Budd Young Performance Horse Farrier Service in Townsville, Queensland | Equestrian centre

Budd Young Performance Horse Farrier Service

Locality: Townsville, Queensland

Phone: +61 428 280 704

Address: Bluewater Park Townsville Townsville, QLD, Australia

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24.01.2022 Too often I hear complaints from horse owners about a Farrier. The Farrier doesnt return their call, cancels their appointment, is in a foul mood, etc. I would... ask those same horse owners to consider the following questions (many of which also apply to your Veterinarian and Chiropractor as well ) 1) are your horses caught up and waiting when your Farrier arrives? Your Farrier doesnt have time to catch them or wait for you to try and catch them. 2) do your horses stand well for the Farrier? Your Farrier doesnt have time to train your horses and isnt getting paid for it. Work with your horses so they will allow their leg to be held for several minutes and allow hammering if you expect shoes to be placed. 3) are your horses legs covered in mud? Take a little time to at least clean their legs off. 4) do you have an adequate place for your Farrier to setup and work? This doesnt have to be fancy. But it should be free of clutter, relatively flat, out of the mud, and out of the elements if possible? You may not have a barn, but a nice shade tree will do during the hot days of summer. A place out of the wind if its cold. Adequate lighting is a must if you expect your Farrier to do their best. 5) do you pay your Farrier at the time of service, or at least in a timely manner if an invoice is left? Your Farrier is not as wealthy as you may think. They depend on that money to pay their bills and care for their family just as much as you do. 6) does your horse constantly lose or bend shoes because they paw the fence, kick the wall, stand in mud or a pond, are in a paddock with a bunch of exposed tree roots, etc? We all know horses can be very adept at pulling shoes. But if there are things you as a horse owner can do to lessen the likelihood, then by all means do it. Especially if your Farrier has mentioned it to you. You likely dont realize your Farrier loses money when they have to return to fix a shoe; even if you pay them. Theres little way to recoup the cost of that visit to their business. 7) do you keep your horses on a regular trimming or shoeing cycle? Dont let your horses go weeks overdue. This causes more work for your Farrier to get that foot back to looking and working its best.....at the same price. Most Farriers make their schedule up weeks in advance based on what horses sk be due then. Dont leave scheduling to the last minute as they are less likely to have time for you and will be in a hurry if they squeeze you in. So if any of the above questions give you pause, then perhaps there are opportunities for you to make your Farrier know they are appreciated and their work is valued.

23.01.2022 FAILED VETTING ??? Flexion Tests??? 100% worth a read! Youve decided to sell your horse and the potential buyer has sent a veterinarian to your stables to pe...rform a pre-purchase exam. Or, youre the buyer, and youre excited to complete your purchase. As you stand, beaming with satisfaction, the veterinarian picks up the horses left front leg. Bending it at the fetlock, he or she holds it in the air for 60 seconds or so, releases the limb, and asks that the horse be immediately jogged down the drive. In astonishment, you watch as the horse that youve known or hoped to be sound moves off with an obvious bob of the head. Hes most decidedly lame after the test. What happened? What does it mean? What you have witnessed is a phenomenon not necessarily of the veterinarians creation, but something that can sometimes occur following a procedure called a forelimb flexion test. In a forelimb flexion test, various joints and soft tissue structures of the lower limb are stretched and/or compressed for a brief period of time by bending the limb. Afterward, the horse is immediately trotted off and observed for signs of lameness. Simple, really. But it gets messy. Forelimb flexion tests were described in Swedish veterinary literature as early as 1923. And, since then, theyve become something of an integral part of the evaluation of the lame horse. But not only that, forelimb flexion tests are generally routinely included in prepurchase evaluations of horses intended for sale. The test is not unlike what you might experience if someone asked you to sit in a crouch for sixty seconds and then run right off. Usually and especially if youve never had knee problems you can run off just fine, particularly after a couple of steps. If youve never had a problem, chances are that youre fine, no matter what happens in those first couple of steps. But very occasionally, that stiffness and soreness that you might feel could signal a problem (such as a bad knee). This test used to make me nuts, and to some extent, it still does. Thats because Im often not to sure what to make of the state of things when a horse takes some bad steps after a flexion test. I mean, I know I might not pass such a test. So whos to say that every horse should? Because of that question, back in 1997, I did I study. Its still timely. In my study, I looked at fifty horses (100 legs) of various breeds, ages, sex, and occupation. The owners were gracious enough to let me explore my curiosity about forelimb flexion tests. The horses were from my practice, an included a wide variety of pleasure and performance horses including some world class jumping horses but overall, they were a representative sampling of all of the horses that were in my practice. Heres what I found. I found that forelimb flexion tests couldnt tell me anything about the future of a sound horse. I could make every single horse lame with a hard enough flexion test, with the exception of one particularly annoying Arabian gelding who was always trying to bite me (no Arabian jokes, please). Horses that had something on their X-rays werent any more likely to be lame after a normal flexion test than horses that had clean X-rays. Horses that had positive normal flexion tests werent any more likely to be lame 60 days out, either (those horses that were lame mostly had things like hoof abscesses, which nobody could have predicted anyway). If you follow a groups of horses for 60 days, theres a decent chance that a few of them might experience an episode of lameness. Who knew? So what did I conclude? Well, I said right there in front of an entire meeting of the American Association of Equine Practitioners that I didnt think that it was a good idea to rely on forelimb flexion tests to make a diagnosis of some current or future problem without some other supporting sign. I said I didnt think that they were very sensitive, or that they were very specific. And I said that I didnt think it was a good idea to turn a horse down base solely on a response to a forelimb flexion test, either. Which caused a bit of a kerfuffle. Whats the Bottom Line? If youre a seller, I dont think that you need to be overly concerned if your otherwise sound horse takes a few lame steps after a forelimb flexion test. There are just too many variables. For example: Older horses are more likely to be positive to flexion that are younger horses The longer you hold a limb in flexion, the more likely the horse is to take a few lame steps afterwards Men tend to flex more firmly than do women The same horse may have different responses to flexion tests on different days If youre a buyer, dont be too eager to walk away from a horse that you otherwise like just because he takes a few lame steps after a flexion test. You have to consider a lot of other factors, such as whether you like the horse, or whether he does what you want him to do, or if hes a colour that you like... You just cant consider the forelimb flexion test in a vaccum. It has to interpreted in light of clinical findings such as fluid in the joint, reduced limb or joint flexibility, pain to palpation, or clinical lameness in the limb that demonstrates the positive response. If you see abnormal X-rays findings (such as osteoarthritis) in a limb that has a positive response to a flexion test, that may add some significance, and particularly if there is concurrent clinical lameness. However, to keep things confusing, my study also found that many radiographic abnormalities occur in clinically sound horses. Remember, you have to ride the horse you cant ride the radiographs. Horses can and do perform well for a variety of riding endeavors even when they do not perform well on a forelimb flexion test. As for a positive response to a forelimb flexion test, it may just be that everything is OK, but the horse doesnt like his leg bent up! Thanks to Dr. David Ramey for the info! heres a link to the original article: https://www.doctorramey.com/flex-test/

