Fall, with its dry pastures and brown grass, is a season most people don’t associate with laminitis. But, what many owners don’t realize is that the autumn brings higher rates of the disease as well, particularly for horses that are already at risk.
It’s no secret that laminitis is a complex condition, and its treatment is even more complicated as farriers and veterinarians try to keep a horse comfortable when it stands on the very source of pain. It’s a condition that has forced podiatrists to get creative with the construction of therapeutic horse shoes.
Novice horse owners may not realize that older horses — and even some horses in their prime — often develop arthritis, or joint inflammation. Painful, stiff joints can be managed to keep most of these horses comfortable enough to continue performing.
Flip-flops are the footwear of choice for a great number of people around the world. Now, they are becoming increasingly popular in the equine world, as well.
When it comes to the horse’s hoof, Ramona, Calif., footcare practitioner John Stewart says there is only one topic that incites more disagreements: religion. If that is the case, casting’s use is one of those areas in hoof care in which there are strong opinions among the believers and those who don’t.
We’re all familiar with the old adage “no foot, no horse,” but the results of the latest British National Equine Health Survey (NEHS) suggest that lameness is three times more likely to be caused by conditions in the limb rather than problems in the foot.
At the rear side of the pastern on each equine limb are two small sesamoid bones that provide anchor points for the two branches of the suspensory ligament. As elements of the pastern joint, the sesamoids are under stress each time the horse takes a step.
A study of horses with equine metabolic syndrome showed that weight loss, managed by their owners at home, reduced insulin resistance and susceptibility to laminitis.
Disease of the navicular bone, also called the distal sesamoid bone, and its associated soft tissues often are at the root of chronic forelimb lameness. Though young horses might be affected, navicular disease typically crops up in mature riding horses.
In this episode, Mark Ellis, a Wisconsin farrier who learned the ropes with Renchin, recalls Red’s relationships with area veterinarians, his legacy and the second career as American Farriers Journal’s technical editor.
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Kawell develops and produces copper alloy horseshoes and inserts, giving horses the care that they need to fight issues associated with white line disease, seedy toe and thrush.
From the feed room to the tack room, SmartPak offers innovative solutions to help riders take great care of their horses. SmartPak was founded in 1999 with the introduction of the patented SmartPak™ supplement feeding system. The revolutionary, daily dose SmartPaks are custom-made for your horse, individually labeled and sealed for freshness.