Education Zone

What are the challenges of feeding a laminitis prone or overweight horse? We understand that when you have a horse or pony that is prone to laminitis – such as one that easily gains weight or has had laminitis before – managing his diet and alleviating boredom is priority. Dietary guidance is readily available. This includes restricting or removing grazing time, turning out at night, reducing the soluble carbohydrate content of the diet, or implementing a weight loss programme with limited amounts of feed and increased exercise. In practice, however, this means a laminitis-prone horse spends more time indoors without much to eat.  As an example, an overweight pony on a restricted diet could receive, per day, as little as 2 slices of hay, a scoop of balancer and a scoop of feed specifically formulated for laminitis. Such meagre portions may be effective against laminitis, but this routine can mean long periods without food. This can lead to behavioural problems linked with boredom or result in gastric health issues.  Horses are grazers which mean they are born snackers! They are designed to eat 24/7. So, how can we manage laminitis and weight and still ensure our horses get the grazing time they need?  Vitamunch offers a healthy snack for laminitis and weight management Brighten up the life of your overweight or laminitis-prone horse or pony with Vitamunch – the healthy equine snack with added benefits. Our range of Vitamunch healthy snacks offer a unique solution to ensuring your laminitis-prone horse has access to food over longer periods of the day and night. If your horse is at risk of laminitis, then adding Vitamunch to his feeding regime can help, because: the quality-assured, high fibre, low calorie, low sugar composition with added vitamins and minerals complies with published dietary recommendations for laminitic horses; the timothy fibre base of Vitamunch is beneficial for horse’s digestive system; Vitamunch snacks are eaten slowly because the compressed form encourages nibbling, and when fed in the innovative Munch Net, eating time is extended even further; portion control is easy since each Vitamunch snack weighs just 1kg Struggling to get your horse or pony to eat their medication? Our horses and ponies seem to be great at sniffing out anything different in their feeds, especially if they are receiving small portions for weight reasons. Simply Irresistible is designed to disguise medications and supplements, and contains a probiotic too, to help support the digestive system. Not sure your horse is getting everything they need? Generally, a good quality diet of fibre and hard feed is usually sufficient to meet your horse’s daily nutritional needs. However if your horse is a good doer on a restricted diet, there’s a chance they might not be getting everything they need. A multivitamin, such as Simply Sunshine, could help fill the gaps to support a balanced diet.

Top tips for preventing mud fever Cold wet mud oozing over your boots and your fields are under water. Sound familiar? We all dread wet, muddy winters, particularly if your horse suffers from mud fever. Here we give you some top tips for preventing mud fever. What is mud fever? Mud fever is a common skin complaint that generally arises during winter and early spring, causing painful sores and scabs. Although mud fever usually affects the pastern and heel area, it can also affect the upper legs and belly. Severe mud fever can cause lameness. In some cases, mud fever can affect the neck area and is also known as rain scald. What causes mud fever? Mud fever arises due to a skin infection caused by the bacteria Dermatophilus Congolensis.  Healthy skin acts as a protective barrier, preventing bacteria from entering the horse’s system and causing damage. However, in wet and muddy conditions, the integrity of the upper layer of skin (epidermis) can become compromised by the abrasion of soil grit on cold, wet skin. When the skin is continually damp,   the protective barrier of the epidermis breaks down allowing the bacteria to enter and cause infection. In winter and early spring, horses and ponies often have to spend several hours in muddy, wet paddocks, and it’s in these conditions that mud fever thrives.  Legs with white socks are generally more prone to the condition, although mud fever is not choosy and will affect horses of all breeds, ages and colours. As with any bacterial infection, mud fever can worsen and become more serious very quickly. When this happens, legs may become swollen and sore and open wounds may become infected. This level of damage to the skin can mean that the open sores are difficult to heal which may lead to formation of proud skin and permanent loss of hair. In severe cases, skin grafts may be needed. How do I prevent mud fever? Good Paddock Management Take preventative action as soon as paddocks start to get wet and muddy. To avoid horses having to stand on muddy ground for too long, it’s a good idea, if possible, to rotate the use of your paddocks so they don’t become poached. Use electric fencing to prevent horses from standing in the deep mud that commonly collects in high traffic areas like gateways. If you can, put good quality hardcore in these areas to provide a standing surface and better drainage. Grooming Avoid hosing down your horse’s legs when he comes in. It is generally better to allow the mud to dry and then brush off with a soft bristled brush. If you must use a hose, gently dry the horse’s legs with a soft, clean, dry towel afterwards. Mud Fever Care Products Many specialised products are available to help protect the skin from moisture to help prevent mud fever. Barrier creams work by forming a protective layer between the leg and mud. A good quality nappy rash cream, such as Sudocrem®, can work just as well and many experienced owners swear by them. Using turnout boots can help keep legs clean and dry and provide a protective layer. What do I do if my horse has mud fever? Treatment If your horse contracts mud fever, keep him out of the wet and mud as much as possible. Carefully clip the hair away from the infected area, rub an anti-bacterial cream onto the scabs to soften them and then gently remove them. Once removed, liberally apply more anti-bacterial cream to the area and make sure you keep the skin clean and dry. If symptoms don’t improve or if you have any doubts then consult your veterinary surgeon who will advise you on the best course of action.   