University of Florida (UF) research has shown that any exercise above a walk could force acidic gastric juices up into sensitive areas of the equine stomach, which could be why ulcers develop or worsen in horses in training (affecting more than 80% of performance horses in some studies).

Alfred Merritt, DVM, MS; and Mireia Lorenzo-Figueras, DVM, have found that gastric tension changes

A disease that can be debilitating in young horses is osteochondrosis. This affliction has its genesis during the youngster’s growing years and can compromise the horse’s ability to perform later in life if it is not dealt with early. Osteochondrosis is one of the diseases that comes under the general umbrella of developmental orthopedic disease (DOD), a term coined in 1986 by a blue

Whether it is the increased stress of daily life or the baby-boomer generation wanting to experience the roots of their pioneer forefathers, more and more people are setting out to see the country from horseback. As a result, equestrian campgrounds have multiplied throughout the country and the design of horse trailers has changed drastically to cater to the comfort of weekend or week-long

Amber is a 30-year-old Arabian mare which was slowly starving to death because her owners had run out of money to care for her. Because of her age and lack of potential and worth, Amber’s owners allowed her to be pushed out of food and veterinary care in their herd of 35 horses. The husband finally decided to give Amber to a nearby therapeutic riding center, which promptly contacted the Hoove

The body condition of a broodmare can affect reproductive performance and milking ability. Recent research has indicated that mares should be kept in a minimum body condition score of 5.5 (see “Selected Body Condition Scores and Descriptions,” below or download this Body Condition Score poster here). This body condition is

Advanced reproductive technologies that can be used in horses are expanding every year. Geography is no longer a limiting factor in choosing a mate for your mare, as fresh cooled semen can be shipped across North America with ease. Frozen semen also means stallions from other continents can be used.

Eleven months is a very long time to wait for a foal. I know from personal experience that the further along the mare is, the more your hopes and dreams for your “perfect foal” grow. It doesn’t matter if the foal is bred to gallop to the wire or jump to the moon, or whether you are dreaming about lots of markings or a perfect blanket, everyone wants one thing–a healthy foal. So, it’s no

The Virginia Racing Commission has banned the use of shock wave therapy on horses within 10 days of a race.

The therapeutic treatments, originally used to break up bone fragments, have an analgesic (pain-killing) effect on horses that can last for up to four days. Because of that, there has been suspicion in the racing industry that horses are racing when injured and can’t feel

War Emblem, North America’s champion 3-year-old male of 2002 who was sold to Japan’s Shadai Stallion Station for nearly $18 million in September, is having difficulties covering mares in his first year at stud and his owners are negotiating a settlement with an insurance company.

The problem with War Emblem does not involve his fertility, sources close to Shadai said, but with his

Researchers at Colorado State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences today released results from a research project that summarizes the background characterization of last year’s outbreak of West Nile virus (WNV) in equids from Colorado and Nebraska.

“The objective of the study was to describe the equine West Nile virus cases in Colorado and Nebraska in