Cascadia Veterinary Care, LLC

  • Home
  • Cascadia Veterinary Care, LLC

Cascadia Veterinary Care, LLC Equine acupuncture and spinal manipulation, Preventative care, dentistry, and sports medicine

Swollen limb? It’s always a good idea to call and discuss what is going on with your horse- there are multiple causes, a...
27/07/2025

Swollen limb? It’s always a good idea to call and discuss what is going on with your horse- there are multiple causes, and some may only return to normal with antibiotics! Have a wonderful day!

The term "fat leg" is pretty self-explanatory, but do you know the difference between stocking up and cellulitis?

Many horses will "stock up" with subcutaneous edema (fluid swelling) in two or more legs (usually the hind limbs). Stocking up generally results from a significant decrease in exercise and usually resolves as the horse starts exercising again.

Lymphangitis (or vasculitis, big leg disease, staph infection, or cellulitis), however, is a bacterial infection and a dramatically different condition. While its causes may vary, it’s easy to spot once it sets in. The swelling will be extreme, hot, very painful to the touch, and the horse will be depressed due to the fever and discomfort.

If you think your equine friend has cellulitis or even if you're not sure, we encourage you to seek professional help promptly. Your equine practitioner will make the best treatment recommendations, both to reduce swelling and to address any sort of bacterial infection that might be active or that could occur due to the edema in the soft tissue.

We appreciate your understanding and will get back to you as soon as possible upon our return to the office on July 25.
21/07/2025

We appreciate your understanding and will get back to you as soon as possible upon our return to the office on July 25.

Thank you to all the farriers out there! We all know they say no horse, no hoof. We greatly appreciate all that our farr...
11/07/2025

Thank you to all the farriers out there! We all know they say no horse, no hoof. We greatly appreciate all that our farriers help us to achieve! Hope you all had a wonderful week!

It’s ! Let’s take a moment to celebrate and thank our farriers!

Proper foot care is the cornerstone of maintaining a sound horse, and a good farrier is an essential part of your equine's healthcare team, keeping your horse’s feet balanced and well-supported. Farriers and veterinarians often work together for the best interests of the horse, so a skilled farrier is both a necessity and a tremendous asset. Be sure to let your farriers know they are appreciated!

What a cool case! Pretty amazing!
08/07/2025

What a cool case! Pretty amazing!

Some motivation for your Monday!! Have a wonderful week!
30/06/2025

Some motivation for your Monday!! Have a wonderful week!

Funny Friday! Hope you all have a beautiful weekend!
20/06/2025

Funny Friday! Hope you all have a beautiful weekend!

New research- more to be discovered but some interesting takeaways!
10/06/2025

New research- more to be discovered but some interesting takeaways!

🐴 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 — 𝑩𝒖𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒅𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒆? 🌱

In recent years, track systems, also commonly referred to as ‘Paddock Paradise’, have been popping up on more and more horse properties. These systems utilize a looping track or path, often around the perimeter of a field or property, instead of a traditional rectangular or square open paddock. Using 6’ to 20’ alleys, often with multiple feeding stations placed along the path, track systems are intentionally designed to keep horses moving and allow them to explore and interact with their surroundings in different ways.

But how do these setups actually stack up against the more familiar and traditional paddock system? Let’s explore what each setup brings to the table and what the evidence and experience are starting to tell us. 👇

⚖️ 𝐖𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭
Horses on a track system lost an average of 23.5 lbs (10.67 kg) between July and late September, while those in a traditional paddock gained an average of 15 lbs (6.8 kg). This suggests that the increased movement encouraged by the track design may help with managing body condition, an important consideration for good health, especially for horses with metabolic comditions.
📚Cameron et al., 2025

🧠 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐨𝐫
Horses on a track moved more, traveled further, and engaged in fewer overt agonistic behaviors when compared to a horses on a strip grazing system
📚 Kirton et al., 2025

Another study found that horses on a track system were more likely to graze in close proximity, mimicking the collective foraging behavior observed in feral horse populations. These subtle social and behavioral differences may have meaningful implications for welfare.
📚 Greening et al., 2017

