Mystic Equine

04/04/2025

A recent study in Applied Animal Behaviour Science (Lesimple et al., 2025) investigated object permanence in horses, a key cognitive ability related to understanding that objects continue to exist even when out of sight.

The experiment, involving 63 horses, revealed that horses can locate a hidden treat even when the hiding process is not visible to them.

This suggests they reach at least Piaget's stage 4 of object permanence (where infants begin to understand that objects continue to exist even when hidden, and they will actively search for them.)

The researchers used a simple task where horses had to find a carrot hidden under a bucket and control groups were used to ensure that the horses weren't simply relying on their sense of smell to find the treat.

The experimental group achieved a success rate of 93.1%, while a control group that also familiarised with the task, but with no treat, had a 100% success rate in uncovering the location where the treat would theoretically be.

Another control group that did not go through familiarisation had a success rate of 60%, suggesting the bucket itself did not intrinsically drive exploration.

This study adds to the limited body of research on equine cognition, an area that has significant gaps, especially when compared to research on other species like primates or even domestic animals like dogs.

Brubaker and Udell (2016) pointed out that rat cognition studies outnumber those of horses by a factor of seven.

Study: To see or not to see: Horses’ ability to find the hidden treat: Applied Animal Behaviour Science, Volume 285, 2025.

03/13/2025

Such a cool job I get to do every week!

03/08/2025

02/25/2025

02/20/2025

This case study video may be long but it’s very detailed. It’s a substantial example of how the DDFT is not perpetuating or worsening laminitis in most cases. And that a deep digital flexor tendonectomy is a viable last resort treatment for club foot, because we know there is contraction in those cases. But for laminitis with no tendon contraction cutting the tendon just doubles the injury.

This is the case study of Daisy-Pony, taken in by Noble Hill Rescue for much needed rehabilitation!

02/15/2025

“Rehabilitation” is one of the most abused words right now in the equine space

Physical therapy is a protected term - you can only say you that are doing “physical therapy” if you are a licensed physical therapist. Just like you can only practice “veterinary medicine” as a veterinarian.

Rehabilitation, on the other hand, is free for anyone to use. This is appropriate, because there are a number or professionals who are key in a rehabilitation program; but it also leaves it open for use by unqualified people.

Other professionals have warned my clients not to pursue “rehabilitation” for horses with conditions like ECVM or EPM because when they think of rehab they think of swimming or the underwater treadmill or generic “poles and hillwork” exercises.

These professionals are right! That kind of “rehab” would not be appropriate for these horses. But to me that is not “rehab” at all.

An exercise program prescribed without a thorough assessment and without modifications and progressions individualized to the patient based on that assessment is not rehabilitation at all...

That is a wellness program.

It’s the difference between you going to a workout class at the gym and coming to see me at the physical therapy clinic.

That class at the gym is likely to be beneficial for the average person, some basic modifications can be made, but the general exercise program is the same for everyone in the class. It’s wellness.

As a physical therapist, when I’m working with a horse on a rehabilitation program, assessment is key. That’s the years of education and training that you are really paying me for. Assessment informs the original exercise program. Assessment informs modifications made throughout the session. Assessment informs when and how quickly we progress. Assessment informs changes we make to the plan as we monitor the horse’s progress.

If the professional you are using is not trained in joint assessment, they are not rehabilitating that joint.

If the professional is not trained in ligament assessment, they are not rehabilitating that ligament.

If the professional is not trained in muscle assessment, they are not rehabilitating that muscle.

If the professional is not trained in hoof assessment, they are not rehabilitating that foot.

We live in a “buyer beware” society when it comes to equine rehabilitation. Make sure the people you are hiring to help you with your horse are really trained to provide the services they are advertising!

Maintenance and wellness are very important pieces of the healthcare system. Professionals providing these services are needed and are a valuable part of the team.

Just don’t call it rehab, please.

01/12/2025

Great info on the Horse Protection Act

693 likes, 95 comments. “Will you be able to use fly spray?! Will your old scarred leg be banned? And other questions ANSWERED! - -”

01/06/2025

Balance and Hoof Deformity

12/18/2024

Shifting the paradigm of how we see lameness

The 24 Behaviors of the Ridden Horse in Pain is a film that dares to challenge the way we look at "badly behaving" horses, and promotes the notion that lamen...

12/03/2024

🤣🤣🤣