Why not take a look at our Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps? The winter can take its toll on our horses' legs, so keep winter elements at bay with the Close Contact Chaps. Acting as a second skin, these breathable turnout boots enables your horse to maintain healthy skin and keep mud away. Designed with a four-way stretch, they allow your horse freedom of movement whilst out in the field without any restrictions.   Breathable Turnout Boots Provide your horse with the perfect all round protection against mud fever! Suitable for both front and hind legs, these boots encase your horses leg from knee/hock to below the coronet band, preventing mud, wet and cold getting to the leg, when the weather turns.

The Horse’s Hock Joint “The horse’s hock is a complex joint, and plays a major part in the generation of power to jump and gallop, as well as to “sit” in advanced dressage movements. As such, hocks are prone to both degeneration and injury.” Natalie McGoldrick MRCVS The horses hock joint is complex, but important and as most things with horses, can pose multiple problems to our horses working lives. We look into the anatomy of the joint, as well as the common problems associated with it, how they are diagnosed and finally, how they are treated. Horse's Hock anatomy The horse’s hock joint is one of the hardest working of all the joints, and plays a critical role especially in performance horses. It is also one of the most complicated. The horse’s hock is made up of 10 bones and 4 joints supported by several ligaments. The largest joint is the tarso crural joint (TCJ), which forms the upper part of the hock and has a ball and socket mechanism. The TCJ has the greatest range of movement and is known as a high motion joint. The other 3 joints, the proximal intertarsal (PIT), distal intertarsal (DIT) and tarsometatarsal (TMT), act as shock absorbers and are low motion joints. The lower joints – and particularly the DIT and TMT - are the most common sources of lameness in horses because they are under significant stress in a working horse. Common problems of horse’s hock joint Horse lameness is often caused by inflammatory changes that interfere with the normal structure and function of the horse’s hock. Problems can develop gradually so early signs may be as subtle as loss of performance. Other symptoms include: intermittent lameness with or without heat or swelling initial stiffness that improves during warm-up resistance to going downhill soreness in lower back muscles as a result of overcompensating for the hocks Potential horse hock joint problems include: capped hock thoroughpin (puffy swellings similar to windgalls seen around the fetlocks) bog spavin (not a condition as such but caused by an inflamed joint) bone spavin and most commonly, osteochondritis dessecans (OCD) and osteoarthritis (OA) i.e. arthritis of the bone. Osteochondritis dessecans (OCD) OCD and OA are progressive conditions, which mean they tend to worsen over time. They both affect the bone and cartilage causing inflammation and pain. In OCD, abnormalities of the bone and cartilage may result in small fragments breaking off and floating around inside the joint which also cause inflammation. OCD may arise due to rapid growth – it’s often seen in young horses and in foals less than a year old – or due to nutritional issues, genetics, hormonal imbalances or due to trauma relating to exercise. Osteoarthritis (OA) OA arises because the inflamed bone produces additional bone and arises in the lower hock. This process of new bone formation causes restricted movement in the joint, alongside pain and lameness. Horses undergoing high-intensity exercise or those with poor conformation, such as straight, sickle or cow hocks, are more prone to developing hock problems such as OA, though it can also arise in horses doing little work. Diagnosis of OCD and OA of the Horse’s Hock Joint Your vet can perform a number of tests to diagnose hock problems, including flexion tests and X-rays. Natalie McGoldrick MRCVS of South Coast Equine Vets says,”The horse’s hock is a complex joint, and plays a major part in the generation of power to jump and gallop, as well as to sit in advanced dressage movements. Hocks are prone to both degeneration and injury.Probably the most common hock issue is arthritis; this can present subtlety as a small drop in performance, up to signs as obvious as moderate to severe lameness. It is rare to see hock arthritis other than in the lower two hock joints. The hock is also very exposed. It is a common joint to bear the full force of a kick from another horse, or to be badly wounded if a horse kicks through fencing. I always advise for any hock wounds or swellings to be seen as a matter of urgency, especially if combined with lameness. Treatment of OA of the Hock Joint For OA in the horse’s hock joint, the usual course of action from your vet is the injection of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as corticosteroids, directly into the hock joint (intra-articular injections). Your horse will need to have a couple of days rest afterwards and then slowly ease back into work. The benefits of these injections may range from a few weeks to a year or longer. For cases that don’t respond to the conventional steroids, hydrogels may be injected with the aim of reducing pain, conserving cartilage and improving joint mobility. For cases of OCD, treatment is usually surgical removal of the abnormal bone and cartilage though factors need to be considered such as the severity of lameness, location of OCD and age of the horse. There are also non-prescription joint supplements available which may promote healthy cartilage and are preventative rather than therapeutic. Use of alternative therapies such as massage, magnetic and heat can also help keep surrounding muscle tissue healthy, as many horses may begin to compensate elsewhere in their bodies.  

