http://www.espinarequine.co.uk/

Espinar Equine, Newbury (2025)

02/07/2025

Gus getting ready to do some nerve blocks with a very handsome patient 🤩 I keep asking the vets for photos but they are so busy doing things, it doesn't always happen...🤣 This time we managed to get a couple of him in action!

A brief recap on nerve blocks; a procedure that the vets often use to pinpoint affected areas (or rule them out) - its a controlled method of temporarily numbing specific areas to help us localise lameness or discomfort.

We inject a local anaesthetic into a joint or nerve region. 👉 If the horse moves more comfortably afterward — bingo! We’ve found the source of the pain. However, if they numb a region, this can mean multiple structures in that area may be affected (tendons, ligaments, joint capsules, and even nearby soft tissues). 📷 Therefore we often need to pair diagnostic nerve blocks with diagnostic imaging (like X-rays or ultrasound) to get the clearest picture of what’s happening.

💬 Common myths:
❌ “It’s just for serious cases” – Not at all. It’s useful even in subtle or early lameness, i.e. to confirm a hoof abscess is the issue.
❌ “It’ll fix the problem” – Not quite. It’s a diagnostic tool, not a treatment. Although it can be combined with joint medication, nerve blocks can wear off in anywhere from around 1-3 hours (depending on which analgesic agent is used).
❌ “You can block anything" - No, there are limits. They are primarily effective in the lower limb from hoof up to the knee or hock. This is because, in these regions, the anatomy is well-mapped, the nerves are relatively easy to access, and pain can often be localised to a specific joint or structure. Once you move higher up (into the shoulder, upper hindlimb, hip, or pelvis), things become more complex, with overlapping and branching nerves, deeper soft tissues, and multiple layers of muscle, which makes it significantly harder (and riskier) to isolate a specific area.

✅ Why it matters:
The sooner we know what’s wrong, the faster we can treat effectively, and improve your horse’s comfort and performance.
🎯 Early diagnosis = better outcomes!

30/06/2025

Happy Monday everyone! Ready for another hot week ☀️ Remember that in this dry weather, the upper layer of soil loses moisture rapidly. This can quickly turn once-springy turf into something much harder underfoot. And as we know, that kind of compacted surface can really ramp up the impact on our horses’ legs, affecting joints, tendons, ligaments and hooves.

But here’s the good news: there’s loads we can do to help keep our horses feeling their best 💪🐴

💡 A few small tweaks can make a big difference:
• Ride early or late, when it’s cooler
• Choose softer tracks or shaded woodland paths when you can
• Give legs a cool-down hose/rinse after work to ease any strain
• And most importantly, trust your eye and feel. Monitor their gait and stance; if something seems off, don’t ignore it.

You know your horse best, and with a bit of thought and planning, we can keep them happy and sound in this warm dry spell! ☀️🧡

24/06/2025

The lovely Skye was a perfect patient for her contrast radiography procedure! Some cases of persistent lameness in the lower limb aren’t always straightforward. Conditions like manica flexoria tears or thickening of the annular ligament inside the digital flexor tendon sheath can be tricky to diagnose with standard imaging alone.

That’s where contrast radiography can be incredibly helpful! ✨ And even better that we can do this at the yard. There's a bit of prep time: getting things set up and then after injecting the special contrast medium, taking several x-rays at various time intervals to track where the contrast medium spreads, then reviewing the images afterwards to make a plan.

By injecting contrast medium directly into the tendon sheath, we can:

🔎 Outline the internal structures
🔎 Detect tears, adhesions or constrictions
🔎 Identify abnormalities in the manica flexoria
🔎 Assess annular ligament constriction

This targeted approach provides detailed information to guide both medical management and surgical decisions, ensuring we get the most accurate diagnosis for ongoing soundness and future plans.

✅ Early diagnosis = better outcomes.
✅ Advanced imaging = tailored treatment plans.

18/06/2025

Happy hump day everyone! Hope you're all enjoying the sunshine ☀️😎 It's been another full-on day here but we are certainly liking this warm weather.

In the meantime, if you have queries about keeping your horses cool, here are some handy tips:

🧊 1️⃣ Provide plenty of fresh water
• Horses can drink a lot more in hot weather.
• Dehydration is a major risk factor for overheating. On a per kg basis, horses produce heat 3-5 times faster than us!
• Allow unrestricted access to water.

