| Cautions When Administering Medications |
November/2009 |
Be familiar with medication side effects and drug interactions before administering therapeutic agents to your horse.
Likely lingering in our equine first aid kit, barn and tack room cabinets, or in the horse trailer is an assortment of medications, in bottles, syringes, and tubs, awaiting the next "incident" that might unfold with our horses. Often we take for granted the handling of commonly used substances, with barely a thought about the adverse effects they could have on us or our horses.
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| Diagnosing & Managing Upper Respiratory Tract Disorders |
October/2009 |
When armed with accurate diagnoses and targeted surgical procedures, veterinarians can help horses with upper respiratory tract disorders.
Abnormalities of the upper respiratory tract are second only to musculoskeletal disorders as leading causes of poor performance in athletic horses. While a small number of horses with mild upper airway issues can be managed medically, many horse owners elect surgery as a primary treatment option.
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| Equine Osteoarthritis: The Economic Impact |
September/2009 |
Do you know what your horse's joints are worth?
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful, debilitating joint disease with no known cure. It is characterized by heat, pain, swelling, crepitus (a crackling, crinkly, or grating feeling or sound under the skin), and a decreased range of motion in affected joints. This condition can develop suddenly (e.
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| Headshaking Triggers and Treatment |
August/2009 |
What triggers a horse to flip his head uncontrollably, sometimes to the point of endangering him and his rider?
The amazing thing about horses is how such large, powerful animals can be exquisitely aware of the slightest sensation, such as a small insect on its back or face. Rippling of skin or an occasional head shake is a normal response to the tickling trigger of nerve endings.
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| Keeping Weekend Warrior Horses Fit |
July/2009 |
Horses that are mainly ridden on weekends require special care and training to avoid injury.
Some humans do it all the time: Pack a week's worth of activity into a weekend with pickup basketball games, long hikes, or marathon sessions at the gym. And while most people expect to pay for their exercise spurt with achy muscles, stiff joints, and risk of injury, many horse owners don't realize that their equine partners experience the same risks and discomforts after a long weekend on the trail or in the show ring.
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| Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM): Debunking the Myths |
June/2009 |
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) is a bit like a rock star: highly Googled, morbidly fascinating, yet oftentimes completely misunderstood.
"The EPM story is truly a success story for modern veterinary research. Twenty-five years ago we became aware of an enigmatic parasitic infection of the nervous system of the horse.
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| Building Immunity |
May/2009 |
The foal’s immune system is almost a blank slate at birth; researchers are figuring out how to best protect horses as they grow.
The process of building immunity against disease-causing pathogens for a horse begins with a foal's first sip of colostrum after birth. Foals are born without much protection against the world outside the uterus.
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| Stress Busters |
April/2009 |
Our horses' lifestyles, career demands, and the way we manage them can cause more stress than we might expect.
Sue McDonnell, PhD, Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist, was preparing a horse for long-distance transport. Getting the horse from her home base at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center to his final destination involved a jostling trailer ride to the airport, then a cross-country flight.
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| BLM Horses: What's Their Future? |
March/2009 |
What are the problems with managing BLM horses, and what solutions are agencies and advocates presenting?
In October 2008 wild horse protection advocates, scientists, and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Deputy Director Henri Bisson gathered at the Wild Horse and Burro Summit in Las Vegas, Nev., to strategize a solution to the BLM's excess horse problem.
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| Good Barnkeeping |
February/2009 |
Careful barn design planning and regular maintenance can mean a longer-lasting, safer structure that's more efficient to use.
All horse owners wish they had more time with their horses. For those who keep horses at home it is always a struggle to keep up with regular farm and barn maintenance and have enough time left to enjoy the horses.
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| Vaccination Yearly Planner |
January/2009 |
Immunizations are the cornerstone of disease prevention if given appropriately and in a timely manner.
One of the brightest spots of equine medical care for horses is the availability of many safe and effective vaccines to protect horses from infectious and noninfectious diseases. Sometimes it is confusing as to which ones your horse might need.
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| Impending Arrival |
December/2008 |
Determining when a mare will foal is art and science, but there are tests to help you pinpoint the due date.
Gestation in mares is estimated to last about 340 days, but this is just an average, since mares often foal as much as three weeks earlier or later than this standard time. Mares are notoriously unpredictable, and this is why horse breeders often try to figure out ways to more accurately pinpoint the time of foaling so they can be present at the birth.
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| Winter Barn Ventilation |
November/2008 |
How do you know if your barn is well-ventilated, and what can you do to fix it?
What could possibly be more interesting than barn ventilation? It ranks right up there with oil changes and trimming those low-hanging tree limbs that catch every time you mow the pastures. It doesn't increase the useful space in the barn or dramatically increase the value of your property, at least in the short run.
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| Horse Diseases and Humans |
September/2008 |
What can you catch from your horse?
If you work around horses long enough, you'll be handling ones that have lameness, diarrhea, abortions, skin diseases, and even neurologic signs. Our first concern is generally for the horse's well-being, and the last for our own health, since, after all, who gets sick from a horse?
Zoonotic diseases are those that are transmissible between animals and people.
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| Ethanol from Corn--Where's the Horse Feed? |
August/2008 |
Increased production of ethanol and other demands placed on traditional crops will force horse owners to look at feeding in a whole new light.
We often tend to view the equine industry as a separate entity--one that stands apart from the overall economic infrastructure. After all, it is far different from manufacturing and the business world in general.
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| Horse Neglect: What to Do? |
June/2008 |
Experienced horse people who notice neglect should contact the proper authorities to ensure the best outcome for the horse involved.
Every morning on the way to work, you drive by a small pasture that contains seven horses. It is winter and the ground is frozen and covered with snow.
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| Sleep Over Safely |
May/2008 |
Tips for before, during, and after your trip to help your horses be safe, comfortable, and healthy.
When traveling with horses, it's important to make sure they stay safe and healthy during their trip, and they don't bring home diseases when the trip is done. Roberta Dwyer, DVM, MS, Dipl.
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| EPM Diagnosis |
April/2008 |
Could EPM be causing your horse's performance to be just a little off?
Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) continues to be an elusive disease to prevent, diagnose, and treat. In this special collection of three articles this month, we will delve into the often-contentious world of EPM research to share what practitioners and those studying the disease have discovered.
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| Annual Wellness Exam |
March/2008 |
Wellness care can result in a healthier, longer life for the horse at a more predictable and manageable cost for the owner.
