Tack Box Talk
Education & Explainer
About
Equine academic professionals from across the country share their personal knowledge of all things horse to help you become a better owner.
Episodes
- Stepping back: The story of when it is time to do less with your horse
Send us Fan Mail In this personal episode, Dr. Nettie Liburt and Dr. Carey Williams share their stories of when they knew their horses needed to step back in activity levels. They discuss the importance of truly tuning into your horse, and…
- EHM Outbreak of 2025: The story of lessons learned
Send us Fan Mail Dr. AJ Manship, DVM, DACVIM, at Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine, shares his personal experience with the EHM outbreak in 2025. We discuss how EHV can manifest as EHM and best practices for preventi…
- Pasture Prep: The story of checking before you turn them out
Send us Fan Mail Jennifer Patterson of Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension, provides advice for horse owners on how to make sure their pastures are ready for grazing. We talk a bit about uniqueness of Oklahoma but her advice is…
- Welfare Judging Contests: The story of creating a new generation of welfare advocates
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dr. Colleen Brady shares her experience as serving as a judge for a novel judging contest - welfare judging. Created by Michigan State University initially, the American Veterinary Medical Association now…
- Feeding the Insulin Dysregulated Horse: The story of checking blood and doing your math!
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Erica Macon of Texas A&M University joins us for an in depth talk on recent research and feeding guidelines to navigate the tricky job of managing insulin dysregulated horses. And remember, it isn't just the obese hors…
- Acupuncture: The story of a big bang for a little needle
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Carey Williams, of Rutgers University, and Dr. Kathy Lackey, DVM and certified acupuncturist share their thoughts on which horses can be helped by a little needling. From subtle behavior changes to routine maintenance,…
- Purpose Before Perfection: The story of personal growth as a rodeo queen
Send us Fan Mail Join Dr. Krishona Martinson and her daughter Montana Martinson in this episode that reveals the depth behind the crown. Montana shares how her rodeo queen duties and aspirations are helping to transform her into a confiden…
- Slobbers: The story of it may be a bigger deal than you think
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dr. Krishona Martinson shares her personal story of changing her mind about how big a deal slobbers really is. An unseen mold in legumes can cause big headaches, and owners need to be aware of risks, and h…
- Stepping down: The story of letting go professionally to have fun as a amateur
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Craig Wood with the University of Kentucky discusses his recent decision to retire from the judging and professional horseman world. A respected judge, Dr. Wood decided he wanted to have fun for himself for a change an…
- It's Time: The story of preparing for the upcoming breeding season
Send us Fan Mail In this wide ranging episode, Dr. Reed Holyoak, theriogenologist with Oklahoma State University College of Veterinary Medicine, discusses preparing for the breeding season. But we go way beyond turn the lights on to discus…
- Equine Herpes Virus Outbreak: The story on how to keep events safe and moving forward
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Betsy Greene, Extension Specialist at the University of Arizona, and Dr. Christina Brownlee, University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, discuss the recent EHV-1/EHM outbreak in southern barrel horses and rop…
- Horse Shopping: The story of taking your time to find your perfect fit
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, recent horse shoppers Robyn Stewart from the University of Georgia Extension, and Dr. Kathy Anderson with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, share how they found their new equine partner. From savvy shopp…
- 4-H for the Win: The Story of How Participating in 4-H Activities Can Impact Young Lives
Send us Fan Mail Kyla Szemplinski, county extension agent for Shelby County and the University of Tennessee and her all star 4-H member, Serenity Green, join us to discuss the many benefits of 4-H on shaping young people's lives.
- New World Screw Worm: The story of an old foe trying to make a return
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Ron Gill with Texas Agrilife, helps to alleviate some of the fears horse owners may be feeling with the news of New World Screwworm making a journey northward. Good news - most likely we just need to keep doing what we…
- Beating Bugs: The story of using all parts of the pyramid
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Jonathan Cammack, livestock entomologist with Oklahoma State University, covers the big mistakes horse owners make in their battle with flying pests. There is more to winning this war than picking up the fly spray bott…
- Bad Science: The story of being wary of more than bad 80s movies!