🧊 2️⃣ Use shade and shelter
• Natural shade (trees, buildings) or artificial shade (shelters, run-ins) can reduce radiant heat load.
• Shade lowers heat stress, especially during peak sun hours (11am–4pm).

🧊 3️⃣ Cool with water + airflow
• Cold hosing is one of the most effective ways to cool horses. Yes they can sweat but it is a slower method of cooling compared to cold water application.
• Studies show continuous application of cool water without scraping off excess allows better heat dissipation.

🧊 4️⃣ Monitor humidity + heat index
• High humidity reduces a horse’s ability to cool via sweat evaporation.
• Use the temperature-humidity index (THI) - when combined temp + humidity is high, exercise risk increases.
• Adjust workload based on conditions.

🧊 5️⃣ Turnout timing
• Turn horses out during cooler parts of the day: early morning or late evening.
• Limit strenuous work during peak heat hours.

🧊 6️⃣ Light-coloured, breathable gear
• Use lightweight, breathable rugs if needed (eg, fly sheets).
• Avoid heavy saddle pads or dark colours that absorb heat.

🧊 7️⃣ Electrolyte support
• Prolonged sweating leads to electrolyte loss (sodium, potassium, chloride).
• Offer electrolyte supplementation (always with access to water) after intense exercise or sweating episodes.

🧊 8️⃣ Clip when appropriate
• Clipping reduces the insulating effect of long coats, especially for horses in work.
• Consider partial clips if full body clipping isn’t needed.

🧊 9️⃣ Regular health checks
• Some conditions (e.g. Cushing’s) impair sweating and thermoregulation.
• Monitor for signs of heat stress: high respiratory rate, elevated heart rate, dullness, or muscle tremors.

16/06/2025

Today, I packed up and sent a little parcel of unused catheters and other things to a veterinary nurse tutoring company 🎁 Why? Because we believe that helping the next generation of veterinary and veterinary nurse students is one of the best ways we can give back to the profession we love. Personally, its a cause close to my heart as I remember the years of intense studying and practical exams that I went through before I qualified as a vet nurse!

We do our best to minimise waste within our practice. Sometimes, due to changes in protocol, we end up with surplus or expired consumables - perfectly good for practicing with however! These catheters for example come as part of kits with medication we buy, but we prefer to use different ones that are more robust, so we ended up with quite a pile that weren't going to be used. Rather than letting them sit on a shelf or go to waste, we look for ways to pass them on where they can still make a difference.

These items will now be used by vet nurse students to practice essential skills, helping them build the confidence and competence they’ll need when they’re caring for animals in the real world 🐕🐈🐎🐢🐇🦜🩺

It’s a small gesture, but lots of small gestures can add up to make a big difference in supporting the wider community 💙🌍✨

13/06/2025

After some changes to the phone system we now have new and improved WhatsApp available!

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗔𝗽𝗽 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝘃𝗲𝘁𝘀' 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀? 🤔 We know it can be tempting to message the vets directly but we'll let you into a secret: their personal notifications are on silent! They do however check the practice inbox tasks regularly as we all share updates throughout the day.
Using our official WhatsApp Business number helps us give you the best possible service and is actually a more efficient line to your vet. Here’s why:

✅ Your message won’t get lost - instead of being buried under messages from family about what's for dinner or links to cute cat videos, it goes to our main practice inbox where our team can see it and respond.
✅ Faster replies - if your vet is out on a call or off duty, another team member can help.
✅ Better record-keeping - we can easily track your horse's care and keep everything documented.
✅ Work-life balance for our vets - personal numbers stay personal, helping us all recharge and avoid message overload during non-working hours.
✅ Quicker, more reliable messaging for you - no need to stay unread and have to send the same message to multiple people on our team. The vets can respond directly to you via our business number.

💬 Save our number in your phone to find us on WhatsApp: 07340410033 or use this link to chat with us: https://wa.me/message/CTOPJK4QGAF2G1

Remember for any urgent enquiries, please call 01488 647366 (24/7) as usual. Out of hours your call will be answered by one of our experienced team of registered vet nurses and directed to the on-call vet. WhatsApp messages sent at weekends may not be responded to until the next working day so it is not suitable for emergency enquiries.

