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

Wobbler Syndrome Signs and Diagnosis

A veterinarian can say several things that will chill every horse owner’s heart, including colic, laminitis, navicular disease, and wobbler syndrome. These cause fear because of the unknown–and often unfavorable–outcome for your horse. But as

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Bute Toxicity in Neonates

Q: My wife and I were told that giving Bute (phenylbutazone) to a mare in foal can cause heart defects in the foal, similar to aspirin taken by women in early pregnancy. Is there any connection?
A: Signs of phenylbutazone toxicity in foals whose…

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Flushing Solution?

What type of solution is used to flush the tube after inseminating a mare and is it necessary?

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Is He Sore, or Misbehaving?

Over the last few months, my horse has changed from a steady, reliable, and willing friend to a miserable grouch. He’s an 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding that I have owned and used just for pleasure since he was seven years old, and I knew

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Ridding Sand From the Diet

In specific regions of the United States, one of the most commonly encountered forms of colic is “sand colic.” This is not solely a problem in geographic areas with obviously sandy environments. Anywhere there is sand, decomposed granite, or

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Treat Hoof Punctures Early

It seems like such a mild problem, a nail or splinter in the tough hoof. The solution also seems simple–take the object out, clean the foot up, give the horse some time off, and everything will be all right. For superficial hoof wounds, that’s

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Supplement Loss?

There are some regulatory rumblings that could change the way all of us feed and take care of our horses every day, whether you are a horse owner or a veterinarian. Many nutritional supplements are sold illegally. “What?” you might say. “How can

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Acupuncture and Microdose Prostaglandin in the Mare

Prostaglandin F2 alpha (PG) is used to shorten a mare’s cycle and hasten ovulation for breeding. Unfortunately, the standard PG dose (5 mg) also causes undesirable side effects, including sweating, trembling, increased heart rate, and

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Feeding Practices and Colic

There are multiple causes of colic, some of which are related to diet, stabling conditions, and activity level. Colic is painful for the horse, expensive to treat (especially if it requires surgery), and hard to predict. Determining which

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Jump Landings and Tendon Strain

Lameness in show jumpers is often caused by forelimb tendon injury. The superficial digital flexor tendon (SDFT) is most frequently injured, followed by the interosseus tendon (IT), and the accessory ligament (AL), while the deep digital flexor

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Prolonged Bute Use Detrimental to Joints

Chronic use of phenylbutazone, or Bute, in horses with joint problems could be causing more problems than it’s preventing. A recent study showed that Bute and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) might be detrimental to

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Carpenter Takes Top Job At AQHF

The American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) has announced that Gary Carpenter will join the organization as Executive Director of the American Quarter Horse Foundation (AQHF) on May 6. Carpenter brings more than 20 years of service and

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New Products and Distribution

Four new deworming products and a shift in distribution of the popular Zimecterin and Equimectrin dewormers are offering horse owners new options in deworming their horses. Zimecterin, developed and manufactured by Merial Limited but largely

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