Do you have any tips to beat the heat and keep my horse healthy this summer?

So your little foal has hit the ground!  Your new addition should be bright, alert, and have a suckle reflex within the first five to ten minutes after breaking through the fetal membranes. 

Question: I purchased a mare with an unknown history about 3-4 years ago. We recently moved to a new barn, and she has been tripping and standing funny.  She also has begun to lose weight.  One of the other boarders mentioned that her horse had shown similar signs, and was diagnosed with EPM.  What is EPM and how is it diagnosed?  What treatments are available?  Does it recur even after treatment?  Thank you!

Posted on March 10, 2016.

Question: I just moved my horse to a new barn, and the barn manager asked me about his deworming history.  When I said I dewormed regularly every 8 weeks, she replied that it may be unnecessary to deworm him that frequently, and that several owners preferred to have their horse’s manure checked before deworming.  What do you know about this?

Question: We’ve had several horses colic at my barn recently.  What causes this and is there anything I can do to prevent my gelding from getting it?

Question: I have an 18 year old gelding that has generally been an easy keeper but just recently began losing weight.  With winter approaching I really want to do all I can do to help him, what are your recommendations?

Question: Last spring I bred my favorite riding mare and am starting to get worried as she gets closer to foaling.  I’ve never had a pregnant mare before and I don’t want to do anything wrong! Do you have any suggestions for what I can do to prepare and a sort of timeline for what should happen as she starts to foal?

Question:  I feel like my gelding is always accident prone!  He is constantly injuring himself, regardless of whether he is in a stall or out in the pasture, and I think I’m seeing my vet more than my husband!  What tips do you have for handling emergency injuries?  Do I always need to call my veterinarian?  Thank you!

6. CHOKE. Quick, who knows the Heimlich maneuver?! Just kidding. Horse choke is not the same scenario we usually think of when a person has food lodged in the airway, because it is caused by a bolus of food lodged in the esophagus. 

1. COLIC. Yes, I think that this one has to be at the top of the list.  It is one of the few words that strikes fear in the hearts of all horsemen, and rightfully so, as it is the leading cause of death in horses. What is colic you ask? It is a broad term that describes abdominal discomfort.   

Q: I have heard some horse friends in Texas talking about “Pigeon Fever”. What is it and do we need to be concerned about our horses in the Mid-south getting it?

I have been battling with rain rot in my Thoroughbred mare all summer. What exactly causes “rain rot” and how is it best treated? Could she have skin allergies?