Green eyes occur on horses that are perlino, or cremello type colors. They appear green but might be blue with a gold ring around the outside of the colored area. Do any horses have green eyes? Horses usually have brown or blue eyes. However, brown eyes are far more common. Read more…
Potomac horse fever (PHF), caused by an intracellular rickettsial organism called Neoricketsia ristcii, can affect horses especially during the months of the summer and fall. What is the vector for Potomac Horse Fever? Abstract. Ehrlichia risticii, the agent of Potomac horse fever (PHF), has been recently detected in trematode stages Read more…
lush green pasture. Naturally, horses obtain sufficient amounts of vitamin E through lush green pasture. However, this is not a realistic option for all horse owners. Another option to increase vitamin E levels in a deficient animal is through supplementation. What is a good source of vitamin E for horses? Read more…
Potomac horse fever (PHF) is an acute enterocolitis syndrome producing mild colic, fever, and diarrhea in horses of all ages, as well as abortion in pregnant mares. The causative agent is Neorickettsia risticii. How is Potomac horse fever transmitted? Transmission: Aquatic insects, such as caddisflies, mayflies, damselflies and dragonflies, containing Read more…
An average 1,100-pound (500-kilogram) horse requires a minimum of 400-500 milligrams of Zn in the diet per day. Wheat bran, wheat middlings, and brewer’s grains are good Zn sources. Most forages contain low- to marginal Zn concentration, but fortified commercial concentrates typically contain sufficient amounts. What causes zinc deficiency in Read more…
Wet blankets can chill your horse and foster fungal or bacterial infections of the skin. Instead, hang your blanket out in a warm room or under the sun to dry. If outside is an option, hang the blanket inside out, so its underbelly is exposed. Can horse blankets go in Read more…
Natural infection of neorickettsiosis (Potomac horse fever) has not been reported in the donkey but could be replicated experimentally [18]. What are the common diseases in donkeys? Just like horses, donkeys and mules are also susceptible to infection by important virus such as equine infectious anemia (EIA), the eastern, western Read more…
Each horse should shed on a consistent schedule each year; even though that timeframe may be different for each horse. Individual horses will also shed their winter coat in the same pattern each year (i.e., shedding from their necks first and then along their flanks). Why isn’t my horse shedding? Read more…
Capped joints are fluid filled swellings which occur over the dorsal surfaces of the carpi, points of the elbows or plantar surfaces of the hocks. Can you ride a horse with capped hocks? An uncomplicated capped hock is considered to be only a cosmetic problem for the horse, and will Read more…
Magnets can be used on all horses and ponies to maintain healthy muscles, joints, tendons and ligaments. It’s great to help horses that are working hard, feel the cold, or maybe those who are being brought back into work and are recruiting muscles that haven’t been used for a while. Read more…