HELP! My horse won’t put on body condition
HELP! My horse won’t put on body condition… The horse that fails to thrive can be one of the most frustrating challenges for owners, trainers, breeders and riders. The horse …
Why Does My Horse Chew Wood?
The habit of chewing wood (lignophagia) is a common behaviour observed in horses and ponies. Why do they do it? And what can it tell us? From a dietary perspective, …
Mineral Licks: A valuable addition to our horses’ diets or not?
It’s well appreciated that horses and ponies (just like humans) have basic daily mineral and vitamin needs. Whilst a forage (pasture, hay) based diet forms the foundation of sound nutrition …
Mineral Licks: A valuable addition to our horses’ diets or not? Read More »
The Risks of Altrenogest (AKA: Regumate/Readyserve/Ovamed/Altren) to Humans
Mares and fillies who exhibit overtly hormonal behaviour can be a real challenge and frustration for riders, trainers and owners. In an attempt to help manage their behaviour, many of …
The Risks of Altrenogest (AKA: Regumate/Readyserve/Ovamed/Altren) to Humans Read More »
Injury and Pain in our Horses and Ponies
Effectively treating pain in our horses and ponies can be a complex issue. Whilst non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are mainstay to help with the inflammation associated with pain, there are …
Seasonal changes in hoof growth rate and shape
Many things influence the growth rate and health of our horses’ and ponies’ hooves: nutrition, gastrointestinal (GI) health, metabolic rate, immune health and farriery practices- to name a few. Changes …
Hormonal Mares & Vitex (AKA Chasteberry/Chaste tree).
During warmer weather and longer daylight hours, most mares and older fillies will cycle on a regular basis. For some fillies and mares this can bring challenges with both behaviour …
Hormonal Mares & Vitex (AKA Chasteberry/Chaste tree). Read More »
TRYPTOPHAN…A helpful or harmful calmer for horses?
Tryptophan is a common ingredient in ‘calming’ products for horses. It is an amino acid which is a precursor to serotonin. This means that tryptophan is one of the building …
TRYPTOPHAN…A helpful or harmful calmer for horses? Read More »
Vitamin B12 for Horses
Injectable vitamin B12 is a common treatment given to horses. One of the primary functions of vitamin B12 is to help make red blood cells, which are important to carry …
What Is The Safest Time To Graze A Horse Or Pony At Risk Of Laminitis?
Short answer: In the early morning (3AM -10AM)*. Here’s Why Several key factors influence the level of sugar in the grass our horses and ponies graze. This includes the weather, …
What Is The Safest Time To Graze A Horse Or Pony At Risk Of Laminitis? Read More »
Stallion Fertility: What is happening for your stallion NOW influences the season he has ahead.
Before a breeding season gets underway, it’s worth stopping to consider the influence of various factors on a stallion’s fertility. It is well known that stress, nutrition (including both excesses …
Coco Pops, Feeding Broodmares and Skeletal Development…What’s the Link?
When it comes to feeding our broodmares, we are inundated with choices in terms of commercial feed mixes and concentrates. It’s common for our feed selections to be largely influenced …
Coco Pops, Feeding Broodmares and Skeletal Development…What’s the Link? Read More »
Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Recovery
We all want to help support our horse’s recovery post-exercise, a hard event or race. We want to reduce their soreness and help their muscles, tendons, ligaments and bones be …
Hay, Stomach (Gastric) & Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers
SHORT MESSAGE: Adequate hay intake is essential to help prevent both gastric (stomach) and colonic (hindgut) ulcers. THE HOW:The importance of fibre (particularly long-stem fibre, such as that found in …
Hay, Stomach (Gastric) & Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers Read More »
Drenching/Deworming with Panacur
The more time goes on, the more research is being conducted into parasitology, and the more we are learning about best practices in terms of internal parasite ‘worm’ control in …
Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers in Horses and Ponies
Much attention is given to Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (gastric ulcers) in horses and ponies: we know that they can contribute to a wide variety of signs and symptoms. We …
Laminitis ‘Prevention’- But at what cost?
We all want to do what’s best for our horses. Marketing experts employed by large brands know this. Clever product marketing targets this. That’s why it is common to find …
Bad Behaviour & Exclusion Diets
When we have a horse who starts to exhibit nervy, spooky or irritable behaviour then one of the first things we commonly do is look at their diet. This is …
Timing Vaccinations in Young Horses
As we move into weaning season in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s an opportune time to give thought to the timing of routine vaccinations we give to our horses. Vaccinations for …
Bad Breath in Horses
Bad Breath in Horses The smell of our horse’s breath isn’t something we generally give much thought to. Yet if you’ve ever smelt the breath of a horse or pony …
Selenium- Is your horse actually using the amount on the feed or supplement label?
Selenium is a crucial trace-mineral in the diets of our horses and ponies. It plays many key roles in the body and is particularly important in reproductive health (both mares …
Selenium- Is your horse actually using the amount on the feed or supplement label? Read More »
An unusual case of sudden decline in sperm motility in a healthy stallion
An interesting case of a 10 year old Thoroughbred stallion who after having good fertility parameters for his initial 5 seasons at stud, had a marked drop off in fertility …
An unusual case of sudden decline in sperm motility in a healthy stallion Read More »
Promoting bone health and strength in the sales yearling (even after purchase!)
