Respiratory Problems
Some older horses may have respiratory difficulties such as heaves (recurrent airway obstruction or RAO) or inflammatory airway disease (IAD). If your veterinarian has diagnosed a respiratory condition in your older horse, feeding and environment changes to reduce dust and allergens will be helpful. Feeding a complete feed such as Purina® Equine Senior® horse feed or Omolene #400® horse feed allows you to decrease or eliminate hay in an attempt to reduce the amount of dust and pollens the horse may inhale.

Suggestions to manage horses with respiratory conditions:
Strictly follow your veterinarian’s instructions with regard to housing/barn access
• Avoid excessive exercise.
• Keep pasture mowed if horse is allergic to outdoor pollens.
• Provide adequate ventilation in stalls and barns.
• Do not use dusty bedding in stalls or run-in sheds.
• Consult your veterinarian to determine if anti-inflammatory medications or other medical interventions are indicated.

Body Weight and Condition
As horses age, their metabolism is altered. They usually fall into one of two categories:
• Easy Keepers – Reduced metabolism and activity result in excessive weight gain that can be hazardous to the horse’s health.
• Hard Keepers – Loss of body weight, condition, and muscle mass caused by reduced digestive efficiency and medical issues affecting metabolic rates.

It is more common to see older horses that are underweight than overweight. As previously discussed, senior horses tend to have problems with poor dental condition, along with decreased digestive efficiency. In these situations, Equine Senior® horse feed fed to replace most or all of the forage in the diet can help.

If the older horse is too fat, aim to reduce its weight to maintain a body condition score of about five. As long as the horse is able to utilize good quality hay, a good option for taking weight off is to feed hay and Purina® Enrich 32® horse feed, or a moderate calorie feed such as Equine Senior® Active Healthy Edge® horse feed. If the horse cannot adequately chew hay, it may be beneficial to reduce the amount of Equine Senior® horse feed fed, or possibly feed Equine Adult® horse feed, which is lower in calories than Equine Senior® horse feed.

Obese senior horses may suffer from Equine Metabolic Syndrome (sometimes improperly referred to as hypothyroidism or peripheral Cushing’s disease). These horses tend to store excess fat, especially along the crest of the neck, over the shoulders, on the rump, and in the sheath (geldings), and often exhibit chronic laminitis. Horses affected with Equine Metabolic Syndrome may also exhibit insulin resistance, in which blood glucose (sugar) is not adequately removed from the blood via the hormone insulin. At this time, Equine Metabolic Syndrome is not completely understood, but it is believed by researchers that obesity, as well as a genetic susceptibility, are important predisposing conditions. If Equine Metabolic Syndrome has been diagnosed, it may be helpful to reduce the amount of starch and sugars in the horse’s diet to help decrease the amount of blood glucose. Equine Senior® horse feed is formulated to contain reduced levels of starch and sugars, and has been fed successfully to many horses with this condition. Purina® WellSolve L/S® horse feed is also an appropriate option for insulin resistant older horses. Additionally, it is important to consider the hay and or pasture fed in these situations, since grasses can contain high levels of soluble carbohydrates (starches and sugars).

Haircoat and Skin
Horses of all ages may suffer from poor haircoat and skin condition due to poor nutrition, but aging horses may be especially susceptible. Good grooming and proper nutrition can go a long way toward addressing these conditions.

An older horse with a long haircoat that sheds late in the year, or incompletely, may be suffering from Pituitary Pars Intermedia Disease (PPID), commonly referred to as Cushing’s disease or syndrome. PPID is caused by a tumor in the pituitary gland in the horse’s brain. Symptoms include the long haircoat, loss of muscle mass, and excessive drinking and urination. If you feel that your horse is exhibiting these symptoms, consult your veterinarian. Horses with PPID may also exhibit insulin resistance and can benefit from diets lower in starch and sugars and higher in fat and fiber. Equine Senior® horse feed has been fed very successfully to horses with PPID, and was designed to help manage the condition. However, veterinary care is essential in proper care of horses suffering from PPID.

Chronic Lameness
There are many causes of lameness in aging horses, such as chronic laminitis (founder), arthritis or stiffness from weakened bones due to demineralization. Veterinary care is important in diagnosing the cause of lameness and alleviating pain.

Suggestions to manage older horses with chronic lameness:
• Avoid obesity and heavy loads because extra weight burdens aging joints, tendons and ligaments. Overweight horses may also be prone to laminitis.
• Have a reliable farrier provide routine hoof care every 6–8 weeks.
• Provide regular, moderate exercise (if approved by your veterinarian). Gradual workouts at least four times a week are recommended. Avoid abrupt changes in exercise duration or intensity. Ride or walk on softer surfaces such as grass or light, sandy soil if lameness is a problem.

As far as nutrition, the objective is to provide a nutritionally balanced diet with more calories from fat and fiber (as compared to calories from starch/sugars) along with adequate high-quality protein and an appropriate vitamin and mineral balance to meet the aging horse’s needs. Some horses may also benefit from a high quality oral joint supplement, such as Purina® FreedomFlex™Joint Health Product, added to the diet.

In summary, providing a high quality, nutritionally balanced diet to meet the special needs of the aging horse, such as Purina® Equine Senior® horse feed, Equine Senior® Active Healthy Edge® horse feed or Purina® WellSolve L/S® horse feed in coordination with an overall health and management program as recommended by your veterinarian, will help ensure that your horse will live comfortably in good health for as long as possible.

Katie Young, Ph.D.

Technical Equine Nutritionist
with Purina Animal Nutrition

Dr. Katie Young is an equine nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition. Dr. Young has worked with Purina for more than 11 years, beginning as a consultant, and now in her current role as a Technical Equine Nutritionist. Her responsibilities include providing technical support for the Purina sales force, certified expert dealers and customers, developing and maintaining horse feed formulas and standards, as well as ingredient and production standards.

