Why Broodmare Body Condition Matters

It’s common practice to maintain broodmares in what is considered “good condition.” In reality, this often means mares are kept overweight, based on the belief that heavier mares are more fertile.

But research and field experience suggest otherwise. Excess body fat in broodmares is associated with an increased risk of developmental orthopaedic disease (DOD) in their offspring, including:

• Osteochondrosis (OC)
• Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD)
• Angular limb deformities
• Flexural limb deformities

These conditions can significantly impact sale value, veterinary expenses, training timelines, and long-term soundness and performance outcomes.

The Hidden Problem: “Good Doers” & Nutritional Imbalance

When it comes to health and nutrition of broodmares, some of the most common issues I see in practice are:

• Misjudged body condition
• Underestimated nutrient requirements
• Over-reliance on pasture alone as a sole or primary feed source
• Haphazard or uninformed supplement use
• Feeding based solely on body weight and condition, not nutrient requirements

This is especially true for “good doing” mares. In an effort to control weight, many broodmares are not feed sufficient quantities of a suitably fortified feed or mineral balancer, meaning they:

• Lack key minerals needed for fertility, immune function and foetal growth and development (e.g. copper, zinc, calcium, magnesium, selenium, iodine)
• Receive inadequate micronutrient support
• May not consume sufficient amounts of essential amino acids such as lysine
• Still consume excess energy

This results is a mare that is overweight but undernourished. The implications of these don’t just impact her immediate health, but reproductive outcomes.

At the same time, supplemental feed, vitamin or minerals are often added without a clear understanding of:

• What the mare actually requires
• How her nutrient needs change from preconception, during the different stages of pregnancy, through to lactation
• Correct dosages
• How nutrients interact
• How any medications the mare may be receiving impact nutrient requirements 
• What is already being supplied through pasture and current diet

This can lead to:

• Nutrient imbalances
• Shortfalls in key nutrients required for optimal reproductive health and sound orthopaedic development of the mare’s offspring
• Excesses of nutrients that interfere with absorption of other minerals
• A false sense of “covering all bases”

More supplements generally don’t equate to better nutrition: precision matters. And when it comes to the healthy development of young horses, this is an area which you cannot afford to overlook.

Nutrition & Orthopaedic Development Are Linked

When managing DOD risk in young horses, nutrition and body condition cannot be separated.

All of the following may increase DOD risk:

• Overfeeding energy
• Poor gut microbial health (in both the mare and/or foal)
• Underfeeding essential nutrients
• Feeding certain minerals in excess
• Mineral imbalances
• Inconsistent feeding practices
• Sudden changes in feed
• Feeding in ways that promote high insulin levels

A foal’s orthopaedic health doesn’t start at birth: it starts with how the mare is managed before conception and throughout pregnancy.

The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong

Many developmental issues don’t appear immediately. Instead, they show up later as:

• Swelling, stiffness, lameness (sometimes only subtly)
• Radiograph (x-ray) findings
• Inconsistent performance
• Reduced athletic potential

By that point, the financial and reputational costs are significantly higher.

How to Get It Right

Optimising broodmare nutrition isn’t about feeding less or more, it’s about feeding in a way that promotes health and fertility in the broodmare and sound orthopaedic development in her offspring.

That means:

• Maintaining an appropriate body condition score (not overweight)
• Providing balanced minerals and trace elements in forms which the mare can readily digest, absorb and metabolise
• Adjusting feeding based on pasture, environmental conditions, and reproductive stage
• Ensuring energy (calorie) intake is appropriate given the mare’s unique requirements
• Taking a mare’s reproductive history into account and addressing specific nutrient requirements in relation to this
• Monitoring condition consistently and objectively
• Assessing and addressing the nutritional and metabolic impact of any medications a mare may be receiving 
• Feeding to promote optimal gastrointestinal health

Need Help Assessing Your Broodmare Program?

If you’re unsure:

• Where your mare’s body condition currently sits
• Whether her diet is properly balanced
• Specific nutritional requirements of your broodmare
• How to reduce DOD risk in your youngstock
• Why you mare may struggle with fertility or reproductive challenges, despite extensive veterinary intervention

Now is the time to address it, before small issues become expensive problems.

I work with breeders to optimise broodmare nutrition and management, supporting both fertility and the long-term soundness of their youngstock.

If you’d like a clearer understanding of where your mares currently sit and how to improve outcomes heading into the breeding season, feel free to get in touch.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

With plenty of fresh pasture available, it can be tempting to stop feeding or reduce the amount of hay we give our horses. Yet if we want them to have good gastrointestinal (GI) ‘gut’ health, then keeping feeding sufficient hay to them is a must! To learn more about the important role of hay in the diet, visit the article: Hay, Stomach (Gastric) & Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers.

