Four Star Equine Veterinary Services

02/12/2025

Rockered rail shoes are what keeps this horse going after years of chronic laminitic damage. We’ve not found an approach that works better in our hands than this style of mechanics to compensate for the effects of the damage and facilitate comfort of the horse and relative health of the foot.

It’s an approach whose success is predicated on a healthy team approach where the Farrier, Veterinarian AND the owner are committed to the horse.

Farrier Stephen Britnell is well versed in this method, allowing us to offer it as a viable option to horses with various podiatry related problems. We are the only Veterinary service in the area to offer this approach.

02/07/2025

While the number of confirmed equine rabies cases every year is low, talking about this disease remains important because of the potential for human exposure—which does NOT have to involve a bite from an infected horse, as contact of skin or mucosa with the horse’s saliva could be enough to transmit the disease.

Rabies has many faces, but they are all deadly—once a horse shows clinical signs, the animal invariably dies within a few days as there is no treatment.

The good news is that modern vaccines are highly effective and current AAEP recommendations list rabies as one of the “core vaccines” that should be given to all horses annually to maintain immunity (read the full AAEP vaccination guidelines here: https://aaep.org/guidelines/vaccination-guidelines).

Equine rabies is a real risk for all horses, and a public health concern as well. Be sure to set up a regular vaccination schedule with your veterinarian if you haven’t already done so. Remember that strange behavior on behalf of your equine friend is always a valid reason to check in with your horse doctor!

02/04/2025

The Southern Appalachian Farriers Association put on a great educational opportunity this past weekend hosting Dr. Simon Curtis from England. He reviewed equine hoof anatomy along with pathologies and his approaches to addressing them.

01/31/2025

We feel compelled to congratulate Darrell Haynes. We get to work with Darrell regularly in helping lame horses or those with podiatry issues.

Darrell is ageing backwards! He’s committed to being more healthy, lost weight, and ran his first 5k New Year’s Day at what I’ve been told was a blistering pace. Way to go Darrell! He looks younger every time we see him.

01/30/2025

Next Tuesday!

Registration

01/28/2025

This is exciting!! So many horses suffer from IBH

Novel Immunotherapy Protocol Improves Insect Bite Hypersensitivity in Horses - Kentucky Equine Research

A new protocol that involved administering only a few injections each year proved a promising treatment for insect bite hypersensitivity.

01/25/2025

Registration

01/25/2025

Hahahaha, too funny. But also true

Doesn't everyone love a good horse show! 😆🐴

01/25/2025

Black Walnut Poisoning in Horses - Kentucky Equine Research

A major concern of black walnut toxicity is laminitis, but other symptoms include depression, stocking up, colic, and fever.

01/21/2025

This hits home lol

01/20/2025

Congratulations on another IPRA Title Stephen Britnell! Now get back here so we can get back to fixin’ broken horses 😄

Stephen is a Farrier in the Knoxville area and just clenched his eighth IPRA Title in Team Roping at the IFR in Oklahoma City 👏🏻

01/18/2025

Quick cold weather reference.
Courtesy of the Univ of Minnesota

z.umn.edu/winterhorsecare

01/17/2025

Central Florida is home to horses of all breeds and disciplines, and boasts one of the most robust equine industries in the country. With a plethora of horses for sale, how do potential buyers know if a particular horse is healthy and well-suited for the desired job? Most equine sale contracts do not contain buy-back clauses, making it critically important for buyers to obtain as much information as possible before purchasing. A veterinary pre-purchase exam, or PPE, is a great way for buyers to protect their upcoming investment by screening for common health conditions and evaluating for musculoskeletal soundness prior to sale. On today's Animal Airwaves-Live, Dr. Sally DeNotta, a clinical associate professor and equine extension veterinarian, will share more about this important topic for horse owners. The show airs from 1-2 p.m. Fridays on WUFT-FM, 89.1. Don't miss it! https://bit.ly/2SBInsQ

01/15/2025

These are adorable. The options for keepsakes memorializing your best friend are endless and heart warming.

This Riding & Farm Animals item by PaintedFlanks has 238 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Canada. Listed on Jan 9, 2025

01/15/2025

DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SPOT COLIC IN HORSES?

Colic indicates a painful problem in the horse's abdomen (belly), which can be caused by a number of different conditions. Less than 10% of all colic cases are severe enough to require surgery or cause the death of the horse; nevertheless, every case of colic should be taken seriously because it can be difficult to tell the mild ones from the potentially serious ones in the early stages.

Horses show signs of abdominal pain in a wide variety of ways, and usually a horse shows only a few of the signs during an episode of colic. The rule of thumb is — the more obvious the signs of pain, the more serious the problem.

If you suspect the horse is suffering from colic, we suggest that you:

• Alert your veterinarian immediately

• Remove all hay and grain from the horse's surroundings

• Don't medicate without your veterinarian's approval, as pain medications can mask clinical signs

• Walk the horse around if it's continually rolling or in danger of hurting itself — but do not tire the horse with relentless walking and don't approach the animal if it's not safe

• Keep the horse under close observation until the signs of colic resolve or the veterinarian arrives

The key to increasing the chances of a good outcome is to identify the problem early and get your veterinarian involved from the start.

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list of colic signs. Horses are individuals and may display signs of pain in a variety of ways. Always consult your horse doctor for more information.

01/14/2025

Myofibrillar Myopathy in Horses: History, Feeding, and Management - Kentucky Equine Research

In addition to diet changes, management and exercise protocols recommended for MFM horses play important roles in affected horses.

01/08/2025

Cold winter weather typically means less riding and time off for our horses. However, it’s still a great time to give your horse some TLC to ease those aches and pains left over from the competition season as well as treat new ones they’ve accumulated from running in the slick mud and snow. We offer certified Spinal Manipulation which not only addresses restrictions around joints, but soft tissue therapy to help ease and prolong those adjustments over time.

We’ve added this modality to all of our lameness and performance evaluations, allowing us to more thoroughly assess the entire body and its performance functionality.

Let us be a part of your horse’s complete health team today.

Providing mobile equine veterinary services to Friendsville, TN and surrounding areas. Specializing

01/07/2025

Listen Now: Calculating Your Horse’s Daily Forage Intake While Grazing

Dr. Kelly Vineyard explains how to estimate the amount of grass your horse consumes when turned out on pasture and calculate his total daily forage intake.