Mad About Horses
Join Dr. Chris Mortensen, PhD on an exciting adventure into the story of the horse and learn how we can make the world a better place for all equines.
Listen on your favorite podcast platform
Apple Podcasts Spotify Youtube
Mad Barn - Equine Nutrition Consultants
Overo Lethal White Syndrome (OLWS) in Horses: Causes, Signs & Genetic Testing
The overo pattern is one of three coat patterns in American Paint Horses (APHs) recognized by the American Paint Horse A...
The overo pattern is one of three coat patterns in American Paint Horses (APHs) recognized by the American Paint Horse Association (APHA), along with Tobiano and Tovero. Among Overo variations, the frame overo subtype stands out for its distinctive markings. Unfortunately, breeding two frame overo h...
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) in Horses: Uses, Benefits & Side Effects
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is a regenerative therapy used to treat horses with tendon and ligament injuries. Platelet-ri...
Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) is a regenerative therapy used to treat horses with tendon and ligament injuries. Platelet-rich plasma is a blood preparation where plasma, the component of blood containing white blood cells and platelets, is highly concentrated and injected into a site of injury....
Bisphosphonates in Horses: Benefits, Uses and Side Effects
Bisphosphonates are drugs used to treat bone conditions in horses. The two main bisphosphonates used in horses are clodr...
Bisphosphonates are drugs used to treat bone conditions in horses. The two main bisphosphonates used in horses are clodronate (OsPhos®) and tiludronate (Tildren®). These medications are used to treat conditions associated with increased bone turnover (removal of old bone). By reducing bone turnove...
PEMF (Pulsed Electro Magnetic Therapy) in Horses: Benefits, Uses & Research
Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is a treatment modality for horses where a machine produces pulses of electr...
Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is a treatment modality for horses where a machine produces pulses of electromagnetic fields directed at a specific part of the body. Research suggests that PEMF can improve bone healing rates, regenerate and protect cartilage cells, and reduce pain and in...
Clipping Horses for Beginners: Benefits, Types of Clips & How-To Guide
Clipping a horse’s coat is often messy and time-consuming. It can also be stressful for both horses and humans. With t...
Clipping a horse’s coat is often messy and time-consuming. It can also be stressful for both horses and humans. With the right approach, clipping your horse doesn't have to be a dreaded chore. Clipping offers numerous benefits, particularly for horses expected to work or show during the winter....
Chiropractic Care in Horses: Benefits of Joint Mobilization & Manipulation
Chiropractic care for horses is a form of manual therapy commonly used in veterinary treatment protocols for lameness. C...
Chiropractic care for horses is a form of manual therapy commonly used in veterinary treatment protocols for lameness. Chiropractic treatment focuses on joint mobilization and manipulation to reduce pain, improve symmetry, and increase range of motion. ...
Massage Therapy in Horses: Benefits, Techniques & Trigger Points
Equine massage therapy is a bodywork modality that involves the systematic manual manipulation of a horse’s muscles an...
Equine massage therapy is a bodywork modality that involves the systematic manual manipulation of a horse’s muscles and soft tissues to alleviate muscle tension and promote overall well-being. It’s an increasingly popular component of holistic veterinary care and equine management....
Exertional Rhabdomyolysis in Horses: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
Exertional Rhabdomyolysis (ER), commonly known as tying-up or azoturia, is an exercise-induced condition in horses chara...
Exertional Rhabdomyolysis (ER), commonly known as tying-up or azoturia, is an exercise-induced condition in horses characterized by the excessive breakdown of muscle tissue. This results in muscle spasms, pain and impaired performance following bouts of exercise. [1] In severe cases, affected horses...
Ionophore Toxicosis in Horses: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Ionophore toxicosis, a severe and often fatal condition in horses, arises from the ingestion of ionophores, antibiotic c...
Ionophore toxicosis, a severe and often fatal condition in horses, arises from the ingestion of ionophores, antibiotic compounds that are common in livestock feeds. Common ionophores in livestock feeds include monensin, lasalocid and salinomycin. These antibiotics increase growth rates in cattle and...
Dysmastication in Horses: Treatment of Chewing Problems and Dental Disorders
The ability to properly chew and grind food is essential for nutrient digestion and absorption. Dysmastication is a cond...
The ability to properly chew and grind food is essential for nutrient digestion and absorption. Dysmastication is a condition involving impaired chewing- also known as mastication. Horses that are unable to chew properly may experience a cascade of problems affecting their nutritional intake, digest...
Vitamin D for Horses: Benefits, Dietary Sources & Signs of Deficiency
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for horses, influencing bone health, muscle function, and the immun...
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is essential for horses, influencing bone health, muscle function, and the immune system. Adequate vitamin D intake is considered important for growing horses to support normal bone development. In horses, vitamin D is believed to play a role in regulating lev...
Feeding your Hard Keeper Horse [8-Step Guide]
Have you ever struggled with a horse that has a difficult time maintaining their body condition? For horse owners, the t...
