Horse Health: There’s been an explosion in dental issues in horses, partly because of diet and lifestyle
The horse’s tooth, like the tooth of any other species, is subject to decay. It is only recently that the nature of the tooth decay and its implications to the health of the horse have been recognized and identified. The reasons for this are twofold. The abilities of the equine dental provider to recognize and […] Read more
Horse Health: Too much of a good thing can cause a myriad of problems for horse health
Over the past two decades feeding a variety of fat and oil sources to horses has become an increasingly commonplace dietary practice. The role of fat in the horse’s diet has been oversimplified to that as a fuel source. Although this is partly correct that fats can act as fuel molecules, it is equally critical […] Read more
Horse Health: Because of the way their digestive tract works, horses need to eat low-energy forages nearly constantly
Horses are trickle or slow feeders by nature. This means that they are biologically wired to thrive when they are continuously collecting and eating small amounts of long-stem high-fibre forage. This most basic realization is instrumental in keeping the horse healthy. Forage is the foundation of every horse’s diet, and the forage needs to flow […] Read more
Horse Health: The sole of a horse is a remarkably adaptive and resilient thing, but you can help it improve
It is easy to overlook the contribution the sole makes to the soundness of the horse, because for the most part the sole is hidden from view. However, the sole is no idle passenger. It has remarkable, even herculean properties that allow it to act as the interface between the horse’s bony column and the […] Read more
Horse Health: The animal’s body condition, nutrition and level of activity can all affect this decision
Most horses are blanketed in the winter according to the personal principles of the owner. However, like any other management practice, blanketing horses has its rightful place and proper use. The decision to blanket the horse comes with advantages and disadvantages. First, it is good to know that nature has provided the horse with extremely […] Read more
Horse Health: But it’s not clear if there’s much, if any, impact on horse health from tapeworm infestations
The existence of tapeworms in horses has rarely been a topic of much concern as the significance of infestation to the health of the horse has for the most part been uncertain. Not only is it difficult to reproduce the complicated life cycle of the tapeworm under study conditions it is also unreliable to gather […] Read more
Horse Health: Abnormal and repetitive stresses are frequent causes of this source of lameness
Ringbone is one of the most common forms of arthritis diagnosed in the horse and is a “catch-all” term used to describe an osteoarthritis that afflicts the coffin joint (low ringbone) or the pastern joint (high ringbone). Degeneration of the joint interferes with function, mobility and flexibility of the lower limb and ultimately leads to […] Read more
Horse Health: Emergency interventions may be necessary to save overheated animals as heatstroke can occur very quickly
Hot weather poses a unique set of challenges to the physiology of horses that are better equipped to deal with cold weather. Horses naturally benefit from the heat produced as a byproduct of their own digestive processes and muscular activity. However, as temperatures rise beyond approximately 24 C and humidity increases, horses struggle to effectively […] Read more
Horse Health: Mother Nature, their own mother and human caretakers all have a profound effect on the wellness of young horses
From the time a foal is a week old and healthy until it is weaned, its physical, mental and emotional development is influenced by many caretakers. Mother Nature and Mother Horse are the foal’s primary caretakers, however, human caretakers can also have a substantial influence on the foal’s development. Many events that occur in the […] Read more
Horse Health: The strong bond most horse owners develop with their equine companions makes this a very difficult choice
Sometimes the decision to euthanize a horse and end suffering is clearly obvious. This can occur when a horse has a severe injury or an unrelenting and non-responsive illness such as laminitis or colic. However, all circumstances are not so straightforward and many times horse owners are confronted with situations of illness, injury or aging […] Read more
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