Universal Equine Services in Connewarre, Victoria | Medical and health

Universal Equine Services

Locality: Connewarre, Victoria

Phone: +61 424 651 004

Address: Connewarre 3227 Connewarre, VIC, Australia

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25.01.2022 The timeline suggested in this post is in line with the maturation of the horse's body in terms of dental changes as well as growth plates. Take it easy with your youngsters and you have a horse that stays sound in both mind and body for longer.

24.01.2022 For a bit of fun. Has anyone had a test like this?? I know Ive had some dodgy ones! My first ever dressage test, I learnt the wrong version and only found out just before the test. I tried to learn it, but got mum to call it. WORST DECISION EVER! hahaha I got errors of course as my mum had no idea how to call a test, and she had no idea where all the letters were! Needless to say I didnt collect that one!

24.01.2022 Worm counts are a great way to reduce over worming and the subsequent resistance to wormers by the worms. Late autumn should be when you use a wormer that deals with bots.

24.01.2022 Reward the slightest effort towards what you are asking too. Baby steps are how a horse figures out what you want from them.

23.01.2022 Do you agree with this Olympian? Fox Run Equine Center www.foxrunequine.com... (724) 727-3481

22.01.2022 Beautiful, although cold, morning this morning. Timely reminder to check horses and ponies that are susceptable to laminitis for early signs. Frosts allow for a build up of sugars in pastures and this can cause problems for horses with metabolic issues and obesity. The screenshot from The Laminitis Site explains how long you should keep susceptible horses/ponies off frost affected grass. If your horse/pony has metabolic issues, such as Cushings, EMS, insulin resistance or is ...generally unwell, or has had laminitis previously checking for a digital pulse on the legs and keeping a record of vital signs (temp, respitory rate, heart rate) can be a good early indicator of health changes. If the cause of a laminitic episode is feed induced, the sooner the feet can be put into ice water, the better. Ice water has been shown to slow the damage of the lamellae in the hoof and therefore slow the seperation of the pedal bone and the wall of the hoof. It also acts as pain relief too. The article from "The Horse" magazine gives an explaination of what to look for as early signs of laminitis. Knowing your horse/ponys vital signs are key to early detection of any disease, so it is good practice to monitor regularily. And remember, if you feel something is "just not right" then it probably isnt, so a chat with your vet might be a good start. http://www.thehorse.com//10-early-warning-signs-of-laminit

22.01.2022 For anyone who has horses on agistment/away from home should we go into further travel restrictions. Stay safe! Your horses need you!!

22.01.2022 Very well said. Like the Chantoozies sang, "if you can't be with the one you love, love the one you're with". I know we still love our horses, but do what you need to, to help them overcome weaknesses and other manageable issues. Sometimes the best horses are the ones you need to help along the way.

21.01.2022 Something to think about...

21.01.2022 Love this! How you view things governs how you respond.

20.01.2022 Timely reminder to keep an eye on your horses. Especially the ponies and those with cushings.

20.01.2022 Its been nearly 11 months since Rose of Reba came to stay. In that 11 months she has changed so much. She slowly put on condition and has made us all fall in love with her quirky nature.

19.01.2022 Very interesting study results. The sample size is quite small though, and without reading the paper associated to see how the study was conducted, the results may not show a true representation across the board. However, many people who rehab horses prefer NOT to use tie downs, especially side reins, as it forces the horse into a position and doesnt allow for the horse to work within its current body limits, therefore actually working against the needs of the horse.

19.01.2022 It would be good if this was prohibited here too... http://www.eurodressage.com//german-federation-reminds-mem

17.01.2022 Does your horse have any of these body signs? Are you trying to make the horse work in a frame, or do you trail ride only? A horse with sacral damge will not be able to use their hindquarters as proper collection dictates. If you get resistance, either by evading the bit and hollowing out, or if your horse bucks or rears, it is not a sign of a naughty horse. It is a sign of a horse in pain. While there are exercises that may help, realising the horse is not suitable for a dressage career is key to relieving the pain and stress in these horses.

17.01.2022 Look at that shine! Rosie, aswell as most of our horses, are getting their winter coats atm. So it is good to see such a healthy coat come through.

