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25.01.2022 **The following post shows images of an equine stomach post mortem. ** STOMACH SIZE I get asked all the time about feed and all manner of horse care topics. Alo...ng with all of the usual discussions about type of feed for particular horses, weights of feed etc... there is the topic of HOW MUCH to feed. How many dippers of chaff, how full should the 20litre bucket be, 1 feed per day or two??? Through the amazing process of dissections we have been involved in, we always look at the stomach. Sometimes finding ulcers or bots and varying degrees of health of the stomach lining. One thing I’ve noticed is that the larger horses of mixed breed (say between 14-17hh) is that the stomach size doesn’t vary all that much. Horses are grazing animals, we know this. Horses do well on smaller feeds more often, we also know this. A lot of people struggle to truly grasp this until they see it or it is explained thoroughly enough for them to fully understand from an anatomy perspective. Here I will show you a stomach (approx 15.2hh tb mare) she had had a normal breakfast but also a big special bucket of carrots and apples right before being laid to rest (not her daily feed, just a one off treat bucket) and then the contents of that stomach in relation to a very average sized 15 litre tub. I will also show you the absolute MAXIMUM sized feed I would ever feed a horse of that size. There are plenty of great articles around that talk about overflow of undigested feed into the hindgut and the subsequent problems, feed sizes and ulcers, gut health in all forms but I’m not here to talk about that. I am simply sharing in order to give the average horse owner a deeper understanding of the relative lack of size of the average sized horses stomach ** This post is not about what to feed or even how often. That will be very specific to each horse, it’s environment and situation. Please seek advice from your trusted equine veterinarian or independent nutritionist. ** Dissection with thanks and in conjunction with Southern Holistic Equine & Ev’s Equine Services

25.01.2022 Movement is important for all horses but even more so for the metabolic horse, especially through spring when they are likely confined to reduce access to spring grass. Stress can trigger metabolic responses as can weight gain and a good exercise program can help to eliminate both.

24.01.2022 "Well, hello there! My name is Peter Pann of Neverland (that's my American Miniature Horse Association (AMHA) name!). I am 31 inches tall and I'm very active i...n Hunter Jumping, Halter Obstacle, and Classic Pleasure Driving. I am going to use my new Blue CLB Boots for driving through my neighborhood streets, as well as for traction while visiting folks in rehab and retirement buildings!" (This mini's Mom is named Olivia Reynolds ;) )

24.01.2022 This is a better video explaining how these wind sucking collars can rotate a horse’s atlas causing headaches and issues with tilting, flexion and bend.

23.01.2022 Please don't over rug this winter, your 'Good Doer' will thrive on surviving. A ‘good doer’ is a pony or horse that can survive on fresh air, he is a survival e...xpert, but with our modern management are we providing our good doers with a healthy environment or are we predisposing them to metabolic dysfunction? Good doers possess alternative energy systems to help them survive in harsh environments, every now and again they need a harsh environment to re-establish or balance energy metabolism. What is a harsh environment? We may not like to see horses in a field, without a rug, with a hairy coat, very little grass and only low grade hay/straw to eat, but is this better for the native pony good doer than to have a life time of EMS leading to laminitis? ‘Cresty’ necks are unsightly lumps of fat found on the neck of an overweight or obese horse and there is a growing awareness amongst vets and horse owners that having a ‘cresty neck’ predisposes it to laminitis. Some breeds are more prone to having a ‘cresty’ neck than others, native breeds such as the Welsh, Connemaras, Highlands and Shetland ponies are among the more susceptible as they require less food with lower sugar/starch than many of the other breeds, they also have a natural leaning towards insulin resistance because they have evolved from an environment where food supplies are often scarce and available nutrients change from season to season. Susceptible ponies (and cross breeds) are called ‘good doers’ and they possess an insulin resistant genotype as a survival mechanism which makes them more likely to develop insulin resistance, a good thing as it helps them to survive their native harsh mountain/moorland environment. These ponies naturally have a higher level of insulin secretion and a slower glucose disposal rate which is a positive adaptation for sparse food rations. During the harsh winter conditions when glucose is unavailable or scarce the ‘good doer’ will switch to an alternative energy system to ensure survival and as the available food changes from grass to shrubs/herbage such as gorse, tree bark and marsh grass the metabolism will also switch to a more conservative system of energy use and storage which prevents any ingested glucose from entering the muscle and adipose tissue. Deprived of glucose the tissues then start to use another energy supply (lipids/triglycerides) allowing the dwindling but precious sources of glucose to support vital organs. ‘Good doers’ have lower insulin sensitivity and higher insulin secretion plus high circulating levels of triglycerides. This tendency towards insulin resistance is a natural efficient adaptation which also involves the ‘pay it forward’ insulin system which exists in the gut. The problems start when the ‘good doer’ clashes with the modern management system and change of environment, and switches to a diet containing too much sugar and starch from hard feed, high quality hay and grass (perennial rye) designed by modern farming methods as suitable for high milk yielding cattle, with no drop in the quality of nutrients through the winter months. ‘Good doers’ are more predisposed to laminitis but any horse receiving more calories than required for work will store the excess as adipose tissue and fat pads will soon appear as ‘cresty necks’, tail pads, shoulders, sheath etc and has the potential to develop endocrinopathic laminitis.

