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,
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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
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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
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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’
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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.
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Bisphosphonates (Tildren & Osphos): Understanding how they work and their role in bone health
Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs which includes both tildronate and clodronate. They were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2014 for controlling clinical signs associated with navicular syndrome in
Are we creating resilient racehorses or superficial sales horses?
It’s now that time of year in the Southern Hemisphere where the yearling sales season is gearing up. Understandably, much emphasis is placed on the vendor’s side in realising maximal
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Placentitis: Think about it
Placentitis. It is the most common cause of late pregnancy loss in mares. It causes many a stud manager and breeder a lot of grief. It costs a lot of
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Fibre, Chewing and Gastrointestinal Health
Forages and fibre rich foods which require much chewing, comprise the base starting point for a diet which promotes health in the horse. Chewing results in the production of saliva.
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The Stabled/Stalled Horse: The Impact of Ammonia and Airway Health
Ammonia- the colourless gas associated with the pungent, eye watering smell when you enter some barns and when you muck out stalls- comes with some profound health effects on the
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Mare Body Condition: Osteochondrosis Risk in Offspring
Recent research has clearly demonstrated that foals born from obese mares are at much greater risk of developing osteochondrotic lesions. This is a very important consideration, given that many people
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Calming Supplements: Use in the Horse
One of the most often talked about and popular types of supplements on the market are those used with the intention of helping to ‘calm’ the horse. The quality of
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Corticosteroids. STOP and THINK!
Corticosteroids, more specifically glucocorticoids, are a group of potent anti-inflammatory and
immunosuppressive drugs that are frequently used in horses.
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Skeletal Injuries: Considering the Role of Bone Density in the Horse
One of the most significant injury concerns for all athletic horses is that involving the bones and joints. Musculoskeletal injuries are the most common cause of poor performance and wastage
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Wind-sucking, Crib-biting, Cribbing: The role of Antioxidants, including Selenium
Wind-sucking/ crib-biting/ cribbing is a compulsive, repetitive behaviour in horses. It is the most prevalent stereotypy in the equine and is characterised by grasping a fixed object with the incisor
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Levothyroxine Use in Performance Horses and Racehorses
Levothyroxine, also known as L-thyroxine or T4, is a synthetic form of the thyroid hormone thyroxine, which is normally secreted by the follicular cells of the thyroid gland.
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Ulcer Medications: The Potential Impact on Stallion Fertility
With stud season rapidly approaching in the Southern Hemisphere, it is important to evaluate factors that influence stallion fertility. Many people are unaware of the potential effects routinely used medications
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Selenium: Deficiency (& Toxicity) in the Equine
An adequate intake (and absorption and metabolism) of selenium is essential for maintaining the overall health of your horse. This mineral plays many essential roles: it acts as an antioxidant;
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Devil’s Claw and Ulcers
Many people are familiar with the terrific anti-inflammatory herb Devil’s Claw. This herb is predominantly used in cases of osteoarthritis and to reduce the inflammation and pain associated with injuries
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Equine Asthma Syndrome
Equine Asthma Syndrome is a term which encompasses both Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD) and Recurrent Airway Obstruction (ROA)
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Vitamin D and Rugging: An Important Consideration
Blanketing/rugging horses is a topic which sparks much debate, primarily due to its influence on weight regulation, metabolic function and thermoregulation in the horse. Yet an often forgotten consideration is
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Garlic: The Suitability and Use in Horses
Many equine owners/managers/riders add garlic to their horse’s ration. This herb has a wide range of potential therapeutic properties, including its actions as a: hypotensive (ability to lower blood pressure);
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Equine asthma & Clenbuterol: The harmful side effects
Equine Asthma (EA) is an umbrella term used to describe respiratory (airway) diseases in horses and ponies. It includes conditions we previously referred to as Inflammatory Airway Disease (IAD), Chronic
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Equine Hospital Nutritional Practices
Nutrition plays a paramount role in keeping horses healthy, with the ability to help prevent or manage specific health conditions. The need for appropriate feeding and nutrition practices becomes even
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Beyond Biotin: Optimising Horse Hoof Health
Every horse person knows the saying ‘no hoof, no horse’, yet so many horse owners, riders and managers struggle with achieving healthy hoof growth and hoof integrity in their equines.