Emma Alcorn and Delphi’s story: Delphi is a 14.2hh Dapple Grey Mare who suffers with the mud during winter. With Delphi having to be turned out 24/7 all year round due to not being able to stable her it has meant that her legs don’t get the chance to recover, resulting in this impacting her jumping career. Emma has owned Delphi for 3 years and has tried multiple lotions and potions to try and fix the problem but nothing has worked. This is where the Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps come in! Emma’s review: ‘As soon as I’d tried them on Delphi I realised that the Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps really are ideal and perfect in every way possible! The material used is breathable and stretchy meaning that it didn’t prevent any movement whilst being worn during turnout The boots are extremely quick and easy to put on, and even easier to take off especially when covered in mud thanks to the well designed tabs They‘re a perfect fit and sit snug around every contour of the leg from the knee to the hoof, which made me notice how they act as over-reach and brushing boot due to the full coverage They really do work to prevent mud from getting on the leg. Every time I have taken the boots off, Delphi’s legs have been completely dry, mud free and clean! They aren’t only good for keeping mud off the legs, but also as extra protection in the field, such as bashing legs whilst rolling and getting caught in fencing The Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps ensure that legs are kept warm too, helping to keep joints from getting cold during the winter. After over a week’s use, I have noticed a huge difference in Delphi already. Her legs are completely free from any scabs or sores and she is feeling much better in herself. She’s trotting around the field on her own which she wouldn’t have done before she had her Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps! These boots really are a miracle & I’m so pleased and grateful that we have finally found the perfect piece of equipment to protect Delphi. I can’t imagine life without them now and will most definitely be ordering some more in the future for use on all my horses! I would highly recommend these to anyone and everyone as they truly are something every equestrian should own.’ Find out more about the Equi-Chaps Close Contact Chaps here

It may seem like you have tried everything you can to help your horse who head shakes, but nothing seems to be helping? Here’s a story to keep you going and encourage you not to give up! Take a read about Kyle and Vin’s journey. Kyles Story I bought my RPSI gelding, Vin, back in 2012 when he was an 8 year old. He had previously done some fox hunting and low level dressage. During the first few months of owning him, he started to exhibit a head toss during exercise, which would increase as we worked more. At first, my trainer and I thought it might be him avoiding contact or staying in frame for collected dressage work, so we spent time building muscle, top line, balance, etc… When that didn’t alleviate anything we went the martingale route (which I’m ashamed of now, knowing he was dealing with something he literally couldn’t control) which would allow us to work but he’d still rail against the straps during our entire ride. It was about a year into it when I started reading about products to help with this. One of the first hits we got was the Muzzle Net from Equilibrium Products. Both my trainer and I looked at it, and both agreed there was no way it was that simple and moved on to the next product. We began with antihistamines, since he’d often rub his nose on his legs when it got the worst. When that didn’t solve anything we tried Equiwinner patches. After losing patch after patch in the pasture and not knowing how long he kept it on we decided to forgo that. We purchased all kinds of sun protection contraptions, all with no results. Then we moved on to using magnesium, which we did see a small improvement with. The head toss would still be there but would take a few more minutes into work to present itself. During this “stage” in our experiments, I went ahead and ordered the Muzzle Net from Equilibrium. Both my trainer and I shook our heads the day I was bridling him up and attaching it, but we were also at our literal wits end on what to try. That very first ride with the net we had almost ZERO toss. He was finally able to relax, release some tension at the poll and seemed to just “breathe”. We both kicked ourselves for not trying this months/years earlier.  The magnesium/net combo helped for a few years, or at least calmed it enough for us to compete in jumping and dressage at a low level. As Vin got a bit older, his shaking progressed some and got back to the point where it was almost too violent for me to ride him. His tosses when he got going were so large that he’d throw his front legs off the ground at times. I found a study online that utilized injectable dexamethasone administered orally, which seemed a little scary, but at this point I was considering just retiring him out to pasture so we gave it a shot. We spoke to our vet, which understandably was pretty cautious and moved forward. Within the first couple months we saw AMAZING improvement. By pulse #4 we had no toss/irritation as long as we continued to ride with the Muzzle Net. Since then, we can get by with pulsing only when his symptoms present themselves and usually only 1 to 2 times per year. It’s literally saved him for us.