23.01.2022 Dentistry in the Horse Brian S. Burks, DVM, Dipl. ABVP- equine specialist The goal of equine dentistry is to keep the masticatory unit of the horse functional. ... In adult horses, this requires dental work at least annually, but the higher the performance level, the more often dental examination should be performed. Small dental problems can affect not only mastication, but the horses response to the rider. Dentistry should remove sources of oral discomfort. These include sharp enamel points, wolf teeth, and long, sharp canine teeth, along with a myriad of other problems. Dental disorders can cause a variety of behavioral abnormalities, including: Head tossing Bit chewing Refusal to carry the bit Frequently trying to open the mouth Reluctance to take a certain lead Reluctance to bend the poll or neck Running backwards Wide turns Not stopping squarely Rearing Unexplained temper fits Oral pain may cause a horse to eat slowly or incompletely, dunking hay in the water bucket before eating, have cheek swelling that comes and goes, and may have difficulty maintaining weight in the face of increased rations. Horses with dental problems may not perform to their fullest potential; timed events off by even a second can be the difference between winning and losing. During dental examination, the external structures of the head should be evaluated first. Any abnormal swelling or draining tracts are noted. Facial asymmetry may be evident; the ears may not be as mobile as normal, there may be drooping lips, and the eyes may have lid abnormalities or not be level. The mandible has a normal lateral excursion, usually only a few millimeters, and the cheek teeth should come into contact during this excursion. The jaw should move freely, and if not, this may be a sign of overgrown teeth. Once the horse is sedated, and a speculum is in place, the soft tissues inside the mouth should be examined for trauma, infection, or tumors. Sometimes the mucosa will be calloused, indicating long-term exposure to sharp enamel points. Any malodorous breath should be noted; if present, evaluation for a tooth root infection is needed. Fractured teeth should be noted and radiographed; most will need to be removed. Horses can get dental caries, or demineralization of the teeth. They are brown or black areas in the cementum. Diastema are also important to note; these gaps between the teeth cause food trapping with subsequent rotting and bacterial colonization of the gingiva. These gaps may be due to missing teeth, abnormally positioned teeth, or angulation of the most caudal or cranial teeth causing compression on the other teeth. Hooks and ramps are common abnormalities that interfere with mastication and affect comfort of the horse. They can sometimes block the side to side movement of the jaw and put pressure on the temporomandibular joint. The horse may resist collection because the head carriage required increases pressure on the over-long teeth and the TMJ. Rostral maxillary hooks can pinch the cheek mucosa when pressure is put upon the bit. Hooks require reduction, but if they are too long, care must be taken not to enter the pulp cavity. Waiting several months prior to complete reduction allows dentin formation to protect the pulp. A wave mouth is an undulating occlusal surface, involving multiple teeth. It can become quite pronounced, causing significant oral dysfunction and should be dealt with early by flattening the occlusal table; in severe cases it is not possible to completely correct the undulation. In some cases, it may be easier to palpate, rather than see the wave. The most common presentation is for the first one to three mandibular cheek teeth to be long, with the corresponding maxillary teeth being too short. The cause of wave mouth is unclear, but several factors may affect the conformation of the teeth: Different rates of eruption may occur due to asynchronous shedding of deciduous teeth. Periodontal disease may delay tooth eruption Dental caries may cause increased wear. Mechanical forces exerted on static maxillary teeth by mobile mandibular teeth, creating tooth loss. Treatment is by slowly flattening the occlusal surfaces over 1-2 years. Some cases are impossible to correct completely. Overzealous correction may leave spaces between the arcade occlusal surfaces, leading to the inability to grind foot. Step mouth is due to a missing tooth, leading to over-eruption of the now unopposed tooth. This leads to the tooth growing into the empty socket, damaging the gingiva and to the inability for the jaw to move properly. The teeth may drift toward the center of the gap, leaving diastema, rostrally or caudally, to form. This condition occurs secondary to trauma or to tooth root infection and subsequent extraction. This condition needs to be treated every six months, to keep the tooth short enough not to cause problems. Shear mouth is an arcade with an angled occlusal surface greater than 15 degrees. The cheek side of the maxillary teeth is quite long, while the lingual side is quite short, even to the gingival surface. The mandibular teeth are a mirror image. The condition may affect one or both sides of the mouth. One sided shear mouth may be due to displacement of the hemi-mandible. The incisor teeth may develop ventral (smile) or dorsal curvature (frown). The former is associated with increased angulation of the incisor teeth. It may impair lateral excursion and should be at least partially corrected. Dorsal curvature is associated with cribbing. An irregularly uneven incisor surface is called a step bite and is often secondary to trauma. The tooth may become fractured or undergo a tooth root infection, resulting in loss of the tooth. There are many dental abnormalities that may occur in the horse. Treatments have improved, but some disorders remain difficult or impossible to repair completely. Prevention by regular dental care is a must. Fox Run Equine Center www.foxrunequine.com (724) 727-3481 Your horse's health is always our top priority.