🦶 𝐇𝐨𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡
When foot health, condition, and growth were assessed by a farrier, horses on the track system either maintained or improved hoof health, while those in the paddock system either maintained or showed a decline. However, the sample size was very small (six horses on the track and two in the paddock) so while these findings are interesting, they should be interpreted cautiously until more research evaluates this topic with a larger sample size.
📚 Cameron et al., 2025

🌍 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬
Track systems have been shown to decrease soil quality due to the concentrated traffic patterns they create. These changes were mainly limited to the top 8 inches (0.2 m) of soil, and could be reduced, but not entirely prevented, by using paddock grids
📚 Hiltebrand et al., 2025

Another study found reduced vegetative biomass and greater sediment deposition from runoff, both related to increased erosion. However, these differences compared a track system to pasture and did not evaluate changes in a conventional paddock system, which likely has similar traffic as a track.
📚 Farmer et al., 2023

More research is needed to further explore the environmental implications of tracks and paddocks with heavy traffic, however, providing footing with exceptional drainage, such as gravel or high traffic pads, may help reduce the rate of erosion.

🔍 𝐒𝐨, 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲?
Track systems appear to offer clear benefits in terms of movement, weight management, and behavior, with promising signs for hoof health, but they also come with trade-offs, particularly when it comes to environmental impact and maintenance needs.

For horses that cannot graze freely, especially those with metabolic conditions, track systems can be a valuable management tool. By restricting access to lush pasture while still promoting movement and enrichment, they provide a way to support these horses' physical and mental health without compromising their dietary needs.

Whether a track system or a traditional paddock is the better choice depends on your horses, your land, and your goals. What matters most is that the turnout environment supports natural behaviors, social needs, and overall health, whatever form that takes on your property.

💬 𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒓 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒔𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒎? 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒊𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔? I’d love to hear your experiences below! 👇

📚 𝐀 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡
I was surprised by how limited the published research on track systems still is, especially given how widely they’re being adopted. I’ve recently been in discussions with a local barn about conducting a pilot study to evaluate track systems further, particularly their impact on movement and behavior. If you're passionate about evidence-based horse care, there will be opportunities to donate to support this research, follow this page to stay informed and updated as this project unfolds!

Cheers,
Dr. DeBoer

PC: I also have to thank my amazing horse friend, Terri Strandmo, for being willing to share beautiful pictures of her track system for me to use!

Cameron L, Challinor M, Armstrong S, Kennedy A, Hollister S, Fletcher K. Tracking the Track: The Impact of Different Grazing Strategies on Managing Equine Obesity. Animals. 2025 Mar 19;15(6):874.

Kirton R, Sandford I, Raffan E, Hallsworth S, Burman OH, Morgan R. The impact of restricted grazing systems on the behaviour and welfare of ponies. Equine Veterinary Journal. 2025 May;57(3):737-44.

Hiltebrand C, Keller T, Bachmann Rieder I, Doetterl S. Changes in soil quality on horse paddock trails and the influence of paddock grids. Soil Use and Management. 2025 Jan;41(1):e70028.

Greening L, Williams J, Mitson K. A preliminary investigation comparing the frequency of grazing and movement behaviour between a track paddock system and a conventional paddock system. In13th International Conference of the International Society of Equitation Science 2017 Nov.

Farmer J, Costin K, Duberstein J, Callaway T, Abrams A, Wassel B, Toal K, Duberstein K. Environmental Impacts and Daily Voluntary Movement of Horses Housed in Pasture Tracks as Compared to Conventional Pasture Housing. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2023. 124:104400.

Ever wondered if grazing muzzles do more harm than good? Read below to find out where your concerns should be!
22/05/2025

Ever wondered if grazing muzzles do more harm than good? Read below to find out where your concerns should be!

What is the real risk to horse teeth and overall horse health from wearing a grazing muzzle? How does it compare to an at-risk (laminitic, obese, or metabolic) horse not wearing a grazing muzzle at all?

