Table of contents for January 2017 in Equus

“Investigating Tail Rubbing” (Hands On, EQUUS 469) didn’t include one major cause of this behavior that I have observed in my mares over the years---a buildup of dirt and grime between the teats of the udder. I have had several mares rub their tails, but if I just wipe their udders clean once a week with a soft, dry towel, they will stop. My current horse will specifically “park” herself with her butt near me with the direct intention that I give her udder a scratch. Because this is such a sensitive and generally untouched area, I definitely take my time approaching it, but 95 percent of the mares I have owned and worked with over the years generally are quite happy to have their udders cleaned. Sometimes I find…

Ice and snow are common winter footing concerns, but mud can be just as treacherous for your horse this season. For starters, there is the risk of slipping in slick, shallow mud. Left to choose his own speed, however, a horse can typically navigate such terrain safely. So don’t worry too much about slipping risk during turnout and let your horse choose his own pace when you encounter muddy footing during a ride. The bigger concern is deep, thick, “sucking” mud that seems to pull hooves and legs into its depths. The force it takes to pull a foot free with each step can lead to lost shoes, pulled tendons and overreach injuries as a horse lurches forward to escape its hold. If an area of mud is deep enough…

Once when the snow of the year was beginning to fall, We stopped by a mountain pasture to say, “Whose colt?” A little Morgan had one forefoot on the wall, The other curled at his breast. He dipped his head And snorted to us. And then we saw him bolt. ---Robert Frost, “The Runaway” To keep your hands warm and dry, the 10 Below (suggested retail, $43.95), from SSG Riding Gloves, has four layers: a waterproof synthetic leather backing, polar fleece fill treated to increase heat retention, an additional waterproof membrane and a Thinsulate lining. The Digi Grip palm helps with control of the reins. Available in black, in unisex sizes 5 to 13. For a list of dealers, visit www.ssgridinggloves.com. Stay warm around the barn as well as in…

Too hot? Too cold? Just right? Sometimes it’s difficult to decide whether your horse needs a blanket. But with a new training technique from Norway you may be able to simply ask him. Over a two-week period, researchers at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute in Oslo used positive-reinforcement techniques to teach 23 horses to communicate their blanketing preferences using three objects: a plain wooden board, a board painted with a horizontal bar and one painted with a vertical bar. Each horse was trained to indicate his blanket needs by touching one of the boards with his muzzle. To signal that he would like to wear a blanket, the horse would touch the board with the horizontal bar. To request removal of a blanket, the horse touched the board with the vertical…

It’s the morning of a clinic with a big-name trainer and your horse greets you with a bright green manure stain on his rump. It’s too cold to bathe him, but you can’t show up like this. It’s time to try hot toweling---a time-tested grooming technique that can produce bathlike results, even in the dead of winter. Here’s a quick how-to: 1. Gather a clean bucket, electric teakettle, rubber dish-washing gloves and a stack of clean towels. Smaller, hand-size or dish towels make the process a bit easier than using bath or beach towels. 2. Mix boiling water from the kettle with water from the tap to fill the bucketwith water so hot that you can just stand to put your gloved hand into it. 3. Dunk the entire clean…

▸Definition: “Heaves” is the common term for recurrent airway obstruction (RAO), a respiratory disease characterized by a narrowing of the small airways of the lungs, which makes exhaling difficult. ▸Causes: Tiny dust particles pulled deep into the airway trigger inflammation in the lungs. Research suggests that some horses inherit an increased sensitivity to dust, which makes them more susceptible to RAO. ▸ Signs: fast, deep breathing along with coughing and mucus discharge from the nose. In advanced cases, a horse’s nostrils flare and an audible “wheeze” may be heard with each breath. Horses with chronic RAO can develop a distinct “heaves line” along the abdomen as the muscles that help them exhale get overused. ▸Treatment: Steroids and bronchodilators given orally or inhaled can be used in “rescue” situations, but long-term…

Have you ever felt more tired than your horse at the end of a ride? Horses who have lost forward impulsion are typically seen as lazy and dull. Maybe some are---and sluggishness can also be a sign of illness or another physical problem---but in most cases, horses lose the “go button” because of two issues. The first is mostly caused by boring, repetitive activity in an arena. Have you ever seen a path worn into an arena surface by horses going round and round, day in and day out? Even if you don’t see that sort of evidence, the horses feel the effects of excessive repetition. For most horses, being locked into the same daily routine for weeks and months on end is like staying in kindergarten forever! The second…

1. Clear pathways and parking areas. Being able to reach your horse easily and safely is essential for a veterinarian or farrier. Remove ice from slippery surfaces, minimize mud in walkways, and shovel snow in high-traffic areas. 2. Provide shelter. A spacious barn offers the best protection from freezing wind, rain, snow and other winter elements. But if you don’t have one or even a run-in shed, and the weather is particularly bad, consider clearing out a large garage or storage shed to provide a temporary shelter. 3. Arrange for illumination. A source of light may be a necessity during the shorter, darker days of winter. If your shelter doesn’t have built-in lighting, you’ll need to get creative. Portable work lights, also called “trouble lights,” that plug into outlets then…

