How does travelling/relocating a broodmare prior to foaling influence a foal’s immune system? In the lead up to and during breeding season, many pregnant mares are relocated to different properties […]
Relocating/travelling mares prior to foaling Read More »
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 »
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
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 »
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 »
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 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
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
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 »
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 »
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 »
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
Bad Breath in Horses Read More »
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 »
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,
The Importance of Protein Read More »
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 »
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
Soy: The Good, Bad and Confusing! Read More »
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).
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 »
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
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 Mare Behaviour Read More »
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
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
Placentitis: Think about it Read More »
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
Mare Body Condition: Osteochondrosis Risk in Offspring Read More »
Corticosteroids, more specifically glucocorticoids, are a group of potent anti-inflammatory and
immunosuppressive drugs that are frequently used in horses.
Corticosteroids. STOP and THINK! Read More »
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;
Selenium: Deficiency (& Toxicity) in the Equine Read More »
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
Nutrient Requirements for Horses: Fortified Feeds and the need for Supplementation Read More »
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
Regumate / Altrenogest and Difficult Mares & Fillies: What Are The Alternatives? Read More »
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
When Supplements actually make the problem worse Read More »
‘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
Foal Heat Scours and Diarrhoea Read More »
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
Horse Dental Health and Systemic Inflammation Read More »
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
Bacterial Endometritis: Bacteria and Biofilms Read More »
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?
Fillies, Mares, Hormones and Performance Read More »
