Holistic Horse Care

Why Vaccinate?

At the Green Barn, we definitely try to be as “green” as possible.  It is our belief that horses, like humans, perform best in their natural habitats, with excellent nutrition and health care. We are so thankful for our incredible vet, Dr.… Continue Reading

Bugs!!!!!

Do you remember when I wrote this blog about how much I hate flies last year?

Flies are the worst!!!  …but take how much I hate them, and multiply that by 1,000,000 – that’s how much the horses hate them.

Thank goodness for…

I tried this natural supplement last year with Serenade and a few other horses and was BLOWN AWAY at how great it worked.  … Continue Reading

Timmy… we’ll love you and miss you always… xo

It’s a sad day at the Green Barn… but when i’m sad it always helps me to remember to have GRATITUDE.

Today, I have gratitude for the amazing, nearly 2 whole years we got to spend with our beloved Timmy.  When he was rescued, I honestly didn’t know if he’d make it until the morning……..… Continue Reading

Obsessed with Abscesses?

What would you think if your horse goes from completely fine to completely 3-legged overnight?  Would you panic?  Read on…

A hoof abscess occurs when a point of entry (like a stone bruise, etc) gets infected and fills with puss.  The pressure builds inside the hoof and the horse ultimately goes lame.  … Continue Reading

Annoying skin condition #1 – SCRATCHES

One of THE most difficult conditions to treat, in my opinion, is scratches.  Known also as dew poisoning, muck itch, pastern dermatitis, cracked heal, greasy heal, and probably a bunch of other names I haven’t even heard of – bottom line – it’s annoying, chronic (comes back over and over), and progressive (gets waaay worse without treatment!)… Continue Reading

What’s your nutrition plan?

At the Green Barn, I really work hard to provide the most natural environment possible for the horses in every way I can.  This means LOTS of turnout where the horses are free to roam and graze on free-choice grass/hay.  Most horses thrive in this type of environment, because it was what their bodies were made to do naturally.  … Continue Reading

Summer’s here!!! -bzzzzzzzzz-

What’s that sound?  The sound of summer??  Oh wait, it’s………….

…grrrrrrrreeeeeeaaaaaatttttttt.

I…… HATE…….FLIES.  But even more than I hate them, the horses hate them!  Every horse owner knows the struggle of bug control in the summer.  I can’t say it enough!!!!  … Continue Reading

Our Veterinarian featured on Nashville News 2!

Yesterday’s Nashville News 2 @ 5pm featured a segment on our very own favorite vet, Dr. Marc Smith of Natchez Trace Veterinary Services.

Dr. Marc has been servicing the horses at the Green Barn since we opened, and has been my personal vet for my dogs, cats AND horses for years prior to that out of his Franklin location – which happens to be a mere 5 minutes up the road from our barn.  … Continue Reading

Aaaaaaachoooo!!!!! (Horse allergies?)

Yes everyone, horses can have allergies too. Especially in MIDDLE TENNESSEE – the allergy capital of the world!

I think we’ve all probably experienced the occasional horse that breaks out in hives or has runny eyes or a (clear) runny nose once in a awhile (ahem… AIDAN!).… Continue Reading

Welcome “Applejack” and “Bella” to the Green Barn!

I am so excited to welcome “Applejack” (left) and “Bella” (right) to the Green Barn!  These 6-year-old mustang beauties are both visiting all the way from Maine, while their owners Marianne and Jon visit the beautiful rolling hills of Tennessee!  … Continue Reading

Here come the carrots!

Sorry that i’ve been MIA for a week!  :)  The thing about having a barn is that when I go missing for awhile, don’t panic!  It’s not actually bad news, it’s just that i’m sooooooo busy I don’t have time to write!  … Continue Reading

Equine Sports Massage Therapy… Part #2

You might remember a post I wrote several months ago regarding the benefits of Equine Sports Massage Therapy.  Well… benefits there are!! Several months ago a few of our horses had their first sessions, and we are seeing vast improvements in flexibility and behavior.… Continue Reading

The most annoying sound in the world…

…has got to be a cribbing horse.

You walk into the barn, and you’re greeted by the comforting sweet smell of hay and the warmth of the horses’ bodies all tucked in their stalls… the quiet calm of happy ponies munching their dinners… and then…

THE SOUND.… Continue Reading

Feeding 101 – Not a one-size-fits-all affair!

When you’re responsible for horses, one of the main issues you will come across is the struggle in determining the proper nutrition for every horse in your care.  Just like people, all horses have different nutritional needs required to maintain their healthiest weight and fitness level.

Continue Reading

Winter horse hoof care – be proactive not reactive!

I am definitely just about OVER this crazy Tennessee winter… cold, ice, snow, and worst of all, MUD.

Repeat with me… “just a little while longer, just a little while…”

One thing that’s making the winter slightly more bearable is keeping up with proper horse hoof care.  

Continue Reading