Dr. Young has almost 40 years of experience in the horse industry. She started riding as a child in southwest Missouri, first as a barrel racer, and later moving into hunter-jumper. After moving to Texas, Dr. Young continued participating in hunter-jumper shows, as well as dressage and combined training competitions, and played competitive polocrosse. Currently, she rides and competes in dressage and combined training with two of her six horses. Dr. Young has worked as a trainer and riding instructor for more than 30 years, and continues do so in the Kansas City area.

Dr. Young earned a bachelor's degree from Missouri State University and a doctorate in Equine Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Texas A&M University.

Sorting through the scientific studies on the clinical response to static magnetic therapy in various conditions is as much a quagmire now as it was when we first did this topic 11 years ago. A major problem with the human trials is that many authors don’t give enough technical details to make it possible to compare different studies.

Even if the disease being studied is the same, such as arthritis, but one study is negative and another positive—and they don’t include details such as the stage of arthritis, type of magnet, strength of magnetic field, distance from the skin and duration of exposure to the field—they can’t be compared. Human studies also tend to rely heavily on subjective results like patient questionnaires.

Animals are easier. Their environment and level of exercise can be carefully controlled. It’s even possible to use animals that are all of the same strain, reducing or eliminating factors like weight and pain tolerance. Using animals also forces researchers to use tangible measurements rather than questionnaires and animals are not subject to the “placebo effect” because they don’t know they’re being treated.

One such study in Japan used rats of the same strain, all on the same diet and living conditions. Sixty rats were used; 20 as normal controls, 40 with arthritis induced in a hind foot. Of the 40 arthritic rats, half were treated by exposure to a static magnetic field and half not exposed.

The treated rats moved around significantly more than the untreated rats, suggesting reduced pain. Because of this, they had an increased metabolic rate. Tail-surface temperature was normal in treated rats and lower than normal in untreated. Part of this is likely a result of moving around more. Whether the magnetic exposure also increases circulation is still a point of debate.

Bone-mineral density of the untreated arthritic rats was lower than normal, but the treated rats had normal bone-mineral density. This was probably from the improved level of exercise, but in another study it was also shown a magnet implanted into bone could improve bone mineral density.

The effects of static magnet fields on circulation is still a point of hot debate. Baroreceptors are nervous-system structures that “read” the pressure within blood vessels. A well-studied baroreceptor is located in the neck, around a portion of the carotid artery, called the carotid sinus.

Using sophisticated equipment for measuring blood flow in the microcirculation (capillaries) of the ear, a study in rabbits was able to demonstrate a significant increase in microcirculation in the ear in response to exposure to a static magnetic field exposure of the carotid baroreceptor. It was not simply an effect of the weight of the magnet on the skin over the baroreceptor because rabbits treated with sham magnets showed no response.

Their conclusion was that exposure to magnetic fields may lower blood pressure by stimulating baroreceptors, which causes the peripheral circulation to dilate. However, the field strength used was very different from what is usually found in therapeutic magnetic products. There are also studies that show long-term exposure to similar field strengths actually ends up decreasing circulation by interfering with the growth of new blood vessels.

A human study used commercially available magnetic wrap products on the forearms of healthy human volunteers for a 30-minute exposure time and measured circulation using the same techniques as in the rabbit study above. They found no difference between real magnets and sham magnet wraps. To make things even more confusing, yet another study, this time in rats, found an effect in injured skin but not normal skin.

You’ve probably seen many claims that static magnetic wraps can heal injuries. However, static magnetic exposure doesn’t penetrate much below the upper levels of the skin, so these claims are unlikely, and there’s no research to support them. However, there is research showing a highly significant decrease in the time it took skin wounds to heal when a weak static magnet was placed directly over the dressing on the wound. A virtually identical study using a stronger field (similar to those commonly found in therapy products), found no effect.

So results are mixed, complicated by different magnet strengths and duration of exposure. The bulk of the evidence to date seems to point to pain-relieving effects of moderate- to-high-strength static magnetic fields, and stimulation of wound healing with low-field strength static magnetic fields. See Magnetic Therapy charts.

OUR TRIALS. Most of the horses in our trial were athletically active and between the ages of 3 and 8, with problems of:

• Acute fetlock inflammation
• Chronic arthritis, fetlock or pastern (ringbone)
• Back strain (lumbosacral, in driving horses)
• Sesamoiditis/suspensory problems, acute and chronic
• Chronic sacroiliac area pain
• High ringbone.

No change in diet, supplements, level of exercise was allowed except in the case of acute conditions where horses were stall rested. No drugs or herbal anti-inflammatories were used.

When horses had a problem in both legs, response to products was done side by side; i.e. different products used on right and left leg. We also compared response to static magnet products with wrapping alone and to our gold standard, pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy with the Respond Systems Bio Pulse or Maxi Pulse.

Our horses with lumbosacral back strain symptoms of muscular tightness, pain on pressure and a slightly “roached”/arched back showed some relaxation of the muscle spasm and slight reduction in pain on pressure after 24 hours with the Dura-Tech Magnetic Mesh Sheet or Norfields Magnet Blanket on. However, it would return within less than an hour when the blanket was removed. There was no further improvement with time and ongoing treatment (2 weeks).

PEMF treatment takes 1 to 3 treatments to cut pain and spasm by about 50%. They do not return between treatments. Symptoms are completely resolved in 7 to 14 days. See PEMF Therapy.

Our horse with sacroiliac pain had recovered from an injury a year earlier but still developed stiffness and stride shortening if worked hard at the trot in harness. The static magnetic blankets had no effect. The PEMF alleviated the lameness in 3 days with twice-daily treatment. Treatment with a high frequency before exercise and a low frequency after kept him pain-free.

Static magnets of the field strengths typically used should not be applied for the first 3 to 7 days after an acute injury or flare up because of the potential to worsen inflammation. We observed this in our last magnets trial and did not repeat it in this one. Even chronic conditions can have a component of inflammation. For this reason, always build up exposure times gradually, starting with 2 hours.

BOTTOM LINE. We didn’t see any obvious flare-ups of edema or heat when using any of the magnets in our trial. Each brand performed effectively and similarly. If you’re using magnets alone, your choice here can be made by style or price.