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dr. Brian Nielsen, of Michigan State University shares what 35 years of being in the "research business" have taught him to spotting bad science. Don't worry, science is still good - we just need to know w…
- Research It!: The story how to navigate a world of so much information
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dr. Tania Cubitt, of Performance Horse Nutrition, returns to take a deeper dive into a topic we brought up at our live taping at the Equine Science Society meetings in Fort Collins, Colorado. We provide ow…
- Is Two Better Than One?: The story of proving tradition
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we again visit some abstracts from the Equine Science Symposium, this time with Dr. Sara Mastellar, Associate Professor of the Ohio State Agriculture and Technology Institute. While tradition may say feedi…
- What is a Good Life: The story of trying to do right by our horses
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dr. Colleen Brady and Dr. Camie Heleski share their thoughts on what horses really need to make them happy. We discuss whether we even know if a horse is happy, and how much time does a horse need to feel…
- Cooling off: The story that is hot off the presses from ESS!
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Danielle Smarsh from Penn State University, shares some new research from Kentucky Equine Research that finally settles all arguments on proper ways to cooll of horses. Using imbedded microchips, researchers tried all…
- Live from Fort Collins, It's ESS!: The story of research hot off the presses
Send us Fan Mail In this special episode, we chat with members of the Equine Science Society, about their favorite abstracts presented at the graduate and undergraduate student competition. Join Dr. Brian Nielsen from Michigan State Univer…
- Enucleation: The story of when one eye is the right way to go
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Robyn Stewart, the county extension coordinator for the Northwest District for the University of Georgia Extension Service, shares the story of Web and his journey through losing his eye. We talk about how…
- American Youth Horse Council: The story of adults helping kids to grow their love of horses
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Danette McGuire, executive director of the American Youth Horse Council (AYHC), Dr. Karen Warner, president of AYHC and Dr. Kathy Anderson, member of Extension Horses and extension specialist at University…
- How much a bale?: The story of shopping smart for hay
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Bob Coleman, University of Kentucky Extension Specialist explains there is more to it than price per bale. Economical horse owners need to shop smart to avoid paying more for hay than they need to! Unless of course you…
- Keratomas: The story of hoof tumors causing big problems
Send us Fan Mail In this unique episode, Laura Kenny Penn State extension educator and owner of Frankie, our Standardbred broke to ride at age 21, and Dr. Kelsey Jurek, board certified surgeon and assistant professor at Oregon State Univer…
- Pasture Prep: The Story of your timeline for great grazing
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Krishona Martinson, pasture exert from the University of Minnesota, provides advice on how to get your pastures ready before the horses are turned out. Patience is key, if you want your horse grazing throughout the yea…
- Nutrition for Breeding: The story of how feeding your horse alters your chances of successful foals
Send us Fan Mail In this breeding themed episode, we visit with Dr. Nettie Liburt, of Liburt Nutritional Consulting, to discuss what we as nutritionists can do to help with reproductive success. While not as exciting as hormone manipulatio…
- Selecting Sires: The story of finding the perfect man for your mare
Send us Fan Mail In this Valentine's Day themed episode, Dr. Colleen Brady of Purdue University discusses how one should shop for the perfect stallion. We begin with the big question - should you even breed your mare? From handsome looks t…
- Dental Month: The story of look every horse in the mouth
Send us Fan Mail It's Dental Month, and that means we are taking a deeper dive into horse teeth. Dr. Madelyn Melchiors returns to share her take on teeth, and why every horse needs regular dental care. From who is a dentist to if horse sho…
- Working Equitation: The story of riding something new, Spanish style!
Send us Fan Mail Stephanie Hayes, returning guest and founder for the Center of America's First Horse describes an exciting new sport - Working Equitation. This fun competition honors the traditional riding style of southern Europe. Think…
- Spanish Mustangs: The story of a rare breed doing big things
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Betsy Greene, University of Arizona, and Stephanie Hays, founder of the Center for America's First Horse, share how they came together to showcase this rare breed to others. The Spanish mustang, not to be confused with…
- Chiropractors:The story of pushing and pulling to make your horse feel great
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Madelyn Melchiors, DVM and certified chiropractor, and Dr Betsy Greene, equine extension specialist, explain what horses may benefit from a chiropractor. We also discuss what certification your chiropractor should have…
- Heliacal Star: The story of your next read!