22.01.2022 Yes very true. Hoof growth slows down this time of year so it's tempting to stretch trim cycles out or not trim at all. Be mindful that spring is only a couple of months away so dropping the ball now can mean an exacerbation of foot problems during spring. They will do much better if the hooves can be in their best condition coming into spring.

21.01.2022 Zoe’s horse Alfie had ‘sacro-iliac’ problems he was disuniting I am struggling at the moment with my horse ‘Alfie’ suddenly going disunited at the canter, ...but only on the right lead. He has never done this before and has only started in the last couple of weeks. I was doing some research into possible causes and was lead to your page about ‘sacro-iliac’ problems and his symptoms are almost exactly the same; appears normal at the walk, a little stiff but not too bad at the trot and disunites within the first few strides of canter on the right lead (he is perfectly fine on the left). He warms up out of it after about 20 minutes. You suggest that this may be a symptom of a mineral imbalance. About a week ago I started him on your Premium Horse Minerals at the recommendation of my coach as a way to improve an ‘attitude’ problem, but it looks like it may also be the solution to my other problem. He is currently being fed beet as well as your suggested oaten chaff etc. In terms of grass he is on a very bare paddock but I have been opening him up to a small section of longer grass each day. I presume I should stop doing this and just feed hay instead? My main question is, how long should I expect to be waiting before I may see results? I am unsure about whether or not to call a vet and am thinking I will try this first, but don’t know how long I should give it. I am entered in the Canterbury Show-Jumping Champs this weekend in the Show Hunter and am in two minds about whether to go or not. On the one hand, he is ok once he’s warmed up and jumps perfectly fine from both leads, but on the other hand I don’t want to risk making anything worse. Is this a possibility? Do you have any recommendations about what I should do? We visited Zoe and Alfie on Thursday 12th morning and took the video clip in which you can see he couldn’t do a circle on the right lead without disuniting. Zoe he said it was the same when ridden. Plus he was ‘lack-lustre’! A visit to the local Vets the day before had shed no light and with the Canterbury Show Jumping Champs at McLean’s Island coming up in a couple of days at the weekend, Zoe had been thinking she would still take him along and scratch if need be. A test run with Alfie established that he would readily eat both the Alleviate Gold and the AlleviateC/SOS in high doses. The aim of adding these supplements was to improve his strength and co-ordination because in the majority of cases that’s all the problem is! Zoe gave him 40gms of the Gold and 50gms of the SOS twice daily from then on. A few days later Zoe reported: Alfie was awesome over the weekend, winning the Marriott Stables Rising Star Under Saddle, picking up a 3rd in the Open Horse 95 HOYQ and having an unlucky soft rail in the Junior High Points 1m but still jumping an awesome round! He only disunited a couple of times over the whole weekend so he isn’t 100% yet but we know he will continue to improve. We would normally allow/expect 2-3 weeks for these ‘sacro-iliac’ issues to resolve so we too were pleased with the improvement within just a few days. ‘Sacro-iliac’ issues are extremely common all over the world. Unfortunately all too often, they are not recognised for what they actually are: manifestations of mineral imbalances which are affect the horse’s strength and co-ordination. Such problems particularly show up in the hind-quarters because that is where the largest muscles of locomotion are located. ‘Hitching’ a leg, ‘knuckling over’ and ‘Locking Stifles’ come under the same category and respond equally well. They are all in our experience, relatively straight forward to remedy with some simple diet adjustments make sure you pm us if you are struggling with the same issues!