The thing about horses is they can't talk to you to tell you what's wrong. Sometimes they are "speaking," but their communication is so subtle that without a trained eye or experience, you might miss some issues that are important to a horse's well-being.
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| Hitting the Road for Education |
February/2008 |
Take more than 1,000 veterinarians and veterinary students from around the globe, some armed with presentations representing thousands of hours worth of equine research, and add to it some tartan, bagpipes, and Scottish fare. Drop it all into a festival city known for its striking castle and Georgian architecture.
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| 25 Years of Better Horse Care: 1983-2008 |
January/2008 |
As a new year begins, The Horse celebrates 25 years of reporting the latest in horse care. This publication began in 1983 as Modern Horse Breeding. In March of 1995 the name was changed to the current title to fit the expanded coverage of horse health, care, management, and welfare.
We asked our audience to look back and tell us what they thought were the top horse health, care, and management changes in the past 25 years, and on these pages you'll see a reflection of how they responded.
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| When Foaling Goes Wrong |
November/2007 |
There is something magical about foaling time that involves more than just observing the start of a new life--special though that might be. In addition, it often is the fruition of months, even years, of planning and anticipation on the part of the owner. As we stare in wonder at a wobbly foal, we often see more--a winner on the track, a jumper soaring over fences, a cutting horse making fantastic moves, a reiner leaving "elevens" in its wake … the list goes on.
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| Strangles Management and Prevention |
November/2007 |
New strategies for management and prevention.
It is not uncommon for strangles infections to recur on a farm, and until recent years there have been misconceptions about how this disease is maintained in a population of horses. These days scientists understand the phenomenon and can better explain it.
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| Wound TLC |
October/2007 |
Horses are fight-or-flight animals notorious for injuring themselves. There are many types of wounds--from abrasions and bruises to puncture wounds and lacerations. Proper care as soon as possible after the wound occurs can often make a difference in how swiftly or completely it heals, and whether it becomes career-ending or life-threatening.
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| State of the Industry |
September/2007 |
The changing dynamics of the horse industry in the United States can be likened to the ocean tides. At high tide there were somewhere between 25 and 27 million equines in this country. At low tide, that number dipped to under four million.
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| Health Problems of Young Horses in Training |
August/2007 |
Young horses in training are vulnerable to a wide variety of problems--everything from respiratory disease to training injuries. These horses are often taken off the farm where they grew up, transported to training facilities where they experience a new environment, and exposed to other horses from various places. This commingling of youngsters means they face diseases or strains of diseases they have not encountered before.
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| Understanding the Prepurchase Exam |
June/2007 |
The search is over: You've finally found the horse of your dreams. But before you sign the sales contract and load him onto the first trailer headed home, protect yourself with a prepurchase exam. Granted, there's no magic crystal ball there to guarantee a horse that looks great on exam day will carry you to reach all of your equestrian goals.
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| The Quest to Conquer Laminitis |
May/2007 |
"Owners and trainers worldwide have the feeling that every veterinarian and every farrier have years of experience and vast knowledge about laminitis and podiatry (foot care). Unfortunately, this is not the case," said Ric Redden, DVM, founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky.
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| Stop! You're Killing Me! |
May/2007 |
Linda Jones makes it no secret that Katy is the light of her life. Purchasing the Saddlebred mare six years ago fulfilled a dream Jones had nurtured since childhood. And she was determined to get their relationship off on the right foot.
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| Food for Thought: Digestive Health |
April/2007 |
A favorite pastime of humans and horses alike is to eat. Our world view of eating revolves around fundamental expectations of the types of food we eat, how these foods make us feel, and how different foods are processed through our bodies. Unlike our human intestinal constitution, the horse has a unique intestinal structure and function for processing feed.
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| National Finals Rodeo: Rodeo Does Vegas |
March/2007 |
Equestrian sports are the only events in the Olympics where male and female athletes compete against each other equally, whether humans or horses. Men and women, geldings, stallions, and mares are all equals. Rodeo is the only sport where humans and horses compete as teams and opponents.
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| Moon Blindness |
February/2007 |
"Moon blindness" is a chronic, painful eye disease, and it's the most common cause of blindness in horses. It was so named during the 1600s because people thought recurring attacks were related to phases of the moon. This eye disease might be one of the first veterinary diseases ever documented.
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| Larger Than Life: The Budweiser Clydesdales |
January/2007 |
Icon? Sentiment? A wish for simpler times? Harnessing of strength and power? What is it that makes the Budweiser Clydesdales so popular among people the world over? Even people who have never touched a horse exclaim in awe when they first see one of Anheuser-Busch's eight-horse hitches of Budweiser Clydesdales or have a chance to get close to one of these special horses. The Clydesdale TV commercials created by Anheuser-Busch are discussed at work, circulated via e-mail, and even a few laughs and tears are shed over their content, which often contains no humans except as a backdrop for the animals.
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| Breeding Expertise |
December/2006 |
The annual conference of the Society for Theriogenology (SFT) was held Aug. 22-26 in St. Paul, Minn. Scientists and clinicians specializing in reproduction shared new research and updated views on many topics during the conference. Following are some of those topics.
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| Lessons Learned Hard |
November/2006 |
We have just passed the five-year anniversary of the most horrific terrorist attack on the United States in the country's history. It was on Sept. 11, 2001, that two airplanes crashed into the World Trade Center Towers in New York, another struck the Pentagon, and a fourth crashed into the ground in Pennsylvania.
The near-hysteria that gripped parts of the country in the wake of those attacks has faded, but it has been a case of a lesson learned the hard way.
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| The Straight Dope |
October/2006 |
Is post-event drug testing becoming too sensitive, netting too many innocent violators? Are drug withdrawal guidelines for therapeutic medications too unreliable to be useful? Or are policies and tests being fine-tuned in a sensible manner in order to weed out the cheaters and increase odds of a fair and level playing field? As with so many other controversial issues, the answer depends on whom you talk to..
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| Canadian Horse Welfare |
September/2006 |
The horse industry across Canada for the past couple of years has been a bit like a ship in stormy seas. It has been buffeted about, with some of the waves splashing over to its neighbor to the south, but it is now finding itself in calmer waters.
In the eye of the storm has been the pregnant mare urine (PMU) industry, which has involved a large number of Canadian horses and horse owners.
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| Feeding to Prevent and Control Disease |
August/2006 |
Horse owners often search for a magic feedstuff that will enable horses to go farther, run faster, be healthier, and move sounder. Often, a variety of oral supplements are added to the diet, with unknown results. Some feed additives can cause more harm than good, or, at the very least, put a large hole in your wallet.
