Matt Randall DVM

06/27/2025

As a large portion of the country continues to experience extreme heat, it's imperative that horse owners do their due diligence to keep their horses safe and healthy during heat waves.

One of the side effects of the heat for some horses is the inability to sweat properly. This condition, called anhidrosis, is potentially dangerous for horses because it compromises their ability to thermoregulate even in weather that doesn’t seem that hot, and therefore puts them at higher risk of heat stress.

Anhidrosis is not fully understood yet; it is widespread in the hot and humid regions of the southeastern United States and the Gulf states, but it is also widely reported elsewhere during the summer and particularly during heat waves. If your horse has a high respiratory rate and does not seem to tolerate turnout on hot days, be sure to discuss it with your veterinarian.

Remember that administering unnecessary medications without consulting your horse doctor first could do more harm than good, as it puts your equine friend at risk of developing harmful side effects!

06/27/2025

Welcome Dr. Keely Lane to Collier Equine!

A Texas panhandle native, Dr. Keely Lane joins Collier Equine after finishing a one-year internship under Drs. Josh Donnell and Cameron Stoudt at Equine Sports Medicine in Pilot Point, Texas.

Lane’s horse background runs deep. She has personal experience with both using and performance horses.

Lane spent her youth on the back of a horse, from starting 2-year-olds raised by her family to doctoring cattle on wheat pasture and competing in rodeos. She added a new discipline while obtaining her animal science degree at West Texas A&M University as a member of the ranch horse versatility team.

Lane is a 2024 graduate of Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine. She enjoys all aspects of equine practice, from general care to sports medicine.

In her spare time, Lane enjoys riding her own horses and running barrels. She hopes to return to the roping arena soon too. Outside of horses, Lane enjoys spending time with her fiancé, cooking and being outdoors as much as possible.

06/22/2025

Feeding a horse from the floor is generally best practice — including when they're in a stable! 🐎

In the wild they will spend 16-18 hours grazing every day, mostly with their heads down to eat grass. 🍃

A small percentage of their time will be spent with their heads up to forage trees and shrubs. 🌳

Yet the norm for many of our horses is not feeding from the floor, but in a haynet, rack, over-the-door bucket or similar. 🤨

👉 Physiological advantages of feeding them from the floor include:

✔️ More freedom for the jaw to move
✔️ Better teeth alignment for even wear
✔️ Longer chewing (vital for creating saliva, a natural buffer for the stomach acid that causes gastric ulcers)
✔️ Cleaner airways
✔️ Enables the horse to move more and truly 'graze'
✔️ Good posture
✔️ Better alignment of the spine
✔️ Helps to develop correct muscles for supporting rider's weight
✔️ Nothing to get themselves caught in or on

There is much more to it than this — plenty of food for thought before you fill your next haynet!

Read the full story via the link below:

https://www.yourhorse.co.uk/horse-care/feeding-from-the-floor/

06/18/2025

Today is ! Join us in celebrating all the veterinary professionals that help our animals (especially our horses) live long, happy and healthy lives.

If you are looking for ways to say “thank you” to your veterinary team, there are plenty of options. However, it’s very possible that the best way to thank your horse doctors and equine vet techs is to make their job easier.

Some small things can make the biggest difference; check out this graphic for a few simple ways you can ease the strain on your veterinarians and show them your appreciation. No matter how you choose to say thank you today, there is no doubt you will brighten your vet team’s day!

Lastly, show some love for your veterinarian in the comments below and tag them, some words of encouragement and appreciation are sure to bring a smile to their face! ⬇️

05/29/2025

Physitis means I steal too much of my mom's grain. She's a hard keeper and apparently I am not.

Physitis is inflammation of the physis (growth plates). It's typically characterized by "boxy" fetlocks.

05/19/2025

I'll take "Things you don't see everyday" for $500, Alex.

The perils of grazing too close to a pond.

05/11/2025

Non-sweaters. It's time.

Start before they stop.

03/22/2025

He loved his horses too. Our condolences to his family and friends.

RIP GEORGE FOREMAN | Boxing legend George Foreman, who grew up in Houston, has died at the age of 76, his family announced tonight.

Full story https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/george-foreman-sr-dead-76/285-bf5949ca-54a3-4fc9-9ff5-8a9e4f3f3100?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_KHOU_11_News .

02/20/2025

Thanks for all the birthday wishes. To my wonderful office ladies for putting all the old pictures up and embarrassing me. And to my lovely wife for putting that picture on FB to embarrass me further… Love you all. Thank You!

02/20/2025

01/24/2025

I have had to treat horses for dehydration after sweating under heavy blankets, just saying.

01/03/2025

FUN FACT FRIDAY!

Are you familiar with the many adaptations that help your horse stay warm during the cold winter months?

🌾 Hindgut digestion of hay produces the most heat, acting as a small furnace inside of the horse. This is why free choice; good quality hay is so important in the winter.

💪 Horses have a huge muscle mass and muscle activity produces heat. This includes running and playing and even shivering if their body temperature starts to drop. It is important to remember that these activities also will result in a bigger caloric demand so free choice hay and in some cases, grain, is often needed.

🧥 To blanket or not to blanket is a constant debate but either way, as it starts to get cold your horse will grow a thicker coat. If you decide to leave your horse unblanketed you may notice that they look “fluffy”. This is due to a phenomenon called piloerection where the hair stands up to better trap air within. Two layers of the coat also help with warmth. The inner layer is softer and has air pockets to create an insulating layer. The outer layer is coarse and has oils that keep moisture from penetrating the insulating layer and keep the horse warm.

⚖️ Wild horses go into the winter heavier than ideal, and the fat serves as an extra layer of insulation. However, if a horse is going to be kept heavily blanketed and in a barn during the cold weather months this is unnecessary and can lead to obesity related issues.

🦵Their distal limbs (below the knees and hocks) are made of mostly bones and tendons, tissues that are resistant to the cold temperatures.

🦶The hooves have an alternative route of blood circulation through larger vessels that can be used in low temperatures. This is why horses can stand in snow without detrimental effects.

👃A horse’s nose has a robust blood supply and is rounded so that it is less susceptible to frostbite than a human’s nose.
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Courtesy of the AAEP Horse Owner Education Committee