Have you ever struggled with a horse that has a difficult time maintaining their body condition? For horse owners, the term "hard keeper" is more than just a casual phrase, it's a familiar and often perplexing challenge. Hard keepers, despite being given what seems like ample food, often struggle to...
Summer Sores in Horses: Causes, Treatment & Prevention
Habronematidosis or habronemosis, more commonly known as summer sores, is a parasitic skin infection that can occur in h...
Habronematidosis or habronemosis, more commonly known as summer sores, is a parasitic skin infection that can occur in horses. As the name implies, summer sores usually occur during the summer months....
Leptospirosis in Horses: Symptoms, Diagnosis & Treatment
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that is commonly spread to horses through direct contact with contaminated food a...
Leptospirosis is a bacterial infection that is commonly spread to horses through direct contact with contaminated food and water sources. While there are many different species of the Leptospira bacteria, symptoms in horses are most commonly caused by Leptospira interrogans....
Sesamoiditis in Horses: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Sesamoiditis in horses refers to pain and injury around the sesamoid bones, pairs of small triangular bones found at the...
Sesamoiditis in horses refers to pain and injury around the sesamoid bones, pairs of small triangular bones found at the back of the fetlock. Inflammation in this area can cause pain and changes to the bony structure of the sesamoid bones, resulting in lameness. Sesamoiditis is most common in hunter...
Sacroiliac Pain in Horses: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment of SI Joint Disease
Sacroiliac pain is a common cause of poor performance and low-grade lameness in performance horses. The sacroiliac joint...
Sacroiliac pain is a common cause of poor performance and low-grade lameness in performance horses. The sacroiliac joint is the point on the horse’s body where the pelvis and the spine connect, playing an important role in their stride. ...
Stretching in Horses: Benefits, Uses & Techniques
Wondering about the best stretching exercises for your horse? Stretching is the process of extending a muscle to its max...
Wondering about the best stretching exercises for your horse? Stretching is the process of extending a muscle to its maximum extension to release muscle tightness, improve flexibility and reduce pain....
Shockwave Therapy in Horses: Uses, Benefits & Side Effects
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a common treatment modality offered by many veterinarians for treating lamene...
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) is a common treatment modality offered by many veterinarians for treating lameness cases. Most veterinarians use this treatment for arthritis cases and ligament injuries. ESWT produces a shockwave that applies a high amount of pressure to a desired tissue. Thi...
How to Use a Heart-Rate Monitor for Your Horse – [Top 5 Benefits]
Heart rate monitors are an emerging tool in horse sports, helping to optimize training and enhance fitness. Widely used ...
Heart rate monitors are an emerging tool in horse sports, helping to optimize training and enhance fitness. Widely used by human athletes, equine-specific devices are now increasingly accessible to riders, horse owners, trainers, and veterinarians....
Guide to Horse Gaits: Walk, Trot, Canter, Gallop and More
Gaits are the different patterns of locomotion that horses use to move. As quadrupeds, horses can perform more movement ...
Gaits are the different patterns of locomotion that horses use to move. As quadrupeds, horses can perform more movement patterns than humans. However, not all horses move in the same way. Your horse’s natural gaits depend on his breed. Some breeds are known to have unique gaits, while others have ...
Mastitis in Mares: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Mastitis in mares is condition characterized by the inflammation of the mammary gland, usually due to a bacterial infect...
Mastitis in mares is condition characterized by the inflammation of the mammary gland, usually due to a bacterial infection. Mastitis typically affects lactating mares, often in the period immediately after giving birth or after weaning....
Foal Rejection: Normal & Abnormal Maternal Behaviour in Mares
Foal rejection is a situation where the normal bonding between the mare and her foal fails to occur after birth. As a re...
Foal rejection is a situation where the normal bonding between the mare and her foal fails to occur after birth. As a result, the mare may show disinterest, fear, or even aggression towards her newborn foal. The precise cause of foal rejection is often unknown, but may stem from various mare-related...
Prematurity, Dysmaturity, and Postmaturity: Abnormal Gestational Length in Foals
The typical gestation period for horses ranges from 340 to 342 days. During this time, foals undergo extensive developme...
The typical gestation period for horses ranges from 340 to 342 days. During this time, foals undergo extensive development of their organ and skeletal systems, ensuring their survival outside of the mare after birth. In some cases, foals are born early, before their organs are fully developed. These...
The Effect of Phytoestrogens on Mare Fertility & Reproductive Health
The reproductive performance of broodmares holds significant importance within the equine industry. Achieving optimal pr...
The reproductive performance of broodmares holds significant importance within the equine industry. Achieving optimal pregnancy rates is critical for both the profitability of breeding operations and the holistic well-being of mares and foals. Many different factors can affect mare fertility, with a...
