Mike's Tips

Here you will find some general horse care tips.

Well, Jenny, as long as you can see your horse's sole from toe to heel, and especially the two grooves on the right and left side of the frog (the traingular shape in the center of the sole), you have done a good job. Now is the time to check for thrush. The first thing to know about thrush, is that it smells real bad. After a good cleaning, you should not smell any strong odor. Thrush is a fungal infection, that will eventually cause tissue damage, especially in the area of the frog. Over time, the frog area will become sensitive, and you may notice your horse "favoring" that leg. During a thorough cleaning, you may smell a strong manure odor which is common. Thrush will not smell like manure, and is a much stronger pungent smell. You may also see a dark, strong smelling liquid, around the heel and frog areas.

My suggestion is to have your farrier trim your horse's hooves and frogs. This will make it easier to apply medication, and allow the hoof to breathe.

If you medicate the infected area with Thrush Remedy, apply it with a clean cloth or cotton swab. This will ensure good coverage of the infected area.

Yes Don it is. I guess the first thing you would notice, is your horse's loss of appetite. You may also notice swelling of the lymph glands around the throat. If the lymph glands are swollen, your horse is probably running a temerature. Strangles is transmitted through direct contact with an infected horse. If you suspect strangles, isolate your horse from others, and contact your veterinarian immediately, as strangles is highly contageous. Isolation in a stall is sufficient to keep it from spreading to other horses.

Don, you should be aware of what veterinarians refer to as "bastard strangles". Once the streptococcus equi bacteria gets past the lymph glands around the throat, and into the lymphatic system, it will affect other lymph nodes in your horse. So, abscesses may occur in other areas of your horse than the throat area. This is very serious, and could even be fatal.

Your vet may use penicillin if you catch it early enough, or after any throat abscesses have ruptured and are draining. So, if abscesses have formed but have not ruptured, your vet may recommend waiting until they have ruptured. You may request your vet to cut any abscesses to allow drainage, and then apply penicillin.

You may choose to let the bacteria run it's course for a week, but keep a watchfull eye for worsening conditions.

Some veterinarians prefer to let the bacteria run it's course in younger horses, as they feel this helps the horse develop a natural immunity.

Ed, floating refers to contouring your horse's teeth with a file called a float. Your horse's teeth will always keep growing, and in time may develop sharp edges or contours that inhibit maximum nutrition when feeding. Irregular growth may also cause pain while chewing.

Sharp points may develop on the upper rear grinding teeth nearest the cheek, and on the lower rear grinding teeth nearest your horse's toungue. These sharp points may cause extreme discomfort for the horse when grazing and during feeding.

If your horse is generally stalled, it may develop these teeth countour problems more frequently, as the horse is not grazing all day, which keeps the horse's teeth in good grinding condition.

It's hard to say how often your horse will require floating, as each horse is different as far as teeth growth goes, so make it part of your yearly vet check up.

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