Optim Equine

20/08/2024

𝐅𝐎𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐓 𝐒𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒/𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐇𝐎𝐄𝐀

With foaling season now upon us in the Southern Hemisphere, it is worth revisiting the topic of ‘Foal Heat Scours/Diarrhoea’.

This is one of the most common types of diarrhoea to affect foals. Yet the name is a bit of a misnomer, and often leads to confusion as to the actual cause of this form of scours.

This yellowish, greenish, watery diarrhoea generally occurs in foals around 7-14 days of age, hence often coinciding when a mare comes into foaling heat.

We know however, that orphan foals and foals reared in isolation from mares commonly develop this characteristic type of scours: thereby indicating that mare hormonal fluctuations alone do not drive their development.

This type of diarrhoea is more accurately attributed to the changes occurring in the developing hindgut of the foal.

Foals of this age are starting to consume grass (having initially relied entirely on nursing milk from their dams).

The proper digestion of grass requires the actions of specific microbes in the hindgut. Foals aren’t born with these microbes- they are established upon exposure to feed and various environmental conditions.

Until the microbial population is well colonised in the hindgut and digestive enzyme secretion normalises in the foal, the fibre from grass remains largely undigested.

The result? Yellowish, greenish scours which often contain visible clumps of undigested grass.

Foal heat scours are generally nothing to be concerned about and are easily distinguished from infectious forms of diarrhoea (such as Rotavirus or Salmonella) which are systemic illnesses.

Foals experiencing foal heat diarrhoea do not have a fever, remain bright, alert, active and on suck.

There are other forms of non infectious diarrhoea in the foal which include lactose intolerance, overfeeding, ingestion of sand, administration of some antibiotics, and in some cases the use of NSAIDs (such as phenylbutazone ‘bute’ and flunixin).

13/08/2024

Cuteness overload!

This is 31 year old Pickles living her best life with her little friend Freyr!

Pickle’s gorgeous owner Maggie first got in touch in December ‘22 as she wanted help to support Pickle’s during her senior years.

Pickles had been diagnosed with Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID), what was once referred to as ‘Cushings’ Disease’ in horses. This is a common occurrence in older ponies and horses.

We focussed on getting her gastrointestinal health (GI) health in tip-top shape, supporting immune function, promoting optimal hoof health, as well as helping to manage her PPID in an holistic manner.

As you can see, Pickles is thriving and she and Freyr are having so much fun!

I always love hearing progress updates from clients and these recent photos made my day.

Thank you Maggie for the photos and update ☺️🐴

09/08/2024

Did you know that a healthy newborn foal consumes 15-25% of its body weight in milk daily?!

It may also nurse from its mother an incredible 70-80 times per day! In the first few days of life it may nurse even more frequently…as often as every 10 minutes.

On average, a healthy young foal will gain 0.5-1.5kg of weight daily.

25/07/2024

Did you know that when a foal is born, it weighs approximately 10% of its mature body weight?

This can vary however from about 7% of mature weight in draft breeds and up to 14% of mature weight in small breeds such as Shetlands.

At birth, foals have only achieved approximately 17% of their mature bone mineral content.

What we feed our broodmares (and therefore, the nutrients passed from a mare’s milk to her foal) and what we feed our young horses is incredibly important. Not only for healthy bone and joint growth and development, but for overall health.

📸

12/07/2024

Another fantastic day yesterday at the 14th Equine Colic Research Symposium, hosted by BEVA - The British Equine Veterinary Association.

It was really special to share work on ‘Non pharmaceutical interventions in the successful management of refractory lymphocytic plasmacytic enterocolitis (LPE)‘.

LPE is a rare type of inflammatory bowel disease in horses and ponies and those diagnosed with the condition have a grave prognosis.

I loved sharing how an holistic approach incorporating herbal medicine, nutraceuticals, dietary and management strategies has resulted in successful outcomes is IBD cases.

10/07/2024

A brilliant first day of the International Equine Colic Symposium, hosted by BEVA - The British Equine Veterinary Association in Edinburgh.

01/07/2024

A great day yesterday at the 98th Gazi Race- the most prestigious thoroughbred race in Turkey.

Incredibly special to share the occasion with the Emirsoy family-owners of the sire of the Gazi winner Dragon Flame.

