock or stall.

👏 Slowly introduce your horse to loud noises and allow them to learn and become comfortable with noise. It might not help for this year, but may help in the future.

👩‍⚕️ If necessary, talk to your veterinarian well in advance about the possibility of a sedative. Keep in mind some of these products may be prohibited at some shows.

06/17/2026

Call for Horses with PPID! 🐴

Up to 30% of horses over age 15 will be diagnosed with PPID (formerly Cushing’s). Common signs include a long, shaggy coat that doesn’t shed, weight loss, muscle loss, increased drinking/urination, behavior changes, infections, decrease in fertility, and laminitis.

The UMN Equine Genetics and Genomics Laboratory is conducting a research study to better understand the genetics of PPID and how horses respond to pergolide, the most common treatment. Help them improve the care of senior horses. ❤️

📢 They need horses with PPID for enrollment!
👉 Learn more & see if your horse qualifies:
🔗 https://z.umn.edu/pergolidestudy

06/16/2026

YouTube Tuesday! These five steps are key to healthy, productive pastures. 🐴🌱

This short video covers the five keys to horse pasture management, ...

06/15/2026

📢 Calling all horse owners, veterinarians, trainers, barn managers, and caregivers!

Our friends at Long Island University invite you to complete a survey on cognitive aging in horses. The survey will help them develop the Equine Cognitive Aging Questionnaire (ECAq), a tool designed to assess age-related changes in attention, learning, awareness, social behavior, and daily function in senior horses.

🐴 Who can participate?
Anyone familiar with the daily behavior of a horse: owners, trainers, veterinarians, barn managers, and caregivers, particularly for horses 15 years of age and older. The horse in question does not have to be affected by PPID or any condition!

📝 What's involved?
• A 15–25 minute anonymous online survey
• Questions about your horse's behavior, health, and management over the past 3 months

✅ Completely anonymous
✅ Voluntary participation
✅ Contributes to research on equine brain health and aging

Whether your horse is aging normally or showing behavioral changes, your input is valuable.

Access the survey at:
https://baseline.campuslabs.com/liu/dqacdgheappid2026

Thank you for supporting equine aging research!

06/11/2026

Do you know the differences between timothy and foxtail? 🌾🌾

Timothy is a desirable perennial forage with seed heads that lack awns (left).

Foxtail is a weedy, annual grass with awns on the seed heads (right). Awns are bristle-like structures, which can embed into the horse's lips, mouth, gums, and gut when eaten. Foxtail seed heads tend to be a greater problem in hay than pasture since horses cannot easily sort them out.

For more information on foxtail, visit https://extension.umn.edu/horse-pastures-and-facilities/plants-cause-mouth-blisters

06/10/2026

The Minnesota Horse Welfare Coalition’s (MHWC) mission is to keep Minnesota’s horses safe at home. The MHWC stands with horses and horse owners to provide timely access to resources before circumstances reach a crisis that endangers the well-being of the horse.

The MHWC provides direct assistance to Minnesota horse owners experiencing temporary hardships and faced with competing priorities to maintain their horse or, as a last resort, refer horses to equine welfare and rescue members for rehoming assistance. The MHWC offers micro-grants of up to $500 per horse to help with veterinarian and farrier expenses, castration, feed and hay support, transportation for rehoming, medications, and deworming. If awarded, grants are paid directly to the service provider by the MHWC.

Minnesota horse owners who need help can apply at https://www.minnesotahorsewelfare.org/apply-for-assistance.

If you have problems submitting the application or get an error message, please email [email protected]. You may also download this application form to your computer, edit the form, and send it directly to [email protected]. Or you may also print off the form, fill out the....

06/09/2026

Recent cases of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Southwest Texas serve as a reminder for horse owners to stay informed about emerging animal health concerns and continue routine wound monitoring and care.

⭐ While important, the situation is not currently urgent in Minnesota ⭐

State agencies and the University of Minnesota (UMN) have interdisciplinary teams monitoring the situation carefully. Key information for Minnesota livestock owners and veterinarians includes:
❄ NWS does not overwinter in Minnesota's climate
🐴 Spread to Minnesota can occur from animals traveling from affected areas
🪰 Identifying and treating a NWS infection early is key to limiting fly numbers
📱 Notify a state animal health official if you suspect NWS
🔬 Suspected flies and larvae will be forwarded to the National Veterinary Services Lab within 24 hours for evaluation

What can horse owners do?
ℹ Stay aware and informed on the ongoing situation.
🔍 Carefully check your horses and other animals for slow-healing or worsening wounds, signs of discomfort, and maggots in wounds or body openings (e.g., navel or v***a), especially if traveling to/from NWS-affected areas.
👩‍⚕️ Contact your veterinarian right away if you suspect NWS.

Learn more at:
extension.umn.edu/livestock-operations/new-world-screwworm-northern-climates

Find USDA latest reports at:
www.aphis.usda.gov/animals/animal-health/livestock-and-poultry-disease/current-status/us-confirmed-cases-new-world

06/08/2026

🌡️🔥 Hot weather can increase the risk of heat stress in horses. Knowing what's normal for your horse — like their typical temperature, heart rate, and behavior — can help you spot early warning signs and take action before things get serious.

Help your horse beat the heat by:
💧 Providing free access to fresh, cool (45 to 65 degrees F) water.
🌳 Making sure horses have access to shade throughout the day.
🧂 Providing free access to salt to promote drinking.
💦 Rapidly cooling hot horses by applying continuous cool water over them.
❌ Limiting trailering or exercising horses if possible.

ℹ https://z.umn.edu/heatandhorses