16.01.2022 Happy New Year to all family, friends and clients. What a year 2016 has been! Looking forward to 2017 with more uni coming up, including a unit on equine nutrition, and we are expecting a foal here in March! It seems Rosie had a bit of a chance encounter between the sales and the yards I picked her up from, hence the out of season foal. No wonder it took her 6 months to bounce back from where she was. I think the nutrition study is going to come in handy as Rosie and the foal head into winter. Wishing you all a great year ahead!

16.01.2022 Some good advice on how to help your horses be at less risk of contracting this debilitating disease. The strangles vaccine does not cover every single strain of the bacteria, so your horse may still become sick, but with the body being able to recognise the bacteria, may be in a better position to fight it. You cannot give the vaccine to a horse that is afflicted by the disease and you must follow the initial program to begin vaccinating. The vaccination seem to work bette...r if it is given 6 monthly and is a good idea if you are mixing with other horses at comps or outings on a regular basis. Remember that if you suspect your horse has come into contact with a contagious horse, keep your horse quarantined until they are cleared. You can still go out and have fun with your horse, just remember to follow the biosecurity measures mentioned and have your horse vaccinated. See more

14.01.2022 it certainly does!

14.01.2022 Very well said. Like the Chantoozies sang, "if you cant be with the one you love, love the one youre with". I know we still love our horses, but do what you need to, to help them overcome weaknesses and other manageable issues. Sometimes the best horses are the ones you need to help along the way.

13.01.2022 For those following Rosies progress, we recently clicked over 6 months since she arrived. What a difference!

13.01.2022 Are you breaking the law? Do you think of the horse and what it might feel like to them? If you feel the need to tie your horses mouth shut, ask yourself why that is. Is it something your horse learnt before they camw to you? Are your hands too rough or busy? Is your bit too harsh for the way you use your hands? If your horse needs to open its mouth to avoid the pain being inflicted by the bit and the reins, then you need to go back to basics and find out why. You may need t...o get more lessons so that you have a more independent seat and dont usw the reins for balance. You may need to trust your horse more and let go of that bice-like grip you have on the reins that is attached to the mouth of your horse. You may need to retrain your horse to be more accepting of the bit. You may need to get the dentist out to make the mouth more comfortable for your horse. You may evwn need to get your saddle fitted properly and a muscle therapist out to release tight muscles in your horse. If their neck is tight, the steering will be affected. There are a number of reasons why your horse may want to open their mouth, but before you go creating more issues by tightening the noseband, maybe look for the cause to find the solution, not just stopping them from opening their mouth. See more

12.01.2022 Interesting article for anyone with a cushings horse or pony. Take care with all this spring grass!

12.01.2022 Very interesting video about weight distribution. Even though this is aimed more at boats and caravans with the wheels in the center of the trailer, given the increasing number of angle floats that have wheels located more centrally, it is food for thought. Most standard floats have the wheels set further back under where the horses are located, however, in a triple angle load float especially, the wheels are more central as there is a greater length of the float that carries... the weight. Being mindful of where the weight will be distributed when loading an angle load will help prevent swaying when travelling. If the float does start swaying, DO NOT brake! You must slowly accelerate to pull the float straight and stop it swaying BEFORE you brake. If you brake while the float is moving around, you are likely to make the situation worse and be involved in a nasty accident. Stay safe while floating! See more

11.01.2022 Anyone interested in getting their horse tested??

10.01.2022 Interesting read

10.01.2022 I hope everyone stays safe and fairly dry with all this rain. Weve had 53ml here since Sunday night, so we have a lot of water here. Remember to check that your horse is dry under their rugs. I know a few of mine have been rolling in the water! Doona rugs can get very heavy when they get wet.

09.01.2022 This is so true. Horses have looooong memories!! I have a mare that was treated badly 22-25 years ago and when put in a similar situation now, will become very anxious and scared.

09.01.2022 correct saddle fit is so important.

