Latest News – The Horse

It is tempting for veterinarians to use laboratory reference ranges collected from full-sized horses when treating miniature horses. This is not always appropriate, however, as miniature horses have some breed characteristics that are only now becoming apparent. In fact, researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have been diagnosing ocular abnormalities in miniature horses more frequentl

On many breeding farms, Parascaris equorum (roundworms) and other intestinal parasites in young foals are now controlled with one class of dewormer. This has become common because of the belief that certain drugs, like ivermectin, are highly effective and free from parasite resistance. However, a recent report from Ontario, Canada, describes foals from a breeding farm with fecal egg

When it comes to pest control products, the safest choices lie with EPA-approved chemical formulations developed for horse use, such as DEET, pyrethrins/pyrethroids, and organophosphates, or the EPA GRAS (“generally regarded as safe”) products like citronella and geraniol.

What the research findings suggest is that young, growing foals, horses that are prone to tying-up or laminitis, those with Cushing’s disease, and some that tend to be excessively ‘hot’ mannered could possibly be managed better on low-glycemic diets.

WNV isn’t the only threat posed by the common mosquito. All forms of arboviral encephalitis (arthropod-borne neurologic disease)–some of which, like WNV, can afflict both horses and humans–are mosquito-borne, as are malaria, dengue fever, and deadly canine heartworm disease.

Two of my equestrian dreams came true in August 2001 in Nova Scotia, at the beautiful 350-acre Beaverdam Farm owned by Arthur and Carol Rivoire. Our family vacation is usually spent at Chincoteague, Va., where the wild ponies roam on nearby Assateague Island, but after reading about the Beginner’s Driving Vacation in Nova Scotia, I convinced certain members of my family that we should head

Today, it is primarily through Poco Bueno’s bloodline, say researchers at Mississippi State University and Cornell University, that the recessive gene that causes hyperelastosis cutis (HC) has passed. In some scientific circles, the disease is called hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia (HERDA).

Cushing’s disease has been around for a long time in people, horses, and other animals. For years, theories and information concerning the affliction all centered on one source for the problem–tumors of the pituitary gland, which is located at the b

There was a time when trail riding was pretty much confined to where one lived. The choices might include a country road or a ditch along a busy highway. That, however, is in the past. Powerful trucks and sophisticated trailers have opened endless windows of opportunity for the horse owner who wants to travel. However, there is more to it than just loading up a horse and heading off across th

Lower airway disease is all too common among the horse population–the occasional cough in the young racehorse that belies serious disease, the wheezy horse which can’t tolerate his barn, the backyard horse which always seems to have a cough or nasal discharge. It’s no surprise that researchers around the world are engaged in finding the causes and cures of inflamed airway passages. Efforts

Whether you are an endurance rider, on the show circuit, or out for an adventure in the woods with friends, owning a trailer and having a vehicle to tow it offer unlimited possibilities to a great many horse owners where once equine travel was restricted to an elite few.

My 12-year-old daughter’s 9-year-old Welsh Pony gelding (named Taffy) was moved to a new stable about eight weeks ago. Six weeks after the move, Taffy was introduced to the mares and allowed to graze and socialize with them. Since four of the 16 mares had two- to four-month-old foals, we were more than a little nervous that the mares would not take well to Taffy. However, one mare and

I’d like to see more information on alsike clover sensitivity, especially in horses with large areas of white skin such as Paints, pintos, and Appaloosas.

I have an 8-year-old mare which delivered a filly recently and since the second feeding, she is protective of her teat area. She is constantly nipping when the baby tries to nurse. Is there anything I can do to make this less painful for my mare?

Although the Horse Protection Act (HPA) was enacted 34 years ago, show ring abuse of the Tennessee Walking Horse and other high-stepping gaited breeds is still a significant, ongoing problem. Horses are intentionally abused through mechanical and chemical means to obtain an unnatural, high-stepping gait that leads to the winner’s circle. Winning brings prestige, breeding fees, sales, and

In today’s world, a natural or man-made disaster can strike at any time. The only defense we have is preparation. Unfortunately, many animals are dragged, stranded, drowned, or dropped during attempted rescues by untrained personnel. Rescuers often get hurt, and the animals might be more injured by the rescue than they were during the accident. Rescuing these animals shouldn’t be a rodeo. Man