23.01.2022 With this great rain about don't forget about your horses hooves, any long toes & flares will break off big chunks. So get in early . Budd Young, Farrier service hot & cold shoeing, trimming all areas. Corrective shoeing , lameness issues Discussed, Horses health checks Well Balanced horse is a Happy Horse. call for quotes 0428280704

23.01.2022 10 Things Your Farrier Wishes You Knew by Alissa Kelly 1. A schedule keeps everyone happy. ... New shoes every FIVE weeks is the best schedule to be on, especially for performance horses. Saving money and waiting 7-8 weeks may cost you in vet bills or poor performance eventually. Make sure you and your Farrier have an appointment for the next set before he leaves. Put it in your phone, set a reminder and if you need to reschedule give as much notice as possible. 2. How to be considerate. If you have an appointment scheduled, have the horses you plan to be worked on handy where it doesn't take forever to catch them. If they are filthy go ahead and clean your horse up. Not much is worse than working on a wet horse or one with a super dirty blanket. Sometimes my farrier runs behind so I ask him to give me and hour heads up before he comes so I can be ready the moment he pulls up. Usually a shoer gets behind schedule due to a previous client not respecting their time, try to remember this. 3. How to set him up for success. Provide a well lit and level area for your farrier to work on. Uneven ground can be hard to be precise on. Also remember if your horse behaves badly a farrier can't do his best work. Some horses do not stand due to lack of manners and that is your responsibility to fix that as an owner. A good farrier is a good horseman, if your struggling with your horse and you do not think it is not a respect issue ask your Farrier what you can do to help improve the situation for next time. 4. Yearly X-rays are a great investment. Most performance horses visit the vet regularly and this is a good chance to give your farrier insight on what's going on in your horses feet. If you provide your farrier with x-rays 1-2 times it will help make sure he's has your horse as perfect as possible. Annual x-rays can also help your vet be able to catch any changes that may be occurring. Communication is key tell your farrier what your vet said and tell your vet what the farrier has said. 5. Changes takes time. Your Farrier can not fix a horse over night. If you have a problem horse discuss a plan of action and allow time. If someone is more than willing to try and change a horse dramatically in one shoeing, let's call that a red flag. Not every horses feet will look perfect because a good farrier will shoe each horse the way that individual horse needs to be done. If your horses feet look like the ones in the picture before being done you can't expect it to be perfect the first time around. A good foot is a maintained foot. 6. A hoof pick is your friend. Pick your horses feet out before you ride and after you ride. Pick your horses feet out before you run AND after you run, this a good time to inspect the shoes. If your not riding your horse for an extended period of time, but they still have shoes on, pick your horses feet at least every other day. Know your horses feet like the back of your hand. 7. Pulled Shoes usually mean something. If your faced with a horse always pulling shoes, especially the same shoe it's time to call the vet. Continuously pulling a shoe can mean a horses gait is off. If a vet gives you the all clear, time to take a good hard look at your horsemanship. Being in the wrong lead or poor signals can cause horses to throw shoes. Sometimes you just flat out own a wild child and maybe that horse needs to be turned out in bell boots. If it only happens every now and then a pulled shoe is not the end of the world. Wrap the foot that has no shoe and let your farrier know. Ask if you can meet him somewhere. If your traveling to a big show have your Farrier set aside a set of old shoes to have for spares. 8. You should HOLD your horses. Yes most of our lives are super busy and it may not seem productive to stand there when you could just tie them up but it does make a difference. Why? Safety for your horse and shoer, even the best horses can set back. Its is also more efficient and allows a better job to be done. P.S. get off your phone and be aware ESPECIALLY if you have a horse you know isn't always an angel. 9. This isn't the Do-Si-Do dance. Switching farriers or having someone else work on your horse here and there because you failed to have your other farrier scheduled is something you should try to avoid. It is not only hard on your horses due to the change, it can make your regular farriers job harder by him trying to fix what someone else did. Consistent work is important. Do not make your horses suffer due to your lack of responsibility. 10. Farriers don't mind teaching you something. Your farrier has handled more horses in a year than you will in a lifetime. He's full of knowledge beyond shoeing. You are standing there for an hour anyway, use it as a good opportunity to learn something. Ask why, how and know what he is doing. Do you know your horses shoe size? What type of shoes does your horse have on and why? He won't mind answering your sincere questions. Teaching is better than listening to the "Days of our lives" drama he normally hears. The more you know, the further you go. He's more than just a farrier, he's part of your team!

23.01.2022 Hoof abscess In wet weather horses hooves become soft, any cracks or punctures allow water, soil and bacteria access to the sensitive living tissue/laminae und...er the hoof wall. Bacteria infect the tissue causing an abscess. Because the horses foot is like a block in a box the hoof capsule being the box and the pedal bone the block, there is very little space for tissues to swell and the foot rapidly becomes very painful. Horses with a hoof abscess are reluctant to walk, have a bounding digital pulse ask your Veterinarian how to palpate this at the back of the fetlock and may develop swelling of the pastern and fetlock. Treatment requires draining the abscess, usually by paring the affected sole to expose any cracks leading to the abscess. Some abscesses may be deep under the hoof wall and require placing a poultice on the foot, held in place with bandage and changed every 24-48 hours. Poulticing works by softening the hoof and providing a concentrated antiseptic environment to encourage the abscess to drain and control infection. Please contact us on 4779 0233 for advice if your horse is very lame and you suspect a hoof abscess. The good part is the lameness can usually be relieved quickly and most horses recover fully with simple treatment.

