Conversely, many horses today are kept in stables for at least some or all of the day and are fed discrete meals. Most commonly, horses receive two meals a day, although some barns with the ability to do so will feed three or more times a day. What should a Read more…
Horses can be on box rest to help an injury heal, or if they are recovering from surgery. Box rest is just as it sounds, a period of rest to allow the horse to heal and recuperate as effectively as possible, without being overly mobile. How long can a horse Read more…
5 Tips to Help Your Horse Survive Box Rest Make changes to his diet slowly. Cut down his carbs. Keep his gut moving. Transition from hay to grass slowly. Add enrichment to his stable. How can I help my horse on box rest? Additional Supportive Care: Horses on box rest Read more…
Passage time may be as short as 15 minutes when the horse is consuming a large meal. If the horse is fasted, it will take 24 hours for the stomach to clear. How long does it take for food to pass through a horses gut? Any of these scenarios may Read more…
The technical term for choking down is dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP). Trainers who say that a horse “swallowed his tongue” or “flipped his palate” are also referring to this misalignment of soft structures in the horse’s throat near the larynx. What does it mean when a horse Read more…
Choke is a relatively common condition that occurs when food or a foreign body blocks the horse’s esophagus (gullet), which is the tube that takes food from the back of the mouth (pharynx) to the stomach. Choke may be partial or complete. What does choked down mean in horse racing? Read more…
If your horse coughs occasionally, there is normally nothing to worry about. This is a perfectly natural way of keeping their airways clean from dust or small debris. Some coughs, however, may be an early sign of an inflammatory condition that deserves prompt action. When is a cough serious for Read more…
Signs of colic If this is the case, it is not necessary to force the horse to walk, as tradition often dictates, although movement may help move the impaction along the tract. If the horse does start rolling violently, however, the horse should be walked until veterinary help arrives. Does Read more…
Treatment involves surgical resection of the lipoma and strangulated bowel, although strangulated intestine is not always non-viable. Studies indicate that approximately 75% of horses are discharged from the hospital following surgical treatment, but the long-term survival (> 6 months) is closer to 50%. What is a strangulated obstruction? Strangulating or Read more…
What treatment is necessary? A choking horse should not be allowed to eat or drink, and should be kept as calm as possible until the obstruction can be cleared. Some chokes resolve without treatment, but in many cases a veterinarian must administer sedatives or muscle relaxants to loosen contractions of Read more…