Green grass is predominantly water and as a result, is low in dry matter fibre. Dry matter fibre is incredibly important for our horses and ponies for a multitude of reasons. Dry matter fibre supports the proliferation of and helps to maintain a healthy GI microflora population. To read more about fibre, see Fibre, Chewing and Gastrointestinal Health.

Dry matter fibre is also needed for the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) also known as volatile fatty acids (VFAs). Short-chain fatty acids are predominantly produced by the fermentation of fibre by the GI microbiome.

These SCFAs have many health benefits, including significant anti-inflammatory and immune-regulating properties. Furthermore, they help to promote the production of specific neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) which help our horses to be calm and relaxed. They have also been shown to help decrease fat accumulation and improve insulin sensitivity (an important consideration with insulin resistance, laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)). 

From a direct gut health standpoint, SCFAs play a crucial role to help promote proper GI barrier function- thereby helping to protect against the development of gastric and colonic ulcers. To read more about ulcers, see articles: Hindgut (Colonic) Ulcers in Horses and Ponies; and Ulcers in Horses: The importance of understanding how medications work.

Sometimes the simplest things can make the most profound difference in helping the overall health of our horses and ponies. Adequate fibre is one important dietary measure we can put in place to help promote calm behaviour in our horses, support sound bone and joint health, reduce inflammation, and reduce the risk of laminitis, insulin resistance and EMS.

Prefer listening to podcasts or watching webinars to learn more about gut health, ulcers, immune health and other equine health conditions? Be sure to visit our Media page for plenty of informative recordings.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

To use a similar analogy, it can be helpful to think of commercial breakfast cereals. Take for example, Coco Pops or Nutrigrain. Both these kinds of cereal are enriched with certain vitamins and minerals which are essential to good health. Marketing of these cereals promotes this fact. But vitamins and minerals alone don’t necessarily make a particular food a good choice. They are only part of the equation. These cereals aren’t marketed as being high in sugar, or devoid of essential and health-promoting nutrients such as fibre. In reality, these cereals are low in nutritive value, yet clever marketing can have us believe that these are nutritious choices.

Some commercial broodmare feeds can be similar in that they are fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, with not a great composition of the feed overall. Many feeds designed for broodmares can be high in starch and/or energy, which can contribute to undesirable levels of particular hormones in a mare. These in turn affect the growth and health of the developing foetus. We also know that these hormones, in addition to a mare’s body condition influence her offspring’s risk of orthopaedic lesions such osteochondritis dissecans (OCD). It is common for many broodmares to be overfed and/or overweight which compounds the problem.

How we feed a mare and the body condition we maintain her in pre-conception and during pregnancy have a profound effect on the musculoskeletal development and soundness of her offspring. This influence extends well past the period of birth and weaning, affecting the growing young horse. To only focus on OCD lesions during routine or pre-sale radiographic screening as weanlings or yearlings is like trying to close the gate after the horse has bolted.

Whilst surgery can be effective, and diet and risk factors in young growing horses can be modified, missing the opportunity to set foundations right pre-birth can be expensive, time-consuming and heart-breaking.

It’s worth stopping to have a good look at the ingredients in your stud mix/broodmare feed, looking beyond the marketing claims. There’s much more than vitamins and minerals alone required to promote a healthy pregnancy and the development of a mare’s offspring.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Research has clearly demonstrated that weaning is a stressful period in a foal’s life. From a biochemical perspective, this results in the stress hormone cortisol being produced at very high levels.

Stress (and in turn high cortisol levels) affect the horse’s immune system in many different ways. It commonly reduces the body’s ability to mount or maintain an effective immune response and immunity. The high levels of cortisol may decrease the production of specialised cells of the immune system and reduce the appropriate response of the immune system to the vaccine. This results in a less effective response to vaccination and less protection from what we’re trying to vaccinate the foal against. In some horses, this can result in ‘vaccination breakthroughs’ where the horse still gets the disease despite being vaccinated for it.

As a general rule, timing vaccinations at least 2-4 weeks away from the time of being weaned may help the horse to have the most effective response to vaccination and reduce the likelihood of vaccination breakthroughs. 

The use of appropriately prescribed specific nutritional supplements and herbal medicines around the time of weaning and vaccination can be invaluable. Key pathways can be targeted to help modulate the stress response and support optimal immune response to vaccination.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Selenium is a nutrient which has a relatively low safe upper limit range. High intakes (through diet and/or supplementation) can result in toxicity and even death in severe cases.

Many parts of the world have soils that are notoriously deficient in selenium- and thus the pastures and feeds grown for horses in them are also low in selenium. This has led to selenium being a commonly added mineral to horse feeds and many supplements.

Selenium comes in two main forms: organic and inorganic. Organic selenium has been demonstrated to have superior absorption, tissue uptake and ability to enhance antioxidant status compared to inorganic selenium. This is attributed to selenomethionine, the effective organic part of organic selenium.