20.01.2022 Dedicated to Archie. Gastric Ulcers If you go back a couple of posts, I had a video of Archie, showing his high strung behaviour, pacing and generally hot and... I asked if you thought I would find gastric ulcers. I think I had about a 50:50 range of answers from none at all to yes, ulcers. Then a range between mild ulcers to severe ulcers. The answer is no, not one ulcer. I will be studying his stomach back in my lab to look for scars due to previous ulcers as his owner did use a vet product about a year ago (name not known) to treat suspected ulcers. He was not scoped. He had 3 bot larvae attached to the stomach wall, and surprisingly, they were close together and in both the different areas of the stomach, not just in 1 area (there are 2 areas an acid producing and a non acid producing area). I honestly thought that his stomach would be riddled with ulcers, why? Just due to his hot stressed behaviour. That’s the message we seem to be given, stress= ulcers. And we are told that we should expect to see ulcers in most of our horses. And the take home message- stress behaviour in THIS horse does not mean he has ulcers even though I would have made a pretty good bet on it. This is 1 horse, we would need to look inside (scope) 100’s of horses to get a meaningful answer to many of my questions: Does stress cause ulcers Do ulcers cause stress Do wild horses have ulcers What causes ulcers if it’s not stress? If you enjoy my posts and would like to support me, please join me on my Patreon page, there I post all my studies and videos. This is a subscription page for the price of a good cup of coffee per month. This is how I fund my studies. I could not do this without my patreons supporting me. http://www.patreon.com/hoofstudies My sponsor who is supporting my studies- Equitopia Center https://www.equitopiacenter.com/ My supporter: Australian Farriers Conference https://www.australianfarriersconference.com.au