Pedal Osteitis in Horses: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Pedal osteitis in horses is a condition characterized by inflammation and damage to the pedal (coffin) bone within the h...
Pedal osteitis in horses is a condition characterized by inflammation and damage to the pedal (coffin) bone within the hoof. Affected horses can experience pain and lameness, which may be worse after exercise or hoof trimming. dal osteitis typically develops as a result of chronic and repetitive tra...
Sidebone in Horses: Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Sidebone in horses is a common condition that affects the collateral cartilages of the hoof. It occurs when the normally...
Sidebone in horses is a common condition that affects the collateral cartilages of the hoof. It occurs when the normally flexible cartilage plates in the horse's hoof gradually become hardened and calcified into bone. According to research, an estimated 80% of all horses have signs of sidebone. Most...
Canker in Horse Hooves: Signs, Causes & Treatment
Canker in horses, also called equine proliferative pododermatitis is a condition that causes rapid proliferation of kera...
Canker in horses, also called equine proliferative pododermatitis is a condition that causes rapid proliferation of keratin, the main component of the hoof wall and sole. The proliferation forms long fronds of keratin, usually around the frog of the hoof....
Keratomas in Horses: Lameness Causing Foot Tumours
Keratomas in horses are abnormal growths or benign tumors that develop within the hoof capsule, potentially resulting in...
Keratomas in horses are abnormal growths or benign tumors that develop within the hoof capsule, potentially resulting in lameness and discomfort. These non-cancerous masses comprise overgrowths of keratin, typically forming near the coronary band....
Colic in Foals: Causes, Symptoms Diagnosis & Treatment
Colic, defined as abdominal pain in horses, is a condition that ranges from mild discomfort to severe, life-threatening ...
Colic, defined as abdominal pain in horses, is a condition that ranges from mild discomfort to severe, life-threatening situations. In foals, colic presents unique challenges and concerns, due to their physiology and development. Colic in foals can be challenging to diagnose, as there are numerous p...
Pinworms (Oxyuris Equi) in Horses:  Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Equine pinworms, or Oxyuris equi, are common parasites that inhabit the horse's colon. Female pinworms lay their eggs on...
Equine pinworms, or Oxyuris equi, are common parasites that inhabit the horse's colon. Female pinworms lay their eggs on the perianal skin (around the anus), which can cause intense itching and irritation for the horse. Pinworm infections are most common in younger horses, but horses of any age can ...
How Does Hindgut Fermentation Work in the Horse?
Horses are single stomach (monogastric) herbivores that evolved to graze on fiber-rich roughage. Their unique digestive ...
Horses are single stomach (monogastric) herbivores that evolved to graze on fiber-rich roughage. Their unique digestive system consists of a foregut and hindgut, each with different functions for breaking down feed and absorbing nutrients. The stomach and small intestines, which make up the foregut,...
Enteroliths in Horses: Causes, Symptoms & Prevention
Enteroliths are calcifications or mineral masses that can form in the horse's intestines, sometimes resulting in impacti...
Enteroliths are calcifications or mineral masses that can form in the horse's intestines, sometimes resulting in impaction colic. These intestinal stones form when the horse consumes an indigestible object, which is not passed by the digestive system. Mineral deposits then accumulate around the fore...
Breton Horse Breed Guide: Characteristics, Health & Nutrition
The Breton horse is a French draft breed from Bretagne, or Brittany, a province in northwest France. There are three typ...
The Breton horse is a French draft breed from Bretagne, or Brittany, a province in northwest France. There are three types of Breton horses: the Postier Breton, the Central Mountain Breton, and the Heavy Draft Breton. This breed profile will discuss the characteristics, history, health problems, and...
Appendix Horse Breed Guide: Characteristics, Health & Nutrition
The Appendix horse is a mixed breed produced by crossing an American Quarter Horse with a Thoroughbred. The cross is als...
The Appendix horse is a mixed breed produced by crossing an American Quarter Horse with a Thoroughbred. The cross is also known as an Appendix Quarter Horse. Appendix horses can become eligible for permanent registration with the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) if they meet specific requir...
Grade Horse Guide: Characteristics, Health & Nutrition
A grade horse is any horse with unidentifiable or unknown parentage. These horses also include unregistered equines with...
A grade horse is any horse with unidentifiable or unknown parentage. These horses also include unregistered equines with mixed breeding. Grade horses don’t have a uniform breed type, and characteristics can vary significantly between individuals. Their lack of registered pedigrees shouldn’t disc...
Oldenburg Horse Breed Guide: Characteristics, Health & Nutrition
The Oldenburg, or Oldenburger, is a well-known warmblood breed from Lower Saxony in Germany. Oldenburgs are famous sport...
The Oldenburg, or Oldenburger, is a well-known warmblood breed from Lower Saxony in Germany. Oldenburgs are famous sport horses commonly used for dressage and show jumping. This breed profile will discuss the history, characteristics, health problems, and nutritional needs of the Oldenburg horse bre...