Anna Blunden - McTimoney Animal Practitioner

27/03/2023

Well today didn't go as planned! Flat tire, managed to get it changed in about 30ish minutes, ok it was probably 40 minutes, then the battery died because I had my hazards on. Managed to get a bump start from some generous guys, then off to put the horses to bed.

27/03/2023

With all the wind and rain a tree came down today, I couldn't work out what the noise was, sounded like a lot of horses galloping about! This one was growing at a funny angle so it was only a matter of time. Luckily the horses were standing by the gate waiting to come in, and only one electric fence post was lost to the tree gods. Looks like we'll have lots of lovely logs for next winter.

25/03/2023

I've done a few miles in my little car, mostly driving about treating horses, or learning how to treat! Only a thousand miles til the big one!

14/08/2022

Ground conditions: pretty firm 🤣 got up early to do my barn chores in the cool of the morning.
✅Muck heap chucked back
✅Electric fence moved
✅Algae scrubbed from the water trough
✅Home for first cold shower of the day!
🥵🥵

13/08/2022

Apparently she's not warm enough, so we need to cuddle 🥵

27/07/2022

Every time you pull ragwort you will snap roots off even using a rag fork, now instead of one plant you'll have ten to deal with next year. Oh but ragwort is also biannual, so next year you'll think you're in top of it, only to have ten times as much the following year.

I rented a field that was plagued with the stuff, and I managed to clear it in around 4 years. Here's how:

➡️When it is in the rosette stage in the spring, cut the leaves at the base and sprinkle salt on the stump. Remove the leaves and burn.
➡️ If it gets to the tall flower stage, pull it, but sprinkle salt in the hole, remove the plant and burn immediately or bag up and remove from the pasture - ragwort will go to seed within 24 hours of pulling, don't leave it in piles on your pasture.



📷Henry Perks

25/07/2022

How do you know if your cat is in pain? Researchers have developed a feline grimace score, there is even an app to download to help you decide if your cat is in pain and needs veterinary attention. Read about it here: https://ucalgary.ca/news/cats-faces-reveal-their-hidden-pain

19/07/2022

Keeping cats cool today.

16/07/2022

How am I keeping my horse cool this summer? Firstly I've taken his feathers off, I couldn't bare to take his mane off, so that is plated up, which definitely helps. Being a greasy cob I have bathed him more than usual, removing the grease from his coat will help me to wet his coat thoroughly when cold hosing, rather than the water beading up and rolling straight off.
Our barn is cool in the morning but tends to get warm after lunch, so hosing our horses off and turning them out when they have shade in the field after midday is best for our situation.

16/07/2022

Would you put on a jumper or coat to stay cool?

CLIPPING DOUBLE-COATED BREEDS IN THE HEAT

Clipping Double-Coated breeds is contentious. That’s a massive understatement. As I have said repeatedly, although many people choose not to read that part, the decision to clip a DC breed in hot weather should be based on risk factors for heatstroke, for example being old, being overweight, being a large breed, being dark coated, being brachycephalic, having existing health conditions such as heart disease. I’d probably also add “being miserable in the heat”.

And yes, I’ve heard all the arguments “coat funk” (abnormal re growth) and “sunburn” being the most common ones.

Re abnormal regrowth, I’d suggest reading Mia Overnas The Educated Groomers page. https://theeducatedgroomer.com/shaving-double-coated-breeds/

Re sunburn - keep your dog out of the sun. You should be doing this anyway.

Image below posted from a private group with permission of owner. Personally I think Zhiva looks fantastic.

15/07/2022

Using thermography to show how scraping a horse prevents cooling.

15/07/2022

How horses move when they are free is so important, if your training is improving your horses movement whilst they're moving in the field then you are on the right track. My rehab/prehab exercises are easy to perform for owners and riders of all stages, effective, force free, and gadget free.

13/07/2022

... I evolved an elongated rostrum to be able to see predators over the long grasses of the open prairies whilst grazing.

I said it wasn't funny! 😆

01/06/2022

Good advice from heath vets for cat owners.

Have you noticed that your cat appears to be struggling to groom their coat? Have you noticed they may have matted fur around the sides of their body or at the base of their tail?

Matted fur can be a sign of your cat struggling to groom themselves due to pain or discomfort. Arthritis can cause stiffness and limit mobility when performing day to day activities.

If you have noticed any signs in your cat, or have concerns about their mobility, call us today on 01444 242500 or send us a message via Petsapp to book an appointment.

04/05/2022

Advice from a vet, slow down on hard ground or risk damaging your horses joints.

*** HARD GROUND ***

I have seen some very worrying “advice” on social media over the past couple of weeks, recommending cantering/galloping and jumping on the hard ground as a way to condition your horse’s legs to it. NO!!!!! You CANNOT condition a horse’s joints to hard ground! The more you canter and jump on hard ground, the more you will hammer the joints and help your horse get arthritis! Please do not listen to anyone advising you to condition your horse’s legs to hard ground, unless you want your horse to head towards steroid injections or early retirement. Cross training your horse (riding on a variety of surfaces) is good for legs, but hammering around on hard ground is not!