19.01.2022 Some would argue that a horse needs to be shod to be competitive at the highest level.

18.01.2022 Red Maple Leaves Threaten Horses Brian S. Burks DVM, Dipl. ABVP Board-Certified in Equine Practice Red maple (Acer rubrum) is a deciduous tree native to North A...merica. It is frequently planted as an ornamental because of its vibrant fall colors. The leaves of red maple, especially when dead or wilted, are extremely toxic to horses. Following storms, enough wilted leaves may be accessible to cause disease in the horse. If you or your neighbors have these trees, it is best to be sure and remove leaves from the pasture prior to turn out following any storm. One or all horses may be affected, depending upon how much an individual consumes. We treat cases of red maple poisoning each year. The toxin is unknown, but believed to be an oxidant because it damages red blood cells, causing acute hemolysis that inhibits the transport of oxygen. Damaged red blood cells may have Heinz bodies. It also causes the formation of methemoglobin, which cannot carry oxygen. The ingestion of 700 grams (1.5 pounds) of leaves is considered toxic and 1.4 kilograms (3 pounds) is lethal. Symptoms occur within one or two days after ingestion and can include depression, anorexia, fever, lethargy, increased rate and depth of breathing, increased heart rate, jaundice, brown discoloration of the mucous membranes, dark brown urine, coma, and death. Hemoglobin from ruptured red blood cells can precipitate within the tubules of the kidney leading to renal failure, which may cause a decrease in urine output, fever, depression, and other non-specific findings. Its presence is noted on serum biochemistries. Anemia will be noted by a low hematocrit on hematology or by a low packed cell volume, often less than 10% (normal is 30% to 45% depending upon age, breed, and use). Treatment is limited and can include the use of methylene blue or mineral oil and activated carbon in order to stop further absorption of the toxin into the stomach. Vitamin C is used IV as an anti-oxidant. Blood transfusions are indicated. Blood transfusions are used to provide temporary red blood cells, until the toxin is removed from the body and the bone marrow begins to produce more cells in earnest. Alloantigens are antigens that induce an immune response within the same species, and cause the production of alloantibodies. There are thirty-two RBC alloantigens in horses. There are eight major recognized blood groups in horses. There are eight major blood groups: A, C, D, K, P, Q, U, and T. These blood groups result in approximately 400,000 blood phenotypes. Aa, and Qa are the most important types, with Ca a close third. Quarter Horses Standardbreds and Morgan Horses have a lower prevalence of Aa/Qa. Standardbreds usually have on Ca, and rarely Qa. Cross matching is normally important, but there is not usually enough time and the toxin in the blood may lyse the donor cells anyway, so usually a gelding or a never pregnant mare is chosen as the donor, to limit certain reactions. Transfused red blood cells only last a few days, and a subsequent transfusion may be necessary, depending upon the degree of anemia. The loss of red blood cells can be compensated for by the body if given enough time (not to be athletic, but to survive) whereas acute blood loss will result in de-compensation and a lack of oxygen to the tissues. The prognosis is guarded even with early, aggressive treatment. About 50% to 75% of affected horses die or are euthanized as a result of red maple toxicity. Fox Run Equine Center www.foxrunequine.com (724) 727-3481 Experienced. Dedicated. Focused on the Horse.

16.01.2022 Horses have food intolerances just like people do. Whenever I come across a horse that is struggling, diet is the first thing I look at because it can be the reason for many health and behavioural issues.

16.01.2022 Fecal Liquid - Can it be Cured? Treating Ulcers without Omeprazole? This and more in the recent issue of "Forage for Thought" https://conta.cc/3r2toqe

12.01.2022 Lately, I have seen a lot of horses with backs too short to accommodate the length of their saddles. The saddle can not go beyond the last (18th) floating rib b...ecause going beyond the floating ribs can not support weight. I have marked below the back of the scapula and the last rib. As you can see, the saddle placement is the same however only one of these saddles has an appropriate length. Double check to make sure your saddle is not beyond that point. It can be very painful to a horse if it is and is often the cause of bucking. See more

12.01.2022 82% of all injuries to racehorses competing in National Hunt and flat races involved the musculoskeletal system. Of this, 46% involved tendons and ligaments (El...y et al., 2004). With tendon injury often the result of repeated microdamage, this emphasises how current elements of the way horses are managed in modern day are not conducive to optimum health. With this research reference in mind, it underpins how we have control over the health of our horses. Prehabilitation methods can aid in the prevention of injury, not only by reducing the horses exposure to injury risk, but by promoting the musculoskeletal system at a cellular level to improve strength and therefore reduce the chance of injury in the first instance. And this starts from birth, not just in their ridden career.

