Category Archives: Health

When horses get older, people often talk about retiring them.  And until asked, I never really thought that much about it. I mean, I’ve seen plenty of horses that have...

Lameness, as pretty much everyone knows, is the bane of anyone who wants to ride a horse: particularly horses that are being asked to perform. Although the most common site...

So, I was walking up to this barn, and I see a client strolling down the aisle, shaking her head, obviously concerned about something. “What’s the matter?” I asked. “I...

If you look through any horse periodical, or get any horse-related catalog, or if you listen to just about anyone talking about horses and horse health, you may have noticed...

A tiny brown muzzle and dark, confused eyes are finally visible. The grey mare, flanks slick with sweat, rallies and completes the last push. It’s really happening; your foal is...

I tend to be pretty flexible. There aren’t a whole lot of things that I believe are absolutely critical. But when it comes to horses, when it comes to feeding...

I get that some horses cost more to buy than others. In fact, I wrote about it. (Read “On the Value of Horses.”) Over my career, I’ve been fortunate enough...

There’s a problem that crops up pretty regularly when it’s wet outside. I hope that you horse hasn’t had it. It’s called “scratches.” Or mud fever. Or greasy heel. Or...

You have a horse. You take him to shows (doesn’t really matter much what kind). Congratulations, you horse is now a “performance” horse. Look out. You are undoubtedly subjected to—or going to...

I’ve written a few articles about colic—myths, when to go to surgery, and such—and, with all that's been said, by me, and by many other folks, I think that there’s...

If you have your horses where they can hang out with their buddies in big grass pastures, good for you.  Good for them, too. Horses are social creatures. They are very curious...

A major piece of the puzzle of equine airway diseases has been discovered: the role of fungi. A three-year study published by The Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (JVIM) involving over 700...

For every yin, there is a yang. I wrote an article on fat horses—here’s one on skinny horses. Skinny horses are the flip side of the coin from fat horses....

Have you ever noticed in training that it is often easier to do lateral work, bending, turning, and lead changes, in one direction than in the other? This may be...

When I was a senior in veterinary school, I spent three months working in central Kentucky, in what-was-at-the-time the largest Thoroughbred veterinary practice in the world. It was just a...

Sometimes, you may need to deworm your horse. Happily, if you do—and you should find out if you do with a fecal egg count rather than just blindly deworming on...

OK. You’re convinced that your mare has behavioral problems because of her heat cycle. (Not sure? Read Part 1 of this series to brush up on that.) You want to do...

Somehow, some way, it seems like the common variety garden hose has become something of an indispensable weapon in the war against horse wounds.   A good, firm jet of...

I am a veterinarian who limits his practice to taking care of horses. I have made my living caring for horses for over 30 years, including some of the best...

I don’t know if you pay any attention to sports like swimming, or track and field, but if you haven’t, the fact is that people keep getting faster. Records made...