A University of Guelph Equine Research Centre (ERC) study indicates that flaxseed (linseed) can relieve symptoms of sweet-itch, an allergic skin condition more formally known as recurrent seasonal pruritis. Sweet-itch is a common complaint in
A recent study performed by Ron Riegel, DVM, on 30 racing Standardbreds confirms that the popular nutraceutical supplement MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) can have far-reaching effects on the ability of equine muscle tissue to rebound from exercise
Even at low concentrations, internal parasites have a less than ideal impact on your horse’s health and well-being. Parasites steal nutrients from their host and can leave him undernourished and anemic. They can produce open sores and intense itching
A 7-year-old warmblood stallion from Germany is at the center of a storm of controversy after testing positive for contagious equine metritis (CEM) upon importation to Canada. The horse, appropriately named What’s Going On, had tested negative for
Man might not live by bread alone, but horses can live on forage just fine. As grazing, herbivorous animals, forage (grasses and plants that grow on pastureland) is what they’re designed to eat. Other components of the equine diet–grains, fats,
Every horseperson has his or her preference when it comes to stall bedding. Some like the smell of sweet cedar shavings, some the traditional look of a deep straw bed, others the absorbency and softness of peat moss. But which bedding really is bes
Showjumping champion Big Ben was laid to rest on Dec. 11,1999, after suffering a final, fatal bout of colic. The towering Belgian warmblood gelding was 23 and had been retired from competition since 1994. His legendary partnership with Ian Millar
Although it’s ever-present, under normal conditions Salmonella will have little influence on your horse’s heath. But, if he’s stressed and his immune system is operating at less than full capacity, the bacteria can sneak in and strike.
In this issue, we discuss one of the hottest, and most controversial, areas of supplementation on the equine market–glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and other oral supplements for horses with signs of osteoarthritis or degenerative joint
Accepted wisdom in the horse world tells us that an average light horse weighs about 1,000 pounds, or 450 kg. A draft horse, upwards of double that. But does that rather arbitrary figure really mean anything? After all, what is an “average” horse?
Fed in the recommended amounts, the vast majority of hoof supplements will do no harm to your horse, but beware of feeding higher levels than suggested on the label, or doubling up with multiple supplements.
Osselets begin with swelling on the front of the fetlock joint, with the possible addition of synovial distensions on the sides of the joint (commonly called windpuffs). It’s painful when the horse flexes the joint, and can cause lameness.
Feeding a healthy horse is one thing; most of us have a pretty good understanding of what works and what doesn’t. But feeding a horse who’s sick, injured, or recovering from surgery is another.
We know that all horses have a guttural pouch, and some of their distant relations have a smaller version of the same structure. But until very recently, we didn’t know why they existed.
Old age treats some horses better than others. Many continue to lead happy, healthy lives well into their 30s–a little slower, maybe, with some loss of muscle tone or a bit of a swayback, but otherwise in good flesh and good spirits until
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