However, we did see a superior response in our trial to the combination of Sore No-More and the Equine Magnetic Therapy products, suggesting that a combination of Sore No-More’s anti-inflammatory effects and magnetic exposure has additive effects.

While you may achieve the same effect with another magnet brand and Sore No-More, Equine Magnetic Therapy is the one that recommended it. Since we use all products in our trials according to the manufacturer’s instructions, this nudged Equine Magnetic Therapy into our top-choice position.

Note: Sore No-More is a cooling liniment, while other liniments may contain counterirritants and should not be used under magnets. For more information on liniments, see

our January 2009 issue.

Article originally appeared in our February 2011 issue.

Most horses are eager to chow down on the first green shoots of spring grass. But new pasture growth poses some risks, particularly for laminitis-prone horses, who may develop the devastating inflammation of the hoof’s soft tissues after ingesting too much sugar-rich early growth grass.

Here are some precautions you can take as your pastures are transformed from winter brown to spring green.

• Restrict grazing time if necessary. When introducing your horse to a lush pasture in the spring, turn him out on it for only 10 to 15 minutes on the first day, then increase the time by five or 10 minutes per day, to give his intestinal flora time to adjust to the new, richer food source.

• Feed hay prior to turnout. Offer your horse his normal hay ration before turning him out. If he’s already eaten his fill, he’ll be less likely to overindulge on grass.

• Use a grazing muzzle. These devices, which fit over the muzzle and restrict the amount of grass a horse can bite off at once, can reduce the amount he can graze during his turnout time. Grazing muzzles are especially useful for controlling the calorie intake of obese horses as well as generic viagra price protecting the health of those prone to laminitis. If your horse is at risk for laminitis, ask your veterinarian how much grazing and turnout might be acceptable, given your local conditions. For some, especially those adept at getting their muzzles off, year-round turnout in a dry lot might be the only option.

Even after you’ve started turning them out on pasture for longer stretches, horses may still need supplemental hay to get all the nutrients they need. Many toxic weeds grow quickly in the early season, before the grass is well established. If your horse is getting all the nutrition he needs from grass and hay, he’ll be less likely to sample different types of plants.

This article first appeared in EQUUS issue #426.

You need to wrap your horse’s legs to protect and cover an injured area; provide warmth to stiff/old tendons, ligaments, or fetlocks; control acute-injury swelling and movement; and to protect his legs while trailering hauling.

Improperly applied wraps can do a lot of damage. The blood supply to the tendons in the back of your horse’s leg is compromised if the wrap is too tight, is applied with uneven pressure, or if it slips down and bunches up.

How much tension to use when applying a wrap depends on the materials you use. A properly applied bandage will stay in place without slipping and will lie snug against your horse’s skin, but not snug enough to indent it. You should be able to slide a fingertip between the bandage and your horse’s leg.

The Lingo

◆ Cottons: The inside layer of stable bandages, and sometimes work bandages. Can be either disposable cotton sheets or reusable and washable wraps of cotton or synthetic materials.

◆ Quilts: Cottons with a quilt pattern.

◆ Pillow wraps: Extra-thick cotton wraps.

◆ Fleeces: Lamb’s wool wraps (use in place of cottons).

◆ Standing/stall/stable bandage: The outer layer of the bandage. May be cotton (no stretch), fleece or nylon. Velcro closure, although old-fashioned stall wraps were cotton and secured by large safety pins.

◆ Polo bandages: Fleece or nylon bandages, 2" to 6" wide, for use as outer layer of stall wrap or during exercise. Varying amounts of stretch.

◆ Stall or stable wrap: Bandages the horse wears when in the barn.

◆ Shipping wrap: Bandages worn during shipping. These should be long enough to cover the pastern, heel bulbs and coronary band.

◆ Standing wrap: Most people use this synonymously with stable wrap, while others mean a wrap that comes down to cover the pastern and coronary band, like a shipping wrap.

Stall Wrap

Start with a regular stall wrap (also called a stable wrap or standing wrap). This will have an inner layer of cotton or fleece and an outer bandage to hold that in place.

The inner cottons are available in pony/mini sizes, in 12 or 14-inch lengths. The 12-inch cottons are for front legs, where the cannon bone is normally shorter than behind. The outer bandage will need to be between 9 and 12 feet in length and 4 to 6 inches wide.

Here are three rules of thumb when bandaging:

◆ Always start the wrap over bone, not the tendons.

◆ Bring the wrap around the front of the cannon bone first.

◆ End the wrap along the cannon bone.

Stretchy materials are easier to work with than cotton-flannel bandages, but can also be pulled too tight. As a rule of thumb, never stretch to more than 1.5 times the resting length of the fabric, and never, ever stretch as tight as it can go. To get an idea of how much pull/force this requires, first unravel a 4- to 6-inch length of bandage, hold it in front of you and gradually stretch until it is 1.5 times the original length.

Before you begin, clean the leg where the bandage will lie. Brush the hair so that it is lying smoothly.

Start at the cannon bone. If you’re right-handed, start the wrap on the left leg on the outside of the cannon bone, wrapping clockwise. On the right leg, start the wrap on the inside of the cannon bone, again going clockwise, to come across the front of the cannon bone first. If you are left-handed, reverse this.

Apply the cotton so that it lies smoothly along the leg, with no wrinkles.

While holding the cotton in place lightly with one hand, begin the outer bandage by tucking it under the end of the cotton for a short distance, then wrapping in the same direction, first down to cover the fetlock joint, then back up again to end at the top of the leg. Each layer should overlap the one before by about half the width of the bandage.

One of the trickiest things to learn is where to start the outer bandage so that you finish wrapping at the top of the leg without too much bandage left over, or not enough left. This is going to depend on the length of your bandage (9 or 12 feet), the width (between 4 and 6 inches) and how much stretch it has, as well as how long the horse’s cannon bone is.

In most cases, you’re just going to have to experiment with your bandaging materials to find out what works best, but in general the outer bandage is started anywhere from halfway up the cannon bone to just above the fetlock joint, worked down to take in the fetlock, then brought back up again.