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| Freedom Contained |
July/2006 |
Romantic images swirl through the mind when one considers America's wild horses. For some the image might be that of a beautiful wild stallion racing across the prairie, mane and tail flying in the wind as he celebrates his freedom. For others, the image might be a temporarily helpless newborn foal lying in the grass, its mother hovering over it.
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| At Work in Morocco |
June/2006 |
Officials in Morocco say there are an estimated 100 million working horses, donkeys, and mules in developing countries, 27 million of which are in Africa. In the Kingdom of Morocco in Northern Africa, there are more than 1.
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| Barn Makeover: Gathering Storm or the End of the Rainbow? |
May/2006 |
Are you torn between undertaking a completely new structure or an extreme renovation of a building already on your property to use for housing horses? You might have what you need right there in front of you. With careful evaluation and planning, you might be able to remake your existing structure into the barn of your dreams.
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| Protect Horses From Bugs |
April/2006 |
Flies and mosquitoes are a nuisance, causing irritation and discomfort as they feed on horses. They can also be a health risk, spreading West Nile virus, encephalomyelitis viruses, equine infectious anemia, vesicular stomatitis, and other diseases. In this article we will share some tips on eliminating these pests and give you some new ideas and insight on what works, and what doesn't, in the war on flies and mosquitoes.
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| Hollywood Horses |
March/2006 |
Horses have been an integral part of movies since The Great Train Robbery debuted in 1903 as a silent film. That pioneer production opened the floodgates for the western movie, and horses began galloping across the screen in waves until the late 1960s and early 1970s, when westerns went into decline.
Of course, other types of movies through the years have featured horses.
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| Skin Problems in Horses |
February/2006 |
There are many problems that can affect a horse's skin--from insect allergies to fungal, viral, or bacterial infections. The skin is the body's largest and most important organ; it protects the inner structures of the body from the outside environment. Although it consists of many layers and is tough and resilient (and generally heals quickly when injured), if the skin is compromised too much, the horse's health is at risk.
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| Breeding Globally--AI Advances |
December/2005 |
Breeding without boundaries; it sounds like science fiction. Yet today we can breed two animals from different time zones, even different continents, through advances in artificial insemination. In this article, we will delve into the present and future of this advancing technology, discussing how it can be used for the convenience of owners and the betterment of breeds.
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| Enduring Chaos |
November/2005 |
More than 350 Louisiana horses and mules were rescued after Hurricane Katrina devastated parts of the Gulf Coast on August 29. Rescuers dealt daily with images of destruction--such as barns full of trapped horses that didn't survive the storm surge. Some horses simply weren't able touch the ground in the nine feet of sludge that rose around them when levees broke.
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| Genetic Disease: Who's At Risk? |
October/2005 |
Many of today's scientific advancements are based on genetic technology, and medicine is at the cutting edge of gene discovery. Equine medicine is no different. Using the very information code for life in genes, scientists are working to:
Prevent devastating or career-ending diseases through informed breeding;
Gain new knowledge on conditions that contribute to disease severity;
Monitor efficacy of treatments;
Assess fitness expression;
Identify at-risk horses;
Map the horse genome in order to improve the search for specific genes responsible for traits of interest; and
Utilize gene chip technology to study disease expression.
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| WNV: Where Are We Today? |
September/2005 |
Let's face it--we were getting comfortable, perhaps complacent, in our twice-a-year visits from our horse's veterinarians for inoculations against the old, familiar diseases..
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| Therapeutic Options |
August/2005 |
Not long ago, veterinarians generally considered most forms of alternative medicine to be a "smoke and mirrors" approach to treating horses. Today, many veterinarians are embracing at least two forms of alternative medicine--acupuncture and chiropractic. A 2002 survey of American Association of Equine Practitioners (AAEP) members showed a growing interest in alternative therapies or, as the AAEP refers to them, therapeutic options.
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| Leg Injury Rehabilitation |
July/2005 |
When your veterinarian informs you that your 6-year-old gelding has sustained a suspensory ligament injury in his left foreleg, your heart sinks. Not only are you concerned about the amount of pain and suffering your horse will endure in the months to come, but you are also concerned about other conditions that could develop as a result of this injury.
One of the biggest fears of horse owners is a leg injury that ends the horse's career, or sometimes threatens his life.
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| Age-Defying Equines |
June/2005 |
Whether you consider a horse to be old at 18 or 25, at some point, senior horses are going to start showing clinical signs of aging--moving more slowly or stiffly, becoming unthrifty, developing a dull coat, or displaying subtle or obvious signs of a disease process. Here are some of the common problems you could encounter in your aged friend and what you should know about those topics to help him through those golden years.
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| The Perfect Hoof |
May/2005 |
An interesting dichotomy exists when we turn our attention to the horse's foot. On the one hand, without a healthy foot, a modern-day horse really has no value. On the other hand, the foot often is the most neglected part of the horse's anatomy.
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| Welfare in Mexico |
April/2005 |
Mexico is truly a land of enchantment. Pristine beaches in places with names like Acapulco and Cancun entice visitors, many of them very wealthy, from around the world. Scenic mountains tower over part of the land.
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| Rescue & Rehab Facilities |
March/2005 |
To most people, the aging process seems cruel. Your body becomes less dependable, you can't do things as quickly as you used to, and you take a long time to recover from illness and injury. For horses, all of this applies and, in many cases, to a greater extent.
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| BEVA Shares Education |
February/2005 |
The United Kingdom is famous for its rich history and deeply rooted traditions, but that doesn't mean its veterinarians are bound to ancient methods of equine medicine. Quite the contrary, the British Equine Veterinary Association (BEVA) hosts one of the world's most in-depth, cutting-edge continuing education meetings every year--the BEVA Congress.
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| Defending Against Disease |
January/2005 |
Editor's Note: This is the first installment in a 12-part series of articles on vaccinations of horses.
Of all the medical advances in the past couple of centuries, the one that might be the most remarkable is also the one we're most likely to take for granted. The simple pinprick of an intramuscular injection taking less than 10 seconds protects our families, our pets, our horses, and ourselves from diseases that once meant certain death.
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| Anatomy and Physiology |
January/2005 |
The evolution of the horse from a tiny, four-toed animal, perhaps no more than one foot tall, to the variety of equines in existence today, is one of the wonders of nature. During that process of change, the horse evolved over many thousands of years from an animal that predators hunted for food to an animal that became a servant and friend for mankind.