Margaret Donnelly, Timmy’s owner and founder of Equilibrium Products talks about what it’s like having a horse that frantically tosses their head, how she solved the problem and how helping her horse, she actually managed to help so many other horses too. I bought Timmy as an un-backed two year old in Ireland. I just fell in love with him – he was such a classy horse! He was backed as a 3/4 year old, and from day one, he was always a fantastic horse for hacking. As a 5 year old, it started becoming clear that he had developed a violent reaction when ridden for probably about the first 10 minutes, where he was tossing his head, trying to strike his nose with his front leg, rearing up, he was snorting continually – literally just one day, completely out of the blue! I remember hacking him out one day that wasn’t too hot or with too many flies, but he got so bad, that I actually got off and put my jacket over his head to calm him down – and that gave him instant relief! One of the other things I noticed, is that when I had him tied up, what he liked to do was rub the end of his nose against the old, traditional brick stables, which seemed to settle him! He would also often try hide his face from any wind or anything like that. He would try tuck it under my arm or something like that to shield it. So working in product development for all of my career, I was used to having a problem, and trying to solve it. Knowing a little bit about sewing as well, I got out my sewing machine and started making a few things for him. After a few weeks of trying different things, I found this very rough mesh that basically, with a close fit, worked the best for him. I noticed he liked to wriggle his nose against it, so it almost provided like a little scratching pad for him. So I found a solution for my horse, I was so delighted! I was being faced with having this fabulous horse that I fell in love with as a two year old, and having to put him down as a 5 year old because the head tossing behaviour had become so violent. No one wants to make that decision. As it was though, he went on to be a fabulous dressage horse, who didn’t really ever miss a Regional Championships. He got to the National Championships and was placed 10th – just got in the ribbons!  Then, more people got to know about this and asked me what was on Timmy’s nose… Although it was quite subtle, which I liked. The design also allowed saliva to escape so it was comfortable to wear, easy to wash and could stay on the bridle all the time, so it was quite easy. I’m always one for keeping things simple, for both horse and owner! I had someone else on my yard say they also had a horse showing the same behaviour, could I make her a Muzzle Net too… turns out, she was also having lessons with someone who had a Grand Prix horse who was also a horse doing the same thing, could I make them one? At the time I was working full time in London, coming back every evening and making more and more Muzzle Nets, and I thought, there’s actually more horses showing this behaviour than I realised – I originally felt very isolated because I thought I was one of the few people who had experienced this! What I decided to do from there was contact the Royal Veterinary College, and they put me in touch with De Montford University and Dr. D. Mills, who was designing a survey to determine if there was a correlation between breeds, ages, background, training, feed, or some sort of pattern of horses across the UK that were showing this head shaking behaviour. I contacted Dr Mills, and at the time, he and his PHD student Katy Taylor were actually trying to test potential products that might reduce the frequency of the head shaking behaviour. I showed him the Muzzle Net and he said, he thought that actually from the feedback from the panel and observations, he felt the Muzzle Net might have a good chance of helping a lot of horses. It went into the clinical trial and was tested against a number of other products, but the Muzzle Net was the most effective of them all. It didn’t help everybody. But it did indicate that 79% horses showed a decrease in the frequency of the head shaking behaviour. In fact, 50% of the horses showed a 100% improvement, which was incredible. The Net Relief Muzzle Net I was at work one day, and I had a friend who was helping me with orders for Net Relief Muzzle Net. She rang me to say the phone had been going mad for the Muzzle Net with people wanting to know where they could get it from, because Horse & Hound had done an article on it. I was working just off Oxford Street in London and I ran down to try find a Horse & Hound somewhere in the middle of London – going into every WHSmiths looking for it. Eventually I got it, and there was a tiny article, about an eighth of a page, showing a picture of Timmy with his Muzzle Net on! This made it clear that Timmy wasn’t in such a small minority, and this was a product that lots of people had been waiting on. The reason Horse & Hound had written the article, was because British Dressage had allowed the Muzzle Net to be used in competition, with written dispensation from the vet. It was a break-though! The letters we’ve had since then to now have been fantastic. We even had one owner in Canada thanking us, saying ‘Thank you for giving me my horse back’, which makes me feel very emotional.