Bone injuries are one of the biggest factors in a horse being unable to realise its full potential on the racetrack. Many factors influence bone strength and density in the …
Promoting bone health and strength in the sales yearling (even after purchase!) Read More »
Why Basics Matter: The Importance of Chewing
When we think of digestive health (and overall health) in our horses- we’re quick to think of the gut. Whilst some may interpret this as the stomach alone, it really …
The Importance of Protein
Protein- it’s a most crucial component of a horse’s diet, yet is commonly blamed for causing a whole host of problems in horses: Everything from ‘hot behaviour’, to joint problems, …
Horses are meant to MOVE. A LOT…
One of the most significant impacts of modern domestication of horses is the profound reduction in daily physical activity. Even horses who are worked regularly and are in peak fitness …
Is it Poor Behaviour or is it Pain?
Poor behaviour in horses is a complex topic to say the least. Whenever a horse is acting up- many things should be taken into account before blaming the horse for …
Heat, Humidity and Horses
Hot, humid weather brings with it some important health considerations in relation to our horses. Heat stress is one of the most commonly recognised conditions associated with heat and humidity. …
Inflammation & Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories in Horses
Inflammation. It’s a word commonly associated with poor health outcomes. Yet a certain amount of inflammation is absolutely crucial to health and wellbeing in our horses. Some inflammation is essential …
Inflammation & Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatories in Horses Read More »
Overweight horses and ponies: there’s more to the equation than just feed…
Overweight horses and ponies can pose a real challenge for owners to manage. Particularly at times of the year where there is an abundance of lush feed. It is well …
Overweight horses and ponies: there’s more to the equation than just feed… Read More »
Stress in Horses: Why it isn’t always obvious
When we think of the term ‘stress’, we often think of horses that pace the fence line, shy at non-existent monsters (!), call out incessantly when their paddock mate leaves …
Joint Injections in the Horse- Important Considerations
Injecting joints in horses is a common practice. The term ‘joint injection’ can mean different things to different people. In essence, there are three common types of injectable joint therapies …
Joint Injections in the Horse- Important Considerations Read More »
Soy: The Good, Bad and Confusing!
If there’s any horse feed that can cause heated debate about whether or not it is suitable and even valuable for horses- then soy may well take the cake. For …
Feeding The Injured Horse
Injuries in our horses can be frustrating and upsetting occurrences- and more often than not, they tend to occur when our horses are coming along really well. Ironically, although we …
Laminitis
Spring is here in the Southern Hemisphere! Which means crisp nights with longer daylight hours and warmer weather. After a long, cold winter-this weather is a welcome relief. But it …
Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Horses: Rethinking The Use of Corticosteroids
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) in horses refers to a group of intestinal diseases that are caused by the infiltration of different types of inflammatory cells into the mucosal and submucosal …
Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Horses: Rethinking The Use of Corticosteroids Read More »
Iodine & Horses
Iodine. It’s an essential trace mineral in our horse’s diets which plays many crucial roles. It is vital as a constituent of the thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). …
Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work
There’s much interest in ulcers in horses and for very good reason. Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) affects 60-90% of adult horses and 25-50% of foals and weanlings. The condition …
Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work Read More »
Foals & Colostrum
With foaling season now upon us in the Southern Hemisphere, it’s worth taking a moment to appreciate the importance of good quality colostrum. Colostrum provides antibodies (immunoglobulins), which are concentrated …
Why do horses wind suck and crib bite?
Wind sucking or crib biting in horses is most likely to first occur in association with boredom and lack of forage/grazing. Most people are well aware that a diet high in …
The Overweight Horse: An Holistic Approach
Body weight, body condition and adiposity (levels of body fat) are factors which contribute to equine health in many different ways. Similar to the human population, the percentage of equines …
An Holistic Approach to Mare Behaviour
For those of you who ride mares and/or fillies you may have noticed somewhat erratic changes in her mood and behaviour during spring. The mare who was steadfast and easy …
An Holistic Approach to Horse Joint Health
Lameness is one of the most common complaints in the working horse, with joint damage accounting for around 60% of these cases. Progressive damage and changes to soft tissue, cartilage …
Supplements: An Holistic Approach
Do our horses really need them? Supplements. They can be a contentious topic. Yet nearly all horse owners, trainers and riders use them at some stage in one form or …
Essential Horse Health Basics
Most of us are fortunate enough to have healthy horses, which we can often take for granted. All’s well whilst they are healthy- but when our horse is slightly off, …
Tying Up
Tying up is a broad term used to classify a wide variety of muscle disorders which result in the dissolution of muscle cells during exercise. Technically known as ‘exertional rhabdomylosis’ …
Ulcer Medications: What Nobody Tells You and What You Need To Know
The most commonly used equine ulcer medications on the market generally come under names containing Gastro/Ulcer/Guard and contain the active ingredient omeprazole, which belongs to the class of drugs known …
Ulcer Medications: What Nobody Tells You and What You Need To Know Read More »
Laminitis: How Naturopathy Can Help
What is laminitis? Laminitis is a painful, often devastating inflammatory condition affecting the lamellar tissue of the foot. Each hoof contains 550-600 primary laminae, and each of those consists of …
Why Do Some Yearlings Become Overly Upright/Topple Forward During Sales Prep?
It’s a relatively common yet unfortunate occurrence, the yearling that becomes ‘very upright’ and in the latter stages ‘topples over at the knee’
Sweet Itch: Nothing Sweet About It?
Sweet itch, Queensland itch, summer dermatitis, seasonal equine dermatitis, Culicoides hypersensitivity are all terms used interchangeably to describe the allergic skin reaction which occurs in many horses.