13/06/2024

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳…

It always makes my day to hear from owners about their horses, even long after I’ve finished treating them. This week has been a beautiful example…

Meet Milo. A happy, healthy horse who is thriving in his work.

Milo’s owner Hannah first got in touch with me in December ’22. Milo had previously been diagnosed with gastric ulcers and despite having undergone extensive veterinary treatment with omeprazole (ulcer medication), in addition to remaining on Sucralox (sucralfate)- he was still a highly reactive, stressed and nervous horse who was clearly uncomfortable and unhappy.

Hannah had taken an holistic approach and thoroughly addressed many aspects which could be contributing to Milo's behaviour- yet he still wasn’t right. At this point, many of us would wonder whether we should persevere with a horse after exhausting many options without noticeable improvement in behaviour and demeanour. Yet to Hannah’s credit, she did…

During our initial consultation, we went through Milo’s health history in detail; analysed his diet; reviewed the use of all medications and supplements and put in place a dietary, management and supplementation program - including a custom herbal medicine formulation and specific nutritional supplements. These were prescribed to help address the contributing factors to Milo’s behaviour and presentation and provide long-lasting effective solutions to help address the root causes.

At Milo’s review consultation in March ‘23, Milo had made significant improvements and we started to scale down supplementation. This was shortly before Hannah also engaged the services of a terrific trainer, who helped capitalise upon the foundations Milo had and enabled him to progress forward in his education. As training, reeducation and a change of environment can be a stressful period for any horse, we employed strategic supplementation during this time to ensure that we promoted optimal gut health and support Milo’s nervous system, before minimising supplementation after his conclusion at the trainers.

Hannah’s daughter Grace is now having a ball with Milo. A calm, happy, healthy horse who is thriving in his work. He is on minimal supplements- the customised diet he is on helps to keep him calm, happy and healthy and meet his nutritional requirements.

Every horse deserves a chance. I love helping owners help their horses. It is truly rewarding when owners feel they have exhausted their options but don’t give up until they find the solutions. Well done Hannah! What a lucky horse Milo is to be in your diligent care.

28/05/2024

Lymphocytic-plasmacytic enterocolitis (LPE) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease in equines. This form of inflammatory bowel disease is rare. The aetiology and pathogenesis of the condition is poorly understood, and horses diagnosed with the condition generally have a grave prognosis.

Corticosteroids are the drugs most commonly used in treatment, but there are currently no clinical guidelines in terms of dose rates and duration of treatment, and systemic administration can cause significant adverse effects.

I'm looking forward to sharing research specific to the successful management of horses with LPE at the upcoming 14th International Equine Colic Symposium in Edinburgh, hosted by BEVA - The British Equine Veterinary Association

Equine vets can absorb and digest the latest knowledge, clinical practice and scientific advances in the treatment and prevention of colic at the 14th International Equine Colic Research Symposium on 10-12 July 2024 in Edinburgh. More than 120 oral and poster presentations will be delivered, over t...

07/05/2024

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 (𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜) 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙢𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧….

As we transition from early autumn (fall) and get closer to winter, the conversations around when to start rugging/blanketing and what rug(s) to put on our horse or pony are commonplace.

Firstly, it’s important to remember that all horses should be treated as individuals, and it can be easy to be influenced by what others are doing or saying (both in person and/or on social media!). The following points, however, are valuable to keep in mind when making your decision.

Horses and ponies don’t quite feel the cold like you and I do: just because we are reaching for jackets and warmer layers, doesn’t mean our equines need rugging.

Horses and ponies can comfortably tolerate a wide range of temperatures: The thermoneutral zone (TNZ) for horses is the range of temperatures in which a horse or pony maintains its body temperature with little or no energy expenditure. The TNZ for horses and ponies is within a range of 5-25 degrees Celsius (41-77 degrees Fahrenheit).

The TNZ is one important consideration, but in many cases, horses and ponies can safely and easily keep warm in much, much lower temperatures. As low as -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit)!

Horses and ponies have several natural ways to keep warm in cold weather. One of them being a method which can help to prevent the risk of insulin resistance (IR), laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS)….

To learn more about this, continue to read the article at:
https://optimequine.com/rugging/

07/05/2024

𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜 (𝙗𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜) 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙧 𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙢𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧....