Kissing Spine in horses seems to be all too common today with so many diagnosed. We caught up with Clara Kavanagh about her horse Chili, who is currently in rehabilitation following ‘the ligament snip’, as she explains his symptoms & diagnosis, her decision and the recovery!  The Early Days “I started looking for my ‘dream horse’ last summer, this was a very exciting time for me as I had only ever been able to beg, borrow and lease ponies/horses in my childhood up until I finished my degree in Equine Management. I purchased Chili in August 2018, he is a 6 year old Thoroughbred. I always thought about buying a racehorse and retraining them for a new career. Chili was last raced in June 2018 under the name Farrier Fury. I knew Chili was the right horse for me as he had such a great temperament and once I got him home he was brought on very slowly and took to his new career like a duck to water. He has always acted like an absolute gentleman wherever I brought him! The plan was to gently start him over the winter with a goal to compete in our Riding Club Dressage Spring league and do some Retraining Racehorse to Riding horse classes in the summer of 2019.” The Start of Our Setbacks “Chili unfortunately got a stone bruise in February which I thought would be our only hiccup. However this was only the beginning of our setbacks. One day I went to tack him up for a short hack and noticed he was unusually girthy, and he was very grumpy, which isn’t like him at all. I called the physio to come take a look at him. The physio was concerned that he was showing a lot of stiffness over his back and sacroiliac region, the first thing that came to mind for me was Kissing Spine.  His whole temperament had changed, it was hard for me as it was like I was losing my best friend. I was worried about Chili, so I rang our local vet. I had the vet out to give Chili a once over, the vet gave us advice to continue light work. I had people telling me that I must be imagining something was wrong or that I was silly spending money for the physio and vet to come out just because I had a gut feeling. I was starting to think, they might be right or I might be a hypochondriac the way I was worrying because even though the vet gave him a once over I knew something wasn’t right with him. I wanted to get a second opinion, so I rang Troytown Greyabbey Equine Hospital and spoke to their lameness/orthopaedic specialist and explained my concerns.  So I booked him in for an appointment the following week. Diagnosis Chili spent about two hours having a full lameness diagnostic done which consisted of a trot up, lunging, flexion tests and x-rays. On seeing the X-rays it confirmed my fears, it was Kissing Spine, he had four processes touching. The vet confirmed that the kissing spine had most likely resulted from his racing career and his back conformation. Our choice was to have surgery (Interspinous Ligament Desmotomy, aka ‘The Ligament Snip’) or to medicate via corticosteroid injections. Chili also turned out to have a bone chip on his near hind fetlock however it causes him no issues! I brought him back to the hospital for bone scintigraphy scans, this helped me decide that the surgical route would be in Chili’s best interest as he was still a young horse and he would benefit the most from the ligament snip. The specialist vet was optimistic that if the surgery and rehab was successful Chili would be more than capable of returning to a competitive career with a rehab time of 6-8 weeks. This meant there was a small glimmer of hope for us, so I booked Chili in for surgery. Chili spent 4 days at the Equine Hospital, the surgery went very well, and Chili began intensive hand walking by the nurses the day after surgery. I brought Chili home on 26th of April and have been continuing to hand walk him for 30 minutes twice daily. Chili has since had a check up at Troytown Greyabbey to remove the stitches and the vet could not be happier with his progress.  He has been an absolute pleasure to rehab so far, he really is my dream horse! My advice to any horse owners that may be going through the same challenges as Chili and I faced would be to always trust your gut, you alone know you’re horse well enough to make the right choice regarding what is best for them. If in doubt don’t be afraid to ask for help or a second opinion. I dread to think how long Chili might have continued to soldier on in pain had I not trusted my gut. I would highly recommend the Equilibrium Massage Pad to any horse owner. It is very easy to incorporate into your everyday routine warm-up/warm down and it has made a big difference to Chili! It was comforting to know that the massage pad kept him relaxed! Chili is now starting week 4, he has started long reining in walk this week and will incorporate work in a Pessoa once the incision points on his back have had more time to heal. Our Physio has also been out this week to release any tension and do some laser therapy. I have been using Massage Pad and Magnetic Rug daily since the operation and it is honestly like having my best friend back! He is much more relaxed in himself and I have Troytown Greyabbey and Equilibrium Products to thank for that! Chili has another 4 weeks at least until he can begin work back under saddle but its a big step in the right direction!”  