Shipping Wraps

When your horse is shipping, sudden stops and sharp turns can throw him off balance. In the scramble to regain his balance, it’s fairly common for the horse to step on himself, usually along the lower leg or coronary band. This can result in some serious injuries that you can avoid by using shipping wraps.

Shipping wraps must cover the pastern and coronary band. For horses with fairly short cannon bones, 14" cottons and long polos will usually get the job done. For longer cannon bones, you may need to go with regular stall wraps and a pair of bell boots, or invest in

a good pair of one-piece shipping boots that cover the pastern and hoof well.

Wraps During Riding

Wrap down to cover the fetlock joint and then back up, ending on bone, not tendon.

Wraps are used during work to protect the lower legs from bumps, either from the horse’s own feet or jumps, and to provide some support to the fetlocks and tendons/ligaments.

Expert application is even more important than wraps for stall use because there is a much higher risk of the bandages sliding down due to the greater movement. This can put uneven pressure on the tendons and cause injury. Wraps that come loose and unravel are an even greater danger, for obvious reasons of the horse getting tangled up in them and spooking or even falling.

Bandages for use during work are generally much lighter and thinner than stall wraps. Instead of thick cottons, thin disposable cotton sheets, such as the BB Satin Star leg wraps, are usually used. A sheet of this is cut to size and covered with either a self-adhesive wrap, like V        Vetrap, or a stretchy polo wrap. When more protection and support are needed, rubber sheets may be used as the inside wrap, with rubber or elastic bandages on the exterior.

If your horse could benefit from the protection or support of a wrap when working, but you don’t really feel comfortable with the idea of using one, consider a sports boot instead.

Wrapping Wounds and Injured Legs

Whether it’s a pulled tendon, a wrenched ankle or a nasty wound, wrapping can improve a horse’s comfort by controlling swelling and, in the case of wounds, keep the injuries clean.

Wrapping over a wound, whether sutured or open, can be tricky. You don’t want the cotton in direct contact with the wound because of lint. It’s less of a problem with the disposable sheet cottons, but these can end up sticking to wound drainage.

Your best bet is to cover the wound with regular gauze sponges that have been lathered with plain petroleum jelly, Skin Rejuvenator (Veterinus DermaGel) or an antibiotic cream. Do not use Telfa because it won’t adhere well. Smooth this out so that the edges are all well stuck to the skin before you begin wrapping.

When wrapping injured legs, be careful with pressure. Too much pressure is painful and, when combined with the swelling from the injury, can cause additional damage. Wrap just tightly enough to ensure that the bandage does not slip down, and check it every few hours to make sure there is no swelling appearing above or below the bandage.

Eleanor M. Kellon, VMD, currently works as a writer, teacher, and internal medicine/nutrition consultant. Prior to this, Dr. Kellon has had more than 10 years experience in private practice. She also has extensive experience with performance horses. She’s based in Pennsylvania, where she and her husband raise, train, and race Standardbreds. Her most recent book is Horse Journal Guide to Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals (Globe Pequot Press).

As a concerned horse owner who rides over sometimes-challenging terrain, you’re wise to keep a close eye on your horse’s hooves. But when you spot a hoof problem, don’t assume the trouble lies just in the hoof, and immediately reach for an over-the-counter supplement. What you see could be indicative of another, deeper problem.

Just as your skin and hair says a lot about your general health, your horse’s skin, haircoat, mane, tail, and hooves give you clues on how he’s functioning inside. They’re like border crossings, where internal functions meet the outside environment.

The hoof capsule, the hoof’s outer portion, is part of the integument system, your horse’s entire outer covering. That tough hoof wall is really just an adaptation of skin, much as your fingernails relate to your skin. The blood supply that serves your horse’s skin and coat also sends nutrients to his outer hoof.

Therefore, your approach to fixing the problem needs to be well thought out and done so in conjunction with your veterinarian. Make sure that you’re feed good-quality hay. No supplement can make up for substandard forage.

Also make sure your horse’s digestive system is working properly, he’s parasite-free, and he’s getting enough water.

Ask your farrier if he or she has seen similar hoof problems in your area, and if so, what the outcome has been.

If your veterinarian or farrier agrees that hoof supplements will likely help your horse’s hooves, follow this six-step plan for optimal results.

Step #1: Give it Time
Note that supplements don’t “fix” the hoof. There’s no way to fix a poor-quality hoof wall — your horse has to grow a new one. This growth takes two things: stimulus and time.

Hoof supplements provide the stimulus, but then you need to be patient. Once you put your horse on a supplement program, you must give it time to work.

Purchase at least a 60-day supply of your chosen supplement, and follow the manufacturer’s instructions to the letter. When you reorder, order the same supplement, and continue to follow the dosing instructions.

It might take four to six months to see the results of a good hoof supplement. Your farrier might notice that your horse’s hoof wall isn’t as spongy in the nippers as it was during the previous trim. He or she might notice that the wall is getting stronger or that the white line looks tighter.

Then your farrier will gradually rasp and nip away the old crumbly wall and sole. When healthy, new wall is in the jaws of those nippers, it feels like hitting pay dirt.

Step #2: Consider Protein
Vegetable-based protein is a quirky diagram of building blocks called amino acids. Each is there for a reason, and each serves a function. They’re usually in ample supply in horse feeds in the form of soybean or cottonseed oils.

Two types of amino acids dwell in those building blocks. One type contains sulphur and one does not. The conventional wisdom for stimulating hoof growth is to feed sulphur-based amino

acids (such as methionine), because the hoof wall is constructed of the protein keratin, and keratin contains sulphur-based amino acids.

However, this isn’t always a successful approach, because the building-block diagram calls for a balance between all the protein elements. If your horse is deficient, feeding just the right amount may help, but that’s a gamble.

And keep in mind that most things in nature have a yin-yang relationship: Pumping up a single nutrient will affect another nutrient.

Step #3: Consider Minerals
The biggest source of minerals in your horse’s diet is the soil in his pasture and in his hay. Like other nutrients, minerals need to be in balance.

The bigger group of minerals, called the macro minerals, consists of magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, sulfur, chloride, and potassium. The micro minerals important to your horse are zinc, copper, manganese, iodine, selenium, chromium, and cobalt.

