There are four goals for the lameness exam: Location—What part of the horse is causing the lameness (limb and region on the limb)? Lesion—What is the specific cause of the lameness (i.e. arthritis, soft tissue injury, etc.)? Treatment Plan—What can we do about the lameness? Prognosis—How will the horse do in the short- and long-term?
It is easy to panic when an emergency arises. If you are prepared, you can help your horse as quickly and efficiently as possible. Make sure that you have your veterinarian’s information (name, phone number, emergency number) easily accessible on your horse’s stall, with you, and with your barn manager/farm owner. You may also want to consider assembling a first-aid kit.
The horse’s diet can be broken down into two major groups, forage and concentrates. The bulk of the diet should be forage which includes hay and pasture. There are several types of hay including grass, alfalfa, timothy, and mixed. It is important to make sure that your hay smells fresh and is free from dust and mold.
Although in some areas of the country it might not feel like spring has arrived, the season actually did start nearly ten days ago. Spring means many things: fresh flowers, new life, spring cleaning, and of course spring vaccinations! Here is the inside scoop on the annual spring vaccinations.