07.01.2022 Interesting article about how saddle fit can affect your horse and why working your horse correctly, with straightness and the correct flexion, is key to keeping your horse sound. This muscle is also an indicator as to whether a horse is working "over the back". If the horse is hollow, or has its head in a rounded position, without using its hindquarters correctly, a "dip" can be seen in front of the wither. http://thehorsesback.com/spinalis-muscle/

07.01.2022 Who else can totally relate to this?

07.01.2022 The timeline suggested in this post is in line with the maturation of the horses body in terms of dental changes as well as growth plates. Take it easy with your youngsters and you have a horse that stays sound in both mind and body for longer.

07.01.2022 Update on Rose of Reba, or Rosie, who was rescued from the Echuca sales by Sandi. Rosie has been here since April and has put on lots of weight. Now she is ready to begin the next chapter.

06.01.2022 Some handy things to think about if your horse is looking uneven when moving

05.01.2022 Who has some funny stories of your horse trying to tell you something? I once put a splint boot on my TB mare both upside down and on the wrong leg! She knew it was wrong and kept stomping her foot til I realised!

05.01.2022 There is a high incidence of sacral issues in OTTBs especially. Another reason to delay breaking in a horse until they are a bit older and more mature in their body. ALL horses bones mature at the same rate, but the heavier breeds can take a little longer.

03.01.2022 KISSING SPINES; A DIAGNOSIS OR A SYMPTOM ??!! Nowadays, almost every horse owner is familiar with the phenomenon of overriding dorsal spinous processes (ORDSP),... commonly known as kissing spines. With this condition the spinous processes, or sections of bone attached to the vertebrae, are too close together and impinge on each other. This can cause abnormalities of the bone such as bone sclerosis and bone dissolution. But is kissing spines a diagnosis? Or is it a symptom? The difference between symptom and diagnosis: If you have the flu, then the flu is the diagnosis and cough, fever and muscle pain are the symptoms. Kissing spines rarely, if ever, stands alone. When we examine horses with kissing spines we find all sorts of problems in the fasciae. A fascia is a band or sheet of connective tissue structures, as thin as plastic wrap, that attaches and separates muscles and other internal organs. It was long thought that these structures were not so important because they are so thin and apparently dont "do much". Appearances are deceptive, because fasciae are incredibly important. They connect the whole body, actually the body is in a kind of cocoon of fasciae, and the body is interwoven with fasciae that run in specific tracks. Fasciae give shape to the body, ensure that muscles can move past each other, provide fluid management, respond to hormones, can contract and there are many nerves in the fasciae. Fasciae are very sensitive and can cause severe pain, even for nerve pain. In addition to the problems in the fasciae we often find problems in the SI joints and low in the neck. This can involve irritation of the joints (overfilling) or osteoarthritis. In my opinion kissing spines is not a diagnosis but a symptom. A symptom that goes along with other symptoms such as problems in the joint and neck. The cause of these symptoms are the constrictions and restrictions of the fasciae. The cause of this can be many, but the most important is the way of training and the body posture that is asked of the horse during training. In addition, trauma, stress and nutrition play an important role and often it is a combination of these factors. When I examine a horse and tell the owner what I have found ....... a whole story about where which fasciae are tightened, what kind of consequences this has on the position (axis) of the legs and the lines of the back and the function of the spine, the pelvis and the joints ......... I regularly get the question ........ BUT WHAT DOES MY HORSE HAVE? Uuhhhh well, then I can tell the whole story again, because there is no name for it ....... I noticed that owners really want a name, because then there is a real diagnosis! So here is its: Fascial Restriction and Overload Syndrome (FROS). FROS is the diagnosis, kissing spines is one of the symptoms. Do you want the horse no longer to suffer from his kissing spines, then we must solve the problems in the fasciae. If we dont do that and we only treat the kissing spines, this will seldom or never lead to a solution. Same as with the flu. If you want to cure the flu by taking codeine to stop the coughing ........ In the vast majority of cases the symptom kissing spines is very possible to recover from !!! It takes time, effort and a different view of the situation. It also takes the will to adapt the training to a way that biomechanically and physiologically fits the horse, so that we make his body stronger and healthier.

03.01.2022 There are subtle differences in the way your horses muscles change due to the way in which you ride. Which one best describes your horses shape?