Millington Equine

11/14/2025

Midge has her new kicks and is ready for a Friday night out on the town! This lovely little lady was showing signs of foot pain, and after X-rays and a consult with an equine podiatrist, we helped fit her with casted-on corrective cuffs from 3D HoofCare to keep her comfortable and stylish.

11/12/2025

Your dog might be able to go up to three years between rabies vaccines, but as of now, the same can’t be said for your horse.

Although rabies might seem like a rarity — making an annual vaccine feel more like a formality than a necessity — it’s still a must-have for equids due to the virus's fatality rate.

💉 If you have questions about rabies, vaccines, or your horse’s vaccine schedule, reach out to your vet!

11/05/2025

Heading up to Equine Affaire in West Springfield later this week or weekend? Don’t miss Dr. Crandall’s presentations in the Better Living Center — she’s an incredible resource, and we always love working with her. We guarantee you’ll walk away having learned something new!

10/31/2025

Boo! 👻 Happy Halloween to all who celebrate! We love seeing our clients dressed up in their spookiest (and usually cutest) costumes. What’s the best costume your horse has ever worn?

10/29/2025

Hot off the press! The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine’s Hospital for Large Animals at Tufts University has announced it has significantly increased its capacity to diagnose and treat cervical spinal nerve compression in equines.

The hospital recently acquired a state-of-the-art computed tomography (CT) scanner capable of full-neck imaging, which can offer a more precise view of the affected area. Additionally, the hospital is expanding its minimally invasive surgical program, including foraminotomy — an endoscopic procedure that alleviates nerve compression and supports better recovery for affected horses.

Read more:

Horses previously diagnosed with cervical spinal nerve compression did not have any chance of getting better. Pain medication doesn’t resolve it, and injections are only short-lived. This is a big step forward to help a lot of horses, which can now return to their previous athletic activity. It’...

10/28/2025

Are you the owner of an older equine? If so, you're going to want to tune into this webinar hosted by the American Association of Equine Practitioners on November 5th. DVM panelists will cover the ins and outs of owning an older equine, including dentistry, feeding, and preventative care concerns. Registration is required, and the event is free to all participants — you can even get a link to the recording if you can't make it!

Register here: https://events.zoom.us/ev/Ah5yOsCebSifxMhDsKU4IL28l58V2uXLCCZy2BJfr1cVGkPrhte-~AkTrbyktZL-X6LN0LpntEqMChUPte_sAlD_Vc22m-q6fZUf_K_Bby90XhQ?fbclid=IwY2xjawNtu0FleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFVa29iTEdLMmZtTnRnb1I3AR61H9WeHEYyS6WW1ZUepI_YTYB7JVFUlUfuRFFpRaycJdBbmm8gyu3V9_LSHg_aem_DV4E7eYSo5VGC49N7uQ7kg

DON'T MISS OUR LAST HORSE OWNER EDUCATION WEBINAR OF 2025! 📢

Join us next Wednesday, Nov. 5, for "Care and Management of the Elderly Equine".

Just like people, the needs of horses change as they continue to age. Members of the AAEP Horse Owner Education committee will present on a wide range of topics to help you properly care for the elderly equine in your life. Discussion points will include diet, dentistry, common diseases and illnesses, preventative care, and more. Do not miss this informative session on how to help your older horse live its best life!

Registration is FREE but required. A recording of the webinar will be available if you miss the live event.

Register here: https://events.zoom.us/ev/Ah5yOsCebSifxMhDsKU4IL28l58V2uXLCCZy2BJfr1cVGkPrhte-~AkTrbyktZL-X6LN0LpntEqMChUPte_sAlD_Vc22m-q6fZUf_K_Bby90XhQ

This informative session is brought to you by the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee.

10/24/2025

We would like to send a very big congratulations to one of our clients, Lilliana Bellini of Five Star Performance Horses LLC, who will be returning to Connecticut from Columbus, Ohio as an American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA) Congress champion. At her first Congress ever, Lilliana piloted Eye Aye Captain to a win in the L1 Youth Equitation Over Fences and reserve in the L1 Youth Working Hunter classes, as well as Top 10 placings in the Hunter Under Saddle and Hunt Seat Equitation. She is also the High Point Level 1 Youth 14-18 at this year’s Congress.

Captain, as he’s affectionately known, was brought to Five Star after starting his fence career in Ocala with Tyler Haney and Robert Stucky. He did not have an easy start, as he broke his front leg in an accident as a two-year-old, but through careful rehab and care by his owner and breeder, Sarah Rosciti, he proved to have a knack for jumping. Lilliana says that he’s a mix of forgiving and quirky, and that she had to learn to ride him in order to improve his form over fences and his changes. She showed Captain at NSBA Worlds and the L1 Championship Show, gaining an understanding of how to ride him before entering both her and Captain’s first Congress this year.

“I could not be more proud of Captain and all the work it took to get him and me here, and I thank everyone who made it possible for me to show this horse,” she says. Congratulations, Lilliana, Captain, and the team at Five Star! 🎉

10/16/2025

Every third week in October, vet practices across the country celebrate the skills, accomplishments, and contributions of vet techs — like our very own Eliza!

From assisting at appointments and trotting horses during lameness evaluations to managing administrative tasks, we’re so grateful for her expertise, dedication, and care for our patients and our practice.

10/14/2025

Identifying the signs of choking in people is a little bit easier than in horses. After all, they're just a little too big for the Heimlich maneuver.

Choke, also called an esophageal obstruction, is caused by a blockage in the esophagus — the muscular tube that brings food from the throat to the stomach. In horses, choke is often caused by eating too fast, swallowing a foreign body, eating while sedated, or cysts, diseases, and conditions that prevent food from passing normally.

Choking can lead to aspiration pneumonia, secondary bacterial infections, and trauma to the esophagus. As such, horse owners need to be on the lookout for signs of choke, which can include a green-colored, frothy discharge from the nose, restlessness, sweating, and trouble swallowing, and contact their vet if they suspect choke.

The good news is that following some simple tips can reduce choke risk and help keep your equine obstruction-free.

10/12/2025

Join All The Kings Horses Equine Rescue in Northford on Sunday, October 19 for a special horses and hounds adoption event! Meet adoptable animals, enjoy the fall weather, and support a great cause.

10/08/2025

We’re often asked whether it helps horses to see the body of a recently deceased companion. New research from the University of Lincoln and San Marco Veterinary Clinic in Italy suggests it might.

Most horses in the study showed noticeable behavioral changes and classic stress responses — like increased arousal, vocalization, and movement — after losing a companion. Those that didn’t witness the death but were allowed to spend time with the body displayed fewer of these signs. Horses that neither saw the death nor interacted with the body often showed behavioral changes similar to separation anxiety, which persisted for up to six months afterward.

While equine grief is still being studied, this research suggests that horses do experience loss — and that allowing them to grieve may help them process it more easily over time.

Read more here:

A new study has been published by researchers at the University of Lincoln on grief in horses following the death of a companion.