The equine head can be compared to a computer. Housed within the skull are the major components–the brain and the sense organs. In addition to functioning like a computer, the equine head contains teeth for cropping grass and chewing food, and all
The old saying, “No hoof, no horse” is very true, especially as it pertains to the horse’s working ability and soundness. The horse is an athlete; we use him for a variety of athletic purposes — racing, jumping, chasing cattle, pulling carts.
The equine lexicon is filled with clich?s about the equine foot. Most horse owners have heard them all. “No foot, no horse…The foot is the horse’s foundation…For want of a shoe…” The list goes on. Without sound feet, a horse can’t move
Much has already been stated in this series about the special concerns involving front limb soundness in the horse since 60-65% of the animal’s weight is carried in the front end. This does not mean that there are no concerns involving the
My sister’s gelding has sesamoid problems on both forelimbs. Can the sesamoid bones be removed?
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.
Colorado State University (CSU) researchers have found significant patterns of six different signals of damage or “biomarkers” in the serum of racehorses with certain musculoskeletal diseases.
Biomarkers are indicators of abnormal
What causes laminitis? Is it the same as founder? Should I remove shoes from a horse with acute laminitis? Should I soak his feet? Does laminitis always have devastating consequences?
The respiratory system’s main goal is to transfer oxygen from the air we breathe to the red blood cells where the oxygen will be transported throughout the body and be available for all organs and tissues.
First we’ll look at how the horse’s synovial joints are constructed, then we’ll outline where they are located, the functions they serve, and some of the problems that can develop.
Can coffin bone rotation be improved or corrected in horses that have foundered?
As a rule of thumb, we know that our horses should be trimmed (and shod if necessary) at least every six to eight weeks. But where did those numbers come from? Van Heel recently studied how a hoof changes between trims, and she found that neglecting
Someday veterinarians might be able to take a horse’s blood sample, analyze its makeup to predict his future bone and joint health, and simply prevent the problems that are likely to arise. In late 2005, 20 leading joint researchers that are likely
Horses with chronic musculoskeletal disorders may benefit from periodic administration of analgesic medications such as NSAIDs to help control pain when it is at its worst.
Developmental and traumatic joint injuries are a significant problem in Thoroughbred foals. These injuries, such as osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) and fetlock joint lesions, often require costly medical treatment or surgical repair.
In 2005, feed regulatory officials were informed that sun-cured alfalfa products might be used in products labeled as dehydrated alfalfa, thereby substituting a product of possibly inferior nutritional quality to unsuspecting consumers. This
Stay on top of the most recent Horse Health news with
