Of the many skin conditions horses can develop, sarcoids are the most common. The term "sarcoid" was first used in 1936 in South Africa as a way to distinguish this skin lesion from other tumors. Sarcoids are benign (nonmetastatic) skin...
Preparing your broodmare for breeding and pregnancy requires careful planning to ensure she is in optimal condition to carry and deliver a healthy foal. A Breeding Soundness Exam (BSE) provides a health assessment of mares being considered for breeding. Some...
Myofibrillar myopathy (MFM) is a newly identified muscle disorder that causes exercise intolerance in horses. MFM is a genetic condition that results from the abnormal build-up of desmin in muscle tissue. Desmin is a protein that is important for muscle...
A variety of supplemental oils including camelina, flax, soy, corn, fish, and canola are commonly used in equine diets. Although every oil provides the same amount of energy, each one has a different fatty acid profile which can influence the...
Slobbers, otherwise known as slaframine poisoning or salivary syndrome, is a condition that causes excessive salivation or drooling in horses. It is relatively rare and usually occurs in outbreaks, with multiple horses affected at once. Slaframine intoxication is caused by...
Glycogen branching enzyme deficiency (GBED) is a fatal disorder caused by a gene mutation found in the Quarter Horse and Paint Horse bloodlines. GBED causes abortion in late-term pregnancies, stillbirth or severe muscle weakness and eventually death in newborn foals....
Black walnut tree poisoning occurs when horses come into contact with toxic compounds in the black walnut (Juglans nigra) tree. The roots, bark, wood, nuts, pollen and leaves of the tree contain a chemical that is poisonous to horses upon...
Rice bran oil (RBO) is an increasingly popular fat supplement fed to horses for weight management, cool energy, and coat quality. The oil is derived from the germ and bran of brown rice grains and contains essential fatty acids and...
Horses are prone to a number of different skin conditions and diseases. Some are minor and resolve on their own, while others can be much more serious. Skin conditions may affect localized areas on the horse, such as the legs...
Water is the most vital component of the equine diet, but it is often overlooked when considering your horse's nutritional needs. Hydration influences several aspects of horse health, including exercise tolerance, digestion, and temperature regulation. Not only do you need...
Equine grass sickness (EGS), or equine dysautonomia, is a rare and fatal disease in horses. It almost exclusively affects grazing horses kept on pasture. EGS is characterized by the development of severe lesions on the neurons of the peripheral and...
Pain is something that all horses deal with at some point in their lives. Horses can experience pain for many different reasons, including injury, illness, or a result of surgery. For example, castration is the most common surgical procedure performed...
Stringhalt, or equine reflex hypertonia, is a neuromuscular condition that causes abnormal hindlimb movement in the horse. Horses with stringhalt have excessive and prolonged flexion of the pelvic limbs while in forward movement, showing signs of the condition at most...
A large, round belly doesn't always mean your horse is overweight. Some horses have a hay belly that makes them appear pregnant, yet they may struggle to maintain enough body condition to cover their ribs. While multiple factors contribute to...
Antibiotics or antimicrobial drugs are effective medications for the treatment of bacterial infections in horses. Common equine infections requiring antibiotics include infected skin wounds and abscesses, pneumonia, infectious diarrhea, cellulitis, peritonitis and more. Many antibiotics have broad-spectrum action meaning they...
Botflies (Gasterophilus spp.) are parasitic flies that affect the horse's digestive tract and can cause negative health consequences. Botflies lay eggs on the horse's coat in the summer. Some of these eggs, known as horse bots, are ingested as the...
Coconut oil is a popular fat supplement for horses used to promote weight gain, skin health and a shiny coat. It is also used as a cool energy source for exercising horses to add calories to the diet without relying...
Horses may not require as much sleep as humans, but quality sleep is still vital for your equine's overall health and well-being. Although horses can sleep standing up thanks to their unique stay apparatus, REM sleep is only possible when...
Is hair analysis a reliable way to evaluate your horse's mineral status? Mineral testing is an important aspect of monitoring your horse's health, especially if forages in your area are known to be deficient or excessive in a given nutrient....
Straw or chaff is a high-fibre low-sugar forage that is ideal for horses that are overweight or insulin-resistant. Straw adds bulk to your horse's diet without contributing significant calories or protein. Research shows that adding straw to a forage ration...
Equine COPD - or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - is a now-obsolete term for a common condition in horses that causes coughing and poor performance. This condition is now referred to as equine asthma and is one of the most...
A forage-based diet is the best way to support your horse’s health and happiness, but it is not always easy to know how much hay to feed. Horses that are allowed free-choice (ad libitum) access to hay-only diets will typically...
Also known as linseed, flaxseed is produced from the flax plant and can be used to provide fat, protein, and fibre in the equine diet. Flax products are cost-effective, calorie-dense and commonly fed to horses for weight gain or to...
An increasingly popular equine forage, teff grass is grown in warm geographic regions and is commonly cultivated in the Southern USA. Native to Africa, teff is a warm-season grass that is high in fibre and low in sugars and starch....
Lymphangitis, also known as big leg disease or stovepipe leg, is a condition in horses involving inflammation of the lymph vessels, most often in the lower limb. Lymphangitis presents as extreme swelling with rapid onset, resulting in pain in the...
Equine asthma (EA) is a relatively new collective term for chronic respiratory signs in horses that range in severity from mild to severe. These conditions were previously known as inflammatory airway disease (IAD) or recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), respectively. Equine...
Chronic kidney disease (or chronic renal failure) in horses is a rare but serious disorder that interferes with normal kidney function. Your horse's kidneys perform many important processes in the body including managing blood pressure, excreting waste products, and regulating...
Obesity is a health concern in horses worldwide, with a prevalence estimated between 31 – 45% in some equine populations. Among ponies and easy keeper breeds, the prevalence is even higher with one study reporting that 72% of adult ponies...
Stagnation edema, also known as stocking up, is a common cause of leg swelling in stabled horses. It occurs due to impaired circulation from periods of reduced activity. This short-lasting form of edema typically affects both hind limbs and causes...
Box walking, stall circling and weaving are examples of locomotor stereotypic behaviours in horses. They are believed to be caused by a lack of freedom to express natural equine behaviours. Over time, stall walking and weaving can have negative physical consequences such as...
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