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| Seven Deadly Sins |
December/2004 |
No matter a horse's talent, if he consistently engages in difficult, damaging, or dangerous behavior, he risks being found guilty of being a "problem horse." He then will serve time wearing uncomfortable devices designed to break or hinder an unacceptable behavior, being handed corporal punishment by a frustrated handler, or being given capital punishment via a trip to auction and on to the slaughterhouse.
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| The Right Stuff |
November/2004 |
David O'Connor and Leon Harrel come from two totally separate equine worlds and compete in disciplines that have very little in common. They also are far removed from each other geographically. O'Connor, winner of the individual Olympic gold medal in three-day eventing and also a member of the contingent that won the team bronze at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, lives in Virginia during the summer and fall seasons and moves to Florida during the winter, while Harrel, twice a winner of the prestigious cutting horse Futurity Championship, hails from Oklahoma and headquarters today in Texas, but also conducts cutting clinics in Colorado.
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| Feeding Horses: Art, Science, or Both? |
October/2004 |
When feeding horses, two seemingly opposing aspects hold true: It's a little bit of art, and a little bit of science. On one hand, tradition reigns supreme when it comes to horse feeding. Many techniques have been passed down from generation to generation and, in some cases, remain in place despite new knowledge based on scientific research.
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| Prepare for Winter Now |
September/2004 |
Summer might still be going strong where you are, but we all know that sooner or later winter will be on its way, bringing shorter days, colder temperatures, and in many regions, snow and ice. For horse owners, winter is a true test of one's commitment to their hobby or sport--as much as we love to tromp around the barn and fuss over our horses, we must admit that it's a lot more fun when the weather is warm.
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| Gaining a Foothold |
August/2004 |
All horses benefit when veterinarians, researchers, and farriers meet to share information and learn from each others' experiences. One of these notable meetings is the annual Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium, hosted in Louisville, Ky., by Ric Redden, DVM, and his wife Nancy, of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky.
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| Hidden Treasure: Retraining Racehorses |
July/2004 |
"A prize in every box." While that phrase refers to the little toy one finds in a box of Cracker Jacks, adopting a former racehorse is not so different: You're not quite sure what you'll get, but often the experience is fun and the horse can be a treasure for years to come. For the most part, ex-racehorses are well-trained, intelligent horses which, in the right hands, successfully move on to other disciplines.
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| Lameness Diagnostics |
June/2004 |
Quite often, the diagnostic tools and techniques at the disposal of your mobile veterinary service are all that are needed to solve the mystery. Some horse owners have been through this routine a time or two: Your vet will ask to see your horse move on a straight line and on a circle, then on a hard surface and a soft one. He or she will ask when you're most likely to notice the gait abnormality: At a trot or at a canter? At the beginning of a workout or at the end? Can you think of any incident that might have caused an injury such as a particularly hard gallop or getting a hoof caught in the fence?
The veterinarian might begin by palpating the leg, gently squeezing the tendons and ligaments or probing the texture of a knee or ankle with his or her fingers, looking for subtle signs of inflammation, and/or he or she might use hoof testers to put pressure on the sole of Boomer's foot, looking for a sensitive spot.
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| Pursuing Hope |
May/2004 |
Referral centers are godsends to the equine community. Often housed in state-of-the-art buildings, featuring the latest in scientific technology and equipment, and manned by specialists, referral centers offer a strong ray of hope when the best efforts by veterinarians in the field just aren't enough. There is a down side, of course: They can be expensive.
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| Trails, Trips, and Traveling With Horses |
April/2004 |
There was a time when trail riding was pretty much confined to where one lived. The choices might include a country road or a ditch along a busy highway. That, however, is in the past.
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| Living on the Edge |
March/2004 |
Keeping equids in a "backyard horse" situation, subdivision, or small acreage presents a different set of challenges than keeping horses on a large farm or ranch. In urban/suburban settings, some of the important considerations include zoning, building codes (if you plan to have a barn, run-in shed, indoor arena, etc.
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| How Safe is Your Barn? |
February/2004 |
Barns can be elaborate statements about our love for our animals and our economic status. In terms of equine health and safety, the best solution is one that works, not necessarily the most impressive or expensive one. Often, spending more money on the barn does little or nothing to improve the contribution of the building to the health and safety of the occupants.
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| A Win at Any Cost? |
January/2004 |
The horse show scene often is one of pageantry, color, and excitement. There are handsome horses groomed until they shine, riders dressed in colorful or formal garments who ride with skill and aplomb, and judges who observe every movement and mark their scorecards with placings that can increase a horse's worth and elevate the rider's standing in the equine community.
Frequently, the shows are festive occasions, complete with parties, bejeweled women, and tuxedo-clad men combined with much pomp and circumstance.
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| The Facts of Life |
December/2003 |
The fertilization of an egg and subsequent growth of one tiny cell into the perfect foal is a very complex process. Understanding the various stages of development can help you understand how pregnancies can be challenged and what's going on in the event of a problem.
Pregnancy in the mare can be divided into four main events--fertilization, early embryo development, placentation (formation of the placenta), and organ growth.
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| Surviving Colic |
November/2003 |
In decades past, colic treatment was actually a misnomer. "Treatment" consisted of waiting out the colic while offering sedative-like drugs to dampen a horse's misery. Either his body healed of its own accord, or he succumbed to death from overwhelming pain and shock.
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| Training Young Athletes |
October/2003 |
It sounds completely backwards, the idea that you might actually increase health risks by postponing training and competition until a horse is four or older. It goes against the ages-old and widely held belief that you cause damage by initiating work before a horse's skeleton matures.
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| Wild about Behavior |
September/2003 |
Why does my stallion not perform as eagerly in the breeding shed as in the past? Why does my mare's ground behavior become nearly unbearable during estrus? Is there a reason that my gelding isn't moving along as easily in his training as other horses I've worked with in the past? What can be done about each situation? These are all questions that a unique group of equine veterinarians, researchers, and students seek to answer every day at New Bolton Center's Equine Behavior Laboratory in Kennett Square, Pa., which is part of the Section of Reproduction at the University of Pennsylvania's (UPenn) School of Veterinary Medicine.
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| Not-So-Happy Trails |
August/2003 |
More and more horse owners across America are turning to trail riding as their recreational equine-based activity of choice. Breed registries such as the American Quarter Horse Association, American Paint Horse Association, and Appaloosa Horse Club are recognizing this phenomenon and are encouraging it with special awards for miles ridden.
As more horses take to the trails in all parts of the United States, the potential for equine health problems and injuries increases.
