• Locoweed Plant
    Facility Management,  Horse Breeding,  Horse Care,  Horse Feed & Nutrition,  Horse Health,  Horse Ownership in Colorado

    Locoweed and Horses: A Toxic Combo

    Locoweed, also known as crazyweed, is a type of plant that belongs to the pea family (Fabaceae) and is native to North and Central America. It is known for its toxic properties, which can cause serious health issues in livestock and wildlife that consume it. Locoweed contains toxic alkaloids, such as swainsonine and selenium, which can cause a range of symptoms in animals that ingest it, including neurological, reproductive, and digestive problems. The plant is commonly found in rangelands and pastures, and can be ingested by grazing animals, such as cattle, horses, and sheep, when other forage is scarce. The toxic effects of locoweed can vary depending on the species…

  • Colorado Horse News,  Horse Health,  Horse Ownership in Colorado

    Colorado Equine Health Alert: Equine Herpesvirus – Neurologic

    Two horses were confirmed positive for Equine Herpesvirus – Neurologic on 3/17/2023 in Pueblo County, CO. For more information go to: https://www.equinediseasecc.org/equine-herpesvirus Location: Pueblo CountySource: State VeterinarianNumber Confirmed: 2Number Suspected: 2Number Exposed: 20Facility Type: Boarding Facility EQUINES AFFECTED:Age: 10; Gender: Gelding; Breed: Quarter Horse (QH); Usage: Horse Show; Onset of Clinical Signs: 3/13/2023;Confirmation Date: 3/17/2023; Horse Status: Quarantined; Age: 11; Gender: Gelding; Breed: Warmblood (WB); Usage: Pleasure Riding; Onset of Clinical Signs: 3/7/2023;Confirmation Date: 3/17/2023; Horse Status: Quarantined;

  • Colorado Horse News,  Horse Ownership in Colorado

    Digital Image Theft

    More and more we see people using images they have not paid for to advertise their horse, show off their riding, brag on a clinic they ride in, etc. Did you know that using a proof image, screenshots of images, or any form of images from a photographer, when you have not paid for those images, is theft? And honestly is kind of just a jerk move. Digital images are protected by copyright laws as soon as they are taken, which give the creator of the image the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute the image. When someone takes a digital image without permission or payment, they are infringing on…

  • Barn Thefts in Colorado
    Colorado Horse News,  Facility Management,  Horse Ownership in Colorado

    Barn Thefts in Colorado

    The Barn Bandits have been VERY active this year. Breaking into people’s vehicles at boarding facilities, stealing purses and valuables, and immediately going to Walmart or nearby stores to buy whatever they can with credit cards. They have been hitting barns all over the front range. We spoke to Deputy Jason Blanchard from the Douglas County Sheriff Community Resources/Crime Prevention Unit for some insight: the truth is that the general public thinks equestrians have money, which makes barns a likely target. Especially active boarding/training barns. But don’t consider yourself safe if you keep your horses at home either, because you are still a target. Deputy Blanchard reviewed, agreed with, and…

  • British Equestrian Announces Concussion and Return to Riding Guidelines
    Colorado Horse News,  Horse Ownership in Colorado,  Horse Tack,  Horse Training & Showing

    British Equestrian Announces Concussion and Return to Riding Guidelines

    If you ride horses, chances are you have fallen off a time or two. Which can cause a concussion. Concussion is an injury to the brain resulting in a disturbance of brain function. It can be causedby a direct blow to the head, but can also occur when a blow to another part of the body resultsin rapid movement of the head, such as whiplash-type injuries. Loss of consciousness does not always occur – in fact, it occurs in less than 10% of concussions. None of this info is new. What is new, is that there has never been a “Return to Riding” guideline or outline available, until now. In…

  • Facility Management,  Horse Feed & Nutrition,  Horse Ownership in Colorado

    Easy and Secure Grain Storage for Multiple Types or Bags of Grain

    I see people asking how to store multiple bags of grain securely for their horses all the time. As with everything horse, everyone has an opinion… but this is what I do for my grain storage! I use a contractor job site box so I can have multiple grain bags and types, without multiple containers, and they stay protected. This way I can feed right out of the grain bag and never have old grain at the bottom I need to worry about using up before I can get new grain (like if Murdoch’s is having a sale and I want to buy grain now!). The particular model I have can…

  • Senate Bill 23-038 Prohibit Equine Slaughter For Human ConsumptionSenate Bill 23-038
    Colorado Horse News,  Horse Ownership in Colorado

    Senate Bill 23-038 Prohibit Equine Slaughter For Human Consumption

    Concerning a prohibition on slaughtering equines for human consumption. SESSION: 2023 Regular Session SUBJECTS: Business & Economic Development, Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement BILL SUMMARY Section 1 of the bill establishes the crime of unlawful equine slaughter. A person engages in unlawful equine slaughter if the person: Section 1 provides a safe harbor to the offense for equine slaughtered for use by a facility in feeding predators housed at the facility. Each equine that is unlawfully slaughtered and each 100 pounds of equine meat derived from unlawful slaughter is a separate offense. A first violation is a class 1 misdemeanor with a mandatory minimum fine of $1,000, and a second or subsequent violation within a…

  • The Wild Animal Sanctuary Acquires 22,450 Acres of Land for Newly Formed Wild Horse Refuge Property
    Colorado Horse News,  Horse Ownership in Colorado

    The Wild Animal Sanctuary Acquires 22,450 Acres of Land for Newly Formed Wild Horse Refuge Property

    CRAIG, Colo., Jan. 26, 2023 – The Wild Animal Sanctuary, A Colorado Non-Profit Corporation, announces the recent acquisition of a large parcel of land located in northwest Colorado not far from the historic town of Steamboat Springs. With more than 22,450 acres of land spanning 29 square miles, this contiguous parcel represents a landmass larger than Manhattan Island. The Wild Animal Sanctuary purchased the land for its newly created Wild Horse Refuge, which will serve to rescue and protect hundreds of Colorado’s native wild horses, which are also known as Mustangs.  The Refuge is being created in response to the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) wild horse round-up operations which began in early 2022 and were done within Colorado’s Sand…

  • The US Senate Farm Bill
    Colorado Horse News,  Facility Management,  Horse Ownership in Colorado

    The 2023 Farm Bill

    Every five years, Congress passes legislation that sets national agriculture, nutrition, conservation, and forestry policy, commonly referred to as the “Farm Bill”. The Committee formally kicked off its process for the 2023 Farm Bill with field hearings in both Michigan and Arkansas in 2022. Hearings continued in November and December of 2022, and will continue throughout the early parts of 2023. The Committee invites ideas and proposals for the 2023 Farm Bill, as well as feedback about the 2018 Farm Bill. Submissions are welcomed via this form or emailing FarmBill2023@ag.senate.gov. The measure we commonly call the “farm bill” is the single most important piece of legislation for improving the quality of life…