One of the most popular sources of selenium used in horse feeds and supplements is selenium yeast (produced by them is the micro-organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Although selenium yeast contains high levels of organic selenium, not all of it is in the form of selenomethionine. Research has demonstrated that there are significant limitations in using selenium yeast to help achieve good selenium uptake and stores in the body. Although the product should in theory contain a certain amount of organic selenium on paper, the actual amount of organic selenium in the form of selenomethionine provided by selenium-containing yeast is often far less. A large percentage of the selenium provided by selenium-containing yeast is in a poorly absorbed inorganic form. This means that your horse is potentially utilising much less selenium than what is written on the label and may well be falling short of their requirements. Not all feeds and supplements use this form of selenium- so it is incredibly valuable to ascertain not only the amount of selenium in a product but also the form it is in. Seemingly minor details in feed and supplement formulations can have profound influences on our horse’s health and wellbeing.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Exercise (or lack thereof) SIGNIFICANTLY influences bone strength and density in the horse. For horses turned out in paddocks where they are free to move about, bone gets the opportunity to strengthen and increase in mass- due to the natural loading that occurs through daily movement.

Research has clearly indicated that young horses kept in stables/stalls have a significant reduction in bone mass- even when they are walked for an hour a day. Most sales yearlings undergo a prep where they are stabled for anywhere from 8-12 weeks. In many of these cases, turnout is restricted to small yards. Some facilities have no turnout for yearlings during this time. This immobility results in significantly decreased bone mass and strength at a time when horses should naturally be developing significant increases in bone mass.

So what can we do to improve this? For yearlings in sales prep, maximising paddock turnout time (where facilities allow) is one of the best ways to help. For the recently purchased yearling, turning them out for at least 8-12 weeks prior to commencing breaking allows bone density to increase. This is important, as in many breaking setups, horses will spend significant time stabled and/or in small yards and do relatively little ridden work, again resulting in reduced bone density. Having 2-3 months between the two periods gives bones a better chance to improve in mass, rather than continuing to decrease in density.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

What is Protein?

Protein is a crucial macronutrient in a horse’s diet and is comprised of long chains of building blocks called amino acids. There are 21 amino acids. The specific order and combination of amino acids determines the structure and function of each protein. Insufficient dietary intake of specific amino acids limits the production of key proteins essential in our horse’s bodies. For more in-depth information on protein quality see the article: Soy: The Good, Bad and Confusing.

Protein is Needed for Growth, Maintenance and Repair of Tissue

We commonly only think of this as important when we are trying to increase muscle mass in a horse. For instance, building top-line on our ridden horse, or conditioning a thoroughbred yearling for sale. Yet protein is absolutely essential for normal growth and development of the young horse, and recovery from riding and training in active horses. Insufficient protein in the diet can therefore increase risk of illness and injury in our horses. Times of illness and injury also increase protein requirements in order to help recover from the illness or heal from the injury. Providing insufficient protein to a sick or injured horse during their recovery can significantly delay and/or impair their healing and adversely impact their future athletic potential.

Protein Facilitates Biochemical Reactions

Enzymes are a specific type of protein that aid in the normal biochemical reactions that take place in a horse. Specific enzymes are needed to facilitate proper digestion (therefore helping to promote optimal gut health and utilisation of feed); energy production (helping a horse to perform); normal metabolism (helping to regulate weight and temperature in a horse); blood clotting; and muscle contraction. Insufficient protein in the diet can lead to digestive problems- a critical consideration given the heightened focus on gastrointestinal (GI) health. A common mistake is to restrict protein intake in the overweight horse: this can further slow metabolism (compounding the problem) and compromise overall health.

Protein is Required for Proper Communication in the Body

Hormones are chemical messengers that aid in communication between a horse’s cells, tissues and organs. They are needed for everything from normal growth, metabolism, reproductive function and digestion. Amino acids are also an important component of neurotransmitters: the chemical messengers which play a crucial role in a horse’s mood, temperament, learning and behaviour.

Protein Provides Structure

Different types of protein are essential for the formation of healthy bones, tendons, ligaments, muscles, skin and hooves. Depending on the type of protein, they aid in providing structure, strength, elasticity and rigidity to specific tissues. Insufficient protein in the diet can make a horse more susceptible to injury to muscles, tendons, bones and ligaments. They may also have poor skin and/or hoof quality.

Protein Helps to Maintain pH Balance in the Body

Proteins act as a buffer system, helping a horse’s body to maintain proper pH values of the blood and other bodily fluids.

Protein Helps to Balance Body Fluid Levels

Albumin and globulin are two important proteins found in a horse’s blood. They help to maintain the body’s fluid balance by attracting and retaining water. If a horse’s diet has consistently has low quantities of quality protein, the levels of albumin and globulin eventually decrease. This can result in swelling or oedema as these proteins can no longer keep blood in the blood vessels, forcing the fluid into the spaces between cells. The irony is that protein is often blamed for causing swelling in horses- with the reverse often being the cause!