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| Heat Stress in Horses |
July/2003 |
Beneath your helmet, your head feels hot and sweat drips off your face as you ride. Your horse's neck is soaked, and your reins are slippery and lathered. The more you call for an effort from your horse, the more sluggish he seems.
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| A Shot in the Dark |
June/2003 |
Author's note: This article is intended to improve your understanding of drugs commonly used in equine veterinary care; it is not a "treatment guide" for the lay person. No medication or combination thereof should be given without veterinary consultation.
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| Cutting-Edge Hoof Education |
May/2003 |
Described by host Ric Redden, DVM, founder of the International Equine Podiatry Center in Versailles, Ky., as "probably the most harmonious learning event in the world," the Bluegrass Laminitis Symposium held annually in Louisville, Ky., is a mecca for farriers and veterinarians interested in expanding their knowledge of the pathological equine foot.
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| Saving Survivors |
April/2003 |
Amber is a 30-year-old Arabian mare which was slowly starving to death because her owners had run out of money to care for her. Because of her age and lack of potential and worth, Amber's owners allowed her to be pushed out of food and veterinary care in their herd of 35 horses. The husband finally decided to give Amber to a nearby therapeutic riding center, which promptly contacted the Hooved Animal Humane Society.
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| 10 Tips on Getting Ready for Spring |
March/2003 |
You can feel it. You can smell it. Spring is in the air. Oh, to be sure, we aren't finished with cold weather in many parts of the country, but it won't be long before we will be ready to head out trail riding or be off on the spring horse show circuit.
It's time to take a good look at our equine companion or companions and find out if they are as ready as we are for another riding season.
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| No Live Foal Guarantees |
February/2003 |
Subconsciously, you've been holding your breath for months. From the moment your mare was confirmed in foal, it's been a tense waiting game. And although she will be foaling soon, you know a healthy foal is still anything but a given. Between breeding and her foaling date lurk a few dozen tragic ways in which she could lose her foal.
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| One Step at a Time |
January/2003 |
How hard are you really working to understand what makes a foot healthy, and what's happening that could cause problems? Training yourself to observe--not just see--the horse's foot is the first step. Each person involved with a horse, whether it's the groom, owner, farrier, or veterinarian, needs to be able to recognize subtle differences today that might mean a major problem down the road.
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| Stretching Out the Kinks |
December/2002 |
There's nothing like a good stretch--when you wake up in the morning, during breaks at work, or before and after your workout. In human physiology, we know about stretching and its benefits for the athlete. Many practitioners and physical therapists recommend stretching for their equine clients.
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| Breeding Soundness Exam of the Mare |
November/2002 |
Horse breeding is a time-consuming and expensive business. Therefore, horse breeders must be able to assess the likelihood of a mare being able to conceive, carry a fetus through a pregnancy, and deliver a live foal. While unforeseen problems can always occur, there are procedures that help you decide if a mare is suitable for breeding.
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| West Nile Virus Alert! |
October/2002 |
by Kimberly S. Herbert and Stephanie L. Church
West Nile virus is a dangerous and scary disease, and it is spreading across North America very quickly. However, this is one of the few times when horses have it better than humans when it comes to facing disease.
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| Horse Auctions: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly |
September/2002 |
For some, a horse auction is an excellent place for buyer and seller to meet and arrive at fair market value for an animal. To others, a horse auction is the place where good money was spent on a horse which couldn't, or didn't, perform up to expectations. For still others it's a place where horses get their last chance, or a final journey to a slaughter plant.
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| Providing Care for Your Senior Horse |
August/2002 |
Not all that long ago, a horse in his teens was considered old. Today in many undeveloped countries, this is still considered to be the case. But in the sophisticated horse world, what is considered "old?" We consider a horse to be "aged" when he crosses over into his 20s. However, it's not just the human life span that has been lengthened by good nutrition and preventive care; horses are living well into their late 20s and 30s.
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| New Focus on the Foot |
July/2002 |
No foot, no horse; these words are as true today as they were two hundred years ago. But during that time, the horse has gone from being a "beast of burden" as the major means of transportation to a leisure animal--one that we ride for pleasure whether it is in competition or on a weekend trail ride. One constant during this time is that the horse has single digits, encased in tough, keratinized hooves, on the end of relatively lightweight limbs.
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| Naturally Parelli |
May/2002 |
Like most people (including more than 90% of our readers), I use a computer. I can turn it on, perform tasks pertinent to my job, look things up on the Internet, print in various fonts and sizes, and accomplish my assigned tasks with little thought to the machine or the process. This is how most people use computers.
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| Tendons and Ligaments |
April/2002 |
It should come as no surprise that horses suffer from tendon and ligament injuries. When one considers these vital parts of the equine anatomy and the stresses placed upon them, it's a tribute to the horse's physical make-up that there aren't more injuries. Unfortunately, when an injury does occur to a tendon or ligament, it can be career-threatening or even life-threatening.
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| Purchase Exam: What Does It Do For You? |
March/2002 |
Purchasing a horse means embarking on an exciting adventure. It is a big step along a path of realizing equestrian dreams and goals, no matter how small or large these might be. A new horse becomes part of your family and a distinctive part of your lifestyle.
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| Links to the Future |
February/2002 |
"Go with your strengths, and collaborate as effectively as possible." Those were the two baseline rules that Bill Moyer, DVM, head of the Department of Large Animal Medicine & Surgery at Texas A&M's College of Veterinary Medicine, and Bryan Johnson, PhD, head of the Department of Animal Science in Texas A&M's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, agreed upon at the inception of the Link Equine Research Endowment. Texan Patsy Link left $8.
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| Rodeo Horses |
January/2002 |
Rodeo is a rough and tumble sport. It was born on the wide open rangelands of the West, but through the years it has been transformed into an entertainment package that knows no geographic boundaries. Despite that change, it remains a sport where the potential for injury to animals is high, but surprisingly the actual incidence is low.
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| Foaling Problems |
December/2001 |
A medical doctor once told me, "There’s only a 1% chance that a problem will develop, but if it develops in you, then it’s 100% a problem." So it goes with foaling: Foaling difficulties occur in less than 1% of births, but if it’s your mare, this statistic ceases to have any relevance.
When a dystocia (difficult birth) takes place, you usually have only a narrow time frame in which to obtain veterinary help.
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| The Making of a Veterinarian |
November/2001 |
"We are pleased to notify you that you have been accepted by the College of Veterinary Medicine as a first-year student in the professional curriculum beginning August 22, 2002." These few words are the light at the end of a long tunnel, and the beginning of a new pathway for people wanting to become veterinarians.
