A hoof abscess is one of the most painful conditions a horse can have. They can go from being perfectly fine one day to looking like they broke their leg the next.

Good Monday Morning

Ellie woke up barely able to put any pressure on her right, front hoof. She gingerly walked across the hard pad in front of the barn to eat breakfast. Every step was an effort as she tried to distribute her 1800 pounds on three legs.

The Diagnosis

The warmth of her hoof told the tale, that she had an abscess. The infection was causing extreme pressure to build up. Relief would only come when the abscess broke through the hoof wall.

Treatment

Immediately, we started using red light therapy on her hoof. By Wednesday, Ellie was starting to feel better and was putting more weight on her leg. By Friday, she was back to her usual routine of confidently walking her pasture.

For more information, go to Photonic Health

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Horses, while large in stature, are very delicate. It does not take much for them to get injured or get sick. For years, Roanchar Ranch Draft Horse Rescue has been using red light therapy to help residents heal after an injury or sickness.

For example, when Louie severely cut himself trying to jump a gate it was used. By treating him every day, we were able to reduce the swelling and pain. Now, you can barely see the 18-inch scar on his leg. Today, we use it on Abe to increase his mobility because of the effects of Lyme disease.

What is Red Light Therapy?

Low-level laser therapy (LLLT), uses light wavelengths to stimulate cells. The increase in the blood flow makes it possible for oxygen and nutrients to reach the cells, enabling them to function properly and effectively. This results in tissue repair and regeneration, a reduction in pain and inflammation, and clears out dead or degenerated cells.

What is Red Light Therapy Used for?

• Muscular injuries
• Tendon injuries
• Ligament injuries
• Bruising
• Wounds
• Arthritis
• Fractures
• Muscles Recovery
• Back Pain
• Neuropathy

For more information, go to Photonic Health

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Do Horses Need a Spa Day?

You bet they do! They say that equine massage has been around for approximately 200 years! However, beginning in the early 1990s, it has become much more widely understood, studied, and utilized.

Just like humans, horses have muscles, tendons, and nerves. From time to time, these may be out of alignment or in need of massage or adjustment. Sometimes, it is just relaxing and good for the mind and soul!

From the fine-tuned athlete, show horse, barrel racer, trail horse, jumper, dressage, workhorse, or your backyard pasture pet, massage can have positive results! Did you know that horses have approximately 700 muscles in their body? We, humans, have approximately 600! That’s a lot of muscle, or what I call, “horsepower”!

Not Just an Average Massage

Have you ever been on a massage table and the masseuse does their work and you melt into the table? Well, there are people that specialize in equine massage. There are also equine chiropractors and acupuncturists. These highly trained individuals work on the horses’ muscle groups to help relax, loosen, manipulate, and strengthen specific areas.

There are different types of massage techniques used by the equine massage therapist. These techniques are called effleurage, petrissage, compression, cross fiber massage, tapotement, trigger point therapy, and myofascial release. This therapy can encourage blood flow and bring in oxygen and other nutrients, at the same time removing lactic acid buildup. Just like us humans, we have different techniques depending on what we are needing.

Who Needs a Massage?

At Roanchar Ranch Draft Horse Rescue, we use OnPoint Equine Services to help Louie. Because of the lasting effects of having Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis, Louie’s muscles become tight and restrict his movement.

During a session, Louie displays tension release by licking his lips, yawning, and dropping his head. When the session is over, Louie usually is not as stiff when he walks and starts trotting a day or two later.

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When or if to blanket

One of the biggest debates among horse owners revolves around blanketing. Some say that blankets need to be used if the temperature dips below 30 degrees. Others say that a horse can handle most temperatures as long as they are not wet, have shelter, and have plenty of hay.

The truth is that both opinions are correct depending on the horse.

A horse’s natural warming system; their coat

A horse’s coat is comprised of two types of hair: longer stiffer guard hairs; and a soft, fluffy undercoat. The guard hairs “guard” or protect the soft hairs from dirt and water, shed off rain, and collect moisture from sweat that might damage the undercoat. The softer, fluffier hairs of the undercoat trap warm air between and act like insulation around the horse. Natural oils are produced that coat the hair to make them water-resistant. Each hair is connected to the piloerector muscle. This muscle allows the hairs to be stood up or laid flat. When they stand up, warm air is trapped between them, just above the surface of the skin. When they lie down, warm air is released from between them, cooling the area above the surface of the skin.

Body condition plays a role

A horse’s body knows when winter is coming and will start to put on a layer of fat in late summer and early fall in preparation. During cold weather, the fermentation of hay as a horse digests produces an incredible amount of heat. Basically, a horse has a built-in furnace that is fueled by hay. Keep the furnace running and a horse will continue to stay warm.