As we transition from early autumn (fall) and get closer to winter, the conversations around when to start rugging/blanketing and what rug(s) to put on your horse or pony are commonplace.

Firstly, it’s important to remember that all horses should be treated as individuals, and it can be easy to be influenced by what others are doing or saying (both in person and/or on social media!). The following points, however, are really important to keep in mind when making your decision.

Horses and ponies don’t quite feel the cold like you and I do: just because we are reaching for jackets and warmer layers, doesn’t mean our equines need rugging.

Horses and ponies can comfortably tolerate a wide range of temperatures: The thermoneutral zone (TNZ) for horses is the range of temperatures in which a horse or pony maintains its body temperature with little or no energy expenditure. The TNZ for horses and ponies is within a range of 5-25 degrees Celsius (41-77 degrees Fahrenheit).

The TNZ is one important consideration, but in many cases, horses and ponies can safely and easily keep warm in much, much lower temperatures. As low as -15 degrees Celsius (5 degrees Fahrenheit)!

Horses and ponies have several natural ways to keep warm in cold weather. One important aspect is the way we feed them.

The way they position their bodies in the weather also helps them to keep warm.

Another healthy mechanism is increasing their metabolic rate.

This is especially important for the fat/well-rounded/ ‘good doers’, particularly those with or at risk of insulin resistance (IR), laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome (EMS).

By leaving these horses and ponies unrugged, they burn extra calories to safely and easily keep warm.

Taking advantage of this is one really critical strategy in stopping horses and ponies from getting too fat coming into spring.

It is one easily modifiable tool in helping to reduce the risk of EMS, IR and laminitis. If we rug our horses and ponies, they don’t get the advantage of increasing their metabolism.

This means, coming into spring (a time when good doers are more at risk of laminitis and EMS) and when high-energy grass is plentiful, they’re carrying more fat and body weight than nature intended, thereby increasing their risk and making management much more difficult.

In the case of metabolic conditions in horses and ponies, simple modifiable management strategies can have a significant impact on their long-term health outcomes.

24/04/2024

𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘆𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀

We commonly hear of ‘viral infections’ being blamed for a horse’s poor performance, recovery, lethargy or general lacklustre health.

The horse who doesn’t look a picture of health; is not completing their work with the same stamina as it has previously; has become dull or lacklustre; or is generally a little ‘off’.

Commonly, the first thing a trainer or owner does is request ‘bloods’ (a full blood count) be taken from the horse.

In many cases, a full blood count may yield no significant abnormalities. That however, doesn’t guarantee that a horse is healthy. Nor that the horse isn’t suffering from the lingering consequences of viral infection.

Acute viral pathogens can survive in their latent (inactive) forms driving chronic, and persistent poor performance, impaired recovery and symptoms in our horses. This is often not reflected in pathology (blood test) results.

Viral infections progress in the body in a multistep process. There is very little that can be done from a pharmaceutical (standard medication) perspective to help a horse recover from post-viral illness.

Fortunately, there are many nutritional supplements and herbal medicines which when employed appropriately, can aid in our horses’ recovery from viral illness.

Tailored treatment can aid in promoting optimal health in our horses and help return them to their full athletic potential.

Treatment is often targeted at aiding different components of the immune system, whilst concurrently reducing inflammation and supporting antioxidant status in our horses.

11/04/2024

PROTEIN IN EQUINE DIETS: A valuable nutrient or a cause of health and behavioural problems?

Protein- it’s a most crucial component of a horse’s diet, yet is commonly blamed for causing a whole host of problems in horses: Everything from ‘hot behaviour’, to joint problems, swollen legs, liver and kidney issues.

Yet are these issues actually caused by protein? And what happens when we don’t feed our horses enough quality protein?

Protein is essential for proper growth, maintenance and repair of tissues in our horses and ponies. This is one of the first things we tend to think of when we consider protein in the diet. Particularly in relation to building top line and promoting muscle mass on our horses.

Yet protein is required for so much more than this: normal digestion, metabolic function, temperature regulation, optimal immune function, maintaining pH, balancing bodily fluids and blood clotting all require protein.