21.01.2022 I would like wish past, present & future clients a Merry Christmas & A Happy New year for 2020

20.01.2022 Understanding farrier terminology and stewardship. Vocabulary tips from Horse Health Products. Digital cushion: the wedge-shaped area below the coffin bone at the rear of the horses hoof Dishing (or winging): in movement, when the hoof swings in, instead of a traveling in a straight line; usually caused by a toed-out conformation Flat-footed: a horse whose hooves have less than a 45-degree angle... Forging (or overreaching): when a horse strikes its front legs with the toe of a back hoof; can cause injury to the heel bulb or pull off a shoe Frog: the V-shaped area on the underside of the hoof, pointing down from the heel Heel: the back part of the underside of the hoof Heel bulbs: the softer cushions at the very back of the underside of the hoof; they form the external part of the digital cushion Hoof wall: the hard, horny outer covering of the hoof Hot shoeing (or hot setting): when a farrier heats the shoe in the forge and quickly places it on the foot to sear the area where the shoe will be nailed. See more

20.01.2022 Spring coming our way means more sun - normally speaking - , fresh leaves on our trees, but unfortunately more cases of laminitis as well. But why? Accordin...g to research this is influenced by different types of sugar in grasses. Glucose and fructose are simple sugars and digested in the stomach of the horse but fructans, another type of sugar made of several fructose molecules bonded together, cannot be broken down by digestive enzymes in the stomach and therefore passes into the hind gut. Fructans alter the pH balance, causing the production of lactic acid to increase and triggers an inflammatory response which therefore triggers laminitis in horses. Spring and Autumn see a seasonal spike in cases. Like Spring time laminitis where the grass has been dormant during the cold winter months, then grows quickly in a short period of time, Autumn causes similar problems. The warm days and cooler nights are ideal conditions for grass to begin growing again after becoming dormant during hot summer months. When the temperatures drop below 5 degrees the grass stops growing so the sugars produced through the day build up. In the images you can find three phases of laminitis: the normal situation, rotation and sinking.

20.01.2022 A short video we recently made looking at the complex anatomy of the internal hoof capsule and how when we as farriers drive nails into the hoof we are doing so with such small margins for error. Www.efarrieryeducation.com Alex Ridgeway Kendell Norris Laurence Ridgeway

20.01.2022 The fundamental reason that we shoe our horses is to improve their wellbeing and usefulness. Each hoof is in a continuous state of change through deformation, ...growth and wear, and to counteract these actions, we can upon the skill of farrier to redress the hoofs balance with the aim of creating a conditional equilibrium. - FARRIERY: The whole horse concept (David Gill) See more

18.01.2022 The current LAMI-CRISIS!! - What is Laminitis and what causes it? Laminitis is inflammation of the laminae of the horses foot, which attach the hoof wall to... the pedal bone of the foot. We now know that there are 3 main causes of laminitis: Overload, Inflammatory and Metabolic. In relation to the current Lamicrisis, this post will focus on metabolic laminitis which is the leading cause of laminitis in the UK. - Metabolic Laminitis: Metabolic causes include Cushings disease (pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction; PPID) and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) two completely different diseases where horses display abnormally high levels of the hormone Insulin and an excessive insulin response to starches (main carbohydrate in grains) or sugars (main carbohydrates in grasses and hay) in horse feed. - Cushings Disease: A disease of ageing, where the control of pituitary gland hormone secretion is lost; leading to excessive secretion from a certain part of the gland. If a horse has this condition, there may be a variety of clinical signs which may include: a long hair coat due to delayed shedding, sweating, loss of muscle mass, development of a pot belly and drinking excessively. Some of the hormones produced from the pituitary also affect carbohydrate metabolism and can predispose to laminitis. Cushings disease is not caused by obesity. - EMS: EMS tends to occur in genetically predisposed breeds (especially native ponies), and is significantly worsened by obesity. This does not mean that all fat horses or ponies have EMS, but obesity will worsen carbohydrate metabolism/insulin resistance; resulting in excessive insulin response and predisposition to laminitis. - Why is there a currently a LAMI-CRISIS?! After a mild winter and warm, wet start to the year we are seeing record numbers of laminitic horses and native ponies! Obesity is the constant theme between most of the cases were seeing currently, along with overfeeding. Horses with insulin resistance that eat high carbohydrate diets (e.g. high starch in grain diets or high sugars in rich pasture or good quality hay diets) develop high insulin (hyperinsulinaemia) which causes laminitis! - What can you do to prevent laminitis? + Ensure your horse/pony does not become overweight and if they are then diet them! We can provide free advice on nutrition and weight loss. + Native breeds in light-moderate work DO NOT require supplementary feeding AT ALL! + Feed low sugar/carbohydrate diets & consider muzzling your horse at grass! + Keep your horse fit, regular exercise is linked with better insulin sensitivity and better prognosis in EMS positive horses/ponies! - Signs of Laminitis? The early signs of laminitis include lameness or a pottery gait, particularly on stony or uneven ground; often combined with a change in demeanour/character. Horses predominantly develop laminitis in the front feet but all four are often affected with metabolic laminitis. Heat in the hooves and bounding digital pulses are also common. - What to do? Contact your vet immediately! Laminitis has a better prognosis if treated early and metabolic laminitis needs a diagnosis (often by blood test) in order to treat the underlying cause effectively! X-rays are often required to guide prognosis and remedial farriery etc. + Box rest your horse on a deep shavings bed awaiting your veterinary appointment; movement during laminitis makes rotation/sinking of the pedal bone much more likely!

18.01.2022 After a lengthy stint off from shoeing I'll start taking new n old clients from today onwards. Thank you for being patient with being injured. Budd

17.01.2022 Comparisons of horse shoes & nails for tomorrow morning's job. Light draft size 8 to the biggest shoe in my collection . BH 4 standard nail, E11 nail. Fun day coming.

17.01.2022 From Life Data Labs

17.01.2022 Pinned here on top are but just a few ways of making tongs. Copy and use any of these images for your or your group's needs. Heres a great video on making farriers tongs! https://youtu.be/TYRYPM19Tg0