The principle minerals to look for in a hoof supplement are calcium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, manganese, cobalt, and chromium. Again, work with an equine nutritionist to determine the right mix for your horse.

Step #4: Consider Vitamins

Give your supplement time to work. Over time, your farrier will gradually rasp and nip away the old crumbly wall and sole and a healthy, new wall will grow in.

Many have suggested that horses with wall cracks, slow hoof growth, or spongy hoof walls need the vitamin biotin. Research studies clearly have shown that horses do respond to a target addition of biotin to the feed.

But just as clearly, research has shown that some horses with hoof-quality issues don’t respond to biotin. There’s also the question of how much biotin to feed.

Biotin is sold as a supplement, but it’s also manufactured in the horse’s hind gut. There’s no question that biotin is a key nutrient for proper hoof metabolism at the cellular level. But don’t be surprised if your horse doesn’t respond after a few months. It might be better to feed a broad-spectrum hoof supplement that contains biotin, among other nutrients.

Also look for supplements that contain Vitamins A and D for horses with hoof problems.

Step #5: Choose Pellets or Powder
To choose between pelleted and powdered formulations, consider how and where you feed your horse, and what his habits are. Some horses are messy eaters that knock over a feed tub or bucket, spilling the contents onto a stall floor or the ground. These horses will waste a powdered supplement, but they’ll probably clean up flavored pellets.

You can also hand feed your horse’s daily dose of pelleted supplements as a treat.

A powdered supplement is a great choice for a horse that receives direct care, such as a stall-bound horse with laminitis or a leg injury. You can feed a powdered supplement in a wall-hung feeder, or mix it with some applesauce, put it in a medication tube, and push the plunger right in your horse’s mouth.

Step #6: Choose Targeted or Broad Spectrum
Whether you should use a targeted, specific element or a broad-spectrum formula is the biggest argument in hoof nutrition and overflows into differences of opinion with overall horse nutrition.

Many equine nutritionists and veterinarians simply state that overfeeding a single nutrient can be more dangerous for a horse than underfeeding it.

If you’re already feeding your horse a general vitamin supplement or a fortified grain product, he may be receiving plenty of the nutrients he needs. Therefore, avoid piling on a single ingredient, such as methionine, zinc, or biotin.

If you feel that you must supplement an individual nutrient, do so with the help of an equine nutritionist to determine the proper dosage.

Fran Jurga is the editor of Hoofcare & Lameness journal. She also writes Fran Jurga’s Hoof Blog.

Some horses are perfectly content living alone in a backyard paddock. Others, however, can become nervous wrecks without the security of a herd. Anxious horses may pace and fret, and even if they remain outwardly calm, the tension may increase their risk of gastric ulcers and other stress-related health disorders. If your horse would be happier with a companion, you have several options, including:

• Retirees. Rescue organizations have plenty of older and/or injured horses who cannot be ridden but would be ideal pasture companions. Make sure you’re prepared to take on the responsibility for any special veterinary or farriery care your retiree might need. If you don’t want to spread your feed budget that far, a smaller pony or Miniature Horse might be a more economical choice that

would still fulfill your horse’s need for a herdmate.

• Donkeys. These close cousins in the equine family are relatively easy keepers, and they usually get along well with horses. Most thrive on pasture and grass hay and need little more than basic care such as deworming, hoof trimming, dental care and vaccinations. Donkeys also come in all sizes, from Mammoths to Miniatures.

• Goats. Not all horses bond well with goats, and vice versa, but sometimes these two species form fast friendships. Care for a goat is generally similar to how you keep a horse--with access to fresh water, pasture and a run-in shelter, as well as fly control, vaccination and hoof trimming. But before you commit to getting a goat, make sure you research specifics of feed supplements he may need and the types of illnesses he is vulnerable to. Also, make sure you will have access to a veterinarian experienced with ruminants. If your horse’s regular veterinarian does not handle goats, she may be able to refer you to someone who does.

Whatever choice you make, consider bringing the new companion home on a trial basis and make the introduction slowly, to make sure everyone will get along. If all goes well, the company will help to keep your once-lonely horse happier and healthier for years to come.

This article first appeared in EQUUS issue #425.

There he goes again. Your horse is pawing incessantly at his stall floor, or he’s cribbing, emitting a stream of rhythmic grunts as he pulls on the door with his teeth. You’ve tried repeatedly to get him to stop, but the behavior persists.

Why is he doing this, and how can you get him to quit?

For years, we’ve called behaviors like these stall or stable “vices.” The first part of the name is right—with the exception of fence-walking, a horse doesn’t do these things unless he’s in a stall. But the “vice” part isn’t correct, according to modern research, which indicates these actually aren’t bad habits per se, but simply the reactions of horses that aren’t getting what they need.

And what’s that? A more natural environment, unavailable largely because of stable management practices that go against an equine’s basic needs.

Researchers have discovered that many of these behaviors typically develop early in a horse’s life, so your horse may have already had one when you bought him. But even if your horse is older, you can generally reduce and sometimes eliminate an unwanted behavior by addressing its cause, not its symptom.

I’m going to describe the behaviors in question, outline the traditional ways of treating them, then give you the latest thinking on ways of dealing with them that are more humane, and often more effective. (And even if your horse doesn’t have any of the behaviors, the back-to-nature approaches to management I’ll give you will assure he doesn’t develop any—plus improve his overall quality of life.)

Vices? No, Coping Strategies
Stall vices are more accurately called stereotypic behaviors, that is, repetitive, apparently functionless behaviors that fall into two categories. These are locomotor (which include stall- and fence-walking, weaving, pawing, stall-kicking, and head-bobbing) and oral (cribbing, wind- sucking, wood-chewing, and tongue-lolling).

Stereotypic behaviors have never been observed in horses who live as Mother Nature intended—outdoors in a herd, grazing or foraging 40 to 60 percent of the time.

By contrast, five to 10 percent of domestic horses develop them.

Which ones? Studies indicate horses with limited social interaction and turnout, inadequate roughage (such as hay and/or pasture), and large, infrequent grain meals (two to three per day, rather than having roughage always available) are much more prone to develop the habits that have traditionally been called vices.

