UC Davis Center for Equine Health

With temperatures projected to soon reach triple digits for the first time this year, here are some important tips to prevent heat-related problems in horses:

1. Know the signs of fatigue and overheating.
2. Keep your horse hydrated.
3. Keep a supply of water available for your horse to drink.
4. Provide salt and electrolytes as needed.
5. Limit exertion during peak heat.
6. Optimize ventilation in the trailer.
7. Plan ahead for trailering.
8. Provide shade.
9. Ensure good air circulation in barns.
10. To lower body temperature, hose off your horse or pour a bucket of water over your horse.

Mythbusters:
* It is a myth that if a hot horse drinks water, it will experience colic or other medical problems.
*Research has shown that sweat scraping, or removing water from the horse’s coat, is not necessary. Failing to remove excess water will not make your horse any hotter or have detrimental effects on health.

Image description: Close up of bay horse with green and black halter getting a bath with blue sky and green trees in the background.

We're back at it for Day 2 of the Western States Horse Expo and we've got some more great speakers lined up today:

Horse Expo University
9:40 am - Dr. Rana Bozorgmanesh
Old Horses, New Tricks: Keeping Your Senior Horse Thriving
12:20 pm - Dr. Emily Berryhill
Essentials of donkey care: seeing donkeys through a veterinary lens

Trail Symposium
2:20 pm - Dr. Lais Costa
On the Trail: Expect the Unexpected

Don't forget to stop by and say hi at our booth in the Mane Market Mall!

P.S. Tickets are only $18!

We’re underway here at the Western States Horse Expo! Come see us in the Mane Market Mall. Check out Dr. Lais Costa’s presentation, “On the Trail, Expect the Unexpected” at 11:40 in the Trail Symposium and Jessica Morgan’s talk on “Fitness, Conditioning, and Rehabilitation” at 12:20 in the Horse Expo University!

The 33rd Annual Production Sale is officially one month away! Join the in-person sale showcase on June 20th featuring the sale animals and their hardworking student interns. Online bidding will take place through the weekend. Don't miss out on the chance to take home one of these fabulous youngsters!

Image description: Promotional poster for the University of California, Davis Horse Barn’s 33rd Annual Production Sale on June 20, 2026, featuring a chestnut horse, online auction details, and a blue-and-gold design.

The Western States Horse Expo at Murieta Equestrian Center is less than a month away. Stop by our booth in the Mane Market Mall Pavilion and learn from UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine equine experts in the Horse Expo University. We hope to see you there!

Image description: Western States Horse Expo logo

Happy 34th Birthday Anisette! This small but sassy Arabian mare has been an integral part of the CEH Teaching Herd for 20 years and is officially our oldest resident. She is spending her well-earned retirement in pasture with her best mare friends and still occasionally lends her expertise to teaching veterinary students about basic horse handling. We are extremely grateful to Anisette for her contributions!

Do you have questions about vitamin E and horse health? Our director, Dr. Carrie Finno, will describe the role of vitamin E in maintaining neuromuscular health in horses in a free webcast this Thursday. Visit TheHorse.com to register and for more information!

Register Now: https://thehorse.com/1143398/why-vitamin-e-matters-protecting-horses-from-neuromuscular-disease/

Join us on Thursday, April 23 for a FREE webcast! Dr. Carrie Finno of UC Davis Weill School of Veterinary Medicine will describe the role of vitamin E in maintaining neuromuscular health in horses.

This webcast is brought to you by Kentucky Performance Products. All registrants will receive a follow-up email with a link to the recording once it's available on TheHorse.com.

CEH is thrilled to share our newest addition! This lovely filly, by German Sport Horse stallion Macho 114 and out of CEH's Oldenburg mare Fine Wine, joined us late last night. She is an ICSI foal, and we are extremely grateful to the team at the UC Davis Veterinary Assisted Reproduction Laboratory, as well as the Equine Reproduction Service at the UC Davis Large Animal Hospital for their efforts and expertise in this process. Special thanks to our students and staff, as well as recipient mare Fran's Melody on a job well done. Welcome to the family, little one!