News

By Stacey Oke, DVM, MSc
Let’s delve deeper into the dietary omega 3 fatty acids benefits for horses, including economic benefits.
Some say beauty is only skin deep, and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. But what horse lover doesn’t notice (and perhaps drool a little) when confronted with another horse on the course with way healthier skin than their own horse’s and a coat so dazzling it’s nearly blinding?

Posted by Kristen M. Janicki, MS, PAS
Vegetable- and marine-based sources can provide your horse with essential omega-3 fatty acids. Here are some things to consider when choosing an omega-3 supplement for your horse.
They might not be magical cure-alls, but with benefits such as reducing inflammation and skin reactivity to allergens, omega-3 fatty acids could be considered go-to supplements for horse owners wishing to improve their horses’ health and performance.

TONY LOCK reports on the gastroscopy training forum held during gastric ulcer awareness month.
THE BEVA gastroscopy training forum held in May at b&W Equine Group's Willesley clinic, once again proved to be a huge success for all attending delegates. Run by a panel of specialist instructors, the course covered all aspects of equine gastroscopy in a very practical and informative way. By the end of the day all delegates had managed to conquer the enigma of passing a gastroscope through the pylorus and into the duodenum.

The Horse Digestive System
The horse digestive system is not difficult to understand. Understanding how horses’ digestive tract works will help horse owners feed smarter and prevent digestive related illnesses.

Bacterial infections in the large bowel (also known as bacterial overgrowths or simply dysbiosis) come in many different shapes and sizes. Today we will be covering the multi-pronged approach to defining and treating bacterial infections or overgrowths in the large bowel.

Although it’s not a cure-all, coconut oil may effectively reduce eczema symptoms by soothing skin, easing irritation, and reducing the risk of infection.

Eczema, often referred to as contact dermatitis, is a skin condition marked by redness, itching, and scaly patches that sometimes weep. It’s a chronic condition that may come and go over the course of many years. Its symptoms often start to occur in children under age 5, continuing to flare up and recede throughout adolescence and adulthood. There is no cure for eczema, but its symptoms can often be alleviated or controlled.

By Carey A. Williams, Ph.D., Extension Specialist in Equine Management
Digestive System Limitations
Horses are non-ruminant herbivores (hind-gut fermentors). Their small stomach only has a capacity of 2 to 4 gallons for an average-sized 1000 lb. horse. This limits the amount of feed a horse can take in at one time. Equids have evolved as grazers that spend about 16 hours a day grazing pasture grasses. The stomach serves to secrete hydrochloric acid (HCl) and pepsin to begin the breakdown of food that enters the stomach. Horses are unable to regurgitate food, so if they overeat or eat something poisonous vomiting is not an option.

Written by Katherine Blocksdorf · Reviewed by Anna O'Brien, DVM
Before you bring your new equine companion home, you'll want to learn about the basics of good horse care. Learn how to feed, house, and care for your horse or pony. Discover how pony care differs from horse care, what good health looks like and when to call the vet.

By Robert McDowell
Most horse owners and trainers nowadays give vitamins and minerals to horses as part of their daily program.
Since the discovery of Vitamin C and its link with the disease Scurvy was explained, we are accustomed to being told by the media and by health authorities that our health will be improved if we take additional Vitamin and Mineral supplements to our normal diets.

By Judith A. Reynolds, PhD, PAS
Although horses only need relatively small quantities of vitamins, the lack of those tiny amounts can be devastating to your horse’s health.
Vitamins comprise one of the six general groups of nutrients–the other groups are water, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and minerals. Vitamins are organic (carbon-containing) compounds needed in relatively small amounts by the body to support normal metabolism, which involves the breakdown and formation of molecules within the body.