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Horse Health: What do you want to know?

June 1, 2010 By 15 Comments

I plan on posting more often, but I want to give you an opportunity to dictate what I write about.

So in the comments section below give me your ideas, your concerns, your desires on what you want to know about your horse as it pertains to its health.

It can be traditional or alternative, medical or surgical, nutrition, movement, lameness, dentistry, specific diseases or a general question. One rule is that I can not give advice on your specific case as in what you should do about your horse it has such and such problem. I can discuss in general a specific problem, giving you the best options and the most common methods of diagnosis and treatment.

Go ahead the floor is yours – What do you want to know?

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  • http://twitoaster.com/danielbeattydvm/ danielbeattydvm

    Horse Health: What do you want to know? – http://horsekinetics.com/horse-health-wh...

  • http://twitoaster.com/danielbeattydvm/ danielbeattydvm

    Horse Health: What do you want to know? – http://horsekinetics.com/horse-health-wh...

  • Rachel G

    Hi Dr. Beatty,

    I have a question about feeding. With all the different feeds and opinions I am trying to educate myself better about feed and supplement balance. Would you mind writing more about nutrition?

    Thanks!
    Rachel G.

  • Rachel G

    Hi Dr. Beatty,

    I have a question about feeding. With all the different feeds and opinions I am trying to educate myself better about feed and supplement balance. Would you mind writing more about nutrition?

    Thanks!
    Rachel G.

  • Patty Righter

    I have 2 horses, each with a different, recurring health problem. My 16 year old gelding, with 4 white stockings gets sores on his pastern every spring. I was told it is called dew poisoning, and to treat it with cleaning with iodine and drying thoroughly, and then applying desiten ointment as a barrier. This usually works but is time consuming. My 7 yr.old mare gets rain rot on her face, neck, ears, and chest every spring. Previous years I have treated with MTG, with minor improvements, and this year I am trying Vetericyn, but have gone thru 2 bottles in less than 1 month and am not able to afford continued use of this product. In all fairness, Vetericyn may be the best answer, but it calls for 2-3 applications per day, and I have only been doing 1 application per day, in an attempt to make the product last longer. Do you recommend any other, less expensive solutions to either of these problems?

  • Patty Righter

    I have 2 horses, each with a different, recurring health problem. My 16 year old gelding, with 4 white stockings gets sores on his pastern every spring. I was told it is called dew poisoning, and to treat it with cleaning with iodine and drying thoroughly, and then applying desiten ointment as a barrier. This usually works but is time consuming. My 7 yr.old mare gets rain rot on her face, neck, ears, and chest every spring. Previous years I have treated with MTG, with minor improvements, and this year I am trying Vetericyn, but have gone thru 2 bottles in less than 1 month and am not able to afford continued use of this product. In all fairness, Vetericyn may be the best answer, but it calls for 2-3 applications per day, and I have only been doing 1 application per day, in an attempt to make the product last longer. Do you recommend any other, less expensive solutions to either of these problems?

  • Melody B.

    Hi;
    My (little) horse, Romeo, has had issues with saddles since I have owned him (3 years). Previous owners said you could ride him bare back but he was never accepting of a saddle.

    I bought a new, round skirt (short backed) wide tree saddle and it was worse than my HEAVY huge show saddle on him…. The last time we tried to trail ride, he refused to go down hill and BACKED into the woods, nearly sat down and began pawing.

    He responds to ground work — natural horsemanship training beautifully….

    I did some research — found something called GIRTH PAIN SYNDROME. Had an equine chiropractor come out. She “adjusted” him in about 7 places! stated his L-shoulder was out. Gave us some PT exercises to do. He really seems to like the exercises…
    But he still HATES the saddle. We have put it on and taken if off…. every time we do he BITES/CHEWS at his L-side.

    A “friend” says he “Just needs wet blanket time… more training”… but he has never been MEAN — no rearing, bucking or vices but seems like he is trying to TELL us “PLEASE don’t put that thing on me…”

    Could it be he DOES have this Girth Pain Syndrome? I don’t want to send him to off to a trainer if he has a physical problem.

  • Melody B.

    Hi;
    My (little) horse, Romeo, has had issues with saddles since I have owned him (3 years). Previous owners said you could ride him bare back but he was never accepting of a saddle.

    I bought a new, round skirt (short backed) wide tree saddle and it was worse than my HEAVY huge show saddle on him…. The last time we tried to trail ride, he refused to go down hill and BACKED into the woods, nearly sat down and began pawing.

    He responds to ground work — natural horsemanship training beautifully….