Protein is Needed for a Healthy Immune System

Protein is absolutely essential for white blood cell production and the formation of immunoglobulins (antibodies) needed to fight infection in our horses. Insufficient protein in the diet can leave a horse more susceptible to bacterial, viral and fungal infections.

Protein Aids in the Transportation and Storage of Nutrients

Transport proteins carry substances in our horse’s blood streams- into, out of and within cells. The substances transported by these proteins include nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, blood sugar, cholesterol and oxygen. Whilst we often think of iron as being a key driver in helping oxygen delivery to the body’s tissues, protein plays a paramount role- yet is often overlooked. Specific proteins also have a storage role: ferritin is a storage protein that stores iron.

Problems with Excessive Protein: Myths or Facts?

So now we can see that protein is absolutely vital in keeping our horses healthy, yet is there a downside to this nutrient? And can we feed too much? Like most things, the answer is relative to the situation and the individual horse.

Excess Protein

To overly simplify, horses are unable to store excess protein that they consume in their diet for later use. The metabolism of excess protein increases levels of nitrogen end-products, such as ammonia and urea. A diet containing excess protein will increase the horse’s water requirements and urine output as the ammonia and urea are flushed out of the body. If a horse is kept out at pasture, is only in light work and has free access to plenty of fresh water, this generally isn’t a problem. It is an issue however where horses are stabled. Exposure to this strong urine can cause lung irritation and other respiratory problems. Extra urination means extra wet bedding, which equates to more mucking out.

Metabolism of Protein Produces Heat

Protein digestion and metabolism is a heat generating process. A horse that is on a high protein diet that is burning a lot of protein as an energy source will sweat more to help get rid of the heat. It is important to remember that the body has a preference for using carbohydrates and fats over protein as an energy source, and will only use protein as a significant energy source when these other two nutrients don’t meet their requirements. Protein fed in appropriate amounts to meet a horse’s needs will not contribute greatly to heat production or sweating. Feeding excessive amounts of protein however, particularly to horses in hot and humid climates, or those undertaking moderate to heavy work, can contribute to dehydration and heat stress.

Protein Causes Poor Behaviour/ Hot Horses: MYTH

Protein is often blamed for making horses ‘hot’, nervy or spooky. This is turn can cause some owners to avoid including quality sources of protein in their horse’s diet. Protein has not been shown to cause behavioural issues in horses. Diets which are high in energy and excessive to a horse’s energy needs which are also high in protein can contribute to a horse being hyperactive or silly. The problem here is the overall energy intake, not the protein!

Kidney and/or Liver Damage: MYTH

In healthy horses, high protein diets have not been demonstrated to cause kidney and/or liver damage. In horses that have pre-existing liver or kidney problems, then protein intake may need to be restricted- ensuring that intake is still sufficient to meet a horse’s daily requirements but does not exceed them.

Take Home Message

As a general rule, I see far more horses in clinical practice with insufficient protein intakes compared to those with excessive protein intakes. Insufficient protein in the diet may leave a horse more susceptible to illness and/or injury and delay or impair their recovery. Including adequate, quality protein in the diets of our horses is absolutely essential in order for them to be healthy, perform and recover at their best.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Managing energy intake is certainly a critical strategy in successfully preventing and/or managing these conditions in our horses. It’s important to remember that there are numerous other highly influential factors on body weight, body composition and metabolism. These include exercise and activity levels, various hormonal levels, the effects of specific medications a horse may be on, and specific vitamin, mineral and other nutrient levels.

One of the most fascinating, yet less appreciated influences on a horse’s metabolic rate and body composition are the types and balances of bacteria that reside in their hindgut. Specific types of bacteria in a horse’s hind gut produce short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) also known as volatile fatty acids (VFAs) through a process of fermentation. Short chain fatty acids help to reduce the development and accumulation of fat cells, promote the breakdown of fats and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines (thereby reducing inflammation). Short chain fatty acids may help to reduce body weight and improve insulin sensitivity- extremely important factors in managing the overweight horse and preventing further complications.

These bacteria need plenty of fibre to survive and thrive. This is one of the many reasons why starvation diets for overweight horses are not suitable. Severely restricting an overweight horse’s fibre intake often compounds the metabolic problems.

In order to successfully manage the overweight horse or pony (or prevent at risk equines from becoming overweight) we need to address all the contributing factors which influence their metabolism. Whilst energy (feed) intake is one of these components, the type of feed is just as important. Appropriately addressing activity levels, specific nutritional components and promoting optimal hindgut microflora are paramount.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

It is well understood that performance and racehorses are subject to significant amounts of stress. This stress in and of itself can result in sub-optimal or poor performance in our horses. Performance aside, prolonged stress has a myriad of flow on effects to the overall health of our horses: it can compromise the wellbeing and function of the gastrointestinal system, the immune system, and the production and function of neurotransmitters (the brain chemicals influencing temperament and behaviour).

