UMN Equine Extension Program

09/04/2026

Friday Funny! Hats off to a great weekend.

09/03/2026

🐴🦷🌾 Is your horse drooling, quidding, dropping a lot of feed, or tilting their head to the side when eating? Consult with your veterinarian to evaluate or address a potential dental problem.

Good dental health may help your horse
🔥 effectively chew forage (e.g., hay), which will help keep them warm in the winter
✅ consume and extract the nutrients they need to stay healthy
💕 maintain their comfort and wellbeing

ℹ https://extension.umn.edu/horse-health/caring-your-horses-teeth

09/02/2026

Not every wound requires a call to your veterinarian but some definitely do. 🐴🩹

The AAEP outlines which types of wounds warrant veterinary attention. When in doubt, reach out to your vet.

09/01/2026

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....

08/31/2026

One University. Statewide Impact. Watch how UMN powers research and education to Leave a Future for our horse community! 🐴💡🔬

Through a network of specialized education and research, the Univer...

08/28/2026

Barn time... ⏰ Happy Friday! Hats off to a great weekend.

08/26/2026

🐴🍷 SAVE THE DATES! 🍷🐴

Everything Equine & W**e is back this fall. We’re ready for another great season of horse education, good food, and connecting with fellow horse enthusiasts!

Join University of Minnesota Extension for a fun, relaxed evening, where you can learn something new, share ideas, and talk all things horses. 🐎

📅 October 29: Northwest, MN
📅 November 5: East Central, MN
📅 November 12: West Metro, MN

💰 $30 per person — includes a meal! 🍽️

📌 Mark your calendar! More details and registration information are coming soon. We hope to see you there!

08/25/2026

🎡🌭 The Minnesota State Fair is almost here! 🎠🍟

Whether you are exhibiting your horses or just visiting the animal barns, remember you play an important role in preventing the spread of germs.

Just visiting? Here’s how you can help keep yourself and the animals healthy.

🛑 Always ask before petting an animal. Avoid petting an animal while eating food.
🧼 Wash your hands with soap and warm water and dry them before and after you leave each barn.
❌ Stay away from the animals if you are sick.

📸: Minnesota State Fair

08/24/2026

🌾 It’s that time of year! Stocking up and storing hay for winter is an important investment, so don’t let your hard-earned hay wither away.

☔️ Cover Outdoor Bales – Use a tarp or durable plastic cover to cut storage losses by half. For round bales, net wrap or B-wrap protects better than twine.

🐁 Water & Animal Proof Your Storage Site – Avoid stacking hay under a leaky roof, which can lead to mold. Plug rodent holes and keep out wildlife — they can move in for the winter and make a mess. F***s from some wildlife can spread diseases to horses.

🪜Keep Hay Off the Ground – Store indoor and outdoor bales on pallets to allow air flow under the bales and help prevent moisture absorption from the ground. Hay stored on wet ground can cause up to 50% spoilage.

⏰ Use Older Hay First – Properly baled and stored hay can last indefinitely, but should be fed within two years of harvest. High humidity and temperature swings can increase the moisture content of hay and reduce its storage life.

🌳 Store Round Bales Smartly – When storing outdoors, place round bales end to end and do not stack them. Stacking round bales stored outdoors can increase losses by trapping moisture and limiting drying from the wind and sun. Avoid storing bales under trees or in low-lying areas.

Check out z.umn.edu/storinghay to learn more!