Q: I have a 5-year-old Miniature stallion. He was clipped in mid-spring due to the early hot weather we experienced. Once the days became hot consistently I thought he would grow in his summer coat. But what has happened is that he gets long coarse black hairs that cover his face and back and part of his belly. No sign of shedding or summer growth after the clip. I’m not sure what to make of this. It’s like he’s still trying to grow a winter coat. Hannah Ziccarelli Milford, Delaware A: I see two possibilities. The more likely one is that abnormal hair growth after clipping is normal for this horse. Your horse’s summer coat may well be growing in, it’s just slower than you might expect. Miniature Horses can…

 Bruce A. Connally, DVM, MS, is founder and owner of Wyoming Equine, an equine sports medicine practice that serves Colorado and central Wyoming. He earned his Master of Science in large animal clinical services from Michigan State University and his DVM from Colorado State University, where he also served as an assistant professor and a senior veterinarian in the equine ambulatory section before leaving to start his current practice.  Stephen D. White, DVM, DACVD, is a professor of the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California–Davis and has been a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology since 1983. Previously, he had held faculty positions at the veterinary schools at Tufts University and at Colorado State University. He led the clinical investigations of the research team that…

For some horses, an allhay diet may reduce the efficacy of omeprazole in treating ulcers, according to a new study from Australia. Omeprazole, a so-called proton-pump inhibitor, reduces the amount of acid released in the stomach; low gastric pH is associated with the development of gastric ulcers. Developed for use in human medicine, omeprazole (trade name GastroGard) is the most commonly prescribed ulcer medication for horses. To see whether diet influences how omeprazole is absorbed by the horse’s body, Ben Sykes, BVMS, PhD, of the University of Queensland, measured changes in stomach pH in six healthy horses receiving oral omeprazole under a variety of conditions. Two diets were studied: an all-hay ration in which horses had constant access to forage, and a high-grain, low-fiber ration, in which the horses effectively…

It’s hard to imagine how a warm, cozy winter blanket could injure your horse, but it can. Specifically, the straps on blankets can pose an entanglement risk if you aren’t conscientious about a few important points: • Use the appropriate type of blanket. Blankets intended for turnout are typically lined with slicker fabrics than those intended only for stable use. The slick lining keeps the blankets from shifting as an active horse moves under them, reducing the risk of straps being pulled out of position. • Attach the belly straps in the arrangement—crossed under the belly or not—as directed by the manufacturer. Deviating from the manufacturer’s recommendations risks leaving dangerous gaps that a hoof can slip through or stressing the fabric, which can lead to tearing. If you are unsure…

Purchase: Immersion heater • Considerations: When buying a portable immersion heater for troughs or buckets, safety is your overriding concern. Size is also important; get the correct wattage for the volume of water you’re looking to keep warm. • Options: Heaters for large tanks, which typically run between 1,000 and 1,500 watts, are available in sinking or floating varieties. Smaller heaters, suitable for warming a single bucket of water, run between 250 and 1,000 watts. Both types of heaters have similar features. Look for models that shut off automatically when the desired temperature is reached, when the water level is low or when they are removed from the water. You’ll also want to see heavy plastic or aluminum casing around cords and a mechanism for keeping the heating element from…

ON PATROL: Valerie Nestrick, DVM, and Raye report for duty as members of the local law enforcement mounted posse. It was the type of Facebook post that makes you stop scrolling. Late last summer, Ruth Sobeck, DVM, posted a photo on her page of a horse’s hind hoof with a large nail protruding from it. Accompanying the photo was a simple question from Sobeck, “Would you remove this nail if you found it in your horse’s hoof?” A veterinarian with a solo practice in Palos Verdes, California, Sobeck often uses her Facebook page to share experiences and pose questions to her friends and clients. Within hours, the post about the nail had more than 50 replies. Some people said they’d pull out the nail and soak the hoof, then monitor…

Q: I have an 11-year-old Quarter Horse who has some issues under saddle as well as with the handling of his back feet. He seems stiff and uncomfortable when his feet are being lifted to shoe or pick. Under saddle he walks and transitions into a trot but does a rocking horse buck when asked to canter. He does none of this when I longe him under saddle. Any advice? Name withheld by request A: It is possible this is a behavior issue, but that would be the last diagnosis I would consider. I believe this sounds much more like a horse who is trying to tell you that something hurts. Lifting a leg to clean or shoe the foot certainly puts strain on potentially sore joints. The pain could…

body condition score (BCS)---a designation, based on a nine-point numeric scale, indicating the amount of fat on a horse’s body. A BCS is assigned after a visual and hands-on appraisal. carbohydrates---large group of carbon-based compounds, including starches, sugars and cellulose, that are found in plants and form the largest class of animal foods. Carbohydrates, together with proteins and lipids, are principal components of cell protoplasm, the viscous fluid that fills plant and animal cells. coffin bone (pedal bone)---major bone within the hoof, shaped like a miniature hoof. corticosteroids---analogs of the hormone cortisol produced primarily by the adrenal glands; they may be natural or synthetically produced for injection. deep digital flexor---deepest muscle on the back of the forearm; connected to the coffin bone by the deep (digital) flexor tendon. deep digital…