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Estate Planning – What Happens to Your Horse if Something Happens to You? The following information is intended to be a general guide for estate planning as it applies to your horses. The UHC recommends contacting a knowledgeable attorney to guide you through the details of estate planning involving your equine. While it’s common for people to regularly think about what they need to do to establish their will and ensure that their property and belongings are taken care of in the event of their death, it’s not common that their horses are included in this process. Without a will, your horse could become the property of your heirs, and these family members may have no interest, or even the required knowledge, to inherit and care for your horse. Some owners might just elect to have their horse sold at either a private sale or a dispersal sale at an

Responsible Ownership Begins With Responsible Breeding. There are many things to consider before breeding a mare, and horse owners should invest a significant amount of time in weighing the pros and cons of such a decision. There are both good and bad reasons to breed, and owners must honestly analyze how realistic bringing a new foal into the world is for their individual situation. Responsible breeders carefully consider multiple factors when selecting horses for breeding. These include health, soundness, conformation, athletic ability or performance history, disposition, and pedigree. Not all horses should be bred. The costs associated with breeding are numerous. The stud fee, which can range from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, is only part of the overall picture. Many of the costs associated with breeding are incurred beforehand. Owners should pay particular attention to obtaining proper medical care for their mare. A veterinarian should conduct a

NUTRITION Proper nutrition is an everyday consideration of horse management and is essential to every horse engaged in any activity. The proper feeding of horses involves knowing the nutritional needs of the horse and providing for this need through the provision of suitable feedstuff. It is always a good idea to check with your veterinarian or an equine nutritionist if you have questions regarding the nutritional needs of your horse. Proper feeding of horses means attention to detail. The horse’s nutritional requirements are influenced by the following factors: the size of the animal, the environment in which the horse is kept, the age of the horse, the type of use or activity, and individual metabolic needs and characteristics. It is important that horses be provided with feed regularly and that they have adequate access to clean, fresh water at all times. Water is an essential nutrient that is necessary for