16.01.2022 Fascinating photo showing the different stride lengths of famous racing horses...

15.01.2022 Very short-handed in the lab, but I found some time today to finally provide histopathology images to go along with the earlier post showing normal, laminitic/...sinker and laminitic/rotation feet. These are typical examples of the microanatomy of feet like those from the Laminitis Discovery Database. As usual, these are meant to be educational, so please share and use, but please attribute to the Laminitis Laboratory at New Bolton Center. Dr. Galantino-Homer White asterisk marks the keratinized axis of a primary epidermal lamella in each image. All top images are the same low magnification and all lower images are the same higher magnifications except for the last one on the right, which is higher magnification than the other three. Normal: LAM 84 RF, 2 yr TB gelding with other orthopedic problems. Upper image: Low magnification, lower image: higher magnification. Laminitic: Sinking: LAM 118 LF, 2 yr TB filly with supporting limb laminitis due to a non-weight-bearing injury in the RF. Catastrophic failure of the suspensory apparatus of the distal phalanx with complete stripping of the secondary epidermal lamellar basal cells off of the keratinized axis and suprabasal cells (in other words, failure is mostly occurring between epidermal cells rather than at the basement membrane). Higher magnification image shows basal cells of secondary epidermal lamellae (yellow arrowhead) pulling away from necrotic/cornified suprabasal cells (black arrowhead) and keratinized axis in the less affected RF foot, which was developing secondary supporting limb laminitis. Laminitic: Rotation, Lamellar Wedge: Images on the left are from LAM 140 LF, 14 yr TBxWB mare with PPID/Cushings, obesity, and regional adiposity (cresty neck). Images on the right are from LAM 109 RF, 9 yr QH mare with equine metabolic syndrome. Both had chronic laminitis with rotation of the distal phalanx relative to the hoof capsule, lamellar wedge, and founder rings. Yellow band indicates widening of the keratinized axis to form lamellar wedge of abnormal cornified tissue (lighter pink stain). Green asterisk shows gap with necrotic material and serum that often allows bacteria to track up from the ground surface to cause abscesses, inflammation, and pain. Circles adjacent to serum/necrotic area are forming cap horn tubules and contributing to the lamellar wedge. Green arrowhead shows an epidermal island that has detached from a secondary epidermal lamella. Blue arrowheads indicate areas of necrotic/apoptotic lamellar cells and loss of normal microanatomy. These cases were used in our recently published ER Stress in Endocrinopathic Laminitis study.

15.01.2022 To all my.clients in Nth QLD I will be away for several weeks over the Christmas break, a long over due holiday. I am back end of January. I wish all past & present clients all the best for the Christmas period, may we get plenty of rain. Budd

15.01.2022 Sidebone: Sidebone is a common condition of horses characterized by the ossification of the collateral cartilages of the coffin bone. These are found on either ...side of the foot protruding above the level of the coronary band. It may occur in horses worked on hard ground, causing repeated concussion. It may also occur in horses with poor conformation: narrow, upright feet unbalanced feet, especially if they have toe-in or toe-out conformation draft horses, or horses with a heavy build, are more likely to develop sidebone than light horses or ponies Sidebone seldom causes lameness, but may be found in horses lame from another cause or horses that are not lame at all. Fox Run Equine Center www.foxrunequine.com (724) 727-3481

14.01.2022 Interphalangeal Joint Disease Brian S. Burks DVM, Dipl. ABVP Board-Certified in Equine Practice Riding time is nigh, but now your horse has come up lame. Now w...hat? First, call an equine veterinarian. They can localize the lameness to a given area, then radiograph, ultrasound, etc. the area to find the cause of lameness. This is done via the lameness exam, including palpation and nerve blocks. Now you are told that your horse has interphalangeal joint disease, but what does that mean? The horse walks on what are the middle bones of your hand or finger. Your finger consists of three phalanges: proximal, middle, and distal. The proximal phalanx forms part of the fetlock (ankle- not really, but for the sake of argument here) joint. The pastern consists of two joints: the proximal and distal interphalangeal joints. These are often called the pastern joint and the coffin joint. The distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint is a high motion joint, supported by several collateral ligaments. Circling, uneven ground, and/or an unbalanced foot lead to sliding and rotation of the joint, increasing the likelihood of disease. The proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) is a low motion joint supported by collateral, palmar, and distal sesamoidean ligaments. Sliding and rotation cause joint disease. Colloquially, osteoarthritis of the DIP and PIP joints is called low and high ringbone, respectively. OA of these joints causes variable, chronic, progressive lameness. It is often, though not always bilateral, and occurs most commonly in the forelimbs (65% of the horses weight is carried by the front limbs). Palpation may reveal firm, periarticular swelling of the PIP in chronic cases. Disease of these joints may be seen in any sex or breed, but is common in Western performance horses, polo horses, and jumpers. These horses may have poor conformation and hoof imbalance. Diagnosis involves the lameness examination plus one or more imaging modalities. Many of these can be seen radiographically, with bone forming around the joint space. Ultrasound may reveal desmitis of the collateral ligaments of either joints; this is a risk factor for OA of these joints. Early cases may not yet have radiographic evidence of disease, and yet are lame from one or both of these joints. In such cases, nuclear scintigraphy or MRI may be appropriate, as they are more sensitive imaging modalities. Infectious pathology should be ruled out. Treatment of disease includes rest and restoration of hoof balance, with shorter toes to ease break-over. Anti-inflammatory medication is also useful, especially in early cases. More chronic cases, with loss of joint space (cartilage) may require athroscopy to remove bone fragments or surgical arthrodesis- joint fusion- via lag-screw fixation, usually three screws placed parallel to each other. Bone plates have also been used, but are more costly. This works well for the PIP, but the DIP joint is more difficult to access surgically. A limited number of horses have had lag screw or a special bone plate used for arthrodesis of the DIP joint. These procedures will reduce the work load of the horse, but they are generally suitable for trail riding on even surfaces. There are many OTC joint therapies available, with limited to no evidence (experimentally or in clinical cases) to support their use. The bioavailability of glucosamine is %, which means 97% is passed out in the pasture. Maybe it will help the grass grow! Intra-articular medication is useful in early cases, including various steroids and sodium hyaluronate. Adequan, given in the muscle, may be of some help in these early cases. Both extracorporeal shockwave therapy and stem cells have been used. Shock waves promote bone regeneration and improved healing. Stem cells may become cartilage, helping to restore its bone protection and lubrication functions. It is important to note that horses with OA or the PIP or DIP joints may have to reduce their work load or even be retired to slow the progression of disease. There are, however, treatments that may at least partially restore athletic ability. Following fusion of the joint many horses can tolerate trail riding, and some may be able to compete at lower levels. Early recognition and treatment of OA may prolong the intended use of the horse. Fox Run Equine Center www.foxrunequine.com (724) 727-3481 Your horse's health is always our top priority.

