Because a number of factors can affect the risks of falling victim to potentially deadly brain-swelling diseases carried by mosquitoes, Purdue University experts recommend that all horses be vaccinated and that people take precautions to avoid mosquito bites. The...
We all know how annoying it is to have a horse flipping his head around to get rid of the flies that swarm around his eyes and ears. In this fact-filled article, Young Rider will give you hints on...
Tapeworms were once considered a fairly benign parasite, unassociated with serious problems in equines. But recent studies show tapeworms are anything but harmless. Consider the statistics:81 percent of ileal impactions (a blockage at the end of the small...
Research published in 2005 revealed the presence of ulcers in the colons of performance horses. According to the study, conducted by Frank Pellegrini, DVM, 63 percent of horses involved in competition sports, ranging from dressage to racing, suffered from colonic...
While colic episodes are cause for concern, most cases can be managed with non-surgical veterinary treatment: a shot for pain, a dose of mineral oil, a rectal exam, and the horse usually gets better. But then there are the...
If your horse cannot avoid living in damp footing during the wintertime, he may be prone to thrush and abscesses in his feet. The thrush is due to the constant moisture combined with frequent contact with manure. Abscesses result...
Nothing can be more satisfying to us vets than a really good hoof abscess. Right from start to finish, they can make our day. It starts with the call, pretty much always the same, "Horse was fine yesterday; very...
Unless you live in the tropics, winter riding means dealing with frigid temperatures, icy footing and frozen extremities. And oh yes, did we mention that woolly mass of fuzz that replaces your horse’s once slick and shiny coat? This...
Meeting a horse's nutritional needs isn't always easy. Many owners mistakenly feed their equine partners as if they were top Olympic show jumpers or United States Equestrian Team endurance champions. But the reality is that many horses are not...
As the warm days of summer begin to really heat up, so does the temperament of the season’s stingers and biters. These testy creatures slither, fly, crawl or buzz around us for most of the summer, and we invariably...
