Severe heat stroke can lead to collapse, renal failure, muscle damage, liver damage and laminitis and can be fatal if not treated immediately. Can extreme heat cause laminitis? Problems Heating Up And the worst condition is hot and humid. When temperatures and humidity increase, they may reach the very temperature Read more…
Relaxing the Tense Horse Under Saddle. Ask the horse to yield to the leg on one side, then the other. Ask the horse to enlarge on a circle, relaxing the neck and jaw on that side. Ride with normal contact for a few strides, release slightly for the same number Read more…
The hoof fungus can be found growing as a bracket on the trunks of birch trees, and occasionally on other trees. How is horse hoof fungus processed? It can be either used simply dried and fluffed up or prepared into a material known as Amadou by a process of boiling, Read more…
Bone spavin is degenerative, non-septic arthritis of the smaller hock joints. It is more often seen in older horses and ponies and is a common cause of hindlimb hock. The lameness can range from mild stiffness with toe dragging to quite severe. It may affect one or both hind limbs. Read more…
Churchill Downs Inc., the parent company that operates the Derby, has banned the use of horse racing’s most addictive drug, Lasix. The diuretic, often misused to enhance performance, makes horses run faster by shedding up to 50 pounds of their water weight just before the race. Are Kentucky Derby horses Read more…
Medina Spirit was stripped of the victory in last year’s Kentucky Derby and Mandaloun was declared the winner after a ruling by state racing stewards on Monday. The since-deceased Medina Spirit tested positive after the race last May for a steroid, betamethasone, that is legal in Kentucky but banned on Read more…
Causes of Bone Spavin in Horses Conformational defects that affect the lower hind legs, such tarsus valgus and sickle-hind legs, can lead to bone spavins. Poor trimming or shoeing can force the equine feet into an unnatural conformation, leading to bone spavins in horses with good natural conformation. What causes Read more…
Once the hocks are completely fused the joint is no longer painful and will no longer require joint injections to manage the pain. In addition, the two lower joints account for very little of the hock’s movement. In most instances, a fused lower hock does not affect the movement or Read more…
Scalping: smacking the coronary band of a hind hoof with the toe of a forefoot as it breaks over. Speedy-cutting: knocking the inside of the hind leg high above the fetlock joint. What is scalping used for? Scalping is a trading style that specializes in profiting off of small price Read more…
Limits on activity, adequate rest and the use of ice packs may reduce acute mild inflammation and swelling. For more severe, established cases of bone spavin, analgesics, anti-inflammatory medications, exercise management and even surgery may be required. Can a horse recover from a bone spavin? Many horses suffering from bone Read more…