What is easily forgotten is that stress affecting our horse’s performance and well being does not necessarily have to originate from sources associated with training or the competitive event. Read that sentence again.

Performance and racehorses are exposed to a range of stressors most of which relate to the way they are kept, fed and managed (this is largely dictated by training regimes, available facilities or convenience). These are stressful because they affect the behavioural needs of the horse as a species.

Behavioural needs are species-specific highly motivated behaviours that are performed by an animal and more often than not have a functional role. The horse has some physiological ‘need’ to perform the behaviour. Foraging (grazing) is a primary example of this. In a natural environment, forage is generally available ad lib with a horse spending up to 70% of its day eating! For horses, the reduction of eating time to two meals per day can meet the nutritional requirements of the animal, but is unlikely to meet the horse’s behavioural need to forage. In the competition horse, restriction of behavioural needs induces a chronic stress response which will subsequently prevent optimal individual performance. It also has a significant flow on effect to gastrointestinal (gut) and immune health.

Some of the most basic feeding and management practices have the most profound influence on our horse’s health and performance. It can be easy to rush in and add the latest fad supplement to our horse’s feed to try and remedy a stressed horse or poorly performing horse, but it is more valuable to ask ourselves:

• What are some of the less obvious sources of stress in our horses?
• What are some of the dietary and management changes we can make for true lasting benefit?

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

For the purpose of this article, we will focus on IA: where the solution is injected directly into the joint itself. In this category of joint injections, there are several types of substances which are commonly injected into the joint: hyaluronic acid (HA); polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG); and corticosteroids. In many cases, these joint injections are given in conjunction with an antibiotic, most commonly amikacin.

With any IA injection there is risk of harm involved in the procedure. Joint cartilage damage and septic arthritis are serious complications. A common practice is to combine an antibiotic with the medication injected into the joint, with the belief that it may help to prevent infection and subsequent septic arthritis. Yet, the inclusion of antibiotics in joint injections has not been shown to reduce the risk of infection following injection. Furthermore, use of antibiotics in joints is ‘off-label’, with no data currently supporting the doses of antibiotics equine vets use in joints.

Recent research has demonstrated that higher doses of the antibiotic amikacin used in IA injections causes increased levels of inflammation within the joint, in addition to clear evidence of cartilage damage. Of the multiple antibiotics evaluated in the research, amikacin was the most cytotoxic (harmful) to chondrocytes (cartilage cells), rapidly inducing their death. Remember, this is the antibiotic most commonly used in joint injections.

Damage to the joint may be more profound when corticosteroids are the medication used in the joint: research has demonstrated that even a single intra-articular corticosteroid injection can cause irreversible damage to articular cartilage and underlying bone. Combining both IA corticosteroids and amikacin can potentially compound the detrimental effects to joint integrity.

Whilst there may be instances where the use of corticosteroids in the joint are well indicated, we need to stop and ask the question as to why we are injecting the joints in the first place. Routinely injecting joints with medications including corticosteroids and/or amikacin are unlikely to promote long-term soundness in our horses, and indeed may be doing them more harm than good. Using IA joint injections containing corticosteroids and/or antibiotics as a ‘preventative measure’ in horses who are sound and have no joint pathology should be seriously questioned.

Before joints are injected, a comprehensive assessment should be carried out in order to determine reasons for lameness and/or poor performance in the horse. Joint pathology should be thoroughly assessed by the veterinarian. Is joint pain the actual cause of the pain or poor performance in the horse? Feeding factors should be reviewed (is the horse consuming a diet that promotes inflammation)? Are the feeding of accessory nutrients known to promote cartilage, bone and joint health and integrity indicated? And are these being fed in appropriate doses and highly bioavailable forms to the horse? Workload and work surfaces should be assessed: is the horse following an appropriately periodised training program, and are the surfaces being ridden on conducive to soundness? Consideration of the horse’s build and bodyweight should be taken into account: more weight equates to more mechanical stress and wear and tear through a joint. Furthermore, excessive levels of body fat in a horse increase inflammatory mediators, heightening any joint inflammation. Trimming and shoeing practices can significantly influence the force going through a horse’s joints, thus appropriate farriery is an essential component of promoting soundness in the horse.

Joint health is one of the most significant concerns in working horses. Management, exercise, farriery, nutritional and therapeutic factors all play an important role in promoting optimal joint health and soundness in our equines. Serious consideration needs to be given to the use of IA corticosteroids and/or antibiotics as they may significantly compromise cartilage, bone and joint health and integrity in our horses.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

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; lack of forage in the diet; stress we place on our horses; intense exercise; travelling; and the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (for example ‘bute’ and flunix), corticosteroids and/or antibiotics are some of the many factors which increase a horse’s risk of developing EGUS.

Ulcers can also occur in the hindgut (colon), however, treatment approaches tend to differ to that from EGUS and for the purpose of this article, we will focus on EGUS.

The function and health of a horse’s stomach significantly influences that of the rest of its digestive system- often referred to as the gastrointestinal tract (GIT).