The ground, certainly in my area, is currently like concrete. PLEASE think twice about jumping/cantering in fields at the moment, as it’s almost the equivalent of jumping your horses on the road. If you are struggling to keep your horses/ponies fit, and can’t use or hire an arena, then trotting steadily up hills out hacking is a great alternative. Or just lots of hacking in walk to keep them ticking over until we get some much needed rain!
I’ve seen horses this week who are simply jarred up/foot sore from being turned out on this hard ground, so try not to add to the concussion by making them work on the rock hard ground....

Photo of Johnnie, enjoying the perfect ground at South of England Horse Trials, less than 3 weeks ago!

Feel free to share.

21/04/2022

Dogs might not be able to recognize themselves in a mirror, but that doesn't mean our pets don't have some level of self-awareness.

13/03/2022

Fill in the survey if you live or have lived with dogs!

What emotional support do you get from your dog?
Vet and behaviourist Jonathan Bowen from the Royal Veterinary College is conducting research into the emotional support that people get from their dogs in everyday life and in times of trouble – and is asking dog owners to fill out a survey: https://bit.ly/3KkflWB
It is open to adults who live with, or have lived with, dogs. It will take about 10 minutes and is completely anonymous.
The aim is to collect information to develop a proper scale for measuring social support from dogs, which can then be used in other studies. The overall findings will be published in a scientific journal.

18/01/2022

Frosty start to the day, thankful for my insulated boots.

31/12/2021

Happy New Year to everyone, two legged and four! Wishing a very happy 2022! ❤️🐎🐕🐈

20/12/2021

Fascinating research.

Happy Science Says Sunday!
When we hear our partner's voice calling out to us from another part of the house, we can visualize where they are (approximately). This is socio-spacial cognition. We are able to mentally map their location without seeing it with our own eyes. This is also somewhat related to object permanence. We know something still exists even if we can't immediately see it. If a butterfly cruises past my window and out of sight, I know that the butterfly still exists. This happens in humans at around 8 months of age. And now we have some evidence that perhaps cats can do this too! In fact, many animals probably hold mental representations about the whereabouts of others, it would only serve to benefit their survival.
To test this ability in cats, the researchers looked at whether the cats made a mental representation of the location of their owner using their voice. Or more specifically, where they couldn't possibly be! To do this, they used a few variations of the test. They placed a speaker outside a familiar room and another inside the room as far away as possible. They made sure to first habituate the cats to the sound of the voices so that it wasn't a surprise. Then, one of the two speakers played either the owner’s voice or a stranger’s voice calling the cat’s name once. They changed it up so sometimes there was the same sound in the same location, sometimes the same sound was in a different location, sometimes there was a different sound in the same location, or lastly there was a different sound in a different location. In this first test, the cats showed a greater surprise when the same sound was played in a different location. It was as if their owner suddenly seemed to be in a new place. There was no reaction to the same sound in a different location when they used cat vocalizations or non-vocal sounds used in further variations of the test. This 'surprise' reaction to their owner's impossible relocation suggests that cats have mental representations about their owner when they're out of sight.
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0257611

10/12/2021

Flash, drop, grackle, Mexican and anatomical nosebands (yep I said it!) are not good for horse welfare, they compromise breathing and swallowing functions.

17/11/2021

CENTAUR BIOMECHANICS - BLOG SERIES

FLY VEILS > EQUINE COMFORT AND PERFORMANCE.

During ridden exercise, an equine fly veil (from here on referred to as a bonnet), can be used for multiple reasons; to prevent fly’s and bugs entering the ear space and causing irritation to the horse, in some cases they are used to reduce the external noises and sometimes just for fashion! Whilst there is a paucity of evidence on the effect that bonnets have on the horse from a psychological perspective, previously we have looked at the pressure distribution beneath a bonnet and its effect on equine locomotion.

Bonnets come in all shapes and sizes, varying materials, and some can feature a braided trim. The braiding can vary in thickness and can provide a mechanism (due to weight), to stabilise and prevent the front of the bonnet flapping up during locomotion, especially when jumping. In addition, riders can express themselves in terms of colour preferences. In our pilot study, we used a pressure mat to quantify the pressure distribution beneath a headpiece with and without a bonnet, in addition we also quantified limb kinematics in elite dressage horses.

When using a bonnet, as a function of the braiding running beneath the headpiece, in the region of the TMJ, resulted in areas of high pressures. From our previous blog season, we discussed the effect that headpiece design can have on head pressures and locomotion (1). In brief; in trot peak pressures beneath the headpiece occur soon after midstance (75% of stance) for both diagonal support phases. The magnitude of pressure is directly influenced by the fit and design of the headpiece (and attachment and fit of the browband). Meaning that every time the horse loads its limbs (every stride), wearing a headpiece and/or browband which is incorrectly fitted could cause areas of high pressure beneath the headpiece, every stride (1). The magnitude of pressures are further influenced by the fit and design of a bonnet, particularly those that feature a braided trim running beneath the headpiece. Previously we have demonstrated the effect that headpiece pressures induced by headpiece design, in the TMJ region, can have on equine locomotion (see previous blog) (1). A similar pattern, altered limb kinematics was observed in horses who had localised pressures in the TMJ region as a result of the braiding from the bonnet (2).

