Got Protozoa on the Brain?

June 18, 2014

Hay Folks,

I’m glad you stuck around to find out about the nasty protozoa that causes Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM). Remember I talked a little about this month? If you’re just tuning in, check out my previous blog post, “Recycling Manure”.

My fellow scientist and veterinarian, Dr. Mike Fugaro is an expert in EPM. He even chatted with my good friends from “Horses in the Morning” about it! Dr. Fugaro also teaches the Advanced Equine Health Care and Management course at Rutgers University and Centenary College.

Recycling Manure

June 5, 2014

Hay Folks!

Are you stifle-deep in manure? Not properly managing horse manure can have harmful results. Luckily I’m here to help! Keep reading to find out how truly awesome manure can be and how you can use it to your advantage!

Constantly picking the paddock and stalls and putting it in a compost pile is safer for the environment. Although you may get your hands a little dirty, this can decrease the chances of nutrient runoff and environmental contamination. The best part is that the resulting compost can then be put back in the field to nourish the ground for plant growth. If only doughnuts could grow on trees!

Congratulations to my pal, Dr. Ryan Avenatti!

May 14, 2014

Hay Folks,

After five long, hard years working at the lab bench and out in the Treadmill Barn with my gal pals at Rutgers, Ryan Avenatti has finally earned his Ph.D.! Now, he will be Dr. Avenatti!

I was going to give him doughnuts as a graduation gift, but…unfortunately, I ate them… So, I’m writing a blog all about him and his research to make up for my insatiable sweet tooth. This Monday, he presented his research entitled, “Effects of age and acute exercise on mediators of inflammation and energy homeostasis in horses”. All those fancy words, pretty much mean, how a horse’s exercise physiology changes with age.

Buzz-Buzz-Buzz: What’s the Buzz on that Buzzing?

May 5, 2014

Hay Folks!

Spring is finally here bringing lovely warm weather, as well as those nasty, annoying, biting flies! Not only do they bite and hurt, but they can make me and my other pasture buddies very sick. On top of that, they swarm on my sweet, delicious doughnuts!

Today is Earth Day!

April 22, 2014

Hay Folks,

Today is Earth Day and I will be celebrating by playing the online computer game, “Fun on the Farm” on Equine Science 4 Kids! Will you? Test your knowledge on environmental stewardship and see if you are smarter than a horse!

Fuzzy Wuzzy was a…HORSE!

April 21, 2014

Ahh Choo!

Pollen isn’t the only thing that is flying in the air and making me sneeze, so is my own HAIR! It’s shedding season and a nice gust of wind sends my hair flying everywhere, tickling my nose. My equine scientist friend AND colleague (heh, heh, heh) spent several hours this past Saturday trying to help remove my undercoat by grooming me. I’m surprised that I’m not bald, considering all of the hair that Dr. M has combed off of me. It’s probably enough to cover another Lord Nelson!

FOWL Play?!

March 26, 2014

Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!

Spring is here and the birds are flying north and building nests for their chicks. Birds are very important for the ecosystem, but in a horse barn, it’s a recipe for disaster!

My buddy Polly (the bird by my stable mate’s withers above) is very pretty and has a lovely voice and would never intentionally hurt me, but the bacteria and pathogens in her body can. Some diseases I can get from birds (and their POOP!) are salmonella or cryptococcosis (a type of fungus).

Not all clovers are lucky!

March 10, 2014

Top o’ the morning to all laddies and lasses!

St. Patrick’s Day is almost here and even though there may not be a lot of green on my pasture, spring is right around the corner and I’m getting a head start on searching for the rare, lucky four-leaf clover, so I can hopefully meet a leprechaun! However, I need to be extremely careful. There are many clovers that are not so lucky and are EXTREMELY toxic to horses, especially alsike clover.

“She loves me, she loves me not”

February 14, 2014

Love is in the air…or could it be a delicious heart-shaped doughnut that I smell?!?

With Valentine’s Day later this week, I’m planning to spend quality time with my gal pal, Hugme Christi! It took me a long time to figure out if she liked me or not. I used to pluck the petals off of flowers singing, “She loves me. She loves me not,” over and over again until there weren’t any petals left. But that wasn’t very scientific of me. I’m a professor of equine science, so I put my thinking cap on and started to pay closer attention to her behavior.

Compost Conundrums

January 22, 2014

Howdy all!

I hope everyone is staying dry and toasty in your home (and barn!) these days, and that you have all a fantastic start to the New Year! The snow was piling up just in time to celebrate all the winter holidays, and it hasn’t stopped since! Christi and I had a blast playing yesterday, making Pegasuses in the snow, seeing who could race to the other end of the pasture quickest, and shaking tree branches to drop an avalanche of frost on each other’s backs. Despite the snow and ice everywhere I look, it does remind me of a question that I received from Claire, a 9 year old budding scientist…

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