Stephanie Ruff

Stephanie Ruff has spent her entire career in various facets of the equine industry. She was a freelance writer for many years, was the owner/editor of Arabian Finish Line, managing editor of Arabian Horse Life and content manager of Practical Horseman and Dressage Today before moving to The Horse. She has ridden many different disciplines, but for the last 20 years has focused on dressage. Stephanie has both a B.S. and M.S. in Animal Science from the University of Kentucky and has always had a keen interest in equine health, science, and research. A native of Pennsylvania, Stephanie enjoys hanging out with her Arabian and Half-Arabian mares, two German Shorthair Pointers, traveling and embracing the Florida lifestyle where she currently lives.

Articles by: Stephanie Ruff

Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy and Back Pain

As many as 40% of all cases of equine back pain are the result of soft tissue injury. The primary causes include chronic and recurrent exertional rhabdomyolysis (CER and RER, respectively), and an inherited enzyme deficiency called polysaccharid

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Preventing Airway Obstruction

During periods of intense exercise, portions of the upper airway can collapse, interfering with breathing. The cause of these obstructive episodes, most notably dorsal displacement of the soft palate (DDSP), is yet unknown. In other species,

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Forever Foundered?

Is there a way to return a foundered horse to a useful, productive life, and to successfully manage his discomfort and all the associated fallout from laminitis?

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Carbohydrates for Energy

In human nutrition, carbohydrates or “carbs” have a bit of a bad name these days. A quick trip through the local book store or over the Internet leads us to believe that dietary carbohydrates are the source of all evil. When weight loss is the

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Olden Horses; Golden Horses

As the Baby Boomers are edging into and out of middle age, there is a push to learn more about the ills and problems of this generation. There is also the discovery that middle age and beyond doesn’t necessarily mean slowing down. Today’s adults

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Is Your Horse Getting the Right Medications?

Unethical medication production and marketing is a serious problem in the equine industry, said Joe Bertone, DVM, MS, Dipl. ACVIM, in a presentation at the American Horse Publications convention on June 21. “The equine industry is a huge target

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West Nile Virus in Texas Birds, Kentucky Horse

West Nile virus (WNV) has continued its march westward, recently being detected for the first time in Texas in two blue jays in northwest Houston. Additionally, the disease made its 2002 Kentucky equine debut in a Thoroughbred yearling.

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Poison Control: Spraying Insecticides on Pastures

During the optimal Eastern tent caterpillar (ETC) eradication period (when larvae are still in trees), Lee Townsend, PhD, extension entomologist at the University of Kentucky (UK), recommended a list of insecticides for horse owners and farm

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Fire Relief in Arizona and Colorado

Hundreds of horses have been displaced by wildfires that spread across Colorado and Arizona throughout June. Various members of the horse industry have offered support through their time and donations.

At press time, an estimated 320 horses

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Ponies Just Heal Better Than Horses

Horses are more problematic healers compared to ponies, according to a recent study completed by the faculty of veterinary medicine at the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands. The study also suggests that ponies with traumatic limb wounds

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Can Garlic Help Your Horse Fight Disease?

Garlic has been touted to have many health-related properties, from boosting your horse’s immune system to repelling bugs just by the garlic odor in his sweat. In a recent study completed at the Equine Research Centre in Guelph, Ontario, a garli

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Putting Equine Podiatrists in Their “Right Minds”

While most people don’t consider equine podiatry an artistic profession, Ric Redden, DVM, owner of the International Equine Podiatry Center and organizer/chief instructor of the first In-Depth Equine Podiatry Course going on this week, heartily

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Poppies Causing Positive Drug Tests Down Under

According to an Associated Press story, poppies grown on the Australian island state of Tasmania for the pharmaceutical industry are causing controversy by producing positive opium tests in racehorses. Six horses have been disqualified in the

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West Nile Virus in Minnesota and South Dakota Horses

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced July 30 that West Nile virus (WNV) has been confirmed in four Minnesota horses through testing conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa.

Minnesota’s first confirmed WNV cases in horses involve single horses in Hennepin, Clay, Roseau, and Beltrami counties. The Board

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