The symptoms of “big head” disease (Osteodystrophia fibrosa) are affected gait, poor performance and swelling of bones of the head. Big head is a calcium imbalance caused when horses graze exclusively on grasses containing high levels of oxalate; that locks up calcium making it unabsorbable by the horse’s intestine.

Many introduced grasses contain oxalate. Setaria’s (purple pigeon grass has about half the oxalate content of other setarias) and buffel grasses contain the highest levels of oxalate followed by kikuyu, pangola and panics.Grasses with lower or zero oxalate content are Rhodes, creeping bluegrass, couch, paspalum and many native grasses.

Mixing legumes (Lucerne, clover, medic) with any high-oxalate grass in a grass/legume pasture will help to correct a calcium imbalance, while feeding calcium is also effective.

Source: DPI & F Note - Pastures www.dpi.qld.gov.au

When a horse is doing muscular work, its main requirement is a liberal supply of energy. Mineral and vitamin requirements for a working horse, however, are not much more than those required by an idle horse. It should be noted, however, that brood mares require a good supply of protein, minerals and vitamins during pregnancy, and these requirements will increase even further while nursing foals.

Banding a horse’s mane is a pretty standard procedure for approved showing and for many open shows. It can make your horse’s mane lie flat and close to the neck even on a windy day. When the mane lies close to the neck it gives the illusion of a slimmer neck.

Horses are hard on pastures. Unlike cattle, horses have upper incisors and mobile lips which enable them to selectively and heavily graze pastures. “Horse” pastures are easily recognized because they have alternating areas of heavily and lightly grazed pasture. This pattern is referred to as “lawns” and “rough”.