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| The Gastrointestinal (GI) Tract |
October/2001 |
Then there is the matter of the large colon, with its sacculated construction that seems made to order for twisting or strangulating when the pouches become distended by gas during a bout with colic.
There is also the matter of length.
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| Without Warning: Dystocia |
October/2001 |
Eleven months is a long time to wait for the birth of a foal. Even with the best of care, things can go wrong and interrupt the normal development of the fetus and/or compromise the health of the mare.
When the day (or as is often the case, night) arrives for the mare to give birth, it is a time for both anticipation and anxiety.
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| The Equine Foot -- Form and Function |
October/2001 |
There is an adage that is as old as the modern-day horse. It goes something like this: No foot, no horse. My late father, who could pick out a minute leg or foot unsoundness at a glance, used to lecture his young son about the importance of good feet and legs in a horse. "The feet and legs," he would say, "are kind of like the foundation of a house.
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| Joints: Part 1 |
October/2001 |
The mechanical engineering involved in the structuring of equine joints is both complex and masterful. Not only do healthy joints allow the horse to move freely, but they also help to effectively absorb concussion, especially when the horse is traveling at speed. In this article and one to follow next month, we want to take an in-depth look at joints and some of the problems that afflict them.
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| The Equine Eye |
October/2001 |
It is a common enough scenario. The wind is blowing as you lead your riding mount, racing, or performance horse from the stable to the paddock for exercise. A gust of wind sends a piece of paper skittering past on your right.
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| Wild Wisdom |
October/2001 |
It is a stirring sight to watch a band of wild horses on the run across a prairie or valley floor, manes and tails flowing in the wind. If they are in rugged country, they won't slow their pace when the trail winds its way up a bluff. Sure-footed, they will scramble to the top and pause, etched against the skyline, nostrils flared, ears up, keen eyes focusing on what had startled them.
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| Housing Your Horse |
October/2001 |
In the back of your mind somewhere there lurks a Dream Barn. Go on, admit it. You've planned it down to the last luxurious detail--from the Olympic-sized riding arena (with the climate-impervious perfect footing) right down to the automatic fly spray misting system and the heated automatic waterers that never freeze up, overflow, or get jammed. There your horses live in decadent comfort, with every convenience at your fingertips.
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| Lower Airway Disease |
October/2001 |
Coughing, one of the most common signs of respiratory disease, can occur in response to irritation from viruses, bacteria, or inhaled environmental dusts and allergens. However, most veterinarians and researchers will agree that irritation from the dusts in feed and bedding is the most common cause of coughing.
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| Tendon Injuries in Horses |
September/2001 |
Tendon injuries can be extremely frustrating. The best way to deal with them is to make every effort to prevent them, or if possible, limit the degree of damage that occurs. Certainly some tendon injuries occur acutely without any warning, but many more severe injuries are preceded by some signs of subtle lameness or palpable abnormalities in the tendons.
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| Joints Part 2: Joint Disease |
September/2001 |
Among the most highly engineered, finely tuned machines built by man are race cars that zip around the Indianapolis 500 track at speeds in excess of 200 miles per hour. However, even the most perfectly constructed car will develop problems from continued competition.
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| The Latest on Laminitis |
August/2001 |
Of all the ailments a horse can suffer, laminitis is the one that unfailingly strikes fear into the heart of an owner. Nothing else has as devastating an effect because while laminitis is not always fatal, it promises weeks or months of agony for the horse, endless nursing care for the owner, and multiple veterinary and farrier bills, all with no guarantee that the horse will ever regain useful soundness.
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| Deadly Spring Syndromes |
July/2001 |
Good news travels fast in the horse business; bad news travels even faster. In the case of an outbreak of mysterious early fetal loss and late-gestation foal loss, cooperation and quick sharing of information served to help researchers investigate and track down a killer--maybe.
In several states this spring, including Ohio, West Virginia, and possibly some other states--but especially Kentucky where there is a concentration of Thoroughbred breeding farms--strange things started happening following an unusual weather pattern this spring of warm weather, frost, and then drought.
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| Hauling Horses--National Exposition on Equine Transportation |
June/2001 |
The first National Exposition on Equine Transportation (NEET) had a wealth of information for people who haul their own horses for competition or pleasure riding, or for those shipping horses commercially. Information ranged from live demonstrations and hands-on participation to lectures on topics including research on health aspects of transportation, choosing a trailer, proper hitching, and selecting a towing vehicle.
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| Parasite Primer |
May/2001 |
When you look out across your pasture to watch your horse grazing, you might only see the obvious--a 1,000-pound friend and teammate. But if you were to look beyond the surface, you'd discover that he is really an ecosystem unto himself.
Your horse's body (and that of every other horse) is host to thousands, perhaps millions, of microscopic creatures that use a share of his oxygen and nutrients, and enjoy the body heat he generates and the shelter of his internal recesses.
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| Untimely End--Early Embryonic Death |
April/2001 |
Breeding horses can be both exhilarating and devastating. Wrapped up in the process are hopes, dreams, and visions of future greatness and glory. The hopes and dreams begin with the selection of a stallion for your special mare. You assess her strengths and weaknesses, then select that "just right" stallion to complement her.
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| Special Report: EPM |
March/2001 |
The world of equine health will never be the same. That statement seems out of context when talking about one research project about one parasite that causes one disease. But, horse owners know that equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM)--the multi-faceted neurologic disease caused by the single-celled protozoal parasite Sarcocystis neurona--is a tremendous problem in the horse industry.
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| Equine Insurance |
February/2001 |
The great day has arrived. You've been patient. You've saved your money. You've looked at dozens of candidates. Now you know this is the horse for you, the one that will take you to the training level at the horse trials or, if another discipline is involved, allow you to move up in your chosen competition. The only problem is that the horse costs a good deal of money.
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| Imprinting Foals |
January/2001 |
Editor's Note: Nothing is without controversy, especially in the equine world. Some equine behaviorists question certain aspects of Dr. Miller's theories and practices, and their opinions regarding foal "imprint training" appear below.
Most owners have been through it at one point or another in their horse-raising careers.
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| A Gold Medal Performance |
December/2000 |
The Olympics were a huge success for all three equestrian disciplines--eventing, dressage, and jumping. Since the test event at the Olympic site last September, it had been an eagerly awaited competition. In the end, all the hard work and effort put in by the organizers, volunteers, and officials paid off handsomely.
