22 February 2012

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HORSE Magazine



VET REPORT: Secrets to a sound horse

Tuesday 7 June 2011

THIS IS AN EXTRACT FROM AN ARTICLE PUBLISHED IN HORSE MAGAZINE'S MAY 2011 ISSUE. HORSE RUNS EXPERT VETERINARY ADVICE IN EVERY ISSUE

Lameness accounts for the vast majority of horse retirements. Here are some simple steps you can take to keep your horse free from lameness.

Look after his feet
Attentive farriery is the cornerstone to a sound horse. Keep farrier visits as regular as is required – don't be tempted to cut back to save money. Have a good idea of what a normal balanced foot should look like, and be prepared to discuss this with the farrier.

Take regular photos of your horse's feet, so you can compare how they are changing over time. If he starts to develop more toe or lose the angle of his heel, you will be able to compare his feet with how they used to look.

Also look at the quality of his hoof horn. Poor-quality hoof wall can be crumbly and brittle, and may break off the foot. Discuss the problem with your farrier or vet. Some horses need supplements such as biotin and methionine to improve the quality of their hoof horn.

Prevent laminitis
Laminitis remains one of the most common types of lameness that vets deal with. The best way to avoid laminitis is to pay attention to your horse's diet. Current research indicates that horses can easily eat as much as 300 per cent of their calorific requirement every day, so be careful!

Make sure he doesn't get too many calories in the form of grass or hard feeds, and give him plenty of exercise to keep him fit. Look critically at his weight, and regularly weigh him with a weigh tape.

Maintain healthy joints
A horse's joints are subjected to a variety of stressful conditions while he carries out his athletic career. It is important to maintain the health of the joint cartilage and joint fluid under these potentially adverse conditions.

There are a number of different products on the market that can be used by anyone who feels their horse might benefit, perhaps if their horse is old or in competition.

Exercise sensibly
When riding, always make sure you warm up your horse before you start intensive exercise. This ensures the horse's muscles are warm and less likely to become injured than if you started working him hard straight away. Remember to cool him down at the end, too.
When training your horse, design specific exercise programmes that are suitable for the discipline you will be competing in. Also, keep a training diary, and don't overdo it.

Catch problems early
Don't ignore slight issues or minor ailments. A subtle lameness can quickly develop into a more serious condition if proper care isn't taken. If your horse is lame, seek veterinary advice at an early stage.

Avoid hard ground
Excessive exercise on hard ground can cause bruising to the feet and concussion injuries. Concussion can look like laminitis, with raised digital pulses and a stilted gait. Hard ground can also cause splints and tendon injuries.

Prevent tying up disease
Tying up disease (or exertional rhabdomyolysis) is a muscle disease that causes horses to become stiff, sore and lame during ridden exercise. It can be caused by overfeeding horses with excessive amounts of carbohydrates and starches.

Tying up can be avoided by paying attention to detail when feeding – make sure what you give your horse matches the work you require him to do. Feeds containing high amounts of fibre, and supplements with vitamin E and selenium may reduce the incidence of this disease.

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