Carol Shwetz

Diagnosis Often an abscess is the result of damage to the corium 
or nail bed within the hoof capsule

Reading Time: 2 minutes An abscess within the hoof is a common cause of sudden, severe, non-weight-bearing lameness in horses. Pain is the one unmistakable symptom of a hoof abscess. Horses will completely refuse to bear weight on the afflicted foot. Owners unfamiliar with this cause of lameness often feel that their horse must have a broken bone. Pain […] Read more

Reading Time: 2 minutes Riders are aware of the numerous aids, equipment and body positions employed to influence a horse’s movement. However, few are aware of the much deeper exchange — what is not so readily obvious is that a rider’s own health and balance is intimately intertwined with the well-being of their horse. Few riders look towards themselves […] Read more

Prevention Good stable management and biosecurity as 
well as vaccination can reduce frequency of the disease

Reading Time: 3 minutes Strangles, also known as equine distemper, is a highly contagious upper respiratory disease of horses, mules, and donkeys. Strangles infection, or the fear of strangles infection, tends to unsettle many horse owners despite the fact that strangles itself is rarely fatal. The stigma attached to this disease is fuelled by its highly contagious nature and […] Read more

Excess The additional protein in alfalfa can cause problems, 
especially in young horses

Reading Time: 3 minutes One of the most misunderstood feedstuffs in the horse industry today is alfalfa hay. Its position in the feeding program of horses is both revered and spurned. To unravel its benefits and the harms it is necessary to understand the nutrient-rich profile of this hay. When understood, it is the overfeeding of alfalfa hay, not […] Read more

Treatment Absorption can be blocked once discovered, 
but long-term effects can continue

Reading Time: 2 minutes Monensin, also known under its trade name, Rumensin, is extremely toxic to horses. It is one of the most common accidental poisonings in horses, and yet often goes unrecognized. Farm animals such as horses, cows, chickens, and pigs can and commonly do share similar feeds. However it is extremely important that horse owners are aware […] Read more

Desperate Horses in dry lots and box stalls will sample 
anything green in sight when turned out

Reading Time: 2 minutes In natural settings, horses develop selective grazing habits, seeking out healthy grasses and forages and avoiding those that are harmful. Relatively few plants are poisonous to horses and, fortunately, horses tend to avoid eating these because of their low palatability. Horses with an abundant supply of quality pasture or hay avoid temptation to select harmful […] Read more

Due diligence Once the horse is placed in a favourable environment 
a variety of treatments can be undertaken

Reading Time: 2 minutes Scratches, greasy heel, mud fever, mud rash, or equine pastern dermatitis are all various names for a skin condition that occurs on the backside of a horse’s pastern. The area of skin on the underside of the pastern becomes inflammed and ulcerated, oozing and weeping to form scabs and crusts. The thick, crusty, black scabs […] Read more

Early care A horse’s spine is just not sufficiently developed 
to withstand heavy weight bearing until it is fully mature

Reading Time: 3 minutes Horses were not naturally created to bear the weight of a rider, so conscious effort needs to be taken to develop and condition a horse’s back. This conditioning will then allow it to successfully and comfortably carry a rider without sustaining long-term damage. Seen from the side, the horse’s top line begins from the poll […] Read more

Treatment Some sarcoids resolve on their own, 
but others require careful consideration by a vet

Reading Time: 2 minutes The occurrence of cancer is relatively rare in horses. Of those cancers that do occur, the equine sarcoid accounts for a third of all the reported skin tumours. This tumour is unique to the horse and is highly variable in appearance and behaviour. It is a benign type of cancer that does not spread to […] Read more