Why Vets Get Kicked
A Swiss study of kick injuries to veterinarians found that the risk of injury to those treating horses is highest when performing painful procedures on the horse. In the study, Sabina Jaeggin, an assistant in the Vetsuisse Fakulty in Zurich,
New Sling Shows Promise in Clinical Setting
Practitioners need to quickly assess an acutely recumbent (unable to stand) horse’s prognosis, and that can be difficult. Putting a horse in the Andersen Sling Support Device (ASSD), the gold standard for equine slings, requires at least six
Feel the Beat
It’s a thrilling moment for spectator and exhibitor alike on a steamy August night in Freedom Hall, Louisville, Ky. The place is filled wall-to-wall with spectators. Some are in elevated private suites surrounding the arena floor. Many are
Jockey Club Inspects Thoroughbred Broodmares
As a follow-up to a rule revision last August that added provisions for field inpections, The Jockey Club (TJC) sent two teams of representatives to Thoroughbred farms in six states in December 2005 to examine broodmares with early 2005 breeding
On the Forehand
The foreleg of the horse is, for the most part, a model of good engineering. It is structured in such a fashion that the horse can move slowly or at speed with the concussion of each footfall minimized by a sophisticated shock absorbing system.
Sun Protection: Does Your Horse Need Sunglasses?
While sunglasses and sun screen might be the obvious solutions for fair-skinned humans, they’re impractical for horses. Protection from sun glare, however, is as important for horses as it is for humans, because horses with little or no pigment in th
The Equine Eye: Ocular Emergencies (Book Excerpt)
Well before an ocular emergency occurs, you should familiarize yourself with the easily visible outer structures of a horse’s eye. Observe the eye with the aid of a penlight or other light source. Evidence of pain is a clear symptom of most ocular
Barefoot Horses
Veterinarians are often asked about leaving horses barefoot. I must say from the onset that I favor horses being maintained without shoes when possible. Whether or not it is feasible for a horse to go without shoes will depend on the owners’
The Therapy Horse: An Integral Player
Therapeutic riding is for people of all ages with various disabilities, and it has become very popular. For horses, however, the invitation is much more re-stricted. There are specialized expectations of a horse used in therapeutic riding. If
Toronto Police Horse Killed On Duty
The city of Toronto is mourning the death of 9-year-old “Brigadier,” a member of the Metro Police Mounted Unit. The horse had both front legs broken in what is being described as the deliberate impact of a minivan on Friday, Feb. 24.
Acclimating Competition Horses
It becomes obvious that acclimating to a new environment is a challenge for the competing horse, involving everything from wellness and altitude to circadian rhythms involving time zones. It also becomes obvious, based on research, that there is no
New Treatment for Tracheal Collapse
Two years later, Magnificent, a miniature horse, continues to do well with his intratracheal stent–the first ever implanted in a horse.
Magnificent suffered from tracheal collapse, an uncommon–and probably underreported–condition in
Platinum Performance And Farnam Reach Settlement
Platinum Performance reported on Feb. 28 it reached an agreement with Farnam in its lawsuit to prevent Farnam?s use of the name ?Platform Performance? on a line of equine products.
Spring Fevers
Respiratory problems are frequent health issues for horses, and are often associated with microbial infections. For horse owners preparing for spring competitions or the birth of foals, a review of respiratory diseases is timely. Owners need to
Paralyzed With Fear
There have been numerous outbreaks of the deadly neurologic form of equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) recently
First 2006 Florida EEE Cases Emerge
By March 1, the Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) season in Florida was already underway, and Florida veterinarians remind horse owners to make sure their horses are vaccinated against the disease, which can have a mortality rate of up to