11.01.2022 Good Rider. Bad Rider. We look at ourselves and other equestrians and label them in our minds as either good or bad/skilled or unskilled. However, how many of ...us consider the saddle when judging the rider? Let us take a different kind of athlete, say, a hockey player and give him skates that have not been sharpened correctly along with protective gear that does't fit and is restrictive. How well would he play? Horribly, most likely, yet we'd automatically see him as unskilled. We are quick to jump to conclusions, rarely taking a moment to truly analyze a situation and try to understand any underlying issues that may be the cause of what we are seeing. This is true of how many riders judge their horses as well, but that is a whole other discussion. When looking at a rider, we see their position in the saddle. Where is their leg? How is their posture? Where are the toes pointed? Can they sit the trot? Can they sit the canter? Are they aligned (shoulder-hip-heel)? Do they look behind the movement? Are they crooked? The answer to each of these questions doesn't necessarily tell you of their skill as a rider. If they are in a saddle that isn't suitable to them, they simply cannot ride for the same reason a horse cannot go well in a poorly fitted saddle. Whether consciously or not, the body adjusts to protect itself from discomfort, pain and possibility of injury. When a rider sits in a chair seat, it could be because the seat at the lowest point is too narrow and their seat bones are not supported. It could be because the saddle is formed like a roof top at the front and places excess pressure against the highly sensitive pubic symphysis. It could be because the stirrup bars are not the appropriate length for the riders upper-lower leg ratio, or not positioned properly for that rider and pulls the leg forward. When a rider turns her toes/knees out, it could be due to a too-wide twist in the saddle. Or, caused by her having to sit further back because of the above mentioned issued with the seat or front seam. When a rider cannot sit the trot or canter, it could be due to being placed too far back by the design of the saddle itself, or making proper shoulder-hip-heel alignment impossible. The rider could be tense in trying to hold a correct alignment that any oscillation in the seat cannot be achieved, thus making them bounce around like a sack of potatoes. You can only be as good as your equipment allows you to be. Remember this the next time you want to judge a rider or feel down on your own riding. Saddle fit to rider is more important than saddle fit to horse. A saddle that is fitted to the horse, but is not appropriate for the rider, will still cause damage to the horse due to the unbalance and pressure caused by the rider. Anything that has to be forced or held position-wise, will prevent a soft seat and turn you into a jackhammer on the horses back, making them tense their back and alter their gait and posture in response. Riding a horse is similar to standing, without alignment and balance, there is no shock absorption and both horse and rider will suffer from constant concussion. See more

10.01.2022 Another happy Scoot customer, ready to hit the trails. I have a complete Scoot Boot fit kit if anyone would like a fitting done. I also have fit kits in a range of boots sold by Horse FX, Renegades, Vipers, Fusions etc. Dm for prices.

10.01.2022 Very disappointed- just had to euthanize a wonderful 4 year old mare. A second colic surgery in 3 days, and we euthanized her on the surgery table because her ...prognosis was poor. Her small intestine was full of these large ascarid worms, despite her being on an aggressive worming program including frequent ivermectin. The worms likely played a role in her very severe intestinal disease and made treatment harder. Resistance to our common dewormers is a growing problem. ** UNFORTUNATELY, HERBAL WORMERS ARE LIKELY NOT HELPFUL. TALK TO YOUR VET ABOUT USING FECAL EGG COUNTS TO CUSTOMIZE YOUR DEWORMING. Here is an article written for The Horse Magazine a few years ago. It is also part of Horse Side Vet Guide. https://thehorse.com/149350/worms-vs-drugs-the-fundamentals

09.01.2022 Learn about the benefits of vitamin C, how to recognize deficiencies, and how to supplement for the best results.

09.01.2022 The last few years hay has become super expensive - too expensive to waste. This has been my experience with hay nets, slows them down and zero waste. They pay for themselves really.