13.01.2022 Distal Phalangeal (Coffin Bone) Fractures Brian S. Burks, DVM, ABVP- equine specialty Distal phalangeal fractures occur from trauma, usually rapid and severe. ...Laceration of the hoof capsule may also result in coffin bone fractures. Fractures of the third phalanx, or coffin bone, can occur in multiple places within the bone, which determines clinical severity. Fractures near the middle of the bone, extending into the joint cause more lameness than wing fractures or margin fractures. Fractures of the extensor process may also occur. Clinically, there is a sudden onset of lameness in a single foot. Hoof testers may or may not localize the lameness within the foot. The lameness is moderate to severe, and is accentuated when moved in a circle, with the affected foot to the inside. The hoof and pastern may be warm to the touch, and the digital arteries exhibit a stronger pulse than is normal. If the distal interphalangeal (coffin) joint is involved, the synovial fluid may be blood-tinged. The appearance of the lameness must be differentiated from a hoof abscess. Lameness may be abolished using a palmar digital or abaxial sesamoid block; however, horses with severe lameness should have radiographs taken first, as the reduction in pain may cause the horse to overuse the foot and lead to more damage to the fractured bone. Radiography confirms the diagnosis in many cases, but some fracture lines may be difficult to detect due to minimal, if any, displacement. The irregular border of the third phalanx can make some fractures difficult to recognize. In such cases, multiple radiographs from multiple angles may help to identify the fracture. In some cases, stall rest and repeat radiography in 10 days may allow fracture recognition as the fracture gap widens over time as bone remodels. Nuclear scintigraphy, MRI, and CT may be required in some cases. Treatment of distal phalangeal fractures may be conservative or surgical means as the case dictates. Foals are usually treated with complete stall rest. Surgical therapy involves lag screw fixation and neurectomy. Conservative treatment of a non-displaced fracture involves the use of a bar shoe with clips, with a pour or other pad on the solar surface, providing support and limiting further concussion. In some cases a cast may be an addition to the shoe. Anti-inflammatory medication is often used to reduce pain and allow weight bearing. It may take 90-120 days for complete healing of coffin bone wing fractures. After soaking the foot for 24 hours, shock wave therapy may be used to induce fracture healing in selected cases. Other treatments may include bisphosphante drugs such as TildrenR and the addition of calcium to the diet. Mid-saggital (through the center) or other fractures that involve the joint may be treated conservatively in some cases, but will take much longer to heal and may displace, despite shoeing and casting. These fractures often do better when surgically repaired. Asepsis is critical when surgical management is chosen, as the hoof is in contact with the ground and is difficult to completely clean. A lag screw is placed across mid-saggital articular fractures after a hole is drilled in the side of the hoof wall. Such fractures carry a guarded prognosis, unlike most other coffin bone fractures, which carry a good prognosis. This is because osteoarthritis of the DIP joint may ensue. Solar margin fractures may be underdiagnosed due to the difficulty in recognition radiographically. These are caused by blunt force trauma, such as kicking a hard, immobile object. They may be secondary to laminitic osteopenia. Most heal conservatively, but if the fragment becomes septic, surgical removal is required. Extensor process fractures may occur due to hyperextension or avulsion of the common digital extensor tendon on the front of the limb. Clinical signs may or not be present from such fractures. Definitive diagnosis is reached via the lameness examination, including nerve blocks, and radiography. Small fragments require surgical removal as they are in contact with the joint and often migrate. Larger fractures may heal with conservative therapy or may be removed. In certain cases, lag screw fixation may be tried.

12.01.2022 Pasture Grasses and Lamintis By Brian S. Burks, DVM, DABVP- Board-Certified in Equine Practice Laminitis is a relatively common disease seen in horses. It has ...many causes, including hard ground (road founder) grain overload, and grass founder. This latter cause may be linked, at least partially to horses with endocrine diseases: Equine Cushings Disease and Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS). Pasture-induced laminits is triggered when susceptible horses ingest high amounts of fructans (a type of sugar) found in grass. Susceptible horses include overweight, EMS, ECS, and horses that have previously foundered. When carbohydrates are consumed in excess, there is a bacterial overgrowth in the intestinal tract. This bacterial overgrowth produces a toxin which weakens matrix-metalloproteins (the glue of the foot) leading to laminitis. The sugar content of grass varies with the weather, plant stress, forage type, maturity, time of day and time of year. Grasses produce energy from sunlight by a process called photosynthesis; when this happens, plants are producing sugars which are made into plant fiber and other plant parts. These sugars are depleted during the night, making early morning the safest time for grazing. Plant growth becomes limited at or below 40 degress, or during drought, causing sugars normally used for growth to become concentrated in the plant because they are not used for growth. When pasture grass is stressed, susceptible horses should not be allowed to graze, or it should be very limited. When grass is growing rapidly, the energy is used up, and the sugar content will be less. That does not mean, however, that susceptible horses will not founder if allowed to overeat. A grazing muzzle can be used to limit the forage intake, while allowing movement in the pasture. Grazing should occur when sugar content is lower, e.g. in the morning when sugars have been used up overnight for continued plant growth. Cloudy days are another example of good grazing days, as photosynthesis is limited; therefore less sugar is in the plant. More mature grass will also have lower carbohydrate content. Cool season grasses, such as orchard grass or brome grass are genetically more capable of storing sugars than other types of grass. Most carbohydrates are stored in the bottom 3-4 inches of growth, thus pastures should not be cut short, as the horse will have access to this fructan sugar. Overgrazing is similar; stressed grass will store more sugar. During the fall, the cool nights will stress the grass as well. To avoid grass founder: Keep your easy keepers and ponies off lush, fast-growing pastures until the grass has slowed in growth and produced seed heads. Graze your horses on pastures containing a high percentage of legumes, such as alfalfa or clover. Avoid grazing horses on pastures that have been grazed very short during the winter. Keep cresty-necked, overweight horses in the stall or paddock until the pastures rate of growth has slowed, then introduce them to the pasture slowly. Allow the horse to fill up on hay before turning out on grass for a few hours. I have a horse that is prone to founder in the spring, so I place a grazing muzzle on him before turnout for a few hours, which allows him to exercise but prevents him from eating too much grass. Fox Run Equine Center www.foxrunequine.com (724) 727-3481

