The Healthy Hoof

Ever notice how some horses have the toughest feet? They go barefoot over any terrain without a misstep. They never get thrush. Their feet never chip, crack, or abscess. If they’re shod, no problems there either. These tough guys never lose shoes before they’r...Read Full Story

Joint Venture

If the world was truly perfect, we’d start at the beginning, breeding our own mare, making sure she had all the nutrients she needed to deliver a healthy foal. That foal would enjoy plenty of turnout for strong bone development. He’d have regular veterinary ca...Read Full Story

GBED – Glycogen Branching Enzyme Deficiency:

A genetic mutation that occurred in one horse at least 50 years ago, affecting an unknown number of horses descending from that original individual, was identified in 2004. The inherited defect was first noticed in the spring of 1997, when muscle biopsies from a foal at K...Read Full Story

Complementary Therapies

Not so long ago, chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture were considered somewhat outside the realm of conventional medicine. Rarely prescribed by veterinarians, they fell into the category known as “alternative medicine,” a term that reflected how...Read Full Story

Healthy Skin

Without his skin, your horse would be...well…odd looking for sure, but that aside, he would also be defenseless against external trauma and disease. The skin is his most active sensory organ, letting him know if he’s touching the electric fence or scratching ...Read Full Story

The Case for Coggins

Nipping and Biting

It is a common vice for horses to be “mouthy” or “nippy,” especially young horses, as they often use this method amongst other equines when asserting dominance or mutual grooming within the herd. Whether it is out of fear, disrespect, or pain, a ho...Read Full Story

Vaccinating in a Tight Economy

While horse-related costs continue to rise, many horse owners look for ways to reduce expenses. It can be tempting to stretch the time between sheath cleaning, teeth floating and farrier visits, or even to skip vaccination...Read Full Story

HERDA – A Devastating Inherited Skin Defect

During the past several decades, research has helped us recognize and understand a number of genetic diseases in horses. Some of these appear more commonly in certain breeds, since they originated from mutations in recent years. If the mutation occurred in a popular anima...Read Full Story

Botulism

Botulism is not normally on the northeastern horse owner’s list of most feared diseases, but horses are amongst the most sensitive of species to the debilitating effects of the toxins produced by Clostridium botulinum bacteria. This anaerobic bacteria forms spores t...Read Full Story