Let’s take a closer look at each of the two categories of equine stereotypic behaviors.

Gotta Move: Locomotor Behaviors
In the list below, you’ll learn what these behaviors look like, when they typically start, what specifically causes them, and what we used to do about them. Then, in the box “Slowing the Locomotion” (page 3), I’ll give you the latest thinking on how to deal with all of these “gotta move” behaviors.

Stall- and fence-walking
What it is: Rapid walking (pacing) inside a stall or along a fence.

When it starts: At about 18 months or older.

Causes: Anticipation of a meal and/or a need for equine companionship. Feeding large, infrequent grain meals and inadequate roughage can upset a horse’s digestion, and also creates long periods between meals, which can result in a hungry, lonely, and/or frustrated horse that intensely anticipates his next feeding. Because horses are herd animals, they feel most content and secure when surrounded by other, familiar horses. Enclosing them in a stall or paddock can make them feel isolated from the herd. The resulting frustration causes them to attempt “escape” by resorting to stall- and fence-walking (or weaving).

Harm to horse: Possible chronic injuries (joint wear, tendon strains, muscle damage) that can lead to lameness; fatigue (a horse can wear himself out before he’s ridden or performs).

Harm to the environment: Damaged stall flooring from constant movement; trenches along fence edges.

Old “cure”: Make a horse wait to be fed to “teach” him patience. (This just intensifies the behavior.) Give him stall toys. (They typically don’t work because they don’t address what the horse is craving. He’s not bored—he wants to escape so he can be with other horses.) Tie him up. (This stops the movement, but you’ll likely wind up trading one stereotypic behavior for another, as a tied horse will often begin to weave.)

Weaving
What it is: Walking in place, picking up both the hind and front feet, usually at the opening to a stall.

When it starts: Usually when a horse is first confined for any length of time.

Causes: Same as for stall- and fence- walking.

Harm to horse: Chronic weavers can actually wear their bare feet down to the point that their soles bleed. Other possible effects include chronic injuries (joint wear, tendon strains, muscle damage) that can lead to lameness, and fatigue.

Harm to the environment: Damaged stall flooring.

Old “cure”: Same as for stall- and fence- walking.

Winter riding is exhilarating, but it can pose some problems. Here, we outline six potential winter-riding challenges, then give you the expert fix for each one.

Challenge #1: Physical fitness. Your horse probably isn’t getting as much exercise as he did when temperatures were balmy. The end result is that he’s probably losing some of his physical fitness.

The fix: When you do ride, be considerate of your horse’s needs. Warm up slowly. Stay alert for any signs of fatigue, such as heavy breathing, sweating, “stumping,” or bad steps.

Challenge #2: Dander. Dust and dead skin cells tend to accumulate against your horse’s skin under his dense winter coat.

The fix: Spend time deep-grooming your horse to remove any buildup so you don’t risk dander irritation under tack. Clipping his belly, or doing a trace clip of the belly and halfway up the chest wall, will make these areas easier to keep clean. (If you clip, blanket your horse so he’ll be insulated from the cold.)

Otherwise, use a curry and lots of elbow grease to deeply clean and loosen material close to the skin surface. A vacuum works best for removing dirt, hair, and debris, but vigorous brushing with a fairly stiff bristle brush will get the job done, too.

Challenge #3: Joint stiffness. Cold weather quickly stiffens areas of arthritis or old injuries.

The fix: A brisk rub with a warming liniment, plus stretching and flexing by hand, will help your horse loosen up more quickly. Wear heavy rubber house-cleaning gloves to protect your hands from the chemicals and the cold. Wrapping legs overnight also helps keep the joints more flexible.

Challenge #4: Frozen ground. Frozen ground creates concussion on your horse’s feet and joints. It’s like working him on concrete. And frozen, uneven ground can easily bruise the bottom of his foot, and may even cut the frog.

The fix: Consider protection in the form of hoof boots for barefoot horses, or pads under shoes. Many hoof boots can also be worn over shoes.

Challenge #5: Icy ground. Ice is a particularly treacherous situation, as your horse can slip and fall, risking serious injury.

Studs in shoes provide traction on icy surfaces, but they also increase leg strain.

Photo by Bob Langrish

The fix: A barefoot horse will have better grip on ice than a horse in shoes. But even the barefoot horse will be safer on ice with boots. Borium, or studs in shoes, provide much better traction, but at the price of more strain on the joints, ligaments, and tendons. Boots over shoes is another option.

Challenge #6: Snowballing. Riding in snow is fun, but can result in snowballing — the accumulation of ice and snow in the bottom of the foot. Snow melts a bit on contact with the hoof, then refreezes quickly, creating a mound of snow and ice that is difficult to remove.

A barefoot horse with a well-maintained, nicely rounded, concave foot may be able to pop out the snow naturally. But a longer-toed, flatter-footed (or shod) horse cannot. Regular full, flat pads don’t solve the problem, because snow will still build up between the pad bottom and the shoe walls.

The fix: Full pads with a large bubble in the middle, called “snow popper pads” used to be popular. They work by compressing when the foot hits the ground and popping out again when the leg is lifted, forcing the snow out of the bottom of the foot.

That part works well, but some horses find the pressure uncomfortable. Such pads also don’t allow the bottom of the foot to “breathe,” predisposing the hoof to softening of the sole, along with bacterial growth.

A better solution is a rim snow pad. These pads fit under the shoe and extend out over the sole for a short distance without covering the whole sole. Pad movement when the horse walks and trots forces out the snow.

Another solution is boots over shoes. When you’re done riding, just take them off.

Eleanor M. Kellon, DVM, currently works as a writer, teacher, and internal medicine/nutrition consultant. Prior to this, Dr. Kellon has had more than 10 years experience in private practice. She also has extensive experience with performance horses. She’s based in Pennsylvania, where she and her husband raise, train, and race Standardbreds. Her most recent book is Horse Journal Guide to Equine Supplements and Nutraceuticals (Globe Pequot Press).

