Greystone Veterinary Service, P.A.

15/12/2023

Foals born at Greystone Reproduction Service during 2023

18/03/2023

18/03/2023

We have a St Patrick’s filly. Just before midnight Beauty decided that it was time for this filly to see the world. The sire is Rabel Rouser (I think)

10/01/2022

IS YOUR HORSE 15 OR OLDER? Read on!

With each passing year, horses are living longer lives and many survive easily to 25 years of age or older. While this is good news, it also means that horse owners need to be aware of changes occurring with age, so they can preserve the health and quality of life of their equine friends throughout middle age and the geriatric years.

For example, Equine Cushing’s disease is one of the most common diseases of horses greater than 15 years of age. This syndrome is better defined as Equine Pituitary Pars Intermedia Dysfunction (PPID) because it reflects the location within the brain that is abnormal, and the clinical signs are associated with abnormally elevated hormone concentrations in the blood.

Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS) is another endocrine disorder that can affect mature horses and shares some of the same clinical signs as PPID. Although the two disorders feature some striking clinical similarities — most notably a predisposition to development of chronic laminitis — the underlying disease biology is quite different in each case and successful management requires proper diagnosis by a competent veterinarian first.

Our understanding of both conditions, especially EMS, is incomplete and subject to continuous evolution, but sufficient information is currently available to highlight some important similarities and differences for the interested horse owner. Consult your veterinarian for more information and work with them to develop the best wellness practices to ensure a healthy life for your mature horse.

Additional information regarding the older horse’s care and nutrition is available on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/older-horse-special-care-nutrition

28/12/2021

Did you know a horse with a moderate hair coat starts requiring additional calories for body temperature regulation when the outside temperature drops to approximately 50°F? Cold weather prompts special considerations for your horse's diet and care: https://aaep.org/horsehealth/cold-weather-nutrition

16/12/2021

THE FRONTAL LOBE OF THE HORSE’S BRAIN IS NEARLY NON-EXISTENT.

How does this apply to schooling/training? Frontal lobes are involved in higher mental functions such as reasoning. This means that horses cannot reason or plan to be naughty. They cannot be blamed for bad behavior or poor performance. They cannot recognize future consequences. Horses simply react to the situation. They learn through conditioning and memory.

I see and hear so many riders anthropomorphize their horses instead of finding better training tools. Phrases such as, ‘he just likes to be difficult’ or ‘this pony is so naughty’ or ‘he understands or knows what I want, but won’t do it’, or ‘he moves his hindquarters at every halt just to irritate me’. Horses do not know what we want unless we explain it in a manner that they can understand immediately.

A few months ago a rider told me how her horse ‘just does not want to co-operate’. It started with overt flight behavior and then became a subtle ‘snatchy’ movement of the nose. I asked her whether it could be due to discomfort. She answered, ‘no, she is just naughty’. It turned out that the horse was suffering from laminitis and was in severe discomfort! It made me want to cry.

At the moment I am training a young horse from scratch. I also used phrases such as, ‘she has a short fuse’ and ‘she challenges me every step of the way’. Then I realized that everything I was doing on this horse was completely new to her. I realized how frightening that must be for an animal with no reasoning ability. She was actually trying hard to understand me, but when new instructions were a tad confusing, she showed me in no uncertain terms that she did not understand it. The horse’s reactions to learning new skills all depends on personality. This particular horse is extremely sensitive and an introvert. Utopia, my older horse, is less sensitive and a complete extrovert. She can deal with much more pressure than the youngster. The message for me is that I must train each horse with the kind of pressure which they can deal with. Each horse has a different tolerance for pressure. Us riders have to be adaptable to each horse’s ability to deal with pressure. Personally I find that most behavioral problems stem from confusion, discomfort and too much pressure. Photo is the equine brain in front of the human brain.

Thanks to Karin Blignault for the info!!

09/11/2021

Are you worried about feeding beet pulp to your horse because you heard it may expand in the horse's stomach and cause colic?

No need to fear. Beet pulp's excellent digestibility actually makes it a useful addition to the diet of many types of horses — especially "hard keepers" that need to gain weight, horses with dental problems, convalescing horses, and geriatric horses who have trouble chewing or digesting other types of forage. Because beet pulp is really a fiber supplement, not a grain, you can safely feed as much as you like; just be sure to start with a small quantity and gradually increase the amount you’re feeding.

Read more about feeding beet pulp on our website at https://aaep.org/horsehealth/feeding-beet-pulp. As always, consult your veterinarian for more information and to determine if beet pulp is a good choice for your horse!