Does your horse has any unusual lumps, bumps rashes or bald patches? How do you know what skin condition it is? Understanding horse skin conditions can be confusing and frustrating to know how to treat them. Skin irritations can develop at any time of year, but each season can create a problem for sensitive horses. We look at 6 of the most common skin conditions, advice on recognising them and the treatments available. Mud Fever/Pastern Dermatitis By far the most common skin condition, especially during the winter months, is mud fever, or pastern dermatitis.  This is a dermatitis involving the skin on the back of the pastern, fetlocks, and further up the leg. It requires moisture to become established, which is why it is often called “mud fever”. However, it is also commonly seen during the summer months, due to the early morning dew, followed by hot sun. Horses with white legs appear to be very susceptible. In these cases, you will often see the dermatitis extending all of the way up the horse’s white “sock”.  It is mainly caused by the bacteria, Dermatophilus congolensis. Treatment Treatment involves keeping the legs as clean and dry as possible, and clipping the hair is also helpful. If the legs are swollen, a vet must be consulted, as this usually indicates infection, which will need antibiotics. The legs are often very sore, and once the area is clipped and cleaned, applying a soothing topical cream will aid comfort. Occasionally severe pastern dermatitis, especially during the summer months, in areas with pink skin (white socks) may be an indicator of a more severe underlying problem. It could indicate liver disease, or an immune mediated disease, so, if in doubt, speak to your vet. Rain Scald Rain scald is basically mud fever, but on a horse’s back. As with mud fever, this is caused by the bacteria, Dermatophilus congolensis, and is due to the horse’s back being exposed to prolonged periods of wet weather.  Treatment is to keep the area clean and dry, and will often require a period of stabling to resolve. Leg Mites An extremely common condition seen in horses with lots of feather, is leg mites, or “Chorioptes equi”. This condition is easily identified, as the horse normally “stamps” its legs on the ground, bites at its legs, or tries to find gate posts or low fencing to rub the backs of its legs on.  The mites irritate the skin, and this, combined with the horse rubbing the skin, can result in infection. Treatment If not treated promptly (often with ivermectin injections), flies can be attracted to the hair and damp skin, resulting in maggot infestations during the summer months. Keeping the legs clipped, and changing bedding frequently, will minimize the risk of leg mites. Allergic/Urticarial Reactions Horses can present with raised patches of varying sizes over their bodies, due to various allergic reactions. The horse may have: eaten something. rolled in something. or been stung by something that he/she is allergic to. If there are just a few lumps, and the source is removed, then these should resolve on their own. If your horse is covered in raised patches, especially if these are anywhere near the head, then your vet should be called.  Steroids, administered by a vet, will normally result in rapid resolution of the reaction. Unfortunately, anti-histamines rarely work well in horses. Sweet Itch Sweet Itch is a specific type of allergic reaction, as it presents in a very specific way readily recognized by most horse owners. Sweet itch is hypersensitivity to the biting midge, Culicoides. The disease can start at any age, and usually worsens with each consecutive summer. Pruritus (itching) usually occurs at the sites where the midge feeds, so the mane and tail, and often the back. Treatment The best way to treat and manage Sweet Itch, is by removing the horse from the source. This means stabling the horse at dawn and dusk (normally around 5pm-8am) and keeping the horse well covered with a light ear to tail rug when turned out, to try and prevent the midges from biting.  Keeping the horse in an electrified paddock, where he can’t itch, will prevent the rubbing, but won’t help the horse’s comfort. In some cases, your vet will prescribe steroids, but the risk of steroid induced laminitis must be considered.  Good fly/midge repellants are essential. The skin is usually hot and sore, so applying soothing creams and gels will aid comfort. The skin can very easily become infected due to rubbing, so Sweet Itch treatment will nearly always involve your vet. Sun Burn Horses with pink noses/white faces can suffer from sun burn, just as we can. Any areas of pink skin must be kept covered up, either with a well fitted fly mask with nose cover, or sun block, or both.  Fly masks are easily removed by some horses, so ensure you buy one that both fits well, and is of good quality, to avoid rubbing. Treatment Sun burn can be relieved using cooling/soothing gels and in the worst cases, oral anti-inflammatories. Apparent sun burn on a pink nose may also be a sign of underlying disease, so consult your vet if it does not resolve quickly.