Our advice: Use this list to inspire your own customized tally of what you need to pack for every road trip. Save two separate lists—one for longer shows and one for short weekend events. Make copies and use a fresh one for every trip, marking things off as you pack them. Then stick to the list, and you’ll have everything you need.

Tip: When you get to a show and realize that you did miss something that wasn’t on your list, set a reminder on your smart phone to add it to your template as soon as you get home. You’ll never forget it again!

Paperwork

• Original or photocopy of registration papers
• Coggins certificate, if needed
• Health certificate, if needed
• Association membership and amateur/youth cards
• Show bill
• Rulebook
• Paper and pens/pencils
• Horse and personal insurance card
• Map/directions to the show facility; phone number to call in case you get lost
• Emergency equine roadside service phone number (try USRider Equestrian Motor Plan: [800] 844-1409, USRider.org)
• Cash/checkbook/credit cards

Binder Organization
Set up a binder for each of your horses, complete with a copy of the horse’s registration, any health papers or certificates, and other necessary information about that horse.

Gear

• Saddles
• Saddle pads or blankets (schooling and show)
• Cinch or girth
• Bridles (schooling and show)
• Bits
• Tie down and/or martingale
• Breast collar
• Show halter/lead
• Draw reins, if you use them
• Extra pair of reins
• Extra stirrup leathers
• Spurs
• Chain shank
• Whip/crop
• Protective legwear
• Spare bridle screws and screwdriver
• Leather hole punch
• Tack trunk
• Saddle covers

Horse Care Items

• Feed
• Feed bucket or tub
• Supplements
• Hay
• Hay net
• Water buckets (two per stall)
• Bucket hooks and/or snaps
• Stall fans
• Extension cords
• Duct tape and bungee cords
• Tools
• Molasses, cider vinegar, Jell-O, or Kool-Aid (to flavor water so your horse will drink)
• Electrolyte paste or powder (if it’s hot; consult your vet)
• Manure fork and bucket or wheelbarrow
• Broom
• Bedding shavings or straw (if you’re not required to buy on site)
• Horse blanket and hood, if needed
• Sheet or fly net/fly mask
• Cooler, if needed
• Shipping boots
• Halter and lead rope (two of each)
• Tail/leg wraps
• Longe line
• Treats

Be Prepared
Take at least one extra feeding’s worth of hay and grain per horse. If you’re delayed getting home for some reason, you’ll still be able to keep the horses’ feeding on schedule.

Tack Care

• Old toothbrush for cleaning saddle stitching and tooling
• Saddle oil
• Sponges/cloths
• Roll of paper towels
• Silver polish
• Small bucket
• Bit wipes
• Saddle soap/leather cleaner

Gone Fishing
Stock a tackle box with leather cleaner, small brushes, rags, Chicago screws, a screwdriver, and any other tack-care needs.

First Aid (for you and your horse)

• Complete vet kit (consult with your vet for suggested items)
• Equine first-aid book (such as Hands- On Horse Care, available at HorseBooksEtc.com)
• Your vet’s phone number/local vet’s phone number
• Iodine-based antiseptic solution (Betadine)
• Triple antibiotic ointment
• Nonstick gauze pads
• Self-conforming gauze rolls
• Stretch bandaging tape
• Elastic adhesive tape
• Scissors
• Cotton/disposable diaper or sanitary pad (to use under wraps as an emergency bandage)
• Chemical ice pack
• Liniment
• Sunscreen (for you and your horses)
• Bute and Banamine (if needed and your show association permits)
• Eye flush
• Pain reliever (for you)
• Human first-aid kit

Due Diligence
Always double-check your vet kit before every trip. This is one category you don’t want to neglect to restock and then need an item in an emergency.

Grooming Supplies

• Currycomb
• Brushes
• Towels
• Sponges
• Hoof pick
• Sweat scraper
• Bucket
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Spray-on coat conditioner
• Mane/tail detangler
• Fly spray/insect repellent
• Hose, if needed, plus nozzle
• Baby powder or corn starch (for brightening white markings)
• Baby oil or commercial highlighter (to dress eyes and muzzle)
• Hoof sealer or hoof black (if your association permits)
• Electric and/or battery-operated clippers
• Disposable razor (for last-minute whisker shaving)
• Mane/tail comb
• Hair brush
• Rubber bands for banding
• Yarn for braiding
• Scissors
• Tail wrap

Double Up
Buy two sets of grooming supplies; leave one set in the trailer and the other in your barn. Then your grooming checklist is fulfilled every time you drive away with the trailer.

Miscellaneous

• Emergency cash
• Jacks/spare tire/tools for vehicle and trailer
• Jumper cables/spare fuses
• Flashlight/batteries/emergency flares
• Camera and/or video recorder
• Folding chairs
• Plastic bags
• Extra clothes
• Extra paper towels
• Antibacterial wipes
• Umbrella/sun shade
• Trailer block
• Insect repellent for you
• Ice chest
• Cold drinks/bottled water
• Nutritious snacks: fruit, sandwiches, granola bars, energy bars, nuts
• Paper cups
• Reading material for downtime
• Box for putting awards in (to protect them)
• Cell phone

Pantry in a Box
Stock a bin with nonperishable foods and shelf-stable drinks, along with plates, napkins, and cups, and keep the bin in your trailer. Then you’ll always have snacks, even if you get out of the drive without your cooler.

Rider Attire/Personal Grooming

• Pants (jeans/show pants)
• Chaps
• Shirt (Western shirt/slinky)
• Neck scarf
• Tie, pin, or choker
• Coat or vest
• Boots (schooling and show)/socks
• Boot pulls
• Gloves
• Belt and buckle
• Sports bra
• Hat/helmet
• Baseball cap/sunglasses for sun protection
• Hair nets (bring several that match your hair color)
• Bobby pins
• Safety pins
• Grooming apron/coveralls
• Schooling clothes
• Hair comb/brush
• Hairspray/gel
• Mirror
• Appropriate jewelry
• Rain jacket
• Rubber rain boots
• Extra towels
• Boot polish and rags
• Hat brush
• Stain remover
• Sewing kit and scissors

Sample Sizes
When you buy makeup and skin products at the beauty counter, hold onto the samples and stow them in a cosmetics’ bag in your trailer. If they give away small bags, repurpose those, too.