Send us Fan Mail Victor Bahna, author and first time guest to the podcast, joins us to discuss his latest book - Heliacal Star, a page turning thriller based on the Thoroughbred racing industry. However, this isn't just book club, we discu…
- Internships: The story of test driving a career
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Betsy Greene, University of Arizona, and Dr. Kathy Anderson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln discuss why they recommend internships as a valuable experience for college students. Whether credit or non-credit, before or…
- Hay Nets: The story of how research provides answers
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Michelle Deboer shares her latest research on the use of hay nets in horses. We discuss effects on teeth, hay wastage and body weight, and overall health. Here what dentists and chiropractors found after a two year stu…
- Fall Nonstructural Carbohydrates in Pastures: The story of when fall temperatures can bring hidden dangers.
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Krishona Martinson, University of Minnesota, and Dr. Carey Williams, Rutgers University, discuss how temperature changes can affect the nonstructural carbohydrate content of fall pastures. We learn what types of horses…
- Sand: The story of how to keep it out of your horse
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Chelsie Huseman of Texas A&M University discusses how to avoid sand ingestion in horses, the ramifications of eating too much sand and recommendations for treatment. We also talk about just how hot sand can be! Adaptin…
- Monensin in Horse Feeds: The story of practical advice for the average horse owner
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dr. Betsy Greene of the University of Arizona and Dr. Nettie Liburt of Liburt Nutritional Consulting disuss the recent tragedy of monensin poisoning in horses. We talk about what risks may be present in di…
- Students in Charge: The story of a unique program at the University of Vermont
Send us Fan Mail Chrissy Rohan, senior lecturer at the University of Vermont, shares the unique way that students bring their horses to college. Student operated, this program provides students a great way to completely run and manage a un…
- Social License to Operate: The Story of keeping the horse industry in society's good graces
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Colleen Brady, from Purdue University and researcher in show horse welfare discusses how the concept of social license to operate applies to the horse world. We discuss the reaction on social media to some of the more…
- Genetics Part 2: The story of fragile foals and muscle disorders
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Samantha Brooks, of the University of Florida, returns to discuss three new genetic diseases. We cover polysaccharide storage myopathy, the gene that impacts height in Thoroughbreds and fragile foal syndrome in warmblo…
- Study Abroad: The story of a grand appreciation for the Irish horse Industry.
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Colleen Brady, Purdue University, Dr. Kathy Anderson, University of Nebraska, and Dr. Danielle Smarsh of Penn State University, all recently returned from a trip to Ireland. They share the unique features of the Irish…
- Sane and Sound: The story of a equine geneticists goal to build a better horse
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Samantha Brooks, world renown equine geneticist from the University of Florida joins us for a free ranging talk on how horses get their markers, how we might someday be able to breed for temperament and how even your t…
- The State of the Union: The story of the current status of the horse industry
Send us Fan Mail Julie Broadway, president of the American Horse Council breaks down the numbers on the recent economic impact study of the horse industry. Employment opportunities are up, people who love horses are everywhere and the futu…
- Not for Profits: The story of how to get started
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Karin Bump, equine business expert and owner of Saddle Up New York, provides great insight on not for profits. She clarifies how they are very distinct from private businesses and what aspiring entrepreneurs may need t…
- Foaling Part 2: The story of what needs to happen after baby has arrived
Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Marissa Chapa, herd manager at Oklahoma State University, and Paige Linne, senior lecturer at Texas A&M University, return to talk about the needed care after the foal arrives. Follow the simple 1, 2, 3 ru…
- Beware the white and yellow flowers: The story of when pretty things turn deadly
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Krishona Martinson, equine extension specialist at the University of Minnesota, tells us what to be on the look out for what may be lurking in the shadows. Poisonous plants can often be found in shady, wet areas and al…
- It's Foal Time! The story of when not to panic
Send us Fan Mail Marissa Chapa, herd manager for Oklahoma State University, and Paige Linne, Senior Lecturer for Texas A&M, share how they guide nervous students through the foaling process. From tips on how you know foaling is close, to h…
- Majestic oak or killer in disguise? The stories of what trees you need to be aware of in your horse pasture
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Krishona Martinson, equine extension specialist at the University of Minnesota shares her tips on what trees are great at providing shade, and what trees may be a hidden danger in your pasture. But relax, it's not all…
- What's that?: The story of toxic plants commonly found in hay
Send us Fan Mail Dr. Krishona Martinson, equine extension specialist from the University of Minnesota, shares her type 5 list of toxic plants commonly found in hay. We discuss how to avoid them, how to spot them, and what your horse may ex…