April 15, 2009 by admin.

FROM THE HORSE HEALTH SPECIALISTS
The foot is the most common site of all lameness in the horse with the forelimb foot lameness being more prevalent than hind limb. Without correct hoof balance and good hoof maintenance some horses will inevitable go lame or not perform to their optimum. More and more people understand this; through their own experience or the experience of others, but there are still many people who have a miscomprehension of how important a horse’s feet are in relation to soundness.

We should consider whether the horse been suitably shod for the confirmation and the discipline the horse is used for.
Discuss the potential problems with the farrier. Please do not expect a farrier to comment on the work of another; this would be unprofessional, so please do not put a farrier in that uncomfortable position. The question you need to ask and discuss with your own farrier is; can the hoof care be improved on the short and long term? What can you as the owner do between shoeings?

The British Summer brings a host of climatic problems for the hoof. The continual change of temperature, humidity, rainfall and then baking hard ground or, recently, floods can be problematic for the horse’s foot.

Hard Ground Issues

Collectively we at Kevin Bacon hear about the following problems:
“Jarring up” Bruised Soles, Sore feet, Corns, Sandcracks, and Brittle Feet

Some horse are more prone to become “jarred up” on hard ground, in some cases pads or “solepack” can help, be wary of the lack of traction that fitting pads can cause.
Flat footed thin soled horses are most prone to bruising and this is generally created by repetitive trauma to the foot by riding on hard or stony ground. Again pads may help but beware you may lose traction.

A corn is a bruising of the capillaries between the hoof wall and bar at the heel of the foot. A corn is caused by excessive pressure. If the pressure is not eased corns may become infected which can cause lameness for long periods of time. Bar shoes may help in certain cases but seek advice from your farrier. Management of the horse prone to bruising means working with your farrier to create and maintain a stronger hoof wall and sole through trimming and shoeing. Extra care must be taken when using studs on hard ground that you do not unbalance the foot loading weight onto one point of the foot.

Some horses develop multiple splits around the bottom of the hoof wall during dry hot summers. This can lead to infections particularly in the unshod horse, whilst the shod horse becomes prone to losing shoes. Brittle feet and sandcracks both require regular treatment from the farrier whilst horn growth can benefit from supplements containing biotin, methionine, vitamin A and calcium such as Kevin Bacons Hoof Formula or Farriers Formula, which will improve new growth whilst topical applications of Hoof Dressing or hoof grease will keep the feet elastic and supple. The barrier protection of Hoof Dressing will also protect the feet from bacteria.

Wet Ground Conditions

Thrush, Infection in the foot, overreaches cracked heels and mud fever.
Thrush develops due to poor hygiene, failure to clean the feet regularly and leaving the horse standing in dirty damp conditions. Conformation will also play part with deep clefts being especially susceptible. During the summer months we often get phone calls about horses travelling long distances on horse boxes with rubber floors which can have high levels of ammonia and damp conditions; this can manifest itself into thrush and may prevent horses competing due to mild lameness. Other opportunities for summer thrush to occur are – horses on box rest or confined to small areas which have not been properly cleaned out. Prevention of some cases can be straight forward, regular cleaning of the feet with topical application of products such as Hoof Solution to prevent deterioration of frog and sole tissues.

Infections of the foot are probably the most common cause of lameness and the symptoms can occur quite suddenly. Veterinary attention should be sought immediately. Although infections can occur at any time of year we see more cases during wet ground conditions because the white line is softer and more easily penetrated by foreign bodies.

Overreaching is a common problem when riding across wet and heavy ground. Caused by the horse striking the forelimb heel or coronary band by the toe of the hind limb, this can develop into cuts of varying depth and severity depending on surrounding areas bruising. Noting your horse’s conformation and way of moving can assist in the management of this problem. Discuss with your farrier the dilemma and he may be able to shoe the horse in a precautionary way. Simply wearing protective boots when competing on heavy ground, jumping or during fast work may also assist.