And when it comes to influencing behaviour of our horses, the role of protein in the diet may surprise you….Visit the link below to read more:

https://optimequine.com/protein-intake/

02/04/2024

𝐍𝐨𝐧- 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢-𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐝𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐬 (𝐍𝐒𝐀𝐈𝐃𝐬) 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐯𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐞

With breeding season at its peak in the Northern Hemisphere, being aware of simple contributors which may reduce fertility in the broodmare are worth keeping in mind.

The use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can have a negative impact on a mare’s reproductive activity.

A study published in 2015 found that both phenylbutazone (bute/PBZ) and meloxicam (Metacam) interfered with pre-ovulatory follicle development.

Mares treated with phenylbutazone or meloxicam failed to ovulate, with the development of hemorrhagic anovulatory follicles (follicles that didn’t release eggs).

These same mares ovulated normally when not treated with NSAIDs.

Sometimes seemingly innocuous medications which are routinely used in horses can have profound health consequences.

This is something worth keeping in mind with any broodmare, particularly the mare who has abnormal cycles and/or is challenging to get and/or keep in foal.

22/03/2024

𝗨𝗹𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 & 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆

With the breeding season in full swing in the Northern Hemisphere, looking at ways we can increase stallion fertility parameters and resulting pregnancy rates in broodmares is of immense value.

Whilst we are always aiming to do what is best for our stallions, sometimes commonly used medications, supplements and routine management practices can actually hinder the very outcomes we are trying to achieve.

One such example is the use of gastric ulcer medications in our stallions- whether for the treatment of existing ulcers or with the belief that the use of such medications will help to prevent gastric ulcers.

The drug omeprazole is considered the gold standard pharmaceutical treatment of equine gastric ulcers- and is the key ingredient of the vast majority of ulcer medications on the market.

Research has demonstrated that omeprazole can reduce male fertility through multiple mechanisms: impaired s***m quality, abnormal s***m morphology, reduced s***m motility and reduced s***m count. Omeprazole may also cause a reduction in serum testosterone levels.

When every pregnancy counts and significant revenue is at stake, critically reviewing the use of such medications should be forefront.

There are other effective alternatives available to aid in healing and/or preventing gastric ulcers in horses. Furthermore, through individualised application, the potential exists to also concurrently significantly enhance stallion fertility.

11/03/2024

A most productive and rewarding week spent at Emirsoy Harasi thoroughbred stud in Turkey 🇹🇷

The passion, care, attention to detail and pride in their horses is truly evident in all that they do.

Thank you for the invitation to visit and I look forward to further collaboration together in the future.

23/02/2024

𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐬

Probiotic use in horses is something which is continuing to become more popular.

Many feed and supplement companies are now adding probiotics to their formulations. Plenty of horse people feed their horses yoghurt as a probiotic source with the belief that doing so will aid in the treatment of a variety of health conditions.

But are probiotics of any benefit to our horses? Do they actually work? And what do we need to be aware of?

To find out more, continue reading the article at:
https://optimequine.com/probiotics-for-horses/

14/02/2024

𝐇𝐞𝐥𝐩! 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐫𝐞?

Eating manure (also known as coprophagy), is a common, yet transient phenomenon in foals.

Coprophagy is thought to potentially offer multiple health benefits in foals.

Foals will generally start consuming manure from about five days old. It is common for this to occur up until approximately three months of age, before gradually declining.

By 19 weeks of age, the habit generally stops in most foals.

The consumption of manure in horses and ponies older than foals is considered an abnormal behaviour.

When it does occur, it is thought to be primarily diet and/or gastrointestinal (GI) health related.

Visit the article below to learn more about the potential benefits and risks associated with coprophagy in foals, as well as what it can tell us about the health of older horses….

https://optimequine.com/eating-manure/

08/02/2024

Q : How long should I wait before offering my horse or pony water after exercise?

A: Don’t wait! It is safe to offer water immediately after exercise, even when our horses are quite hot.

𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥, 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘴𝘦’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴𝘵.

Try to avoid ice cold water, but don’t restrict intake.

Giving water to a healthy horse post exercise is not associated with causing colic.

With increased sweating rates, horses have increased fluid requirements- so expect and allow them to drink more.

To read more about how to best help our horses cope with heat and humidity (particularly performance horses and those who are in work), check out the article 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙩, 𝙃𝙪𝙢𝙞𝙙𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙃𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨:

https://optimequine.com/heat-stress-in-horses

30/01/2024

𝐉𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐓 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐒

Joint health is one of the primary concerns in relation to the wellbeing and performance of our horses and ponies. And for good reason.