The Benefits of Cold Application on Horses The main purpose of cold therapies is to constrict the capillaries and reduce blood flow to the area. This is known as vasoconstriction. This can help to: – Reduce haemorrhage (blood loss, which can lead to bruising)– reduced blood flow means fewer white blood cells, which in turn helps to reduce the inflammatory response– nerve fibre conduction falls, this reduces pain perception (based on the pain gate theory)– ice with compression can help prevent fluid leakage from damaged tissue When should I use it? Cold is most suited to use for acute conditions (meaning they haven’t been there very long). Such as:– A new injury; a knock, bump or kick– New swelling in a tendon– Bites and stings– Burns– Muscle strain– After exercise to aid recovery During strenuous exercise the tendons of the horses’ legs can increase to a level where damage may occur. If the horse is wearing boots this can be especially dangerous as it is harder for the heat to escape and therefore for the legs to cool down. Using cold therapy after strenuous exercise can help prevent further temperature increase of the tendons and help aid recovery. When a muscle is worked tiny tears in the muscle fibres occur. If left untreated post exercise this can cause a delayed onset of muscle soreness that can be uncomfortable and may make your horse feel stiff and sensitive. If left untreated long term this can lead to muscle knots and trigger points. One of the best ways to prevent this is to cool the main muscle groups involved in exercise (will be dependent on what exercises you have done with your horse) and to stretch the muscles later that day and the following morning. Where can I apply it? Cold can be applied almost anywhere it is needed, as long as you can keep it in place for the required treatment time. Cold is most commonly used on the lower limb after exercise to prevent tendons heating further after they have been worked. It can also be used anywhere over the body for bites, kicks, knocks and bruises. When applying cold it is important to keep checking the temperature of the cold pack. This is because as it starts to increase in temperature it will no longer have the desired effect. The time this takes will vary, depending on what applicator is used. It is important to always have material between an ice pack and your horses’ skin to prevent ice burns. When should I NOT use it? Cold can have an adverse effect if used:– before exercise, as it can increase the risk of muscle or tendon strains– if left on too applicators can warm up and start to have the opposite effect

The use of heat is usually accepted well by horses and ponies, and we know how beneficial it can be from using it on ourselves too. There are many factors to consider when using heat for our horses, such as: Methods of delivery. How long to use it for. How to maintain a consistent temperature. But for now, we take a  look into why we would want to use it for our horses, as well as when and where to use it too. The Benefits of Heat Increased metabolic activity and nerve activity. This leads to: An increased demand for oxygen.Widening of the blood vessels (vasodilatation) which increases blood flow and therefore delivery of oxygen and nutrients.Improved metabolism of waste products, leading to better recovery.More oxygen and nutrients are available for the cells. Increased Mobility Achieved by: relaxing muscle fibresincreased pliability of connective tissue aiding flexibilitymaintaining freer joint movement with low resistance Research suggests for an effect, tissue temperature needs to increase by at least 3 to 5°C from the resting temperature (Bockstahler et al, 2004). However using something that is too hot could cause discomfort and even damage to the tissue. When should I use heat? Heat is most suited to use for chronic conditions. Such as: muscle spasm which is very common in the horses’ back – especially in the lumbar region behind where the back of the saddle sits relaxation of general muscle stiffness – perhaps from an increase in workload or general wear and tear osteoarthritis and other joint stiffness – particularly common in the hock and fetlock joints chronic tendonitis – in other words, an old tendon injury that presents as a swollen tendon. This is common in the fore limb SDFT (superficial digital flexor tendon) and DDFT (deep digital flexor tendon) in race and ex-race horses, and in jumping horses. In dressage horses this is seen more in the hind limbs. bursitis – this in an inflamed pocket of fluid with the joint. Usually seen in the knee or in the hock. Where can I apply heat? Heat can be applied almost anywhere, so long as you can keep it in place for the required time. Use heat before exercising your horse to help warm the muscles and tendons. Heat should always be used at rest and care should be taken to not overheat vulnerable tendons in the lower limb. If your horse is not in work then heat can be applied at any time of day when they are resting, either on the yard or in their stable. As a general rule, heat should be applied for around 20 minutes at a time up to 4 times a day. When should Heat NOT be used? Heat can have an adverse effect if used: in the acute stages of inflammation (the first 72 hours after injury or surgery) on an open or bleeding wound In both of the above scenarios cold should be applied to aid vasoconstriction (the narrowing of blood vessels).