    I did some research — found something called GIRTH PAIN SYNDROME. Had an equine chiropractor come out. She “adjusted” him in about 7 places! stated his L-shoulder was out. Gave us some PT exercises to do. He really seems to like the exercises…
    But he still HATES the saddle. We have put it on and taken if off…. every time we do he BITES/CHEWS at his L-side.

    A “friend” says he “Just needs wet blanket time… more training”… but he has never been MEAN — no rearing, bucking or vices but seems like he is trying to TELL us “PLEASE don’t put that thing on me…”

    Could it be he DOES have this Girth Pain Syndrome? I don’t want to send him to off to a trainer if he has a physical problem.

  • Kim Nadwairski

    I read something you wrote on the Equine flu vaccine, am a natural horseman and am trying to find more reliable information on the discontinued use of what is considered the core immunizations. Because my 16 year old gelding is in good health, in a closed herd, doesn’t go anywhere most of the time and we live in the north, I am skepticle about whether he NEEDS these vaccinations. He has coliced once in the 7 years I’ve had him, has a re-occuring hind feet abcsessing problem that I am determined to stop, and has PSSM, so I am concerned about any and all “traditional” vetting practices that so many horse owners mindlessly follow. I do fecal exams as step one in my deworming program and only deworm if the horse is shedding eggs, then target that worm, instead of the tradition mindless deworming 6x per year that most follow. This give you an idea of where I’m coming from. From a vaccination perspective, is my best move to tieter my horse to find out if he has antibodies for EE, WEE, WNV if I don’t want to mindlessly give him vaccinations that he may have a reaction to, and that may not even be effective? Is the vaccination for Tetanus effective? I’m planning on just vaccinating for Rabies and Tetanus, since I feel he is at most risk for these problems…but I’m just guessing at this point and need more information! Please help. Everything on the internet is about vaccinate vaccinate vaccinate! How do the MUSTANGS ever survive without us??????

  • Kim Nadwairski

    I read something you wrote on the Equine flu vaccine, am a natural horseman and am trying to find more reliable information on the discontinued use of what is considered the core immunizations. Because my 16 year old gelding is in good health, in a closed herd, doesn’t go anywhere most of the time and we live in the north, I am skepticle about whether he NEEDS these vaccinations. He has coliced once in the 7 years I’ve had him, has a re-occuring hind feet abcsessing problem that I am determined to stop, and has PSSM, so I am concerned about any and all “traditional” vetting practices that so many horse owners mindlessly follow. I do fecal exams as step one in my deworming program and only deworm if the horse is shedding eggs, then target that worm, instead of the tradition mindless deworming 6x per year that most follow. This give you an idea of where I’m coming from. From a vaccination perspective, is my best move to tieter my horse to find out if he has antibodies for EE, WEE, WNV if I don’t want to mindlessly give him vaccinations that he may have a reaction to, and that may not even be effective? Is the vaccination for Tetanus effective? I’m planning on just vaccinating for Rabies and Tetanus, since I feel he is at most risk for these problems…but I’m just guessing at this point and need more information! Please help. Everything on the internet is about vaccinate vaccinate vaccinate! How do the MUSTANGS ever survive without us??????

  • http://www.privatequarters.net/valkluge Val Kluge

    I have a 6-year-old Rocky Mountain horse. The big question is: are Rocky’s born to gait or do they have to be taught? My J.J. just won’t gait! Even when we’re riding with all other Rocky’s he’s just not into it. I’ve tried everything. But I will admit I haven’t had a professional lesson by a trainer. I’m just curious about the Rocky Mt. Horse’s NATURAL ability to gait…

  • http://www.privatequarters.net/valkluge Val Kluge

    I have a 6-year-old Rocky Mountain horse. The big question is: are Rocky’s born to gait or do they have to be taught? My J.J. just won’t gait! Even when we’re riding with all other Rocky’s he’s just not into it. I’ve tried everything. But I will admit I haven’t had a professional lesson by a trainer. I’m just curious about the Rocky Mt. Horse’s NATURAL ability to gait…

  • Claire@men’s blog

    I’m interested in your post. Can i know more more on traditional medicine?

  • Randy Byer
  • BHO

    Thanks for great posting.
    Horses are animal that need extreme care and rigourous training in order to perform according to your expectation. The old school way of buying a horse was to very tedious. In the traditional approach a buyers use to visit local barns, farms, tack shops etc in order to look for the horses for sale. This method was time consuming and didn’t ensure that you’ll get the perfect horse for yourselves.

    For more information please visit the my website link–http://www.besthorseonline.com