Ulcer medications are sold under many different trade names, but generally contain one of two main drugs. The gold standard pharmaceutical for treating gastric ulcers is the drug called Omeprazole. This medication belongs to a class of drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). Omeprazole is available in both oral and injectable forms. The other less commonly used medication is Ranitidine. Ranitidine belongs to a class of drugs known as Histamine (H2) Receptor Antagonists.

Although slightly different in their mechanisms of action, both omeprazole and ranitidine result in the prevention/significant reduction of hydrochloric acid production (HCl). This however, is where the problem begins. Hydrochloric acid is an essential and normal component of a horse’s digestive system. It also plays a key role in immune function. 

Hydrochloric acid acts as a barrier against foreign microorganisms and helps prevent infection.

Hydrochloric acid is a key component to help horses breakdown, digest, absorb and utilise their feed, and hence many of the nutrients contained within it.

When HCl production is suppressed, the proper absorption of many key minerals such as calcium, magnesium and iron is inhibited. This in turn can have significant consequences in terms of bone/skeletal health, immune health, energy production, fertility, etc.

The pH of a horse’s digestive tract naturally varies depending on the region of the GIT. The production of HCl is key in controlling the pH in the horse’s stomach. Altering the pH in the stomach subsequently alters pH throughout the rest of the digestive tract. Changes in these normal/natural pH levels for horses influences the community of microbes (bacteria, protozoa, archaea and fungi) that inhabit a horse’s digestive system. Like humans, there are microbes which are beneficial and healthy for horses, and there are also those that are not. When we start interfering with the natural pH of a horse’s digestive tract by shutting down HCl production, we start to create an uninhabitable environment for these beneficial microbes. The result? Commonly an overgrowth of undesirable bacteria, fungi and protozoa. 

The consequences of these changes extend beyond the digestive system. Fine balances in these microbes have significant impacts upon a horse’s overall health, metabolism, ability to digest, absorb and utilise their food and immune function.

In terms of immune function, shutting down HCl production is a double whammy: the horse loses its first line of immune defence from the direct action of HCl in the stomach (helping to counter ingested pathogens), in addition to the changes in microflora further down the digestive tract. Research suggests that approximately 70% of immune function is attributed to the role of specific cells of the GIT and the microbes which inhabit it. Thus adverse changes in the microbial population and balance can result in significantly impaired immune function.

Healthy bacteria further down the GIT are also vital to synthesise B group vitamins (including biotin). Hence it is no coincidence that horses with compromised gut health often have poor hoof quality. B group vitamins play vital roles systemically in our equines: they are required for energy production and proper metabolic function; reproductive function and neurotransmitter production and function (natural chemical substances produced in our horse’s bodies).

In terms of neurotransmitter production and function, again ulcer medications can have a wide ranging effect. Undesirable changes in microbes throughout the digestive tract directly influence the production and function of neurotransmitters (chemicals which influence temperament, behaviour, motor control, pain perception and learning in horses). It is thought that 60-95% of neurotransmitters are produced by microbes of the GIT. This may in part explain why you can still have a cranky, irritable, spooky horse despite extensive treatment for ulcers. Neurotransmitters also play a key role in influencing sensitivity and motility of the GIT. Ever had a horse prone to colic that is routinely on ulcer medication?

Unfavourable changes in GIT microflora are also known to heighten systemic inflammation in the body. Thus any inflammatory condition (including: sesamoiditis; arthritis; inflammatory bowel disease, placentitis, desmitis, laminitis) are potentially exacerbated by adverse changes in GIT microflora.

When it comes to fertility and reproductive function, the use of omeprazole needs to be considered. In stallions, omeprazole use may result in impaired sperm quality, abnormal sperm morphology, reduced sperm motility and reduced sperm count. Omeprazole may also cause a reduction in serum testosterone levels. In mares, particularly those with chronic recurrent infections and biofilms-their ability to colonise their reproductive tract with beneficial microflora may be hampered by the use of ulcer medications.

The effective prevention of gastric ulcers requires an holistic approach that focuses on dietary and management strategies. Through diligent management and qualified prescription, ulcers can be treated effectively with a combination of nutraceuticals and specific herbal medicines. These should always be prescribed in conjunction with appropriate dietary modification. Use of any medication needs to be judicious- as medications rarely come without side effects. Not only is repeated and/or extensive use of PPIs or H2 receptor antagonists financially expensive, their long-term effects on a horse’s health can be extremely costly.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Spending more time in stables and less time turned out is a significant risk factor, as is feeding diets excessively high in energy (both overall energy and starch), compounded by diets too low in fibre and roughage. High blood insulin levels are likely to play a major role in the progression of the condition. A horse’s natural conformation can also play a part in many cases.If the condition is left unaddressed, without rectifying the contributing factors- the horse is at risk of deleterious effects on cartilage and joint health- with the potential to have repercussions on soundness long-term. Simply giving high dose anti-inflammatories doesn’t address the causative factors.

