Feet issues in this dry Summer
Foot balance is such a critical thing and this summer weather has played havoc with horse’s feet
Impaction Colics by Mike Tweedie
We are seeing an increase in colic presentations at present.
This long dry period is affecting horses.
What do we bed our horses on?
What do we bed our horses on? People often ask about stable bedding. What to use? What is best to use and why?
We have elected to use cardboard as a bedding. In this short article we discuss why we use it and what are the benefits for it.
Body Condition Scoring
Body Weight assessment is so important in the management of your horse. Ensuring that you maintain a proper body condition score around 6-7 is ideal for all horse.
Lumps and bumps
Lumps and bumps can appear at any time on a horse. Ultrasound is one of the best ways to assess what is happening under the skin.
Foot balance - Sole Depth
Sole depth is so important when assessing what is happening within a horse’s foot. Thin soles can lead to a lot of problems.
Foot balance - Palmar or plantar angle
Palmar or plantar angle is an important measurement to consider when assessing how your horse is shod.
Foot balance
Caudal support ratio
The Caudal Support % is a measure of how much of the foot is behind the centre of rotation through the coffin joint. In an ideal world we aim for 40% behind (heel structure region) behind this line. A smaller number means that the heels are often crushed and a larger force is being placed on small area.
The Coughing Horse
Treating a coughing horse, can be challenging. Often it is not as simple as some antibiotics and they will be fine. We may need to work out the cause, whether that be infectious, allergy based or a combination. It is very important to know what is the cause and then tailor treatment for the cause. Taking samples of the cells in the lungs and the trachea can help us know the cause and then treat accordingly.