Thank you for helping us help you and your horses! 🐴💚

12/06/2025

To make it easier for para-professionals such as physiotherapists and chiropractors to obtain our veterinary consent for treatment (in line with RCVS guidance), we now have a dedicated consent form available on our website! https://www.espinarequine.co.uk/physio-request-form/

10/06/2025

In this line of work, its easy to assume we get used to grief, dealing with it whenever there is a loss or euthanasia. We meet people's horses and watch them grow. We are there for all the worries and health issues in between. We then hold hands and space for when the time comes to let their beloved companion go.

Sometimes though, its not the sad passing of a horse, but that of a person. At the memorial service for a dear client, it struck me how roles can suddenly change in these moments. Its not just caring for the horses, but for the people left behind too. What do family members do with finding them new homes? Who ensures their routine healthcare is kept up to date when their devoted owner is no longer there? Where do grieving (maybe non-horsey) relatives turn for guidance through decisions they never thought they'd have to make?

🖤 We walk beside you and your horses through all seasons and we don't take that lightly.

Remembering a dear lady who brightened our every visit with a smile, and all the lives we step into on this journey 💐

09/06/2025

🚨 Laminitis risk warning ‼️

The recent warm and wet weather has encouraged a lot of grass growth which means a higher risk of laminitis. Please keep a close eye, especially on those who have had it before. Even mild cases can progress quickly and cause long-term damage. If you suspect your horse or pony is showing signs of laminitis (increased digital pulse, foot tenderness, reluctance to move, rocked-back stance, or heat in the hooves), please call us straight away.

Early intervention can make all the difference. We can assess the severity, and then advise on pain relief, management and treatment. Its also worth discussing testing for underlying conditions that may predispose to bouts of laminitis (such as Equine Metabolic Syndrome).

If in doubt please always call on 01488 647366 💚

06/06/2025

New blog post on our website! 🚀 We live in a technological era that continues to surprise us with inventions we once thought belonged only in science fiction. One such marvel is Kawasaki’s new concept, CORLEO – a robotic horse unveiled at the Expo Osaka-Kansai 2025. This futuristic quadruped isn’t just a simulator; it’s a rideable, hydrogen-powered, off-road machine that could redefine how we move, and perhaps even how we ride.

At first glance, CORLEO might seem like something from a sci-fi movie, but it’s a very real glimpse into the potential future of personal mobility. The robot is designed to be ridden across various terrains, and although it’s still a concept (not for sale – yet!), it’s already sparking discussion about how machines like this could revolutionise recreation and even influence sports like dressage and eventing.

Its good to keep a close eye on innovation when its popped up in our newsfeed. From the veterinary side, advances in diagnostic equipment and pharmacological developments often open up more possibilities for improving horses’ quality of life and wellbeing. Whether it’s new treatments, better diagnostics, or even futuristic rides, we’re all for exploring how technology can support horses.

Not sure on the price tag for these four-legged robots, but we can imagine that a CORLEO might just be the most expensive horse you never have to feed!

Read more on our Knowledge Hub here: https://www.espinarequine.co.uk/robot-horse/

04/06/2025

Exciting news! 💡 Have you got questions about your horse’s health, management or behaviour? Looking for evidence-based resources? Our new Knowledge Hub is now live and here to help! 🐴📚

From managing sweet itch and laminitis to understanding conditions like PPID and equine asthma, we’ve created a collection of informative articles to help you care for your horse with confidence. We believe informed owners make empowered decisions, and our Knowledge Hub is packed with up-to-date, vet-approved content written with YOU in mind.

🖱️ Explore now at: https://www.espinarequine.co.uk/knowledgehub/

✨ Clear advice
✨ Trusted information
✨ Easy to read, even if you’re not medically minded

02/06/2025

Blue skies and sunshine; always a fantastic way to start the week ☀️ From the number of calls this morning and the bookings already in the diary, its shaping up to be another busy one!
It's great when we can help lots of horses with evidence-based veterinary care, so we are looking forwards to seeing you all on our visits! 👨🏻‍⚕️💪

Espinar Equine

02/07/2025

30/06/2025

24/06/2025

18/06/2025

16/06/2025

13/06/2025

12/06/2025

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02/06/2025

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