But what exactly is ‘joint health’?

What are the components that make up a healthy joint?

And most importantly- what can we do to promote good joint health and reduce the risk of developmental joint diseases in our young horses; and degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis in our older horses?

The supplement market is flooded with products touted at helping promote ‘joint health’. Many different ingredients can be contained in the products.

But are they actually of any use? And should we consider different ingredients for different types of horses?

Can what and how we feed our horses influence the health of their joints? And what about how we exercise them?

What about joint injections? Are they safe? Are they effective? And what are the serious risks associated with some types of joint injections that very few people are aware of or willing to discuss?….

For the answers to these questions and much, much more- tune into episode 942 of Horse Chats Podcast:
https://horsechats.com/camillawhishaw7/

Promoting good joint health should be a primary consideration in any horse or pony we own- regardless of their age and primary use ( for example performance horse, pleasure horse, race horse, paddock mate).

23/01/2024

How can we best help wounds heal on our horses?

Even with the very best of care, accidents happen.

Nearly every horse person at some stage in their lives will have the challenge of wound management on their horse or pony. This can be a frustrating, confusing and trying time at best- raising lots of questions.

•How can we make wounds heal quicker?

•How can we reduce scarring?

•How can we minimise the risk of infection?

•What topical applications are safe and effective to use on different types of wounds?

•How can we best feed our injured horse to ensure that their wound heals properly and they keep calm?!

For the answers to all these questions and more, be sure to check out the feature article in the latest edition of .

Available online @ https://www.yourhorse.co.uk
and for UK and Eu based readers physical copies of the magazine are available from all good newsagents!

19/01/2024

𝗛𝗼𝗼𝗳 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: 𝗕𝗲𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗶𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗻

When thinking about nutrition for hoof health, biotin gets a lot of attention. Supplemented in appropriate amounts, biotin may help to improve hoof wall integrity.

Conflicting evidence exists as to whether or not supplemental biotin improves hoof growth rate.

But there's so much more to hoof health than biotin, and if we just focus on one nutrient we miss an important opportunity to help improve not only our horse’s hoof health, but their overall health.

It’s also worth remembering that horse’s with a healthy hindgut microbial population are able to synthesise their own biotin.

𝑮𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒍 (𝑮𝑰) 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉 & 𝑯𝒐𝒐𝒇 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉. 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒌?.....

Poor hoof health can often be indicative of poor gastrointestinal health and/or nutrient deficiencies and/or inadequacies in their diet.

Good gastrointestinal (GI) health in our horses is central to their overall health. The integrity of the cells lining the GI tract, the types and numbers of specific microbes which inhabit the digestive tract and the production of special enzymes within the GI tract all play key roles in many facets of their health.

Long-stem fibre should form the foundation of our horses’ and ponies’ diet: yet fibre intake in many equines falls well below the minimum recommended requirements.

Fibre passes through a horse’s stomach and small intestine undigested, where it reaches the large intestine. Here it undergoes bacterial fermentation by special types of microbes (𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚: 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙞𝙗𝙧𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙜𝙪𝙩, 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝𝙮 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙜𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨).

The fermentation of fibre by these microbes results in the production of various substrates important for immune, gastric and nervous system health in our horses. Some of these healthy microbes also produce biotin. A horse with a healthy hindgut microbial population who is fed adequate fibre, can synthesise good levels of 𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧 needed for hoof health.

Many other nutrients are required for healthy hooves: sufficient quality protein (including adequate amounts of the amino acids lysine, methionine and choline); copper; zinc; iodine; calcium; selenium; B group vitamins; vitamin E; vitamin C and vitamin D. Some of these need to be provided in a horse’s diet. Others such as B group vitamins, vitamin C and D a horse can synthesise if given the right conditions.

Simply supplementing biotin alone without ensuring other nutrient needs are met is of limited value.

All the aforementioned nutrients also play various key roles in other facets of our horses’ and ponies’ health: fertility; metabolism; immune health; joint and musculoskeletal health; neurological function and behaviour.

Anything that interferes with a healthy GI microflora population in our equines, and/or interferes with the integrity of the cells lining the GI tract, in turn influences nutrient absorption and/or metabolism.