The findings of which highlight the importance of correct bridle fit but also, when using a bonnet, it is important to consider the fit and design of the bonnet and the effect that it may have on bridle fit, and consequently equine comfort and performance.

Some key points:

🟢Ensure that there is no braiding running beneath the headpiece.
🟢Ensure that the bonnet fits the horses’ ears – the horses ear can move 180 degrees using 10 different muscles, if the bonnet is too small it can restrict ear movement.
🟢Check if the bonnet has raised the headpiece, which can alter the height of the bit in the oral cavity.

In swimming, swimmers have been reported to suffer from supraorbital neuralgia (pain above the eye) headaches (3), this is thought to be due to the tightness of the goggles. Although we cannot confirm this is the case in horses, cautiously applying similar principles, we should not underestimate the effect that a bonnet which creates localised pressures, which are of a magnitude to cause discomfort can have on equine welfare, comfort, and performance. Horses will develop a locomotor strategy to compensate and alleviate any discomfort, therefore correct fit of the equipment here bonnet, but also bridle and saddle etc is essential.


Hope this blog is of interest. Please share to raise awareness on the importance fo correct tack fit.

Kind Regards

Dr Russell MacKechnie-Guire

Www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk

Previous blogs http://www.centaurbiomechanics.co.uk/blog/




1. Murray R, Guire R, Fisher M, Fairfax V. A Bridle Designed to Avoid Peak Pressure Locations Under the Headpiece and Noseband Is Associated With More Uniform Pressure and Increased Carpal and Tarsal Flexion, Compared With the Horse's Usual Bridle. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science. 2015;35(11-12):947-55.
2. data from 2015 - unpublished
3. O'Brien J. C. J. Swimmer's headache, or supraorbital neuralgia. . Proceedings (Baylor University Medical Center). 2004;17(4: 418–9.

09/11/2021

Hadn't seen this research from a few years ago and very relevant as we move into winter. Great article. https://equusmagazine.com/diseases/stress-pasturetostall-transition-studied-16384?tum_source=EQUUSFB&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=Facebook

A sudden decrease in turnout time may take a physical toll on your horse.

05/11/2021

Not only were there shocking scenes in Tokyo, a horse reared up and flipped over backwards in London 2012 and was made to continue with it's round without being checked over. Definitely welcome news.

30/10/2021

Yes! Forget about the head and neck, think about asking the horse to step through, lift through the back and move in balance, the head and neck sorts itself out.

Karen Rohlf explains why students struggle when learning how to get a horse on the bit in dressage. Learn a different way of getting your horse round.

11/09/2021

I've started couch to 5k (again 🙄), are you ready to get fit?

A horse is only as good as the rider who pilots him. If you aren’t physically prepared to be the best pilot you can be, your horse can’t reach his full potential. Learn how to be equestrian fit.

07/09/2021

Modern Pentathlon has come to the conclusion that whipping and spuring a horse in the name of competition is fine. Time to get modern Pentathlon banned from the Olympics?

A UIPM Disciplinary Panel has completed its review of events that occurred during the Women’s Modern Pentathlon Riding competition at the rescheduled Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games on August 6, 2021. The outcome of the proceedings is as follows: The Panel found that Kim Raisner, representing Germany as ...

06/09/2021

Interesting research results for cat people, I concur with the results from my own experiences.

Cat aggression is one of the main behavior issues that may influence owners to seek professional help and is the focus of this study. The researchers examined different management factors on aggressive behavior.
The researchers identified the frequency of aggressive behaviors toward the owner, novel people, objects and situations, and other cats. They also identified the severity of aggressive behaviors toward people in general contexts, and other animals.
First, they found that the owner-directed aggression was more common in female cats, and lower in households with more than three cats, or when the owners used positive reinforcement. Secondly, when they examine aggression towards novel people, objects, and situations, they found that aggression (and severe aggression towards people in general contexts) was higher when owners reported using positive punishment. They also found that female cats raised without mothers showed less aggression compared to male cats raised with mothers towards novel people, objects or situations. Thirdly, they found that female cats were more aggressive toward other cats, especially if they had outdoor access (which may account for increased opportunity.)
Positive punishment and having other pets in the home also showed a correlation with severe aggression towards other animals but much lower aggression when provided with training enrichment. Just as importantly here, they did NOT find any associations between aggression and early management factors (such as being bottle-reared, being a singleton, and an early rehoming age). These cool results open up the doors for more specific, in-depth research on cat aggression!
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2021.105251

21/08/2021

Interesting comparing inbreeding in dogs and horses.

By Carol Beuchat PhD

27/07/2021

New August date for the Horsemanship Taster Day….
https://whisperingequus.co.uk/clinics-demos-lectures/tasterdays/