Joint health is such a concern these days, especially for owners of performance horses, that it deserves some serious attention. In this issue, we’ll be discussing ways to create and maintain good joint health in young horses. While many horse owners now consider it normal and acceptable to give joint injections to 4 and 5 … Continue Reading »
As an osteopath I am very concerned about adhesions and the negative effects they have on the horse. I spend much of my time releasing adhesions so thought it would be good to explore exactly what they are and why they are so bad. An adhesion is an area of connective tissue that is not … Continue Reading »
What do you do if your equine friend tests negative for horse ulcers but continues to have problems? Well, he might still have horse ulcers … the tests just may not be able to detect the ulcers. Like the term “colic,” the term “horse ulcer” covers a wide variety of issues related to the gut. … Continue Reading »
Most horse owners have dealt with straightforward impaction, gas, or spasmodic colic associated with changes in diet, weather, management, or the environment. Whether you choose to alleviate this kind of horse colic (with known causes) using conventional or homeopathic approaches, you can at least deal directly with the cause. But what if you have a … Continue Reading »
Ulcers in horses are a major problem. The conventional wisdom is that 60% or more of horses in training have ulcers. I believe this is a low estimate. In my opinion there are the horses in training that already have ulcers and the ones that are going to have ulcers. When I talk about horse … Continue Reading »
Did you know that horse lameness affects 50% of all equines? Not only that, but 17% have laminitis, which can cause an average of 110 days of recovery time per episode. Worse, more than 28,000 are euthanized annually because of founder. Ouch! These are the results of the recent Veterinary Services Report from the U.S. … Continue Reading »
You’ve heard of the 80/20 rule, right? Well, this rule applies to managing equine parasites just as much as it seems to apply everywhere else in life. Studies show that about 20% of horses in most populations are responsible for generating or “shedding” 80% of the parasite load. What does that mean to you as … Continue Reading »
If there is such a thing as a perfect clinic then Remi and I just experienced one. Remi is a Yang Ming horse temperament and he has been in my life for 5 years. During that time we have worked to get his horrible feet better and help him trust that he was not going … Continue Reading »
“Should I vaccinate my horse? If so, which vaccines should I give?” I get asked these questions all the time in my practice, usually from concerned horse owners who use a holistic management program. I can usually help my clients make informed decisions about which, if any, vaccinations to give because I know their horses … Continue Reading »
Pigeon fever is a bacterial infection that normally manifests as superficial abscesses. The chest of the horse is the most common location for a large abscess and the swelling resembles the chest of a pigeon. The condition normally shows up in the dry summer months when the bacteria is picked up from the dirt by … Continue Reading »
The Earth horse temperament does not enjoy strenuous work but when healthy he is not lazy. Some of the most successful performance horses I have known have been the Earth horse temperament. Not to mention the consistent lesson horses that work for hours each day without complaint. The Earth horse temperament can appear lazy because … Continue Reading »
Many moons ago, when I was still in vet school, I worked at a racehorse training barn. I learned many cutting edge techniques working at this farm. One of them was a crude form of “auto-sanguinous” therapy. This basically meant drawing 60cc of blood from a horse’s jugular vein, and then immediately injecting that blood … Continue Reading »
Imagine my surprise when I read an article in the Wall Street Journal comparing the gut intelligence to that of the brain. I was introduced to this concept years ago when I read the great book, Molecules of Emotions, by Candice Pert. As it turns out, your horse’s gut is smart and any holistic horse … Continue Reading »
As I was finding yet one more use for my empty algae containers I got to thinking. Since I started on a holistic horse health program about 20 years ago my favorite blue green algae has been one of my most consistent recommendations as a feed for horses. Blue green algae has been part of … Continue Reading »
Are you busy making New Year’s resolutions for you and your horse? Are you hoping to go more places, win more prizes, or have more fun with your horse? More importantly, is there something that has held you and your horse back from your dreams and aspirations? Some of the barriers that I see in … Continue Reading »
When winter weather hits our natural human tendency is to do what we can to protect our horses from the cold, damp, and wind. This is a wonderful nurturing and protective instinct, and at the same time I frequently see people overdoing that protection, often at the expense of their horse’s health. This may seem … Continue Reading »
Horse temperament plays a part in how horses age. Tess, my 30 year old, Jue Yin mule has been limping lately. I know exactly why this is happening. After enduring a miserable, record breaking drought and temperatures over 100 for 90 days the weather has cooled off. When the weather was so hot the horses … Continue Reading »
As the weather shifts into fall, with its unpredictable changes, horse owners begin worrying about the possibility that their horses may colic. Why? Because it seems that abrupt weather changes and colic often go hand-in-hand. But does a change in weather actually increase your horse’s chances of colic? Yes … and no! As always, when … Continue Reading »
My Fire horse temperament mare, Cerise, is so much softer in her topline after a special tail detangling session with Patty Parent. Cerise has always been very tight in her tail so I was intrigued when Patty explained to me what she was doing with horses. She mentioned several trainers who commented about the overall … Continue Reading »
The hottest summer on record for any state in the history ofAmericahas resulted in horrific wildfires in the centralTexasregion. Over 1,400 homes and farms have been destroyed, and many people and horses have been exposed for days to severe smoke and ash in the air. Those owners with a holistic horse health program are looking … Continue Reading »