Ironically, some of the things which interfere with digestive function are often used to help counteract digestive or other health complaints: 𝒈𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒄 𝒖𝒍𝒄𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔; 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒔, 𝒏𝒐𝒏-𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒍 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊-𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒓𝒖𝒈𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒊𝒅𝒔 to name a few.

It is worth considering the aforementioned aspects before trying to solve an issue such as poor hoof health by adding more supplements to a horse’s diet.

If a horse or pony isn’t consuming sufficient fibre or nutrients, and/or is unable to properly digest, absorb or utilise specific nutrients, then adding more supplements to their diet is unlikely to provide an effective solution to the issue at hand.

14/01/2024

Diarrhoea in Foals

Up to 40% of diarrhoea cases in foals are due to Rotavirus infection.

In addition to compromising health, vitality, growth and immune function of the foal, Rotavirus has been associated with gastrointestinal ulceration in foals.

This is likely due to nutritional and systemic stress, interruption of suckling in foals and the direct damage the virus causes to the epithelial cells which line the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

In addition to appropriate veterinary treatment (where required), strategic use of appropriate nutritional supplements and herbal medicines can help restore integrity to the digestive system, support immune function, and optimise the health and growth rate of the foal.

It is worth keeping in mind that commonly prescribed ulcer medications (those containing omeprazole or ranitidine) can adversely impact nutrient availability- including key nutrients needed for both immune function and proper restoration of the GI epithelial lining.

01/01/2024

Happy New Year!

May 2024 be a terrific year for you and your horses ⭐️

13/12/2023

𝕋𝕠 𝕚𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕣 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕚𝕔𝕖?

Here in the Southern Hemisphere, we’re enjoying warmer weather and competition season in a variety of disciplines is in full swing. As a result, it is commonplace to see horses and ponies have their legs iced or have cooling/ice boots applied post exercise or between events.

Most often such cooling methods are used on our horse’s limbs with the belief that doing so will aid tendon and ligament recovery and help to prevent injury.

But does this actually help our horses with their recovery? And what are the potential downsides to such practices?

Unlike muscles, blood flow to tendons and ligaments is actually poor. Yet blood flow to tendons and ligaments is needed to provide nutrients and specialised cells to these structures to allow for connective tissue remodelling that naturally occurs in response to training and exercise.

This is an important part of adaptation and how tendons and ligaments become stronger. Blood flow is also a key component which helps injured tendons or ligaments heal, and for this reason can partially explain why injured tendons and ligaments can take so long to heal.

Anything that further hinders this already poor blood flow compromises recovery and repair.

The application of ice and cooling boots causes localised vasoconstriction (narrowing of blood vessels). This in turn further reduces already low blood flow to the areas that have been iced.

Icing may also lead to a decrease in production of important hormones which help to repair damaged tissue.

Whilst icing in the initial stages of some acute injuries can be helpful (in order to reduce swelling and excessive inflammation)- using it ‘proactively’ or as a form of recovery may actually do more harm than good.

30/11/2023

Longeing Horses and Joint Health: A Helpful or Harmful Practice?

Across a variety of equestrian disciplines, longeing horses and ponies is a common practice.

It may be used to start a young horse under saddle; contribute to developing or maintaining fitness in our horses; or used with the intention of helping warm our horses up (or using up some of their excess energy) prior to riding.

If we choose to longe our horses or ponies, it’s important to consider how this form of exercise impacts their joint health.

Due to a horse’s natural anatomy and biomechanics, longeing can cause damage to our horse’s joints: both the articular cartilage and ligaments supporting their joints are at risk.

If longeing is performed regularly, it may increase the risk of chronic injury from the stress of the repetitive uneven loading.

If we think of this in a more holistic nature, musculoskeletal structures throughout the whole body must compensate for this uneven loading: potentially having a significant impact on a horse’s biomechanics.

Even if we only longe our horses or ponies infrequently, there’s still the risk of injury.

This is more likely to occur when a horse isn’t properly controlled when being longed (think of a young horse, or a ‘fresh’ horse who we are aiming to ‘calm’ down with longeing).

So if we choose to longe our horses and ponies, what can be do to reduce the potential harmful effects of this form of exercise?

And what age groups of horses are most at risk of injury from longeing?

Visit the article below to find out…

https://optimequine.com/longeing-horses/