From spring through to autumn (fall) mare behavioural and reproductive issues often come to the fore. Mares and fillies who exhibit overtly hormonal behaviour can be a real challenge and […]
Mare behavioural issues and pregnancy loss: is altrenogest really the answer? Read More »
A horse is able to host up to 1015 bacterial cells within their digestive tract! The majority of these bacteria reside in the colon, particularly the caecum. These bacteria play
How many bacteria are in a horse’s digestive tract? Read More »
Pain can be one of the most heartbreaking things to watch our horse or pony experience, particularly when we can’t accurately identify the source of and provide relief from the
Horses, Ponies and Pain Read More »
During late pregnancy, a mare’s nutritional requirements increase to meet the demands of her rapidly growing foetus. When feeding heavily pregnant mares, many focus primarily on providing increased calories to
The importance of trace minerals in late pregnancy Read More »
A mare’s nutritional requirements vary throughout different stages of her pregnancy, with the last three to four months placing the most significant nutritional demands on the mare. This is a
For any equine breeding operation, it is always worth taking time to consider factors which may adversely impact the fertility of your stallions (and importantly, what we can do to
The impact of environmental toxicity on stallion fertility Read More »
When looking to help promote optimal fertility in a stallion, it is never too early in the year to start. Often, we only turn our minds to helping our stallion’s
Spotlight on Stallion Fertility Read More »
The judicious use of many medications in our horses and ponies can be important and even life saving in some situations, yet they are not without their side effects. Some
Side effects of commonly used medications in horses and ponies Read More »
Colic is one of the most common causes of death in horses and ponies. Colic episodes can be most distressing for both the horse suffering from it and the caretake/owner
Concerned about colic in your horse or pony? Read More »
Omepazole and Esomeprazole, the most commonly used medications for Equine Gastric Ulcer Syndrome (EGUS) are not without their safety concerns. One welfare issue which may be associated with the use
Photosensitization (also known as photodermatitis) is light-induced inflammation of the skin (dermatitis) caused by a heightened sensitivity of the skin to sunlight. This condition is non-contagious and often looks like
Photosensitivity in horses…Lucerne (alfalfa), clover and other potential contributors Read More »
Here in the Southern Hemisphere, we’re currently in summer. Which means in many regions the weather is hot and/or humid. This in turn affects the nutrient requirements of our horses.
Salt: Too little or too much? Read More »
With breeding season now underway in the Southern Hemisphere, stallion fertility is an area of focus.
Stress and stallion fertility Read More »
Did you know that when a foal is born, it weighs approximately 10% of its mature body weight? This can vary however from about 7% of mature weight in draft
Foal feeding habits and growth Read More »
Background: Lymphocytic-plasmacytic enterocolitis (LPE) is a rare, poorly understood form of infiltrative intestinal disease in horses, with a generally grave prognosis. Corticosteroids are the drugs most commonly used in treatment,
We commonly hear of ‘viral infections’ being blamed for a horse’s poor performance, recovery, lethargy or general lacklustre health. The horse who doesn’t look a picture of health; is not
Post Viral Syndromes in Equines Read More »
With our attention on the breeding season, looking at ways we can increase stallion fertility parameters and resulting pregnancy rates in broodmares is of immense value. Whilst we are always
Omeprazole and Stallion Fertility Read More »
Probiotics for horses is something which is continuing to become more popular. Many feed and supplement companies are now adding probiotics to their formulations. Plenty of horse people feed their
Probiotics for horses Read More »
Eating manure (also known as coprophagy), is a common, yet transient phenomenon in foals. Coprophagy is thought to potentially offer multiple health benefits in foals. It is far less common
Help! Why is my horse eating manure? Read More »
Up to 40% of diarrhoea cases in foals are due to Rotavirus infection. Other common causes of diarrhoea in foals include Foal Heat Scours. In addition to compromising the health,
Diarrhoea in Foals Read More »
When thinking about nutrition for hoof health, biotin gets a lot of attention. Supplemented in appropriate amounts, biotin may help to improve hoof wall integrity. Conflicting evidence exists as to
Hoof Health: Beyond Biotin Read More »
Here in the Southern Hemisphere, we’re enjoying warmer weather and competition season in various disciplines is in full swing. As a result, it is commonplace to see horses and ponies
To ice or not to ice? Read More »
Across a variety of equestrian disciplines, longeing horses and ponies is a common practice. It may be used to start a young horse under saddle; contribute to developing or maintaining
Longeing Horses and Joint Health: A Helpful or Harmful Practice? Read More »
At the time of writing this article, it is World Antimicrobial Awareness Week: an important week not only in terms of equine, animal and human health, but also in helping
Antimicrobial Resistance Read More »
Here in the Southern Hemisphere, the weather is warming up, daylight hours are getting longer, show season is in full swing, and eventing, dressage, showjumping and polocrosse events are underway.