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| Equine Genetics |
November/2000 |
On June 26, 2000, the President of the United States presided over a news conference at which a dramatic announcement was made: Scientists reported that the human genetic code essentially had been deciphered. At the White House ceremony, the scientists said that they virtually had completed assembly of what they called "the book of life.
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| Conformation in Horses |
October/2000 |
Conformation...what does it mean? If you've spent any time around horses or horse people, you've heard this word or related words used again and again. "Wow, that horse has great conformation!" or "My trainer said not to buy that horse because he has such horrible conformation--he won't hold up.
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| Tendon Injuries: Treatments and Prevention |
September/2000 |
Tendon injuries quickly can end a performance horse's career. There are no definitive statistics concerning how many horses in the world suffer from tendon injuries of some sort, but the number is considerable. The most common injury is the one referred to as a bowed tendon, but other injuries, such as lacerations, also can compromise a horse's capability.
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| Equine Skin Problems and Causes |
August/2000 |
Skin is a horse's largest organ, and it's the only organ that an owner can examine in its entirity and monitor on a daily basis. The skin not only acts as a barrier to outside insults, but protects a horse's internal structures, allows the majority of body heat dissipation, and serves as a monitor for general wellness or illnesses. The skin also is subject to attack on a number of fronts, ranging from infectious bacteria or fungus and biting insects on the outside, to liver, nutritional, and other problems on the inside.
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| Unfinished Chapters: Arthritis Pain Management |
July/2000 |
"He knew the anguish of the marrowThe ague of the skeleton;No contact possible to fleshAllayed the fever of the bone."-- from "Whispers of Immortality"
Thomas Stearns Eliot (that's T.S.
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| Alternative Therapies: Quality or Quackery? |
June/2000 |
There's a Great Divide in the equine community. It's not the endless squabbling among hard-core breed or discipline disciples, and it's not the uneasy relations between animal-rights groups and equestrian enthusiasts. It's the split between those horse owners and equine practitioners who favor a solidly "conventional" approach to veterinary medicine, and those who believe that so-called "alternative" therapies should have a place in--or even replace--conventional methods.
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| Footing |
May/2000 |
The type of footing on which a horse performs strongly influences whether the animal has a long and productive career, or whether it has that career cut short because of unsoundness or injury. Footing also influences how well the horse performs.
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| Common Problems and Their Signs |
April/2000 |
The ability to recognize abnormalities depends greatly on a person's knowledge of what is normal. The greater someone's knowledge of normal anatomy, physiology, behavior, and environment of a given animal, the more likely that person is to recognize subtle differences that might be the beginning of a disease process. There can be great differences between individual animals, and care givers need to recognize that fact.
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| Shed Ready? Breeding Soundness Exam |
March/2000 |
Reproduction, from Nature’s viewpoint, is a pretty straightforward procedure that begins with breeding and ends with parturition. From the horse owner’s viewpoint, it isn’t all that simple or easy. Many things can happen between those two points that result in a failed pregnancy.
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| Artificial Insemination |
February/2000 |
Artificial insemination of equines has been around a long time and, through the years, has had a profound impact on the horse industry. Most of the impact has been of the positive variety, but there also have been some negatives. Just when artificial insemination (AI) first made its appearance on the equine scene is open to debate.
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| 100 Years of Horse Health Care |
January/2000 |
Standing on the fresh field of a brand new century, we look eagerly-if sometimes cautiously-toward the horizon and the unknown future awaiting us. We hope that, in the months and years to come, we will solve problems long puzzled over and finish battles long fought. We look, in short, at all that is left to do, all that we have yet to accomplish.
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| Horses Destined for Slaughter |
December/1999 |
One of the most controversial topics involving equines in the United States concerns sending horses to slaughter. Many horse owners and even non-owners are miles apart when this issue arises. There are those who take an extreme stance—that humans should not eat the flesh of any animal.
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| Gastric Ulcers |
November/1999 |
Stomach ulcers and lesions can be an affliction in horses young and old. The presence of ulcers often causes severe discomfort to the horse and, in radical cases, can result in death. Attempting to describe ulcers is a bit like trying to describe colic.
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| When Joints Fail: Osteochondrosis |
October/1999 |
Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) is an affliction, if left untreated, that can have long-term harmful effects on the young, growing horse as well as the performing or racing horse. OCD actually is a disease subset of osteochondrosis and is classified under the umbrella term of developmental orthopedic disease.
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| Gait Analysis |
September/1999 |
Ever since the 1880s, when Edweard Muybridge set up a series of cameras to capture the character of footfalls of a racehorse, we’ve been fascinated by how horses move. No doubt you’ve seen that early sequence of photos, which demonstrated that the artists who produced hunting prints and racing scenes were wrong: horses didn’t trot or gallop in great leaps like a rabbit, with all four feet off the ground, but instead performed a complex pattern of footfalls which propelled them forward too fast for the human eye to catch every detail.
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| The Epidemiology Of Colic |
August/1999 |
Epidemiology is the study of disease incidence. When we think of epidemiology, we most often think of infectious diseases or tracking down the cause of an epidemic. The same science that has been used to study human diseases has been applied to numerous animal diseases, and recently to the study of equine colic.
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| Transportation Safety for Horses |
July/1999 |
Nearly every horse owner has trailered a horse from point A to point B. Many horse owners do it on a regular basis, going to competitions, rodeos, or rides every other weekend or so. We make sure the vents in the trailer are adjusted properly to account for the outside weather.
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| Rehabilitating the EPM Horse |
May/1999 |
Your horse was diagnosed with equine protozoal myeloencephalitis, but with quick intervention by your veterinarian, careful administration of medications, and lots of nursing, he is on his way to recovery and being "cured" of the parasite. At that point, almost everyone has lots of well-intended advice on how to get your horse back to 100% fitness.
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| Vaccinations for Horses |
April/1999 |
Vaccines have been true godsends the world over. Diseases that once laid waste to large segments of the human population now are held in check by vaccines. One of those killing diseases, smallpox, has been eradicated.
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| Early Embryonic Death |
March/1999 |
For all horse breeders, it is important to realize that not every mare will give birth to a live foal. Failure of the pregnancy can occur at any stage starting from the fertilization of the oocyte or egg. The oocyte develops in the fluid- filled follicle (Figure One).
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| Fetal Development and Foal Growth |
January/1999 |
Procreation in any species borders on the miraculous. How else can one describe a phenomenon where two microscopic entities intersect, join forces, and grow into a living, breathing creature that, in the case of the horse, will weigh 1,000 pounds or more at maturity. Science, of course, does not deal in miracles.
