by Denise Steffanus|07.31.201907.31.2019|3:37pm3:37pm Steel Shoes May Be Better For Racehorses Than Aluminum, Farriers Say Traditions are hard to shake in horse racing, but one area that appears open to change is shoeing. One of those changes in years gone by was to switch from training in steel shoes to aluminum plates. Pete Butler, son of respected farrier and clinician Dr. Doug Butler, wrote in his blog that steel shoes […]
by Denise Steffanus|07.30.2019|12:16pm EPM: Diagnostics Have Evolved, But Cure Remains Elusive In the 1990s, equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) was regarded by horsemen as the greatest threat to the health of American horses. In response to their concerns, a group of researchers into the disease formed the EPM Society to consolidate their efforts to develop effective diagnostics and find a cure. Twenty years later, improved diagnostics can […]
by Denise Steffanus|06.24.201906.24.2019|12:53pm10:03pm What Stands Up? Facts And Myths About Standing Wraps Human athletes use a soothing balm to ease muscle aches caused by strenuous exercise. For equine athletes after training or competition, the groom rubs a soothing brace into the horse’s legs, covers them with cushion wrap, and then applies standing wraps. Properly done, the groom will rub the topical treatment into the horse’s legs while […]
by Denise Steffanus|06.13.201906.13.2019|12:21pm5:51pm Cast Horses: What To Do (And What Not To Do) To Help Horsemen probably don’t comprehend how big and heavy a horse actually is until it gets cast against or under something and they have to get it unstuck. One futile tug on the mane of a cast horse and the person quickly will realize he or she needs assistance. “The first thing I would say is […]
by Denise Steffanus|05.28.2019|2:34pm With Wet Weather Comes A New Hoof Problem: Retracted Soles This year’s wet weather and seemingly endless mud are wreaking havoc on horses’ feet. Dr. Scott Morrison, head of the podiatry department at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky., said he has seen more cases of retracted soles this year than ever before. In addition to Kentucky, he is aware of cases in […]
by Denise Steffanus|05.03.2019|12:46pm For Farriers, A Talented Racehorse Can Sometimes Be A ‘Quirky’ One No matter how many hundreds of horses a racetrack farrier shoes over the years, there will be that one horse that stands out—some not for the best of reasons. Being politically correct, farriers often call these horses “quirky.” Most are superstars of the track, so their idiosyncrasies are indulged as long as they keep winning. […]
by Denise Steffanus|04.19.2019|2:26pm Kissing Spines: A Manageable Disease, With The Right Treatment Program The horse’s spine is very different from a human’s. Each vertebra has a fin-like projection called a spinous process that extends upward from the spine. The spinous processes form the horse’s withers and back, and to them are attached thick ligaments and muscles. When two or more of these spinous processes are too close together, […]
by Denise Steffanus|04.08.201904.10.2019|4:33pm10:48am Epsom Salt: How It Works Its Magic Epsom salt is a staple in every horseman’s tack room. Principally used in poultices and hoof packings, Epsom salt draws water out of the body, making it excellent for reducing swelling and removing toxins. If applied as a paste, it generates soothing heat. Because of its ability to pool water, Epsom salt is sometimes used […]
by Denise Steffanus|03.27.201903.27.2019|11:53am9:49pm Vinegar And Horses: What’s It Used For, And Does Science Back It Up? Apple cider vinegar is the natural remedy of choice for many horsemen, even if science doesn’t support many of its purported benefits. Vinegar has been used medicinally for thousands of years, all the way back to the father of medicine, Hippocrates, who disinfected wounds with it, among other uses. Vinegar is a natural antifungal, antimicrobial, […]
by Denise Steffanus|03.04.201903.04.2019|1:50pm9:18pm Shipping Fever: The Dos And Don’ts Of Prevention The stress of travel is tough on a horse. Dozens of studies confirm that a horse’s immune system becomes depressed during transport, so it’s understandable many shipped horses develop respiratory disease. Horsemen generally lump everything from a case of the snots with a mild fever to life-threatening pleuropneumonia with a high fever under a term […]