Through strategic dietary, management and exercise practices, the problem can be largely avoided (and in the case that it has already occurred- can be managed). Addressing the issue should encompass a multifaceted approach: Ensuring that the diet still contains sufficient minerals and protein to promote optimal bone and joint health and integrity, turnout and exercise to help stabilise blood glucose levels and herbal and/or nutraceutical intervention to help reduce excessive inflammation and insulin levels, whilst still promoting optimal gut flora and nutritional status.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

Understandably, much emphasis is placed on the vendor’s side in realising maximal monetary value for their yearlings. From a purchaser’s point of view, finding a top class racehorse is prime priority.

This poses the question…are we creating (and purchasing) resilient racehorses or superficial sales horses?

When producing and purchasing a sales horse, both the vendor and buyer should never lose sight of the bigger picture. In order for even the most impeccably bred and conformed racehorse to realise its full potential, it must be healthy and sound, and remain so when put through the rigours of training and racing. Given the crucial role that management practices from conception through to yearling age (and beyond) have on horses in relation to health and soundness- intelligent vendors and purchasers will keep this in mind.

As bloodstock agents and trainers inspecting yearlings on farms- how much are you considering the routine and the environment the horse is bought up in? How much time is the horse spending (if any) being out in the paddock just being a horse? What feed it is being given? Certainly, when you’re looking at a yearling, assessing its conformation, its walk, its demeanour are all important, but you looking beyond that? As stud owners and yearling managers- you worry about how well the horse is groomed, turned out, presented, walks, how tidy the barn is. Yes these are important, but what is far more important in terms of athletic potential and health and development is the daily routine that goes on behind the scenes…

The astute agent and buyer will look well beyond the horse parading in front of them if they truly want an athletic, resilient horse.

So what impact can a sales prep have on a horse…..

Firstly, lets look at routine stabling of horses for yearling preps. Stabling (and the associated lack of incidental activity, even with the addition of regular handwalking/exercise on the walker), leads to reduction in peak bone strength and development. The lack of continual grazing which would normally occur whilst out in the paddock has significant impacts on gastrointestinal health, in turn influencing immune function, metabolism and behaviour. I’m a realist. Very few studs (if any!) are going to prep sales horses completely out of the paddock. So then consideration needs to be given to next best options. In terms of musculoskeletal health and development and gastrointestinal health, small paddock turnout is definitely far preferable compared to stabling full time. Large paddock turnout with other horses is even better.

Next consider nutrition. Rapid weight (even muscle gain) and the associated spikes in insulin and growth hormone levels are likely to increase a horse’s risk for OCDs and musculoskeletal developmental problems. Having the biggest, strongest horse (with rapid weight gain and growth, whilst in a confined environment, in around a 12 week preparation), does not make for a resilient, healthy athlete long term.

Whilst on the topic of nutrition, the vast majority of diets fed to horses in sales preps are of a pro-inflammatory nature. High fat diets are often used (with many of the belief that they are healthier and help to promote a better behaved horse, being a ‘cool’ source of feed). So often these diets are comprised heavily of omega-6 fatty acids. Which drive inflammation. High levels of inflammation in a young developing horse do not bode well for long-term soundness.

Then how about the consideration of medication use in the sales horse? Routine use of antibiotics, bute and other NSAIDs, ulcer medications all have the potential to influence long term soundness and performance. Each medication has its own specific implications- but put simply, they will all alter the production, absorption, and/or metabolism of various nutrients critical to optimal musculoskeletal health and development, not to mention immune function.

Corticosteroid joint injections which are used in some yearlings throughout their preps are an important consideration. Studies have shown that even a single intra-articular steroid injection can cause irreversible damage to articular cartilage and underlying bone.The reason these are so often used in yearling prep is to reduce puffiness in joints, before even considering or addressing the effects of the horse’s current diet and management on this issue. This includes reducing the inflammatory components of the diet; assessing the diet for excess energy; and looking at ways to reduce time spent standing in stables, which promotes swelling of joints in susceptible horses.

The smart consigners/breeders/managers have it fundamentally right. The astute buyers, trainers and agents have it right. Yet there is always room for improvement and more to learn.

Even changing one or two factors can have a significant positive impact.

The choice is yours. Just because you have always prepped yearlings a certain way, doesn’t mean you can’t change aspects for the better.

When preparing and buying yearlings, keep the long term goal in mind. Are you after an athlete or sales horse? Short term gain or long term success? Because no matter how good the horse looks, how nicely he is conditioned, how well he walks, how impeccably he is bred: If he can’t remain sound and healthy in training, then his odds of return on the track are poor.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

In barn settings, ammonia is produced when the urea in urine hydrolyses (breaks down) through the action of the enzyme urease. Urease is a protein found in bacteria associated with faeces and stable flooring materials that have been fouled with faeces.