Your veterinarian will palpate the full length of each leg for any heat or unusual swelling, often comparing from side to side.

Step 1: Observation
During a lameness exam, your veterinarian will first observe your horse from a distance. He or she will observe your horse from the front, behind, and both sides to look for muscular asymmetry.

Here’s why: Your horse is a master compensator. If he begins to develop soreness in one location, he’ll compensate for it with subtle changes in how the leg is moved, how a foot might land, or by redistributing weight. These changes will often show up in your horse’s resting posture, as well.

Few horses stand perfectly squarely all the time, but most, when standing quietly, will settle into a posture that feels right to them. Assuming they have a good trim and are receiving the correct information from the ground, they should stand squarely.

If your horse is sore, observable changes at rest might include not standing squarely, e.g., feet positioned in front of or behind the spot that would be perpendicular to the ground; preferentially resting a limb; and weight shifts.

Step 2: Touch
Your veterinarian will then move in closer for a hands-on exam. He or she will palpate (explore by touch) your horse’s muscles for tone.

A relaxed muscle at rest — even in a very fit horse — has the same consistency as a roast of beef, although the postural muscles along the spine have somewhat higher normal resting tone, because they are “working” to hold the spine in alignment even when standing still.

The gluteal muscles of the rump are also somewhat difficult to evaluate, because the skin there is very thick and tight, with a generous layer of fat between skin and muscle. If muscle tension/hardness or sensitivity to touch is found, carefully note the location.

Next, your vet will carefully check the full length of each leg for any heat or unusual swelling, comparing it to the opposite side if there’s any question. He or she also will note any unusual prominence to the veins from side to side, which often indicates inflammation.

This part of the exam also includes picking up the foot to inspect the sole and frog, check hoof wall temperature, and compare the hoof temperature to the rest of the leg. Each joint will be gently and gradually flexed, looking for any sign of pain (such as your horse pulling back).

Your vet then will use hoof testers (pliers with large, rounded jaws) to check for hoof sensitivity. This test can reveal such conditions as a sole abscess, laminitis, or a stone bruise.

Step 3: Sound in Motion

During a lameness exam, your veterinarian will observe and listen to your horse moving. You can hear a softer landing on the sore leg, with louder sounds as your horse shifts weight to compensate.

During this step, your veterinarian will watch and listen to your horse moving from the front, back, and side. He or she will observe and listen first at the walk, then at the trot and on a circle if nothing is obvious at the walk.

To tell where your horse may be “off,” first develop your ear! Practice listening to the clip-clop noise made by your horse at the walk and trot. A sound horse lands with equal force on each foot, slightly louder in front than behind.

When your horse has pain, you can actually hear a softer landing on the sore leg, with one or more louder sounds as he shifts weight to compensate. His gaits will also lose their rhythmic sound as he rushes to unload the sore leg and more quickly stomps down the compensating legs.

If your horse has a Grade 2 lameness up front, he’ll often just shorten up his stride at a walk, but move with an even stride length from side to side. This makes it very difficult to detect.

With a hind-end lameness, your horse is more likely to shorten stride only on the sore side. In addition, he’ll look “disconnected” front to hind. Toe dragging/scuffing, sometimes to the point of stumbling, is another common sign of pain.

Step 4: Flexion Testing
This testing method is still a valuable diagnostic tool, but is falling out of favor somewhat since it’s possible to make any horse move off badly if you crank on the joint too much.

The amount of flexion or extension you’re able to impose on a joint isn’t necessarily the same as how far it was meant to move. To see what I mean, practice manipulating the joints of your own hand. Hold a finger straight, then force it front and back. You’ll feel pain when you force it beyond where it would normally go.

If your horse seems to be objecting to a flexion, your veterinarian may go to the other side to see how your horse reacts to the same flexion. Or, your vet may walk your horse a few minutes to let him relax.

Note that if your horse appears to be in pain during a flexion text, the real cause may actually be the extra weight the opposite leg is carrying.

Step 5: Nerve Blocks
Unless there’s a glaringly obvious problem, such as a bowed tendon, nerve blocks (perineural analgesia) are typically the next step in a lameness examination. By numbing select leg structures, your veterinarian will better be able to track down the source of your horse’s pain.

The blocking begins with the paired digital nerves at the back of the pastern. Called a low volar block, this will take out most of the foot, including the hind foot and the sole, part of the coffin joint, and part of the pastern joint.

The anterior (back) portions of the foot and pastern structures are supplied with the nerves that branch off from the digital nerves at fetlock level. Therefore, to completely block the foot, the nerves are blocked at fetlock level — called a high volar block. The only problem with a high volar block is that it’ll also anesthetize the fetlock.

An alternative to the high volar block is a ring block, where anesthetic is injected under the skin of the upper third of the pastern, in a line across the anterior (front) 180 degrees of the bone column.

Step 6: Joint Blocks
When the fetlock, knee, shoulder, hock, stifle, hip, or sacroiliac joints need to be anesthetized, the usual procedure is to inject directly into the joint. Joint fluid is usually withdrawn first, which can be studied for further clues.

The hock and knee can also be blocked. Other areas commonly blocked are the origins of the suspensory ligaments, bursae, and the sacroiliac region.

Lameness Scoring System
The American Association of Equine Practitioners has developed a system for scoring lamenesses:

0  Lameness not perceptible under any circumstances.

1  Lameness is difficult to observe and isn’t consistently apparent, regardless of circumstances (e.g., under saddle, circling, inclines, hard surface, etc.).

2  Lameness is difficult to observe at a walk or when trotting in a straight line but consistently apparent under certain circumstances (e.g., weight-carrying, circling, inclines, hard surface, etc.).

3  Lameness is consistently observable at a trot under all circumstances.

4  Lameness is obvious at a walk.

5  Lameness produces minimal weight bearing in motion and/or at rest, or a complete inability to move.

Photos by Dusty Perin