Spring, Summer and More Riding! Read More »
What we feed our horses and how we feed them are crucial to their health. Diet and nutrition are known to play an important role in our horse’s gastrointestinal (GI),
Grain Free Feeds….What does this mean, and do our horses really need these feeds? Read More »
We all love a stallion looking strong, healthy and well. Yet it is all too easy for this vision of how we want a stallion to look to adversely impact
How does your stallion’s body condition influence his fertility rate and libido? Read More »
We commonly read or hear that when introducing a new feed into our horses’ and ponies’ diets that we should make the change slowly. But why is this? And is
Why is it important to make dietary changes slowly in horses and ponies? Read More »
There are many possible factors believed to contribute to foals being born with contracted or lax tendons (congenital flexural limb deformities). These include intrauterine positioning, ingestion of certain toxins by
When we transition from winter into spring or from summer into autumn/fall weather, we can suddenly find that our horses have increasing amounts of green grass to graze. With plenty
Grass, Hay, Fibre and Short Chain Fatty Acids Read More »
The use of NSAIDs can have a negative impact on a mare’s reproductive activity. A study published in 2015 found that both phenylbutazone (bute/PBZ) and meloxicam (Metacam) interfered with pre-ovulatory
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) and ovulation in the broodmare Read More »
When we talk about stress in equines, we often think of those horses and ponies that never settle, constantly spook, pace the fence line in the paddock, or sweat up
Whether you’re somewhere in the world currently enjoying warmer weather, or contrastingly, at the other end of the spectrum and starting to experience cooler conditions, salt is a crucial part
The Importance of Salt for Horses and Ponies Read More »
Our horses and ponies have many natural ways to help them keep warm in cold weather. One of these ways is increasing their metabolic rate. Read more about this at:
Why do horses and ponies turn their backs to the cold during inclement weather? Read More »
Our horses and ponies have many natural and effective ways to help them keep warm during cold weather. One of these mechanisms is to increase their metabolic rate (and in
Feeding Horses and Ponies in Cold Weather Read More »
As we transition from early autumn/fall and get closer to winter, the conversations around when to start rugging/blanketing and what rug(s) to put on your horse or pony are commonplace.
Colic is the leading reported cause of death in horses. Various types of colic can occur in equines including: spasm in the colon; gas build up; intestinal obstructions (blockages); or
Colic in Horses and Ponies Read More »
Among the many breeds and types of horses available to riders, off the track thoroughbreds (OTTB) are a highly popular choice of mount. And for a very good reason! Their
An Introduction to Off The Track Thoroughbreds (OTTB) Read More »
Equine Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) describes a group of diseases affecting the mucosa and submucosa of the intestinal wall. It is characterised by the abnormal infiltration of inflammatory cells in
Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the horse. Is GLUTEN a culprit? Read More »
How often do we stop to consider the unique role of the horse’s neuroanatomy? The structure of a horse’s brain is very different to that of a human, and to
Training a Horse’s Brain Read More »
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
HELP! My horse won’t put on body condition Read More »
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,
Why Does My Horse Chew Wood? Read More »
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 »
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 »
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
Injury and Pain in our Horses and Ponies Read More »
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
Seasonal changes in hoof growth rate and shape Read More »
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 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 »
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
Vitamin B12 for Horses Read More »
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 »