Cracked heels and mud fever basically affect the skin above the hoof resulting in swelling, stiffness and lameness. Usually considered a winter ailment, horses stood in deep mud or flood for long periods of time without the opportunity to dry out can create irritation. Once again both ailments become management issues with failure to recognise clinical signs of infection, soft tissue swelling, cracks, skin stretching and splitting and oozing fluid and finally infection. We at Kevin Bacon recommend throughout the seasons that you ensure the horse has the opportunity to dry out! The legs should then be washed with a mild soap such as Active Soap or Hibiscrub, dried and then treated with a topical oil based cream such as Micro-Tek Gel or Spray from Eqyss. Severe cases may need veterinary attention.

Summer hoof care, like any time of year, is subject to good management procedures to maintain healthy feet. The horse’s feet and skin can cope well with extremes of weather when we are prepared to maintain hoof quality with correct feeding, high-quality farriery and excellent stable management. Finally, buying horses with good foot conformation is more likely to maintain healthy sound horse what ever the weather is doing.

For More Information Please Visit www.horsehealth.co.uk

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April 15, 2009 by admin.

From The Leading Horse Health Product Supplier
It probably seems unlikely that a skin product for ‘humans’ was the basis for a very useful equine product but this is the case with Staytite ‘cooling gel’.

Designed to give relief from muscular strains such as shin splints in athletes (professional or leisure!); Staytite incorporates the cooling powers of Calendula with the anti-inflammatory effects of Arnica and MSM. The result is an immediate cooling sensation on the affected area with subsequent reduction in the discomfort. Particularly important to ‘people’ is the ease at which Staytite can be used; no strong smell, light non-sticky gel and washes off clothes.

Now this product is available for horses to use regularly on the legs instead of clays or bandaging. It has immediate cooling properties after exercise and continues to reduce swelling or discomfort as it is absorbed. The added benefit for the groom is that it washes off as easily as it is put on and doesn’t require wrapping!

And the benefits don’t end there! Staytite can be used on stings and hives to alleviate itching and irritation which makes it an important summer ‘first aid’ kit essential.

FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT www.horsehealth.co.uk

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April 15, 2009 by admin.

CURTESY OF HORSE HEALTH LEADING SUPPLIER OF HORSE PRODUCTS
Flair Equine Nasal Strips TM from Horsefair
Do you need to reduce your horse’s fatigue, recovery time and lung stress with simple solution? Clinical studies have shown that FLAIR Nasal Strips reduce recovery times and lung stress and fatigue.

How does it work? Horses evolved to breathe through their nose only, during heavy exercise the horse can experience nasal tissue collapse which means he has to work harder to get the oxygen into his lungs and then pump it around the body to the hard working locomotory muscles. The FLAIR strips support the nasal passageways, allowing your horse to get all the oxygen he needs whilst expending less energy. During the clinical trials it was noted that there was also a lesser occurrence of bleeding (EIPH). Top athletes use something very similar and you may have seen the human version used in Greece last year, particularly during the endurance races.

Sam Griffiths – Australian Three Day Eventer

“I have used the FLAIR Nasal Strips on novices through to four star horses, the improvement in their endurance and recovery was immediate.”
Visit www.horsehealth.co.uk for more information

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April 15, 2009 by admin.

CURTESY OF HORSE HEALTH LEADING SUPPLIER OF HORSE PRODUCTS
WHAT IS A BLEEDER?
To most people a “bleeder” is a horse that has blood at the nostrils during or after training or racing.

ALL HORSES ARE BLEEDERS!
However, research has shown that if horses are ‘scoped (the process of placing a thin tube with a camera inside the windpipe) after galloping or racing, between 40-80% of horses will have some blood visible in the windpipe, but not at the nostrils. That is, you would not know the horse had bled unless you ‘scoped it. If you ‘scope any horse on three different occasions after galloping it will have blood in the windpipe on at least one occasion. If we look even deeper into the lung we know that all horses break blood vessels.

HORSES DO NOT HAVE TO GALLOP TO BLEED.
Research in Japan showed that horses that only cantered at speeds of up to 20 mph (a very slow canter for a racehorse) all had damage to their lungs as a result of broken blood vessels

DAMAGE TO THE LUNG INCREASES WITH SPEED.
The faster a horse gallops, the more damage done to the lung. The more times a horse gallops, the more damage is done. Other factors can also increase how much damage is done to the lung, such as extremes of going (very hard and very soft) and weight carried – the higher the weight, the worse the bleeding.