Just like in a house, though, not all horse furnaces are efficient. Some run better than others. For those horses that are hard keepers and lose weight in the winter, they may need the help of a blanket to keep them warm and maintain their weight.

Boiling down when to blanket

When doesn’t a horse need to be blanketed?

• When he has a natural winter coat
• When he is healthy and in good body weight
• When it is not too windy or raining
• If the temperature says above 5° F

When does a horse need to be blanketed?

• When he has been clipped for winter
• When he is sick or injured
• When he is underweight (or any “hard keeper”)
• When he is older, with weight issues, or difficulty moving around
• When he has been recently moved to a colder climate (Expect it to take 10-21 days for a horse to acclimate to a new climate)
• When it is Windy or Rainy or both
• When there is no available shelter

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Apollo recently had x-rays taken to figure out why his right front leg is so sore. The result was a severe case of low ringbone.

What is Ringbone?

Ringbone in horses refers to a painful condition characterized by new bone growth. It affects either the pastern joint (“high ringbone”) or the coffin joint (“low ringbone”). There are many causes for it, but two are prevalent for Apollo. One is the fact that Apollo walks with his toes in, most commonly known in people as pigeon-toed. The other is the fact that he endured a trauma, namely a fracture that did not heal properly.

How to treat Ringbone?

Ringbone is a degenerative condition that is not curable. However, with the proper treatment, the progression can be slowed down. Some of the more common ways are the following:

• Rest
• Anti-inflammatory medication
• Bone fusion
• Corrective shoeing
• Supplements
• Maintain a healthy weight

For Apollo, we are using a multi-prong approach. He will continue to take Equioxx, which is an anti-inflammatory, and he will now be taking Osteon by Platinum Performance, a bone, and soft tissue supplement. His weight will also be monitored carefully so that his joints are not overly stressed.

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The changing of the clocks is a sure sign that Spring will soon be upon us.  Unfortunately, it also means mud season and horse issues.

For horse owners, mud season brings a host of problems ranging from skin to hoof to infections.

Skin Problems

Rain rot, scratches, or mud fever are all bacterial conditions that are brought on by muck and excessive moisture. The symptoms are loss of hair and scabs. If not treated properly, a more serious infection can occur.

Rain Rot

Also called dermatophilosis, rain rot is a skin infection caused by Dermatophilus congolensis. Living on the horse’s skin, D. congolensis is mostly dormant, but under wet conditions, this bacterium can cause an inflammatory infection resulting in lesions along your horse’s skin.

Scratches

A common skin condition that can affect the heel, the back of the pastern, the fetlock, and occasionally the cannon bone. A horse’s delicate skin will become inflamed, resulting in redness and ulcers.

Hoof Issues

Horse hooves are delicate structures. In dry weather they crack and in wet weather they become too soft. With excessive moisture, horses’ feet become more vulnerable to issues like thrush, canker, abscesses, and white line disease.

Thrush

An infection of the frog of the horse’s foot. A common indicator of thrush is black discharge from the frog that smells.

Canker

An infection of the horn of the horse’s hoof. A common indicator of canker is a vegetative mass of horn over the frog.

White Line Disease

An invasion of bacteria and fungi that destroys hoof-wall tissue. The bacteria enters in a crack or separation in the hoof wall. A common indicator is a powdery hoof wall where it should be solid.

Injury Risks

Muddy conditions means that a horse can’t gain any traction. Slip and fall injuries can range from bruising to pulled muscles to ligament and tendon issues.

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For the last six months, we have been searching for a treatment plan that would help Louie overcome the symptoms of Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM).  Over that time, we have learned just how complex the disease is and how difficult it is to reverse the effects.

After trying several rounds of traditional treatment that never produced sustained results, we decided to start researching other avenues.  What we found was that many people were having good results by changing their horse’s diet.

The first change was to stop giving commercial feed and to switch to alfalfa pellets.  Inflammation is the enemy of EPM. The soy in commercial feeds increases the chance of the horse having an inflammatory response.

One key to combating the disease is to build up the horse’s immune system.  We are doing that by adding trace minerals from KIS, Vitamin E and Flaxseed through CEP Vitality, and unrefined sea salt from Seven Farms.

The other key is stimulating nerve growth so that the brain and spine will begin communicating again.  By using a combination of Lean Muscle, Nerve Boost, Spine & Nerve, and Super Concentrate from Immunbiome, the brain and spinal cord are supported while recovering.

To transition Louie to his new diet and supplements will take a bit of time.  Transitioning food alone takes about a week.  Add in the sheer number of supplements that Louie will need to take and it will probably take about a month to get him on the full compliment.