Having problems? Often the answer is a process of elimination. The following outlines some of the major causes of un-OKness in horses in New Zealand and possible courses of action.

Some items in this checklist can be clicked on to access more detailed information.

NOTE: These articles are PDF files for ease of reading and printing, and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to view. Click here if you need to download Adobe Acrobat now.

The 100% OK Checklist for Solving Problems

1. Diet
- Aspects of Pasture that can Adversely Affect Your Horse (your enjoyment and your pocket. See our extensive article which discusses in detail most of the diet points mentioned here (These files may take several minutes to download - please wait)
- Aspects Of Pasture Part 1 (659kb PDF File)
- Aspects Of Pasture Part 2 (1399kb PDF File)
- List of Symptoms Caused by Myco-toxicity and/or Magnesium Deficiency
- Short term solutions
- What does a Toxin-binder do?
- Tox-Defy
- What does magnesium do?
- Alleviate
- Click to read recent testimonials from users of Alleviate and Tox-Defy (PDF File)
- Too much sugar : Obesity/insulin resistance/laminitis - symptoms - prevent laminitis at all costs. Click here to see photo story of mare with chronic laminitis (PDF File)
- Not enough fibre
- Head-flicking and photic head-shaking (See Article - "Headflicking" (PDF File))
- Respiratory Problems/Pasture Heaves
- "Sunburn" and "Mud-Fever" - Better solutions
- Why Feed Hay 24/7 365 days of the year
- I Can't Keep My Horse Off Grass article
- Changing the Soil Environment and Pasture Summary
- Managing horses on small blocks, hints and tips

2. Dentistry
- When to do it
- Do they need to be sedated?
- Are power tools safe?
- What can happen when neglected
- An unquiet mouth/chomping on the bit

3. Hooves
- Going Barefoot (PDF File)
- What To Look For In A Bad Trim (PDF File 335kb)
- Healthy hooves/diet/movement/terrain

4. Saddle-fit
- Too wide or too narrow
- Consequences

5. Movement/pasture environment/fences
(See Article - "Remaining Physically Healthy" (PDF File))

6. Shade/Shelter/Covers
(See Article - "Shade And Shelter" (PDF File))

7. Worming

8. Musculo-skeletal issues

9. Mental and Emotional Well-being
(See Article - Mental And Emotional Wellbeing" (PDF File))
- Company
- Confinement
- Grumpy horses

10. Education
- For life as a 21st Century Horse
- As a Riding Horse
- Safety

11. Human Interaction
- With You, his Principal Handler/Rider
- Vets, Farriers and others