Metabolic Health

Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work

Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work

Mares and Reproductive Health, Behavioural Issues, Gastrointestinal (Gut) Health, Hoof Health, Immune Health, Metabolic Health, Musculoskeletal Health, Performance Horses, Pharmaceutical Medications, Racehorses, Stallion Fertility & Libido, Yearlings / By / September 15, 2021

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 collectively refers to sores or erosions that develop in portions of the horse’s sensitive stomach lining. EGUS is largely a man-made disease: common feeding practices,  …

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The Overweight Horse: An Holistic Approach

Metabolic Health / By / August 23, 2021

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 which are now overweight and/or obese continues to rise significantly. It is estimated in North America that more than 51% of horses and ponies are …

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An-Holistic-Approach-to-Mare-Behaviour--Optim-Equine

An Holistic Approach to Mare Behaviour

Behavioural Issues, General Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Mares and Reproductive Health, Metabolic Health, Performance Horses, Therapeutic Nutrition/Nutritional Supplements / By / August 24, 2021

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 going over the winter months may have at times started to become irritable, anxious, ‘girthy’, aggressive and painful or sensitive around her flanks. Gait abnormalities …

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Tying-up-Optim-Equine

Tying Up

General Nutrition, Herbal Medicine, Metabolic Health, Musculoskeletal Health, Performance Horses, Racehorses, Therapeutic Nutrition/Nutritional Supplements / By / August 21, 2021

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’ (ER), this syndrome is the most common muscle disorder which affects exercising horses. Clinical signs of ER vary, depending on the severity of the condition. …

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Laminitis How Naturopathy Can Help-Optim-Equine

Laminitis: How Naturopathy Can Help

Gastrointestinal (Gut) Health, General Nutrition, Hoof Health, Laminitis, Metabolic Health, Musculoskeletal Health / By / August 21, 2021

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 150-200 secondary laminae. The laminae connect the hoof wall to the coffin bone and function to provide shock absorption during locomotion, holding the coffin bone …

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Mare-Body-Condition-Osteochondrosis-Risk-in-Offspring-Optim-Equine

Mare Body Condition: Osteochondrosis Risk in Offspring

General Nutrition, Mares and Reproductive Health, Metabolic Health, Musculoskeletal Health, Yearlings / By / August 21, 2021

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 like their mares in ‘very good’ condition leading into breeding season, and that horses can often be more overweight than we perceive them to be. …

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Vitamin D and Rugging: An Important Consideration

General Health/Other, Immune Health, Metabolic Health, Musculoskeletal Health, Therapeutic Nutrition/Nutritional Supplements / By / August 21, 2021

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 its effect on vitamin D synthesis and hence levels of this important vitamin/hormone in the horse. Vitamin D is produced by the horse when their …

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Horse Dental Health and Systemic Inflammation-Optim-Equine

Horse Dental Health and Systemic Inflammation

General Health/Other, Immune Health, Mares and Reproductive Health, Metabolic Health, Musculoskeletal Health, Stallion Fertility & Libido / By / August 21, 2021

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 third of all horses, with statistics much higher in older horses. Human research has clearly linked periodontal disease with systemic inflammatory conditions and illnesses such …

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Vitamin-K-The-role-of-Gut-Health-and-the-Effect-on-Bone-Health-and-Insulin-Resistance

Vitamin K: The role of Gut Health and the Effect on Bone Health and Insulin Resistance

Gastrointestinal (Gut) Health, General Nutrition, Metabolic Health, Musculoskeletal Health, Pharmaceutical Medications, Therapeutic Nutrition/Nutritional Supplements / By / August 21, 2021

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 have sufficient fibre/roughage in the diet and a healthy microbial population and composition in their GIT. Keep in mind that many of the most frequently …

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Salt-An-Essential-Component-of-the-Horse's-Diet-Optim-Equine

Salt: An Essential Component of the Horse’s Diet

General Nutrition, Metabolic Health, Musculoskeletal Health, Therapeutic Nutrition/Nutritional Supplements / By / August 21, 2021

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 horse or pony’s diet, they are most likely falling short of their needs. Although many processed feeds and balancers contain sodium and chloride, they are …

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