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| Genetic Testing: The Secret World Of Genes |
December/1998 |
Anyone who reads this magazine likely agrees that horses are amazing creatures. Valued for their speed, their beauty, and their grace, not to mention their generosity of spirit toward humans, horses are a continuing marvel even to those of us who work with them every day. And now, as researchers delve into the secrets of the DNA strands that make horses what they are, we're discovering anew just how miraculous they are--on a molecular level.
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| The Aging Equine |
October/1998 |
We've all heard the statistics about aging America--as the population of baby boomers rounds the curve of 40, the average age of our society is inching its way up. In recent years, horses have experienced a similar population shift.
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| Horse Whispering |
August/1998 |
One of the definitions of communication as provided by Webster's Dictionary is "a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior." Can we as humans use a common system of symbols, signs, and behavior to communicate with horses? Can they communicate with each other? The answer to both questions is a simple yes, but it goes far deeper than that.
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| Common Respiratory Problems |
July/1998 |
The main goal of the respiratory system is to transfer oxygen from the air we breathe to the red blood cells, where the oxygen will be transported throughout the body and be available for all organs and tissues. In addition, carbon dioxide, a waste product of metabolism, is eliminated from the body via the lungs.
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| Understanding Hoof Cracks |
June/1998 |
Hoof cracks can be as simple as something that merely irritates the observer from an aesthetic point of view to something so serious that the horse is dead lame and unable to perform. Hoof cracks come in a variety of types and sizes, and they originate from a variety of causes that can range from something as serious as laminitis to something as basic as repetitive exercise on hard surfaces or improper shoeing.
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| Equine Back Problems |
May/1998 |
Equine back problems are common, particularly in performance horses. The conditions involved can be primary or can result from lameness, ill-fitting tack, or even inadequate schooling. It is noteworthy that the most common reason for presentation of a back problem is poor performance rather than pain.
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| Transporting Horses |
April/1998 |
Moving horses from place to place is recorded to occur as far back in history as 3,500 years. At that time, horses were transported by sea and either were confined in boxes to the bowels of the boat or placed in slings on the deck of the boat. Even then, it was noted that transport was a stressful event that came with inherent health risks, and with a high mortality rate in horses shipped below deck.
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| The Sub-Fertile Stallion |
March/1998 |
Having a stallion on the premises adds another dimension to an equine operation whether it be on a farm where only a few mares are bred each year or one where that number is in the hundreds.
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| Sub-Fertile Mares |
February/1998 |
A broodmare which fails to conceive or carry a foal to term can be an emotional and financial liability. For the backyard breeder, the liability might be primarily emotional, when that special mare you wanted to produce your next trail horse or hunter simply doesn't do so. For the commercial breeder, there might be emotional trauma, but more importantly for him or her, the economic liability can be significant.
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| The Art of Therapeutic Shoeing |
November/1997 |
Michael J. Wildenstein, resident farrier at Cornell University's large animal clinic, has approximately 400 different types of therapeutic shoes hanging on the wall of his clinic. Each one, he says, was made for a particular lameness or disease problem to fit an individual horse: aluminum shoes for a fatiguing jumper, plastic shoes for an endurance horse, rubber shoes for a carriage horse, titanium shoes for a horse who wears down its shoes too fast, glue-on shoes for thinned-walled horses.
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| Skin Diseases in Horses |
October/1997 |
A horse's skin is vital to the animal's survival. It serves as its anatomical boundary and as the principal organ of communication between the horse and the environment in which it lives. As is the case with other body components, the skin of a horse is subject to attack on a number of fronts, ranging from infectious bacteria to biting insects.
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| Exercise Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage |
September/1997 |
The debate goes on. That brief statement is about the most accurate way to open a discussion on exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) in horses. The condition has been a concern for 300 years and, during that time, has been addressed, researched, and argued about by some of the most brilliant scientists in the world.
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| Life's Curious Brew: Fluids and Electrolytes |
August/1997 |
How would you feel if somebody told you that you are little more than just a bunch of salt water? Well, it's almost true--we and our favorite companion, the horse, are approximately 60% (by body weight) salty water. So now, with the help of a little arithmetic, we can calculate the following: A generic adult horse (named Salty) weighing 450 kilograms (990 pounds) multiplied times the 60% gives us 270 kilograms of water! Great, but what kind of volume are we talking about? The real question is, how much does water weigh? The easy way to remember this is the rhyme used by many a student : "A pint's a pound the world around.
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| Stereotypic Behaviors |
April/1997 |
Chomp! Incisors lock onto the edge of the board, and the horse arches his neck as he inhales. You've caught a cribber in the act. This horse is practicing what is known as a stereotypic behavior. Behaviors such as cribbing, weaving, and stall-walking might appear as nuisances, but behaviorists estimate they're seen in 10-20% of the population of domestic horses.
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| Hidden Dangers: Endophyte-Infested Fescue |
March/1997 |
When it first arrived on the scene in the United States during the early 1940s, tall fescue was considered a wonder grass. It was easy to establish, it was a good forage yielder, and it was tolerant of a wide range of management regimens. In short, it was a very tough grass that could stand heavy grazing and a high rate of animal foot traffic under a variety of climatic conditions and still continue to flourish.
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| Stallion Anatomy and Physiology |
December/1996 |
Breeding horses is a precarious business at best. Despite great strides in research, conception rates overall are not high. Some researchers place them as low as 55-60% of all mares bred. In many cases, blame is placed on the mare.
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| Anatomy and Physiology of a Mare's Reproductive System |
November/1996 |
Moody. Inscrutable. Temperamental. Cantankerous. Mares seem to get tagged with such stereotypical labels. When your female equine displays inappropriate behavior, you might hear someone snort, "Typical mare!" Your mare's nature and individual behavior are influenced by hormones, which dictate events in her reproductive system. Whether or not you ever intend to breed your mare, she is controlled by her anatomy and physiology.
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| Contagious Diseases |
October/1996 |
"A serious epidemic of a nature still unknown is going on in the region of two of our plantations. Area of Yambuku is declared highly dangerous. All movement in and out of Yambuku is forbidden. Burn all linen in contact with the sick.
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| Equine Cancer |
June/1996 |
It is a word that, when used in discussions involving one's health, carries a dreaded connotation. Cancer. Some of the world's most brilliant scientists have spent lifetimes seeking to understand and find a treatment for this disease. To be sure, there have been breakthroughs resulting in treatment modalities that have spared, or at least lengthened, the lives of many, but no one has yet come up with an overall preventive measure, and no one has developed a sure-fire cure.
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