12.01.2022 Im in Tamworth for the next few weeks Budd Young, Farrier service hot & cold shoeing, trimming all areas. Corrective shoeing , lameness issues Discussed, Horses health checks Well Balanced horse is a Happy Horse. call for quotes 0428280704

10.01.2022 The Big & Small Budd Young, Farrier service hot & cold shoeing, trimming all areas. Corrective shoeing , lameness issues Discussed, Horses health checks Well Balanced horse is a Happy Horse. call for quotes 0428280704

10.01.2022 Budd Young, Farrier service hot & cold shoeing, trimming all areas. Corrective shoeing , lameness issues Discussed, Horses health checks Well Balanced horse is a Happy Horse. call for quotes 0428280704

10.01.2022 Well balanced horse is a happy horse.

09.01.2022 This is pretty much what goes through your farriers head every time they pick up a hoof. This is also why we can be so precious (as some people may put it) ab...out having well lit and surfaced facilities and well behaved horses. Working in these conditions will help us do the best we can for you and your animals. The better the job we come to, the better the job we leave you (Photo credit unknown) See more

08.01.2022 Tenosynovitis in Horses Brian S. Burks, DVM, Dipl. ABVP Board Certified in Equine Practice Tenosynovitis refers to inflammation of the synovial membrane and the... fibrous layer of the tendon sheath. It is characterized by distension of the sheath due to synovial effusion and is most commonly seen in horses. There are many tendon sheaths in the horse, but distention of the tendon sheath of the DDFT and SDFT at the back of the fetlock is quite common in adult horses; foals may experience tenosynovitis of the common digital extensor tendon over the dorsal carpus. At the fetlock tendon sheath distention is known as windpuffs or windgalls. Windpuffs are soft, fluid-filled swellings toward the back of the fetlock joint, resulting from inflamed deep digital tendon sheaths. Most commonly, these puffy enlargements are symptomless blemishesold and cold, the result of years of hard work. In some instances, however, the horse might be lame from recent injury to the tendon sheath, with marked heat and pain in the area, when you flex the joint or palpate the swelling. Many horses have windpuffs, especially in the rear legs, with no associated lameness. Tendons are encased in a tendon sheath where the tendon travels over bone and changes direction to prevent friction that may interfere with proper movement. The tendon sheath contains a small amount of lubricating synovial fluid. Swelling of the tendon sheath means that the sheath of the tendons inside have been stretched or injured, resulting in fluid overproduction. This results in an enlarged tendon sheath, which may result in thickening of its synovial lining and fluid levels will vary with the horses exercise levels. Windpuffs are seldom a problem when symmetrical between two fore- or hind limbs. They may be present on all four limbs in some horses. When one is much larger than the others, this usually indicates a problem. Tenosynovitis may be idiopathic, acute, chronic, or septic (infectious). Idiopathic Tenosynovitis This refers to the distention of the synovial sheath, usually in young animals, in which the cause is uncertain. It can be seen in the common digital extensor tendon sheath or the extensor carpi radialis tendon sheath. There is usually no identifiable pathology, no lameness and treatment is usually unnecessary. Acute and Chronic Tenosynovitis These are due to strain, overuse or trauma and usually seen in older animals. Tendon sheaths most commonly affected include the digital flexor tendon sheath and tendon sheaths associated with the carpus and tarsus. Defects in the Superficial Digital Flexor, Deep Digital Flexor and Suspensory Ligament can cause acute swelling in the sheath and subsequent fibrosis. Chronic tenosynovitis can become acute if re-injury occurs. Clinical examination is usually enough to establish the presence of tenosynovitis, but the severity and association with lameness require further evaluation via radiography to look for bone trauma, ultrasonography to evaluate tendons and to identify any injuries, fibrosis, synovial problems or alterations in the synovial fluid. CT and/or MRI can be used to identify subtle changes in soft tissue and bony structures. The tendon sheath can also be blocked with lidocaine to determine if pain and lameness are alleviated. History is important. Knowing how long the swelling has been present is helpful. Changes in the appearance of a windpuff, or other tendon sheath is important, especially if it can be correlated to lameness. There may be a subtle change in performance. Windpuffs occur commonly in hunters, jumpers, dressage horses, and Western performance horses. New, firm windpuffs on a lame horse, with heat and pain, are indicative of an injury that needs treatment. This might happen after a serious strain, for example when the horse pulls the joint attachments while sprinting and turning, making fast stops and turns, etc. After healing, the stretched area continues to bulge, but it becomes soft and painless. Windpuffs often appear, however, without the horse ever showing any evidence of lameness. Old windpuffs in lame athletic horses might cause lameness in a single limb due to adhesions between the tendons or from annular ligament desmitis- the ligament around the back of the fetlock. This ligament becomes thickened, putting pressure on the tendon sheath. There is a notch, with fluid above and below the restriction. Ultrasound is used to determine annular ligament thickening. Narrowing that impedes the gliding of the tendon (such as adhesions, synovial masses, or pressure caused by thickening of the annular ligamentas in humans with carpal tunnel syndrome) can result in lameness. It is important to determine the exact area of swelling, i.e. in the joint or the tendon sheath, which is further back, since these are two separate compartments. Treatment of tenosynovitis is like that of synovitis and osteoarthritis. This includes: rest, cold hydrotherapy, bandaging, systemic and local NSAIDs, and regenerative medicine. If the injury does not respond to rest and wrapping, the tendon sheath can be injected with steroids and sodium hyaluronan to reduce inflammation and provide lubrication. During this procedure, the synovial fluid is drained to remove the pressure and local cytokines that cause inflammation. Some cases of tenosynovitis may respond to cold laser therapy, using a class IV treatment laser. The laser may help reduce inflammation and bring healing cytokines into the affected tendon sheath. Injection of other medication into the tendon sheath can be performed in refractory cases, using platelet rich plasma, IRAP, or stem cells, depending upon the case. Tenoscopy may be performed to adequately diagnose and treat any synovial lesions, tears in the deep digital flexor tendon or perform annual ligament desmotomy. Putting an arthroscope into the tendon sheath (tenoscopy) often reveals more than an ultrasound or MRI, and the problem can be treated at the same time. Therefore, tenoscopy is both diagnostic and treatment at the same time. Horses that have chronic problems within the tendon sheath may have thickening of synovial tissue; these soft tissue masses may cause pain during movement of the tendon and should be removed. The annular ligament can be transected at the same time, if needed. If your horse has chronic windpuffs, watch for changes in size and symmetry among the affected limbs, and monitor for discomfort and lameness. Discomfort and/or heat and swelling is a sign of acute injury, so call your veterinarian if these are present. Effective treatments, from HA injections to annular ligament transection, are available. www.foxrunequine.com (724) 727-3481 Fox Run Equine Center Your horse's health is our top priority.