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Nutrient Requirements for Horses: Fortified Feeds and the need for Supplementation
The vast majority of racehorses, performance horses and breeding stock are fed fortified feeds or balancer rations, which are designed to meet the daily nutrient requirements of horses. These nutrient
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Nutrient Synergy: Magnesium and Vitamin D
Magnesium is one of the most commonly self-prescribed nutrients by many horse owners, breeders and riders. This mineral plays an essential role in more than 300 enzymatic reactions within the
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Lignophagia: Why Do Some Horses Chew Wood?
Lignophagia (or chewing wood) is an all-too common behaviour observed in horses. Whilst it can be both practical and tempting to lather stable boards and fence posts with products to
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Naturopathic Principles: Treat the Individual and not the Disease
As an Equine Naturopath, one of the questions I am most commonly asked is ‘what herb is good for X condition’ or what nutrient should I give my horse with
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Regumate / Altrenogest and Difficult Mares & Fillies: What Are The Alternatives?
With the rulings of Regumate/Altrenogest use in racing coming under the spotlight around the globe, now is an opportune time to address nutritional and management factors which can contribute to
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When Supplements actually make the problem worse
Something I see commonly in practice is well meaning owners prescribing supplements to help with a particular health or performance issue in their horse. One of the most commonly misused
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Foal Heat Scours and Diarrhoea
‘Foal Heat Scours’ is one of the most common types of diarrhoea to affect foals. Yet the name is a bit of a misnomer, and often leads to confusion as
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Horse Dental Health and Systemic Inflammation
Periodontal disease (inflammation of the structures that support the tooth -including the gum, periodontal ligaments and the bone within which the tooth sits), is believed to effect at least one
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Why Can such an ‘Average’ Horse Achieve at the ‘Highest” Level?
Good horse people know that in many equestrian disciplines, success depends on an optimal partnership between horse and rider, rather than excellent individuals (either horse or rider alone).There is a
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Bacterial Endometritis: Bacteria and Biofilms
Bacteria in biofilms can readily become resistant to both pharmaceuticals and the host immune system, developing a tolerance to antimicrobial agents, biocides and antiseptics. In fact, research has demonstrated that
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Vitamin K: The role of Gut Health and the Effect on Bone Health and Insulin Resistance
Vitamin K is a most important nutrient, which is derived from bacterial synthesis in the horse’s large intestine. For optimal levels of vitamin K to be produced, the horse must
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Salt: An Essential Component of the Horse’s Diet
Salt is made up of the minerals sodium and chloride and is an essential yet often overlooked/forgotten component of the horse’s diet. If you aren’t providing supplemental salt to your
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Tendon Injuries, Ice and Rehabilitation
Bringing a horse back from a tendon injury to return to full athletic performance takes time, patience and dedication. The speed of repair and renewal of tendon tissue is much
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Osteochondrosis and Osteochondritis Dissecans: Reducing the Risk
Osteochondrosis (OC) and osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) are two of the most common juvenile osteochondral conditions (JOCC). OC is a disease that causes lesions in the cartilage and bone of growing
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What Supplements are best for building Topline?
Topline describes the muscle coverage over the top of the horse’s neck, back and hindquarters. The strength of topline muscles can influence soundness and athletic ability of the horse.Now let’s
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Fillies, Mares, Hormones and Performance
Do you train, own or ride fillies or mares? Have you previously, or do you use altrenogest/Regumate or other synthetic progestin products to ‘control’ their cycles or regulate their behaviour?
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Hoof Rings and Ridges
When observing a horse’s hoof it is common to see minor lines or ridges on the hoof wall. Hoof rings, also called growth rings, occur in healthy hooves and are
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Chamomile: Use in the Horse
Chamomile. It is a very popular herb and valuable medicine when employed correctly. It is also one of a handful of the most commonly used herbs by equestrians- even those
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NSAIDs and Ulcer Medications Together? Think Again
Most horse people are aware that the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs (phenylbutazone, flunixin, firocoxib, etc) compromise gastrointestinal (GI) health in the horse. This comes about through inhibiting several
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Turmeric: Use in the Horse
FEEDING YOUR HORSE TURMERIC?…BE CAREFUL!! Turmeric, it’s the ‘wonder’ natural supplement many horse people have been self-prescribing for their horses. Most commonly used for its anti-inflammatory properties, very few, if
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Aloe Vera and Wound Healing: An Effective Home Remedy Backed by Science
Aloe vera has long been recognised and used in many cultures for aiding in wound healing and treating burns. Much research has supported the beneficial use of the plant in
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