Most grazing muzzles don't have any negative effects on your horse's teeth. However, metal muzzles or slow feeders may cause damage in addition to excessive wear, chips, or fractures. There are also a few brands of grazing muzzles on the market made from a thick, hard plastic that can cause abnormal wear to the incisors. Many of the hard plastic grazing muzzles now offer softer inserts to minimize this type of damage.

The attrition that we appreciate to the incisors does have the potential to result in an exposed pulp, which could then result in pulpits or a tooth root infection. However, this is rarely the case. Generally, the teeth are able to repair themselves, by sealing off any exposed pulp, at a rate equal to or more rapid than the wearing process. This ultimately means that most of the cases that we see of abnormal wear to incisors from grazing muzzles is primarily cosmetic.

The risk of laminitis, on the other hand, is very real and the results can be catastrophic. Not wearing a grazing muzzle for even a few hours for a horse with EMS (equine metabolic syndrome) or PPID (Cushing's) can be problematic. Always follow your veterinarian's recommendations when managing your horse's metabolic issues, as these can and sometimes do have deadly complications.

If you have questions or concerns on if your equine should be wearing a grazing muzzle, contact your veterinarian.

Thank you to the Horse Owner Education Committee for providing this information.

Happy Mother’s Day!! Whether your kids have two legs or four, we want to take a moment to appreciate all those wonderful...
12/05/2025

Happy Mother’s Day!! Whether your kids have two legs or four, we want to take a moment to appreciate all those wonderful people who give a part of their lives to care for others.

Hope you all had an amazing day ❤️❤️

Hope the holes in your hay net aren’t getting smaller! 😉 have a wonderful Friday!
02/05/2025

Hope the holes in your hay net aren’t getting smaller! 😉 have a wonderful Friday!

This is why we recommend breaks during NBC travel ❤️ Happy trails!
24/04/2025

This is why we recommend breaks during NBC travel ❤️ Happy trails!

Horses travel every day for a number of reasons—to be bought and sold, for competition, for breeding purposes, etc. Whatever the reason, horse owners should be aware of the complications that may occur due to transportation, including traumatic injuries, diarrhea, muscular problems, respiratory problems, overheating, colic, and even laminitis (in the case of overweight horses).

Following are a few tips to help your equine friend maintain good health and welfare during transport. This list is by no means complete and we encourage you to reach out to your veterinarian for additional advice when it comes to traveling with your horse!

• Be aware that inadequate management of feed and water intake during travel could cause colic, gastric ulceration and heat stress. Food and water should be provided prior to transport, during regular rest breaks and upon arrival at destination.

• Ensure your horse’s immunizations are up to date against respiratory pathogens to protect your animal from these diseases.

• The horse should be rested before the journey, given rest stops during travel, and have time to recover on arrival at the destination.

• The vehicle should be well-ventilated to help prevent respiratory problems or overheating.

• Drive slowly and carefully (NO TEXTING, avoid driving when fatigued or eating while driving, etc.) to provide a comfortable journey for the animal and reduce the risk of injury and fatigue.

Happy trails!

Here’s to sometimes just needing to put it in plain English. Have a wonderful day!
17/04/2025

Here’s to sometimes just needing to put it in plain English. Have a wonderful day!

Address

WA

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Cascadia Veterinary Care, LLC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Cascadia Veterinary Care, LLC:

  • Want your business to be the top-listed Pet Store/pet Service?

Share

bio

Dr. Cassie Torhorst, Owner of Cascadia Veterinary Care, LLC grew up with horses in southern Wisconsin. After attending the University of Wisconsin - Madison, she spent a year in Minnesota completing an equine specific internship at a referral hospital. From there, she moved back to southern Wisconsin as an equine practitioner at Lodi Veterinary Care. During this time she obtained certification in veterinary acupuncture (CVA) along with spinal manipulation (VSMT). She greatly enjoys using these therapies in her daily practice and finds them a great adjust to Western Medicine. In April 2017, her and her husband, moved to the Pacific Northwest and have greatly enjoyed getting to know the area.

​Dr. Cassie Torhorst is the owner of Cascadia Veterinary Care, LLC. An equine practice in the Northwest corner of Washington. She can be reached at [email protected] or 360-419-6607.