Stress and stallion fertility
With breeding season now underway in the Southern Hemisphere, stallion fertility is an area of focus.
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Gastrointestinal (Gut) Health
Abstract: Non-pharmaceutical interventions in the successful management of refractory lymphocytic-plasmacytic enterocolitis
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,
Omeprazole and Stallion Fertility
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
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Probiotics for horses
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
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Help! Why is my horse eating manure?
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
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Diarrhoea in Foals
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,
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Hoof Health: Beyond Biotin
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
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Grain Free Feeds….What does this mean, and do our horses really need these feeds?
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),
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Why is it important to make dietary changes slowly in horses and ponies?
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
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Grass, Hay, Fibre and Short Chain Fatty Acids
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
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STRESS: What is stress exactly when it relates to horses? And what do we need to consider?
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
The Importance of Salt for Horses and Ponies
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
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Feeding Horses and Ponies in Cold Weather
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
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Colic in Horses and Ponies
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
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An Introduction to Off The Track Thoroughbreds (OTTB)
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
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Inflammatory Bowel Disease in the horse. Is GLUTEN a culprit?
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
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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
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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,
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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,
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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
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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
Is it Poor Behaviour or is it Pain? Read More »
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.
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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