Ammonia can cause inflammation and irritation of both the upper and lower airways and can lead to the development of pulmonary oedema. Horses which are stabled have demonstrated more signs of respiratory inflammation than horses turned out at pasture.

Ammonia sets up an inflammatory cascade in the respiratory tract: increasing mucous production; interfering with the action of cilia (microscopic hairs which line the airways and help to prevent dust and debris from going further down the respiratory tract); and adversely affect immune function and health in the horse.

The negative effects of ammonia are further compounded by poor ventilation in the barn, dust and other particulates inhaled by the horse.

The good news is there are many practical strategies which can be employed to help reduce ammonia build-up in the stable:

• Provide excellent barn ventilation and where possible, avoid closing up the barn.
• Ensure stalls are cleaned once or twice daily to remove all urine-soaked bedding. Ensure stalls are stripped at least twice weekly.
• Ensure horses are removed from stalls whilst mucking and cleaning to minimise exposure to ammonia gases that are stirred up with pitching the bedding and raking.
• Use highly absorbent bedding materials.
• Mix an ammonia-neutralising product with clean bedding.
• Provide good drainage in stables and barn aisle ways to facilitate exit of urine. If matting is used in stalls, regularly clean under the mats when possible.
• Open windows where possible.
• As much as possible, keep horses outside or turn them out regularly to offer a clean air environment.

Treating horses with specific therapeutic herbs and nutrients can help to reduce inflammation and mucous production, in addition to supporting immune function. The most effective results are obtained however, when therapeutic intervention is used in conjunction with addressing the causative factors (such as ammonia and environments high in dust and other particulates). If the cause(s) is/are not addressed, then the initiating factor(s) of the irritation remain….

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

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.

This has serious implications in the foal’s growth and development; its potential value in the sales ring; and its future racing and/or performance career.

Strictly cutting or restricting a mare’s energy intake alone is not a healthy solution. To optimise fertility (leading into the season) and to ensure the best health and development of the foal in utero (and later in life), takes a balanced, holistic approach.

Ensure your horses get the OPTIMal start to life. Prevention is better than cure…

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

A vital consideration in bone and joint health is bone density. Bone density refers to the amount of bone mineral in bone tissue and plays a significant factor in bone strength and durability (and hence resistance to injury).

Many factors influence bone density- and many of these factors can be positively or negatively influenced by feeding, management practices and medication use. Put simply, owners and caretakers of horses have the ability to positively or negatively influence the bone density and hence resilience and strength of a horse’s bones….

Sufficient minerals and vitamins in a horse’s diet, in appropriate proportions are important. These include (but are not limited to): calcium, phosphorus, zinc, vitamin D, copper, magnesium, manganese, vitamin K. Appropriate energy availability is also crucial in helping ensure adequate bone development.

Many medications have the ability to negatively influence bone density through various mechanisms: increasing the excretion of key minerals needed for bone structure; altering the gastrointestinal microflora balance (in turn impairing the body’s ability to synthesise some key vitamins needed for bone health); and altering the absorption of essential minerals for bone health.

Keeping horses in stables/box stalls is an often overlooked consideration in regards to bone health. Several studies have documented a substantial decrease in bone mineral content in horses kept in stables/ box stalls.

Think about foals, weanlings and yearlings, confined to stables in order to ‘keep them out of the elements’ or for sales preparations. These horses are going through crucial stages of bone development and laying down bone mass. The practice of keeping them stabled may hamper their ability to be strong, resilient performance horses.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

OC is a disease that causes lesions in the cartilage and bone of growing horses’ joints. It is a result of cartilage failing to properly turn into bone. OCD occurs as a progression of the OC: resulting in the formation of a cartilage flap or osteochondral fragment.

Like many health conditions, there are numerous potential causes and contributing factors to the development of both OC and OCD. One such factor which has been identified to increase the risk of developing osteochondral lesions is restricted turnout of foals. Research has demonstrated that foals (particularly those younger than two months) who are able to exercise freely in a moderate-sized paddock, have a much lower risk of developing osteochondral lesions when compared to foals that are stabled.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Sound management and feeding practices can save a lot of time, heartache, and expense. Getting back to the basics and not overly ‘protecting’ our horses can go a long way to ensuring we have the happiest, healthiest athletes.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.

For topline to be developed – both exercise and diet need to be addressed. Furthermore, the state of a horse’s gastrointestinal (GI) health needs to be such that it can effectively digest, absorb and metabolise the foods and nutrients it is fed to fuel muscle cell growth and repair.

Optim Equine

Camilla Whishaw is a highly regarded, experienced horsewoman and naturopath, helping to holistically treat and manage a broad range of equine health conditions and injuries, with a passion for mare and stallion fertility.

As a world-renowned practitioner, presenter, author, and consultant in the field of Equine Naturopathy, Camilla shares her knowledge through keynote presentations, interviews, lectures, panel sessions, and workshop training.