Horse fly masks are a common piece of equipment for horses, but many people don't realize that they also provide UV protection. In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of UV protection for horses and how horse fly masks can help. We will also provide some tips on choosing the right fly mask for your needs.  UV rays can damage the skin and eyes of horses. Preventing sunburn. Horses can get sunburned, just like humans. Sunburn can cause pain, inflammation, and even skin cancer. Horses with pink skin are more susceptible to this, however prolonged exposure can still cause damage for all horses.  Protecting the eyes. UV rays can damage the eyes, leading to cataracts, corneal ulcers, and other problems. Just as you might buy sunglasses with UV protection for you own eyes, horse equivalents are available too!  Preventing photosensitization. Photosensitization is a condition that occurs when a horse's skin is overexposed to UV rays. It can cause the skin to become red, itchy, and painful.  UV and Headshaking.  UV light can be a trigger for headshaking in horses. Headshaking is a condition in which a horse shakes its head violently, often in response to a trigger such as wind, sunlight, or dust. The exact cause of headshaking is unknown, but it is thought to be caused by a combination of factors, including: Inflammation of the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is the fifth cranial nerve and is responsible for sensation in the face. Inflammation of this nerve can cause pain, which can trigger headshaking. Allergies. Allergies to pollen, dust, or other environmental factors can also trigger headshaking. Nerve damage. Damage to the nerves in the head and neck can also cause headshaking.  Find out more about headshaking here.  Horse fly masks and rugs can provide UV protection.  Differing levels of UV protection are available. 100% UV is difficult to achieve in a fly mask as these are generally made from mesh to ensure visibility. The holes in the mesh will naturally allow some UV in - however if there weren't holes it would be unlikely that your horse will be able to see. Fly rugs with UV protection are commonly used not just for flies - but to reduce bleaching to your horses coat caused by the sun's rays. Think of it like garden furniture which usually has UV resistant fabric. The materials colour would fade much more quickly when left in the sun without any UV protection properties, when compared to UV resistant material.  There are a variety of horse fly masks available, so it is important to choose one that fits well and is comfortable for your horse.  Before choosing a mask for your horse, you should consider your horses full needs - do they have sensitive skin, are they easily irritated, what are the 'must-have' features for your fly mask? You might want to just shield their eyes, in which case a mask without ears or a nosepiece might do, however other masks are available offering more coverage if you need it. Other things such as padding, a close fit, the UV rating and protect guarantee are just some of the things you should consider. Read more about choosing the perfect fly mask here.  Conclusion Horse fly masks are an important piece of equipment for horses, and they can also provide UV protection. By choosing the right horse fly mask and cleaning it regularly, you can help protect your horse from the harmful effects of UV rays.  Tips: Choose a horse fly mask that fits well and is comfortable for your horse. Clean your horse fly mask regularly to prevent the build-up of bacteria and mould. Replace your horse fly mask if it becomes damaged. Apply sunscreen to your horse's exposed skin, such as its nose, even if they are covered by a horse fly mask. Where relevant, horses should be kept in the shade during the hottest part of the day in extreme temperatures. This will help to reduce their exposure to UV rays. Shade, be it natural or artificial, should always be accessible to your horse.