DAMAGE TO THE LUNG INCREASES THROUGHOUT A HORSES CAREER.
Each time a horse does more than a slow canter, some blood vessels in the lung are broken. At first this damage only affects a small area at the top back part of the lung. With repeated cantering, galloping and racing, the damage does not stay in one place but accumulates and moves further towards the head, affecting more and more of the lung. Thus, the severity and frequency of bleeding observed by ‘scoping after exercise or racing almost always increases with age.

WHAT DOES BLEEDING DO TO THE LUNG?
The blood vessels that break in the lung are almost always the blood vessels of the pulmonary circulation. This is the venous (deoxygenated) blood circulation that comes from the heart and flows through the lung to collect more oxygen. When the vessels are ruptured, they may become blocked or not function normally. If they are repaired they may also become stiffer as scar tissue is not as flexible as normal healthy lung tissue. As might be expected, damaged lung tissue, even if it is repaired, does not function as well and so the horse’s lung capacity and lung function are reduced. As the lung is a limiting factor for performance in racehorses, even small losses of function can have a significant adverse effect on performance.

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS FOR TREATING BLEEDERS?
There are only two proven treatments: Furosemide (Salix, formerly Lasix) and FLAIR® Nasal Strips. Furosemide is a powerful drug which is effective in reducing bleeding by around ~75% the first time it is used. However, there is no evidence to suggest that Furosemide is effective if it is used repeatedly. In addition, to really reduce the damage to the lungs from exercise, the drug would need to be given 4 times a week for most racehorse training programmes.

FLAIR Nasal Strips have been shown to be equally as effective as furosemide in reducing the severity of bleeding following training or racing. In addition, because the FLAIR Strip is a mechanical device, it will be equally as effective every time it is used and could potentially be used on every fast exercise day.

FLAIR® NASAL STRIPS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BE USED DURING RACING IN THE UK SO IS THERE ANY POINT IN USING THEM IN TRAINING?
Damage to the lung occurs with every fast piece of work. The damage accumulates over time the more a horse canters and gallops. The more damage is done to the lung the greater its function is reduced, adversely affecting performance. Even if you can’t race with FLAIR Nasal Strips, it makes sense to use them in training to limit how much damage occurs to the lungs so that they are in the best condition possible when it matters……in the race.

From www.horsehealth.co.uk

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April 15, 2009 by admin.

CURTESY OF HORSE HEALTH LEADING SUPPLIER OF HORSE PRODUCTS
Contains B Complex, Vitamin C, Amino Acid (l-trytophan), folic Acid & Magnesium

Anxicalm™ is a scientifically designed nutritional supplement to help calm excitable horses in stressful conditions such as competition, travelling or sales, therefore maximising equine performance.

A link between food and mood can be traced to neurotransmitter activity in the brain. Certain micronutrients such as folate (folic acid), magnesium, niacin, and l-tryptophan may decrease feeling of anxiety & nervousness.

• Folic Acid: Folic acid appears to have the ability to reduce the high levels of homocysteine associated with anxiety
• Magnesium :Is a mineral that may ease anxiety by acting as a muscle relaxant
• B Complex vitamins Deficiencies in the B vitamins, particularly B6, B1 and pantothenic acid, have resulted in anxiety. Based on niacin’s well-recognised role in promoting sound nerve cell function, some experts recommend this B vitamin for relieving feelings of anxiety and panic.
• L-tryptophan: The amino acid L-tryptophan (found in whole milk as well as other foods) is converted to serotonin in the body; increased serotonin levels generally decrease anxiety. Vitamins B6 and C are necessary for the conversion of tryptophan to serotonin.

This highly palatable liquid is particularly useful when fed to calm excitable horses in stressful conditions such as competition, or travelling. Anxicalm can be fed three to four hours prior to competition or travelling or a reduced daily dose.

www.horsehealth.co.uk

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