08.01.2022 "Money's no object and men don't count when a woman has a horse" by Jeremy Clarkson - - - - - "Got a cold? You'll be told to go for a ride. Got a drink prob...lem? There are places in Arizona that use horses to cure you. Are you a burglar? Well, statistics in Horse & Hound have shown that 107% of people who sit on a horse never reoffend, and never get cancer either. A riding enthusiast will tell you that a horse invented the steam engine long before James Watt got involved and that it was simply unable to convey this important discovery to others. And as a result she will treat horses with a respect that's borderline idiotic. If, as a man, you decided in the night not to bother getting up to go to the loo and simply emptied your bowels into the sheets, you can be fairly sure that your wife would be extremely cross. This is because you're not a horse. A horse can do a big steaming turd in its bed and she will cheerfully put on a pair of rubber gloves and change its sheets with a big-hearted smile. It's the same story at breakfast time. When the horse is led into its paddock, it will do a No 2 right in the middle of its breakfast, which will also need to be cleared up. You try doing that on the bacon and eggs she's made and see what happens. Then there's the question of violence. If your dog were to attack a child you would be horrified, and would at least consider having it put down. It's the same story with your children. If they get into a fight, you put them in their room with no supper. But when a horse kicks an eight-year-old with such force that its head comes off, you take the poor thing's weeping parents to one side and scold them for letting their child get within range. "Now look. You've upset the horse." One day your horse will be spooked by a paper bag, or a van, or a puddle, or a bit of rain, or a gust of wind, or the scent of a fox, and it will throw you to the ground. You will sustain fractured ribs and a broken collarbone, and somehow this will be your fault. Another interesting thing about horse ownership is that you must never have just one. You will need two or 11 or several hundred, some of which you will lend out to friends and family. No one does this with cars or cooking appliances or children. No one says, "Here, have one of my dogs. I've got loads." But horse people do because they are mad. There's more. When your children's shoes have seen better days, you tell them that money's tight and that they'll last another term. You may even tell them off for wearing them out so quickly. But your horse? Crikey, no. The damn thing gets a new set of shoes every six weeks. This is not cheap. Nothing's cheap with a horse. A saddle will be Pounds 1,500. It'll need blankets, and they're Pounds 150 a go. Then there's a bridle at Pounds 150, and that's before you start buying food. Hay costs more these days than rocket, and over a year it'd be cheaper to buy the damn thing a nicely togged eiderdown duvet than keep it in straw. You may even need to buy it a paddock from the local farmer. And the going rate for an acre these days is whatever the farmer wants. And because the farmer knows the horse woman has lost all connection with reality, he'll want about 300,000 Pounds. Then you'll need to build your horse a house, which will cost more than yours did. Oh, I nearly forgot. The horse will then need its own enormous car, full of bedding and plumbing, which will be driven on bank holiday Mondays by a teenage girl at 4mph. These cost more than most Bentleys."

04.01.2022 Don't try to sell your horse unless you have a swear jar, lots of valium and maybe even a punching bag. Let's pop down a few one liners that we have all heard a...nd are tired of hearing to the point we put a clause at the bottom stating not to say this... 1. Does it suit beginners, closely followed by can my 6yo ride them 2. Are they broken in (the horse is under 2, so obviously not) 3. Can I see more photos (on top of the 10 already in the ad) 4. How tall, how old, what breed (all of what is stated in the ad) 5. IS IT STILL AVAILABLE 6. Is the price negotiable? 7. Will you take $X? (Half or less of advertised price) 8. I can get plenty of cheaper horses at the moment (so go get them and stop bugging me!) 9. Will you do a payment plan? 10. IS IT STILL AVAILABLE 11. What is the lowest you will go? 12. My husband said no I'm sure there are plenty more!! Tell me your funny but not funny for sale stories below!!

03.01.2022 Movement movement movement.

03.01.2022 What is the difference between conformation and posture? Posture is becoming more and more recognised as a picture of Neuro-musculoskeletal state. Poor posture... predisposes to dysfunction throughout the body, but what is it and how is it different from conformation? Conformation is the shape or architecture of a structure. Like the length and shape of bones. Wolf’s law states that bones will remodel according to the forces that they are under, but this process happens over time. Posture is where the horse chooses, whether consciously or not, to place those bones in space. It is hugely affected by the neurological input the horse recieves from both itself and its environment. Importantly, posture is changeable, immediately. Understanding wolfs law we can see that posture can affect conformation when it is present for long periods of time. Understanding that the hoof is the deformable structure between the weight of the horse and the ground, posture can also affect hoof morphology over time. Recognising posture is important for any professional or owner in the prevention and treatment of pathology. A series of articles discussing this and the hoofs relationship with it start with this link. . https://www.theequinedocumentalist.com//bio-tensegrity-and

03.01.2022 www.equibiome.org