08.01.2022 Hi everyone, I am able to keep working due to being an essential animal welfare service. During this difficult time I am implementing a series of measures to keep us all safe whilst maintaining as normal a service as possible. Below is a series of measures I am taking to ensure your welfare and limit the spread of Covid 19, along with a list of things you can do to make the implementation of this easier.... What I am doing Following government social distancing advice My STRONG preference would be that you DO NOT attend the appointment ESPECIALLY if in a high-risk category Badly behaved horses will be low priority (Our Emergency rooms dont need any extra patients) I will be carrying antibacterial hand wash and will thoroughly wash hands on arrival and departure No tea, coffee, cakes, biscuits etc (until it all passes, then feel free to make up for lost time!!) I am regularly monitoring my health and the health of my family. And will notify of any changes. What you can do Please keep me updated on any changes in your health and do not attend if experiencing Covid-19 symptoms Wash your hands before handling your horse, its halter and lead rope I request that you give me permission to help myself to your horses at appointments so that you do not have to be in attendance If you insist on being in attendance, please adhere to social distancing advice With these measures in place I will continue to work as normal on the grounds of animal welfare. If the situation changes then I will adapt my working protocol to suit where possible or provide cover in the worst-case scenario. If any clients have concerns, please be open with me, I understand this is an unprecedented time we are going through. Thank you for your cooperation and stay safe. Budd Young farrier service

07.01.2022 An Old Farrier A bunch of young farriers stood looking down at a horses foot. They talked of what to do and how to do it, What measures to take to make the h...orse sound again, shaking their heads. Under a shade tree an old man sat, his hands twisted and knuckles scarred. He was slumped and tired, worn out by weather and horses, useless and empty. Once this old man could shoe any horse with hair on it's hide. He could make his hammer blows sing like music on his anvil. He did it for a hundred years until his knees were gone, shoulders ached and his arms grew weak. He heard talk nearby, listened quietly to the voices of inexperience and slowly stood and limped over to where the boys stood in the sun. He groaned with each halting step. The old farrier looked down at the horse and said, "mind if I put in my two cents?" Well, the young men snickered, smiled and looked the old empty man up and down. "You're a little long in the tooth, old fella. I reckon you're here to give us some old time advice?" One of the young men said. Laughing another chimed in "Do us a favor, huh and just go rest in the shade cause we got this problem worked out. You see, times are changed and we're specialists in the farrier trade." The old man smiled. "I know you boys have it licked. You know just what to do for this old horse and Im just in your way but it sounded like you could use a little help. Don't mind me I'll just get on back to the shade." Hesitantly one young man stepped forward and touched the ancient farrier on his arm and said "I'd like to know what you have to say. You see, I want to learn what it takes to be a man like you, to have shod the horses you have. So, please stay and teach me something not in our books, will ya?" The old man smiled, his face like dry leather and said, "Hand me your tools son, and we can make this horse run and play." With that the stooped and gray old man lifted the horses foot and went to work. He trimmed, shaped the foot, flipped the rasp in his hand and pointed at a cracked and broken heel and said quietly, "Bar shoe is what you need." "Well we knew that ole man." the first guy snickered "We dont have any bar shoes on the truck" said another. "What now?" The wrinkled old man went to the hot shots truck, fired his forge and cut a piece of iron, he slipped it into the fire and let it heat, Then fished it out of the inferno and began shaping the red hot steel on the anvil. He worked fast and sure, tapping the hot steel here and there, making a miracle of beauty and grace, a shoe to make the horse stand straight and feel good. Quenched, holes punched, rasped clean, he took the shoe, filled his mouth with nails and picked up a driving hammer. He limped over to the horse and groaned as he picked up the foot. Taking a breath he steadied himself and one by one he drove the nails. He slowly straightened up and stretched out his back, curved with years of bending over. A young man picked up the foot and the kids didn't say a whole lot, just shook their heads and one muttered a "well damn." The old man said "That sure felt good! I always wonder about the last shoe I'll nail on a horse. I hope this ain't it. I hope God will spare me knowing its my last shoe." I will never get over the feeling you get when you've done a horse right." The old man replaced the kids tools, and limped back to his chair in the shade. The young farriers watched. They knew they had seen something they might never see again, just an old farrier. Last feet. Last horses. The last time you feel needed for your knowledge, for the skills you've worked hard to know. Someday we will all do those last things, and when our last breath rattles and we close our eyes, a flight of angel wings will lift our souls and carry us away to where the horses always stand, its always cool and the anvil always rings true.

04.01.2022 DID YOU KNOW... -for every 1 centimeter of extra toe length- this results in an extra 50 kilograms of force acting on the tendons -1 degree drop in sole angle ...where the DDFT inserts into the coffin bone (affected by Palmar Angle) can lead to a 4% increase in the pressure exerted by the DDFT on the Navicular bone (Credit Dr Renate Weller) These simple facts highlight how important it is to keep your horses on tight shoeing schedule and receive correct trimming/shoeing to give them a long and successful career.

02.01.2022 I'm out of action again due to complications from my hand injury. Sorry for inconvenience to everyone .